Statement by the Press Secretary: President Bush to Welcome Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey to the White House

President Bush will welcome Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the White House on October 2, 2006. This meeting will provide an opportunity for the President and the Prime Minister to further enhance the strategic partnership between the United States and Turkey and to discuss increased cooperation in the War on Terror, including on countering the PKK; and in advancing freedom in Lebanon, Iraq, and the Broader Middle East. The President looks forward to discussing with Prime Minister Erdogan these and other important issues, including Turkey's pursuit of political and economic reforms and U.S. support for Turkey's accession to the European Union.