Erdogan, Trump to meet in NYC on Thursday

By Ilkay Guder

NEW YORK (AA) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will discuss bilateral ties with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump at a head-to-head meeting in New York City on Thursday, according to the Turkish Presidency.

The leaders are scheduled to meet at 10.00 pm (1900 GMT) in the Lotte New York Palace Hotel and make a joint statement, said sources from the presidency, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Turkish and U.S. delegations would join Erdogan and Trump for a portion of the meeting, the sources added.

Erdogan attended the United Nation General Assembly earlier this week, delivering a speech at the general debate and holding bilateral meetings with world leaders.

Erdogan and Trump are expected to discuss global and bilateral issues. The latter include the extradition of the U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen -- leader of a terror network that organized the coup attempt in Turkey last year -- and withdrawal of a proposal on selling weapons to President Erdogan’s security guards.

Gulen, and his Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) are accused of staging the July 15 deadly coup attempt last year, martyring 250 people and leaving over 2,200 injured.