Centre for Turkey Studies Annual Report 2018

CEFTUS 7th Issue

Centre for Turkey Studies

2018-19

Research • Panel Discussions •Briefings •Dinner Events • Networking Receptions • Roundtables • Monthly Speaker Series

CEFTUS provides an open forum promoting expert opinions and debates focusing on Turkey-UK relations, foreign affairs, economic issues and social developments in Turkey and the region.

Building Bridges Between

Turkey and the UK

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We established the Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) seven years ago with two goals. First, to provide an independent forum for nonpartisan discussion on Turkey and its region. And second, to build bridges between Turkey and the UK at all levels, from experts and politicians to local community groups. The packed meetings and seminars we now hold regularly are testament to the success and support the CEFTUS has enjoyed ever since.

Politics in Turkey is polarised, and at times abrasive. Yet we manage to bring senior figures from all political parties in Turkey together for informed debate. In this, the CEFTUS is unique. And in testing times, we draw hope and resilience from the commitment we share with our friends and colleagues to finding common ground rather than highlighting difference, putting honest and respectful dialogue above all else.

CEFTUS is founded upon our belief in the strong bonds of friendship between Britain and Turkey, and all its peoples.Above all else, we believe that Turkey should be a peaceful, stable, democratic and secular country with free and fair elections, the rule of law, protection of minorities, and freedom of expression.

And what breaks all of our hearts is when we see the government of Turkey so often fall short of these ideals. It breaks our hearts when we see political opposition and journalists locked up in prisons, when we see peaceful demonstrations broken up by force, when we see human rights violated, and when we see military violence used against citizens of Turkey.

Since the attempted coup of July 2016, an estimated 180,000 civil servants have been dismissed and around 55,000 of these have been charged and jailed. Media outlets have been closed-down, and journalists, members of parliament and trade unionists have been locked up without trial. Meanwhile, the annual Pride march has been banned for four years, and LGBT individuals suffer discrimination and violence.

At times, the government of Turkey has seemed intent on sowing division

and discord between its own citizens, and between Turkey and the world.

This is not just detrimental to Turkish and Kurdish society and to the lives of millions of citizens, it is detrimental to the economy of Turkey, which relies on overseas investment and trade.

The serious structural weaknesses of the Turkish economy have been brought to light by the recent currency crisis. Sadly, we have seen the poorest in society worst hit by the Lira’s crash and concomitant inflation increases, with the price of basic goods skyrocketing as the value of wages fall. It is essential that Turkey restore international investors’ confidence in the lira and the domestic economy. This will require peace and stability, the balancing of political powers and firm commitment to civil liberties and the rule of law.

Turkey is a country which aspires to be a member of the European Union. A country which is essential to the stability of the region. But right now, Turkey falls short of where we would want it to be. And that’s why CEFTUS is here, because we know that only through dialogue and scrutiny will the situation improve.

CEFTUS will continue to be an important part of that dialogue, providing the platform for discussions and exchange of views. We organise visits and seminars, lectures and publications, bringing together different shades of opinion from the UK and Turkey, to explore our common ground and shared perspectives and principles.

This has never been more important. It is not just important for Turkey, it is important for the UK too.

As we leave the EU, we will need to strengthen our bonds with friends, increase our international trade with new partners and look outwards to the world.

Ibrahim Dogus Founder and Director Centre for Turkey Studies In a world of conflict, we bring understanding.

In a world of disagreement, we bring dialogue.

In a world of prejudice, we break down barriers.

Thank you for your continued support.

CEFTUS will continue to be an important part of that dialogue, providing the platform for discussions and exchange of views.

Crucially, with the rise of racist incidents since the EU referendum, we need to celebrate the role of migrant communities in the UK now more than ever. These communities make immense contributions to our economy and society. At CEFTUS, we celebrate the contributions that Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot people have made to the economy and culture of the UK over many decades.

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“I would like to send my warmest congratulations to the Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) on their anniversary and to the organisation for its vital role in strengthening AngloTurkish relations.

The British-Turkish community contribute greatly to the social and economic life of the UK and it’s great to see the work of the CEFTUS in helping to achieve this. The UK and Turkey cooperate on a number

of important priorities including international policy, trade and investment, energy and counterterrorism.

I welcome the work of the CEFTUS to help develop and improve the relationship between the UK and Turkey, for more security and prosperity.”

Sajid Javid Home Secretary

Sustaining and promoting good Anglo-Turkish relations is an essential component in promoting a free, democratic and pluralist world.

In this context, I very much want to congratulate the Centre of Turkey Studies, CEFTUS, on its anniversary and congratulate it on the work it has done to develop relationships between

the people of Turkey and the United Kingdom. By engaging a range of stakeholders and institutions, CEFTUS helps promote an understanding that is so important in the world at present.”

Dominic Grieve Member of Parliament

“The UK and Turkey continue to enjoy a strong bilateral relationship, underpinned by 2010 ‘Strategic Partnership’ agreement. Turkey is Europe’s Emerging Power, an important NATO ally and a valued security partner to the UK. We work closely with Turkey on a range of foreign policy challenges in the Middle East, most notably on addressing the problems stemming from the continuing conflict in Syria and cooperating against the threat posed by ISIL.

Philip Hammond Chancellor of the Exchequer

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Turkey is also integral to the success of the UK’s prosperity goals, reflecting its record of sustained economic growth.

Turkey’s long term economic

prospects offer substantial opportunities for UK firms, and UK expertise can help Turkey realise its grand ambitions for its role in the region and the world by 2023; the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic. It is in this context that I welcome the Centre for Turkey Studies’ efforts to help us deepen cultural, political and business links between our two countries.”

“I was delighted to be able to attend last year’s gala when CEFTUS presented awards to Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot men, women and organisations for their great work.

Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot people make an important contribution to British society, and CEFTUS plays a key role in recognising and celebrating that contribution.

understanding, dialogue and debate.

Turkey is an important part of both Europe and the Middle East.

Throughout the Brexit process, the UK must remain open to the world and rich in diversity and our relationship with Turkey must be a part of that.

I look forward to working with CEFTUS and others in order to achieve our shared goals.”

The centre is a vital space for bringing together Turkey’s various communities in the UK and providing a forum for Jeremy Corbyn Leader of the Labour Party

“I would like to commend CEFTUS for its invaluable efforts in cultivating strong relations between Turkey and the UK. The organisation’s debates, roundtables and community events provide a vital opportunity for people from a variety of backgrounds to share ideas and make connections, allowing cultural and economic bonds to flourish.

I know from my own constituency what an essential social, cultural and economic contribution the Turkish, Kurdish, and Turkish Cypriot communities make to British life, and wish CEFTUS every success for the year ahead.”

Emily Thornberry Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth

“The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) has been instrumental in strengthening ties between the UK and Turkey. The UK’s Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot diaspora is one of the country’s most prominent, hugely contributing to the UK both economically and culturally, and CEFTUS’ efforts to improve dialogue between the two countries should be applauded.

Lord Karan Bilimoria of Chelsea’s Chairman of Cobra Beer

The UK and Turkey have a long and illustrious history and, with our shared membership of important international bodies

– such as the G20 and NATO – as well as Turkey’s position as the link between Europe and Asia, it is vital that Anglo-Turkish relations continue to flourish.

Political dialogue is sorely needed to solve some of the most pressing international issues facing the world today, from the conflict in Syria, to the resettlement of refugees from the Middle East, and I welcome the work that CEFTUS undertakes on the important issues facing both Turkey and the UK.”

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“I would like to send my warmest congratulations to the Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) on their 7th anniversary and to the organisation for its vital role in strengthening Anglo-Turkish relations.

I welcome the work of the CEFTUS to help develop and improve the relationship between the UK and Turkey, for more security and prosperity.”

The British-Turkish community contribute greatly to the social and economic life of the UK and it’s great to see the work of the CEFTUS in helping to achieve this.

The UK and Turkey cooperate on a number of important priorities including international policy, trade and investment, energy and counter-terrorism.

Sadiq Khan Mayor of London

“Scotland and Turkey have strong links. Our two countries continue to build our relationship in a number of key areas. In addition to our business links, we also have academic partnerships which exist between Higher Education establishments in Scotland and Turkey. We value the contribution the Turkish community makes to Scotland’s culture and economy.

bring both countries together, which promotes bilateral relationships between the United Kingdom and Turkey. I welcome the work of the Centre for Turkey Studies and their achievements and hope that they continue to provide such an important for discussion.”

The Centre for Turkey Studies provides a forum for discussion with a range of stakeholders to Nicola Sturgeon First Minister of Scotland

‘I am delighted to send a message of support to the Centre of Turkey Studies for the sterling work it is doing in forging closer relations between the people of United Kingdom and Turkey. Its Chairman Mr Ibrahim Dogus works tirelessly to connect with people of every walk of life and in turn has made the Centre a force in the UK. Its cultural and business activities are generating better understanding of Turkey and its rich culture in the UK. The Centre is also helping to connect the Dr Rami Ranger Managing Director of Sun Mark

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vibrant Turkish diaspora to its country of origin.

The award dinners are not only inspirational but also showcase the achievements of Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot businesses in Britain.’

Fabian Hamilton Labour MP for Leeds North East Shadow Minister for Peace and Disarmament "As I opened the CEFTUS meeting at Labour Party Conference this year, I stressed the importance of upholding human rights in Turkey, particularly under the leadership of President Erdogan. Labour is absolutely willing to work with Turkey, as there is an important relationship to preserve in the interests of regional stability, our own national security, and trade.

CEFTUS is an organisation that helps the Labour Party communicate with Turkey in an unprecedented way, and it is this dialogue that will help promote human rights in the country.”

Ruth Smeeth Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent North and Kidsgrove "Just as Turkey is often described as the bridge between East and West, so too has CEFTUS become the bridge between ourselves and a deeper understanding of Turkey, its politics and its people.

Their research and analysis is an indispensable source of knowledge about Turkey and the wider region.

Since 2011 the Centre has gone from strength to strength and I hope it will continue its work for many years to come."

Janet Daby Labour MP for Lewisham East

“The UK has a proud and vibrant Turkish, Turkish Cypriot and Kurdish communities which have contributed much to British society, economically and socially and culturally.

In Lewisham we have a thriving Turkish population with Turkish being the fifth most spoken language. The Centre of Turkey Studies provides a beacon for the brightest and best historians, politicians and cultural figures to congregate and contribute to further strengthen the relationship between Turkey and the UK. CEFTUS has an integral role that has produced great works in building greater Turkey-UK ties that has had a meaningful and lasting impact which has grown from strength to strength. I wish CEFTUS continued prosperity and success that their community has already been reflective of.”

Preet Kaur Gill Labour MP for Birmingham, Edgbaston and Shadow Minister (International Development) “Turkey is a unique country that faces many unique challenges. A key NATO ally, Turkey sits at the border between Europe and the Middle East, and as such is on the frontline of the instability seen in Iraq and Syria.

CEFTUS plays an important role by offering an open platform in which to discuss some of the extremely complex issues regarding Turkey and the wider region, whilst also helping to build bridges between the Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot communities of the UK. It is for this reason that I am pleased to offer my congratulations to CEFTUS as it celebrates its 7th anniversary.”

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Rushanara Ali Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow

"I am delighted to provide a message of support for the Centre for Turkey Studies.

I understand that the Centre for Turkey Studies provides an open forum promoting expert opinions and debates focusing on Turkey UK relations, foreign affairs, economic issues and social developments in Turkey. I understand that the Centre for Turkey Studies also conducts research into the changing political, social and business landscape of Turkey and the surrounding region.

I congratulate the Centre for Turkey Studies on its 7th Anniversary and on their achievements so far. I wish the Centre for Turkey Studies every success with their future endeavours."

Lord McInnes Conservative Peer

"CEFTUS is a vital organisation for all Parliamentarians with a serious interest in Turkey and the wider region. Without their informative briefings, events and meetings we would lose an opportunity to learn and build strong relations."

Baroness Harris of Richmond Liberal Democrat Peer

"I send CEFTUS my very best wishes for another fantastic event – and thank you for the excellent work you do bringing your communities together and enabling us all to work towards a peaceful future. We are living in very difficult times and we must do all we can to ensure the voices of reason and democracy are heard."

Rt Hon George Howarth Labour MP for Knowsley

‘Given the instability in the region and Turkey’s pivotal role in the complex networks of competing political and strategic relationships there, it is vitally important that we have open platforms to enable us to reach a better understanding of who is who and what is what. Having been involved in a number of CEFTUS events, I can attest to the fact that it is an organisation that creates a space for information dialogue.’

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Catherine West Labour MP for Hornsey and Wood Green “CEFTUS is a fantastic organisation, which enriches the public discourse on Turkish affairs. Drawing together experts and stakeholders, their forums and events are brilliant places to deepen one’s understanding of Turkish politics, culture, economy and history.”

Lord Wallace of Saltaire Liberal Democrat Peer

"I continue to find CEFTUS an invaluable source of expertise and information on developments within Turkey and its relations with its neighbours, as well as a window into the UK's own Turkish community."

Sir David Amess Conservative MP for Southend West

“I applaud the work of the Centre for Turkey Studies.

There is no doubt at all that they are well regarded among Parliamentarians.

For my own part I had the privilege of visiting Turkey in March this year and met Ministers and high ranking officials. I was struck by how much our two countries have in common regarding the fight against terror in particular and our desire to assist refugees.

Furthermore with the UK leaving the European Union there is a real opportunity to increase trade between our two countries.”

Mary Lou McDonald TD President of Sinn Féin

May I congratulate CEFTUS on its 7th Anniversary and for the work it does to promote and uphold human rights and equality for all Turkish, Turkish-Cypriot, and Kurdish citizens.

CEFTUS provides a positive and open forum for meaningful and inclusive debate. Our experience of the Irish peace process leads us to believe that inclusive dialogue, involving all protagonists, is central to establishing a conflict resolution process, dealing with the causes of conflict and all issues related to it. Talking remains the best path towards reconciliation.

The deterioration of democratic accountability in Turkey; the continued repression of the Kurdish people; the ongoing conflict in neighbouring Syria; and the refugee crisis in the region has meant that the work and expertise CEFTUS provides has never been more crucial.

Through its public debates, research papers, and international delegations CEFTUS makes a credible contribution towards the efforts to build a lasting peace in the region. Maith thú.

Paul Maskey Sinn Fein MP for Belfast West

On behalf of the Sinn Féin MP Team, comhghairdeas to CEFTUS on its 7th Anniversary. My colleagues and I wish to recognise the valuable work that CEFTUS provides in monitoring the integrity of democratic institutions and freedoms in Turkey.

At the beginning of this year I was in Ankara as part of an international delegation of independent observers for the court cases of two HDP MPs, Mr Selahattin Demirtaş and Ms Figen Yüksekdağ. From what I witnessed, I am convinced that platforms like CEFTUS have never been more vital. The erosion of rights and the pervasive persecution, at present in Turkey, should be cause for considerable concern for the international community.

In these difficult times, we must do all we can to ensure that the voices of those struggling for democracy and freedom in Turkey are heard. I commend CEFTUS for bringing together the voices of progressive elements of civic society and expert opinions on the region. Congratulations to CEFTUS, and Ibrahim Dogus in particular, for your work - we wish you every success in the time ahead.

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John Spellar Labour MP for Warley

The Centre for Turkey Studies is a hugely valuable source of information for those interested in Turkey and the region. They regularly give voice to a plurality of expert opinions – going further than most in explaining key developments. It is relied upon as a trusted source of information by many MPs including myself and I pay tribute to the work Ibrahim has done in cementing CEFTUS’s profile.”

