Earlier this week, Scowcroft, along with Ambassador Richard Armitage -- who will succeed Scowcroft as chairman in January -- had talks in Ankara with senior Turkish officials including President Abdullah Gül, Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül and Energy Minister Taner Yıldız.
The ATC is a business association dedicated to enhancing the promotion of US-Turkish commercial, defense, technological and cultural relations. Wednesday evening, the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) and the Turkish-American Business Council (TAİK) jointly hosted a dinner in İstanbul in Scowcroft’s honor.
“We need a voice that will help us in the East. We need a voice like Turkey in a region which we are not able to understand as much as you can,” Scowcroft said.
Bilateral relations between Turkey and the United States have passed through many ups and downs, Scowcroft noted, highlighting his confidence that a more stable era will develop with these relations from now on. By the completion of his current term on Dec. 31, Scowcroft will have served nine years as chairperson of the board of the ATC.
