TEPAV Director Sak: "Let’s Enrich the Turkish-American Model Partnership with Innovation" Sak delivered a speech at the '26th Transatlantic Conference' organized by US based think-tank the Franklin Center and TOBB and asked for the enriching of the Turkish-American model partnership with projects that will advance innovations in Turkey.
ANKARA - TEPAV Director Prof. Dr. Güven Sak said that Turkey, which is currently a medium-technology industrial country, now targets to become an innovation-driven rich country and thus projects to this end should be developed in the context of the model partnership with the US.
US based think-tank Franklin Center and TOBB jointly organized the '26th Transatlantic Conference' on November 8, 2010. Sak delivered a speech at the panel in which issues involving Turkey's domestic and foreign policy affairs, Turkey-US cooperation and conflicts were discussed with the contributions by the government, opposition parties and press representatives. Making an assessment regarding the economic steps Turkey and America could take mutually, Sak said: "Turkey's economy has gone through a major transformation over the last thirty years and turned into a medium-technology industrial giant. The next target for Turkey is to become an innovation-driven rich country. We should fill in the Turkish-American model partnership with cooperation projects devoted to improve innovations in Turkey's economy." Prof. Dr. Sak also suggested the integration of Middle Eastern and Eurasian countries into the global economy to be enabled through Turkey.
The opening of the '26th Transatlantic Conference' was made by TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan and Vice President of Franklin Center B William J. Hughes.
Relations with the USA do not go forward
TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu maintained that trade and economic relations between Turkey and USA did not go forward but in fact lost momentum. Hisarcıklıoğlu said: "The U.S. share in Turkey's total trade declined from a 7.3 % in 2002 to 4.8 % in 2008. We, as the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, highly support the realization of the economic pillar of model partnership idea put forth by President Obama." Underlining that though rely on solid grounds Turkish-American relations, more serious steps are needed in the field of economic relations, Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that Turkey's growing relations in the region with its neighbors is not an impediment to relations with the USA.
Hisarcıklıoğlu went on to say that they are targeting to make Turkey a base for an inclusive regional cooperation and added: "Our priority is to built value changes from Turkey toward the region as well as from the region towards Turkey. We will do this with economies under state control; not with market economies. This is the only way that the region can be integrated into the world economy."
Also addressing Turkey's approach to the Iran issue, Hisarcıklıoğlu said: "Turkey is Iran's neighbor and seeks to remain so." Hisarcıklıoğlu maintained: "Last year trade volume between Turkey and Iran reached US$8 billion. Trade is one way to ensure the integration of Iran into the world economy. Turkish firms doing business with Iranian counterparts will of course decide their steps after they personally evaluate the pros and cons of the particular business. Nonetheless, everyone should know that this will not facilitate the production of nuclear weapons in Iran." Hisarcıklıoğlu concluded his speech referring to the 'Partners for a New Beginning' initiative the US administration launched to seek a new beginning between America and Islam. Hisarcıklıoğlu said in this context that they could support the initiative in the field of entrepreneurship.
Babacan assessed the state of the economy
Making assessments on Turkey's and the world economy, State Minister and Vice Prime Minister Ali Babacan stated that the high and ever growing unemployment rate is a risk for the global economy. Babacan said: "Countries with high unemployment rate will face problems about domestic consumption which will pose a continuous pressure on growth rates. Fragilities in the financial sector prevail; many large banks rely on substantial amount of funds provided by treasury or central banks. If such funds would be withdrawn, many banks go bankrupt immediately. On the other hand, solution of these problems takes years and even decades. Balance sheets will not turn back to normal overnight. The weakness of the banking sector putting a constant pressure on growth rates is another field of risk." Commenting on Turkey's economy, Babacan added that the growth estimate is the highest rate across Europe, which affects employment positively.
Though we are different, our goals are the same
William J. Hughes, Vice President of Franklin Center, spoke: "Though we live in different countries, we share the same values and goals. We want higher life quality for our citizens. We want security and peace, education, employment and strong economic development. And sharing same goals, we want to talk on these." Stating that Turkey, which he defines as a part of the European Union, is an important ally, Hughes underlined that Turkey and USA should deal with challenges in cooperation.
