Turkey’s EU minister in Paris, Brussels for official meetings

ANKARA

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Turkey’s European Union minister and its chief negotiator with the bloc, Volkan Bozkır, flew to France on Feb. 2 to hold official meetings in Paris and Brussels between Feb. 3 and Feb. 5. 

In Paris, Bozkır is scheduled to meet with French Secretary of State for European Affairs Harlem Desir at a working lunch on Feb. 3, a statement by the EU Ministry has said.

The minister will meet members and chiefs of France’s foreign affairs ministry and EU commission. Bozkır will also give an address to French deputies.

Following his day-time meeting on Feb. 3, Bozkır will join French businessmen at a dinner hosted by Turkey’s ambassador to France, Hakkı Akil, while Desir is also expected to be in attendance. 

After his visit to Paris, Bozkır is scheduled to visit Brussels to meet with European Commissioner for Euro and Social Dialogue Valdis Dombrovskis and European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica.

Bozkır will also get together with Turkish citizens living in Belgium at a meeting organized by the Belgian branch of the Union of European Turkish Democrats (UETD).

Bozkır’s official meetings in Paris and Brussels come at a time when the EU is reading to give Turkey 3 billion euros in order to reduce the influx of refugees to Europe and help Turkey to better cope with the 2.5 million Syrian migrants in its country.