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G20 summit starts in Antalya

15 November 2015 05:30 (UTC +04:00)

The G20 leaders who attend the summit include Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Barrack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The heads of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) will also meet on the G20 sidelines. The leaders and representatives of the European Union, other European organizations, Spain, Malaysia, Senegal, Singapore and Zimbabwe take part in the summit. U.S. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is planning to attend the G20 summit.

Turkish President Tayyip Recep Erdogan has invited Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to attend the G20 summit as an honorary guest. The summit assembles about 13,000 people. More than 2,000 accredited journalists will cover the event.

French President Francois Hollande stays away from the summit following a series of terrorist attacks that shook Paris on November 14 claiming the lives of 129 people.

A concert and other entertainments for the summit’s guests have been cancelled.

According to RIA Novosti, the Turkish authorities have taken all security measures in the province of Antalya on the eve of the summit.

Most of the suburb of Antalya, Belek, where the summit takes place, completely liberated from tourists, private and public transport blocked all entrances to the city. The summit involved 41 hotel located in the red, green and purple areas. Some hotels are fully closed.

At the time of the summit to ensure its safety and order the authorities involved 1.4 thousand traffic police officers and 12,000 police. A stretch of water in the region of Belek advance was checked and the Coast Guard is fully enclosed for the water rides and skydiving. Beach area is strictly fenced.

Antalya Governor's Administration has banned the period from 9 to 18 November holding any rallies, demonstrations, marches, strikes or public protests.

According to Turkish mass media, to prepare the organization of the summit, Turkey has spent 100 million dollars.

In December 2014, Turkey for the first time in its history became chairman of the G20.

The status of permanent members of the "Great Twenty" has 19 countries and the European Union. The composition of the G20 includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Canada, China, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the USA, Turkey, France, South Africa, South Korea and Japan.

The summit attendes by Azerbaijan and Singapore, which had invited Turkey, is temporary chairman of the summit.