Gul Meets With Powell

ANKARA - Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul met on Wednesday with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Powell and Gul had a tete-a-tete meeting for 15 minutes before the interdelegational talks.
U.S. President George W. Bush's Adviser for Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Robert Pearson, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal, deputy undersecretaries Ali Tuygan, Baki Ilkin, Alev Kilic, Nabi Sensoy and the Middle East Department Director General Tahsin Burcuoglu also participated in the meeting.
Meanwhile, a group comprised of 20-30 people held a protest in front of ministry prior to Powell's visit.
The group threw eggs to security forces who tried to prevent them.
The group chanted slogans like ''Turkey is not for sale'', ''Murderer United States''.
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will receive Powell after his meeting with Gul. Powell will also meet with the Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok.
Powell and Gul will hold a joint news conference in the afternoon.
U.S. Secretary of State Powell told journalists on his way to Ankara that he would call for support of Turkey in operations of the United States in northern Iraq.
Powell said he thought if they manage to get full support in the coming days, this would contribute to the efforts to make the Congress accept one billion U.S. dollars aid to Turkey.
(AY-AÖ) 02.04.2003