PM CANCELS ARGENTINA VISIT OVER ARMENIAN INTERFERENCE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan canceled the Argentina leg of his Latin American tour to protest the cancellation of an event honoring the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, under pressure from the Armenian diaspora. Erdogan traveled to the Chilean capital of Santiago from Brazil, skipping a planned two-day visit to Argentina. "The reason for the cancellation of the Argentina visit is the cancellation of written permission given earlier by the Ministry of Environment and Public Space of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires for an Ataturk Monument that was to be inaugurated at the Jorge Newbery Park, following attempts by Armenian circles who are hostile to Turkey," a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said yesterday. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Third Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations, held in Rio de Janerio, told his Argentinean counterpart, Jorge Taiana, that the Argentinean government should fulfill the promise made to Turkey concerning the unveiling of the memorial, the statement said. /Today's Zaman/
RUSSIAN PM PUTIN SET TO VISIT TURKEY
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will visit Istanbul on June 8-9 to attend a Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). During his visit, Putin is expected to invite prominent names of Turkish building sector to Russia for preparations of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympiads. /Turkiye/
TURKEY, EGYPT TO ACCELERATE MILITARY COOPERATION
Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug said that as Turkey and Egypt move closer to each other, both countries will be strengthened. "This cooperation will also contribute to establishing and maintaining peace in the region," he said as he was leaving the Turkish fallen soldiers' cemetery in Cairo over the weekend. Basbug believes cooperation between Turkey and Egypt, including cooperation in the defense industry, will accelerate in the coming period. He said that education and training are the primary areas of cooperation between the Turkish and Egyptian armed forces. /Today's Zaman/
BARZANI SAYS IRAQI KURDS WANT BETTER RELATIONS WITH TURKEY
Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani, speaking before a key visit to Turkey this week, said over the weekend that the Kurdish administration wants to improve relations with Ankara, describing the northern neighbor as a country with an important role in the region. Barzani stated in a speech addressed to the regional parliament that the Kurdish administration was working to improve relations with Turkey, noting that better ties will benefit both sides. Economic relations will further develop as ties improve in other fields too, Barzani said. The Kurdish leader also warned against instability in the Kurdish region, saying efforts to that effect were unacceptable. /Today's Zaman/