AMBASSADOR'S REMARKS AND PUBLIC EVENTS

Ambassador Ross Wilson Speaking to Journalists at the Ankara Chamber of Industry Organized Industrial Zone

April 27, 2006, Ankara

Ambassador Wilson:  Thank you very much.  And thank you to the Ankara Chamber of Industry for giving me this opportunity to visit here, meet some Turkish businessmen and discuss some of the issues in our trade relationship.  We see the development of U.S.-Turkish economic trade relations as an integral part of our overall relationship that, since I came here a little over four months ago, I have tried to work on, to energize and further develop in ways that can meet the interests of people in both of our countries.  The Turkish economy has achieved extremely impressive economic results over the course of the last four years in terms of the growth of Turkish gross domestic product, this country’s success in taming inflation, this country’s success in improving the climate for business and foreign investors, and resolving outstanding problems that companies, including American companies, have had in previous years. All of that has led to a substantial increase in American investor interest here.  Some of that has translated into specific commitments that have been made. The decision of General Electric Capital to invest in Garanti Bankasi is one big example. There have been several others in the news over the course of the last couple of months, and I hope and expect that there will be more.  Part of the purpose of coming out here and visiting with Turkish businessmen is to try to get a sense of what some of the other opportunities might be.  So when those American companies come through my office or otherwise come through the Embassy, they hear not just how we see the overall political and economic picture, but they get some specific ideas about specific companies, specific sectors, specific opportunities here that can be interesting and important for them.

So I am delighted to be here. And I am happy to try to answer a couple of questions.

Question: There is some information from sources in northern Iraq that Turkish troops are going across the border and chasing terrorists.  Do you have such intelligence?  And how do you evaluate such military operations?

Ambassador Wilson: We do not have such intelligence, first.  Second, we have said several times, and Secretary Rice echoed this yesterday, that we of course attach enormous importance to supporting the work of the Turkish authorities in combating PKK terrorism. We have a number of specific areas in which we are working with the Turkish Government. We also attach a lot of importance to stability in Iraq, to completing the work that is now well along, but is not yet finished, to stand up a government of national unity there.  Secretary Rice talked about working with Turkey and with Iraq as soon as that government formation process is complete through a long-standing tripartite, three country arrangement to really focus on the problem of the PKK presence in northern Iraq and try together to do something about it.

Question: Do you believe that such an operation by the Turkish military will affect stability in Iraq?

Ambassador Wilson: As I stated on Sunday when I was asked this question, we think that cross-border operations would be unwise.  We certainly support the work that Turkey is doing, and that the authorities are doing, to strengthen its border controls, to strengthen its ability to interdict terrorists who come across.  We do not believe that there should be a sanctuary anywhere for PKK terrorists.  We are determined to work with this country and with the legitimately elected democratic leadership of Iraq, as soon as that leadership is formed, to work to try to do something about this.

Question: You made a statement before Ms. Rice’s visit to Turkey that you regretted that the U.S. and Turkey could not do everything you wanted to do to prevent terrorism.  Did you change your mind after Secretary Rice’s visit?

Ambassador Wilson:  I didn’t change my mind.  There is always more that countries need to do.  I think there that for a long time there will be more that countries need to do to tackle the problem of international terrorism.  Whether it is al-Qaida, the PKK, or any of the large number of other groups, there continues to be a growing need for countries to work together effectively to combat this problem and to defeat terrorism.  We look forward to increasing our cooperation with the Turkish authorities and with the Iraqi authorities to combat and defeat PKK terrorism.  And I think we will be looking over the course of coming weeks, especially as the government formation process in Iraq is completed, to engage further on this.