UPDATE 2-Turkish, Singaporean parliament speakers meet in Ankara

UPDATES WITH SENTOP'S REMARKS IN THE MEETING WITH HIS SINGAPOREAN COUNTERPART

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's parliament speaker met on Monday with his Singaporean counterpart in Turkish capital Ankara.

Mustafa Sentop welcomed Tan Chuan-Jin at his office.

In the closed-door meeting lasted nearly an hour.

According to parliament speaker's office, the meeting focused on the economic relations between the two countries.

"It is possible to increase the trade volume, which is currently $790 million with Singapore, through comprehensive free trade agreements," said Sentop during the meeting.

Sentop added they had been "closely following the investments made from Singapore."

"In this respect, the new airport in Istanbul gives an important opportunity," he said.

The first phase of the new mega-Istanbul Airport officially opened last fall and took over air traffic from the former main Ataturk Airport on April 6.

With a full capacity of 200 million passengers annually after the completion of all four phases with six runways by 2028, Istanbul Airport is set to become a global aviation hub hosting more than 100 airlines and flights to over 300 destinations around the world.

Separately, Sentop also met with Rwanda's Foreign Minister Dr. Richard Sezibera at the Turkish parliament.

The head of Turkish parliament's friendship group with Rwanda, Mucahit Durmusoglu, and Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) lawmaker Yasar Yildirim also attended the close-door meeting.