AK Party Deputy Chairman of External Affairs Suat KINIKLIOGLU hosted a meeting with a delegation composed of US Senate and Congress members’ advisors who visited Turkey in the framework of a program organized by the German Marshall Fund of the US (GMF).

The delegation included advisors of Congress or Senate members Evan Bayh, Tom Udall, Robert Wexler, Jeanne Shaheen, Pablo Duran, Greg Regan, Meg King, and Andrew House as well as the director of the GMF Ankara office Ozgur Unluhisarcikli and the program expert Ceylan Akman.

The delegation was especially interested in the institutional structure of the AK Party and Turkey’s foreign policy. KINIKLIOGLU also informed the delegation about the foundation of the Party, the election processes and reforms while Turkey’s proactive foreign policy was an important point.

KINIKLIOGLU said that Turkey has become a regional power and although the Bush administration has had difficulties in understanding this new situation its approach towards Turkey had changed in the last period. Especially President Obama’s visit contributed crucially to the improvement of the relations.

While highlighting that in the course of the EU process the full membership has priority in Turkish foreign policy he added that the appointment of Egemen BAGIS as Chief Negotiator and the amendments made to the ABGS’s (Secretariat General for EU Affairs) organisational structure were indicators of the government’s determination to finish this process successfully.

KINIKLIOGLU mentioned that in being a member of the customs union and the Council of Europe Turkey was already in Europe and added that as opposed to some leaders’ declarations Turkey would not be a burden for the EU, but would contribute to the EU economy with its young population and its rich culture.