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ANKARA: French President Pays Historic Visit To Turkey After 22 Year

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  • ANKARA: French President Pays Historic Visit To Turkey After 22 Year

    FRENCH PRESIDENT PAYS HISTORIC VISIT TO TURKEY AFTER 22 YEARS

    Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
    Jan 27 2014

    ANKARA - Hurriyet Daily News
    b y Sevil ErkuÅ~_

    The visit will also be Hollande's first after announcing his split
    with long-time partner Valérie Treilweiler. AFP photo

    French President Francois Hollande arrived in Turkey today for an
    official visit, the first by a French head of state in 22 years,
    with official talks in Ankara aiming to promote bilateral ties after
    they regressed under former leader Nicolas Sarkozy.

    Ankara's agenda for the talks will focus on opening EU accession
    chapters 17, 22 and 23 during Greece's EU presidency, which runs
    through June 30. However, France is known to be hesitant about
    opening chapter 17, regulating economic and monetary policies, which
    is directly related to full accession and could create difficulties
    for Hollande in domestic politics given that his popularity level at
    home is low ahead of local elections in March.

    When Hollande came to power in 2012, his government resumed accession
    talks between Turkey and the EU, lifting its block on one negotiation
    chapter to kick-start relations between Ankara and the EU. Chapter
    22 on regional policies, which was opened in fall 2013, paved the
    way for the resumption of negotiations after a three-year hiatus.

    However, recent political turmoil in Turkey since the Dec. 17, 2013,
    graft probe has raised concerns in the EU, as German Foreign Minister
    Frank-Walter Steinmeier cautioned the Turkish government last week
    against recent purges of the police and the bureaucracy, urging Ankara
    to return to the "practices of the rule of law" while warning that the
    "opening of new chapters could get difficult."

    Another topic that is expected to be high on Ankara's agenda will be
    developments in Syria. Turkish leaders and Hollande will exchange
    views on the ongoing Geneva II peace conference. The resumption of
    talks in Cyprus is set to be another topic.

    Hollande will be accompanied by France's foreign, foreign trade,
    defense, energy, agriculture and energy ministers. Several agreements
    such as transportation and security will be signed during the visit,
    a Turkish diplomat told the Hurriyet Daily News. The French president,
    from the Socialist Party, will also meet Kemal Kılıcdaroglu, leader
    of the Republican People's Party (CHP). Both parties are members of
    the Socialist International.

    Following his talks in Ankara, Hollande will travel to Istanbul to
    deliver a speech at Galatasaray University. Hollande and President
    Abdullah Gul will also participate in an economic forum bringing
    together Turkish and French business leaders.

    France is currently the sixth biggest investor in Turkey; since
    Hollande came to power, bilateral trade has displayed an uptick, with
    the Turkish government opting for a Japanese-French joint venture led
    by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and France's Areva to build Turkey's
    second nuclear power plant in Sinop.

    Hollande is also expected to meet with Rakel Dink, the widow of
    Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink, who was assassinated seven
    years ago. Debate over the Armenian genocide has long poisoned
    relations between the two countries, with French lawmakers trying
    to endorse a law criminalizing the denial of claims of genocide,
    contributing to the deterioration of bilateral relations.

    January/27/2014

    http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/minorities-legal-entity-issues-to-be-discussed-in-istanbul-conference.aspx?pageID=238&nID=61570&NewsCatID=339

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