NATO's Scheffer pays farewell visits in Ankara

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, set to hand over his post to Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Aug. 1, yesterday paid farewell visits in Ankara. Meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Scheffer said NATO's new strategy plan calls for the establishment of a "wise man group" and that they want Turkey to take an active role in the group. Scheffer also met with Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug and President Abdullah Gul.