21 October 2010
Robert Gates says Turkey strong strategic ally
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told members of the American Turkish Council in Washington that the United States was a strong strategic ally with Ankara when it comes to fight Kurdish militants.
Speaking at the meeting, the other day, Gates said that Washington has increased its intelligence sharing with Turkey to help with its efforts to take on Kurdish militants.
Turkish lawmakers last week approved a mandate that allows the military to cross the border with Iraq to take on militants with the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party).
"In response to the rise in PKK attacks against Turkish military forces and civilians over the past year, the U.S. has increased its efforts to crack down on PKK, enhanced its intelligence support, and reached out to our European allies to encourage them to freeze PKK assets in Europe," he was quoted by the Pentagon as saying.
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
