Obama

Obama to address Turkey's parliament

President Barack Obama will be the second US president to address the Turkish parliament during his two-day visit to the country

Former president Bill Clinton was the first US leader to address Turkey's parliament in 1999.

According to diplomatic sources, the US Department of State has informed Turkish officials that Obama wants to deliver a speech to the Turkish parliament on April 6, a Press TV correspondent quoted Turkey's Aksam newspaper as saying on Sunday.

As per practice, the Turkish parliament does not hold general meetings on Mondays and April 6 is a Monday. However, a special meeting will be held at the parliament for Obama.

Turkey's parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan has welcomed Obama's decision to address the parliament.

Obama's visit is aimed to normalize ties between Washington and Ankara after years of tensions between the two countries, which began on the eve of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.

The tensions began in March 2003 when the Turkish parliament did not pass a bill to let US troops to use Turkish territory to open a northern front against former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

FTP/MMA