PM Erdoğan Not in Turkey For 4 Days

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is leaving on a trip to Tunisia, Morocco and Algiers today and expected to return on Thursday night. 

On May 29 Prime Minister’s Office released a statement announcing the trip. 

PM Erdoğan did not reschedule his trip to North Africa due to Gezi Park protests that spread across Turkey. 

Throughout the day, he also resumed working from his office and attended a wedding ceremony at 1453 Social Facilities located in Topkapi, Istanbul. 

Talks on Syria

PM Erdoğan is expected to meet presidents and government officials of Tunisia, Morocco and Algiers, and attend the first meeting of Advanced Strategic Cooperation Council in Tunisia. 

According to a statement released by Prime Minister’s Office, PM will hold talks on mutual political, economical and cultural relations, as well as on regional and international events.

Sadeddin Osmani, Foreign Minister of Morocco, said that the two countries will sign bilateral agreements on strategic partnership and hold talks heavily focused on Syria.  

What happened in Tunusia?

On 14 January 2011 Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who ruled Tunisia for 23 years, was forced to leave his country after massive protests.  

Fled to Saudi Arabia with his family, Bin Ali and his wife Leila Trabeisi have been subjected to over 90 prosecutions. A Tunisian court sentenced Ben Ali and his wife in absentia to 35 years in prison on charges of unlawful possession of state properties.  They are currently on exile. (AS/BM)

* Photo credit: Kayhan Özer