Virendra Sharma Labour MP for Ealing Southall

"I want to offer my firmest congratulations and good wishes to CEFTUS for the 7th Annual Gala Dinner.

The Turkish community in the UK has contributed a lot, and continues to play an incredibly important and valuable role to British society.

This 7th Annual Gala Dinner is an amazing opportunity to bring together the Turkish Community, policy makers and politicians to build bridges between Turkey and the UK. You contribute to civil society and are community leaders and role models, you improve society with your hard work and dedication, and without you the UK's cultural life would be poorer.

Good luck for the event, and my thanks to my dear friends Ibrahim for his many years of ceaseless work and commitment"

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Lord Balfe Conservative Peer

“I send greetings at what too many of us seems to be a most difficult time for the people of Turkey. Whether to face East or West seems to be a major concern of the Turkish governing class. For my part the secular society founded by Kemal Mustafa Ataturk remains the ideal that I hope Turkey will continue to uphold.

Many of us celebrate the differences that make us distinct societies but alongside this must be an adherence to a common core of values. To me that was the central message of Ataturk and as we approach the centenary of the foundation of the modern Turkish State I hope that his ideals will continue to be the guiding star of the Turkish nation.”

“CEFTUS plays an essential role in providing expert and nonpartisan information and analysis on Turkish affairs. It brings together an unrivalled array of stakeholders and specialists in Turkish politics, history and culture - providing a bridge not only between the UK and Turkey but also between the Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot communities who make such a vital contribution to all aspects of life here in the UK. I wish it every success in the future.”

Now more than ever, UK-Turkish relations are an important part of our global outlook and CEFTUS have a huge role to play in this enhanced relationship by helping strengthen the understanding and friendship between us. The strength of CEFTUS is owed to its sizeable cross-party and cross-community support both here in the UK and in Turkey, with its briefings becoming increasingly valuable to many in Parliament. I look forward to seeing an enhanced trading relationship between the UK and Turkey in the coming years and thank CEFTUS for their hard work in making this possible.”

Clive Efford Labour MP for Eltham

Michelle Donelan Conservative MP for Chippenham

Our Advisors Members of the Houses of Parliament, members of the European Parliament and councillors

Kate Osamor MP Stephen Kinnock MP

Angus Brendan MacNeil MP

Julie Ward MEP

Lord Sheikh

Andrew Slaughter MP Jean Lambert MEP

Baroness Sarah Ludford

Caroline Flint MP

Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece OBE

Keith Vaz MP

Diana Johnson MP Sir David Amess MP

Academics, journalists and business people

Dr Metin Gurcan Dr Soner Cagaptay

Sara Whyatt

Gareth Winrow

Dr. Bill Park

Dr. Fuat Keyman

Dr Sinan Ciddi

Dr Ayla Gol

Rusen Cakir

Dr Katerina Dalacoura

Zeynep Banu Dalaman

Dr Caroline Tee

Jonathan Fryer

Mustafa Topkaya

Dr Louis Fishman Professor Ibrahim Sirkeci

Dr Pelin Kadercan

Dr Tunc Aybak

Ambassador James F. Jeffrey CEFTUS 2018-19

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Our 7th Anniversary We are delighted by what has been achieved at the Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) over the past year – from the relationships we have helped to strengthen to the dialogue we have fostered and the meetings we have organised.

Over the last year we have hosted numerous roundtables, debates and forums on a wide range of topics and issues, including Turkey’s first presidential and parliamentary elections, the Turkish economy, the constitutional referendum, the failed coup attempt of July 2016, civil-military relations, the integration of Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot communities in the UK, the Cyprus issue and Turkey's foreign policy and Turkey’s changing relationship with the EU. We have continued to produce indepth briefings and expert analysis for CEFTUS members on issues as they arise in Turkey and the wider region, such as Turkey’s operations in Syria and in Iraq, Turkey’s economic fortunes, Turkey’s defence industry and how Brexit might impact upon UK-Turkey relations.

At CEFTUS, we pride ourselves on our non-partisan, fair and balanced approach, with our guests and supporters coming from various political traditions and from across the spectrum in both the UK and Turkey. Since our inauguration, we have received invaluable support and assistance from Conservative, Labour, SNP and Liberal Democrat MPs and Lords, and we have hosted representatives from Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) as well as the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and People’s Democratic Party (HDP). Our cross-party approach allows us to properly engage with the issues and build dialogue, fostering understanding across traditional political divides.

Now in our seventh year, this sense of understanding and dialogue drives our work more than ever.

Over the next year, we will be looking to host more community and cultural events, collaborating with different partners and building on our success.

We will also continue to hold expert panel series and public forums with special guest speakers from the UK and Turkey.

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Please contact us via email at info@ ceftus.org for more information about how to get involved in our community.

Please visit www.ceftus.org for details of our events and projects. You can also find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @CeftusOrg for updates and information about upcoming events and projects.

We appreciate all the support of our members and we look forward to seeing what 2018 will bring for CEFTUS, for Turkey, and for the community here in the UK.

The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) is registered as a not-forprofit company (Reg. No. 07512777) 8th Floor, Elizabeth House 39 York Road, London SE1 7NQ, UK E: info@ceftus.org T: +44 (0) 2071 834 272 / +44 (0) 2078039713 Follow us @CeftusOrg Like us @CentreforTurkeyStudies

All Party Parliamentary Group on British Turks and Kurds The All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Turks and Kurds was established on 21st February 2018 in the House of Commons.

The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) acts as secretariat for the group.

Dan Carden MP is Chair of the APPG British Turks and Kurds. David Warburton MP, Catherine West MP, Sir David Amess MP, Tom Brake MP, Brendan O’Hara, Lord Glasman and Lord Watts are Vice-Chairs.

Members are Joan Ryan MP, Tracy Brabin MP, Gerald Jones MP, Grahame Morris MP, Virendra Sharma MP, Fabian Hamilton MP, Chris Williamson MP, Alex Sobel MP, Gareth Thomas MP, Ruth Cadbury MP, Neil Coyle MP, Nick Thomas-Symonds MP,

Siobhain McDonagh MP, Mike Hill MP, Chris Williamson MP, Tracy Brabin MP, John Mann MP, Emma Hardy MP, Rosie Duffield MP, Ian Lucas MP, Matthew Pennycook MP, Baroness Warsi, Baroness Harris and Lord Wallace.

As secretariat of the All- Party Parliamentary Group on British Turks and Kurds CEFTUS • Promotes the work of the APPG in Parliament and beyond through traditional and social media • Endeavours to keep MPs and Peers informed on relevant topics through regular electronic briefings • Works to further links between the Turkish and Kurdish communities and their

elected representatives at all levels • Provides administrative and technical support where necessary APPG’s official purpose of statement is as below: “To encourage debate and engage in discussion about issues affecting Britain’s Turkish and Kurdish communities.

To celebrate the contribution and achievements of Britain’s Turkish and Kurdish communities” In the inaugural meeting Lord Balfe, Member of APPG for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Gary Kent, Secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Kurdistan and Ibrahim Dogus, Director of CEFTUS were in attendance.

Membership CEFTUS receives cross-party and cross-community support in the UK and Turkey, and we do not owe allegiance to any government, political party or institution. We do not receive any funding and so we encourage all those who are interested in our work of strengthening ties between Turkey and the UK to join our organisation. The support of our members allows us to do what we do, and we couldn’t be more appreciative of them.

Subscribe to CEFTUS’ daily briefings or become a member and attend our roundtable discussions with experts on Turkey and the wider region. Membership and subscriptions are available for both individuals and organisations.

To join, contact us at info@ceftus.org or on 00 44 (0) 207 183 4272.

Volunteering

Please support us and join our community. Volunteer with us or take part in our internship programme. To join, contact us at info@ceftus.org or on 00 44 (0) 207 183 4272.

Donation;

Consider making a donation. No amount is too small and any contribution will be greatly appreciated.

Please visit www.ceftus.org to make a donation or email us on info@ceftus.org to receive a link for your donation.

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CEFTUS 6th Anniversary Gala and Turkish, Kurdish a On Sunday 8th October 2017, the Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) hosted its 6th Anniversary Gala with over 700 guests at the Westminster Park Plaza Hotel near the Houses of Parliament.

Commemorating the founding of CEFTUS 6 years ago, the event celebrated the achievements of CEFTUS over the last year in building bridges between Turkey and the UK. In addition to the gala, CEFTUS also celebrated the achievements of the Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot communities in the UK with its annual Community Achievement Awards, recognising excellence in fields such as law, business, education and politics. Guests, including parliamentarians and ambassadors, enjoyed a delicious three course Turkish meal and excellent performances from Turkish musical

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acts Legacy II Galaxy and Olcay Bayir.

The event was well attended by many politicians from various political parties, including Sir David Amess MP as well as Marsha De Cordova MP, Afzal Khan MP, John Spellar MP, Barry McElduff MP, Kate Osamor MP, Lord Glasman, Lord Bird, Lord Dykes, Lord Dholakia, Lord Suri, Lord McInnes and Lord Paul. Mayors in attendance included Marcia Cameron of Lambeth, Philip Glanville of Hackney, Christine Hamilton of Enfield, Linda Huggett of Redbridge and Bhagwanji Chohan of Brent, in addition to a number of local councillors. CEFTUS also hosted various ambassadors, trade unionists and journalists, many of whom presented awards. Prominent figures from the world of business were also in attendance, and delegations were sent from the three main sponsors – Cobra, JustEat and Alton & Co. Cobra

chairman Lord Bilimoria and JustEat’s Ben Carter both spoke, congratulating CEFTUS on the organisation’s achievements and speaking of their own company’s successes.

Figures from across the political spectrum in Turkey also attended, including Republican People’s Party (CHP) MP Gaye Usluer and Altan Tan from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). Journalist and former adviser to the Turkish government Cengiz Candar, who won the CEFTUS Appreciation Award. Other special guests included former Justice and Development Party (AKP) MP and law professor Osman Can, and former US Ambassador to Turkey James F. Jeffrey. The breadth of guests at the gala reflected CEFTUS’ ambition to provide open dialogue and to listen to all sides of the debate, encompassing all shades of opinion.

h and Turkish Cypriot Community Achievement Awards (2017)

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6th Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot C

Businesswoman of the Year Award Yildiz Jasmine Armstrong

CEFTUS Appreciation Award Cengiz Candar

Businesswoman of the Year Award Itir Sokmen Businessman of the Year Award Mehmet Sar

Businessman of the Year Award Alp Ceylan Businessman of the Year Award Nasir Kiral

Young Entrepreneur Award Cem Canpolat

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Young Entrepreneur Award Hasan Iรงoz

Law Award Ozlem Erbil Cetin

Education Award Dicle Korkmaz Conlon

t Community Achievement Awards Winners (2017)

Health Award Dr. Sia Radmand

Media Award Ali Kalay (Accepted by Mustafa Cetinkaya)

Community Centre of the Year Award Alxas Kom (accepted by Kazim Kilic)

Community Centre of the Year Award Croydon Alevi Cultural Centre (accepted by Israfil Erbil)

Art Award Sudden Exit

Lifelong Achievemen Award Osman Balikcioglu

Role Model of the Year Award Mehmet Agca

Role Model of the Year Award Helin Pekoz

Politics Award Councillor Emine Ibrahim

Law Award Ozan Askin

Education Award Mustafa Durmaz Role Model of the Year Award Abide Osman (Collected by Sefik Mehmet)

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Community Events

Bejan Matur and Karin Karakaşlı – Turkish Poetry in Translation 25 June 2017, Arcola Theatre

Women’s Rights and Achievements Reception 2 March 2016, House of Commons

Cengiz Candar Book Launch February 2013, SOAS

Networking Dinner with Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat March 2012

18 Olympics Recruitment CEFTUS Event with the Cemevi February 2012 CEFTUS 2018-19

CEFTUS Networking Reception 8 February 2016, Portcullis House

CEFTUS and The International Forum for Democracy and Peace (IFDP) Reception January 2013, House of Commons

Networking Dinner with Hasan Cemal and Bejan Matur January 2012

Centre for Turkey Studies Launch Dinner April 2011

Networking Dinner with Douglas Alexander, Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs September 2011

CEFTUS Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot Community Achievement Awards (2018) Jury Members Ozcan Yoruk Mustafa Topkaya Ali Gul Ozbek Raife Aytek Mehmet Sar Yusuf Cicek Alp Ceylan Kemal Has Ozan Askin Haydar Ulus Ufuk Gungor Emel Bostanci Ali Matur Sabri Ozaydin Baki Gorgun Ali Sancak Ali Guvercin

Candidates Businessman of the Year Awards Feyzullah Cinpolat Ibrahim Ince Firat Ozkan Mehmet Mercan Munir Tatar Ali Keskin Ibrahim Opuz Ali Şerbet Cuma Özden İbrahim Taş İlhami Özkan Brusk Kıvılcım Korkmaz Çetin Ağcagül Ozan Balakar Ahmet Kabayel Ahmet Orgen Mustafa Cakir Ergun Binbay Kerem Yavuzarslan Ismet Serce Cafer Mahiroglu Media Awards Güney Yıldız Faruk Zabci Elcin Poyrazlar Selin Bucak Jiyar Göl Raziye Akkoç Politics Awards Nesil Çalışkan Ahmet Durmuş Yasemin Brett

Mohammed Bakhtiar Peray Ahmet Gönül Daniels Education Awards Zeynep Kaya Burcu Özçelik Bahar Başer Ömer Tekdemir İpek Demir Gulay Icoz Emre Caliskan Emre Eren Korkmaz Ibrahim Sirkeci Gulcin Ozkan Latif Tas Umit Cetin Gul Gunes Law Awards Sefaret Yaman Erdogan Erdogan İbrahim Sal Yaşar Doğan Semira Dilgil Ali Onur Ulusakarya Charitable Organizations Awards Kıbrıs Turk Toplum Merkezi Alxas kom El-Com Alliance of Turkish Businesspersons Dem-Der Bozca-Der Ingiltere Kibris Turk Dernekleri Konseyi Kibris Turk Toplum Merkezi Roj Kadin Dernegi Female Role Model of the Year Awards Dr Döndü Derya Durmaz İpek Demir Dr Ayla Gol Ipek Ozerim Peray Ahmet Ayse Veli Aysen Ipek Sule Kangulec Emine Ibrahim Yasemin Brett Jale Ozer Jale Erentok Milena Buyum Seniha Russell Sibel Ozcelik

Elif Gelirli Suna Ertuna Sukran Saglam Vedide Kaymak Gul Ates Male Role Model of the Year Awards Azos Rashid Fewzi Hussain Mahmut Aydogan Hüseyin Üzüm Akmen Sitki Tuncel Nalbantoflu Huseyin Uzum Aladdin Sinayic Bektas Kockaya Bulent Ekinci Bulent Ulger Ismail Bulut Dr Teoman Sirri Erdal Aktas Izzet (Collins) Ceren Ferhan Yildiz Hasan Dikme Ferhat Dirik Ferhat Ozkan Murat Ozcelik Kemal Gondas Mazlum Demir Mustafa Gundogdu Metin Pekin Oktay Sahbaz Zafer Felek Mehmet Poyraz Celal Gokce Food Industry Awards İbrahim Opuz Tahir Kaya Ahmet Akdogan Sabri Baraçkılıc Selin Kazim Mazlum Demir Gursel Aksu Huseyin Yavuz Ibrahim Uzun Estate, Finance and Accounting Awards İbrahim Avcil Yusuf Kul Ertan Hürer Enver Kannur Mehmet Yenilmez Kutan Kudret Abdullah Guven

Wholesale, Supplier Awards Holland Bazaar Sama Food A to Z Best Catering Star Catering Gama Gima CNA Catering Young Entrepreneurship Awards Ali Kösele Azos Rashid Hüseyin Torun İnan Örs Kenan Kara Faik Aktulga (Wild Fangs) Can Topcu Huseyin Yavuz Ilhan Arslan Cemal Polat Inanc Elitok Savas Yuksel Ibrahim Altun Life Long Achievement Awards Niyazi Enver Huseyin Uçar Nesin Fehmi Baki Duzgun Faik Izzet Ilker Kilic Osman Cinik Itir Sokmen Nevsal Elevli Tahsin Ibrahim Mehmet Kemal Nuri Bulgurcu Art, Culture Awards Gokhan Yavuzel Kemal Kulahci Hasan Dur Caner Sahin Olcay Bayir Cigdem Aslan

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WESTMINSTER DEBATES 2016-2018

“Turkey’s Snap Elections and the Economy” 19 June 2018 Houses of Parliament Speaker: Professor Gulcin Ozkan of University of York Chair: Alex MacDonald, journalist at Middle East Eye Host: Catherine West, Labour MP for Hornsey and Wood Green and Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Turks and Kurds Professor Ozkan began with a discussion of the major currency and banking crisis that struck Turkey in 2001 as part of a number of crises to hit emerging markets from the mid-1990s. This she said, had paved the way for a period of serious reform under the auspices of the IMF that continued under the early years of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government. Such ‘first generation’ reforms included sustainable fiscal policy and a dominant monetary policy under an independent central bank.

