Turkey to seek Belgain aid for fight on terror
Ankara and Brussels will hold exclusive talks today as three Turkish ministers aim to convince their Belgian hosts of the need for greater cooperation against the PKK, which is active in the country even ministers from Turkey and Belgium will hold a summit in Brussels today to boost cooperation in the anti-terrorism fight, with the parties expected to sign two agreements amid Ankara's efforts to convince its European partners to do more against recognized terrorist groups. The foreign, justice and interior ministers from both countries will hold one day of intensified talks as a result of Turkey's strong pressure on Belgium following years of tension over the latter's inaction against a number of terrorist organizations operating on its soil. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin and Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin will represent Turkey while Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Joelle Milquet, Justice Minister Annemie Turtelbloom and State Minister Responsible for Migration and Integration Maggie De Block will represent the host country during the meetings. Prominent members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and of some illegal leftist organizations like the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C) are known to be residing in Belgium. The parties will sign a protocol on cooperation among the police departments of the two countries and issue a joint declaration on justice cooperation. Collaboration on issues like migration and the fight against organized crime will also be discussed between the countries' ministers. The meetings were planned long before the killings of three PKK militants in Paris on Jan. 9, sources said.