Top-level German officials to visit Turkey this year

Top officials from Germany are set to visit Turkey this year. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit Turkey on March 28-29, while President Horst Kohler will visit in October.

Ankara, which hosted Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle this January, is preparing to host Merkel at the end of the March. Meanwhile, Kohler, who was re-elected for a second five-year term last year, will visit Turkey for the first time while in office. While Westerwelle highlighted Germany’s support of Turkey’s European Union membership bid in January, Ankara is impatiently waiting for messages from Merkel and Köhler with respect to Turkey’s EU bid. While in Ankara, Merkel is expected to meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul. Merkel’s visit will also include a meeting with local businesspeople.