March 8, 2012 - Hurriyet Daily News
A Turkish government delegation the Economy Ministry's deputy undersecretary and Turkish Ambassador to Washington Namık Tan joined the Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) from Feb. 27 to March 1 at the 26th Annual Reservation Economic Summit (RES).
RES is an American Indian economic and business development conference. TCA staff and Turkish government representatives met with tribal leaders and Alaska Representative Don Young, chairman of the Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs, to discuss the burgeoning Turkish-American Indian economic and cultural relationship, the TCA said in a statement.
This is the second summit where TCA helped facilitate an international dialogue, part of TCA's ongoing efforts since 2009 to build bridges between American Indian tribes and Turkey, including organizing and leading the 2010 Native American Business Cooperation Trip, which brought representatives from 17 American Indian nations to Turkey in a visit which drew international attention.
Tan's participation in RES 2012 marked the first time the summit received a foreign ambassador.
At the official opening of the summit on Feb. 28, the Turkish delegation was recognized by the event organizers, as well as by Young, for Turkey's continued interest in expanding business and cultural ties with the American Indian community.
