British Prime Minister Theresa May arrived in Turkey on Saturday for her first visit since becoming premier, hoping to expand ties and seal a new trading relationship before Britain leaves the EU.

Fresh from meeting new US President Donald Trump at the White House, May was to hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on a one-day visit to the Turkish capital Ankara.

As is traditional for any visiting leader, she started the visit by laying a wreath at the mausoleum of Turkey’s modern founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

May will be looking to strike a delicate balance between showing Britain’s keen interest in expanding trade with Turkey while echoing European alarm over the magnitude of the crackdown since the July 15 failed coup.

Turkey, which has sought to join the European Union since the 1960s, has long seen Britain as one of the most enthusiastic supporters of its troubled bid.

But following Britain’s June vote to leave the bloc, both sides are now looking to bring a new dynamic to relations, with London seeking to firm up post-Brexit trade deals with non-EU states.

Symbolically, her visit to Turkey is the last leg of a trip which took her to the White House as the first foreign leader to be hosted by Trump.

Source: AFP