US President Donald Trump is not currently scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during next week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York, according to a White House official.
The clarification comes after US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said earlier this week that Trump and Erdogan were expected to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
However, a White House briefing on Friday outlining Trump’s schedule for his New York visit did not include a meeting with Erdogan, either as a formal bilateral meeting or an informal meeting on the sidelines.
Trump’s UN schedule
Trump is scheduled to arrive in New York on Monday afternoon and attend political events at Trump Tower that evening.
On Tuesday morning, he will address the UN General Assembly before holding a series of bilateral meetings, including talks with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
He will also participate in a multilateral meeting with leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Later, Trump will host a reception for foreign leaders and their spouses. He is also scheduled to meet Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez before departing New York for Washington on Tuesday evening.
Erdogan does not appear on the schedule outlined by the White House official.
The current schedule therefore indicates that no Trump Erdogan bilateral meeting has been arranged for the UN General Assembly.
The schedule could still change, however, and the absence of a meeting from the announced programme does not rule out an informal encounter between the two leaders.
Netanyahu meeting also uncertain
The White House official was also asked whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had requested a meeting with Trump.
The official declined to discuss specific requests but said Netanyahu’s presence in New York would be limited because of Israel’s election campaign.
According to the official, Netanyahu was expected to arrive in New York after Trump had already departed, with his UN speaking engagement scheduled for Thursday.
Iran and Gaza expected to feature
The White House said Trump’s UN address is expected to focus on major international issues and his administration’s diplomatic efforts.
Among the subjects expected to feature are preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, the administration’s 20 point peace plan for Gaza and regional stability involving Gulf partners.
The White House official also highlighted claimed reductions in the UN budget and staffing, describing the administration’s approach as a return to a narrower focus on peace and security.
The 81st UN General Assembly high level week begins in New York on September 22.
