ANKARA
US Ambassador to Ankara Jeffrey Flake congratulated the Republic of Türkiye on its 100th anniversary, saying “I just want to say ‘tebrikler Türkiye!’” or congratulations in Turkish.
“One hundred years as a republic is a great accomplishment, and Turkey has accomplished a great deal over the last 100 years,” Flake told Anadolu.
Telling how that the first US Embassy in Türkiye was actually in a railcar in the Turkish capital Ankara, Flake added:
“Now we have this beautiful facility. We’ve come a long way in terms of security ties and people-to-people ties, commercial ties between our two countries. So Turkey is an important player on the world stage and a valued ally to the United States.”
On bilateral relations, Flake said that ties between the two countries are strong and “growing stronger.”
Flake added that there are student exchange programs such as Fulbright Scholarships that connect the people of the two countries, something that many students in Türkiye can benefit from and get an education in the US.
Growing trade ties
On trade and commercial ties, Flake said that Turkish-US trade “grew about 40% over the last two years, that’s significant and will continue to grow.”
On his tenure as ambassador to Türkiye, a post he has held since January 2022, he said: “This is a dream job. Every American would want to come here. The people are so kind and generous. And this is an important relationship. Turkey is an important player on the world stage and a valued ally. So this is an important post and we’ve enjoyed it immensely.”
Flake stressed that they are looking forward to the 100th anniversary celebrations of the Republic of Türkiye, which falls on Oct. 29. “This is a great accomplishment, 100 years, and so we’re anxious to participate.”
