US should see regional issues through Turkey’s eyes, bilateral tensions to ease soon: TAİK head
ISTANBUL
The U.S. should look at Turkey’s region from the point of view of its strategic ally Turkey, the head of the Turkish-American Business Council (TAİK) has said.
During a meeting with a group of Turkish economy journalists late on Oct. 29, TAİK President Mehmet Ali Yalçındağ also noted that the U.S. and Turkey would ease bilateral tensions soon.
One of the TAİK’s missions is to accurately inform both Turkish and American people about their ties, Yalçındağ said, adding that communication initiatives would soon receive a boost through building stronger ties with media outlets and opinion leaders.
Yalçındağ, who was elected as the TAİK president on Jan. 12, voiced his opinions about Turkish-U.S. ties during the meeting.
“Even if the U.S. and Turkey sometimes seem to contradict each other over regional issues, they have had a strategic alliance for decades. Turkey is a key NATO member and in an indispensable position regarding U.S. interests in the region. I believe both sides will not exacerbate the tensions,” he said.
“U.S. President Donald Trump thinks regional problems should be resolved by regional actors. In this regard, the U.S. should see what is happening on Turkey’s borders from the point of view of its strategic ally, Turkey,” Yalçındağ added.
Voicing discontent with the current state of bilateral ties between the two countries, Yalçındağ said businesspeople were ready to act to reverse this trend for the better.
The TAİK will accelerate efforts to achieve this key goal with a new comprehensive strategy, he said, adding that the council would work in the U.S. on a state basis rather than a national basis.
“In the framework of the TAİK, we will build sub-councils in California, Florida, Illinois, New York and Texas,” Yalçındağ noted.
As part of the new strategy, a media committee comprised of Turkey’s leading economy journalists will be established and their opinions heard on how to shape the 37th ATC-TAİK Annual Conference, which is set to take place on April 29-May 1 in the U.S., he said.
The TAİK was established in 1985 to boost bilateral trade and investment relations between the two countries.