QUEEN BEATRIX VISITS TURKEY

DutchNews.nl, Netherlands
Feb 27 2007

Queen Beatrix begins a four-day state visit to Turkey today on the
direct invitation of Turkish president Ahmet Sezer. The queen is
accompanied by crown prince Willem-Alexander and princess Maxima.

The first day will be spent in Ankara where the queen will lay a
wreath at the mausoleum of Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.

This evening she will give a speech at a gala dinner hosted by Sezer.

The Volkskrant says the queen will be confronted by two contentious
issues during her visit: the Armenian genocide question, which
has taken on political dimensions in the Netherlands, and Turkish
membership of the EU.