ANKARA - The meeting of the European Union (EU) Troika will be held at the ministerial level for the first time in Ankara under the chairmanship of Greece.
Three important guests are coming to Turkey on Thursday for the meeting to be held in Ankara on Friday.
EU Term President Greece's Foreign Minister George Papandreou and following term president Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini as well as EU Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen will attend the meeting.
EU joint foreign policy chief Javier Solana will not attend the meeting.
Diplomatic sources, who welcome holding EU Troika meeting in ministerial level for the first time in Ankara, think that developments indicate importance that term president Greece attributes to Turkey's EU process. The sources also think that the process can be accelerated this way.
The Troika will convene at the State Guesthouse at 9.30 a.m. on Friday. Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis and other participants will hold a press conference at the end of the meeting.
Papandreou, Frattini and Verheugen will meet with officials, including Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.