BABACAN: "IT'S IMPORTANT TO IMPROVE DIALOGUE WITH ALL GROUPS IN IRAQ"
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan yesterday met with his New Zealander counterpart Winston Peters, on an official visit to Turkey. Afterwards, he told a press conference, "As you know, we have a general policy of improving our dialogue and relations with all groups in Iraq." Peters added, "However, some different views and different approaches concerning the terrorist organization PKK were in question, particularly related to the administration in northern Iraq. Nevertheless, in the coming period, you can expect an increase in different contacts with the administration in Iraq's north at different levels. This is important for both sides in regards to the struggle against the terrorist organization and in regards to our economic relations on energy issues with Iraq in general." In related news, Murat Ozcelik, Turkey's special representative to Iraq, will visit Baghdad on May 4 and is expected to meet with Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani. Turkey's concerns over the terrorist PKK and economic issues such as Turkish businessmen's activities in northern Iraq, oil and natural gas tenders will be discussed at the meeting. /Aksam-Cumhuriyet/

PARLIAMENT SPEAKER TOPTAN SAYS TRADE VOLUME WITH SINGAPORE SHOULD INCREASE
The Turkish and Singaporean Parliament speakers yesterday pledged to increase political contacts and trade volume between the two countries at a meeting in Ankara. Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan, hosting his Singaporean counterpart Abdullah Tarmugi, noted that the last senior-level contact between the Turkish and Singaporean Parliaments was 18 years ago, when then Turkish Parliament Speaker Kaya Erdem visited Singapore. "I hope future visits will not be so far apart," he said. Toptan also said trade ties between the two countries could flourish, adding that the current trade volume, which stands at $700 million, should be increased. /Today's Zaman/

ISRAELI NEWSPAPERS: "ERDOGAN'S DECISIVE IN PUSHING HIS MEDIATION EFFORTS BETWEEN SYRIA AND ISRAEL THROUGH"
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent mediation efforts on the issue of Golan heights between Syria and Israel highly echoed in Israeli media. An Israeli newspaper wrote that Erdogan's next step would be gathering the two parties in Turkey to determine main outlines of a possible agreement. Saying that Turkey is in search of a compromise formula on the issue and stressing Erdogan's determination to reach an agreement, another newspaper wrote that Erdogan would send his top adviser for foreign policy Ahmet Davutoglu to Tel Aviv to inform Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of his recent talks with Syrian President Bessar Assad in Damascus. According to that newspaper, Davutoglu will forward Assad's message to Olmert and will try to convince the two parties to begin direct talks. After his Syria visit, Erdogan yesterday confirmed that he would send a representative to Tel Aviv but didn't give exact information. Assad yesterday told Qatar's al Watan newspaper that If Erdogan's efforts yield a positive outcome, possible direct talks with Israel should be held under the auspices of the US. /Star-Sabah/

SYRIA DESIRES TO BOOST RELATIONS WITH TURKEY
Attending the Syrian-Turkish Economic Forum in Damascus, Syria, State Minister for foreign trade Kursad Tuzmen yesterday met with Syrian Finance Minister Mohammad al Hussein to discuss bilateral economic ties between the two countries. After the meeting, stressing that Syria attaches great importance to promotion of ties with Turkey, al Hussein said, "As an indicator of Syria's this intention, the Syrian people now pay the lowest foreign travel duty to visit Turkey, compared with the duty rates to travel to other neighbors of Syria," and added that after this decision, the number of Syrian tourists visiting Turkey has increased. Speaking to the forum, Syrian Deputy Prime Minister for economic affairs Abdallah al Dardari said, "Syria will highly benefit from improving ties with Turkey," and stressed that the Syrian government was decisive to solve all problems of Turkish firms investing in Syria. Also addressing the forum, Tuzmen said, "Bilateral trade volume between Syria and Turkey remarkably rose, 70 percent in 2007," adding that the target for bilateral trade volume was $2 billion by 2008. He added Turkey aims to reach $5 billion bilateral trade volume with Syria in the mid-term. /Star/

ERDOGAN TO MEET WITH TRADE UNIONS' HEADS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will today receive leaders of labor unions in Parliament. During their talks, workers' desire to celebrate May 1 Labor Day in Istanbul's Taksim square and their request to declare May 1 as an official holiday are expected to be discussed. /Sabah/

SWEDISH COMMITTEE VISITS PARLIAMENT
A Swedish parliamentary committee, headed by parliamentarian Liselott Hagberg, met with Turkey's EU Integration Committee Chairman Yasar Yakis yesterday. Hagberg said this visit provided an opportunity for Sweden to share its own experiences on its path to EU membership in 1995, adding that all parties in the Swedish parliament supported Turkey's joining the EU. /Turkish Daily News/