Vice President Joseph Biden will visit Ankara on Wednesday to “reaffirm our commitment to work together with Turkey, our valued NATO Ally and partner, to confront the scourge of terrorism,” the White House said Sunday.
Biden’s visit awaits a wide-ranging agenda of talks between the two countries, whose cooperation is considered critical to future of the region, reeling from repercussion of the Syrian and Iraqi conflicts, mass exodus of refugees, and ISIS terror.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be keen to discuss extradition of be Fethullah Gulen, a prominent US-based 75-year-old writer, who Ankara says incited the failed military coup last month that claimed more than 250 lives.
Washington condemned the coup and President Barack Obama’s administration has reiterated its support for Turkish democracy. At the same time, it wants proof of self-exiled and Pennsylvania-based Gulen’s involvement in the July 15 aborted coup. According to a CNN report, officials from the State Department and Justice Department will travel to Turkey to look into the extradition request, which ultimately will depend on the US courts verdict.
On Saturday, a suicide bombing killed at least 50 people attending a wedding party in Gaziantep, bordering Syria’s Aleppo province.
“The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms yesterday’s terrorist attack in Gaziantep, Turkey,” National Security Council Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement Sunday.
“The perpetrators of this barbaric act cynically and cowardly targeted a wedding, killing dozens and leaving scores wounded. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of those killed, and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured.”
“We stand with the people of Turkey as they defend their democracy in the face of all forms of terrorism. We are in close touch with Turkish authorities, and Vice President Biden will visit Ankara on Wednesday, August 24 to reaffirm our commitment to work together with Turkey, our valued NATO Ally and partner, to confront the scourge of terrorism,” the spokesperson added.
Besides the Gulen extradition issue, the United States and Turkey have also differences over Ankara’s demand for designation of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its military wing the People’s Protection Unit (YPG) as terror outfits.
Ankara believes the two are linked to banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been designated as terrorist organization by the US, EU and has been fighting the Turkish state for more than 30 years.
The U.S. views the PYD and the YPG as useful groups in the ongoing fight against ISIS in Syria.
Meanwhile, Ankara has been quick to mend its relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an indication of its pivotal strategic importance. For the United States, Turkey remains an indispensable NATO ally for a number of security imperatives including the use of a Turkish air base that allows Washington to target ISIS militants in the region.
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