Turkish and U.S. ties are as strong as ever

Speaking at a luncheon held by Turkish-American Business Council to celebrate that 20th anniversary of its foundation, Turkish National Security Council (NSC) Secretary General Yigit Alpogan said, "Statements about escalation of a crisis in Turkey-the United States relations are baseless exaggerations." Alpogan also stressed that Turkey and the U.S. had the necessary will and determination to strengthen ties and reach the potential target of improving their bilateral relations. Alpogan went on to talk about how globalization and the effect of it means that the world we live in is forever changing. "Those developments affect everyone. Therefore, we expect Turkey and the United States to further improve their relations by protecting common values and interests." Talking about bilateral relations, Alpogan stressed that debate and discussion is a healthy part of the democratic process. However, common sense should be exercised when making such statements as they affect public opinion. He went on to say that Turkish and American officials, representatives of public and private sectors, think-tank organizations and non-governmental organizations should take all necessary measures against attempts to damage the relations. On the subjects of terrorism and Middle East stability, Alpogan said that Turkey has been a tremendous ally in the fight against terror in the region and that the U.S. need Turkey to stabilize and bring peace to the region stretching from the Balkans to the Middle East. "Turkey and the United States need each other. Turkey and the United States are two countries expending efforts to develop democracy in the region. The Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative serves this target. Turkey is ready to fulfill its responsibility in this process with the aim of contributing to peace and stability. " He also called for the U.S. to continue its support for Turkey's EU membership.Â