Turkey business forum cancelled due to security detail attack

Scheduled on May 25, the event is cancelled in response to the objection by Los Angeles City Council Member Paul Krekorian after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s security detail attacked protesters outside the Turkish Ambassador’s home on Embassy Row in Washington, D.C.  

The chamber forum was planned to be cosponsored by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office of International Trade and a roundtable meeting was planned to be held with the participation of executives and board members from 12 Turkish companies in the construction, engineering, aerospace, textiles, manufacturing, and financial sectors. On May 22, LA CLA Chamber of Commerce made a statement concerning the cancellation and noted: “This decision was made because we determined that holding the meeting would not be in the best interests of our members or the visiting delegation from Turkey.”  

Kerkorian, the first Armenian American elected to the city council, stated: “I thank the L.A. Chamber for being responsive to my request and cancelling the Los Angeles Turkey Business Forum. The unprovoked attack by Turkish state security officers on peaceful American citizens was reprehensible and a grave breach of our country’s laws. That the business community in our great city recognizes that human rights must be upheld by all within our borders is a credit to their vision and conscience.”