Equally important, Professor Ozkan argued, was the creation of institutions to regulate and monitor the financial system. These, she said, were crucial to Turkey’s ability to navigate the 2008/2009 global financial crisis, allowing the country to quickly recover like many of the other emerging economies.

However, by 2007 cracks had began to appear in Turkey’s policy making institutions, Professor Ozkan said, including differences between the central bank and the prime minister’s office over mone-

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tary policy. These grew increasingly significant from 2011 onwards, with tension over whether interest rates should rise to combat inflation.

Professor Ozkan then went on to discuss the recent emergence of macroeconomic imbalances including high-inflation, high unemployment and a criti-

cal reliance on external finance. Turkey, she said, has to find external resources of roughly 230 billion dollars, around a quarter of its national income, leaving the country reliant on global financial markets.

This, she said, has been made sustainable by developments in the global economy, with the turn towards non-conventional monetary policy such as exceptionally low interest rates and quantitative easing in the US and Europe, facilitating a flow of liquidity into the emerging markets. However, this era has now begun to come to an end, leaving Turkey potentially exposed.

In this vulnerable position, Professor Ozkan argued, Turkey is performing worse than many of its peer group and therefore faces huge challenges that require a new set of structural reforms.

This includes ‘second generation’ reforms to sectors such as the labour market, education, taxation and the judiciary.

Based on her own analysis of 119 countries, Professor Ozkan said that countries with presidential systems produce less favourable macroeconomic performance than their parliamentary counterparts, including average lower growth and higher inflation, with worse economic inequality.

Ahead of Turkey’s move to a new presidential regime, Professor Ozkan said she was not optimistic that, whoever won the election, the necessary reforms will be undertaken.

Labour Party Conference 2018 “The End of Democracy? The ‘New Turkey’ and a Region in Flux” 25 September 2018 Labour Party Conference, Liverpool Keynote Speakers: Yavuz Baydar, Editor-in-Chief of Ahval Dr Arzu Yilmaz, IPC- Mercator fellow at German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin Dr Ayse Zarakol, Reader in International Relations and fellow of Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge Nurcan Baysal, Kurdish activist and journalist from Turkey Cengiz Candar, Turkish journalist Host and Chair: Alex MacDonald, staff journalist at Middle East Eye Giving introductory remarks, Angela Eagle MP conveyed her solidarity to those fighting for democracy in Turkey and highlighted Turkey as an example of the wider global phenomenon which has seen new forms of communication such as social media spread lies and propagate populism. Afzal Khan MP, Shadow Minister of State for Immigration, expressed Turkey’s potential to influence the Muslim world, and called upon Turkey to set a strong example of democracy for those countries. Finally, Fabian Hamilton MP, Shadow Minister for Peace and Disarmament and Shadow Minister for the Middle East and for Turkey called attention to the form of Turkey’s increasing authoritarianism, with people standing up for Kurdish causes being suppressed in the name of counter-terrorism. Hamilton expressed his wish to see Turkey return to its place within those nations that represent freedom, human rights, and human dignity.

Yavuz Baydar’s opening discussion focused upon the fast pace of change and intricate complexity of the war in

Syria and its peripheral reverberations – at the epicentre, Mr Baydar explains, is Turkey and the Kurds. The Syrian conflict, characterised by ‘wars within wars’ and ‘unknown unknowns’ resulting from conflicting intentions of numerous state and non-state actors, has become extremely difficult for any actor to navigate.

Turkey’s policies have been extremely unpredictable, engaging in what Mr Baydar describes as the total abandonment of strategic thinking and the total embrace of tactical moves. While Turkey faces ungovernability and systemic crisis, the Kurds’ aspirations for self-rule and independence hold the key to the conflict.

Dr Ayse Zarakol sought to complicate the stock ideas expounded inside and outside Turkey regarding the West’s role in Turkey’s current political and economic problems. Turkey is strained by its own specific problems, but was also affected by the great political miscalculations made by the West during the first decade of this Century. Turkey was artificially buoyed by the ‘irrational exuberance’ of the international community, which wanted to believe the rose-tinted story of impressive economic growth – in reality unsustainably founded upon cheap credit – and the apparent successful combination of democracy, capitalism and Islam. As the

Arab Spring unfolded, the West’s desire to make Turkey a model for the region led to overlooking domestic critics who voiced concerns long before the more recent and marked democratic deterioration.

Dr Arzu Yilmaz laid out the historical background to the Kurdish question in the region and highlighted that a review of the conventional approach to the Kurdish question is urgently needed. Dr Yilmaz described several changes to the Kurdish question in recent years, for example the shift from rights struggles within existing state boundaries to a movement towards re-territorialisation of Kurdistan as the Kurdish homeland and associated developments pertaining to Kurdish identities.

Nurcan Baysal’s discussion of Turkish democracy focused on the human rights abuses which have proliferated in the last three years. Drawing on her own eye-witness accounts of the devastation caused to her home city of Diyarbakir, Ms Baysal detailed the destruction to homes and lives caused by the prolonged curfews enforced since late 2015, which, unlike previous curfews, have regulated city centres. Kurds and Kurdish areas have suffered particularly in the state of emergency-facilitated crackdown on civil liberties since the 2016 attempted coup. Almost all Kurdish media, Kurdish civil society organisations and NGOs, even those helping the poorest families, have been closed. With many Kurds cut off from hospital treatment, activists imprisoned and militarisation of Kurdish areas, Ms Baysal concludes that democracy has already left Turkey.

Cengiz Candar explained his belief that we have indeed witnessed the end of Turkish democracy with reference to the systemic characteristics of totalitarianism outlined by Carl Friedrich and other markers, particularly the power of nationalism, by Hannah Arendt. Drawing attention to the ‘terroristic police’, Mr Candar described how the ‘Saturday Mothers’, who had gathered every week to mourn and honour their lost loved ones, was banned on grounds of ‘terrorism’, ending a peaceful display of grief dating back over 13 years. Mr Candar ended his discussion by explaining how elections – now an obsession of Erdogan – have been designed such that Erdogan and his party cannot lose. Unlike Egypt where Presidents always win with nearly 100%, Turkey’s system only requires just over 50% - giving credibility to the process.

This, Mr Candar concluded, is an ‘ingenious way’ of ending democracy.

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“Upcoming General Elections in Turkey” 06 June 2018 House of Commons Speaker: Ali Bayramoglu, Academic and Political Commentator Chair: Dr Ibrahim Sirkeci of Regent University Host: Siobhain McDonagh, Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden and Member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Turks and Kurds Ali Bayramoglu provided a background of recent developments in Turkey before offering his insights into what he expects to be the outcome of the election.

Bayramoglu noted that the AKP had increased its vote at almost every election, leaving the opposition despondent. However, he argued that there were three factors that could change this picture. The first of these, he said, is the ‘Kurdish Question’, an issue which it is clearer than ever cannot be solved by violence.

The second, was the strength of Turkey’s electoral system, which stretches back to 1876. In Turkish history, Bayramoglu said, there had only been two clear cases of electoral fraud: 1913 and 1946. He pointed out that even after the country’s

various military coups, there had been a quick return to voting. Without winning elections, Bayramoglu argued, the AKP could not remain in power.

The last factor, Bayramoglu said, was differences within the AKP’s support. Bayramoglu argued during its period in office, the AKP had transformed Turkey’s centre-right into a seemingly homogenous mass of voters, but differences in the AKP’s electoral base remain, and are progressively becoming clearer.

For these reasons, Bayramoglu argued, there is potential for political change. The different opposition parties, he said, have worked better together than he had expected and were campaigning with energy and enthusiasm. Bayramoglu pointed to the emergence of the Felicity Party (SP) in particular, which he argued had reasserted itself as a credible alternative for conservative voters, including in the predominantly Kurdish region.

Bayramoglu added that, while he was optimistic, it is difficult to know what the outcome of the election will be, with many people reluctant to respond to polling firms. He said that the most reliable data indicates that the AKP and MHP will

not win enough seats to secure a majority in parliament. Instead, both the AKPMHP alliance and the CHP-IP-SP alliance are currently polling at around 43%, with the HDP on between 9-11%, although Bayramoglu argued that the HDP may in fact get between 11-13%.

In the presidential election, Bayramoglu said there are several different possibilities. Overall, however, Bayramoglu argued that right-wing voters are likely to vote for Erdogan as they do not want to completely derail the AKP’s political project. The key question, Bayramoglu said, was if the AKP loses power in parliament, will conservative voters want to lose Erdogan as well?

While there is disillusion with the Erdogan and the AKP, there remains support for its overall policies, Bayramoglu said.

Bayramoglu ended by saying the situation remains finely balanced, making the election’s outcome difficult to call. There are three possible outcomes, Bayramoglu argued: Either Erdogan wins both the parliamentary and presidential elections, only wins one election or he loses both. If the AKP wins the presidency but loses the parliament, he warned it could trigger a serious political crisis.

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“Turkish-Israeli Relations” 25 April 2018 House of Commons Speaker: Dr Louis Fishman, Professor of Modern Middle East History at Brooklyn College, University of New York Chair: Jonathan Friedman, Political analyst and Director at Stroz Friedberg Host: Mohammad Yasin, Labour MP for Bedford Dr Fishman gave an overview of Turkey-Israel relations, arguing that there has been several ups and downs, but never a complete breakdown. He noted that relations between the two countries go back further than many usually recognise, including Turkey being the first Muslim country to officially recognise the state of Israel.

Dr Fishman argued that it was not until the 1970s that Israel became a domestic issue in Turkey, where it was a taken up

by Turkish leftist groups embracing an-

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ti-colonial politics. While at the same time, the rise of political Islam saw a growth in anti-semitism in Turkish politics.

The height of Turkey-Israel relations, Dr Fishman said, was the 1990s. This was based on growing military cooperation, with Israel willing to sell Turkey weapons to fight the PKK. Similarly, the Israeli lobby became a useful ally in opposing the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Washington.

Dr Fishman noted that the 1997 ‘post-modern’ coup came in part after a high profile anti-Israel protest. He said that this began to expose a gap between the Turkish military’s close relations with Israel and the growing criticism of Israel among Turkish political parties, which unanimously condemned events like the ‘Jenin Massacre’ in 2002.

Giving an overview of Justice and Development Party (AKP) era, Dr Fishman said that it had been marked by a slow

and steady erosion of the military links between Turkey and Israel, but a growth in economic and trade ties. He argued that 2008 had been a crucial moment, with Turkey serving as an intermediary between Israel and Syria. However, progress was stymied by Israel’s ‘Cast Lead’ military operation in Gaza.

Since that point, Dr Fishman argued, there has been a series of rows marked by increasingly harsh rhetoric on both sides, including the Davos affair and Mavi Marmara incident. This peaked in 2014, when there was a surge in anti-semitic comments from a range of Turkish government ministers.

Despite this, Dr Fishman said, Israel-Turkey relations have continued to endure, primarily on the back of shared economic interests. For example, Istanbul has become a major hub for Israeli tourists, while Israel is now a gateway for Turkish exports to Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

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“CHANGES TO ANKARA AGREEMENT VISA APPLICATIONS” 24 April 2018 House of Commons Speakers: Saad Saeed, Solicitor and Advocate at Aman Solicitors Ozan Askin, Solicitor and Partner at Silvine Law Yasar Dogan, Solicitor Advocate and Non-practising Barrister at Redstone Solicitors Semira Dilgil, Head of Private Immigration and Founding Partners of Ashton Ross Law Chair: Aysegul Yesildaglar, a former Turkish Attache for Labour and Social Security Host: Sir David Amess, Conservative MP for Southend and Vice-Chair of the AllParty Parliamentary Group on British Turks and Kurds

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This panel discussion of legal experts focused on recent changes to applications for visas under the so-called ‘Ankara Agreement’. It opened with Mr Saeed giving a brief history of the Ankara Agreement, the basis of Turkey’s relationship with the European Union. He then went on to explain the implications of Ankara Agreement for Turkish citizens seeking to enter and remain in the UK, adding that the government had increasingly sought to restrict its provisions and had now rejected them almost completely.

Mr Yasar Dogan provided details of the decision by the Upper Tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber in March 2017, which has provided the basis for the government’s decision to

suspend indefinite leave to remain applications under the ‘Ankara Agreement’.

He emphasised that nothing in the judgement was mandatory and that the changes contravene several recent rulings by the European Court of Justice. Mr Dogan is representing the individuals involved in the March 2017 decision and said that, while it could no longer be appealed, a further case was being prepared, with others likely to follow.

Mr Ozan Askin put the discussion of the Ankara Agreement in a political context, arguing that the recent experience of the ’Windrush Generation’ showed that the government was implementing harsh measures against migration. He argued that the terms of the UK’s future relationship with the EU would be crucial, particularly the decision to the stay in the customs union, which is closely linked the Ankara Agreement.

Ms Semira Dilgil explained that she had already submitted a series of documents to the Home Office to challenge the recent changes, including letters sent to those who had made the initial steps under the Ankara Agreement which state that they would be allowed to apply for indefinite leave to remain. She criticised the arbitrary way in which the decision had been made and insisted that it could be changed through a combination of legal and political pressure.

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Book Launch “The Passion: Football and the Story of Modern Turkey” 3 April 2018 Unite the Union Speaker: Patrick Keddie, Journalist Chair: Buket Bora, CEFTUS Deputy Director The event was opened by CEFTUS Deputy Director Buket Bora, who spoke of

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the importance of football in Turkey and welcomed the publication of a new indepth study on the subject.

