India’s foreign minister to visit Turkey

ANKARA

Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid will arrive in Turkey July 20 for a three-day official visit, the Foreign Ministry announced on July 19.

In addition to bilateral relations, regional and international topics that concern both countries as well as preparations for Indian President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Turkey – set for October – will be on the agenda of talks between Khurshid and his Turkish counterpart, Ahmet Davutoğlu.

“Turkey considers India, with which it has had historical relations, as an important cooperation partner at a global level as well as in the Asian region and the G-20 forum and wishes to diversify its relations with India,” the Foreign Ministry said in its announcement.

Earlier this week, speaking at an iftar with bureaucrats from his hometown of Konya, Davutoğlu already said he and the Indian minister would be visiting Konya. In addition to Ankara and Konya, Khurshid is expected to visit Istanbul.