Leader of the ruling party in Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan, visits Russia

During his coming negotiations in Moscow, General Chairman of the Turkish Party of Justice and Development Tayyip Erdogan plans to discuss urgent bilateral relations with the Russian leadership. The Turkish Embassy in Moscow reported about it on Monday. As was pointed out by the Embassy, Tayyip Erdogan arrived in the Russian capital on Monday "at the invitation of the Russian side." The Party of Justice and Development, whose leader is Tayyip Erdogan, has won the parliamentary elections in Turkey. It received the majority of seats in the parliament and formed the government. Abdullah Gul, a member of the party, has become Prime Minister.

Under the Turkish legislation, Tayyip Erdogan has been deprived of the right to be Prime Minister, since in 1999 he was sentenced for "Islamic undermining activity." The new government of Turkey, which has been formed by Erdogan's party, proclaimed its main aims: the overcoming of the economic difficulties which Turkey has been experiencing of late, and preparations for the country's entry into the European Union.

In the course of the last weeks, Tayyip Erdogan conducted negotiations in Washington with US President George W. Bush about a possible military operation in Iraq, and the integration of Turkey into the European Union. Erdogan discussed the prospect of Turkey's entry into the EU also at the negotiations in a number of European capitals with the heads of the member-countries of the European Union and with the leaders of the EU.