ANKARA - European Union (EU) Commission President Romano Prodi visited on Friday Anitkabir, the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the Founder of Turkish Republic.
Prodi laid a wreath on Ataturk's Mausoleum, observed a minute of silence and signed Anitkabir Special Book.
European Union (EU) Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen and State Minister Mehmet Aydin accompanied Prodi.
Prodi, the first European Commission President who pays a visit to Turkey, came to Ankara on Thursday afternoon.
European Commission President Prodi was welcomed by an official ceremony in the Prime Ministry.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prodi held a tete-a-tete meeting and attended meeting between delegations.
Following these meetings, Erdogan and Prodi held a joint press conference. Prodi stressed that Turkey was closer to EU thanks to impressive reforms it had undertaken.
After meeting with Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, Prodi addressed the parliament.
Prodi also met with Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal.
After this meeting, Prodi attended the dinner hosted in his honor by Prime Minister Erdogan.
Prodi was received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer earlier on Friday.
(BRC- Öª) 16.01.2004