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US DOES NOT SEE TURKEY MOVING AWAY FROM WEST, CONSUL GENERAL SAYS
Today's Zaman
July 15 2010
Turkey
The United States does not see Turkey as turning its back to the West
and believes Turkey's multiple identities are the country's strengths,
not weaknesses, US Consul General Sharon Anderholm Wiener has said.
In a farewell visit, Wiener addressed Women Entrepreneurs Association
of Turkey (KAGİDER) members, media representatives and other
participants at a breakfast meeting at KAGİDER's headquarters in
İstanbul on Thursday. She will leave İstanbul in a couple of weeks.
Wiener, who has been serving as consul general in İstanbul for
three years, will be in charge of the appointment of new diplomats
in Washington.
Noting that the Turkey-US relationship has always been important but
that under today's circumstances, this is truer than ever, Wiener said
the countries are in cooperation on social issues as well as issues of
security, freedom and prosperity in the region. Wiener recalled that
the US-Turkey relationship was once defined as a strategic partnership,
while US President Barack Obama redefined the expression as a model
partnership, also pointing to the increasing frequency of high-level
visits between the two nations.
Noting that Obama's first overseas visit was to Turkey, the consul
general said it was not by chance. Wiener said in the president's view,
the relationship between both countries is "critical for meeting the
challenges of our time," observing that the challenges that Turkey
and the US must work to meet include Afghanistan, where Turkey is
uniquely effective because of its historical and cultural bonds,
and Iraq, with which Turkey has increasingly more economic relations.
Terrorism is another challenge for both countries to work on, Wiener
stated, noting that the outlawed terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party
(PKK) is a common enemy as was acknowledged in a recent telephone
conversation between Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and US
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. "The US supports Turkey's efforts
to deal with the problem of the PKK.
Our support is continuing and always increasing in fighting against the
PKK," she said. Wiener also reiterated the US's support for Turkey's
European Union membership. The consul general listed the remaining
challenges as Cyprus, Armenia and Iran.
Female deputies step in to stop bloodshed in eastern Turkey
KAGİDER President Gulseren Onanc said they met with female deputies to
discuss the issue of terrorism. The first meeting took place on July 7
while the second one was on Wednesday. Five deputies from the Justice
and Development Party (AK Party), five deputies from the Republican
People's Party (CHP) and three others from the pro-Kurdish Peace and
Democracy Party (BDP) were in attendance at the meetings in Ankara.
The meetings aimed to bring women's sensitivity to the fight against
terrorism. "Women have a different understanding of dialogue," Onanc
said, also recalling that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will
gather with women NGO leaders on Sunday at his office in Dolmabahce
Palace.
From: A. Papazian
Today's Zaman
July 15 2010
Turkey
The United States does not see Turkey as turning its back to the West
and believes Turkey's multiple identities are the country's strengths,
not weaknesses, US Consul General Sharon Anderholm Wiener has said.
In a farewell visit, Wiener addressed Women Entrepreneurs Association
of Turkey (KAGİDER) members, media representatives and other
participants at a breakfast meeting at KAGİDER's headquarters in
İstanbul on Thursday. She will leave İstanbul in a couple of weeks.
Wiener, who has been serving as consul general in İstanbul for
three years, will be in charge of the appointment of new diplomats
in Washington.
Noting that the Turkey-US relationship has always been important but
that under today's circumstances, this is truer than ever, Wiener said
the countries are in cooperation on social issues as well as issues of
security, freedom and prosperity in the region. Wiener recalled that
the US-Turkey relationship was once defined as a strategic partnership,
while US President Barack Obama redefined the expression as a model
partnership, also pointing to the increasing frequency of high-level
visits between the two nations.
Noting that Obama's first overseas visit was to Turkey, the consul
general said it was not by chance. Wiener said in the president's view,
the relationship between both countries is "critical for meeting the
challenges of our time," observing that the challenges that Turkey
and the US must work to meet include Afghanistan, where Turkey is
uniquely effective because of its historical and cultural bonds,
and Iraq, with which Turkey has increasingly more economic relations.
Terrorism is another challenge for both countries to work on, Wiener
stated, noting that the outlawed terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party
(PKK) is a common enemy as was acknowledged in a recent telephone
conversation between Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and US
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. "The US supports Turkey's efforts
to deal with the problem of the PKK.
Our support is continuing and always increasing in fighting against the
PKK," she said. Wiener also reiterated the US's support for Turkey's
European Union membership. The consul general listed the remaining
challenges as Cyprus, Armenia and Iran.
Female deputies step in to stop bloodshed in eastern Turkey
KAGİDER President Gulseren Onanc said they met with female deputies to
discuss the issue of terrorism. The first meeting took place on July 7
while the second one was on Wednesday. Five deputies from the Justice
and Development Party (AK Party), five deputies from the Republican
People's Party (CHP) and three others from the pro-Kurdish Peace and
Democracy Party (BDP) were in attendance at the meetings in Ankara.
The meetings aimed to bring women's sensitivity to the fight against
terrorism. "Women have a different understanding of dialogue," Onanc
said, also recalling that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will
gather with women NGO leaders on Sunday at his office in Dolmabahce
Palace.
From: A. Papazian