Ambassador's Remarks
Remarks By Ambassador Ross Wilson At Izmir Chamber Of Commerce
June 28, 2007
AMBASSADOR WILSON: Good morning. It’s a great pleasure to be back in Izmir. This is my second time here. I see some familiar faces. And I’m very pleased again to have a very’ very warm welcome, both literally and figuratively here in Izmir. I’m also delighted that accompanying me this time to the Chamber is my wife, Margo Squire, who is here somewhere, back in the back, also from our embassy staff Sandy Shipshock, please stand up. Sandy is the head of our Consular Section, an important person for a lot of you, I suspect. Kathy Schalow is the embassy Press Attaché, she is somewhere there. and Robert Dunn from our embassy Commercial Office. And of course, we’re very well represented here in Izmir by Berrin Erturk, who works for the Commerce Department, and Guliz Balsari, who represents the State Department here. As I say, it’s a pleasure to be in Izmir again, and to see my good friend Ekrem Demirtas.
I want to say just a couple of things first about US-Turkish relations, and then turn to some of the economic subjects that are probably of most interest to you. And I want to talk a little bit about the nature of our relations, how we work together in the region, and also reflect a little bit on what I think is one of the simple truths: that we are democratic allies who share important values and interests that bind us together in some very important and enduring ways. We have a long history of interaction that predates our establishment as modern countries. Talking with people here about my American-Indian grandparents often leads Turks to reflect on the linguistic and other connections between Native Americans and Turkic peoples of central Asia from which the original inhabitants of the western hemisphere came. There are the Melungeons, a group of early immigrants to America thought to have come from the Ottoman Empire. Only 24 years after our Declaration of Independence - that we will celebrate tonight in Izmir and in a few days’ time in Ankara - the USS George Washington sailed into Istanbul harbor for the first official contacts between our two governments. In 1830, our countries signed a treaty of commerce and navigation. And from that time American missionaries and teachers began coming to the American school here in Izmir, to counterparts in Tarsus, Istanbul, also doctors and others to American hospitals. There are all of these now around by the Saglik ve Egitim Vakfi.
Our relationship was transformed almost exactly 60 years ago. Soviet threats against Turkey and Communist-led unrest in Greece led to the so-called Truman Doctrine. It stated that “…it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressures…(and that) we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own ways.” President Truman called for large-scale American assistance for Turkey, Greece and later Europe as a whole, and our economic and military assistance here under the Marshall Plan and since has totaled the equivalent of 58 billion dollars measured in 2005 dollars over that span of nearly 60 years. The United States was pleased to support Turkey’s entry into NATO in 1952. These and other efforts helped Turkish citizens secure their country and build for the prosperous and free society that Turkey has today.
We should be proud of that our predecessors had the wisdom and foresight to work together this way. Our militaries work together effectively to protect NATO’s southeastern flank. And today that military to military relationship remains a bulwark of peace and democracy in the region and in the world. For President Truman Turkey was obviously important because of its location where southeast Europe and the Middle East adjoined to the Soviet Union - to an expansionistic Soviet Union. Turkey was obviously important, too, as a developing Western democracy, having been put on that path by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and those who came after him.
It’s easy to forget these enduring bases of our relations, especially when one thinks about some of the low points that we’ve endured over the last sixty years: the Johnson Letter, the arms embargo, March 2003, the awful incident at Suleymaniye later that same year just to name a few. Relations between Turkey and the United States have had ups and downs just like relations that we have with all of our allies, and I’m sure that there’ll be more ups and downs; I hope there’re more ups.
Bad headlines, occasional tensions and even anger, public anger, over this or that event should not cloud the reality which is that today more than ever before our countries want the same things, we need each other to accomplish the same things for freedom, prosperity, stability and peace in this region - which is a complicated region - and in the world.
We’re partners today on Iraq, on Iran, the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia, Cyprus, Turkey’s efforts to acceed to the European Union, energy, terrorism issues, in promoting trade and investment, and in many other areas. No problem looms as large for the world, for Turkey, for my country, and in US-Turkish relations as Iraq. Honest people can disagree about whether we and the coalition were right to go into that country. This is debated in the United States as much as anywhere else.
We can all acknowledge that mistakes were made. And the President has acknowledged that. Iraq is today what it is – messy, conflict-driven, undermined by terrorists and a government that has not delivered the kind of security and stability that we and Iraqi citizens and Turkish citizens want to see and expect to see. We can’t, of course, turn back the clock. Looking ahead, our countries share the same the goals – unity, stability and security for Iraq. In support of its aims, Turkey has helped to draw Sunni rejectionists into the political system. It has facilitated fuel, food, aid shipments by land, through its ports and across the Habur Gate and via Incirlik that have helped to save the Iraqi people. It has provided training, assistance and other support for the Iraqi people as well. Turkey’s business and investment presence there is surely Iraq’s largest. I don’t for one minute think that Turkey did any of these things as a favor to us or for that matter to Iraq. This country’s leaders took these steps because they determined that to do so would advance Turkey’s interests and the interests of Turkish citizens.
