Azerbaijan, Baku, May 9 / Trend, S.Dadashova /
The United States of America and Turkey issued a joint statement at the conclusion of the United States and Turkey Economic Partnership Commission (EPC) meeting on May 8 in Ankara, Turkey, U.S. State Department website reported.
"Building on a successful year of 34 percent growth in U.S.-Turkey bilateral trade, representatives from the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Turkey met on May 8 in Ankara for the eighth meeting of the United States and Turkey Economic Partnership Commission (EPC). The meeting reflects our shared commitment to strengthening our strategic economic partnership and continuing to support increases in trade and investment between our countries. The EPC is a key component of the U.S.-Turkey Framework for Strategic Economic and Commercial Cooperation," the text of the statement says.
This eighth meeting of the EPC focused on further deepening our partnership on a wide range of issues related to trade, investment, and sectoral cooperation. The two delegations explored opportunities to enhance collaboration in the energy, infrastructure, financial, and information and communications technology (ICT) sectors and furthered our joint endeavors with respect to entrepreneurship and innovation.
The United States briefed the Turkish delegation on the Near Zero Zone industrial energy efficiency initiative in Izmir, which is already demonstrating the significant return investments in energy efficiency technology and processes that it can bring Turkish businesses. The delegations also discussed ongoing and potential future commercial partnerships between U.S. and Turkish firms in the energy sector, including in the areas of smart grid, geothermal, coal bed methane and nuclear energy.
The delegations held constructive discussions on a number of issues important to economic relations between our two countries. The delegations welcomed the establishment earlier this year of the U.S.-Turkey Copyright Working Group, which provides a consistent forum for discussion of copyright-related issues. The delegations continued to discuss progress on pharmaceutical industry and agricultural issues.
The Turkish delegation briefed the U.S. delegation on Turkey's recently announced package of investment incentives, and the two sides discussed how to bring more potential American investors to Turkey. The U.S. delegation briefed the Turkish delegation on the SelectUSA program to attract foreign direct investment to the United States.
The delegations also discussed ongoing efforts in both countries to support the transition countries of the Arab Spring. In particular, the EPC focused on encouraging respective private sectors to enter into joint ventures in the energy and infrastructure sectors. The United States expressed appreciation for Turkey's participation as a regional partner in the Deauville Partnership for Arab Countries in Transition.
Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Jose W. Fernandez led the United States delegation, which also included Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary Susan Kurland and representatives of the Departments of State, Commerce, Energy, and Transportation; the Office of the United States Trade Representative; and the United States Trade and Development Agency.
Deputy Under Secretary for General Political Affairs Ambassador Halit Çevik led the Turkish delegation, which included representatives of the country's ministries and state agencies.
In line with the decision to convene the EPC twice a year and in accordance with the bilateral political will to give momentum to U.S.-Turkish economic relations, the two delegations agreed to meet again in the fall in the United States.