CONGRESSMAN WEXLER VİSİTS TURKEY

Co-Chairman of the Turkey Caucus of the US Congress, Congressman Robert Wexler visited Turkey on April 10th.

The German Marshall Fund (GMF) hosted a lunch honoring Wexler, who also visited Prime Minister Erdogan and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Gul. Wexler's counterpart Turkey-USA Interparliamentary Friendship Caucus Co-Chairman Mr. Bagis organized a dinner on his honor.

Mentioning, on both events, the strength of Turkey-USA relations, Wexler reminded the persistent opposition MPs' questions that he does not agree with Turkey's statements regarding Hamas's visit to Turkey, but just like in any relationship one does not need to be in absolute agreement on issues, and that this, by definition, is a part of democracy. However, Wexler pointed out that for the first time, in Turkey that he's been visiting for years, he observed that the government represents the sensitivities of public opinion.

Mr. Bagis stated that his friendship with Wexler, named one of 50 most influential congressmen, is from old days, but both have the understanding that they need not have the same opinion on either Hamas, or PKK or other issues, but further acknowledge that Turkey-USA relations have roots of 200 years and those who want to destroy this relationship should abandon the simple unembellished games.