If Iraq as a whole is complicated, so too is the problem that northern Iraq is being used as a base for PKK terrorist to launch attacks against citizens in this country and its security forces. This is bad for Turkey, it’s bad for Iraq. The United States strongly supports tough measures against PKK terrorists, stopping the financial and other support that comes from PKK criminal networks in Europe, and work to ensure that northern Iraq shall not be a base of terrorist attacks on this country. We will continue to work with Turkey in every possible way that we can to end PKK terrorism. And we will continue to ensure that our collaboration on Iraq does everything it can to support unity, stability and security in that country.
On Iran, our countries agree that Tehran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons could be dangerous and destabilizing. The Turkish Government has supported the United States, the European Union and Security Council efforts on this issue. We share the same concern about the defense, security and political implications of a nuclear-armed, missile-equipped Iran in what is already a very dangerous part of the world.
On the Middle East, our countries agree on the vision of two democratic states, Israeli and Palestinian, living side by side in peace and security. We strongly support the work that the authorities there are doing to try to aim toward peace and security. We also strongly support the Lebanese Government of Prime Minister Seniora and his efforts to establish peace in his homeland.
In the Caucasus and Central Asia, too, our countries want the same thing: stability, democratic development and economic growth. Together in the early 1990s, we helped the newly independent countries of that region very literally to survive. When I served in Baku, it was my privilege to work closely with Turkey’s ambassadors there in promoting market democratic change, energy development and pipeline development, and the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. That’s a good model of collaboration and it’s one we’re trying to rebuild now.
On energy, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan was made a reality through the hard work of our two countries together - despite opposition and doubt about whether would work, including, frankly, in the United States. BTC provides a secure route for Caspian oil to international markets through Turkey. We’re working now on a South Caucasus gas corridor from the Caspian and Central Asia to Turkey, and across it to Greece, Italy and other European markets. These projects will be good for regional development and for energy security, which is important to all of us.
Cyprus has eluded serious and high level efforts for a comprehensive settlement for four decades. Together, our countries strongly supported the work of Secretary General Kofi Annan just a few years ago. We want the same things. A bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, achieved through peaceful negotiations that is acceptable to the majorities on both sides of the island. And we need each other to make that happen.
The United States has given strong support to Turkey’s EU accession bid. We think it’s good for Turkey, good for the EU and good for the world. Of course, the Cyprus problem has complicated these talks. And we encouraged our European friends not to let it become an undue barrier to progress. Also important is, of course, the nature and pace of change required of Turkey as part of that accession process. There are many political, economic, administrative, military, security and other issues this country will have to grapple with - and that only this country can resolve as it moves ahead toward the European Union. I’m optimistic about this process.
On the fight against international terrorism, I’ve already mentioned the PKK. ASALA, DHKPC, Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups have also attacked Turkey and Turkish interests. We condemn all these groups and their actions. We are working closely together to combat these threats to the world we live in. Turkey has seen its interests in maximizing cooperation with others to disrupt and defeat these terrorist groups. In helping rid the world of Al Qaeda, Turkey has been especially engaged in Afghanistan where this country started an aid program under Ataturk in the 1920s and 30s. It has some long and outstanding history of help to the people of Afghanistan.
There are many other things we’re working on. Since this is a business group, I have to mention economics and trade. We’ve held three rounds of trade and economic policy talks since I arrived in Turkey a year and a half ago - talks that had been frozen for a number of years before that. Out of our talks in February, we issued an action plan of concrete steps that we committed ourselves to take to improve the investment climate, remove trade impediments, activate our science and technology collaboration and improve our educational ties. We worked with TOBB and the American Chamber of Commerce to promote trade ties among small and medium size enterprises in our countries. And I think one seminar in this series that we held throughout different parts of Turkey took place here in Izmir last year.
We successfully got Turkey’s participation in the Generalized System of Preferences -GSP program – extended. We know it’s important to you, it’s important to the United States as well. We’re working on an agreement to institute a Container Security Initiative Program here in Izmir that will give the Izmir port some very important advantages in terms of container trade with the United States. There’s still a lot of work to improve our trade relations. My main goal is to do everything I can to get government out of the way of business while, at the same time, facilitating connections and access where we think we can be helpful. And I know some of you have concerns about visas. We think we’ve been doing better recently, but I’m sure we can talk about that a little bit more.
