Babacan visits Warsaw

Foreign Minister Ali Babacan paid a two-day official visit to Warsaw on Monday and Tuesday at the invitation of his Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski. Babacan's visit focused on Turkey's EU accession bid and improving political and trade relations between the two countries as well as international and regional issues. After meeting with Sikorski, Babacan told a joint press conference that Turkey and Poland enjoy friendly relations as two allies, and thanked Polish officials for supporting Turkey's European Union accession bid. On bilateral trade relations, Babacan said they had reached €2.5 billion, adding that more and more Turkish businessmen are investing in Poland. Babacan later separately met with Deputy Premier and Economy Minister Waldemar Pawlak, Deputy Parliament Speaker Stefan Niesiolovski, and Senate Speaker Bogdan Borusewicz. During his meeting with Pawlak, Babacan reportedly asked for streamlined visa procedures for Turkish businesspeople, scholars, and artists wanting to visit Poland. Babacan yesterday also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Asked about a new security agreement foreseeing the complete withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by the end of 2011, Babacan told reporters, "We're examining the details of the agreement between the two countries. The views of Iraq's neighbors on the agreement will also be very important." He added that both the US and Iraq support Turkey's fight against the terrorist PKK.