During his time in San Francisco, President Abdullah Gül paid a visit to Silicon Valley where he had the opportunity to meet with top officials from some of the globe's leading technology firms. Gül's first meeting was with Apple CEO Tim Cook. Prime Minister Abdullah Gül was accompanied by Hayrünnisa Gül, Minister of Industry and Technology Nihat Ergün, Deputy Nursuna Memecan and TÜBİTAK Chair Yücel Altunbaşak.
INTEREST IN THE FATİH PROJECT
Apple officials shared with President Gül and his accompanying committee the news that they will be opening an office in Turkey in autumn. Apple officials asked the Chairman of the Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Council (TÜBİTAK) Chair Yücel Altunbaşak to share details on the Fatih Project which aims to provide students with tablet computers.
TURKISH KEYBOARD IPAD
When asked the timeframe for the release of the Turkish keyboard iPad, Cook stated that they were working closely on the issue. During the two hour visit, information was relayed regarding applications to increase interaction between students and teachers applicable to 'smart' classes. In addition, applications that will allow teachers to more efficiently prepare education materials were also presented during the meeting.
THIRTEEN ANGEL INVESTORS INTRODUCED TO TURKEY
During his trip to Silicon Valley, President Abdullah Gül also met with top-level administrators from thirteen different angel investment firms. At the meeting, topics such as investment opportunities in Turkey, the legal infrastructure involving investments and information on the market were discussed. In the final portion of his trip to Silicon Valley, President Gül spent time meeting with Turkish investors.
Turkish Airlines won the Skytrax award for Europe's Best Airline for a third time and was also given two other awards.
English investors have not paid heed to the coverage in the international media painting a negative portrait of Turkey during the Gezi Park protests and continue to keep the country on its radar for investments.
Turkey has become the fastest growing nation for luxurious automobile brands. While luxurious brands experienced seven percent growth globally in the first five months of the year, in Turkey the rate of growth has reached the 100 percentile level.
While the English press continues to cover the Gezi Park protests to Turkey’s detriment, the British Prime Minister has praised Turkey’s ‘stability.’ David Cameron says “we admire your economy.”
With the Central Bank’s deferred interest rate cut resulting in revitalizing domestic demand, Turkey’s economy experienced three percent growth in the first quarter of the year, sealing 14 quarters of continuous growth.
The Capital Markets Board has initiated an investigation into exits from the stock exchange by speculators, in a move which followed Erdoğan’s acknowledgement of attempts by the interest rate lobby to instigate a drop in the stock exchange. Should the Capitals Market Board establish a connection between financial exists and speculators sanctions may be enforced.
Çalık Holding has released a statement refuting claims made in reports by CNBC attempting to associate the group with redevelopment plans for Taksim’s Gezi Park.
Saudi Arabian businessman Ehsaan Fareed Abduljawad has purchased two towers in the Ağaoğlu Maslak 1453 project for 200 million dollars. “We trust in Turkey’s economy,” said the billionaire.
The speculative attack on the markets came to a halt following Prime Minister Erdoğan’s statement directed at the interest-rates lobby, “We will not let you consume the great efforts of our nation.” The dollar has since dropped and the stock exchange is back on a rising trend.
During the past five days there has been a polemic concerning the boycott of the Moroccan Business Confederation (CGEM) of a meeting between Turkish and Moroccan businessmen which took place during Erdoğan’s trip to Morocco on June 3rd. While the decision had nothing to do with the on-going protests in Istanbul and other cities, the real reason is proving to be an internal conflict between the CGEM and the Moroccan government.
The ‘economic’ demands set forth by the Taksim Platform, which spoke on behalf of the Gezi Park protesters in a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Arınç on Wednesday, have resulted in a number of question marks. The main question being, why are they opposed to projects worth 120 billion such as the third bridge and airport, hydroelectric power plants and Canal Istanbul?
Tosyalı Holding opened a 750 million dollar steel-iron factory in Algeria in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Expected to rake in an annual one billion dollar revenue, the facility will also provide one thousand jobs.
The Occupy Wall Street movement did not pose a significant financial burden in the United States, whereas the financial burden brought on in Turkey from the Gezi Park protests is exponential.
It will now be required to place health warnings on the glass portions of water pipes, regularly referred to as ‘nargile’ in Turkey.