Mr Keddie began by outlining his interest of in the topic, which began, he said, with witnessing rival fans putting aside their differences during the Gezi Protests of 2013. This inspired him to take an indepth look at the role of football in Turkish society, and he became intrigued by the myriad ways in which the sport was bound up with issues of identity, culture and politics.

To illustrate this, Mr Keddie gave an anecdote about President Erdogan, who in his youth was a semi-professional football player for a team associated with Istanbul’s transport authority. Following the 1980 military coup, the team was taken over by a figure associated with the military junta, who banned players from sporting facial hair associated with religious piety. Rather than shave, Erdogan is said to have resigned his position from the team in protest. This story, Mr Keddie said, encapsulates the narrative on which Erdogan has sought to build much of his political career, as a figure standing up for religious-conservative voters against state repression.

Mr Keddie then went on to speak about the way in which President Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), like many of its predecessors in government, has sought to instrumentalise football for its own political ends. The most obvious example of this, he argued, was the habit

of Erdogan and other senior AKP figures of wearing the local football team’s scarf during campaign rallies. He also highlighted İstanbul Başakşehir S.K., a relatively new team associated with the local municipality, which he said was the most successful attempt thus far to build a pro-government football club. However, despite doing well on the field, Mr Keddie noted that Başakşehir S.K. has struggled to develop a fan culture and following to challenge the more established teams.

With this in mind, Mr Keddie argued that football was also a site of contestation, including struggle against the government and other dominant forces in society. He mentioned the controversies around several teams associated with Turkey’s Kurdish minority, most notably Amed S.K., the players and fans of which have been banned by the Turkish Football Federation on several occasions for making what have been deemed to be political statements. Mr Keddie also detailed the role of other minority groups in Turkish football, including women’s and LGBT teams, and the story of Halil Ibrahim Dincdag, who was dismissed from his position as a referee due to his sexuality.

The evening ended with a question and answer session that provided an indepth discussion of many of the topics Mr Keddie touched upon in his remarks, finishing with a brief outline of the early history of football in Turkey and the potential obstacles the sport faces at it looks to the future.

7 February 2018 House of Commons Speaker: Yavuz Baydar, Editor-in-Chief of Ahval, a trilingual independent online news site on Turkey Chair: Sir David Logan, former British Ambassador to Turkey Host: Virendra Sharma, Labour MP for Ealing, Southall The premise of Baydar’s speech was that there had been a dramatic reversal in the Turkey’s direction, but he began by noting that there were too many complex factors to say that Turkey’s ‘U-turn’ was inevitable. In retrospect, he argued, the internal structures of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) were not resilient enough to challenge the centralisation of power in one figure; Turkey’s main opposition was too weak and visionless; dark forces within the ‘deep state’ had continued to exert their influence; and the already rotten state of the media had deteriorated further; all of which had played their own role.

Baydar stated that the 2011 elections had proved a crucial moment. The AKP’s overwhelming victory, he argued, helped convince then-Prime Minister Erdogan that the masses were behind his party, but that further reform was only likely to weaken his position. In particular, the AKP’s drive to unify the country’s various intelligence

“Politics, Media and Law in Turkey, Under the State of Emergency” mechanisms had caused turmoil behind the scenes, the impact of which, Baydar believes, is only now beginning to be understood.

At around the same time, Baydar said, the Turkish media came under growing political pressure from the government, with critical voices removed in favour of increasingly sycophantic ones. Meanwhile, the Gezi Park protests led the other senior figures in the AKP to back-off from criticising

their leader, giving Erdogan an opportunity to take personal control of the party which, until then, had largely been a microcosm of Turkey’s conservative right-wing currents.

Similarly, during the 2013 corruption probe against the government, Baydar argued, the judiciary and police had shown insufficient resilience against the political executive’s attempts to bend them to its will.

Baydar then went on to discuss the ‘watershed’ elections of the 7th June 2015, at which the AKP lost its parliamentary majority amid the rise of the Kurdish-focused Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). This, Baydar argued, led Erdogan to end the peace-process with the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) and realign with ultra-nationalist elements both within the state and the far-right Nationalist Action Party (MHP), resulting in a victory at a rerun of the elections in November 2015. This new mix of Islamism and nationalist, he said, is crucial to understanding the new politics in Turkey.

Baydar concluded by saying that the latest changes to the constitution, which he said had created a ‘super presidency’, will make it very hard for the opposition to come to power. This, he argued, had been exacerbated by the conditions of emergency rule introduced after the failed coup, which had had a devastating effect on Turkey’s civil society, with hundreds of journalists arrested and many media groups shut down.

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“ELECTIONS IN CYPRUS AND THE FUTURE OF CYPRUS TALKS” 16 January 2018 House of Commons Speakers: Dr James Ker-Lindsay, Professor of Politics and Policy at St Mary’s University; Ilker Kilich, former Republican Turkish Party (CTP) UK President Chair: Ipek Ozerim, editor of T-VINE Magazine Host: Faisal Rashid, Labour MP for Warrington South In January, CEFTUS hosted a discussion on what elections in the north and south of Cyprus mean for the future of the island and the talks over reunification.

Ilker Kilich, a highly experienced political activist from Cyprus’ Turkish community, began by expressing his dismay at the failure last July of UN-led talks in Montana. He said that the disappointing outcome had been a blow to those in the north of the island who were in favour of reunification and had bolstered those who did not want a negotiated settlement, many of whom were now calling for a referendum on joining Turkey. The only way to reverse this atmosphere, Mr Kilich argued, was to again restart the talks.

Mr Kilich said that a bid to return to the negotiating table had been aided by the decision to move elections in the north of Cyprus forward to January, allowing the

possibility of talks to resume after corresponding elections in the south later this month. He then offered his analysis of the January election, arguing that the result had been somewhat misunderstood by his colleagues in the south. Gains by right-wing parties, Mr Kilich said, did not necessarily have poor implications for the negotiation process. Instead, the topic of reunification did not feature strongly in the election, and there remains strong support for a solution in the north.

Mr Kilich ended by emphasising the importance of keeping the negotiating process going even if there is no final solution in sight. However, he said that significant progress was unlikely before the 2019 elections in Turkey and the UK finalising the Brexit negotiations.

Dr James Ker-Lindsay, who specialises in conflict resolution in the region and was part of the UK delegation to the Montana talks, began by taking up Mr Kilich’s point that the collapse of the negotiations had been a significant blow. He said the UN delegation in particular had been disappointed by the outcome of the talks, and would require concrete progress before committing to a similar process again.

Dr Ker-Lindsay then offered some tentative predictions for the elections which are to be held in the south of the island at the

end of January. He said that while the current president, Nicos Anastasiades, was likely to comfortably win the first round, the second round runoff had the potential to be much less predictable. The election of Anastasiades for a second term would likely result in restarting reunification talks, Dr Ker-Lindsay said, but even then they would not start immediately.

Dr Ker-Lindsay warned the administration in the north of Cyprus against taking unilateral action, arguing that the recent examples of the unsuccessful Catalan and Kurdish independence referendums showed that there was little international appetite for such action. He said that potential annexation of the north by Turkey was a bigger risk after the precedent set

by Russia in Crimea. However, he argued that such a move was still unlikely, and would permanently end Turkey’s bid to join the EU. Dr Ker-Lindsay ended by emphasising that he thought an organic process may be the best way of reaching a solution. He said the Greek Cypriot community should not be afraid of encouraging their Turkish counterparts to engage with the outside world, particularly the EU, but that the Turkish Cypriot Community needed to do more to demonstrate their willingness to act independently of Ankara.

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“THE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO THE ROHINGYA CRISIS” 29 November 2017 House of Commons Speakers: Professor Penny Green of Queen Mary University Sufyan Ismail, founder of Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND) Chair: Dr Thomas MacManus, Research Fellow, Queen Mary University Host: Yasmin Qureshi, Labour MP for Bolton South East and Shadow Minister for Justice Turkey has been deeply involved in the international aid effort for the Rohingya, and on 7 September, Turkey’s foreign aid agency became the first foreign outfit to deliver an initial shipment of 1000 tonnes of basic food and medicine to Rohingya areas. Meanwhile, Turkish officials have visited the refugee camps in Bangladesh and offered assistance to displaced people.

Because of Turkey’s international involvement and the interest of the Turkish people in this issue, CEFTUS organised an event to discuss the ongoing persecution of – and humanitarian crisis facing – the Rohingya people in Myanmar.

Professor Penny Green spoke first, taking us back to 2012 when she first visited Myanmar in the aftermath of massacres of Rohingya. She obtained a grant in the UK to return and study the situation in greater depth, and returned to Myanmar in 2014. She observed a situation where the Rohingya were ghettoised in the capital, and villages in Rakhine state were “prisons”. Professor Green commented on how the Rakhine ethnic group has gone from two-thirds of the population in the state to above 90% due to the killings and displacement of Rohingya pe-

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ople. She spoke about the various stages of genocide – dehumanisation, legal barriers and denial of rights leading to violence, isolation and state-encouraged “systematic weakening” of an entire people. She concluded that the Rohingya were going through a “social death”, and that the responsibility lay squarely with the Myanmar state (in particular, the military). She criticised the moderate

language of ‘ethnic cleansing’ bandied around by the international community, stating that the only appropriate word was genocide.

Yasmin Qureshi MP spoke after Professor Green. She told of how she was contacted by a constituent five years ago, first exposing her to the issue of Rohingya persecution in Myanmar. She argued at the time that international sanctions against Myanmar were lifted prematurely, and that the international community had “turned a blind eye” to the situation. Qureshi spoke about the exploitation of girls in camps, and the triumphalism of Burmese society. Political leader Aung San Suu Kyi came in for criticism, with Qureshi saying she displayed a complete lack of leadership on the issue in not recognising the situation faced by the Rohingya. She spoke about her recent visit to the camps in Bangladesh and said that the international community needs to step in to prevent further suffering.

Sufyan Ismail spoke of how absurd the situation is that a UN member state since 1948 is able to act in the way it has. He criticised the Pope for not referring specifically to the Rohingya on his recent trip to Myanmar, and Theresa May for her silence on the issue. Mr Ismail gave a potted history of the Rohingya in modern day Myanmar. He said that 288 villages have been destroyed; that on some days, 10,000 refugees have been arriving in Bangladesh; and that babies have been thrown into burning buildings. He spoke of the need to lobby the UK government to provide humanitarian relief, and said that the Nobel committee should strip Aung San Suu Kyi of her illustrious prize.

viet invasion of Afghanistan. Yuksel also criticised the “cultural violence” of video games and movies in feeding into an environment where violence is normalised.

Mr Yuksel commented on the situation in Turkey, saying that while he supported some of the current ruling party’s early liberalising reforms, the country has now descended into “totalitarianism”, censoring criticism of the government and oppressing Kurds and minorities. He praised the US constitution for separating powers at a time when Turkey is seeing power centralised, and “megalomaniac” leaders like Trump and Putin are in place in the US and Russia respectively.

“The nine factors behind the rise of ISIS: from the USA to Saudi Arabia” 27 November 2017 House of Commons Speaker: Edip Yuksel, American-Turkish-Kurdish intellectual and professor of philosophy Host: Sharon Hodgson, Labour MP for Washington and Sunderland West Mr Yuksel began by speaking about his own life and his fascinating personal history. In the 1970s, he belonged to the same pro-Islamic political movement as current Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. His brother and political kindred spirit was murdered by ultra-nationalists during this period and when Edip was later thrown in prison for his politics, he had to share it with his brother’s killer. More than a decade on, his intellectual mentor Rashad Khalifa was also assassinated in

what was the first Al-Qaeda attack in the United States.

Yuksel described how, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was adored by the political movement he belonged to and became a best-selling author in Turkey.

He later, however, turned his back on his former religious politics, in the process being disowned by his father and friends.

He also spoke about his personal hero, the Iranian philosopher and revolutionary Ali Shariati, who synthesised Islam and socialism.

Mr Yuksel talked about his “philosophy of peace”, and outlining how conflict leads to more conflict, describing arms companies such as Ratheon, BAE and Boeing as the “enemies of humanity”. He said that ISIS emerged from the invasion of Iraq, just as the Taliban has emerged from the SoCEFTUS 2018-19

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“Suicide among Turkish, Kurdish, Cypriot Diasporas in Europe” 16 October 2017 House of Commons Speakers: Ozlem Eylem of the Centre for Psychiatry Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine Dr Aradhana Perry of East London NHS Foundation Trust, City & Hackney Directorate Department of Psychology, The Ray-

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bould Centre, Homerton Hospital Dr Esra Caglar, Consultant Child Psychiatrist and Adolescent Psychiatrist of the Tavistock Clinic Nursel Tas, Chief Executive Officer of DERMAN Ertanc Hidayettin, Educationalist and Columnist Dr Cemal Kavasogullari, General Practitioner at Woodstock Medical Center Dr Erminia Colucci, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, School of Science and Technology at Department of Psychology of Middlesex University Host and Chair: Heidi Alexander, Labour MP for Lewisham East and Shadow Secretary of State for Health CEFTUS put on a public forum in the House of Commons on the issue of suicide among the Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot diasporas of Europe.

Heidi Alexander MP opened the session by speaking of the importance of the topic and the need to gain a greater understanding of the causes of suicide in diaspora communities. Dr Esra Caglar spoke about her experience in the NHS and how issues of integration are connected to issues around suicide. Dr Caglar said that parents within the Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot communities are often over-protective and that this can lead to a lack of confidence and independence

among the children, adding that families often don’t trust healthcare professionals.

The key idea was that children from the diaspora communities often face a dilemma – do they remain with their traditional-heritage culture or do they adapt and integrate further into the wider society? This can lead to an alienating feeling of being “stuck between cultures”, and that teenagers in particular are left looking for external validation, lost on the quest for a sense of belonging and identity.

Dr Erminia Colucci followed, presenting her research regarding the cultural impact of suicide rates around the world.

She contrasted the experiences of Italy and India, where suicide rates are low and high respectively. Dr Colucci spoke about how suicide is gendered, giving the examples of India again, where abuse against women is prominent, and Australia where a harmful culture of “macho” masculinity is prominent. She detailed how there is a higher risk of suicide among second generation immigrants and gave examples of gendered reasons for suicide among the Turkish diaspora, with a quarter of female Turkish migrants in Switzerland saying that violence in the family was the main problem. Dr Colucci explained how migrant women are trapped by economic and cultural barriers, with less access to healthcare services and greater levels of social marginalisation. She concluded by

calling for suicide prevention to go beyond simply clinical measures, with multi-sectoral, multi-component approaches needed.

Nursel Tas began her talk by giving a brief history of DERMAN, a BACP accredited centre that supports and promotes the well-being of the Kurdish and Turkish communities of London. The group gives advice and provides services free of charge. Among users of DERMAN’s services, unemployment and poverty are prominent. DERMAN mostly deals with first-generation people within the community, with common problems including PTSD, relating to time spent in Turkish prisons, and pressures from the changing dynamics of their community in a new setting. Nursel Tas detailed how between 2003 and 2017, around 48 people from the community committed suicide. She said that stressors include housing issues and racism. Nursel closed by calling for a holistic approach to suicide prevention, and made positive remarks about the House of Commons health committee’s recommendation that the community is involved as much as possible in prevention.

