Turkey-US relations enter into a new phase with the US President Barack Obama’s first official visit to Ankara.
Obama, who arrived in the Turkish capital yesterday, started his contacts with a visit to the Anitkabir this morning- where Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, was laid to rest.
Later, the US President was greeted by Turkish President Abdullah Gul with an official ceremony at the Cankaya Kosk.
The two had a working lunch before holding a joint press conference.
In the afternoon, Barack Obama is going to come together with the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) Koksal Toptan.
Mr Obama will also meet with political party representatives before addressing the TBMM.
The US President will move on with contacts with a meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Prime Ministry.
Obama and Erdogan are expected to hold a joint press conference at the end of their meeting late in the afternoon.
Obama will move on to Istanbul tonight before leaving Turkey tomorrow.
He will attend the meeting of the Alliance of Civilizations there.
Before his arrival to Turkey, Obama delivered a remarkable message on Turkey’s EU membership at an EU meeting in the Czech capital Prague.
The US President urged the EU to accept Turkey as a member state.
He told the EU leaders that Turkey’s membership would send a very positive signal to the Islamic world.