Transcript
STROBE TALBOTT: What has stroked me over the last several days which have been one intense conversation after another, is the ease with which Turks and Americans are able to get together in private settings and trade questions and answers and insights. And what we are doing now with the opening of this program, is moving to a more formal setting but very much in the same spirit of give and take, namely what can we learn from each other, how can we jointly brainstorm on ideas about insuring that the US-Turkish relationship will be strong in the years to come whatever the restitutes of domestic politics in both of our countries. And on the US side, I think we have a terrific team here and we should get down to business right away.
Tom Mann, who will be taking the podium very shortly, is one of the outstanding commentator, analyst and expert on US politics and you are about to get the benefit of his insights into what is happening in the American political seen. We are also very lucky to have with us Richard Burt, whom I’ve known for decades I think it is fair to say, and who like Philip Gordon who comes from the ranks of Brookings Senior Fellows has policy experience as well as deep intellectual understanding of events in this part of the world. And then of course, we have the captain of our Turkey team Mark Parris, and I am honored to consider him not only a mentor I might add a language couch, a colleague but also a very dear friend. Now I will turn the proceedings over to him, thank you very much.
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