AMBASSADOR'S REMARKS AND PUBLIC EVENTS

Ambassador Ross Wilson Interview With Osman Gencer, Editor-In-Chief, Yeni Asir

June 27, 2006, Izmir

QUESTION:  I understand that you are interested in promoting business here in Izmir and the Aegean region.  If I understand correctly there are around 30 US firms in Izmir.  How will these trade relations improve?  Are you interested in a specific sector?

AMBASSADOR WILSON:  I think there are many opportunities for American companies in Turkey -- the largest, fast growing economy in Europe and one that is taking a lot of investment from a lot of different places but not as much from America as it should.  I am a government official; I am not a businessman.  I have never worked in business so I am not the best person to say “this is a good field to invest in” or “Turkish textiles would be a successful product in America,” for example. I don’t know those things.  But the fact that there are 30 to 35 American companies in the Aegean region, not just in Izmir but in the broader Aegean region of Turkey, tells me that big American companies and also some smaller firms have seen in Izmir that this area is a place where they can make money.  I talked last night with some representatives of American airplane manufacturer Boeing which is looking to manufacture of a number of components of the new Boeing aircraft here in Izmir.  They are doing it because the quality is good, the workmanship is outstanding, the terms and the services are good, and the prices are very good.  And the other companies basically would say the same thing, whether it’s Delphi with auto parts or Starbucks selling coffee.  What I want to try to focus on is providing information to American firms about sales opportunities here, purchase opportunities here and investment opportunities here and also work with the authorities here to make sure that those companies that are investing in Izmir and the Aegean region succeed and that they feel that they are being treated fairly here.  Business investors tend to want to follow other successful investors. 

QUESTION:  There are some fluctuations in the economy and some turbulence in domestic policy in Turkey right now.  We have US support in our bid for EU membership so from your perspective, do you think these current problems will hinder our EU process?  Generally what are your opinions about Turkey’s EU membership?

AMBASSADOR WILSON:  The United States is supportive of Turkey’s efforts to get itself into a position where the accession talks with the European Union can start.  And this goes back many years and many decades.  We think it will be good for domestic economic and political reform of this country, for strengthening security and stability and peace in this part of the world.  And good for Europe to acquire a young, dynamic, rapidly growing economy like Turkey.  You refer to some recent turbulence and recent events.  Clearly, on the economic side, Turkey has been influenced by trends in global financial markets that have put a lot of pressure on emerging market economies like Turkey but also others elsewhere in the world.  Our perception is the Government by and large understands what needs to be done; the Central Bank understands by and large what needs to be done.  And they are working to take the right kind of steps to help protect against these winds that are coming from outside.  On the political side we are headed toward an election here in 2007.  It is very important for Turkey, very important for any democracy.  There will be a certain amount of noise that gets created as a result of that.  That’s natural in a democracy.  The process will demonstrate again how and why Turkey is a European, democratic country that should become closer to ultimately becoming a member of the European Union.

QUESTION:  What are your opinions about US-Turkish relations?  How are they right now?

AMBASSADOR WILSON:  I think our relations have been improving quite significantly in the last year.  This is reflected in a number of high level visits.  Secretary Rice was here in April.  The President’s National Security Advisor was here last September.  Defense Minister Gonul, Energy Minister Guler both went to the United States over the last six or seven months.  I think our improving relations are also reflected in the fact that we are working closely and we are working together on the problem of Iran, Iran’s efforts to acquire nuclear weapons, on issues relating to Iraq, in standing up a strong, democratic government of a unified Iraq to promote stability there.  I think it is also reflected in what I referred to earlier -- American support, particularly last October, for Turkey’s bid to become a member of the European Union. It’s reflected in the opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, a big, very important strategic project that we’ll be commemorating in a couple of weeks.  So I think there are still some issues that we have to work through but we’ve done a lot to restore a common sense of purpose to an alliance that’s existed for almost six decades. 

QUESTION:  My last question is about Kurdistan Workers Party, the PKK.  Our concerns about the PKK still continue.  Of course this may not be directly related to you Mr. Ambassador, but do you think that the US is taking all necessary measures to deal with the PKK issue? I ask you because public opinion in Turkey thinks that the PKK is somewhat under the protection of the United States.

AMBASSADOR WILSON:  The PKK is not under the protection of the United States.  I am very proud of the work that the United States has done particularly in the last year or so to help and support the Turkish Government and Turkish security authorities in dealing with the problem of PKK terrorism here, trying to address the PKK in northern Iraq, and also to address the underlying sources of PKK support, particularly financial support from Europe.  In Europe we are working with Turkey to try to shut down the PKK front groups, to get the PKK leaders arrested and extradited to Turkey, and to shut off the flow of funding that has come from Kurdish groups, the Kurdish community in Germany, in France, in Belgium and other countries that helps to support PKK activities here and northern Iraq.  We have worked over the last year to increase our information sharing with the Turkish Government about the PKK activities and presence within Turkey, and that information, we believe, has enabled the Turkish Government to act against some PKK groups within this country (inaudible).  Within Iraq, we have given emphasis over the last year to what military people refer to as the "center of gravity," to the effort in Baghdad to stand up a new democratic government.  And we have done that because we believe that if we didn’t get the piece in Baghdad right, we’d never get the problems in northern Iraq solved.  When Secretary Rice visited Ankara in April, she pledged to redouble America’s efforts with Turkey on the PKK, and she talked with Turkish leaders about reviving a previously existing US-Turkey-Iraq trilateral mechanism to deal with the PKK.  She said we will do that last piece as soon as there is a national unity government established. As I am sure you know, that process was completed about two or three weeks ago.  We have started discussions in Washington and a little bit with the Turkish authorities about how to set that up and get that going.  So the bottom line I think is that we have done a lot. We have a lot more to do together with the Turkish Government to deal with this terrorist problem and a number of other terrorist problems that exist in the world.

QUESTION:  You mentioned that we cooperate on the Iran issue, but it seems that you will be showing a somewhat strong reaction to Iran in the future as the recent developments show that diplomatic efforts are slowly running out.

AMBASSADOR WILSON:  I think our perspective is a little bit different.  President Bush and Secretary Rice have made it as clear as they possibly could that we are committed to a diplomatic solution, achieving a diplomatic solution.  And they have worked very, very hard to try to ensure that there is the broadest possible coalition – a group of countries that are all speaking with the same voice in urging Iran to change direction.  Turkey is very much a part of that group and this has been demonstrated in a number of public statements that the Turkish Government has made, in private conversations that it has had with Iran and I think also in Foreign Minister Gul’s visit just last weekend to Tehran.  It may take a while for this process to succeed.  We are committed to trying to make it succeed and we appreciate Turkey’s help on that.

QUESTION:  Thank you.

AMBASSADOR WILSON:  Thank you very much.