‘US UNLIKELY TO JEOPARDIZE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP’
Today’s Zaman
March 8 2010
Turkey
While Turkish-US ties have recently become tense due to the approval
of an Armenian "genocide" resolution by the US House Committee
on Foreign Relations last week, Turkish Exporters Assembly (TÄ°M)
President Mehmet BuyukekÅ~_i has said that he does not expect passage
of the resolution by the US Congress since the US is not likely to
risk its strategic partnership with Turkey.
BuyukekÅ~_i, speaking to the Anatolia news agency on Sunday, stated
that the resolution, which labels the 1915 ethnic clashes between
the Armenian and Turkish communities as "genocide," is nothing new
and similar resolutions have been approved three or four times in
the past. The others were never been passed by the US Congress,
he recalled, arguing that this is a clear sign that the resolution
currently in question is not likely to be enacted either. "Because the
strategic partnership between Turkey and the US was invigorated both
during US President Barack Obama’s visit to Turkey and Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the US, I do not think this
relation will be destroyed in any way," he said. Acknowledging that
the approval of the resolution might lead some political problems
between the two countries, BuyukekÅ~_i noted, however, that the US
will likely work to rectify this situation.
Furthermore, he stressed that Turkey’s commercial relations with
the US are not at a satisfactory level at present. Turkey’s exports
to the US fell by some 30 percent from $4.2 billion in 2008 to $3.1
billion last year, a figure that is truly tiny according to BuyukekÅ~_i
considering that the US population is over 250 million. "Between 2001
and 2008 Turkey’s exports rose by 350 percent, up from $30 billion
to $132 billion, while exports to the US rose from $3.1 billion to
only $4.2 billion," he said.
The currently trade volume between the two countries stands at $15
billion. "Turkey’s foreign trade volume with the US should be lifted
up to $30 to 40 billion at least. To achieve this goal, we believe
American businessmen should also invest in Turkey." He stated that
a delegation of businessmen had been expected to accompany Foreign
Trade Minister Zafer Caglayan during a visit to the US within the
year to boost trade between the two countries. However, it is not
know what will happen after the approval of the resolution, he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
