The Turkish press continues discussing the agenda of the meeting between Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Barack Obama scheduled for December 7. The United State’s demand that Turkey increase its contingent in Afghanistan is among the issues on the agenda. There is growing interest in this problem in both Turkey and the United States. The problem is that Turkey came to realize that it did not want to come into conflict with Muslims in Afghanistan.

U.S. President Barack Obama stated that another 30,000 troops will be dispatched to Afghanistan. The ensonhaber.com reports that U.S. Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey demanded that Turkey increase its military contingent in Afghanistan to fight Al-Qaeda and Taliban. He stated that the issue is also on the agenda of the Turkish Premier’s visit to the United States.

Turkey, however, is known to be against dispatching offensive forces to Afghanistan. The Turkish authorities believe that using Turkish troops against Muslim elements is pregnant with even greater harm.

Turkey is not expected to change its stance at the forthcoming Erdogan-Obama meeting, but the United Statesm, which expressed its support for the Turkish authorities’ initiative of democratization, is interested in the Turkish Premier’s stance.

Speaking at a conference of the EU Foreign Ministers’ Council, Turkish Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağış stated that Turkey will dispatch additional troops to Afghanistan if all the NATO member-states are doing so. Turkey has taken over the military command in Afghanistan, which implies an increase in troops.

On an occasion, the Turkish Minister of Defense, responding to questions by the French Ambassador to Turkey, stated that the 1,750-strong contingent in Afghanistan would not be involved in the Freedom Operation.