The US Deputy Secretary of State, John Bass, visited Turkey on April 15-16, 2024, for a series of meetings and discussions with Turkish officials. During his visit, Bass held talks with Turkey's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, and US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to discuss various bilateral and global issues. One of the main topics of discussion was the outcomes of the US-Turkey strategic mechanism meeting that took place in Washington on March 7-8. The officials reviewed the progress made during the meeting and explored ways to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries. The discussions also covered ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, with both sides expressing their concerns and discussing potential avenues for resolving these conflicts peacefully. Additionally, preparations for the upcoming NATO summit in Washington this summer were discussed, highlighting the importance of cooperation and coordination within the alliance. Furthermore, the meetings focused on enhancing economic and investment links between the US and Turkey. Both parties recognized the importance of fostering trade and economic ties to promote mutual prosperity and growth. The US Deputy Secretary of State's visit to Turkey underscores the significance of the US-Turkey relationship and the commitment of both countries to strengthening their partnership on various fronts, including political, economic, and security cooperation. [b4cff746] [f514a59f]
The Turkish business world is eagerly anticipating President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's upcoming visit to the US in May, hoping that it will further strengthen Turkish-US trade ties. The last visit between Erdogan and former US President Donald Trump took place in 2019, during which they set a $100 billion bilateral trade target. The bilateral annual trade volume between Turkey and the US increased by 47.3% from $20.77 billion in 2019 to $30.6 billion in 2023. Turkish exports to the US also increased by 65% to $14.8 billion. Murat Ozyegin, the head of Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board's (DEIK) Turkey-US Business Council (TAIK), expressed readiness to work on increasing the strategic mechanism between the two countries in terms of economic and trade relations. Ozyegin also highlighted the positive momentum in Turkey's relations with the US and emphasized the importance of developing relations in a comprehensive and effective way. He mentioned that US investments in Turkey reached $14.3 billion, while Turkish investments in the US totaled $9.7 billion. Ozyegin also discussed the impact of recent regional and global developments on Turkey-US relations, stating that a positive atmosphere has been observed in economic terms. He expects the moderate atmosphere to turn into concrete cooperation steps in the coming period. Ozyegin mentioned the potential for cooperation with the US in third countries and the importance of the cooperation agreement signed between TAIK and the American Turkish Business Roundtable (ATBR). He also highlighted the upcoming Turkey Investment Conference, which will bring together American fund managers, credit rating agency executives, and Turkish government officials. The 39th America Turkey Conference (ATC) is also planned to be held in Washington, D.C., in May, where President Erdogan's meeting with US President Joe Biden is expected. TAIK has started working to arrange the president's meetings with the US private sector. [e1f06d7c]
However, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has postponed a White House meeting with President Joe Biden, which was tentatively planned for May 9. The meeting between the NATO allies had never been officially announced, and a new date will be set due to a change in Erdogan's schedule. The reason for the postponement is unclear. Ties between the U.S. and Turkey have been strained by differences on various issues, including Syria, Russia, and the war in Gaza. Erdogan recently visited Iraq and met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul. [d06419f1]