Turkish Chief of General Staff Özel to meet top US officials

WASHINGTON - Anatolia News Agency

Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel visits the United States at the invitation of Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey.

Gen. Özel will meet Gen. Dempsey at the Pentagon today, followed by a visit with U.S. Defense Minister Leon Panetta in his office.

The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Spokesman Scott McIlnay said yesterday that the visit by the Turkish top general was part of deep-rooted relations between the Turkish army and the U.S. army. McIlnay stated that Gen. Özel was set to visit several U.S. bases in Virginia, Florida and Valparaiso, and that he would also receive briefing over F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.

Daily Hürriyet said yesterday that Gen. Özel visited the Pentagon’s operation command center, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), in Virginia yesterday. Gen. Özel will attend a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. He will accompany Gen. Dempsey for lunch.