President Mukherjee reaches Turkish capital Ankara

President Pranab Mukherjee today reached the Turkish capital for talks with the country's leadership on ways to step up bilateral ties with this strategically-located Eurasian nation.
The President was received by the Governor of Ankara at the airport as he arrived here on the last leg of his two-nation tour.
Before landing here, he visited the Goreme open air museum at Cappadocia after the entourage flew from in Istanbul.
The museum is a vast monastic complex comprising scores of refectory monasteries juxtaposed, each with its own fantastic church. The site also presents a unique example of rock hewn architecture and fresco technique.

The President took a stroll of the UNESCO World Heritage site where he was briefed about the history of the place by the curators.
The Governor of Cappadocia later hosted Mukherjee for lunch.

In Ankara tomorrow, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will hold bilateral talks with Mukherjee.
Indian Ambassador Sushmita Ganguly Thomas alongwith the local diaspora will host the Presidential entourage for dinner tonight.
The President will be in Turkey till tomorrow and will attend a host of events. He is in the country on an invitation by the President of Turkey.
This is the third visit by an Indian President to Turkey after the visits by the President of India in 1993 and 1998.

India and Turkey share common interest in ensuring peace and political stability in Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Earlier, Mukherjee had visited Belgium where he attended a series of state events including the 'Europalia-India 2013-14', a cultural extravaganza showcasing India.