German leader Angela Merkel on Monday met Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan on a visit meant to signal close ties despite slow progress in Ankara's EU accession talks. Before leaving for Turkey, Merkel said that she favored opening a new chapter in membership talks, although she remained "skeptical" about the outcome. According to dpa, Merkel met Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul today in Ankara, on her third visit to the country, hoping to stress solid ties despite the lingering EU question.