Turkish vice president meets world leaders in Geneva

By Mumin Altas

GENEVA (AA) - Turkey’s vice president on Monday met with fellow world leaders on the sidelines of an International Labor Organization (ILO) summit in Geneva.

Fuat Oktay met with KP Sharma Oli, the Nepalese prime minister, and discussed steps to strengthen bilateral relations and open embassies in each other’s country, according to Turkish sources.

In a meeting with Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, president of the UN General Assembly, the two officials discussed strengthening cooperation between Turkey and the UN, added the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Also attending the meetings were Zehra Zumrut Selcuk, Turkey's family, labor and social services minister, and Sadik Aslan, its ambassador to the UN office in Geneva.

Oktay also met with Moroccan Prime Minister Saadeddine Othmani and exchanged views on increasing the $2.7 billion trade volume between the two countries to $10 billion.

As a part of efforts to boost bilateral trade, a planned Turkey-Morocco Joint Industrial Zone in Morocco was discussed.

During the ILO conference, which runs through June 21, Oktay will address participants at high-level sessions.

One session, attended by over 40 heads of state and government as well as numerous workers and employers, is set to address the issue of workplace violence and harassment.

The conference is expected to be the highest-level international event in Geneva in recent years.

*Writing by Faruk Zorlu