Erdogan due in brussels

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to visit Brussels this Sunday at the invitation of European Union Commission head Jose Manuel Barosso, with Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and newly appointed chief EU talks negotiator Egemen Bagis also in attendance. Erdogan reportedly will dismiss claims that Turkey's EU accession process has slowed down, and reiterate Turkey's determination in its EU bid. Erdogan will also speak about what Turkey is doing in line with its national program for EU membership reforms. Erdogan is scheduled to hold separate meetings with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn and European Parliament Chairman Hans-Gert Poettering in Brussels. On the sidelines of his visit, Erdogan will attend a conference held by the Friends of Europe think-thank and visit the Istanbul Center, a communications and cultural platform for the city's communications with EU organizations, corporations, and the European public. This will be Erdogan's first visit to Brussels since 2005.