The Center for Turkish Studies at The Middle East Institute presented its Fifth Annual Conference on Turkey on Monday, June 16, 2014. The conference assembled three exceptional panels to discuss the country's tumultuous domestic politics following recent elections, the future of democracy in the country, and Turkish foreign policy.
Program
Note: To listen to podcasts, right-click the hyperlinks and select 'save-as'
PANEL 1: The Future of Turkish Democracy (Podcast)
- Jim Zanotti, Congressional Research Service (Moderator)
- Burhanettin Duran, General Coordinator of SETA Istanbul
- Etyen Mahçupyan, Columnist
- Omer Taspınar, National Defense University, Brookings
- additional panelists pending
Keynote Speaker: Efkan Ala, Minister of the Interior, Turkey (Podcast)
PANEL 2: Turkish Foreign Policy in an Age of Uncertainty (Podcast)
- Kim Ghattas, BBC (Moderator)
- Amb. Robert Ford, The Middle East Institute
- Saban Kardas, TOBB-ETU & ORSAM
- Amb. Robert Pearson, former ambassador to Turkey
- Judith Yaphe, Elliott School at George Washington University
Keynote Speaker: Amanda Sloat, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southern Europe and Eastern Mediterranean Affairs, U.S. State Department (Podcast)
PANEL 3: Turkey's Domestic Landscape: A Glance at the Kurdish Issue (Podcast)
- Sirwan Kajjo, Middle East Research and Information Project (Moderator)
- Yasin Aktay, AK Party Vice President for External Affairs
- Gönül Tol, The Middle East Institute
- Ali Murat Yel, Editor-in-Chief of Turkey Agenda
- Mehmet Yüksel, Pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party's DC Representative