A Brookings-SETA Policy Conference on Turkey University of California, Washington Center 1608 Rhode Island Ave, NW Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Turkey has weathered exceptionally turbulent times over the last couple of years. Following the so-called "e-coup" warning of a possible military intervention, civil-military tensions climaxed during the summer of 2007. A year later, the ruling Justice and Development Party (known as the AKP) government was nearly shut down by the Constitutional Court. The AKP's landslide electoral victory in July 2007 was followed by another crisis over the presidency. In the meantime, PKK terrorism has been sharply on the rise. Even though the government has announced a major economic package to complete the Southeastern Development Project (GAP), the Kurdish issue remains dangerous and explosive. While there is consensus on the need for a new constitution and judicial reform, both issues remain divisive and polarizing. The Municipal elections of March 2009 will be a major test for all political parties.
Turkey continues to face challenges in its foreign policy. The Caucasus crisis has put Turkey in a difficult position between its Western allies and Russia, one of its top trade partners. Developments in Iraq including the upcoming local elections and Iran's nuclear program present numerous challenges. The Cyprus talks may or may not lead to any breakthrough. On top of all these, Turkey-EU relations seem to have stalled again.
How should the next U.S. administration manage the Turkish-US relations? Where is Turkish domestic politics going? What is Turkey's foreign policy outlook? To discuss these and other critical questions, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings will host a joint conference with the SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research on October 28 at the University of California Washington Center.
The event will bring together a distinguished group of Turkish and American experts, officials, and scholars. The conference will commence with a keynote address by Professor Ahmet Davutoglu, chief foreign policy advisor to the Prime Minister of Turkey. An audience question and answer session will follow his remarks. Afterwards, Ibrahim Kalin, Founding Director of the SETA Foundation; Omer Taspinar, Director of the Brookings Turkey Project; Mark Parris, former US Ambassador to Turkey and Brookings Visiting Fellow; and Talha Kose of George Mason University, will individually moderate a series of discussions with some of Turkey's most influential and astute analysts.
A working agenda including further details is below. Please Click Here to Register. Invitations to this event are transferrable, but space is limited and all attendees must register in advance.
Turkey, the Region and US-Turkish Relations: Assessing the Challenges and Prospects
A Brookings-SETA Policy Conference on Turkey
University of California, Washington Center 1608 Rhode Island Ave, NW Tuesday, October 28, 2008
| 9:00 | Welcome and Opening Remarks |
| Omer Taspinar, Brookings Ibrahim Kalin, SETA | |
| 9:15 – 10:30 | Keynote Address: "Turkey's Foreign Policy Outlook: An Assessment of the Present and a Look into the Future" |
| Ahmet Davutoglu, Chief Advisor to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan | |
| Keynote Address [MP3] | |
| 10:30 – 10:45 | Coffee break |
| 10:45 – 12:30 | Panel 1: US-Turkish Relations: What
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