Ricciardone pledges push for US tourists to visit eastern Turkey

US Ambassador to Turkey Francis J. Ricciardone has pledged to encourage US citizens to visit eastern Turkey. During a visit to the eastern province of Erzurum last week, Ricciardone said the city has made great progress since his first visit there 34 years ago. "Many US tourists visit Istanbul and Ankara, yet few have any idea about Erzurum," he said. "But the city carries great historical and cultural importance."