By Firdevs Robinson.

FPC Senior Research Associate gives her analysis of Turkey's role on the international stage and as a leading player in the evolving map of the Middle East. She notes Turkey's enhanced prestige but assesses the on going problems with Syria, France, Cyprus and the challenges it faces at home.

Download FPC Briefing: Turkey – Role Model or Regional Bully? (420 kilobyte PDF)

By Marc Herzog.

FPC Research Associate Marc Herzog explores the development of Turkey's Foreign Policy and its response to the Arab Spring, setting out the challenges faced and those still to come.

Download FPC Briefing: Weathering the crazy seasons (310 kilobyte PDF)

By Firdevs Robinson. Source: Public Service Europe

As intractable conflicts go, Turkey's Kurdish problem has been a very costly one - both in human lives and the damage it has inflicted on country's political, economic and social development. More recently, with Kurdish insurgency opting for full-scale war and Turkey's leaders pledging "immense revenge" in return, this rapidly escalating crisis threatens to erode democratic gains. As well as being the most urgent and difficult issue for Turkey, the Kurdish conflict has been the biggest obstacle for further democratisation and reform. Yet, without fundamental reform, it will not go away.

Full text 

Adam Hug (Ed.)

2009 Hard copy: £4.95, plus £1 p+p.

Download the pamphlet (1.36 megabyte PDF)

This FPC pamphlet supported by Business for New Europe makes the economic and business case for Turkish membership of the European Union and outlines the political challenges faced by both sides in making accession a reality.

Edited by Adam Hug, it contains contributions from: Rt Hon David Miliband MP, Rt Hon William Hague MP, Commissioner Olli Rehn, Roland Rudd (Chairman, Business for New Europe) Dr Mehmet Ugur (University of Greenwich), Prof Refik Erzan (Bogazici University), Dr Bahadir Kaleagasi (TUSIAD, the Turkish business association), Sir Julian Horn Smith, (UK Co-Chair, Turkish British Business Council) and Dr Gareth Winrow (formerly of Istanbul Bilgi University).

• Turkey in Europe launch event

Sarah Schaefer, Greg Austin, Kate Parker

September 2005

Download Turks in Europe (260 kilobyte PDF)

There is a new political contest about the relationship between the European Union and its 'national' components, and how they all should deal with 'outsiders'. The prospect of Turkey's entry to the European Union has triggered a remarkable outburst of fear and anxiety in some member states. Voters know that issues of national identity, the economy, social welfare and future migration are all tied up in some rather momentous way with Turkey's projected accession, but cannot see too clearly how. This pamphlet tries to bring the argument back down to the individual level.

Further information 

DATE: Monday 10th October 2011

TIME: 7.00-9.00pm

VENUE: Committee Room 6, House of Commons, SW1A 0AA 

(please use Cromwell Green Visitors Entrance, see map attached)

This event is now full

Speakers:

• Lord Alderdice, former Leader Alliance Party
• Jonathan Fryer, SOAS
• Firdevs Robinson, formerly BBC World Service

Chair: Adam Hug, Policy Director, Foreign Policy Centre

Introduction: Nick De Bois MP, Enfield North 

The Centre for Turkey Studies and Development (CTSD) and the Foreign Policy Centre (FPC) are please to host a Westminster seminar to discuss the current political situation in Turkey at the start of the AKP third term. It will examine both the progress Turkey has made in recent years and the challenges it still faces, particularly on media freedom and minority rights. With plans to change the Turkish Constitution high up the political agenda it is an important time for a UK audience to examine what can be done both in Turkey and abroad to strengthen the process of democratisation and political reform in this growing global power.

Event is free and open to all. For more information please contact Ibrahim Dogus of CTSD on 02083412021

If you would like to attend, please RSVP by email to:

events@fpc.org.uk

On Friday 28 May, The FPC held a major conference in Istanbul 'Turkey 2020: Challenges and Opportunities' at the Point Barbaros Hotel. Exploring the key themes of Turkey's Economic Future, Turkey in the World and A Turkey for all its Citizens it brought together leading progressive thinkers from academia, journalism, business, ngos and politics.

Mustafa Sarigül, leader of Turkey's Change Movement, delivered the keynote speech and its contents can be viewed at http://fpc.org.uk/fsblob/1210.pdf

Download The full speaker line up for Turkey 2020 (180 kilobyte PDF)

Monday 22 March 2010

Time: 6.30pm -8.00pm

Venue: Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Room , Houses of Parliament, London SW1A 0AA (use Cromwell Green Visitors' Entrance)

Speaker:

• Mustafa Sarigül, Leader of Turkey's Movement for Change (TDH) and Mayor of Sisli Municipality

Chair: Adam Hug, Policy Director, Foreign Policy Centre

The Foreign Policy Centre hosted Mustafa Sarigül, leader of Turkey's Movement for Change, that describes itself as a new progressive political force in the centre-ground of Turkish politics.Since its breakthrough victory in 2002, the AKP party of Prime Minister Erdogan has dominated Turkish politics, leaving the old guard parties struggling to find an effective response. Despite its modest gains in last year's local elections, the main opposition party, the Kemalist CHP party, under the veteran leadership of Denis Baykal, is struggling to convince the Turkish public that it could form a plausible alternative government. It is in this environment that Mustafa Sarigül's Turkish Movement for Change is being formed and it has the potential to reach out across the political spectrum.

Sarigül started his political career as Turkey's youngest Parliamentarian in 1987 as part of the CHP. In 1999 he left Parliament to become mayor of Istanbul's central Sisli district, a post he still holds. Blocked from the CHP Presidency in a close-fought internal battle with the incumbent Baykal in 2004, this year he has founded a new party, backed by former members of both the CHP and AKP and high profile figures such as Hikmet Çetin and Faruk Logogu.

Download Speech by Mustafa Sarýgül to the Foreign Policy Centre (350 kilobyte PDF)