SECRETARY TILLERSON: (inaudible)
Minister Cavusoglu, and I am privileged to be visiting Turkey today, a NATO ally and
a friend of the United States in a very turbulent part of the world.
I met with President Erdogan and the foreign minister to convey President Trump’s commitment
to strengthening the relationship between our two countries.
Today’s conversations built on three mutual long-term goals: working together to defeat
Daesh/ISIS; building stability in the region; and bolstering economic ties
between our two nations.
Turkey’s been a NATO ally since 1952, and we continue to exercise military cooperation
in that alliance and in the global coalition to defeat Daesh.
Our discussions today reaffirmed that we will prevent the resurgence of Daesh in previously
held territory, and aggressively stop the emergence of new terrorist threats on the
ground as well as the recruitment of terrorists online.
Over the past 18 months, the U.S. Military’s ability to operate from Turkish bases has
enabled us to increase operations against ISIS by 25 percent without the utilization
of any additional aircraft required.
The Turkish Government has stopped the influx of foreign fighters into Iraq and Syria.
Turkish troops have permanently pushed ISIS off the Turkish-Syria border.
And the United States is grateful for Turkey’s important contributions as a member of the
counter-ISIS coalition, including the participation last week of Foreign Minister Cavusoglu at
the recent coalition meetings hosted by the State Department in Washington.
We stand alongside Turkey in their fight to stop terrorism directed against its country
and its people.
The PKK attacks in Turkey last year remind us of how close to home the threat of attack
is for the Turkish people.
We extend our condolences for all those who have been lost, who have lost those with loved
ones to PKK terror, and we mourn the more than 70 Turkish lives lost inside of Syria
in the brave fight against Daesh.
Turkey has shown leadership by helping to alleviate the ongoing refugee crisis
stemming from the conflict in Syria.
In four years, Turkey has accommodated more than 3 million refugees from Syria, Iraq,
and Afghanistan, and done much to provide them food, shelter, health care, and education.
We look to Turkey as a key partner for stabilization effort in areas once held by ISIS and for
ensuring our NGO and UN partners can continue to provide humanitarian relief services
inside and outside of Syria.
We commend Turkey for its efforts to find a peaceful solution to the nearly six-year
Syrian conflict.
I also came here to deepen our countries’ trade and investment ties.
Bilateral trade and goods between our two countries was more than $17 billion in 2016,
and we’re eager to grow that number.
American and Turkish scientists collaborate on research to improve energy efficiency,
health, and education under the framework
of the U.S.-Turkey Science and Technology Agreement.
And we’re also fostering public-private partnerships that support technology-based
innovation and entrepreneurship.
We will work with the Turkish Government and the private sector to expand economic cooperation
that benefits both of our countries.
The United States and Turkey share many broad goals for the region: reducing Iran’s ability
to disrupt the region; finding a settlement in Syria that allows Syrians to return home;
and supporting Iraqis to build a strong, independent, and inclusive government in Baghdad.
In the United States, the people of Turkey have a trusted ally and a partner who is committed
to its safety and security and advancing economic opportunity.
We look forward to approaching these challenges together, and the Trump administration will
continue to build ties with this longstanding ally and our friend.
And I thank the foreign minister for his hospitality today.