U.S.-Turkish Relations: A Historic Era?

Aylin D. Miller

15 years ago

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Event Summary

A positive, constructive relationship with Turkey has never been more important to Europe and the United States. Bordering Iraq, Iran, Syria and the Caucasus, Turkey also occupies the corridor between Western markets and the Caspian Sea energy reserves. A stable, Western-oriented Turkey en route toward EU membership would provide a growing market for exports, a source of needed labor, a positive influence on the Middle East, and a critical ally. An inward-looking Turkey, on the other hand, would be a disaster not only for the West but for Turkey itself.

Event Information

When

Monday, April 13, 2009
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM

Where

Falk Auditorium
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC
Map

Contact: Brookings Office of Communications

E-mail: events@brookings.edu

Phone: 202.797.6105

At the onset of what has recently been labeled by Turkey’s chief foreign policy adviser as a “historic era” in bilateral relations, President Barack Obama will visit Turkey in early April. Is the trip evidence that the once-fading relationship will be revived, and if so, will the stronger ties anchor Turkey decidedly toward the West?

On April 13, the Center on the United States and Europe (CUSE) at Brookings will host a panel discussion on the future of U.S.-Turkish relations. Ömer Taşpınar, director of Brookings’s Turkey Project, will offer analysis and recommendations from his recent book, Winning Turkey (Brookings Institution Press, 2008). Soli Ozel of Istanbul’s Bilgi University will present the findings of a new report published by the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) entitled “Rebuilding a Partnership: Turkish-American Relations for a New Era – A Turkish Perspective.”

Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag, chair of TUSIAD, will make introductory remarks, and visiting fellow Mark Parris will moderate an audience question and answer session following the panelists’ remarks.

Moderator

Mark R. Parris

Visiting Fellow, Foreign Policy

Introduction

Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag

Chair, Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD)

Panelists

Ömer Taşpınar

Nonresident Fellow, Foreign Policy

Soli Ozel

Bilgi University, Istanbul