Istanbul to host two important meetings

Istanbul is set to host two meetings today, namely, Partners Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations and the 2nd Somalia Conference. About 70 countries and 15 international organizations are expected to attend to Partners Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations which will meet in Conrad Hotel under the chairmanship Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Those partners who will attend the meeting in which such subjects as long-term resource needs, priorities and new projects of the Alliance of Civilizations are expected to make commitments. Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said yesterday in a news conference that some issues on financing would be discussed and attendees' contributions be sought on the first day of the forum. "Fifth forum will be held in Vienna in early 2013. In this regard, Istanbul meeting is like an intermediary meeting. Therefore we call it Partners Forum," Atalay said. Furthermore, senior officials of 54 countries and representatives of international organizations will attend the 2nd Somalia Conference at the Istanbul Congress Center. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrived Istanbul last night to attend the Somalia meeting. Ban who was welcomed by Huseyin Avni Mutlu, governor of Istanbul, praised Turkey's contributions to Somalia.