英语文摘:U.S. secretary of state to visit Turkey for 2nd time in two months

ANKARA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Turkey this weekend before his trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories, local media reported Wednesday.

In his second visit to Turkey since March, Kerry will hold talks with Turkish officials on possible contribution of Ankara to reviving the Middle East peace process.

In addition, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet with U.S. President Barack Obama on May 16, according to Turkey's Hurriyet Daily.

During Obama's visit to the region in late March, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized to Turkey for the attack on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, in which eight Turks and an American of Turkish origin were killed in May 2010.

The long-awaited apology came under the mediation of Obama, who said Washington attached great importance to the restoration of positive relations between Turkey and Israel.