For Immediate Release: December 7, 2012
Contact: Mary Trupo (202) 482-3809
Obama Trade Official Concludes Defense and Aerospace Trade MIssion to Turkey
Highlights Opportunities for U.S. Firms
ISTANBUL, Turkey – U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sánchez today concluded a week-long trade mission to Turkey with representatives from 18 U.S. companies from the aerospace and defense sectors. The trade mission helped participating companies to identify opportunities in Turkey for increased U.S. exports and potential partnerships with Turkish companies.
During his visit, Sánchez announced the new U.S. private sector members of the U.S.-Turkey Business Council, which provides policy recommendations to both governments on ways to strengthen bilateral economic relations. The Council is comprised on senior-level executives from the United States and Turkey.
“Turkey continues to be an important market for U.S. businesses that are looking to export and create lasting business relationships with Turkish partners,” said Sánchez. “This trade mission was an important step in advancing these individual relationships, as well as building upon the broader economic partnership between our two counties.
“I look forward to continuing to work with our Turkish counterparts and the newly appointed members of the U.S.-Turkey Business Council on deepening our two-way trade relationship.”
Sánchez also met with officials from the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defense, Ministry of Transportation, and Investment Support and Promotion Agency to advocate on behalf of several U.S. companies interested in working with Turkey’s aerospace and defense sectors. In addition, Sánchez highlighted concrete ways to make it easier for U.S. companies to do business in Turkey during remarks at the World Bank’s “Ease of Doing Business Symposium” in Ankara.
“We are focused on working closely with our counterparts in Turkey to achieve concrete reforms that Turkey could undertake to improve its business climate,” Sánchez said. “The involvement in Turkey’s economic development will encourage more commercial linkages between Turkey and the United States, and support the advancement of National Export Initiative objectives.”
In 2011, U.S.-Turkish trade grew by 34 percent, reaching nearly $20 billion, an all-time record.###
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