Turkey

The fifth largest earthquake recorded in history that hit northeast Japan led to the greatest nuclear accident that went down in the country’s 60-year past. The turkish reaction was mixed.

According to official announcements in Turkey, Turkish-Russian relations are at an all-time high. However, the validity of these claims is not easy to verify given the lack of transparency on both sides. As part of a series of events on Turkish foreign policy, the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Turkey in co-operation with the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Russia and Carnegie Centre Moscow try to review the situation. 

Turkey has close ties to the Caspian region, Central Asian, and the Middle East. Its longstanding cultural, historic, and economic interrelationships in the area means that Turkey is an ideal intermediary for the EU in its efforts to develop an energy dialogue.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation Turkey office decided to launch a foreign policy program with an initial series of meetings in Istanbul, Berlin and Brussels. The goal was to shape guiding questions and frame the foundations interests in its analysis and policy interventions in foreign policy debates between Turkey, the European Union, and the Middle East. A report from the first expert roundtable in Istanbul, on October 19 2009.

The Football game between Armenia and Turkey in September 2008 and sports diplomacy.

Turkey’s engagement of Armenia represents only one element of a more ambitious Turkish agenda. Turkey is now pursuing a new policy of deepening its ties to not only the countries of the Caucasus, but also of including the countries of Central Asia.

Etyen Mahçupyan, is a Turkish-Armenian journalist and writer. Since 2007 he has been the editor-in-chief of Agos, the Armenian community's weekly newspaper. In this interview he discusses the perspectives for Turkish-Armenian relations, the implications for the Caucasus, and his work for the Hrant Dink Foundation.

Right now, the only regional market accessible to Armenian exporters is Georgia. Two other neighbours, Azerbaijan and Iran, are well-nigh inaccessible to Armenian exports. Thus, opening the Turkish market to Armenia would greatly improve the country’s investment rating which is presently stymied by the narrow limits imposed on its foreign trade.

Opening the Armenian-Turkish border and establishing diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey will fundamentally change the relationship between all countries in the Black Sea and Caspian regions, as well as between the great powers for which the region is an area of vital importance.

Within Armenian political elites there is little to no opposition to rapprochement with Turkey. Many windows in Yerevan offer a good view of Turkey, and most Armenians realise that it is neither normal nor desirable to have two out of four land borders sealed.

Turkey and Armenia may be on the verge of a major breakthrough in bilateral relations. The border between the two countries, closed for a decade and a half, may soon re-open. What would an opening mean for the two countries? What has made the rapprochement possible? This dossier combines expert analyses and interviews with political leaders to give a deeper insight into a complex region.

In its final declaration the People's Water Forum has condemned the proceedings of the 5th World Water Forum and called to "delegitimise this false, corporate driven World Water Forum and to give voice to the positive agenda of the global water justice movements."

The 5th World Water Forum took place in Istanbul from 16-22 March, 2009. The legitimacy of the World Water Forum is being seriously questioned by a number of non-governmental organisations. This dossier takes up the question of water and justice.