Turkish-US relations in progress based on model partnership

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said on Friday that the relations between friends and allies Turkey and the United States of America (US) are in progress based on model partnership. Babacan gave a speech at the Turkish-American Friendship Dinner held in Istanbul by Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) and Turkic American Alliance (TAA) on Friday. Asserting that Turkey and the US promote and defend the same values and ideas both at home and in the international arena, Babacan stated that "We always put forward democracy, human rights and freedoms, the rule of law and market economy. We have a long common agenda on foreign policy. We have the same goals despite different methods to attain them. However we are in strong and continuous consultation. We are pleased with our international agendas moving closer to each other. Our common concept is global responsibility." Babacan told that the two countries aim to strategically develop the economic and commercial relations, as two Turkish deputies and two US congressmen meet twice a year to discuss these issues. Touching upon The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership whose negotiations aimed to start between the European Union and the US, Babacan stressed that "As Turkey is already in the Customs Union, we would like to take part in that partnership, too. At the last US visit of our prime minister, both sides agreed on launching a process parallel to this political will." Babacan also announced that Turkey, as a country at "crossroads", would open 2 more embassies in the American continent in 2013 and also in Peru, Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica, reminding that the number of embassies rose to 34 in 2012 while it was only 12 in 2008.