Turkey-EU troika meeting to begin today

A key meeting bringing together senior European Union officials and Turkish leaders in Ankara today is expected to focus on Turkey's EU reform process and the Cyprus, Iran and Iraq issues, as well as the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and clashes between police and demonstrators on May 1. The bi-annual meeting is called the Troika because it brings together Turkey's foreign minister with senior officials from the presidency of the bloc (currently Slovenia), the incoming president (France), and the European Commission. Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel arrived in Ankara yesterday. France will be represented by its minister for EU affairs, Jean Pierre Jouyet. Olli Rehn, the EU commissioner for enlargement, will also take part.