Today’s Zaman, Turkey
May 22 2010
Sikorsky considers investing in Turkey to produce helicopters
Foreign Trade Minister Zafer Ã?aÄ?layan said Friday in the US capital of
Washington that the United Technologies Corporation (UTC), a US
company that invests in fields from aerospace to air conditioning,
said they have considered investing in Turkey in the aircraft supply
industry along with helicopter manufacturing. United Technologies is
the owner of aircraft manufacturer Sikorsky.
Ã?aÄ?layan was in the US to participate in a series of meetings which
were arranged following the establishment of a working group made up
of two ministers from each country during Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
ErdoÄ?an’s recent visit to the US. `For example, they told us they were
expecting to manufacture jet engines in Turkey; they are also keen to
establish an aerospace infrastructure.’ Ã?aÄ?layan said UTC could
manufacture Sikorsky helicopters in Turkey and then export them to the
surrounding markets.
Turkey to foster trade ties with US via Native Americans
Meanwhile, the government expects to strengthen economic relations
with the US with new investment projects to be jointly carried out
with Native American entrepreneurs. The government’s brand new
initiative, which was brought to the agenda during Ã?aÄ?layan’s recent
visit to the US capital, foresees joint projects with Native American
businesspeople, particularly in the fields of mining and
infrastructure, in locations with large Native American populations,
such as Arizona. Native American students will be provided with
bursaries for Turkish schools as a first step to branching out further
in the world’s number one market.
The project is being promoted by the Turkish Coalition of America
(TCA), a Washington-based civil society organization. Turkish
entrepreneurs in the US will also encourage Native American students
to study in Turkey. The project also envisages sending
Armenian-Americans to Turkey for educational purposes as part of
efforts to normalize relations. Turkey and Armenia have remained at
odds over claims of a so-called Armenian genocide at the hands of the
Ottoman Empire during World War I.
Minister Ã?aÄ?layan told Today’s Zaman he has assigned officials from
the ministry to work on the Native American project to seek possible
joint investment opportunities. `We have learned that these people are
active particularly in the fields of mining, construction and
infrastructure in the US. Such potential is worth focusing on,’ he
said. Ã?aÄ?layan said the project will provide the opportunity for
Native American students `to learn more about Turkey, be educated in
Turkey, speak Turkish and lay the groundwork for future ties.’
22 May 2010, Saturday
Ã-MER Å?AHIN WASHINGTON