SCHEDULED TURKISH VISITS TO US IN DOUBT AFTER SWEDISH RESOLUTION PASSES
Jale Ozgenturk
Hurriyet
March 12 2010
Turkey
Acting after Sweden’s parliament voted to recognize the killings
of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire as "genocide," the Turkish
government is advising business circles to postpone visits to countries
that have accepted claims of genocide, including the United States. A
U.S. House committee passed a similar resolution on March 5.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has advised the Turkish Union of Chambers
and Commodities Exchanges, or TOBB, Foreign Economic Relations Council,
or DEÄ°K, and the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association,
or TUSÄ°AD, to refrain from attending meetings in these countries.
Meetings important for Turkish businesses are scheduled for March and
April in the U.S. Umit Boyner, the TUSÄ°AD chairwoman and members of
the TUSÄ°AD board had previously announced they would visit the U.S.
between March 15 and 18.
According to sources, as Boyner was conducting meetings in Ankara
after the passing of the U.S. House committee resolution, the Foreign
Ministry conveyed its sensitivity indirectly.
Asked about the issue, Boyner said TUSÄ°AD has not received any request
from the Foreign Ministry yet. "But it is normal for them to have
such sensitivity," she said. "We are trying to prepare an effective
program that would enhance productivity in relations. Next week,
we have an appointment with France’s Europe minister Pierre Lellouche."
An important meeting for Turkey is the annual U.S.-Turkey relations
conference, organized for the 29th time this year by the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce. The conference, scheduled between April 11 and 14, would
be attended by TOBB and DEÄ°K members, under normal circumstances. The
conference brings together more than 600 participants from Turkey
and the U.S., facilitating business relations in various sectors.
This year, invitees include Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, U.S.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.S. National Security Adviser
Jim Jones, Deputy U.S. Chief of Staff James Cartwright and his Turkish
counterpart, Aslan Guner.
After March 5, Turkish interest in such meetings has waned. It
is expected that TOBB and DEÄ°K will take the Foreign Ministry’s
sensitivity into consideration.
Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry officials said the government’s official
line is in favor of not holding high-level visits at such a time,
recalling that Industry Minister Zafer Caglayan’s visit scheduled for
March 19 has been delayed. Noting that TUSÄ°AD asked the opinion of the
Foreign Ministry before a scheduled visit, a ministry official said,
on condition of anonymity: "But we told them the last decision rests
with them. We cannot say anything to independent organizations that
can be interpreted as an instruction. For example, Guler Sabancı
was also going to travel to the U.S. but we learned she cancelled
the trip upon her personal decision."