I was glad to get back home to Ankara on Saturday night, tired but happy, after two weeks on the road around Turkey. It had been a fascinating preceding fortnight. Perhaps you would allow me to share the highlights.
The first of the two weeks was spent visiting our consulates around the coast in Antalya, Fethiye, Marmaris, Bodrum and Izmir. They do tremendous work. 2 and a half million Brits visit Turkey each year – every one a potential friend for Turkey. And some 35 000 Britons have chosen to make their home here, many of them becoming Turkish citizens (some mayors have been courting their votes!).
Most have a wonderful time (and I met many of the British community on my trip) but some encounter difficulties. In 2013, we issued 494 emergency passports! 407 needed other forms of help (arrested, assaulted, ill, hospitalised, missing etc.). 75 UK citizens died. Some residents worry about their health insurance cover.
That’s when we need to ask the help of the Turkish authorities. And we get a great response. During my trip I thanked the Governors, Mayors, Public Prosecutors and Police Chiefs of the tourist resorts for the way they and their officers go above and beyond the call of duty to help Britons in difficulties. They are the pride of Turkey.
In Izmir I also had the opportunity to meet many of the businessmen of that thriving city. It was also a bittersweet occasion as I presided over a farewell party for our Consul Willy Buttigieg. Willy has served Queen Elizabeth selflessly and loyally for 41 years in Izmir. He is an absolute legend in the city and we shall miss him dearly.
As usual, my blind wife Maggie’s guide dog Star attracted much attention. My favourite headline from the Marmaris local paper: “”Star” overshadows Ambassador” (“Star” Buyukelciyi golgede birakti”). So true, so true…
On to Istanbul for the weekend where Sunday saw the arrival of the Lord Mayor of the City of London. This is not the Mayor of London (that’s Boris Johnson who, incidentally, boasts some Turkish blood in his veins). No, the Lord Mayor represents the interests of the City, our famous financial centre. Fiona Woolf is the 686th person to hold the office, but only the second woman. She had a GREAT visit focused on how UK companies can support Turkey’s ambitions in infrastructure and financial services, including in relation to the planned Istanbul Financial Centre.
No sooner had I said goodbye to the Lord Mayor than I was off to the Uludag Summit where we were holding a GREAT campaign event. Led by former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and the Prime Minister’s Business Ambassador Samir Brikho, the CEO of British engineering and project management giant, AMEC, we explained why the UK attracted 50% of all the FDI entering the EU and why we wanted Turkish investors to add to that success!And many Turkish CEOs were excited by the prospect of partnering up with British companies to conquer third markets.
Pity that I wasn’t able to report to you easily in real time via Twitter @ukambrichard as I had intended! The Twitter ban was unfortunately the talk of the Summit.