Turkish PM to visit Britain
(ANKARA) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Britain next week for talks on his country's struggling bid to join the European Union and the Cyprus conflict, his office said Friday.
Erdogan will meet with British counterpart Gordon Brown and attend a meeting of a Turkish-British buisiness forum during the visit on Monday and Tuesday, the statement said.
He will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey's chief negotiator in EU membership talks, Egemen Bagis and state minister for foreign trade, Zafer Caglayan.
Britain has been a firm supporter of Turkey's EU bid, despite vocal opposition from France and Germany.
Cyprus' division remains a major stumbling block in Turkey's accession talks and Ankara has long sought support from Britain, the island's former colonial power, in efforts to resolve the 35-year conflict.
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