U.S. Chamber Urges Stronger Business Links with Turkey

ISTANBUL, TURKEY — In an address today to the Turkish business community, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue celebrated the strong friendship and security ties between the United States and Turkey, while proposing new efforts to expand trade and investment between the two countries.

"Turkey has been a loyal and committed ally of the United States for many years, and I have come here at a critical time to this critical place to thank the people of Turkey for their friendship and support," Donohue said.

"At the same time, we must acknowledge that our economic partnership has not grown as fast as it should," Donohue said. "American business and the strong business community of Turkey must work together to change this."

Donohue pledged to alert top U.S. companies to the "tremendous potential I have seen in Turkey for greater investment, trade, and tourism." He also announced that the U.S. Chamber would soon establish an Internet-based business-partnering program that would bring thousands of small- and medium-sized enterprises from both countries together for joint business opportunities.

"Our Chamber runs these innovative programs with Singapore and Thailand and the results there are very promising," Donohue said. "We are now working with the Turkish business chambers and associations on an accelerated timetable to establish a similar program here."

Donohue credited Turkey with taking necessary but painful steps to reform its economy and urged the nation to continue to open markets while reducing bureaucracy and other impediments to investment. "Capital goes where it is welcome, where it is safe, and where, over time, it can make a profit. These rules apply to every economy in the world," he noted.

The American business leader, whose Washington-based organization represents more than three million companies, will leave Istanbul today for talks with top government officials in Ankara.

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