Dr Kavasogullari said that British GPs see the greatest challenge with the Turkish-speaking community is that of lack of trust in professionals, echoing earlier comments from Dr Caglar. He highlighted studies from Germany that showed that the Turkish community is at an increased

risk of obesity, smoking and other health issues, and that a similar set of issues faces the community here in the UK. Dr Kavasogullari said that the community is disadvantaged in terms of accessing and utilising NHS services, with barriers of language, education, beliefs and behaviour, and that funding cuts only exacerbate these problems. He suggested that one remedy would be training up more Turkish health care professionals within the NHS. Ertanc Hidayettin gave a different perspective on the issue, looking at the role of the media relating to suicide. Mr Hidayettin posited that the media normalises suicidal behaviour. He looked at examples of copycat suicides and gave the example of the “first social media suicide”, as well as the phenomena of cyberbullying and ‘cyberbullycide’. Mr Hidayettin said that the Turkish media is particularly culpable here, with its graphic reports of the news and often violent soap operas and drama series (such as Kurtlar Vadisi), suggesting that TV can lead to negative thoughts and depression.

Ozlem Eylem explained her work with the diaspora communities in both the UK and the Netherlands. She made the point that services need to be tailored to meet the needs of users and that social media can be used to access people in what is called ‘online intervention’. She said that rates of suicide among young women in

Germany are as much as six times higher within the Turkish and Kurdish communities than the native German population.

Eylem outlined the work done by her Kiyma Canina (“don’t crush your life energy”) online self-help project, with its culturally adapted method to instil hope in desperate people. As with other projects, users tend to be female – confirming that women tend to seek out help earlier than men, who only tend to do so at the crisis stage.

Dr Aradhana Perry detailed how she runs a BME access service, mostly supporting Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot people alongside Vietnamese, black and Orthodox Jewish patients. She spoke about the partnership project she collaborated on with DERMAN, culturally adapting ACT (a form of cognitive behavioural therapy) to suit Turkish and Kurdish service users. Dr Perry explained how she encourages patients to live with their fears and move towards their values in order to combat anxiety. She also said that the platform encourages the sharing of stories and listening to others, facilitating positive emotions and empowerment, providing valuable coping skills. The collaboration project uses cultural metaphors, common sayings and esteemed cultural role models to tap into people’s hopes and ambitions; Mevlana, for example, has been used as the embodiment of kindness, openness and tolerance.

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10 Oct 2017 House of Commons Speaker: Cengiz Candar, Journalist Chair: Murat Ozcelik, Director at Community Matters Host: Joan Ryan, Labour MP for Enfield North Following a brief history of the region and the close links between Kurds living on both sides of Turkey’s Syrian border, Mr Candar explained how, after the ‘Arab Uprisings’ and the decline of the Syrian state, the Assad regime began to withdraw from Kurdish areas in the north of the country from 2012. This benefitted the political groups with close links to Turkey’s Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK), particularly the Democratic Union Party (PYD). The result was a drastic shift in Turkey’s foreign policy in Syria, which up until this point had been to support regime change as part of what Ankara thought was a reconfiguration of the political forces of the region in its favour.

Turkey’s main priority became blocking the consolidation of an autonomous, PYD-controlled region along its southern border, taking the significant step of refusing to intervene when ISIS besieged the predominantly Kurdish city of Kobani.

“Turkey’s Foreign Policy in Syria and the Kurdish Issue” However, Turkey’s situation became more complicated with the intervention of other international powers. Russia began providing air-support to the Assad regime, ultimately resulting in Turkey shoo-

ting down a Russian fighter that strayed across the border. At the same time, the US began to support the YPG, first in Kobani and then in a campaign to drive ISIS out of its Syrian capital in Raqqa.

Following the failed military coup in Turkey on July 15 2016, the Turkish Airforce removed most of its pilots, leaving it reliant on either the US or Russia to provide air cover for operations in Syria.

Soon after, Erdogan apologised to Putin for downing the Russian plane, and the Russian air force supported ‘Operation Euphrates Shield’, a Turkish military intervention in Northern Syria aimed at blocking the YPG from linking the areas under its control. ‘Operation Euphrates Shield’ was Turkey’s first significant military action since Cyprus in 1974.

Mr Candar ended by discussing the prospects for a renewed Turkish military operation in Syria’s Idlib, saying it remained as yet unclear whether the objective was to clear Al Qaeda linked militants from the region or the first step towards targeting the YPG in Afrin. He argued that without coming to an accommodation with its own Kurdish population, Turkey was unlikely to be able to bring peace to the region.

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“US-Turkey Relations and the Failed Coup Attempt” 9 Oct 2017 House of Commons Speaker: James F. Jeffrey, Former US Ambassador to Turkey Chair: Sir David London, Former UK Ambassador to Turkey Host: Virendra Sharma, Labour MP for Ealing Southall Mr Jeffrey began by talking about the challenges Turkey faces in what he called the most challenging geopolitical neighbourhood outside of the Korean Peninsula; Russia is pressing forward in the north, Islamic extremism – both Sunni and Shia – are increasingly dominant in the south, and there is ongoing instability in the Arab world and Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east.

At the same time, Mr Jeffrey argued that the West has significant strategic interests in Turkey. Turkey is deeply integrated into the European economy, in large part thanks to President Erdogan’s economic reforms, and is a crucial component of NATO. At the same time, Turkey is a ‘status-quo power’, lacking Iran and Russia’s history and links to populations in other countries, making it difficult to be a regional leader. This gives Turkey an interest in its relations with

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the West, which aims to project power by bolstering regional status quos.

Turkey has always seen its relationship with the West in transactional terms rather than a particularly strong ideological affinity. However, both the influences of Eurasianism and Erdogan’s attempts to shape Turkey in his own image has moved the country away from traditionally western values, which has strained the relationship with Washington.

Initially, the US appreciated Turkey’s efforts under the AKP to the proactively maintain the regional status quo through attempts to find a solution to the Cyprus issue, initiating a peace process with the PKK, developing relations with the Kurdish Regional Government in Iraq, and mediating between Israel and Syria over the Golan Heights.

However, Turkey-US relations have been undermined by the situation in Syria. Mr Jeffrey argued that the US is now obsessed with defeating ISIS, which has necessitated an alliance with the People’s Protection Units (PYD), a group with close links to the PKK. Relations have been further complicated by a series of legal disputes. Foremost of which is Turkey’s request for the US to extradite Fethullah Gulen, the

leader of the religious organisation accused of leading the failed coup attempt. Mr Jeffrey argued that the US government has always recognised the dangerous nature of the Gulen Movement and initially resisted Mr Gulen’s attempts to come to America. However, the US government’s powers are limited by the constitution, and for this reason cannot speed up or guarantee the outcome the extradition process. The same is true in relation to the case of Rezza Zarrab and other Turkish nationals accused of violating sanctions against Iran before being detained after travelling to America.

Mr Jeffrey argued that Washington has understood the recent detention of a Turkish member of staff from the US Consulate in Istanbul as an attempt to pressurise them over these disputes.

There is also concern about the ability to run diplomatic offices without being able to rely on good relations with local staff. The resulting ban on Turkish citizens applying for US visas in Istanbul and Ankara, which has been matched by a similar move by Turkey, means that relations risk being further damaged at all levels. Mr Jeffrey ended by expressing concern that these disputes keep happening.

9 October 2017 House of Commons Speaker: Professor Gaye Usluer, Member of the Turkish Parliament for the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chair: Aysegul Yesildaglar, Principal of Docklands Academy Host: Faisal Rashid, Labour MP for Warrington South Gaye Usluer began her talk by outlining issues around pre-school education in the country, noting that while the ages of 3 to 5 years are of crucial importance to a child’s development, only 33% of children attend preschool in Turkey. Furthermore, there is great geographic inequality between figures for the West and the South and South-East of the country.

Usluer said that changes in the education system have been frequent and destabilising since the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in 2002. She detailed how in some areas, the government has worryingly handed over responsibility for education to religious groups, and that the Diyanet (Directorate of Religious Affairs) has become a major player in the provision of education.

Usluer commented on how in the Ottoman period there were religious schools for children between the ages of 3 and 5 and that they are now making a comeback – there are now 600 of these schools in Turkey connected with the local muftu, or religious scholar. In many of these schools, the teachers are the wives of the local imam, and classes are often held within

“Changes to the Education System in Turkey and the Opposition”

mosque complexes. Usluer argued that this takes education out of democratic control and goes against the secular principles that an education system should be built on.

While Usluer said that CHP supports the policy of 12 years of compulsory education which was introduced in 2013, she argued that the fragmented system of two 4-year levels of primary education plus one 4-year level of secondary education is problematic. She explained how there is a dramatic fall in numbers of female students after the first two levels, and in rural areas of the South and South-East numbers for both boys and girls drop off, with many boys going into child labour and girls getting married after the first 8 years.

Usluer spoke about the lack of student accommodation and issues of safety in student hostels ran by conservative and religious foundations. As a member of the Turkish parliament’s education committee, Usluer was able to provide great detail about some shocking cases of health and safety problems, child abuse and ideological imposition.

She closed by outlining CHP’s solutions to the problems in Turkey’s education system, advocating a year of state provided free pre-school education in addition to the 12 years of formal education provided by the state. She said that CHP is in favour of a state education system that is secular and based on reason and science, countering the current system which has seen government loyalists embedded within the education system.

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Roundtable “Referendum Result:

TURKEY-EU RELATIONS” 25 April 2017 CEFTUS Office Speaker: Pieter Cleppe, the Head of the Brussels office of Open Europe The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) held an exclusive roundtable event with Pieter Cleppe, the Head of the Brussels office of Open Europe on 25th April 2017.

In this exclusive roundtable, Pieter Cleppe spoke in depth about Turkey-EU relations. He analysed the current state of the relations in terms of trade, refugee crisis and the war in Syria and domestic tensions in Turkey including the fight against Gulenists and the Kurdish issue.

Book Launch “The New Sultan: Erdogan and the Crisis of Modern Turkey” 11 September 2017 SOAS Speaker: Dr Soner Cagaptay, Director of the Turkish Program at the Washington Institute Chair: Dr Tahir Abbas, Senior Research Fellow at RUSI Mr Cagaptay introduced his new book, putting it in the context of his previous work on Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

He argued that under Erdogan, the AKP had worked to transform Turkey’s economy and the next step now required wholesale reform of the political system, guaranteeing freedom of religion for Turkey’s pious population, while ensuring freedom from religion for the country’s secularists. Mr Cagaptay argued that it was no longer possible for Erdogan and the AKP to deliver such changes, and instead Turkey’s president was seeking to transform the country in his own image, much like its founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

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“The Fundamental Sociological Conflict of Turkey’s Political Regime”

30 March 2017 House of Commons Speaker: Dr Can Paker, Chairman of the Board at Inovent and a Board Member at Akbank Chair: Sir David Logan, Former UK Ambassador to Turkey Host: Virendra Sharma, Labour MP for Ealing, Southall Sir David Logan opened the event by discussing his and Dr Paker’s shared experiences in Turkey over the last 30 years.

Dr Paker began his speech by stating that his primary approach to Turkey’s political system is fundamentally a sociologi-

cal one. He added that the political life of the country was rooted in its foundation, when the Westernised elite that controlled the state’s institutions attempted to conduct a social engineering project and shape an ideal Turkish citizen that behaved and thought like a European. He added that these citizens, known as ‘White Turks’ were prioritised over other groups including Kurds, Alevis and religiously conservative Sunnis. He referred to this as a tutelage system of Government suited to a peasant-majority society.

He stated that the White Turk elites had used state institutions and especially the military to limit the power of the

these marginalised groups through military coups of which there were three major ones in the late twentieth century.

Dr Paker also noted however that after the last of these major coups which occurred in 1980, that this changed under the leadership of Turgut Ozal who liberalised the Turkish economy which allowed religiously conservative peasants in Anatolia to start businesses, move to cities and become a new politically engaged Middle Class which helped to break the hold of the tutelage of the state institutions and promote popular rather than institutional sovereignty as had been dominant before.

Roundtable with Dr Can Paker 30 March 2017 House of Lords Speaker: Dr Can Paker, Chairman of the Board at Inovent, Board Member at Akbank, and a founding member and chair of PODEM (Center for Public Policy and Democracy Studies) Host and Chair: Lord Seikh Dr Paker spoke in depth about the sociological dimension of Turkey’s political history from the establishment of the Republic to present day. He also discussed a number of issues with the audience, including the July 15th 2016 coup-attempt, the upcoming referendum on proposed changes to the Turkish Constitution, Turkish foreign policy and democratic development more broadly.

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29 March 2017 House of Commons Speakers: Dr Ibrahim Sirkeci, Professor of Transnational Studies and Marketing and the Director of the Regent’s Centre for Transnational Studies (RCTS) at Regent’s University London Dr Saniye Dedeoglu, Associate Professor of Social Policy at the Department of Labour Economics and Industrial Relations, Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Turkey.

Chair: Dr Tunc Aybak of Middlesex University Host: Kate Osamor, Labour MP for Edmonton and Shadow Secretary of State for International Development Dr Ibrahim Sirkeci opened his speech by mentioning that the term Turks and Turkish are often used interchangeably and that the preferred terms for migrants to Britain from Turkey and Cyprus is Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot commonly referred to as TKTC. He continued, discussing the term “integration” referring to the recent Dame Casey report and argued that integration is a two-way street in disagreement with the the report’s arguments. He added that integration can be measured from several sources including social and cultural engagement, discrimination and labour markets. When referring to discrimination, Dr Sirkeci also added however, that there are more mosques and cemevis per head of the TKTC community in Britain than in Turkey.

He added that Poland, India, Pakistan, Ireland and Germany are the top destinations from which migrants to Britain predominantly come, but added that Turkey is in the top 25 of these. Dr Sirkeci also noted that TKTC’s are 1.2% of the total foreign born UK population and contested the claim that the number of TKTC’s in Britain is at 500,000, 400,000 or 300,000, noting that the number is most likely at 250,000, and that the highest proportions of these are to be found in areas of North London such as

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“Integration of Turks in London: Lessons for Brexit Britain” Hackney and Haringey. He also noted that according to respondent self-identification-based censuses, the number of TKTC’s in London in 2011 was recorded as 108,898.

He added that according to his surveys, the majority of TKTC respondents, particularly among women identified as Kurdish but that Turkish was the more commonly spoken language. He added that this could be partly explained by the conflict model of migration and also in part by Turkish-Kurdish mixed marriages.

Dr Sirkeci also explained that according to Labour Markets self-employment was carried out by almost a 5th of all male respondents, but that employment inactivity was also high among female respondents. In terms of citizenship, he also note that nearly 80% of Turkish citizen migrants had become British citizens, which would indicate that they are quite well integrated from this perspective.

Dr Saniye Dedeoglu opened her speech by discussing research she conducted among TKTC women in London in 20102012. Her main focuses were the contribution of women to the Turkish ethnic economy in Britain and also on the interaction between the gender, labour and social integration of women and how this role impacts women’s advancement within their

own communities.

She stated that her main finding was that TKTC women in Britain had greatly contributed to their ethnic economy but also made their work invisible. She continued discussing that the Turkish ethnic economy has been the main employer of TKTCs since the closure of garment factories. She added that the ethnic economy is chiefly made up of kebab-related businesses, off-licence and coffee shops and restaurants. She also added that these businesses tended to be family-owned and run due to the labour-intensive and long hours demanded by these roles. She also noted that younger generation members of these families with greater language and educational ability participate in these businesses.

