U.S. Deputy Secretary Of Defense Wolfowitz Due In Turkey

ANKARA (A.A) - 04.07.2002 - The U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz will come to Turkey in mid-July.
Diplomatic sources said Wolfowitz is expected to visit Ankara on July 14, 2002 if there is not any change in his program.
Possible U.S. operation on Iraq, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, and European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) are among the issues which are expected to be discussed during Wolfowitz's contacts.
Visit of Wolfowitz attracts attention as it coincides with a period when scenarios regarded with operation against Iraq are brought onto the agenda again. As the United States is expected to call for support from Ankara in this respect, Foreign Ministry had issued a statement at the beginning of this week and stressed Turkey's Iraq policy once again, and noted that Ankara considered Iraq's territorial integrity as an indispensable condition of regional stability.
Wolfowitz is also expected to exchange views with the officials pertaining to the broadening of ISAF's mission area.
Wolfowitz earlier made statements that the United States could support broadening of ISAF's mission areas.
Wolfowitz, who recently addressed Senate Foreign Relations Committee, there was a reluctance about broadening ISAF's mission area because of many reasons, however that nobody clearly stated opposition.
However, broadening mission area of ISAF is not on the agenda of Turkey at the time being.
Recent point reached in ESDP issue is also expected to be discussed during Wolfowitz's contacts.
Wolfowitz had met Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou last May and pointed out that the United States wanted ''Ankara text'', including the compromise reached with Turkey about ESDP issue, to be accepted as it is.
Visit of Wolfowitz to Turkey, which were earlier planned, had been postponed as it coincided with the U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's visit abroad.