Romney appreciates Turkey's critical role

Rich Williamson, senior adviser for foreign and defense policy for presumptive Republican candidate for US president Mitt Romney, said that Romney appreciated Turkey’s unique role in the region as well as in NATO. Speaking at a panel discussion at the Washington-based Brookings Institution on Wednesday, Williamson said that during his discussions with Romney, Turkey had come on to the agenda in the context of the crisis in Syria. "And he [Romney] clearly has an appreciation of the pivotal, critical role that Turkey plays in Syria and in the region. The US needs to work closely with Ankara to support Turkey’s efforts to protect its borders," Williamson said, adding, "Turkey obviously has growing importance. Turkey had 6.5 percent GDP (gross domestic product) growth in recent years," said Williamson.