On March 22, 2015, American-Turkish Council President and CEO Howard Beasey travelled to Turkey to meet with ATC members and high level government officials. The trip represented the ATC’s latest push to reinforce the U.S.-Turkey partnership at a crucial time, generate greater opportunity for the advancement of mutual interests, and demonstrate a lasting commitment to the future of the alliance.
The meetings began in Ankara, where Mr. Beasey met with several dignitaries, including Turkey’s Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Energy Minister Taner Yıldız, and Central Bank Governor Erdem Başçı to discuss promising outcomes of a stronger U.S.-Turkey partnership moving forward. The second portion of the trip included a series of productive meetings with the ATC member companies in the construction, defense, transportation, education, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors. Mr. Beasey also had meetings with representatives from leading business councils including DEIK, TAIK, ABFT, TÜSİAD, and TOBB to discuss the potential for enhanced collaboration and partnership.
Mr. Beasey highlighted his optimism for the ATC’s future, noting the organization’s eagerness to continue to foster the close relationships it has maintained in the past while embracing new partners and members in service of stronger U.S.-Turkey ties. “The ATC wants to include a broader range of partners and business sectors. We look forward to growing the organization in a way that represents the true breadth and potential of the U.S.-Turkish economic relationship,” he said.
Mr. Beasey returned to the U.S. on April 2nd.
The trip represented the ATC’s latest push to reinforce the U.S.-Turkey partnership at a crucial time, generate greater opportunity for the advancement of mutual interests, and demonstrate a lasting commitment to the future of the alliance.