Exclusive-Carney plans to visit Turkey this month, sources say
By Jonathan Spicer, Promit Mukherjee and David Ljunggren OTTAWA, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney plans to visit Turkey this month to meet PresidentTayyip Erdogan in what would be the first dedicated bilateral visit to the country by a Canadian leader, four sources with knowledge of the visit said.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to travel to Turkey this month for a bilateral meeting with President Tayyip Erdogan, according to sources familiar with the plans. This would be the first dedicated visit to Turkey by a Canadian leader, a move aimed at reducing Canada's reliance on the United States, its largest trading partner.
During the visit, Carney and Erdogan could discuss the free-trade talks initiated during a NATO summit in Ankara in July, as well as potential cooperation in energy and defense sectors. Canadian and Turkish trade ministers have agreed to expedite these talks ahead of the leaders' meeting. This visit marks a significant departure from Canadian diplomatic norms, as Carney seeks to increase Canada's non-US trade by doubling it over the next decade.
Turkey's leader, Erdogan, who has been in power for 23 years, is seeking new markets and partnerships to bolster the country's defense industry, despite past criticism over human rights issues and the crackdown on political opposition. Turkey, an emerging market economy, is also keen on partnerships in energy, infrastructure, and mining.
No specific dates or agenda for the visit have been disclosed, and neither Carney's nor Erdogan's offices have commented on the matter. Western powers have largely ignored Turkey's rights record as it emerges as a major defense-industrial power and a key ally against Russian aggression.
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