Key meeting between Turkish PM and US president starts at White House

WASHINGTON

U.S. President Barack Obama (3rd R) meets Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (3rd L) as they sit with their delegations in them Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington May 16. REUTERS photo

A key meeting between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington has started. 

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, EU Minister Egemen Bağış and Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan are among the many representatives participating in the meeting on behalf of the Turkish delegation. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel are also taking part in the large meeting. 

The conflict in Syria is at the top of both countries’ agenda, as the visit comes just a few days after an attack hit the border town Reyhanlı, killing 52 and injuring more than 100. Together with Moscow,
Washington is bidding on the possibility of organizing a second international conference on Syria, but Erdoğan had publically said he intended to discuss “what was needed” to get earlier results. He also told U.S. media last week that he would ask his American counterparts to take more responsibilities on the issue. 

Alongside the Syrian crisis, the transatlantic free trade talks, peace in the Middle East, and energy issues were also expected to be on the table.

Obama and Erdoğan are expected to hold a joint press conference after the key meeting.