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Turkey - Relations with U.S. (Notes)

U.S.-TURKEY RELATIONS U.S.-Turkish friendship dates to the late 18th century and was officially sealed by a treaty in 1830. The present close relationship began with the agreement of July 12, 1947, which implemented the Truman Doctrine. As part of the cooperative effort to further Turkish economic and military self-reliance, the United States has loaned and granted Turkey more than $12.5 billion in economic aid and more than $14 billion in military assistance. U.S.-Turkish relations focus on areas such as strategic energy cooperation, trade and investment, security ties, regional stability, the global war on terrorism, and human rights progress. Relations were strained when Turkey refused in March 2003 to allow U.S. troops to deploy through its territory to Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom, but regained momentum steadily thereafter and mutual interests remain strong across a wide spectrum of issues. On July 5, 2006, Secretary Rice and then-Foreign Minister Gul signed a Shared Vision Statement to highlight the common values and goals between our two countries and to lay out a framework for increased strategic dialogue. The U.S. and Turkey have had a Joint Economic Commission and a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, which last met in Washington in April 2007, for several years. In 2002, the two countries indicated their joint intent to upgrade bilateral economic relations by launching an Economic Partnership Commission, which last convened in Ankara in February 2007. In 2006, Turkish exports to the U.S. totaled about $5.4 billion, and U.S. exports to Turkey totaled $5.7 billion. Principal U.S. Officials Ambassador--Ross Wilson Deputy Chief of Mission--Nancy McEldowney Counselors Political Affairs--Janice G. Weiner Political-Military Affairs--Carl Siebentritt Economic Affairs--Dale Eppler Regional Affairs--Thaddeus W. Troy Consular Affairs--Sandra Shipshock Management Affairs--Gerri H. OBrien Public Affairs--Daniel Sreebny Agricultural Affairs--Ralph Gifford Commercial Affairs--James Fluker Defense Attache--Col. Charles Schneider Navy Attache--CDR David Renberg Army Attache--(vacant) The U.S. Embassy is located at 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, Ankara 06100, tel: (90) (312) 455-5555.