Schröder to Meet Leaders of Turkey, Russia

German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder will travel to Turkey next Wednesday where he will hold talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to the chancellor's spokesman, Bela Anda. The German and Turkish leaders will discuss the state of relations between the two countries against the background of newly opened talks between Turkey and the EU on eventual Turkish membership in the European bloc. Schröder's government has been one of the primary proponents of full EU membership for Turkey. This Friday, Schröder will fly to St. Petersberg where he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Topics on the agenda include economic ties and cooperation in the energy sector.