The protesters, who had been shouting "Get out of Turkey" and "US murderer," were wrestled to the ground by riot-police and taken into custody just before Powell arrived for talks with Abdullah Gul.

Powell is due to hold talks with top officials in Ankara in a bid to mend strained relations between the two allies, which have suffered ever since the Muslim nation refused to allow US troops onto its soil for an attack against Iraq.

SPACE.WIRE