Georgian Institute of Politics to Hold Webinar on Turkey's Role in South Caucasus on June 2

On June 3, Georgian Institute of Politics (GIP) will host the webinar "Turkey in search of a new foreign policy in the South Caucasus".

It is the opening event of the public discussion series “Analysing Current State and Trends of Turkish Foreign Policy in the South Caucasus'' organized by GIP with the support of the Heinrich Boell Foundation Tbilisi Office – South Caucasus Region.

Three online public discussions, which will take place throughout June-July 2020, will focus on Turkey’s role in the South Caucasus and will engage with crucial topics such as foreign policy, economy and energy, and security. The discussions will gather mass media representatives, academics, the diplomatic community, and experts from the South Caucasus region, Turkey and the EU.

The webinar will be held in English and translation from English to Georgian language will be provided. Moderator will be Dr. Kornely Kakachia.

"The webinar will address the current shifts in Turkey’s approach towards the South Caucasus region. Turkish foreign policy has been subject to important fluctuations in recent years. The emphasis on Europeanization during the period of 2002-2007 has been altered by the foreign policy influenced by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s calculations and increasing conservative and nationalist discourses. Furthermore, the 2011 uprisings in the Arab World, the declining EU membership prospects and the failed coup of 2016 also contributed to the modification of Turkish foreign policy. Nowadays, Turkey’s internal political challenges, its rapprochement with Russia, the role in the Syrian war and tensions with the US/NATO and the EU pose a question regarding Turkey’s role in the region.", is written in the description of the event.

Speakers are as follows:
• Dr. Mustafa Aydin – Professor, Department of International Relations, Kadis Has University
Q: How and to what extent Turkey’s foreign policy approach towards the South Caucasus has changed in the recent decade?

• Dr. Hürcan Aslı Aksoy – Deputy Head of Center for Applied Turkey Studies, German Institute for International and Security Affairs
Q: What are the main pillars of Turkey’s approach to the South Caucasus countries?

• Dr. Licínia Simão - Assistant Professor in International Relations, University of Coimbra
Q: What are the regional consequences of the recent complications in the relationship between Turkey and the US and EU?

• Dr. Ivanna Machitidze – Associate Professor in International Relations, New Vision University
Q: What does the current trends of Russia-Turkey relations mean for the South Caucasus?