She added that women’s roles in the Turkish ethnic economy have declined since the decline of the garment and textile industry, in which they had previously participated heavily often working long hours for cash in hand incomes. She noted however that with the decline of this industry, female workers’ wages declined and that they now tended to be unpaid or under-rewarded wage-workers in family businesses often in kitchens in food-related businesses, cleaning shops and preparing goods to be sold. She also noted a trend in that when performing roles similar to those that they would undertake domestically in these businesses, this work would usually be undervalued, and that women tended to focus on child-rearing instead as a full-time occupation. She concluded that in this way, despite their being invisible in their ethnic economy, they contribute to the integration of their children but are only partly-integrated themselves. She added that these women are often stigmatised for their welfare dependency, but are actually contributing positively to the integration of the younger generation of their community into wider society in their role as mothers.

“Referendum in Turkey” 27 March 2017 House of Commons Speaker: Erdogan Aydin, Human Rights Association National Delegate and Coordination Board Member of the Union for Democracy Chair: Sara Whyatt, researcher and campaigner on freedom of expression Host: Tom Brake, Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington Tom Brake MP opened the event by discussing the importance of providing voters in referendums both for Turkey and the previous Brexit referendum in the UK with adequate, impartial information on which to base their decisions.

Specifically referring to Turkey he expressed concern about the state of freedom of expression.

Mr Aydin opened his speech by stating that the consequences of the referendum could bring about two different Turkey’s based on the result. He argued that one outcome would effectively re-establish an Ottoman-style monarchy in the country, whereas the other result would bring Turkey into a more democratic condition.

He commented on the current conditions faced by No campaigners who are campaigning under a state of emergency.

He argued that this has seen many journalists such as the German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel arrested on charges of sedition and terrorism. He also added that 12 MPs from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) including the party’s co-chairs had been imprisoned and that 90 mayors had been removed from office and replaced by state appointed trustees. He

argued that since the 21st of March, the pro-Yes governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) received 300 hours of coverage in the media, while the pro-No Republican People’s Party (CHP) received 45 hours and the HDP received none.

Mr Aydin added that pro-No supporters are being labelled terrorists by pro-Yes pundits, and pro-Yes campaigners were presenting their own campaign as a War of Independence, using religious symbols including crosses and crescents in order to portray themselves as fighting against crusaders.

As a result of this, the AKP which in the early 2000s had used secular pro-EU accession language, has changed its discourse to an Islamist one. Mr Aydin referred to the campaign as anti-democratic in nature, and argued that this reflected the future changes to the Government system that a Yes vote would create. He commented that under this system, the executive would be able to legislate by itself, concentrating too much power in the hands of one person.

He also argued that this would be a serious problem for a country like Turkey which has significant ethnic and religious minorities, being roughly ethnically 25% Kurdish and religiously 25% Alevi.

He expressed concern that Turkish and Sunni identity could be forced on these groups under an executive presidency.

He added that while some Presidential systems could be democratic such as the American system, the system proposed for Turkey lacked separation of powers with effective checks and balances on the President. After this, Mr Aydin argued that for this reason, a Yes vote would not address the problems facing Turkey.

He also commented that these concerns were raised by the Venice Commission, which is an official EU commission that analyses the democratic credentials of prospective EU member-states. Mr Aydin continued, stating that the President would be able to appoint and dismiss high ranking officials including in the judiciary, allowing them to appoint 12 out of 15 Constitutional Court Judges, arbitrarily annul the parliament and effectively legislate by decree. He also commented that the Venice Commission declared this system to be “autocratic”.

He concluded by stating that he and others were deeply concerned about the effect this system would have on Turkish Democracy, and how it could undermine secularism, equal and human rights, Turkey-EU relations and stability in the Middle East and particularly Syria.

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“Turkey and the EU: Cooperation and Conflict” 8 March 2017 House of Commons Speaker: Dr Senem Aydin-Duzgit, Senior Scholar and the Research and Academic Affairs Coordinator at Istanbul Policy Centre and an Associate Professor of International Relations at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of Sabanci University Chair: Bill Park, King’s College Host: James Gray, Conservative MP for North Whiltshire James Gray MP opened the event by discussing his interest in Turkish nationalists and expressed his view that geopolitically speaking, Turkey is currently one of the most important countries due to its central position between the East and the West.

Bill Park initiated the debate by recognising the inherently interesting nature of this particular debate. Park said that not only is the relationship between Turkey and the EU dynamic, each party in Turkey is dynamic within itself. Change in Turkey is currently ongoing and faces several elements of surprise and shock. In addition, there exists a continuing economic crisis in Southern Europe and less confidence in the EU than before. Therefore, this debate not only covers the dynamics between Turkey and the EU, it covers what happens separately within the two.

Dr. Duzgit’s first analytical approach was to conceptualise Turkey as an enlar-

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gement country. That is, a country that is formally conducting concession negotiations with the European Union. Dr. Duzgit stated that currently, the enlargement process to Turkey is off the agenda for the foreseeable future due to the crisis that the European Union is dealing with economically and politically. Officially speaking, Turkey is still a candidate country for the EU and is still conducting accession negotiations with the EU. However, only one chapter of the accession process has been opened and closed. Turkey can not close any chapters with the EU because of a European council decision taken in December 2006. Unless Turkey extends the Customs Union Agreement which it has with the EU to Cyprus, which would mean allowing Cyprus to access to its airports and shipping ports, no accession negotiation chapters can be closed.

Dr. Duzgit noted that in the EU, opinion has shifted from Turkey as a candidate country to Turkey as a strategic partner of the EU. The reasons for this are as following; there is a reluctance from the EU to even discuss enlargement. In Turkey, the EU is completely off the agenda, and although an EU Ministry still exists, there is little political commitment to the accession process.

Secondly, Dr. Duzgit analysed the relationship with the perception of Turkey as a neighbour country. Turkey as a neighbour is an unavoidable lens. Despite the fact that the Turkey-EU Migration Deal has issues, the number of migrants using Turkey as a transit route into the EU has substantially declined.

Dr. Duzgit noted that Germany is particularly vulnerable to the policies of the Turkish government. Germany have been criticised for their lack of protest with regards to domestic violations of democracy in Turkey. The deal is based on the assumption that Turkey is a safe country for refugees, it has been argued that this is not the case.

Finally, Dr. Duzgit analysed Turkey as a global actor. That is, trying to analyse what the EU- Turkey relationship looks like if we conceptualise it as a global actor, something that was largely discussed in 2015. In the early 2000’s, there was great discussion about Turkey as a democratic model. The Arab Spring in Egypt was a major blow for the Turkish Policy makers and government. They realised the difficulty of infiltrating their ideology. Turkey’s involvement in the Syrian crisis dramatically hampered Turkey’s reputation and its possibility of becoming an ally to the EU.

‘The Cyprus Issue: Cyprus Reunification Talks’ 8 February 2017 House of Lords Speakers: Dr Erol Kaymak, the Chair of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Eastern Mediterranean University Dr Michalis Attalides, Former Ambassador of Cyprus to United Kingdom Host and Chair: Lord Hannay Dr Michalis Attalides began by emphasising the long-term failure to find a solution to the Cyprus problem, arguing that though the problem had not started in 1974, the invasion had greatly complicated the problem by increasing mutual fear and suspicion between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

He noted however that the leadership of both sides were making strong efforts to solve the problem as both expressed openness to co-operation while also trying to overcome pre-existing suspicion and mistrust. He added that geopolitical changes including the natural gas deposits off the coast of the island have added new motivations on either side to work together, in addition to the instability in the region surrounding the area.

He argued that there were 4 main hurdles yet to be overcome. He stated firstly that the leadership of both sides needed to close all 6 chapters required for a settlement. He noted however that issues such as effective participation in federal executive decision-making and the

issue of a rotating presidency had caused problems in this process. He added that another issue was that of property and the rights surrounding them, explaining that the proportionate weight of these rights had caused a problem for both sides, including the rights of refugees to return to their properties. He added that the second hurdle was the presence of Turkish troops on the island, suggesting that alternative arrangements should remove the overwhelmingly large Turkish military presence in the North while also ensuring the security of the Turkish Cypriots. He added that at present, suggestions to promote inter-communal security included both separate and federal police forces, stating that the security of one side should not undermine that of the other side. He also mentioned the third hurdle, which was the undertaking of referendums on solution plans among both sides, and added that one piece of research indicates that a third of both communities presently plan to vote against any plan. More optimistically however he added that two-thirds of both sides were open to a solution. He stated that the fourth hurdle was whether the actual implementation of an approved solution would be successful, questioning whether a rotating presidency would be accepted by the Greek side and whether Turkish troops would actually withdraw.

He concluded by stating that from a

sense of mutual security and of equal citizenship, a law-abiding state would be part of a glue that would hold together a unified and democratic Cyprus.

Dr Kaymak opened by discussing the durability of the issue, mentioning un-met virtual deadlines including last year. He argued that negotiations were primarily seeking a bi-zonal, bi-communal state and that the process had competing values including democracy, human rights and the acquis communitaire. He agreed with Dr Attilades that the leaders of both sides were aiming for a yes outcome in both potential referendums. He added that the UN has presently not been playing a top-down role as before, but rather a facilitating one, making the process Cypriot-led and Cypriot-owned. He added however, that the Geneva talks on the issue had failed in being unable to establish a plan, but that the conference was planning to re-convene in March. Dr Kaymak stated however that the compromises are unlikely to be made in the next three weeks before the re-convention.

He was also critical of the presently proposed directly elected presidency with a great deal of centralised authority, as he argued that this missed the point, and that the priority ought not to be “getting things done” in the business of government, but rather “getting along” which would be better preserved by stronger checks and balances on the executive.

Roundtable “Cyprus issue: What’s next?”

8 February 2017- House of Lords Speakers: Dr Erol Kaymak, the Chair of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Eastern Mediterranean University Dr Michalis Attalides, Former Ambassador of Cyprus to United Kingdom Host and Chair: Lord Kilclooney Two experts, one from each side of divided Cyprus, Dr Erol Kaymak and Dr Michalis Attalides, discussed the future of Cyprus at an exclusive roundtable on 8 February

2017, following on from the Cyprus reunification talks which were held in Geneva. Attendees included representatives from the High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in London, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Representative Office in London, Greek Embassy in London as well as academics, analysts and journalists.

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“TurkeyRussia Relations” 11 January 2017 House of Lords Speakers: Dr Natasha Kuhrt of the Department of War Studies King’s College; Ezgi Basaran, journalist and columnist, and visitor at St. Antony’s College, Oxford University; Professor William Hale of SOAS. Host and Chair: Lord Balfe Ms Basaran began by stating that when discussing the relationship between Russia and Turkey, we first have to check if there is a coherent Turkish foreign policy.

She concluded that there is not one. She argued that this is more of a reactionary step as the country goes along and that Turkey has been a victim of a rapidly changing policy structure.

Adding greater context, she argued that since the collapse of communism, trading, nuclear power and energy have been fundamental in the relation between the two countries. She stated however, that under President Erdogan, a closer relationship emerged. She argued that one of the reasons for this is the common regime both leaders practice: authoritarian rule and pragmatism in their ways of doing business.

On the broader theme of Russo-Turkish rapprochement, she stated that there are increasingly common interests between the two leaders, but was sceptical as to how long this honeymoon period will last.

She added that it may not last long because economically, socially and militarily, Turkey cannot be isolated from Europe, and although the Turkish government is using this foreign policy for domestic popularity,

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Turkey’s orientation will always face west.

Dr Natasha Kuhrt began by discussing Russia’s general foreign policy outlook and then how this impacts its approach to Syria. She stated that Russia is fundamentally against regime change, especially after having witnessed “Colour Revolutions” in Kyrgyzstan and Georgia in the early 2000s and more recent changes in Ukraine. She continued arguing that opposition in Russia to the Arab Spring comes from concern about these revolutions causing instability in its backyard.

She also explained that because of this perspective Russia sees Syria’s Assad regime as a stable secular dictatorship and therefore, a bulwark against radical Islam which it views as a domestic threat that could spread within Russia and Central Asia if not stopped in the Middle East.

She saw this as especially important for Russia given that Chechen jihadists have been travelling to fight in Syria.

She then stated that Russia’s co-operation with Turkey after relations were restored after the November 2015 jet incident is a means of guaranteeing that regime change does not occur.

She also mentioned that President Putin had also made it clear that the assassination of the Russian ambassador in Ankara would not upset the bilateral relations.

On energy, trade and joint Russian-Turkish gas pipeline co-operation, she argued that the energy factor is becoming more important as relations between the EU and Turkey are deteriorating. She also mentioned that both countries need one another on gas energy, Russia for sales and Turkey for imports, especially given that China is trying to break its dependence on Russian gas by branching out and buying from other Central Asian countries.

Professor William Hale agreed that the natural gas relationship between Turkey and Russia is a strong factor as it would be difficult for Turkey to replace it. He

noted that more than half of Turkey’s natural gas comes from Russia and that the two states need one another having a seller-customer relationship. He added however that the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) project with Azerbaijan would also assist Turkey in breaking some of that dependency on Russia.

Professor Hale suggested that, economically, the relations between the two countries will remain strong. Adding to this, after Turkey suffered from Russia’s banning of goods at the end of 2015, he argued that Erdogan is more determined than even to keep ties closer and warmer.

Touching on the Syrian war, Professor Hale also talked about the need for both Russia and Turkey to move on from Syria and it is the constant failure of western policy towards the conflict that has adjusted Turkey’s relationship with Syria.

Roundtable with Sir David Logan 27 January 2017 New Zealand House In partnership with Frontier Horizons Consultancy Speaker: Sir David Logan, Former Ambassador to Turkey, Chair of the British Institute at Ankara Chair: Dr Gareth Winrow, CEFTUS advisor Sir David Logan spoke on Turkey’s turbulent past year and its implications for the country’s future, with the discussion covering both domestic and international concerns.

18 October 2016 House of Commons Speaker: Cenk Sidar, Founder and CEO of Sidar Global Advisors Host and Chair: George Howarth, Labour MP for Knowsley Mr Cenk Sidar began his speech discussing the notion of Turkey as a crossroads and its strategic importance as a result thereof. However, he discussed this concept in a different way, portraying Turkey as being on a cliff edge, economically, democratically and in terms of its security.

Mr Sidar argued that Turkey’s present condition is unsustainable, and that the recent coup attempt revealed just how vulnerable Turkey is in all three of these areas. For instance he noted that Turkey has been downgraded by two leading financial agencies, adding that in terms of security, Turkey faces threats from the followers of the Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen who infiltrated Turkey’s security agencies and brought about the coup attempt, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) insurgency and Islamic State (IS).

Mr Sidar argued that as a result of the unsustainability of this situation a political change is necessary in the country.

Elaborating further on security problems, Mr Sidar argued that IS terror attacks between June and November 2015 saw the AKP win a parliamentary majority in the snap election. He added however that economic difficulties have been what has caused Turkish voters to vote for changes throughout Turkey’s political history.

On Turkey’s democratic situation, Mr Sidar added that 152 journalists are currently behind bars in Turkey, and also discussed the lack of trust in Turkey’s institutions, stating that these have been undermined by infiltration. Mr Sidar sees the Kurdish issue as the biggest challenge

“Turkey at the Crossroads: How to overcome Challenges?”

to the security of Turkish democracy, and supports greater decentralisation in the government apparatus for the Kurdish region as a means of addressing this problem. He argued that the current purges of elected mayors there had also been a mistake by the AKP government.