There are, I think, two other issues I want to touch briefly on, and then we have a couple of minutes for questions.
One is the possible Armenia resolution in the United States Congress, and the other is Turkey’s domestic scene. On the Armenian resolution issue, I can tell you the following:
the foreign policy of the United States on this matter as determined by the President has not changed and will not change. My government has recognized that among the terrible things that happened in World War I many, many Armenians were forced into exile and death in what was one of the great tragedies of the 20th century. We strongly oppose attempts to make political determinations on the terminology that you use to describe this. The Bush Administration will continue to oppose a resolution in Congress. We want to see Turkish and Armenian citizens discuss this issue in an open and candid way; and we especially want to see the two sovereign countries of Armenia and Turkey work toward reconciliation and a normalization of relations.
On domestic politics, I have to say that as outsiders, we respect Turkey’s democratic institutions, the diplomatic custom is we do not interfere in Turkey’s internal affairs. We don’t interfere in the internal affairs of our fellow democracies. And in that spirit, I’m tempted to say that we don’t have a candidate for July 22nd. But of course we do have a candidate. It is the ballot box, and the wisdom of representative democracy, of respect by all the political players for that process, with all of its imperfections, and the power of free speech in a free society of free men and women.
For Turkey, as for every country - including my own I believe that democracy and freedom are goals, not states of being. They’re redefined, or at least re-measured from time to time. I have been struck throughout this year, 2007, by the fact that Turks are debating all the relevant issues themselves. These obviously include a number of sensitive topics. These are the issues that are for Turks to talk about. Talking about them is the right thing to do, and the upcoming elections on the right way to resolve them.
Whenever I talk about this wonderful country, I like to express enthusiasm and confidence in it and in its institutions and its citizens. Turkey will continue to progress not because it’s copying somebody else or because it’s trying to chase after somebody else’s standards such as the European Union. It will progress because free and responsible Turkish citizens debating and securing their own future and voting for competing ideas will continue this country on a secular democratic journey toward freedom, security and prosperity that Ataturk launched this country on 80 years ago. Let me close at that. I’ll be happy to take a couple of questions. Thank you.
QUESTION: Mr. Ambassador, welcome to Izmir. I couldn’t hear anything in your speech about your support for Expo, which our chairman Ekrem Demirtas mentioned in his speech. As you mentioned, as a city that has been hosting NATO for many years, and with its American high school and American hospital, Izmir has been a friend of the United States. Our chamber has a slogan which is that we want to make Izmir into a banking city of the world. And for that, an investment of 20 to 25 billion dollar is necessary. I’d like to hear your opinion about this. Thank you.
AMBASSADOR WILSON: I’m delighted by everything that I have heard before arriving here, and since arriving here, about Izmir’s bid for Expo 2015. It’s a fantastic opportunity to raise the profile of this city and of Turkey as a whole on the international stage. It can be an extremely useful catalyst for the kind of development that you have talked about, that the Governor talked with me about a little bit earlier this morning. As Mr. Demirtas noted, we’re not members of the organization that decides these things. I know that Izmir is a very strong candidate. I will do everything I can to try to promote Izmir because I think it - as I said - will be good for Turkey, it’s good for this city, and frankly, it’s good for the entire region.
QUESTION: Mr. Ambassador, welcome. I also want to ask a question related to the same matter. Which American city do you think Izmir resembles? Which American city do you think it should take as an example, especially in the sectors of tourism, trade and light industry? What would be you recommendations on this?
AMBASSADOR WILSON: It’s always difficult, in some respects misleading. to try to find a role model somewhere else. From my travels around the United States, the city that reminds me most of Izmir is probably Miami; a southern city, very warm, very connected with international markets in a way that I think Izmir is. Miami is the principal trading port, along with New Orleans, for trade with Latin America, which is a huge and hugely important trade partner for the United States. And Miami has worked very successfully over the last 30 or 40 years to diversify its economy away from just the port facilities or from agriculture, which is to say citrus products, into a whole range of other things, building off a strong education base, a strong science and technology base and trying to add some things together. It’s an interesting idea you pose and it might be something for us to try to explore, either to make the best use of Izmir’s existing sister city relations with the United States or perhaps to seek some additional ones, either with Miami or with somebody else.
CHAMBER OF MARITIME COMMERCE CHAIRMAN: (On container security) Welcome, Mr. Ambassador. As the Chamber of Maritime Commerce, we also participate in this effort. A meeting was held about 5 or 6 months ago, and the effort is still continuing. By this way, the Izmir Port will have the chance to move ahead of other Turkish ports. We also thank you for your help.
