14 April 2009
This Week from Washington — April 10
Podcast on Obama’s visit to Turkey, fifth Summit of the Americas
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This week, President Obama wraps up his first overseas trip to Europe with a visit to Turkey, and State Department officials preview the fifth Summit of the Americas coming up on April 17th.
President Obama completed his first overseas tour with a visit to Turkey. As part of his visit, he gave a speech to the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Turkey’s capital, Ankara. He explained that the United is not and will never be at war with Islam. America’s new efforts to engage with the Muslim world are based on a foreign policy rooted in mutual respect and seeking common solutions to global challenges. Obama recognized that the trust between the United States and Turkey has been strained, and that many places where the Muslim faith is practiced share that strain as well.
The United States and the Republic of Turkey have maintained a close relationship since the beginning of the Cold War and the Truman Doctrine, named after America’s 33rd president. Part of the Truman Doctrine aimed at strengthening the Muslim-majority state’s economic and military self-reliance. Today, the close bilateral diplomacy and partnership between two of the largest military forces in the 28-nation NATO alliance continue to promote that goal.
Over the last decade, bilateral relations have been tested. In 2003, the Turkish parliament decided to block U.S.-led coalition forces from using Turkey as a base to invade Iraq.
Obama’s visit is the latest step by the new administration to repair relations. American engagement with Turkey and the broader Muslim world extends beyond shared security challenges. Expanding trade, cooperation on renewable energy investments and climate change, as well as continued support for Turkish efforts to deliver Caspian-region oil and gas to European markets were all major discussion topics between Obama and Turkish President Abdullah Gül and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Obama also expressed support for Turkey’s bid for European Union membership, and praised its progress on a wide range of reforms. Obama said that Turkey is bound to Europe by more than the bridges over the Bosporus – those ties also include centuries of shared history, culture and commerce. He added that Europe would gain by the diversity of ethnicity, tradition and faith Turkey’s EU membership would bring.
Turkey and the United States share a commitment to working for peace in the Middle East. In 2008, Turkey hosted talks between Syria and Israel, and played an important role in securing a cease-fire in Gaza earlier this year. Turkey could also play a key role in new U.S. efforts to engage with Iran. Obama also recognized Turkey’s efforts to help stabilize Afghanistan — a top foreign policy priority for the Obama White House. Approximately 800 Turkish troops are serving in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission.
The Summit of the Americas, to be held in Trinidad and Tobago from April 17th to the 19th, will gather 34 leaders of the Western Hemisphere. This year, the global economic downturn will be the top item for discussion. Leaders are concerned that the economic gains from the past six years are being threatened by the downturn.
The White House adviser for the summit, Ambassador Jeffrey Davidow, told reporters in a briefing on April 6th that it’s important to remember the Western Hemisphere as a whole has done very well in economic terms. Per capita growth from 2003 to 2007 was more than 3 percent a year, and the number of people living in poverty in recent years has declined. Davidow also said countries that have adopted prudent economic management will be less affected by the downturn than others. Nevertheless, a recent United Nations analysis found that Latin American and Caribbean countries are likely to see negative growth in 2009 — minus 0.3 percent — after six years of continuous growth.
This is the fifth Summit of the Americas. President Obama will attend the summit after first travelling to Mexico on April 15th and 16th before flying to the city of Port of Spain.
Obama, making his first venture into Latin America after a recent trip to Europe, will attend the meeting to listen, discuss and consult with other hemispheric leaders as partners. One of the central concerns of the president and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is equality. Despite the progress in poverty reduction, Latin America remains the least equal of all the areas of the world, according to the United Nations.
Equality and economic issues are not the only topics to be discussed at the summit. The United States will also want to talk about an environmental agenda, focusing on clean energy. The United States and Brazil are already working with several Central American countries to help develop biofuels systems.
Public safety is another key issue expected to receive a lot of attention during the summit. The recent rise in criminal activity throughout Latin America and the Caribbean has demonstrated regional difficulties controlling criminal activity because judicial and police systems need training and equipment.
Davidow concluded by saying the Obama administration hopes to have good diplomatic relations with all the countries of the Western Hemisphere.
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