Mr Sidar stated that Turkey requires strong democratic and legal institutions and a strong military to maintain peace and stability, especially given the situation and poor relations with Iraq at present. He added that the purges had undermined Turkey’s security apparatus, removing a number of high ranking military officers and causing a lack of F16 jet pilots, with the result that operations in Syria and Iraq lacked personnel. He contrasted Turkey’s foreign policy at present with the success of the AKP up until 2010, noting for instance that Turkey had been involved in brokering peace deals between Israel and Syria in 2008. He placed Turkey’s taking a broadly pro-Sunni approach to the Arab Spring especially in opposing the Assad regime, and not doing enough to combat IS, which ultimately led to multiple terror attacks carried out by cells that were established in Turkey as a result.

On the Turkish economy, Mr Sidar stated that growth was strong until 2009 as a result of its following the IMF programme. He added that between 20092012 however, the government grew over- confident as a result of the sense of security created by this growth and Western media outlets referring to Turkey as an economic rising star. Mr Sidar referred to this as a fragile success, which has slowed down, seeing unemployment reach record highs of 13%. Mr Sidar argued that this unsustainable economic situation will lead to political change in the country, and suggested that structural reforms to both the economy and political institutions.

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Roundtable “Post-Coup Turkey” 10 October 2016 Impact Hub Westminster at New Zealand House Speaker: Mehmet Emin Ekmen, former MP for the Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair: Dr Janroj Keles of Middlesex University Mr Ekmen offered a three-stage discussion of the events. His first theme was the involvement of exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen and his movement in the coup. He gave a background of the rise of Gulen’s movement and its nature as an explicitly religious organisation, and described how in his view it collaborated, though never explicitly allied, with President Erdogan’s AKP, with the two religious organisations both struggling to achieve legitimacy in a secular culture. Mr Ekmen proceeded to state that the Gulen movement exercised a disproportionate amount of influence in the judiciary in particular, but also across the rest of the civil service.

With this as a background, Mr Ekmen proceeded to the second part of his discussion, analysing the fallout of the coup.

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He said that the large number of arrests made have been of those either directly implicated with the coup and Gulen, or caught in compromising positions on the night of the coup – such as civil service computer technicians found near sensitive infrastructure.

In the last portion of his speech, Mr Ekmen proceeded to denounce the Gulen movement for its part in damaging the Kurdish peace process. He alleged that the Gulenists used all means at their disposal to halt negotiations, and accused them of hypocrisy for their alleged support of minority rights overseas but not at home. However he also had little time for the PKK, and emphasised his belief that only a peaceful, democratic discussion conducted through the HDP could solve the Kurdish issue; and so long as the PKK continued to organise terrorist attacks, and Kurdish mayors and educators were implicated of having connections with the organisation, this would go nowhere.

Mr Ekmen proceeded to field a number of questions in a discussion, including issues around the shifting meaning of ‘secularism’ in modern Turkey and the semantics of comparing the July coup with spring’s ‘palace coup’ and the more recent ‘trustee coup’.

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“Turkey’s Coup of 15th July: Unity in the Midst of Crisis?”

31 August 2016- SOAS Speaker: Dr Sinan Ciddi

“Quo Vadis Turkiye?” 29 June 2016 House of Commons- Speaker: Can Dundar

“Regime Change in Turkey: Kurdish Politics and Foreign Policy” 10 June 2016-Unite House Speakers: Dr Nuray Mert and Dr Lenore G. Martin

Turkey: Analysis on Political Changes and Potential Scenarios for Future” 9 June 2016-House of Commons Speaker: Ahmet Hakan

WESTMINSTER DEBATES 2011-2016

“Turkey: The Insane and the Melancholy” 12 September 2016 House of Commons Speaker: Ece Temelkuran

Turkish Democracy Today: Yet Another Test of ‘Democracy without Democrats’ Hypothesis” 24 May 2016 House of Commons Speaker: Dr Yilmaz Esmer

“Cost of Syrian Refugee Crisis: Social, Economic and Political Benefits and Burden” 12 December 2015-House of Commons Speakers: Dr Ibrahim Sirkeci and Dr Petra Bendel

“Academic Freedom in Turkey” 29 February 2016 House of Commons Speakers: Gulseren Onanc, Sinem Arslan, Dr Janroj Keles and Dr Elizabeth Larence

“Cyprus, the EU and the Eastern Mediterranean” 9 December 2015- House of Commons Speaker: His Excellency, Euripides L. Evriviades

“The Kurdish Issue: Is Peace Still on the Table?”

31 October 2015-House of Commons -Speaker: Cengiz Candar

“Turkey: Collapse of Peace Talks, ISIS Attacks and A New Constitution” 9 February 2016 House of Commons Speakers: Gursel Tekin and Dr Sezgin Tanrikulu

“Bridges between Turkey and UK: From Immigration to Integration” 10 September 2015- House of Commons Speakers: Keith vaz MP, Aysegul Yesildaglar, Maria Patsalo and Serpil Ersan

“Religious Conservatism and the AKP before Snap Elections of 1st November 2015” 5 October 2015 Unite the Union Speaker: Levant Gultekin

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“Understanding the Transformation; AK Party Era in Turkey” 27 March 2015 House of Lords Speaker: Etyen Mahcupyan

“New World: New Perspective on Civilisations” 24 June 2015 - House of Lords Speaker: Dr Bekir Karliga

“Structural Changes Ahead of the 2015 General Elections in Turkey” 23 February 2015- House of Commons Speakers: Dr Zeynep Karahan Uslu and Professor Osman Can

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“The Cyprus Dispute: Economic Crisis and Hydrocarbons” 3 February 2015House of Commons Speakers: Mr Huseyin Angolemi and Deniz Brinci

“Turkey, the Kurds and the Crisis in the Middle East” 27 October 2014 - House of Commons Speakers: Bill Park, Gareth Winrow and Michael Stephens

“Destruction of the Near East and the Kurdistan Issue” April 2014 - House of Commons Speaker: Ismail Besikci

“Battling the Censors: Freedom of Journalism in the ‘New Turkey’” 11 November 2014- Portcullis House Speakers: Ahmet Sik and Ismail Saymaz

“The Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) Political Outlook in the ‘New Turkey’” 2 December 2014 House of Commons Speakers: Falik Tunay and Dr Muhammet Cakmak

“New Turkey: in light of recent upheavals in the Middle East” 6 November 2014 House of Lords Speaker: Dr Yasin Aktay

“New Turkey: Democratisation Process and Challenges” 6 November 2014 House of Commons Speaker: Dr Yasin Aktay

“Dynamics of ‘New Turkey’: Domestic and Foreign Challenges” 14 October 2014 - House of Commons Speakers: Dr Soner Cagaptay and Rusen Cakir

“Democracy, Identity&Foreign Policy and Turkey’s Inaugural Presidential Election” 4 June 2014- House of Commons Speakers: Professor Fuat Keyman and Dr Natalie Martin

“Turkey under Erdogan and Davutoglu” 13 October 2015 House of Lords Speaker: Dr Soner Cagaptay

“The Politics of Polarisation: Prospects for Democracy and the Rule of Law in Turkey” 19 June 2014- Portcullis House Speakers: Gareth Jenkins and Guney Yildiz

“2013 Analysis of Democracy and Politics in Turkey” February 2014 - House of Commons Speakers: Zeynep Banu Dalaman, Bill Park and Dr Kerem Oktem

“Global Democracy and Turkey EU Relations” 4 June 2014 House of Commons Speaker: Mustafa Sarigul

“Turkey at a Tipping Point” February 2014 House of Commons Speaker: Dr Jenny White

“Ergenekon and the Other Side of the Story” December 2013 Portcullis House Speaker: Dr Mehmet Altan

“Turkey’s Democratisation and Reform Package and Peaceful Solution to the Kurdish Question” October 2013 - House of Lords Speakers: Altan Tan and Eyup Burc 51 CEFTUS 2018-19

WESTMINSTER DEBATES 2011-2016

“The Impacts of Democratisation and Reform Package in Turkey” October 2013 House of Commons Speaker: Mehmet Emin Ekmen

“The Peace Process in Turkey: What Future for a Plural Society in Turkey?”

September 2013 Portcullis House Speakers: Abdhurrahman Kurt and Hayko Bagdat

“Turkey’s Path to a New Constitution: Possibilities and Obstacles” December 2012 House of Commons Speakers: Professor Fuat Keyman and Professor Levent Koker

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“Syria and Turkey’s Foreign Policy” November 2012 House of Commons Speakers: Mike Gapes, Kadri Gursel and Dr Bill Park

“The Balcony of Authority: A Brief History of the New Regime in Turkey” May 2012 - SOAS, University of London Speaker: Ece Temelkuran

“Power and Authority” September 2012 House of Commons Speaker: Nuray Mert

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“Freedom of Expression in Turkey during the EU Accession Progress” June 2013 - House of Commons Speakers: Dr yaman Akdeniz and Dr Kerem Altiparmak

“Turkey’s Foreign Policy: Syria and its Kurds and Turkish Modernisation, the Consolidation of Democracy and the Cult of Ataturk” May 2012 House of Commons Speakers: Amberin Zaman and Hilal Kaplan

“Democratisation in Turkey” October 2011 House of Commons Speakers: Lord Alderdice, Nick de Bois MP, Firdevs Robinson, Jonathan Fryer and Adam Hug

“Religion, Society and Politics in a Changing Turkey and the Hate Crime Legislation Campaign in Turkey” March 2013 - House of Commons Speakers: Dr Binnaz Toprak and Dr Aykan Erdemir

“Turkey: Everything You Don’t Want to Know!”

June 2013 House of Commons Speaker: Ece Temelkuran

“Government, Media, Conflict and Peace: Limits to Freedom of Expression in Turkey” April 2013- House of Commons Speaker: Banu Guven

“Religion, Society and Politics in a Changing Turkey” October 2012 - House of Commons Speakers: Muslum Sari, Guven Karata, Professor Dr Istar Gozaydin and Dr Bill Park

“The Condition of Alawis under 10 years of AKP Government” May 2012 - House of Commons Speaker: Dr Aykan Erdemir

“Westminster Forum with Cengiz Candar” October 2011 House of Commons Speaker: Cengiz Candar

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“Transitioning Towards a Presidential System under a State of Emergency” 9 October 2017 House of Commons In partnership with RUSI Speaker: Professor of Law Dr Osman Can, Member of Venice Commission of Council of Europe Roundtable with Dr Osman Can in partnership with RUSI Dr. Can began with a brief summary of modern constitutional history in Turkey, tracing its origins back to the influences of Italy and Germany under Fascism. After the Second World War, Turkey underwent a wave of democratic reforms after opting to join the Western bloc of nations. Further liberalisation took place under the constitution implemented following the 1960 Military Coup. However, state institutions remained centralised, excluding various so-

cial groups. This could be seen most clearly in the role of president, who was supposed to remain impartial. The 1982 Military Coup implemented a new constitution that further strengthened the presidency, with the assumption its office would always be filled with someone within the political elite.

This caused growing tension with the rise of the AKP, who secured a parliamentary majority in 2002, but whose ambitions were largely thwarted by the previously selected president, Ahmet Necdet Sezer. In 2007, the AKP put forward a referendum on changes to the constitution whereby the president would be directly selected by the electorate, a move that passed with widespread popular support.

The popularity of the constitutional changes emboldened the AKP to push for a transition from a parliamentary to fully presidential political system, but the process lacked cross-party support. This situation changed following the failed coup attempt on July 15 last year, after which the leader of the Nationalist Action Party, Devlet Bahceli, decided to support a new constitution giving President Erdogan greater powers. This was put to a referendum which passed with a narrow majority in April this year.

Dr. Can then took questions, resulting in a thorough discussion of Turkey’s new constitution and its implications for the country’s politics.

“TurkishIsraeli Relations” 26 April 2018 RUSI In Partnership with RUSI Speaker: Dr Louis Fishman, Assistant Professor of Modern Middle East History at Brooklyn College, City University of New York Chair: Michael Stephens, Research Fellow for Middle East Studies and Head of RUSI Qatar Attendees of the event included analysts, diplomats, civil servants and business people.

The meeting was held under the Chatham House rule.

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“Contemporary Turkey in Conflict The Post-Referendum Challenges” 5 June 2017 King’s College Book launch event in Partnership with King’s College Diplomacy Society Speaker: Professor Tahir Abbas, Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, Visiting Senior Fellow at the Department of Government, LSE Chair: George Dyson, CEFTUS At this book launch event, Prof Tahir Abbas, whose new book ‘Contemporary Turkey in Conflict: Ethnicity, Islam and Politics’ was published in December 2016, analysed the current challenges that Turkey faces. Prof Abbas argued that the Turkey he moved to in 2010 was greatly different from the Turkey he left in 2016 ten days before the 15 July coup attempt.

According to Abbas, Turkey had in 2010 achieved a ‘moderate Islam’ approach which adopted western values and had undertaken great economic reforms. Abbas said, however, by 2016, the Turkish

22 May 2017 Defence Studies Department, King’s College London In partnership with RUSI Speaker: Dr Metin Gurcan Chair: Dr Francesco F. Milan, Teaching Fellow at the Defence Studies Department, King’s College London Dr Gurcan characterised Turkey as a politically-divided country in a liquid security environment. He spoke about the multi-faceted threat Turkey is currently facing, noting that it had three distinct enemies, the PKK, FETO and extremist Salafi

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government had become much more authoritarian and the country had become isolated in terms of its foreign policy.

Strong nationalist narratives have been employed by the ruling AK Party (Justice and Development Party), he said, which only fueled the sense of isolation, fear and polarisation in this multi-ethnic and multi-denominational country.

Prof Abbas indicated that while power had changed hands in Turkey, the same approach used by the former authoritarian Kemalist who used nationalist rhetoric, is now being used by Erdogan with

“Turkish CivilMilitary Relations and the Fight Against Terror” groups. Dr Gurcan recommended taking different approaches to each threat. He noted that Turkey’s security forces had increased their operations against extremist Salafi groups in 2017.

Dr Gurcan explained that Turkey was

a few changes. He argued that there has been a shift from Kemalism to soft Islamism, but the methods of governance remain the same. Prof Abbas added that Turkey over the past decade has made great progress with regards to the Kurdish issue, thanks to the AK Party starting a peace process.

In his book, Prof Abbas evaluates contemporary Turkey with a deep understanding of the history of the country. He explores dynamics between religious and ethnic minorities, and assesses the vast differences of opinion between different political camps in the country, which have increased in the last decade. He examines the legacy of the Gezi protests and presents his findings from his research from the town of Yuksekova in the east of Turkey, which is one of the poorest areas in the country and where the Kurdish armed group the PKK actively recruits fighters.

Prof Abbas’ presentation was followed by a lively Q&A.

going through a process of civilianisation of its military, increasing civilian oversight and management in the wake of last year’s attempted coup d’état. He identified some of the difficulties in this process and outlined the two competing approaches to implementing civilianisation, namely transferring power to the centre or diffusing power.

The changing landscape in Syria and divisions within the PKK were areas that Dr Gurcan saw as worth paying attention to in the near future. Dr Gurcan went on to provide in-depth answers to a number of questions from the audience.

“Writing as a survival tool in these ‘interesting times’” 16 May 2017 SOAS In partnership with Turkish Studies at SOAS and SOAS Kurdish Society Speaker: Ece Temelkuran At this open forum discussion, journalist and novelist Temelkuran presented her new novel, Women Who Blow on Knots. Temelkuran described the process of writing the novel, whilst living in Tunis in 2012, during the tumultuous events following the country’s first post-revolution elections.

