Davutoglu embarks on Balkans tour

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is scheduled to hold talks today in Belgrade, Serbia, on the first leg of a tour to two Balkan countries. He is scheduled to proceed to Montenegro tomorrow and return to Turkey on Sunday. "The importance Turkey places on our relations with the Balkans as a foreign policy priority and our desire to conduct consultations with these countries within the framework of our current chairmanship of the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) form the backdrop of these visits," said a Foreign Ministry statement. "The visits will also facilitate the opportunity to explore the possibility of further developing our bilateral relations with Serbia and Montenegro and to take up regional and international issues of common interest."