TURKISH PREMIER TO VISIT USA, ITALY
Prensa Latina, Cuba
Nov 1 2007
Ankara, Oct 31 (Prensa Latina) Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan will travel to the United States as of November 2 and also
pay a three-day visit to Italy, the Turkish government confirmed.
In Washington, Erdogan is expected to meet with Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice and with President George W. Bush, with whom he is
expected to discuss the military situation created in southeastern
Turkey, as well as other issues of common interest.
The meeting will occur at a difficult moment in bilateral relations,
following the approval of a motion by the House of Representatives in
October 12, describing as genocide the deaths of Armenians in central
Anatolia in early 20th Century.
The issue is highly sensitive among Turkish people, as they consider
the events have been distorted. Therefore, Bush has cut himself off it.
Erdogan is expected to stay in Rome on November 6-8 to meet with
President Giorgio Napolitano and also with the leaders of both chambers
in the Legislature.
He is also expected to meet with Prime Minister Romano Prodi and his
Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema, and the source did not rule out a
meeting with conservative politician Silvio Berlusconi in his capacity
as opposition leader in Parliament.
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