AMBASSADOR WILSON: If I can just say one thing on this, our negotiations on this agreement, an agreement to make this happen, are, I think, going along very well. My staff that works on this is optimistic that we will reach agreement soon. When we do, at least in Turkey, this agreement will need to be approved - as I understand it - by the Turkish parliament. I don’t think that’s the case in the United States, our systems are different, but it will apparently need to be approved by the Parliament here. And when we get to that stage, I hope that we can have your support and the support of the whole business community here to push this along and help us get this through the Parliament in a timely manner. It’s good for Turkey, it’s good for US-Turkish relations, and I think it’ll especially be good for export industries right here.
QUESTION: Mr. Ambassador, welcome. You have really described the process that our country has been going through. It is important for us to hear from you the importance we attach to Ataturk and the fact that he is a great leader. We agree with Ataturk’s “Peace at home, peace in the world” principal.
Atatürk’ün yurtta barış, dünyada barış sözüne katılıyoruz, herhalde siz de bu konuda düşüncesinden yola çıkarak ama bizi üzen komşularımızla İzmir gerçekten önemli bir şehir. Dostlarıyla, komşularıyla çok iyi geçinmektedir. Örneğin İzmir halkı Yunanistan halkıyla barış ve dostluk içersinde geçinmektedir. Ama Irak’ta bir milyon kişinin ölümü ve oradaki terör Türkiye’yi gerçekten üzmektedir. Biz de insan olarak üzülmekteyiz. Orada barış, dostluk ve insanlık değil de bir zulüm, işkence olduğunu görüyoruz. Teröre olan tepkinizi çok iyi karşılıyoruz. Bizim de yıllardır PKK terörü ile olan bir sorunumuz var. Bu beladan kurtulmamız için oradaki boşluğun mutlaka, Kuzey Irak’taki boşluğun mutlaka giderilmesi gerekir. Bu konuda bizim gerçekten tepkimiz, Türk halkının tepkisi çok çok hassas ve büyük. Bu terör belasının kurutulmasında büyük katkınız olacağı inancıyla görüşümü belirtmek istedim. Sağolun.
AMBASSADOR WILSON: I think the I’ll just add a little bit to what I said in my prepared remarks. I’ve been to Iraq three times in 2005. I was struck at that time by the immense wealth and potential of that country, by the abilities of the leaders of what was then the interim government between the first elections in January 2005 and the permanent elections that took place at the end of that year. And I was struck by the terrible damage done to that country in the two or two and a half – three decades of rule by Saddam Hussein. None of us can be particularly happy about what’s going on in that country. The way I look at it is we have to succeed. The world will be too dangerous of a place, this region will be too dangerous a place. And our friend and our ally Turkey will face too many problems if we are not successful in securing a unified and stable, reasonably democratic and reasonably prosperous order for Iraq and if we do not do it soon. We, as I said, we are devoting immense attention to the specific problem of PKK terrorism. I personally am determined that we will produce results and not just (inaudible) results, but also (inaudible) results that people here can see and can appreciate. We are also determined on the big picture in Iraq to make sure that we take care of all of those big issues that include the PKK, but that also include the other things that had divided people there and have led to the obviously deeply dissatisfying situation that that country faces today. We very much appreciate all that Turkey has done to support us, to support the coalition, and especially to support the Iraqi people. A lot of what Turkey has done has been very selfless. I certainly appreciate what the Prime Minister and others have said about the immense loss of life that Turkey has experienced in Iraq. He says Turkey is second only to the United States in terms of coalition casualties, and I have no reason to think that that’s incorrect. As I say, we must succeed there. We must succeed there so that there is not a problem of PKK terrorism. And we must succeed there so that a strong and unified Iraq is a constructive part of this region and not a destructive which it has been for decades. Let me leave it at that. Let me just say one other thing actually. A couple of days ago, I received a report from the Izmir Chamber on trade and investment issues. They are of concern to you, concern to your members. I took that very seriously. I studied it including on the way here today. We want to work with you on all of those issues. It laid out a good agenda for us to try to address in these in the next upcoming rounds of these US-Turkish government economic talks that will take place a little bit this year. Some of them are reflected, some of the issues you identify are reflected in the action plan that we agreed on, some of them are not. And so you (inaudible) some additional ideas for us to work on with the Turkish authorities as we try to develop trade investment between our two countries. Let me say again, it’s a pleasure, it’s a privilege and an honor to meet with you, to be here in Izmir today. I spoke with the governor, but I’ll try to come back not in a year, but maybe in fall or in the winter when it’s not quite so warm to visit with some of you in your work places, to visit the universities, to visit others here, get to know this city a little bit better, find ways that we can do good business together. Thank you very much.