A revitalised relationship between Turkey and her Middle Eastern neighbours, building on their shared cultural and historical legacy, has been a key feature of the foreign policy of the ruling Justice and Development Party. This has resulted in closer ties not just commercially and politically, but with the wider Arab public as well. Unrest in the Middle East has, however, put this relationship at risk. Trade has been disrupted and relationships with now-discredited Arab regimes have been superseded by uncertainty.

The panel will aim to identify the key challenges and options available to policy makers in these dangerous and unpredictable circumstances where regime change, instability and, in the case of Syria, violence and civil war have challenged Turkey’s interests and influence as a rising regional power. 

Participants to this discussion panel featured Yaşar Yakış, a former Foreign Minister of Turkey, former ambassador to the UN office in Vienna, Egypt and Saudi Arabia,  and expert on foreign policy; Rosemary Hollis - professor of Middle East policy studies from City University, formerly Director of research and head of the Middle East programme at Chatham House; John Peet - Europe editor of the Economist. The panel was chaired by Sir Timothy Daunt.

BIAA