Notebook From Senator Collins
The major event of the day was my speech on U.S.-Turkish relations at Bahcesehir University, which had invited me to address a diverse group of professors, students, business leaders, and former and current government officials.
Rather than summarizing my speech, I have embedded a link in case anyone is interested in reading it. Given the increasingly important role Turkey is playing in the Middle East, I was pleased (and relieved!) that my speech was well received.
I also took the opportunity to put in a plug for expanded trade between Maine and Turkey. Most were astonished to learn that cattle are shipped from Eastport, Maine, to Turkey!
After the speech, I answered questions, including one about whether the United States was doing enough to assist Turkey in combating the PKK, the Kurdish terrorist group that recently killed 26 Turkish soldiers. This attack caused Turkey to launch a major incursion into Northern Iraq to pursue PKK members operating from there.
The event went very well, and I learned a lot from the interaction with the participants as well as gave them a better appreciation of the U.S. position on several issues.
The full speech can be read here.
Rather than summarizing my speech, I have embedded a link in case anyone is interested in reading it. Given the increasingly important role Turkey is playing in the Middle East, I was pleased (and relieved!) that my speech was well received.
I also took the opportunity to put in a plug for expanded trade between Maine and Turkey. Most were astonished to learn that cattle are shipped from Eastport, Maine, to Turkey!
After the speech, I answered questions, including one about whether the United States was doing enough to assist Turkey in combating the PKK, the Kurdish terrorist group that recently killed 26 Turkish soldiers. This attack caused Turkey to launch a major incursion into Northern Iraq to pursue PKK members operating from there.
The event went very well, and I learned a lot from the interaction with the participants as well as gave them a better appreciation of the U.S. position on several issues.
The full speech can be read here.
