ANKARA: US Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Ankara late Thursday, directly from an Iraq visit, for talks on the situation there as US troops prepare to leave, as well as on the troubles in Syria.
Biden, who was met at the airport by the US ambassador and Turkish officials, flew directly in from his surprise visit to Iraq where he thanked both US and Iraqi troops for their sacrifices, saying they helped to end the war.
While in Turkey he will meet on Friday, with Turkish President Abdullah Gul, and parliamentary speaker Cemil Cicek.
Talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan are also on the official schedule but he has cancelled all official functions until Monday due to recent gastric surgery.
Biden will travel on to Istanbul later Friday ahead of an investors meeting the following day aimed at encouraging free trade in the Arab-Muslim world.
Erdogan's conservative government enjoys warm relations with the administration of President Barack Obama, and the two countries are allies within NATO.
Biden will make mention of the US aid in the fight against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) separatists in Turkey said Tony Blinken, Biden's National Security Adviser.
The US vice preseident will also bring up the unrest in Turkey's neighbour Syria, where Bashar al-Assad's regime is carrying out a bloody crackdown on the opposition.
Syria has suspended its free trade agreement with Turkey, the official news agency in Damascus said Thursday, in retaliation for Ankara slapping sanctions on the Damascus regime.
Turkey, one of Syria's closest economic partners, followed in the footsteps of the Arab League on Wednesday in announcing a series of sanctions on the Syrian regime, including a freeze on commercial transactions and a break in links between the Turkish and Syrian central banks.
While Washington has applauded Turkey's stand on Syria it is at the same time concerned at its worsening ties with Israel.
Iraq and Cyprus will also be discussed in Ankara.
Biden will fly on to Greece from Turkey.
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