Obama to visit Turkey in key policy move

In its physical position as the gateway from Europeinto the Middle East, Turkey has been a crucial U.S. and NATO ally, as well as a route to supply troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. In its ideological position, Turkey is seen as a key example of a secular, democratic Islamic state.

“The last time I was here, my husband was president,” Clinton told reporters. “This time, I come as secretary of state, on behalf of our new president, President Obama, to emphasize the work the U.S. and Turkey must do together on behalf of peace, prosperity and progress.” Clinton, who held meetings with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ali Babacan in Ankara on Saturday, also visited the masoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic.

Babacan said Saturday that Turkey was “ready to cooperate” in being a exit route when the U.S. withdraws from Iraq. A joint statement issued after the meetings said that the leaders “reaffirmed their determination to diversify the broad based bilateral relations particularly between the Turkish and American people,” and said the U.S. “is reviewing ways to be more supportive” in Turkey’s fight against Kurdish PKK rebels along the Iraqi border.

The work that the U.S. and Turkey undertake together, though, may involve a third party. Erdogan told the Guardian last month that, during President George W. Bush’s term, Iran approached him to act as a go-between in resolving its conflict with the United States.

“Iran does want Turkey to play such a role,” Erdogan said of Turkey being a mediator. “And if the United States also wants and asks us to play this role, we are ready to do this. [The Iranians] said to us that if something like this would happen, they want Turkey to play a role. These were words that were said openly. But I have told this to President Bush myself.”

Erdogan indicated that he passed along Iran’s request to the White House at the time, but may bring up the offer anew with the new administration.

Obama has stressed that dialogue with Iran and Syria would be a key area in which his foreign policy would differ from the Bush administration’s. Jeffrey Feltman, the acting U.S. secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, and Daniel Shapiro of the National Security Council met with Syrian officials including Foreign Minister Walid Muallem in Damascus on Saturday.

Afterward, Feltman called the talks “very constructive.”

Not pinning down a date for Obama’s visit, Clinton said he should be traveling to Turkey “in about a month or so.” Before that, Obama is scheduled to travel to Europe to attend the G-20 economic summit in London, plus visit France and Germany for NATO summit events. He will also visit the Czech Republic to meet with European Union leaders.