Clinton Visits Turkey in Bid to Bolster Ties

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says President Barack Obama will travel to Turkey within the next month.

Clinton made the announcement Saturday following meetings with Turkish leaders in Ankara.

Clinton is wrapping up her trip to the Middle East in Turkey, which has played a key role in Middle East peace efforts because of its ties to Arab states and Israel.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he and Ms. Clinton also discussed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the fight against terrorism.  Clinton was expected to press Turkey for a greater military presence in Afghanistan.

Earlier this week, Turkey's foreign minister, Ali Babacan, said his government is willing to allow the U.S. to use Turkey's military bases and ports to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq.  

He said no such request has been made thus far.

Turkey, a NATO member, borders Iraq.  The majority-Muslim country refused to allow the U.S. to use Turkey to launch attacks against Iraq, when the U.S.-led invasion began in 2003.