Biden due in Turkey to mend soured ties amid post-coup rift

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will pay a visit to Turkey on August 24, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in a press conference in Ankara on Saturday.

Yildirim said the United States attitude over the coup attempt had a positive shift as it started to take some action, while addressing to senior Turkish media figures at Cankaya Palace,

U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Joseph Dunford was the first senior U.S. official to visit the country on August 1 following the coup attempt.

Turkish FM Cavusoglu said on Friday that a delegation from the U.S. Justice Department would visit Turkey on Aug. 23-24 to discuss the extradition of Fetullah Gulen.

He added that Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry were also due to arrive in Turkey but the dates were yet to be confirmed.

Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told press said "four specialists" would make up the delegation.

"Of those, three are from the U.S. Department of Justice and one is from the State Department.Extradition of Fetullah Gulen is not just an issue for Turkey or the U.S., but an issue the world is closely watching out for," Bozdag said.

Related:

Turkey hardens stance to press U.S. for Gulen extradition

ANKARA, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Turkey has sent a second request to the U.S. for the extradition of Fetullah Gulen, who is blamed for a recent coup attempt, Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Tuesday.

Bozdag warned that the relations between Washington and Ankara would be negatively affected if Gulen is not extradited, according to local Hurriyet.

Source : XINHUA