Fifth Annual Conference on Turkey, Middle East Institute, June 16, 2014

The Center for Turkish Studies at The Middle East Institute presents its Fifth Annual Conference on Turkey. This year the conference will assemble 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. The event will feature a keynote speech by Efkan Ala, Turkey's Minister of the Interior.

Location: National Press Club 529 14th Street, NW 13th Floor Washington District of Columbia 20 045

PROGRAM:

PANEL 1: The Future of Turkish Democracy
9:00 - 10:30am

• 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
10:45 - 11:30am

PANEL 2: Turkish Foreign Policy in an Age of Uncertainty
11:45am - 1:15pm

• Kim Ghattas, BBC (Moderator)
• Amb. Robert Ford, The Middle East Institute
• Ibrahim Kalın, Chief Advisor to Turkey's Prime Minister
• Amb. Robert Pearson, former ambassador to Turkey
• Judith Yaphe, Elliott School at George Washington University

Lunch 1:15 - 2:00pm

Keynote Speaker: Amanda Sloat, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southern Europe and Eastern Mediterranean Affairs, U.S. State Department
2:00 - 2:30pm

PANEL 3: Turkey's Domestic Landscape: A Glance at the Kurdish Issue
3:00 - 4:30pm

• 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

TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT.....