12.09.2017 Ankara
TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that Turkey-US relations need to be put on a new footing. Hisarcıklıoğlu, speaking at the workshop for the 10th Term Meeting of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) between Turkey and the US hosted by TOBB, said, “We need to go beyond military and political relations between the strongest economy in the region and the strongest economy in the world.”
In his speech, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that these meetings,
the first of which were held in 1999, are of historical significance for trade
development between the two countries.
Hisarcıklıoğlu said that the economic, commercial and investment
dimensions of bilateral relations have always been tried to be kept on the
agenda in line with the resolutions made at these meetings. “Such technical
meetings are very important for bilateral commercial relations and these
dimensions cover all aspects of bilateral commercial relations. We, TOBB and
the US Chamber of Commerce, extend our gratitude for every positive step
towards developing bilateral business relationships on behalf of a total of 4.5
million companies.”
- The economic pillar of
relations needs to be strengthened
Hisarcıklıoğlu recalled that since the early 1990s bilateral relations
first evolved from a developed partnership to a strategic partnership and then
to a model partnership in which many decisions were made together particularly
in regards to political issues in the region, “Many things have changed in
Turkey since then. We have to go beyond military and political relations
between the strongest economy in the region and the strongest economy in the
world and the economic pillar of this relationship must be strengthened because
there is a very different Turkey today.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that the Turkish economy grew by 5.2% in the
first quarter and 5.1% in the second quarter. Despite the global turmoil and
regional uncertainties, he pointed out that this proves both the dynamism and robustness
in the last 15 years.
“Turkey is hosting more than 3 million Syrian refugees who have flocked
to its borders because of instability in the region and with its own resources.
The traitorous FETO organization bombed the National Assembly on July 15th.
Any other country facing such events internally and externally would face much
different outcomes. Employment has increased by 1.6 million in the last year.
In just the last month, 7,000 have found employment. In the last year 44 of 88
sectors have had an increased in the number of workplaces. We will continue to
invest, create jobs and invest as the private sector. We want to see relations
between the two countries as multi-dimensional. We attach great importance to
the strengthening of trade and investment as it goes beyond the political and
military dimension.”
TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu said that the number of Turkish
entrepreneurs who have the capacity to invest both in Turkey and in different
parts of the world is quite high, “Turkey has no petroleum, but we have
immensely dynamic entrepreneurs. Our wealth is that we learn fast, we are an entrepreneurial
people, and that's why we have become the strongest economy in our region, and
as the Turkish private sector we want to do more business with the United
States.
- TOBB activities proliferating
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the government has provided great support to
the development of economic relations between the two countries and noted that
TOBB did not focus only on Ankara and Istanbul in Turkey and on Washington and
New York alone in the United States.
Stating that the strength of Turkey-US relations with greater capacity
to generate benefits is as important for both countries as it is for Europe and
the Middle East, Hisarcıklıoğlu concluded:
“We are particularly focused on areas such as digital economy, financial
services, value added manufacturing industry, healthcare sector, pharmaceutical
industry, biotechnology, communications technology and venture capital. We
attach great importance to the signing of a free trade agreement between Turkey
and the US. The US Chamber of Commerce has opened a regional office in
Istanbul, and in October a big business delegation will visit Turkey as a part
of our business alliance with the US Chamber of Commerce.”