Head of Turkey-US Business Council: It is time to talk business

WASHINGTON

Turkey and the United States should put their political and diplomatic differences behind them and focus on the economy and mutual business interests, said Mehmet Ali Yalçındağ, chair of the Turkey-U.S. Business Council, during a conference in Washington April 15.

“Presently, the political difficulties and diplomatic differences between Ankara and Washington weighs down on business relations, hampers our efforts to go forward, further and faster. I strongly believe that we have to change this,” said Yalçındağ addressing participants at the 37th annual American-Turkish Council (ATC). He said it’s time for the two countries to “talk business.”

Yalçındağ proposed steps to strengthen U.S-Turkey ties, including the creation of an advisory council “that can talk sincerely and openly to the decision-makers” in both the capitals of Turkey and the U.S., Ankara and Washington.

He said such a council “would listen to the needs and worries of the business communities of both countries, understand them and translate them into constructive proposals for change.”

“Let’s roll up our sleeves and start working on this proposal. We should not always expect our two presidents and the political leadership of our nations to solve the problems facing us,” he said.