The 2010 ATC-AFOT/ DEIK-TAIK Annual Conference on US-Turkish Relations took place October 17-20th at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. This annual Washington event came at a time of dynamic, and changes in the relations between Turkey and the United States and in the wake of several months of strained relations between Turkey and Israel and Turkey and the U.S. over Iranian nuclear issues. This year's theme was "Achieving Common Objectives"; conference sessions focused on economic, energy and infrastructure, business, and commercial relations as well as political and defense issues.

Conference keynote speakers came from a variety of fields and positions in Turkish and American businesses, government, and military. The keynotes speakers were; H.E. Ali Babacan, Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister for the Economy; H.E. Zafer Çağlayan, Minister of State for Foreign Trade; The Honorable Robert M. Gates, Secretary of Defense; H.E. Vecdi Gönül, Minister of National Defense; The Honorable James L. Jones, National Security Advisor; The Honorable Fred P. Hochberg, Chairman and President of the Export Import Bank of the United States; The Honorable Daniel B. Poneman, Deputy Secretary of Energy; Mustafa V. Koc, Chairman of the Board of Koc Holding; H.E. Ambassador Namik Tan, Republic of Turkey Ambassador to the United States; The Honorable Douglas A. Silliman, Charge d'affairs, United States Embassy, Ankara, Turkey; MGEN Bertan Nogaylaroglu, Chief Foreign Affairs and International Security Issues; LTG M. Emin Alpman, Chief, Plans and Policy, TGS; Murad Bayar, Undersecretary for Defense industries, and Al Volkman, Director of International Cooperation, Acquisitions, Technology & logistics.

These prominent speakers and others, discussed a wide variety of topics throughout the conference including; Turkey-US Defense cooperation in the current political environment, Energy and infrastructure, Turkey and the European Union, U.S.-Turkey bi-lateral "model partnership", the new commercial relationship with the addition of the Framework for Strategic Economic and Commercial Cooperation, and Trade and investment. Monday's opening ceremony had keynote addresses by H.E. Zafer Caglayan, Minister of State for Foreign Trade as well as the Chairman of TOBB, Rıfat Hisarcıklıoğlu. Participants at Monday's lunch heard from The Honorable Robert M. Gates, Defense Secretary, and H.E. Vecdi Gonul, Minister of National Defense. Monday Dinner featured a key note address by H.E. Ali Babacan, Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister for the Economy.

The Golden Horn Breakfast Tuesday morning began with an address from US Eximbank Chairman Fred P. Hochberg. The Tuesday Plenary, focusing on Energy policy, highlighted a speech from the Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman. Tuesday's luncheon speakers were Mustafa V. Koç, Chairman of the Board of Koç Holding, H.E. Ambassador Namık Tan, Republic of Turkey Ambassador to the United States, and The Honorable Douglas A. Silliman, Charge d'affaires, United States Embassy, Ankara, Turkey. The Closing Dinner on Tuesday was one of the highlights of the conference with a keynote address provided by The Honorable James L. Jones and an award presentation to ATC Chairman Emeritus Brent Scowcroft.

The award recipients this year were: Distinguished Citizen Award: ATC's Chairman Emeritus Brent Scowcroft; Distinguished Defense Award: H. E. Vecdi Gonul; Distinguished Career Award: Nelson Strobridge "Strobe" Talbott; Commercial Leadership Award: Ulker/Godiva; Education Award: Bahcesehir University; Media Award: Bloomberg/Haberturk; Culture Award: Moon and Stars Project; and a Special Defense Award to John R. Miller.

The sponsors and supporters who made this all possible were; Raytheon, Turkish Airlines, AES, Sikorsky, Koc Holding, Lockheed Martin, Is Yatirim, Pratt & Whitney, Bankpozitif, Ford Otosan, EODT, Invar, Philip Morris Sabanci, Sabanci Group, DEIK, Turkcell, Boeing, General Electric.

We are grateful for the support of our members, participants, sponsors and volunteers for making this important event a success.