Diary

ANKARA (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency’s English Desk plans to cover Thursday Feb. 16, 2017 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

TURKEY

ISTANBUL - Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to attend opening of World Tourism Forum before departing on official visit to Malta.

SPECIAL REPORT: Turkish monitor urges faster Philippines peace talks

By Mehmet Ozturk

ISTANBUL (AA) - A Turkish member of the body overseeing the Philippines’ peace process warned that Daesh will grow more active in the region if the process stalls, telling Anadolu Agency that President Rodrigo Duterte is eager to bring the negotiations to fruition.

UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON - Senate committee hearing on nomination of David Friedman as ambassador to Israel.

GERMANY

BONN - G20 foreign ministers to meet. Conflict prevention, peace building and sustainable development high on agenda.

SWITZERLAND

GENEVA - Jan Egeland, advisor to UN special envoy for Syria, to brief media on meeting of International Syria Support Group’ s humanitarian task force.​

FRANCE

STRASBOURG - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to address EU lawmakers following vote on EU-Canada trade deal.

STRASBOURG - European Parliament to vote on amendments to Schengen border rules to tighten screening.​

BELGIUM

BRUSSELS - NATO defense ministers in second day of talks on terrorism, spending, relations with Russia. NATO-Georgia Commission, anti-Daesh coalition meetings to be held.

GREECE

SPECIAL REPORT: Struggling Greece to spend billions on military upgrade

By Idyli Tsakiri

ATHENS (AA) - A potential spend of $10 billion by Greece’s cash-strapped government on military equipment has been branded “incoherent” and a “scandal”.

RUSSIA

MOSCOW - Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to meet UN special envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, before scheduled Syria talks in Geneva.

KAZAKHSTAN

ASTANA - Second round of talks between armed opposition groups, regime delegation to finalize agreement on Syria cease-fire.

NORTHERN CYPRUS

LEFKOSA - President Mustafa Akinci, Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiadis to discuss ongoing negotiations to reunify island.

QATAR

​SPECIAL REPORT: President Erdogan talks Turkey-Gulf ties

By Ahmed al-Masri

DOHA, Qatar (AA) - Following his three-nation Gulf tour, the Turkish president spoke to the Arab media about his country’s deep relations with the Gulf states.