Obama in Turkey to boost ties with 'critical ally'

ANKARA - US President Barack Obama began talks with Turkish leaders on Monday at the start of a two-day visit aimed at revitalising ties with a mainly Muslim ally and firmly anchoring it to the West.

Obama flew to Ankara Sunday with a strong message in support of Turkey's bid to join the European Union, seen by many as the ultimate step on Ankara's road towards integration with the West, a vision set down by the country's founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

"I look forward to strengthening relations between the United States and Turkey and supporting Ataturk's vision of Turkey," Obama wrote in the memorial book at Ataturk's mausoleum where he laid a wreath ahead of official talks.

Praising Ataturk as a "man with vision, tenacity and courage who put Turkey on the path of democracy", he added: "Peace at home, peace in the world," quoting one of the most popular sayings of Ataturk.

Under strict security measures with about 4,000 policemen on duty, Obama proceeded from the mausoleum to the presidential palace where he was warmly greeted by President Abdullah Gul and honoured with 21 cannon shots.

The two men were to hold a press conference after their talks.

Obama will also meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, visit the Turkish parliament and address the general assembly later on Monday.

"The president's address will reaffirm his belief that Turkey is a critical ally, and an important part of Europe," a senior US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said ahead of the talks.

"The president wanted to visit Turkey because he believes it's important that we take steps to renew the US-Turkey relationship, which has drifted in recent years," he added.

Turkey has been a close ally of the United States in a strategic region between Europe, the Caucasus and the Middle East, bordering troubled countries such as Georgia, Iraq, Iran and Syria.

Bilateral ties were strained under President George W. Bush when Turkey denied US troops permission to use its territory in the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Erdogan's Islamist-rooted government has forged closer ties with Iran, welcomed leaders of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas in Ankara and kept close ties with Sudan, giving rise to fears that Ankara is drifting away from the West.

Before flying into Turkey, the last step on his maiden European tour, Obama attended an EU summit in Prague where he urged the 27-nation bloc to embrace Turkey, saying membership would firmly anchor Ankara with the West.

Even though his remarks were immediately countered by France and Germany, they earned him a warm welcome here, with the the popular Sabah daily headlining "Bravo Obama," and the the mass-selling Hurriyet saying in English: "Welcome, Mr President."

In Ankara, Obama "will discuss the progress of Turkey's own democratic reforms, and will reaffirm US support of Turkey's bid to become a member of the European Union," the US official said.

His talks with Turkish leaders were also to focus on the war on terrorism, the war in Afghanistan, relations with Iran, and the Middle East peace process, the US official said.

The president was to go to Istanbul later in the day to make a brief appearance at a UN-backed international forum on bridging divisions between the Islamic world and the West, co-chaired by Turkey and Spain.

On Tuesday, he was expected to meet religious leaders, hold a round-table meeting with university students and visit two Istanbul landmarks, the Hagia Sophia church and the Blue Mosque, before leaving Turkey.