On 7-9 March, Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy, will visit Ankara and Istanbul. The visit coincides with International Women's Day.

Speaking ahead of her visit Mrs Wallström said: 'My key objective for this visit is to underline the need for more dialogue between the institutions and civil society in the EU and Turkish society. This will be the first visit of this kind for the Commission- with the specific aim to raise awareness about the rights of women, women's role in society and in the work place.

In more general terms, I believe that we need a 'climate change' between the Union and Turkey. We need more mutual understanding – in the EU on what the modern Turkey really is; in Turkey on what EU membership really entails. Otherwise we risk a clash of ignorance on both sides'.

In Ankara, Ms Wallström will meet senior representatives of the Turkish government: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Abdullah Gül, Deputy Prime Minister Abdüllatif Şener, Minister of Economy and Chief Negotiator with the EU Mr. Ali Babacan. In the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, she will meet the Chairman of the Family, Health, Labour and Social Affairs Committee Mr. Cevdet Erdöl and members of the Committee. She will also meet the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Mr Mehmet Dülger.

In Istanbul, Ms Wallström will take part in a seminar with academics, NGOs and students at Bilgi University on women's rights.

She will also visit a Community Centre for women and children in Tarlabaşı. The centre is a response to the needs of one of Istanbul’s most impoverished neighbourhoods. It targets marginalized urban people affected by rural and urban migration, internally displaced from the South East of Turkey, Roma and illegal immigrants from Africa.

Ankara, 06 March 2007
2007/D/PR/TEMP1