US Secretary of State John Kerry to visit Turkey

Georgia, Tbilisi - 2016-08-04 16:54:00

---

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Turkey in late August, broadcaster CNN Turk said on Thursday, more than a month after a failed military coup shook the NATO member state. Trip comes amid strained relations over U.S.-based cleric, who Turkey blames for coup attempt.

Turkey's relations with Washington have been strained by the abortive putsch, which President Tayyip Erdogan blames on U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan has called for the extradition of Gulen, who denies involvement in the plot.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag sent a second document to the United States Tuesday seeking Gulen's arrest, the state-run Anadolu news agency said.
Calgary's Davud Hanci has also been detained in Turkey on allegations he worked for Gulen. His friends and family say he is innocent.