- Title: Erdogan welcomed by supporters as he arrives in Brussels for NATO meeting
- Date: 24th May 2017
- Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (MAY 24, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** POLICE CAR PASSING BY HOTEL WHERE TURKISH PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN WILL STAY WHILE IN BRUSSELS FOR A NATO SUMMIT TURKISH AND BELGIAN FLAGS FLYING OUTSIDE HOTEL POLICEMEN WAITING OUTSIDE HOTEL, DELEGATION PREPARING TO WELCOME ERDOGAN AT HOTEL TEENAGER HOLDING FLOWER BOUQUET DELEGATION PREPARING TO WELCOME ERDOGAN AT HOTEL, SECURITY BELGIAN SOLDIER HOLDING GUN OUTSIDE HOTEL CAR TRANSPORTING TURKISH PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN ARRIVING AT HOTEL CAR PLATE BEARING PRESIDENTIAL SEAL OF TURKEY ERDOGAN STEPPING OUT OF CAR PRESIDENTIAL FLAG OF TURKEY ON CAR WITH NATO CLEARANCE DOCUMENT BEHIND WINDSHIELD ERDOGAN WAVING WOMAN WAITING TEENAGER HANDING OVER FLOWERS TO ERDOGAN, FIRST LADY OF TURKEY, EMINE ERDOGAN, SHAKING HANDS WITH OFFICIALS ERDOGAN GREETING DELEGATION, ENTERING HOTEL HOTEL GUEST TAKING PHOTO FROM WINDOW ERDOGAN'S CAR PARKED OUTSIDE HOTEL POLICE VEHICLES PARKED OUTSIDE HOTEL VARIOUS OF BELGIAN RIOT POLICE HOLDING SHIELDS POLICEMAN LOOKING OVER ERDOGAN SUPPORTERS WAVING TURKISH FLAG ERDOGAN SUPPORTERS, CHANTING (Turkish): "Turkey, we are very proud of you," HOLDING BANNER, READING (Turkish): "Stand up right, do not bend, the nation is with you" ERDOGAN SUPPORTER, CHANTING (Turkish): "Recep Tayyip Erdogan" ERDOGAN SUPPORTERS, CHANTING (Turkish): "Stand up right, do not bend, the nation is with you" ERDOGAN SUPPORTERS WAVING BANNER WITH ERDOGAN'S IMAGE WOMEN SMILING (SOUNDBITE) (French) 34-YEAR-OLD BELGIAN-BORN TURKISH DELIVERYMAN, ALBAYRAK NACI, SAYING: "We came here to see him (Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan), it's as simple as that. Unfortunately he already arrived at his hotel so we'll have to leave without having seen him." NACI'S SON MAKING FOUR-FINGER OR "RABIA" SIGN, ASSOCIATED WITH SUPPORT FOR ERDOGAN (SOUNDBITE) (German) TURKISH HOUSEWIFE RESIDING IN MANNHEIM, GERMANY, LALE DOGER, SAYING: "We all very happy that's why we are all here. We all stand behind him, we are very proud to have such a president so we wish him all the best." ERDOGAN SUPPORTERS WEARING / WAVING TURKISH FLAGS / POLICE IN BACKGROUND POLICE STANDING OUTSIDE HOTEL POLICE CORDON NEAR HOTEL / ERDOGAN SUPPORTERS
- Embargoed: 7th June 2017 21:26
- Keywords: Arrival Erdogan President Turkish Turkey Belgium Brussels NATO
- Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- City: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: NATO,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016I79U87
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Turkish government supporters gathered outside President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's hotel, as the NATO member state leader arrived in Brussels on Wednesday (May 24) for a summit that will be U.S. President Donald Trump's first.
Holding Turkish flags and chanting "Turkey, we are very proud of you," Turkish nationals gathered in Brussels' Louise district but were barred from approaching the hotel by a cordon of riot police.
Belgian-born deliveryman Albayrak Naci, 34, came to express his support for Erdogan with his wife and five children, while Turkish housewife Lale Doger travelled from Mannheim, Germany to catch a glimpse of him and saying "We will stand behind him".
The NATO meeting will be a challenging one for Turkey, with its relationship with U.S. having been strained by Washington's decision to arm Kurdish YPG militias who are part of a force preparing to fight for the Islamic State-held city of Raqqa in Syria.
Turkey regards the YPG as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), deemed a terrorist organisation by the United States, Turkey and the European Union. Washington sees the YPG as distinct from the PKK and as a valuable partner in the fight against Islamic State in Syria.
During his stay in Brussels, Erdogan will hold potentially tense talks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk.
Austria's call last year for an end to Turkey's EU accession talks led Ankara to withdraw cooperation from some of NATO's training projects. Ankara said the move was aimed at Vienna but NATO officials said other countries were affected. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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