ISTANBUL - Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim left on Sunday for the United States to attend regional aviation security and flight safety summit.
Prior to his departure, Yildirim told reporters that he was going to the United States as the guest of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta.
Eight transportation ministers mainly from Balkan countries and many air transportation authorities in the world would attend the summit to take place in Washington between September 8 and 12, Yildirim said.
Yildirim noted, ''the meeting has a special importance since it will be held on the second anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States.''
They would hold important meetings on air traffic and airport security, Yildirim pointed out.
Yildirim said, ''measures taken by countries against terrorist attacks will be revised in detail.''
He would have meetings with transportation ministers of the United States and other countries, Yildirim stated.
Yildirim added, ''Turkey is a leading country in flight safety, security of airports and annual air traffic in the region it is situated. Our meeting with the U.S. Secretary of Transportation and our other bilateral contacts become more important for improvement of Turkey's position with some new arrangements and investments.''
(BRC) 07.09.2003