An African force currently in Mali should be converted into a UN peacekeeping operation and a separate combat force should be created to confront Islamist threats, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recommended to the Security Council on Tuesday, March 26.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will visit Georgia on Wednesday, March 27. During the visit Davutoglu will meet with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, Prime Minister and other officials. The Foreign Ministry stressed that the issues of bilateral cooperation, as well as Turkey’s assistance to Georgia on NATO integration will be …

Turkey expects the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to withdraw from Turkey before the end of summer, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin announced on March 27. “We have projected the exit [of the PKK militants] before the end of summer,” Ergin said.