Tuesday, 10 March 2009A planned visit by U.S. President Barack Obama to Turkey is very important, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department said on Monday.
"Well, I think it is quite significant that President Obama will be going to Turkey. They're working out the details of that visit. But Turkey is an important ally, and there is a lot of business to do with Turkey, and we think it is significant that the President has decided to go," Robert Wood told reporters at a daily press briefing.
In response to a question that Turkey might consider mediating the talks between Iran and the U.S., Wood said, "We are still in the midst of that review. I don't want to speculate as to what we might do."
"Let me just say that we have offered our hand to the Government of Iran, and we hope to be able to engage this government on a whole range of issues. But a lot of it is going to depend on Iran and its willingness to engage and to change its behavior in a number of areas where we have concern," he said.
Responding to a question on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's talks in Turkey, Wood said, "the Secretary had very good discussions with officials of the Turkish Government. There are a range of issues that we are cooperating with Turkey on. And the Secretary came away with, I think, a very positive feeling about those meetings."
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Tuesday, 10 March 2009
WASHINGTON D.C. (A.A)
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