Turkish premier to travel to Russia for a 3-day visit

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will travel to Russia on Tuesday on a three-day formal visit.

During the premier's visit, Turkish and Russian parties will exchange notes enabling Turkish and Russian citizens to travel to the respective countries without visa for a period up to 30 days.

Prime Minister Erdogan will be accompanied by seven ministers, a number of bureaucrats and businessmen. On March 16, Prime Minister Erdogan will attend a High-Level Consultative Council meeting with Turkey-Russia relations high on agenda.

Energy-related issues such as Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline, South Stream natural gas pipeline and construction of a nuclear power plant will also be on top of agenda of Erdogan's talks with Russian authorities.

Turkish party will seek ways to further develop its cooperation with Russian authorities in tourism. Turkey, which drew more than 3 million Russian tourists last year, targets to increase that number up to 4 million.

Prime Minister Erdogan is also set to attend a conference at the Moscow University on Turkey-Russia relations and regional issues.

He will be awarded by the Moscow University Faculty of International Relations with the title of honorary doctorate.

Prime Minister Erdogan will also meet Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. After the meeting, he will proceed to Kazan, the capital city of the Autonomous Republic of Tatarstan.


/World Bulletin/