Bush arrives in Ankara for talks with Turkish leaders

US President George W. Bush arrived in the Turkish capital city of Ankara on Saturday for talks with Turkish leaders before heading to a two-day NATO summit in Istanbul, which will open on Monday.

Bush is expected to hold talks with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan on Iraq issue, bilateral ties and other regional issues, diplomatic sources said.

Bush's visit is part of the US government's effort to improve ties with Ankara, which strained last year after the Turkish parliament rejected a US request to let its troops to attack Iraq on a second front, from southeastern Turkey.

The US-Turkish ties hit the rock-bottom after US troops detained11 Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq.

Although Washington was furious over Turkey, its traditional ally in the region, the US still wants Turkey, which borders on Iraq, to play a bigger role in the region.

Bush hoped that Turkey, as the only Muslim member of the NATO group, can also play a part in promoting his Greater Middle East plan, which was widely criticized by Arab countries.

Ankara, meanwhile, also needs the US support for its effort to win a date to start its entry talks with the 25-member European Union.

Source: Xinhua