Offices and Departments
The Political-Military Section
The Political-Military Section at the US Embassy advises the Ambassador on political-military aspects of the bilateral relationship between the United States and the Republic of Turkey, and has primary responsibility in promoting bilateral cooperation to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them. Working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, the Turkish General Staff, Parliament, the U.S. Office of Defense Cooperation the Defense Attaché Office and the embassy’s Political Section, the section aims to enhance bilateral political-military ties, and report on political-military developments in Turkey and the region that may impact U.S.-Turkey relations. The section oversees the $800,000 Export Control and related Border Security (EXBS) Program.
The Pol/Mil Counselor oversees the section, which includes a Deputy Counselor, a Political/Military Officer, an office manager, and the EXBS program advisor and manager. One officer concentrates on bilateral military cooperation with Turkey and manages the defense aspects of the Defense and Economic Cooperation Agreement, a bilateral agreement which establishes guidelines for the U.S. military presence in Turkey. Another officer focuses on fostering close cooperation between the U.S. and Turkey in advancing our shared objectives in NATO, such as supporting stability in Afghanistan, Kosovo, the Balkans and counter-piracy efforts off the coast of Somalia.