The Triangulation of Turkey: Redefining Ankara's Role In Transatlantic Relations

Mr. Omer Sabanci, Chairman of the Board, TUSIAD (Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association)
The Honorable Ilter Turkmen, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Turkey
Mr. Pekin Baran, Vice- Chairman of the Board, TUSIAD
Ms. Ayca Dinckok, Board Member, TUSIAD
Dr. Soli Ozel, Professor of International Relations, Bilgi University

Photos

CAMBRIDGE, MA – “Turkish-American relations are important and will continue to remain so,” commented Omer Sabanci, President of the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD).  The mutual benefit of strong Turkish-U.S. relations, the importance of Turkey’s EU integration process, and the state of Turkey’s economy were at the centerpiece of Mr. Sabanci’s lecture on May 11 at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.  This event was sponsored by Harvard’s Kokkalis Program on Southeastern and East-Central Europe.

Sabanci has served as President of TUSIAD since January 2004 and was recently appointed President of the Union of Mediterranean Confederations and Enterprises.  Sabanci is a member of the Board of Sabanci Holding -- the parent company of the Sabanci Group and one of Turkey’s leading industrial and financial conglomerates, composed of 66 companies.  Mr. Sabanci has held various positions within the companies of the Sabanci Group and currently serves as CEO & Chairman of Sasa Dupont Sabanci Polyester Sanayi AS. 

Sabanci was joined by a delegation of TUSIAD members and advisors, including: The Honorable Ilter Turkmen, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey; Pekin Baran, Chairman of Denizcilik Anonim Sirketi; Ayca Dinckok, of Aksa Acrylic; and Soli Ozel, Professor of International Relations at Bilgi University, Istanbul.

In his speech to an overcapacity crowd, Sabanci acknowledged recent strains in Turkish-U.S relations but stressed that the U.S. continues to play a central role in Turkey’s alliance framework.  Ilter Turkmen added that a strong U.S.-Turkish working relationship is not only important on a bilateral level, “but also in the larger context of the transatlantic partnership.”  Other delegation members underscored Turkey’s key role as a U.S. ally in peace and development efforts, pointing to Turkey’s recent initiatives in the broader Middle East and the Balkans.

Sabanci credited Turkey’s recent remarkable economic performance – including a cumulative growth of 25% since the country’s 2001 economic crisis and a projected 5.5-6% growth rate over the next three years – in great part to Turkey’s EU integration process.  “Ten years hence, Turkey will become a country that the EU will need to have as a member,” said Sabanci.  Regardless of whether Turkey becomes an EU member, the political and economic reforms that it achieves as it works towards membership will benefit not only Turkey’s overall well-being, but that of the Black Sea region, Europe and the United States, emphasized Sabanci.