Turkish president heads to Kazakhstan to attend Turkic summit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to Kazakhstan on Wednesdsy to attend a Turkic summit and hold high-level talks in the capital, diplomatic sources said.

Erdogan was seen off at Esenboga Airport in Ankara by Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and Ankara Governor Yakup Canpolat.

At the invitation of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Erdogan is expected to attend the Informal Summit of the Organization of Turkic States in the city of Turkistan as well as a meeting titled "Astana-Ankara: From brotherhood to a pragmatic Eurasian alliance" aimed at further strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Accompanying Erdogan on the visit are first lady Emine Erdogan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, National Defense Minister Yasar Guler and Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir.

Trade Minister Omer Bolat, AK Party Deputy Chairman Kursad Zorlu, Communications Director Burhanettin Duran and Chief Foreign Policy and Security Adviser Akif Cagatay Kilic were also in the delegation.