ANKARA (CIHAN) - Intensive security measures have been put in place for the visit of the US President, George W. Bush to Ankara this weekend before the NATO Summit to be held on June 28-29 in Istanbul. The US Secretary of State, Colin Powell and the US National Security Advisor, Condoleezza Rice will accompany Bush and his wife Laura during the Ankara visit.
The Ankara Police have tightened security measures following yesterday`s explosion in Ankara which took place 20 meters away from the Hilton hotel where the US President will be staying. Leave for nearly 14,000 police officers has been cancelled due to Bush`s visit. Many police oficers from Ankara will travel to Istanbul for the NATO Summit.
Bush is expected to arrive at 21:00 pm at Ankara on Saturday from Ireland after having attended an official EU-US summit there.
The route of Bush`s convoy in Ankara will be decided by special operations teams. A second convoy containing a double of Bush will follow a different route.
Bush will start his official talks in Ankara on June 27 where he will meet with the Turkish President, Ahmet Necdet Sezer and the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Bush also will visit the grave of Atatürk, Anýtkabir. President Bush will leave Ankara to travel to Istanbul after first attending a lunch organized on his behalf in Ankara.
Key subjects including economic relations between the two countries, Iraq, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK/KONGRA-GEL) in northern Iraq, the current situation in Cyprus, the process of Turkey`s EU membership bid, US demands in the framework of its global defense strategy, the NATO Summit, developments in the Middle East and Afghanistan will be discussed during Bush`s visit to Ankara.