Blair To Meet With Turkish, Spanish PMs

27 July 2005 (RFE/RL) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair -- as current leader of the European Union -- is scheduled to meet separately with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in London today for talks expected to focus on terrorism.

Erdogan has said he and Blair will discuss the recent bombings in London and Sharm el-Sheikh, and emphasize the need for the international community to unite against global terrorism.

Blair's meeting with Erdogan is also expected to focus on Turkey's efforts to join the EU. Accession talks with the bloc are tentatively set to start on 3 October.

The Spanish prime minister's spokesman says Zapatero will express to Blair "his solidarity" after the London bombings. He said Zapatero hopes Britain will use its six-month EU presidency to strengthen European cooperation against terrorism.

(AFP/Reuters)