Carter speaks with Turkish defense minister

The Turkish defense minister has assured Defense Secretary Ash Carter that Turkey will participate Wednesday in a high-profile meeting among nations that are part of the coalition to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, according to a Pentagon statement.

Carter, in a Monday call with Turkish Minister of Defense Fikri Işik, reiterated U.S. support for democratically elected civilian government in Turkey on the heels of an attempted military coup.

Isik “expressed regret over his inability to attend the counter-ISIL defense ministerial that Secretary Carter is hosting on Wednesday in Washington, but assured the secretary that the Turkish ambassador to the United States will be in attendance and will be fully empowered to speak for the Turkish government,” according to the Pentagon.

Carter and Isik also discussed the importance of operations at Incirlik Air Base to the counter-ISIL campaign.

“The secretary and the minister agreed to keep in touch in the days and weeks ahead,” the statement reads.