Turkey seems more inclined to calm with the United States of America, by reaching solutions to many of the deep contentious files between the two countries, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is keen to continue the momentum achieved by his country’s economy during the past years, including the year 2020, which witnessed the new Corona virus pandemic. , which cast a wide negative shadow on the various global economies.
Erdogan expressed, during a meeting with officials of major American companies, last Wednesday, his confidence that his upcoming meeting with his American counterpart Joe Biden on June 14, on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit meetings in the Belgian capital, Brussels, “will usher in a new era in Relations between the two countries,” stressing that an approach based on common interests and values is needed to achieve the $100 billion target for trade with the United States.
Observers are betting on the possibility of achieving this goal. The Turkish expert in international relations, Samir Salha, told the media that “despite the differences in many files between Turkey and the United States, the two countries do not want to compromise relations, especially the economic ones that are hurting.” Always, especially since Washington resorts to economic sanctions to deal with controversial political files, forcing Ankara to respond in kind. However, Turkey is keen to maintain good relations, and the economy plays an important role in this and in dispelling political differences.
The case of the Turkish Halkbank, the US prosecution, the S-400 missile file, the Service Group, and sanctions are the most prominent contentious issues between the two countries.
But the contentious files between the two countries seem to be deep, as Biden began relations with Turkey by describing the events of 1915 against the Armenians, at the time of the Ottoman Empire, as “genocide”, which added a new dimension to the differences, and called for great reactions from Ankara, where his recognition came a day later. One of his only contact with Erdogan.
Another outstanding file is the case of the Turkish Halk Bank, and its prosecution by the United States on the pretext of violating sanctions on Iran, as well as the file of the Russian S-400 missiles that Turkey purchased from Russia, which led to the imposition of US sanctions on Turkey and preventing it from obtaining F-35 fighters. and removing it from its manufacturing program, and imposing sanctions on Turkish officials.
The file of the “Service Group” and its leader, the preacher Fethullah Gulen, who lives in America, remains one of the most prominent contentious issues, as Turkey holds the group responsible for standing behind the coup attempt in 2016 to overthrow Erdogan’s rule, and the lack of US judicial cooperation with the Turkish side.
Perhaps the most prominent thing that angered the Turkish side was a statement by Biden about a year ago, in which he spoke about Erdogan’s formation of a danger, and that the Turkish opposition must be supported in order to overthrow him.
On the other hand, Ankara seems more inclined to appeasement with Washington. The Turkish President stressed, during his meeting with officials of American companies a few days ago, that “cooperation with the United States continues and can be increased on a large scale, starting with Syria and Libya, reaching energy, trade and investments,” noting that his country has achieved the second largest economic growth of 1.8%, and that After China among the Group of Twenty countries last year.
The Turkish economic expert, Kateboglu, told the media that “the United States is a historical and strategic partner, and it is the most powerful economically and militarily in the world, and the stage requires finding consensus, not continuing tension and exchanging the imposition of sanctions.”
Turkish exports to the United States set a record during the first quarter of the year, after increasing by 36% compared to the first quarter of last year, recording $2.7 billion.
The Turkish Ministry of Commerce and the Council of Turkish Exporters had recently announced that Turkish exports to the United States hit a record high during the first quarter of the year, after Turkish exports increased by 36% over what they were during the first quarter of last year, recording $2.7 billion, from the total Turkish exports to the world, which amounted to about 50 billion dollars.
Despite the increase in Turkish exports to the United States, the Turkish economic expert, Ozcan Uysal, believes in a statement to the media that the achieved number is “very small, because the Turkish economy has a strong export capacity, but the consequences of political differences affect the increase in trade exchange between the two countries.” the two countries.”
Uysal adds that the volume of trade exchange has stagnated for years at the level of $20 billion annually, noting that the highest level it reached was in 2018, when it exceeded $25 billion, noting that the US share of total Turkish exports does not exceed 5%.
Despite these indications, statements were made on several past occasions between officials of the two countries expressing hopes of reaching the volume of trade exchange to 100 billion dollars annually, which Osal considers not excluded “in the event of a settlement of political differences, but Washington is always keen to influence the economy by Sanctions by involving it in contentious issues, while Turkey usually absorbs these sanctions or is forced to respond in kind at other times.
The Turkish economic analyst adds that “resolving the differences between Washington and Ankara will improve the exchange rate of the lira and increase international investments in Turkey, not just the US.”
Washington offered Ankara alternatives to avoid US sanctions imposed over the purchase of the S-400 system.
US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman had confirmed during an interview on CNN Turk two days ago, “Washington offered Ankara alternatives to avoid US sanctions imposed over the purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system,” adding that Turkey It is she who will decide the plan that she will follow to solve the crisis.
At the same time, Sherman praised the Turkish economy and investment climate, saying that “Turkey has great investment potential, and investors want to see a clear future vision in order to go to Turkey to invest in it.”
Sherman discussed with Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, last Saturday, arrangements for a meeting between Erdogan and Biden. According to Turkish sources who spoke with the media, an agreement was reached on “developing bilateral relations and finding strategic formulas and agreements away from controversial issues.”
