Belgian minister to hold talks with Turkish officials on Syria

ANKARA

Milquet will hold talks with two deputy prime ministers, Bozdağ and Atalay. AFP photo

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Internal Affairs and Equal Opportunities Joëlle Milquet is visiting Ankara for talks with Turkish officials.

Young Belgians involved in the Syrian conflict will be on Milquet’s agenda in Turkey, according to reports. It is very likely she will bring up the issue of “forced marriages,” as well. “Part of our actions to be taken include educating the civil authorities at the communes responsible for the pre-marital dialogue that leads to a wedding, and also a new bill which has been submitted on April 23 which on Criminal charges gives anew the authority of a judge in a case to be able to annul a marriage,” Milquet said earlier, with reference largely to the Moroccan and Turkish communities in Brussels.

Another topic, which Milquet said she would discuss with Turkish leaders, concerns Belgian youngsters involved in the fighting in Syria. She earlier said that they conveyed to Ankara Belgium’s unease over those Belgians crossing the Turkish border to take part in the war and asked Turkey to tighten border security. Nearly 100 Belgian citizens, mostly of African origin, are said to have participated in clashes under the influence of the extremists.

Milquet will today hold separate talks with two deputy prime ministers, Bekir Bozdağ and Beşir Atalay, and Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin. Milquet is also expected to meet with representatives of the Syrian opposition.