New Directions for Turkish-Greek Engagement in the Balkans and Middle East

Bahçeşehir University and SEESOX, part of the University of Oxford, one of the world's leading research institutions, are organizing a conference on Turkish-Greek relations. Held on 27-29 September, the conference is SEESOX's first event in Türkiye.

Bahçeşehir University and the University of Oxford's South East European Studies Centre (SEESOX) will host a conference examining new opportunities and challenges in Turkish-Greek relations in light of the rapprochement process that has been underway for a decade. The main theme of the conference, to be held at Bahçeşehir University's Beşiktaş campus from 27 to 29 September 2011, will be "New Directions for Turkish-Greek Engagement in the Balkans and Middle East." Speakers will include experts, politicians and academics from diverse fields, such as Hugh Pope (Journalist), Kalypso Nicolaidis (Founder of SEESOX), Othon Anastasakis (Director of SEESOX), Alex Rondos (Advisor to Papandreou), Ioannis Boutaris (Mayor of Thessaloniki), Reem Abou-el-Fadl (St Peter's, Oxford University), Cengiz Aktar (Bahçeşehir University), Bülent Aras (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Taner Berksoy (Bahçeşehir University), Fuat Keyman (IPM/Sabancı University) and Osman Kavala (Kavala Holding). Participants will evaluate new opportunities for Turkish-Greek relations.

In addition, with this first conference held in Türkiye, the SEESOX Research Center will establish a center at Bahçeşehir University to examine Türkiye's rapidly developing and changing role in its regions. The center, to be established as a result of the cooperation between Bahçeşehir University and the University of Oxford, will organize scientific meetings, research and conferences, and create platforms bringing together journalists, academics, politicians and non-governmental organizations. The SEESOX-Istanbul Center will be coordinated by Nora Fisher Onar of Bahçeşehir University.

The program of the "New Directions for Turkish-Greek Engagement in the Balkans and Middle East" conference is as follows:

New Directions for Turkish-Greek Engagement
in the Balkans and Middle East
27-29 September, 2011
Bahçeşehir University
Ciragan Caddesi, No. 4
Besiktas, Istanbul
Programme

Tuesday, 27 September
Venue: Akademik Cafe (terrace restaurant in Block A)
17:00-19:30
Welcoming remarks: Nora FISHER ONAR (SEESOX Istanbul/Bahçeşehir University); Othon ANASTASAKIS (SEESOX)
Roundtable: Taking Stock, Looking Ahead: How to Move the Turkish-Greek Agenda Forward?
Speakers: Bülent ARAS (Turkish MFA); Fuat KEYMAN (IPM); Umut ÖZKIRIMLI (Bilgi&Lund Universities); Alex RONDOS (Advisor, Greek Prime Ministry); Harry TZIMITRAS (Bilgi University)
Chair: Kalypso NICOLAÏDIS (SEESOX)

Wednesday, 28 September
Venue: Conference Hall D (Block B)
9:00-11:00
Panel I: Turkish-Greek Dynamics in the Middle East and Israel
Speakers: Şaban KARDAŞ (TOBB University); Sotiris ROUSSOS (University of Peleponnese); Ebru Canan SOKULLU (Bahçeşehir University)
Chair: Karabekir AKKOYUNLU (LSE)
11:00-11:15 Coffee Break
11:15-13:15
Panel II: Transitions: Implications of the Arab revolutions
Speakers: Reem ABOU-EL-FADL (St. Peter's, Oxford); Kerem ÖKTEM (SEESOX); Alex RONDOS (Advisor, Greek Prime Ministry)
Chair: Sabri SAYARI (Bahçeşehir University)
13:15-14:45 Lunch break
14:45-16:45
Panel III: Turkish-Greek Dynamics in the Balkans
Speakers: Othon ANASTASAKIS (SEESOX); Dimitar BECHEV (ECFR); Bülent ARAS (Turkish MFA); Dimitrios TRIANTAPHYLLOU (Kadır Has University)
Chair: Ayşe KADIOĞLU (Sabancı University)
16:45-17:00 Coffee Break
17:00-19:00
Panel IV: New Political Economy of Southeast Europe
Speakers: Mert BİLGİN (Bahçeşehir University); Antonis KAMARAS (Mayor's Office, Thessaloniki); Çaglar KEYDER (Bosphoros University)
Chair: Taner BERKSOY (Bahçeşehir University)
Reception: RSVP required
Dinner: KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Yiannis BOUTARIS, Mayor of Thessaloniki

Thursday, 29 September
Venue: Conference Hall D (Block B)
9:00-11:00
Panel V: Turkey and Greece as Gateways to Europe - the Case of Migration
Speakers: Sema ERDER (Bahçeşehir University); Despina SYRRI (Navarino Network, Thessaloniki); Konstantinos TSITSELIKIS (University of Macedonia)
Chair: Başak Kale (Middle East Technical University)
11:00-11:15 Coffee Break
11:15-13:15
Panel VI: Stalemate in Cyprus?
Contantinos FILIS (Panteion University); Dimitris KERIDIS (University of Macedonia); Niyazi KIZILYÜREK (Cyprus University); Hugh POPE (ICG)
CHAIR: Cengiz AKTAR (Bahçeşehir University)
13:15-14:45 Lunch Break
14:45-16:45
ECFR Report: What Does Turkey Think?
Speakers:Hakan ALTINAY (Brookings), Şahin ALPAY (Bahçeşehir University); Atila ERALP (Middle East Technical University); Mehmet KARLI (SEESOX/Galatasaray University); Gerald KNAUS (ESI)
CHAIR: Dimitar BECHEV (ECFR)

Pre-register by 26 September