22.05.2019 Chicago / USA
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that it is necessary to sign a free trade agreement should be signed between the two countries in order to reach the 75 billion USD trade volume goal set by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump.
Hisarcıklıoğlu,
in the United States to attended various meetings with his delegation, attended
the opening of the restaurant, “Turkitch,” in Chicago, the first stop of his
itinerary.
the
restaurant's opening ribbon was cut by Hisarcıklıoğlu and the restaurant's Turkish
entrepreneurs partners, Cihan Çömez and Özkan Yılmaz, as well as Turkey's
Consul General to Chicago, Umut Acar.
Hisarcıklıoğlu,
speaking in regards to their US meetings, that the Chicago itinerary is
composed of two parts: “First of all, we opened the restaurant called Turkitch
which was founded by Turkish entrepreneurs in order to introduce Turkish
cuisine in the most original form of Turkish cuisine with their real names in
Chicago. As TOBB, as a part of our agreement with the Ministry of Commerce, we
will most conduct inspections at the Turkish Trade Center which will most
likely be built in Chicago.”
After
his meetings in Chicago, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they would move on to
Washington with the delegation accompanying him.
Referring
to the recent development of Turkish-American economic relations,
Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We are particularly pleased that the tax rates in
iron-steel have been brought to the former levels.”
- 75 billion USD trade volume
target
M.
Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stating that there is a 75 billion USD trade volume goal
set by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump between the
two countries, said, “How are we to reach this target if amenities cease? That
is why an FTA should be singed between Turkey and the US.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
reported that they’ve voiced the same demand to US Assistant Secretary of State
David Mealea who visited Turkey.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
on questions about S-400s, “That is a political matter and outside my purview, however
Turkey has worked to acquire the Patriot system defend itself from external
threats for years. It was the US who would not sell it. It is only natural for
Turkey to defend herself and her population.”
Turkey's
Consul General in Chicago Acar expressed great pleasure in Chicago attaining a
Turkish restaurant with a new concept, noted that Turkish as well as Americans
showed great interest in the opening.