US Ambassador: "Washington is giving some supoort to Ankara's democratic intiative"

Washington is giving some support to Ankara's democratic initiative, which is a Turkish plan, not a US one, US Ambassador to Ankara James Jeffrey said yesterday in a televised interview with Kanal 7. Touching on the idea of a model partnership advanced during US President Barack Obama's visit to Ankara this summer, he said that Turkey and the US share common values and responsibilities, and that in line with the model partnership the countries exchange views and develop common policies on Pakistan and Afghanistan, NATO, the UN Security Council and the Middle East. Asked whether Obama and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan are alike, Jeffrey said the two leaders understand each other well and that both are in very responsible positions as leaders of large, important countries.