Turkey praises 'good relations' with US despite issues

WASHINGTON

Turkey and the U.S. have developed a good relationship despite a number of issues between the two countries, Turkey’s presidential spokesman said on Sunday.

“The U.S.-Turkey relationship has a special place,” Ibrahim Kalin said at a reception held ahead of the 37th annual conference on the U.S.-Turkey relations, organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK), Turkey-U.S. Business Council (TAIK), and American-Turkish Council (ATC), in Washington.

“With [U.S.] President [Donald] Trump coming into power, the two presidents have developed a good relationship. They have a good chemistry,” Kalin said.

Stating that the two counties have faced a number of issues over the past two years and continued to address the issues, Kalin said friendship of presidents of the two countries has “played a significant role” in preventing the issues from turning into crises.

“We have issues to address, no doubt, but I think, it’s these kinds of platforms, meetings and people like you that can provide a venue, a platform to address these issues in a way. That’s based on again shared interests, as well as common values and objectives,” the presidential aide stressed.

For his part, Serdar Kilic, Turkey’s Ambassador in Washington, also said that Turkey-U.S. relations have “flourished on the bases of common values, mutual interest, and shared objectives.”

“Despite suggestions by some, it is my firm belief that Turkish-American relations are as important and as relevant as ever.”

Among the attendees of the reception were Turkey’s National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan as well as numbers of high-ranking officials.

This year, the 37th Annual Conference on the U.S.-Turkey relations will be held under the theme of "Back to Business: Maintaining Partnership in Difficult Times."

The three-day event will discuss ways to reach a $75 billion bilateral trade target.

In February, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. counterpart Trump agreed to further enhance economic relations, setting a goal of $75 billion in bilateral trade.

*Writing by Nilay Kar Onum