ANKARA - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has begun her program in Ankara by visiting the Mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern and secular Republic of Turkey.
She laid a wreath to the tomb and observed a minute of silence out of respect to Ataturk.
Merkel also signed the special book of the mausoleum, and expressed her respect to Ataturk, who founded the modern Turkey and paved the way for Turkey`s path leading towards Europe.
Later, an official welcoming ceremony took place at the Turkish Prime Ministry Office.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Merkel will hold a joint news conference following their meeting.
She will be received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer.
Later, Merkel and Erdogan will proceed to Istanbul to attend tomorrow`s Turkish-German Economy Forum meeting, organized in association with the Union of Turkish Chambers & Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and the Turkish Industrialists` & Businessmen`s Association (TUSIAD).
Merkel is expected to hold talks with several religious leaders before departing from Turkey.