WASHINGTON, Feb 17: President Barack Obama called Turkish President Abdullah

Gul and Prime Minister

Recep Tayyip Erdogan and had two “warm and productive” conversations, the White House said.

President Obama and the Turkish leaders talked about Iraq, the need to work together on Middle East peace efforts and his administration’s review of US policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the White House said in a statement issued on Monday.

In January, President Gul urged Mr Obama to make the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a priority, saying an active US engagement was needed to reach a settlement. Turkey was also a key point of contact for the former Bush administration on Afghanistan, and helped US efforts to convince Pakistan to crack down on tribal regions.

“The president emphasised the importance of the United States’ alliance with Turkey and said he looks forward to working with both President Gul and Prime Minister Erdogan on a broad agenda of mutual strategic interest,” it said.

“The president emphasised his desire to strengthen US-Turkish relations and to work together effectively in Nato.”

Mr Obama’s call to Mr Gul came just a few days after the Turkish president visited Moscow, seeking a closer relationship with the Kremlin, despite Turkey’s history as a rival of Russia.

Due to its geographical position some analysts see Turkey as key for redressing the influence of a resurgent Russia and a possible route out of Central Asia and the Caspian region for oil pipelines.—AFP