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Armitage to visit Turkey, Syria, Jordan
 U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage will leave this week on a trip to Turkey, Syria and Jordan aimed at boosting U.S. efforts in Iraq ahead of crucial elections there next month, officials have said. The State Department has yet to officially announce Armitage's trip. But a senior official, who asked not to be identifies, said late Tuesday: "I won't take issue with" press reports that he was expected in the three countries. William Burns, assistant secretary of state for the Middle East, was expected to accompany Armitage to Syria and Jordan, the official said.He said the talks in the three countries would focus on bilateral issues and Iraq, particularly efforts to involve the country's Sunnis in the Jan. 30 elections despite violence and intimidation by insurgents. A U.S. source in Ankara said Armitage, due to step down early next year along with his boss, Secretary of State Colin Powell, was expected Sunday for talks on Monday with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. Posted by: Fred 2004-12-30 |
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