Austrian Foreign Minister due in Ankara today

Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik is due to arrive in Ankara today to pay an official visit at the invitation of her counterpart and chief negotiator for Turkey's EU talks Ali Babacan. Plassnik will meet with Babacan and will also be received by President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) and Turkey's EU accession talks are expected to dominate her talks. The Cyprus issue and other regional matters will also be discussed. Austria is one of the countries least supportive of Turkey's EU accession bid.