SETimes.comDiplomatic Diary: Turkish, South Korean officials meet
02/12/2008
South Korea and Turkey aim to boost their trade. Also in diplomatic news: Dutch Minister for European Affairs Frans Timmermans is in Athens
South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo arrived in Ankara on Monday (December 1st) for a two-day official visit to Turkey. Han met with counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He will also meet with President Abdullah Gul and local business executives to discuss boosting bilateral trade.
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Dutch Minister for European Affairs Frans Timmermans is on an official visit to Greece. Timmermans met on Monday (December 1st) with Deputy Foreign Minister Yannis Valinakis. They discussed efforts to address the current financial crisis, the future of the EU and other issues such as climate change, energy security and illegal immigration.
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A Macedonian delegation led by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski ended a two-day official visit to Norway on Monday (December 1st). Defence Minister Anne-Grete Strom-Erichsen reiterated Oslo's support for Macedonia's full integration in NATO. The delegation also met with Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, Parliament President Thorbjorn Jagland and Oslo Centre for Peace and Human Rights Chairman Kjell Magne Bondevik.
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Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan arrived on Monday (December 1st) in Azerbaijan at the invitation of counterpart Elmar Mamedyarov. One topic on their agenda was Turkey's initiative to build a platform for stability and co-operation in the Caucasus and measures for its implementation.
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EU Education, Training, Culture and Youth Commissioner Jan Figel arrived on Sunday (November 30th) for a three-day official visit to Cyprus at the invitation of Education and Culture Minister Andreas Dimitriou. Figel will tour various schools on the island and meet with President Demetris Christofias.
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Serbian President Boris Tadic met on November 26th with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen in Belgrade. Tadic reiterated that Serbia's co-operation with The Hague war crimes tribunal and implementation of EU-related reforms represents a commitment to the international community, not just efforts to meet EU criteria. Rasmussen expressed his country's full support for Belgrade's EU bid.
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Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci met the director for the Western Balkans in the European Commission's Enlargement Directorate General, Pierre Mirel, on Monday (December 1st). They discussed the upcoming meeting of the Stabilisation Tracking Mechanism, an initiative aimed to keep Kosovo progressing towards EU entry.
(Various sources 25/11/08-02/12/08)