Turkey’s Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who is suffering from ill health, will not attend a European Union (EU) Summit in Seville later this month, officials said on Tuesday.
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will go instead to the June 22 gathering of leaders of the EU members and candidate-countries, a statement from Sezer's office said. Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will also take part, according to AFP.
Ecevit has been away from his desk since early May due to ill health, missing also a top national security meeting and talks between government and opposition leaders over Turkey's struggling EU membership bid.
The Premier, 77, has rejected repeated calls for him to resign and has ruled out early elections.
Ecevit said earlier this week that he had recovered from a cracked rib and thrombophlebitis, however added that doctors had identified a spine problem and advised him to stay home for another two or three weeks.
His doctors have said that he has been suffering from a neuromuscular disease since last June. (albawaba.com)
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