Turkish president vows to support new NATO chief

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-28 04:35

ANKARA: Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Thursday Turkey would extend support to NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in his mission, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

Gul received Rasmussen at Cankaya Presidential Palace earlier in the day, who was on his first visit since he became head of the alliance early this month.

Gul said Turkey considered NATO's new strategic concept as very important, adding that NATO should be ready and strong against new threats.

Rasmussen's first practical move as NATO chief was the appointment of a 12-member expert group to work on NATO's new strategic concept, a guideline document for all activities of the organization.

Rasmussen, the former Danish prime minister, said Turkey was an important and essential ally for NATO, especially in the Middle East and Central Asia.

Gul and Rasmussen also discussed relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to the report.

Rasmussen's hardline attitude toward the publication of 12 editorial cartoons in Denmark in 2005, most of which depicted the Prophet Mohammed, sparked criticisms from the Muslim world and became an obstacle to his appointment as NATO chief.

Turkey, a mainly Muslim country, had opposed Rasmussen's appointment as NATO chief, citing his stance during the crisis over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. Ankara finally dropped its opposition after it was assured of senior posts in the alliance.