The Turkish finance minister will return to Turkey on Thursday after a by-pass surgery in the United States.

Turkey's Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan would be in Turkey on Thursday after a successful by-pass surgery in the United States, his son Abdullah Unakitan told A.A correspondent on the phone.

"My father wanted to return to Turkey as soon as possible," he said.

Unakitan had a by-pass surgery in Cleveland, the United States on February 16.

The finance minister was expected to arrive in Turkey on Friday.

"My father went from Cleveland to New York to return to Turkey as soon as possible, and therefore we will be in Turkey on Thursday," Abdullah Unakitan said.

Unakitan is to take a Turkish Airlines (THY) flight from New York's John F. Kennedy Airport, and arrive in the Turkish city of Istanbul at 11 a.m. on Thursday.

Abdullah Unakitan said that his father was very well.

Finance Minister Unakitan undertook a diagnostic angiocardiography on February 1, and was discharged from a teaching hospital in the Turkish capital of Ankara on February 8.

The minister went to Cleveland with his family on February 10 for further treatment.

AA