Ecevit To Go To U.S. With Delegation Composed Of Nearly 200 Officials

ANKARA, Jan 10 (A.A) - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit will be accompanied by a delegation composed of 200 officials during his visit to the U.S. which will start on January 14.
State Ministers Kemal Dervis, Tunca Toskay, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan and seven deputies will acompany Ecevit.
Prime Ministry bureaucrats, Foreign Ministry bureaucrats, Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti, Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak, Foreign Trade Undersecretary Kursad Tuzmen, Energy and Natural Resources Ministry Undersecretary Yurdakul Yigitguden, Religious Affairs Chairman Mehmet Nuri Yilmaz will accompany Ecevit.
A total of 101 businessmen and representatives from industry and trade chambers will also be in the delegation.
Ecevit who will leave for the Washington, U.S. on January 14, will meet with U.S. President George W. Bush on January 16. Ecevit will also hold bilateral contacts in Blair House.
Ecevit who will later proceed to New York will visit the ruins of Twin Towers which was hit by the terrorist attacks, and lay wreath in the memory of those who died in the terrorist attack.
Ecevit will leave New York on January 18 and be in Ankara on January 19.
U.S.: WORKING WITH TURKEY IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US
The U.S. State department said on Thursday that Washington's working with Turkey on international matters was very important for the United States.
Holding a press conference, U.S. State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher also evaluated Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to Wahsington D.C. next week to meet with U.S. President George W. Bush.
Boucher said that the Turkish-American diplomatic talks would focus on issues of Cyprus, Iraq, Balkans, NATO, European army, Afghanistan and Middle East.
''We closely cooperate with Turkey in many fields. We make policy in coordination with Turkey for many matters. Working with Turkey is very important for us,'' he said.
Meanwhile, the Turkish and Merican officials are trying to set a new schedule for a meeting between Ecevit and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell who decided to leave Washington D.C. on Tuesday to visit southern Asia countries due to the tension between India and Pakistan.
Prime Minister Ecevit was previously scheduled to meet with Powell on Wednesday.