Turkish Politics at the Crossroads

CONFERENCE

February 8, 2007
German Marshall Fund, Washington DC

Recent developments in Turkey and the region have led to a major transformation of the Turkish political, economic and social scene. Since November 2002 Turkey’s domestic and foreign policy environment has changed to such an extent that it has been described as a “silent revolution’. While the accession talks with the European Union are headed towards a deadlock over the question of Cyprus, Turkey continues to struggle with the challenges in Iraq and the Middle East. The dispute over the status of Kirkuk is likely to cause tensions at the end of 2007 when a referendum is planned to decide on its final status. The political developments in northern Iraq continue to have an impact on the Kurdish problem in Turkey. Relations between Turkey and the Unites States have entered a new phase after the Turkish parliament rejected in 2003 a bill to allow U.S. troops to use Turkish soil to invade Iraq.

On the domestic front Turkish society has gone through extensive changes with mixed feelings. New legislation passed by the Parliament as part of the EU process has brought about a broadening of freedoms in Turkey. That said, contentious articles in the penal code such as Article 301 remain contested. PKK terror remains to be a major problem despite the relative abating of violence in recent months. The country’s economic growth has been rather strong but unemployment and the dwindling of small businesses are of concern.

With such gravitating developments in the background, Turkey is entering into 2007 with two major elections being scheduled. The presidential election in April/May 2007 and general elections in November 2007 will shape the country’s political future for years to come. This conference will address some of these significant issues and their impact on Turkish society, the region and the US-Turkish relationship.

Program

February 8, 2007

09:15                 Registration

09:30                 Opening and Welcome                                 Suat Kiniklioglu (GMF) and Ibrahim Kalin (SETA)

09:45                  Introduction of H.E. Abdullah Gul by Marc Grossman (GMF)   10:00                  Opening Speech by H.E. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul

10:30 – 11:00  Questions & Answers  11:00-12:30      Turkish Politics Transformed                                    Ihsan Dagi (Middle East Technical University)                               “Democratization and Human Rights”

                              Ali Carkoglu (Sabanci University)                                “Religion, Society and Politics in a Changing Turkey”