Business world eyes PM on 'genocide' stance

The canceling of a scheduled visit to the United States by the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association, or TÜSİAD, in response to a Armenian “genocide” resolution passed in Congress has other business organizations following suit.

A U.S. House committee passed a resolution March 5 recognizing the deaths of Armenians in 1915 as genocide.

Rona Yırcalı, the president of the Foreign Economic Relations Board, or DEİK, is one of those who has announced that he will not be attending a Washington, D.C., conference organized by the American Turkish Council, or ATC. The stance of Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, chairman of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges, or TOBB, is said to depend on the attitude of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The 29th Annual Conference on U.S.-Turkey Relations, scheduled to be held between April 11 and 14, is organized by DEİK, the ATC, the Turkish-American Business Council, or TAİK, and the American Friends of Turkey. With the Turkish Foreign Ministry saying it expects a “sensitive” approach in the wake of the March 5 resolution, many other prominent businesspeople are expected to cancel their planned attendance.

Turkish businesspeople seem to be divided on the issue, however. While some say the Foreign Ministry’s position should be supported by the business world, others say participating in the conference would benefit Turkey. Still others are opting to wait and see what position the prime minister takes.

“I am still evaluating the situation. I have not made a concrete decision,” said Hisarcıklıoğlu.

In the aftermath of the March 5 vote, expected attendances by many high-level Turkish officials – including Erdoğan, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül, Energy Minister Taner Yıldız, Transport Minister Binali Yıldırım, Trade Minister Zafer Çağlayan, chief negotiator for EU affairs Egemen Bağış and Alpaslan Korkmaz, chairman of the Investment Support and Promotion Agency of Turkey – are all in doubt. 

The impact is expected to become clearer when Erdoğan clarifies his stance on attending the Nuclear Security Summit to be held the same week in Washington. This international meeting will be hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama.