ANKARA - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that the efforts to further strengthen the existing partnership relations with the US would continue.
Speaking in a news conference before leaving for the US, Erdogan said that he would attend a conference which would be held in the US between 5th-7th July. Erdogan said he would talk about Turkey's democracy experience and economic development during his keynote speech at the opening of the annual Sun Valley conference.
''During talks with leading foreign businessmen--who will attend the conference-- we shall be informing them on economic developments and opportunities for investments in Turkey,'' Erdogan told reporters.
Erdogan said he would also address a think-tank in San Francisco about Turkish-American relations, adding that he would also meet representatives of Turkish communities there.
Referring to the mutual visits between the US and Turkey, Erdogan said ''close alliance relations with the United States, with which we share common values, are continuing. The relations between Turkey and the US, which share universal values such as democracy, freedoms, rule of law and liberal economy, have acquired a stronger and more multidimensional aspect particularly after the end of the Cold War.''
''We attach great importance to developing also our trade relations with the US. I hope this visit will make important contributions to this end,'' Erdogan added.
Turkish State Minister Ali Babacan, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan and several parliamentarians accompany Prime Minister Erdogan in his three-day trip to the US.