REUTERS: ANKARA - U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in NATO member Turkey on Sunday in his first visit as president to a Muslim country.
Obama's visit, on the last leg of an eight-day trip that marks his debut as president on the world stage, is a recognition of the secular but predominantly Muslim country's growing clout and Washington's desire for its help to solve confrontations and conflicts from Iran to Afghanistan.
U.S.-Turkish relationship suffered badly in 2003 when Ankara opposed the invasion of Iraq. But Obama will seek help from Turkey as he pushes a new regional strategy in Afghanistan and as it prepares to reduce the number of troops in Iraq.
Obama's motorcade got plenty of friendly waves from small groups along a route from the international airport to the city center lined with security personnel. A few people waved tiny Turkish flags. Bush got a mostly indifferent response from the public in visits to the Muslim world.
Turkey will not be the venue for Obama's promised major speech in a Muslim capital, but his April 5-7 trip will be a way to emphasize his message of reaching out to Muslims. >>> Reporting by Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Alison Williams | Sunday, April 5, 2009
