Turkey's relations with the US are more important than its relations with Europe, according to Turkish-American Business Association (TABA) Honorary President Zeynel Abidin Erdem. Speaking at a TABA meeting at the Turkish House in New York on Monday, he said his aim was to prevent these relations from being harmed and to further develop them. Erdem described the historical background of Turkey-US relations and said Turkey had participated in the UN and NATO with the support of the US. He added that US helped Turkey in becoming an EU candidate country and in the transportation of Caspian oil through Turkey. He touched on the Turkish Parliament's 2003 decision to reject a resolution that would have allowed US reinforcements to use Turkish ports and airports to invade Iraq, saying the decision was a result of democracy but if permission had been granted, Turkey would have more influence in northern Iraq today.