Erdogan welcomes Lithuanian PM

Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas yesterday arrived in Ankara for official talks, the first visit from a Lithuanian premier. Speaking at a press conference after their meeting, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he and Kirkilas had discussed regional and international issues. He stated that Lithuania lent support to Turkey's European Union membership bid, adding that he had voiced Turkey's views and expectations on the Cyprus issue. For his part, Kirkilas said that the two countries were working together under the umbrella of NATO and that he hoped they could do the same in the EU.