Erdoğan Heads to US for Talks with Bush, Then Travels to Britain

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan departed Ankara on Friday for an official trip to the United States and Britain. Speaking to reporters at Esenboga Airport before his flight, he said the visit would focus on counterterrorism, bilateral ties, and regional affairs.

A key stop will be Washington, where Erdoğan is scheduled to meet President George W. Bush on 2 October. The two governments had already agreed on a shared vision document during Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's US visit in July, covering economic cooperation, investment, and science and technology.

Before reaching Washington, Erdoğan will address the Turkish community in New York on 30 September and meet with Turkish-American representatives and media figures. He will also deliver a speech on Türkiye's foreign policy vision at Georgetown University.

The trip will conclude in Britain, where Erdoğan plans to meet Prime Minister Tony Blair to discuss regional and international developments, with European Union membership prospects expected to dominate those talks.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in September 2006, in its own words.