Clinton: U.S. president to visit Turkey in a month

ANKARA, March 7 -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Saturday that U.S. President Barack Obama is to visit Turkey in a month.

"Obama will visit Turkey in a month or so," Clinton, who is paying a one-day working visit to Ankara, told a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan.

She added that the exact date of Obama's visit is to be announced shortly, and Obama is expected to consult with Turkey the way to pull out U.S. troops from neighboring Iraq.

Meanwhile, the top U.S. diplomat defined the relations between Turkey and the United States as an alliance, a partnership and a friendship.

Babacan, on his part, said this high-level visit after the new U.S. administration took office is very timing since Turkish-U.S. relations have a broad agenda.

"We use the words of friendship, partnership and alliance to define those relations," said Babacan.

Clinton arrived in Ankara early on Saturday aimed to boost bilateral ties with Turkey and try to rebuild a better image for the Obama administration in order to remove a wave of anti-Americanism that rose after the U.S. invasion in Iraq in 2003.

Clinton last visited Turkey as the first lady in 1999 with her husband, then U.S. President Bill Clinton, and their daughter Chelsea.