US state of Kankas welcomes Turkish officials

A friendship reception between Turkey and the US state of Kansas was held over the weekend in the capital of Topeka, with the participation of high-level Turkish and Kansan officials. The reception was co-sponsored by the Houston-based Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians (TCAE) and the Raindrop Turkish House. Delegates from Parliament, including Adana Deputy Fatos Gurkan, Adiyaman Deputy Fehmi Husrev Kutlu, and Denizli Deputy Mithat Ekici, all from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), as well as Kansas Lt. Governor Jeff Colyer and Kansas Senate President Stephen Morris, attended. Colyer and other senators present at the event said they would like to visit Turkey as soon as possible. Before the reception, the Turkish delegation paid a courtesy visit to Kansas Governor Sam Brownback at his office. The Turkish deputies later visited Kansas Secretary of Commerce Pat George, who said during the meeting that Turkey and Kansas can boost commercial ties in the field of agriculture and agricultural machines. After the visit to George, the Turkish delegation met with Colyer and Derek Schmidt, the state's attorney general. Colyer and Schmidt stressed during the meeting that they place importance on Turkish-US relations and that such visits can boost ties between the two countries. The delegation was also invited to the opening ceremony of the Kansas House of Representatives, where they were warmly welcomed. They also visited the Kansas Senate.