The novel deals with the experience of being a woman in the contemporary Middle East, with Temelkuran talking about her relationship with literature and going on to cover a number of political themes that have influenced her writing of this and other novels.

Temelkuran discussed the events of the intervening years since the writing of the novel, identifying the rise of modern populism and the recent referendum in Turkey as key turning points, both for Turkey, and for the world. Temelkuran sees populism as a threat and believes that changes in politics are changing the way people relate to their countries of origin.

Temelkuran explored her frustrations with politics in Turkey and the wider world and how she engaged with this through writing. She also expressed her concern at the what she considers to be rising levels of misogyny across the world, adding that she fears it is women who will bear the burden of impending political crises.

“Referendum Result and Future for Freedom of Expression in Turkey” 20 April 2017 House of Commons In partnership with Index on Censorship Speakers: Special Advisor to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Guney Yildiz, awardwinning Turkish- British technologist Alp Toker and Index on Censorship’s Head of Advocacy Melody Patry Chair: Sara Whyatt, Director of PEN International Host: Neil Coyle MP, Labour MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark Yildiz began by outlining the challenges faced by Turkey’s political actors during the referendum campaign, focusing on President Erdogan. Yildiz stated there was a significant difference between the coverage enjoyed by the ‘yes’ campaign, compared to the ‘no’ campaign. Yildiz pointed out that the referendum represented a significant moment in the AKP’s electoral history, as the party lost votes in big cities such as Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.

The presidential system voted on in the referendum will not come into effect until 2019 but, Yildiz says, re-structuring of the Turkish State has already taken place.

Yildiz added that the coup attempt, the Gezi events and other regional insecurities have all lead to a weakening of Turkey’s institutions, excluding the Turkish Intelligence Service.

Yildiz expressed disagreement with the term ‘polarised’, believing Turkey to be a fragmented and multi-polar, rather than polarised, country. Yildiz discussed how Erdogan is more nationalist than most nationalist figures in Turkey at present, voicing anti-western feelings which, Yildiz claimed,

appeal to almost everyone in Turkey except for the Kurds. He went on to state that one of the biggest challenges for Turkey was the Kurdish issue.

Patry firstly discussed the environment in which the referendum took place, particularly with regards to freedom of expression. Patry said many who had been working in Turkey on solidarity with journalists are now being charged with having produced terrorism propaganda, which is especially concerning given the recent discussion about reintroducing the death penalty.

Patry said that the conduct of the referendum had not met the Council of Europe’s standards, as freedom of expression had not been guaranteed. Patry added that the ‘no’ campaign had not been given a platform during the referendum. She also speculated that intimidation efforts and the mass arrests of journalists may have influenced the result.

Toker noted the high turnout for the referendum, suggesting it revealed strong engagement with politics in Turkey. Toker spoke about the concern that during the referendum the internet would be shut down to influence the vote. He added that his organisation, Turkey Blocks, monitored the situation and concluded that no internet shut down took place.

Toker concluded by stating that the referendum took place in an insufficiently democratic environment, as the media coverage did not reflect the views of the entire population. He added that one form of censorship leads to others, stating that these problems could not be solved by foreign groups or interference from the West.

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19 April 2017 House of Commons In partnership with the Friends of Cyprus Speaker: Sener Elcil, General Secretary of KTOS, the Turkish Cypriot Primary Teachers Trade Union Chair: Mary Southcott, Coordinator of Friends of Cyprus Host: Fabian Hamilton, Labour MP for Leeds NE Elcil began by discussing issues of identity as a Turkish Cypriot and the importance he saw in a common Cypriot iden-

“What is at Stake in the Turkish Constitutional Referendum?”

13 April 2017 Headquarters of Unite the Union In partnership with the Foundation for Law, Justice and Society Speaker: Dr Bill Kissane, Associate Professor in Politics at LSE Chair: Sinem Arslan Dr Kissane opened his presentation

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“After Turkey’s Referendum, What Hopes for a Cyprus settlement?” tity. He then talked about the work of the Turkish Cypriot Primary Teachers Trade Union (KTOS). Elcil followed on with the history of the Cypriot conflict and the role of outside interference, stating that understanding Cyprus’ history was important to understanding its current state.

Elcil said Turkey’s policy of population transfer was illegal and was damaging northern Cyprus economically and culturally, particularly the practices of money laun-

dering and of building mosques in secular areas. Elcil stated that the referendum in Turkey had created a deep division within the community and created an unstable environment within Turkey. He believes President Erdogan may seek to settle the Cyprus issue to show that the presidential system work and be beneficial.

The presentation was followed by a question and answer session. The High Commissioner for the Republic of Cyprus to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland also gave a small speech to add to Elcil’s presentation.

by discussing populism, claiming that it has recently become more prominent.

Dr Kissane stated that populism impacts countries negatively for two reasons in particular. Firstly it allows extreme ideologies to strengthen, and secondly increasing power to the people can damage existing systems of checks and balances.

President Erdogan is relying on ‘constitutional populism’, seeking to entrench his grip on power. Kissane went on to argue that the AKP has used concerns over political instability to gain support for the changes.

Dr Kissane claimed the reasons for the AKP’s success were its economic success and strong leadership. Dr Kissane claimed that a clash was inevitable due to

the friction between Erdogan’s strong personality and the fact that the role of president in Turkey is ceremonial. Discussing the proposed changes to the constitution, Dr Kissane noted that under the new system parliamentary and presidential elections would be held on the same day, potentially allowing the same party to dominate both branches of the government.

Dr Kissane ended his presentation by outlining the two possible scenarios for the future. Support for the changes, he said, would suggest there is support for strong authority while a rejection of these proposals would mean the electorate is fearful of populism and a concentration of power.

“Referendum in Turkey: Presidential Systems, the Economy and Foreign Policy”

4 April 2017 King’s College In Partnership with the King’s College London Diplomacy Society Speakers: Dr Gulcin Ozkan, Professor of Economics at the University of York and Dr Katerina Dalacoura, Associate Professor in International Relations at LSE Chair: Peter Frostad, President of King’s College London Diplomacy Society Dr Ozkan began by discussing the background to her paper which compares economic performance under two different government types, namely parlia-

mentary democracies and presidential democracies, emphasising that the findings are significant in light of Turkey’s upcoming referendum.

Dr Ozkan sought to analyse the impact of presidential and parliamentary systems on countries’ economic performance, finding that presidential democracies are associated with worse economic performance than parliamentary democracies.

Moreover the relevant literature argues that the benefits of presidential systems do not outweigh their negative impacts.

Dr Ozkan used a range of factors, including inflation, growth rates and inequality to deepen her study. She also found that better institutions reduced but did not reverse the negative impacts of a presidential system.

Dr Dalacoura began her presentation by referring to her paper on the future of Turkey’s foreign policy, produced as part of the EU-funded Horizon 2020 project. Dr Dalacoura explained that one argument of her paper was that Ahmet Davutoglu’s departure as Prime Minister marked the end of one phase of Turkish foreign policy

and the start of another.

The previous phase under Davutoglu, Dr Dalacoura argued, was marked by a civilizational approach and an aim to make Turkey a great regional power. She noted however that Davutoglu’s framing of civilizations was not in terms of clash but rather he placed importance on dialogue between distinct civilisations. The new approach since his departure, she said, was far more ad hoc and expediency-based.

This new phase, Dr Dalacoura argued, came about in part due to the crisis mentality currently in Turkey. Dr Dalacoura explained that this mentality exists because Turkey faces at least three issues currently, the Gulenist movement, Kurdish groups, and Islamic State. This crisis has meant Ankara is less concerned with ideology in foreign policy and consequently, she said, it will seek support whenever and from whomever.

Turkey’s foreign policy under the AKP has not broken significantly with previous governments, argued Dr Dalacoura, noting that Turkey is still a member of NATO and still an EU membership candidate.

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“Brexit, Turkey and the European Union” 17 November 2016 House of Commons In partnership with Friends of Turkey Group in the European Parliament Speakers: Geoffrey Van Orden, Conservative MEP for East England and Stephen Kinnock, Labour MP for Aberavon Host and Chair: Catherine West, Labour MP for Hornsey and Wood Green Mr Van Orden began by discussing Turkey’s ambivalent relationship with the European Union (EU), noting the opening of Turkey’s EU accession discussions in 2004 and the lack of progress surrounding this process.

He argued that the biggest obstacle to Turkey’s EU membership is Turkey’s desire for the free movement of Turkish citizens within the EU, to which EU member states are generally opposed. He also added that German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French politicians and also the head of the European Commission had expressed scepticism about Turkey’s EU membership. He noted however, that Turkey had been able to make the Refugee Readmission Deal which promised visa-liberalisation for Turkish citizens.

On discussing the UK’s future rela-

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tionship with the EU, he considered Norway and Switzerland as models for Brexit, concluding that neither were suitable. He commented that Switzerland’s sector based relationship was unsuitable for the British, due to the exclusion of banking, and added that while Norway has free movement of goods and services, it also has free movement of people. Discussing the option of Britain trading via the WTO, he added that this only deals with tariffs, and does not provide a firm footing for banking.

He also mentioned that British Governments have traditionally been supportive of Turkish EU accession, and that there is now talk of a special trade arrangement between Britain and Turkey.

He concluded expressing hope for a “benign Brexit” and argued that Britain should not be treated by other EU leaders with hostility not only given the security, political and economic difficulties presently faced by the world, but also because of how much Britain has paid in to the EU, alongside the fact that the present British Prime Minister Theresa May voted to remain.

Mr Kinnock began by discussing the importance of European values of Li-

berty, Democracy and Respect for Human Rights to Turkish EU accession. He mentioned the many Turkish officials being arrested as part of the purges and also of journalists, and stated that these abuses of human rights and European values should disqualify Turkey from being an EU candidate country.

He expressed concern that the British Government had espoused angry nationalist rhetoric when dealing with other EU leaders. He stated that he saw a trend of these sentiments growing in many places, as exemplified by Brexit, the election of Donald Trump and the rise of other extreme parties. He added that the most important part of future Brexit negotiations was a smooth transition that would ultimately lead to a trade deal which the other member state governments would ratify. He also noted that with the the rise of these extreme movements in Europe, various EU leaders would be less conciliatory towards Britain for fear of losing politically to extreme parties. He concluded, stating that Britain with Brexit and Turkey’s behaviour have united the EU in moving away from Turkish membership and uniting the other EU members against Britain.

Roundtable with Can Dundar 29 June 2016 Free Word Centre In partnership with English PEN Speaker: Can Dundar

Changing Kurdish Dynamic in the Middle East 22 March 2016 - House of Commons In partnership with the LSE Middle East Centre Speaker: Cengiz Candar, Dr Zeynep Kaya and Robert Lowe

Roundtable Meeting on “Post-Election Turkey” - Part 2 5 January 2016 Istanbul Policy Centre, Sabanci University, Istanbul In partnership with IPC Istanbul Speakers: Dilek Kurban, Dr Fuat Keyman, Dr Bill Park

Joint Forum with HDP Co- Chair Figen Yuksekdag 30 November 2015 House of Commons In partnership with Refugee Workers Cultural Association (RWCA) and Kurdish Progress Speaker: Figen Yuksekdag Translation by Andrew Penny

Post- Election Turkey 17 November 2015 House of Commons In partnership with IPC Speakers: Professor Fuat Keyman, Lord Peter Hain, Lord David Owen and Lord William Wallace Turkey’s War in the South: Kurds, ISIS and Assad 19 October 2015 House of Commons In partnership with the Centre for Kurdish Progress Speakers: Dr Neil Quilliam, Jonathan Friedman

Roundtable Meeting on “PostElection Turkey” - Part 1 5 January 2016 Istanbul Policy Centre, Sabanci University, Istanbul In Partnership with IPC Istanbul Speakers: Lord William Wallace, Lord Peter Hain and Dr Ersin Kalaycioglu

Roundtable “Post- Election Turkey and Economy” 18 November 2015 House of Commons In partnership with the Istanbul Policy Centre of Sabanci University (IPC) Speakers: Professor Fuat Keyman, Professor Izak Atiyas and Lord Peter Hain

The Syrian War’s Impact on Kurdish Politics 16 November 2015 - House of Commons In partnership with the Centre for Kurdish Progress Speakers: Dr Cengiz Gunes, Robert Lowe and David Hartwell Roundtable “Snap Elections in Turkey: Now and Then” 30 October 2015 Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) In partnership with RUSI Speaker: Cengiz Candar

Roundtable “June 2015 General Elections and Turbulence in the Politics of Turkey” 1 September 2015 RUSI In partnership with RUSI Speaker: Professor Istar Gozaydin CEFTUS 2018-19

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Kurds in Syria: From Denial toward SelfRuled Governance Model 25 March 2015 - House of Commons In partnership with the Centre for Kurdish Progress Speakers: Salih Muslim, Michael Stephens, Dr david L. Phillips, Dr David Graeber and Dr Johanna Riha

Experience of Women in Contemporary Turkey 23 March 2105 - Portcullis House In partnership with SOAS Turkish Society Speakers:Professor Binnaz Toprak, Arwa Ibrahim and Dr Funda Ustek

Kobane Resistance and the Future of Peace Process in Turkey 18 November 2014 - Portcullis House In partnership with the Centre for Kurdish Progress Speaker: Ertugrul Kurkcu

Turkey and its Turbulent Neighbours 15 October 2014 RUSI In partnership with RUSI Speaker: Dr Soner Cagaptay The Crisis in Iraq: Unexpected Alliance, Western Intervention and the Question of Kurdistan 9 September 2014 - House of Commons In partnership with the Centre for Kurdish Progress Speakers: Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, Dr Liam Fox MP, Dr Alan Semo, Lord Tim ClementJones, Lord Maurice Glasman, Bill Park, Patrick Cockburn, Harvey Morris, Sundus Saqi and Jason McCartney MP

Joint Roundtable Foreign Political Challenges that Turkey is Facing Today 7 November 2014 RUSI In partnership with RUSI Speaker: Professor Dr Yasin Aktay

Turkey’s Kurdish Question: Past, Present and Future April 2014 House of Commons and SOAS, University of London In partnership with the London Kurdish Institute and SOAS Kurdish Society Speaker: Dr Ismail Besikci The Gezi Spirit and Its Impacts: Recent Developments in Turkey December 2013 SOAS, University of London In partnership with SOAS Kurdish Society Speaker: Ihsan Eliacik

Freedom of Expression in Turkey during the EU Accession Progress June 2013 Ertegun House, University of Oxford In partnership with Ertegun House, University of Oxford Speakers: Professor Yaman Akdeniz and Dr Kerem Altiparmak

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Kurdish Issue in Turkey and Problems of Democratic Participation April 2013 SOAS, University of London In partnership with the Refugee Workers Cultural Association Speaker: Professor CEFTUS 2018-19 Busra Ersanli

What the Eye Doesn’t See: a Nationalist Discourse on Urban Intervention, and Istanbul’s Changing Landscape February 2013 London Metropolitan University In partnership with Politics Exposed (LMU) Speakers: Atakan Guven and Omer Cavusoglu

Can an Emerging Middle Class Offer a New Order and the Role of the Turkish Youth January 2013- House of Commons In partnership with the International Forum for Democracy and Peace (IFDP) Speaker: Egemen Bagis

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CEFTUS is an independent and non-partisan organisation based in London. Our mission is to build bridges between the UK and Turkey and the region.

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