PM leaves for four-day Turkey visit today

After returning from his visit to Afghanistan, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani will today (Monday) leave for Turkey to start a four-day visit to discuss bilateral and regional issues, the Turkish prime minister’s office said. Gilani and his counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, were to chair the first meeting of a “high-level cooperation council” set up last year and comprising several ministers from both sides, a statement said on Sunday. The meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, an official from Erdogan’s press office said. Gilani’s programme also included talks with President Abdullah Gul, a speech at the Turkish parliament and a meeting with Turkish business people in Istanbul. Turkey has had traditionally close ties with Pakistan. Since 2007, it has also hosted meetings between the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan. afp – Dailytimes