Turkish President to start new diplomatic blitz with India visit

Fresh after narrowly winning a referendum that gives him more powers in his current post, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to launch a new foreign policy initiative starting with a visit to India at the end of this month.

Erdogan, accompanied by the Turkish economy and trade ministers, will visit New Delhi on April 30 where he is expected to hold talks with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

"Erdogan will participate in Turkey-India Business Forum and will hold political talks with Indian leaders, particularly President Pranab Mukherjee," the report said.

"The agenda during the meeting is expected to be dominated by an improvement of bilateral economic and trade ties."

Erdogan last visited India in 2008 when he was his country's Prime Minister.

His talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be crucial in view of the crisis in Syria that includes the refugee problem and support for India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

Following India, Erdogan will visit Sochi on May 3 where he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Erdogan, who will discuss developments in Syria with Putin, will deliver the message that 'the conflict in Syria can be resolved if Russia adopts a constructive position and a political transition process can begin'," the report said.

Erdogan is likely to hold his first meeting with US President Donald Trump in the second half of May at the latter's invitation over telephone.

"The issues to be discussed at the White House include the extradition of Fethullah Gülen and restrictions on his followers in the US, developments in Syria, Turkey's sensitivities over the prospective role for the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), in the upcoming Raqqa operation, as well as the countries' bilateral economic relationship," the Hurriyet Daily News report said.

Erdogan has blamed Turkish preacher and political activist Gulen, a former ally and now a US resident, for the botched coup attempt in July last year.

The Turkish President will also visit China where he will attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on May 14 and 15 along with Putin and other regional leaders.

On May 25, he will attend a NATO summit in Brussels which "will also provide a good opportunity for Erdogan to hold bilateral meetings with some key European leaders", the report said.

--IANS

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