Advisor to Turkish PM: U.S President, Turkish PM to hold unofficial meeting

U.S President Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet in Washington. But it will not be formal, advisor to Turkish Prime-Minister on Eurasia Geybulla Ramazanoglu said.

"The information that Obama and Erdogan will not meet, is wrong. The meeting will take place, but it will not be official," Ramazanoglu said over the phone from Ankara.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs asked the question about the bilateral meeting between Obama and Erdogan. He said that "the meeting is not scheduled". He said that the U.S. president will meet with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan, Turkish news agency Cihan reported.

Turkish Prime Minister will visit the United States April 12-13 to attend a summit on nuclear safety, to be held under the patronage of U.S President Obama. Presidents of 47 countries, including Turkey and Armenia will attend the summit.

Ramazanoglu said that the presidents of the United States and Turkey plan to discuss a number of issues at the meeting, but he did not specify which ones.

Adviser to Turkish Prime Minister also rejected the information about the possible pressure of the Jewish or Armenian lobby to the policy of President Obama in relations with Turkey.

"The United States has its global strategy, which it will not refuse. So, it was during previous administrations, and will remain at the current one. No lobby does not have opportunities to exert pressure on the presidents of the superpowers, " Ramazanoglu said.

On the eve of congressional elections, pro-Armenian positions are usually strengthened. But it continues during the election campaign, he said.

"After the elections, pro-Armenian sympathies (in the United States) recede into the background, and forgotten," he said.

Turkish Prime-Minister Erdogan announced about his decision to take part in the summit last Friday.

On Tuesday, Turkish Ambassador to the United States Namik Tan returned to Washington on the eve of Erdogan's visit. Tan was withdrawn the next day after the Committee of the U.S. Congress adopted the resolution on so-called "Armenian genocide".


/Trend/