WASHINGTON, April 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria between April 24-28, during which she will meet with leaders of these countries and attend an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers, the State Department said Thursday.

    "In Turkey and Greece, she will review our shared interests with these strategic partners, including advancing democracy and peace in the broader Middle East and beyond, combating terrorism, Cyprus and Turkey's EU accession, and Eurasian energy security," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a news briefing.

    "In Bulgaria, Secretary Rice is expected to sign a defense cooperation agreement and discuss bilateral and regional issues," McCormack said.

    In addition, the spokesman said, Rice will attend an informal meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization foreign ministers to discuss preparations for the NATO Summit in Riga, Latvia this coming November. Enditem