Sworn in with new powers, Erdoğan leaves on first trip

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has left for Azerbaijan and Turkish Cyprus, making his first foreign trip since being sworn in as Turkey’s first executive president with sweeping powers.

Following a long-existing tradition of Turkey’s elected heads of government, he will visit Turkish Cyprus and Baku.

During his trips, in which he will discuss bilateral relations and regional developments, Erdoğan will meet with Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı and Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev.

The president’s next address will be Brussels on July 11 and July 12, where he will attend the NATO Summit. On the margins of the summit, he will meet with a number of heads of governments and states, including United States President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May.

Erdoğan’s trip on July 10 came a day after he took the oath of office and appointed a new 16-member cabinet.

In decrees published in the Official Gazette on July 10, Turkey appointed a new chief of staff to replace Gen. Hulusi Akar who was named defense minister.