WASHINGTON D.C. - Turkish Industrialists` & Businessmen`s Association (TUSIAD) Executive Board Chairperson Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag said on Friday that "Common security concerns kept US and Turkey together."
Speaking at a conference held in in Washington D.C. on U.S.-Turkey relations in the 21st century, Yalcindag said Turkey and the United States worked very closely despite some problems that erupted during Cold War era.
"TUSIAD office in Washington D.C. contributed to dialogue between TUSIAD and U.S. government, business circles and the society as a whole", she added.
"Common security concerns kept the two parties together," she said.
Yalcindag underlined that the conference was organized to delineate the basic outlines of relations clearly and develop relationship accordingly.
"Turkish-U.S. relations have been improved since last year. Considerable developments have been registered after a meeting between Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President George Bush on November 5th, 2007," Yalcindag said, adding that U.S. extended "full support" to Turkey`s fight against PKK since then.
Yalcindag said energy security would be important in the future and also referred to latest Armenian draft in the U.S. Congress. She said this matter should not be an obstacle in front of relations between Turkey and the United States.
TUSIAD conference is planned to be organized once a year and will focus on discussing new scope of bilateral relations, new topics and proposals.
In the first session of the conference, future of Turkey-US relations were discussed.
TUSIAD member Cem Duna, Economy & Technology University International Relations Department Director Prof. Mustafa Aydin and German Marshall Fund Transatlantic Relations expert Dr. Ilan Lesser attended this session.
Asked about the probable impacts on economy in case Justice & Development (AK) party was closed, Duna said economy would react negatively. "Problems may erupt in foreign investments and this may have a negative impact on stability of Turkish economy," he said.
Responding to the same question, Lesser said it would not be right to interfere internal affairs of Turkey, however personally he said closing parties, banning politicians would mean bad news in political, economic and strategic sense.
Lesser said closing a party would cause political and economic confusion and diminish Turkey`s energy on foreign policy interests.
Separately, TUSIAD delegation, led by Yalcindag, met with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried and some members of U.S. Congress.
(AY-ULG)