Rep. Johnson: Turkey an 'emerging power, valuable partner'

Congressman urges deeper, more candid friendship with Turkey:

As seen in The Hill newspaper on Thursday, June 16, 2011 | Read the piece in its entirety

WASHINGTON – Rep. Hank Johnson today published an op-ed in Washington, D.C.’s The Hill newspaper calling for closer ties with the Republic of Turkey.

In “Turkey: Emerging power, valuable friend,” Johnson argues that “a deeper and more candid friendship with Turkey will help the United States pursue its interests and support its values around the world.”

Calling Turkey “the strongest and truest Muslim democracy in its region,” Johnson praises recent elections and argues that the United States should continue to engage in “candid and respectful dialogue with Turkey’s leaders” to advocate for an open and inclusive political process and press and speech freedoms.

Johnson notes that Turkey is “an emerging regional power and important trading partner with a rapidly modernizing economy” and that “Turkish participation in multilateral security missions (including NATO efforts in Afghanistan, anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and Operation Unified Protector in Libya) demonstrates greater assertiveness in international affairs.”

Johnson writes, “This development should be embraced and shaped by the United States, not rejected or contained.”

Read the op-ed in its entirety HERE or at https://thehill.com/opinion/op-ed/166705-turkey-emerging-power-valuable-friend.

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