US delegation to visit Turkey

US Department of State Spokesman Victoria Nuland said at a press conference yesterday that a delegation from the US would visit Turkey in order to boost cooperation in the combat against terrorism. In reply to a question about Turkey, Nuland reiterated that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called Foreign Minister to express her condolences and stressed the US' readiness to offer assistance to Turkey following Oct. 23's devastating earthquake in the eastern province of Van. In reply to another question, Nuland said that an inter-institutional delegation under guidance of the US Department of Defense was set to visit Turkey to hold bilateral contacts, as US President Barack Obama mentioned to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the phone. Stating that the delegation chaired by Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, the US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, would discuss the ways to boost cooperation in the combat against terrorism.