U.S. President Obama's top adviser praises Turkey on Afghanistan

Despite Turkey's refusal to send combat troops to fight Islamic extremists in Afghanistan, U.S. President barack obama's National Security Adviser James Jones has praised Turkish contributions to the war-torn country so far, and said ankara would play a critical role in the future of NATO's efforts there. Jones, a former Marine general and NATO commander who oversaw the Western alliance's operations in Afghanistan between 2003 and his retirement in 2007, was speaking at the washington Foreign Press Center on Friday shortly after Obama announced the United States' new Afghanistan policy.Obama declared that a joint military and civilian strategy would be implemented to fight the insurgency and help bring stability to Afghanistan. He said he would send an additional 4,000 military trainers to boost the Afghan security forces' capabilities, and urged NATO allies to increase their contributions.Jones, who will join Obama in the president's trip this week to Europe -- including a visit to Turkey -- was asked to comment on what additional effort was expected from Turkey."Turkey has already contributed enormously to Afghanistan. Turkey has commanded ISAF (the International Security Assistance Force, led by NATO) two times with very, very distinguished generals," he said."They have always been a reliable ally and have contributed enormously to the economic viability in the country," Jones said. In one example, he said that Turkey had built the new U.S. embassy in Kabul."I think Turkey has a very special role to play in Afghanistan by virtue of its history and by virtue of its performance," Jones said. "Turkey's very much on record and Afghanistan's a very important contributor. And the leadership role that Turkey plays in the outcome of whatever we do next is going to be critically important."No combat troops He declined to openly criticize Turkey and many other Western nations, which are reluctant to physically join the fight against the Taliban, saying it was the individual countries' call how to contribute to Afghanistan."Nations, when they provide their troops to international efforts such as these, can put whatever restrictions on them they want.," Jones said."We commanders prefer that they have no caveats in terms of what they do, but the reality is that nations, at the end of the day, can decide what it is they wish their troops to do," he said. "I think that from a military perspective, obviously, the more unified the command, the more unity of effort you have and the more likely the success that you can expect."The current Turkish force in ISAF is responsible, together with France and Italy, for the security of Kabul.ankara is presently working on a package for more contribution to Afghanistan. But it is mostly focusing on civilian measures and does not want its contingent to be involved in hostilities with the Taliban. Mostly U.S., British and Canadian forces are fighting the Taliban in the lawless southern and eastern Afghanistan.Obama will visit Turkey this weekend at the end of a European tour covering international summit meetings. He is due to arrive in ankara Sunday, meet with Turkish leaders, visit ıstanbul and leave Turkey on April 7.In ıstanbul, Obama is expected to hold a global, video-based conference that will allow students from across Europe and Asia to ask questions, one White House official said Saturday.