A Turkish government minister has rejected claims that Turkey is turning its back on the West in a reversal of its Western-leaning policies, according to Ap. Zafer Caglayan, who oversees foreign trade, says Turkey is seeking global economic partnerships and offers an upcoming trip to the United States to boost trade as evidence that Turkey is committed to close ties with its ally. Caglayan told the AP in an interview Thursday that two-way trade ties between the partners are way below their potential. Caglayan says Turkey wants to «triple and even quadruple in the next three to four years» trade with Washington. The minister departs for a weeklong trip to four U.S. states on Saturday.
