Turkey eyes more investments from US
Nuray Babacan-Ankara
Turkey has intensified efforts to lure more investments from U.S. companies and boost bilateral trade.
A group of Turkish politicians, businesspeople and bureaucrats recently traveled to the U.S. to hold talks with officials from the State Department, the Department of Commerce as well as thinktanks and business circles.
Following the talks, the parties agreed that a delegation of U.S. business people will pay a visit to Turkey and the Turkish-U.S. Business Council will hold a meeting after a two-year hiatus in the U.S in June.
During the Turkish delegation’s visit, Turkish and U.S. officials discussed the prospects for establishing new logistics centers and upgrading the existing ones in order to increase the trade between the two countries and facilitate faster shipments of goods.
Energy was one of the main items the parties explored, while possible investments in the field of renewables were also discussed, according to sources.
Liquified natural gas (LNG) imports from the U.S. meets some 8 percent of Turkey’s consumption, the participants in the talks noted, underlining the importance of diversifying energy supplies.
The Turkish side noted that U.S. companies’ investments in Turkey currently stand at $14 billion, while European firms’ investments in the country exceed $150 billion, calling on U.S. companies to invest more in Turkey.
The U.S. side was warm to the idea that Turkey could welcome the western companies, which leave Russia, but apparently disapproved of the inflow of Russian capital into the country, the sources said.
