Fico Received by Turkish President, Set to Sign Strategic Partnership Document

Ankara, January 20 (TASR-correspondent) - Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) was received on Monday by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his official visit to Turkey, TASR learnt on Monday. They are holding a joint meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara with a delegation of ministers in attendance. They are set to discuss the stepping up of economic cooperation between the two countries, as well as the current situation in the world. Fico and Erdogan are also scheduled to sign a declaration on setting up a strategic partnership between Slovakia and Turkey. More bilateral agreements will also be signed during the meeting, including a framework military agreement between the governments of the two countries and a memorandum of understanding between the Slovak Culture Ministry and the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry. Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD), Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD), Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD), and Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova (Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) are accompanying the premier at his visit to Turkey. During the visit, the premier also took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Mustafa Kemal Ataturk Mausoleum. am/mcs