Angelina Jolie visits Turkish president, ministers in Ankara

UN Refugee Agency special envoy Angelina Jolie and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres visited Turkish President Abdullah Gül and other senior governmental officials in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Friday.
The UN delegation first visited Turkish Interior Minister İdris Naim Şahin at his office. The gathering was closed to the press.


Jolie and Guterres then proceeded to the Turkish Prime Ministry headquarters for talks with Deputy Prime Minister Beşir Atalay.

Speaking during the visit, Atalay thanked the UN delegation for visiting the camps where Syrians have taken refuge.

Guterres and Jolie visited Syrians refugees on Thursday in a camp in the southeastern Turkish province of Kilis and praised Turkey's efforts in hosting the Syrians.

Atalay said this visit was an important opportunity to draw the attention of the international community to the plight of the Syrians who have fled the violence in their country and thanked Jolie and Guterres for their positive comments about the camps in Kilis.

The deputy prime minister also said efforts are being made to offer education and health services for the Syrians, to be coordinated by the Turkish government, relevant institutions and the UN.

Atalay also thanked special envoy Jolie in particular for her involvement in the issue as someone with an "international profile" and for her role as a humanitarian.

Guterres, on his part, said he was very grateful for Turkey's hospitality and commended the assistance Turkey is providing to Syrian refugees.

"We are extremely grateful for what has been the very generous policy of Turkey of granting them protection, allowing them to cross the border and providing assistance that I could witness is an assistance of a high standard," Guterres said, also making a point of thanking officials in the camps for their efforts.

Following the meetings, Jolie and Guterres were hosted by Deputy Foreign Minister Naci Koru for a lunch at the Ankara Palas Hotel. After the lunch, the UN delegation met with President Abdullah Gül at the Çankaya presidential palace. The meeting, which lasted for 30 minutes, was closed to the press.