Inaugural Suna Roundtable Discussion – The Middle East on Rise: Turkey and the EU

Inaugural Suna Roundtable Discussion – The Middle East on Rise: Turkey and the EU

On October 25, 2012, Dr. Sylvia Tiryaki
participated in the Inaugural Suna Roundtable Discussion
entitled “The Middle East on Rise: Turkey and the EU” in Bratislava,
organized by GPoT Center in collaboration with the Faculty of Social and
Economic
Sciences (FSES) of Comenius University in Slovakia. This was the first
one in a series of roundtable discussions that will
be held annually in Bratislava to commemorate H.E. Suna Çokgür Ilıcak,
who passed away while serving as the Ambassador of the Republic of
Turkey to Slovak Republic in 2006.

Dr. Tiryaki discussed Turkey’s role in the Middle East and EU-Turkey
relations with the representatives of diplomatic corps based in
Bratislava, academics, experts and students who attended the event, and
participated in a ceremony during which a birch tree in the memory of
H.E. Suna Çokgür Ilıcak was jointly planted in the garden of FSES.

Dr. Tiryaki’s Interview in Hürriyet Daily News about the Financial Crisis in Cyprus

Dr. Tiryaki’s Interview in Hürriyet Daily News about the Financial Crisis in Cyprus

Greek Cyprus, which used to get whatever support it wanted from Europe, now feels cheated by the European Union, according to a prominent expert. ‘There is now such strong anti-EU sentiment among Greek Cypriots that it is bringing them closer to Turkey. They think there could be the same EU skepticism in Turkey,’ says Dr. Sylvia Tiryaki.

—
The interview by Barçın Yinanç of Hürriyet Daily News (HDN) with GPoT Center’s Deputy Director Dr. Tiryaki about the financial and banking crisis in Cyprus is available on HDN’s website here.

Dr. Tiryaki na IHNED.cz: Kypr nenávidí své zachránce, chrání viníky

Dr. Tiryaki na IHNED.cz: Kypr nenávidí své zachránce, chrání viníky

Čerstvému prezidentovi Kyperské republiky Nicosi Anastasiadesovi sotva může někdo závidět. Ve funkci není ještě ani měsíc a už musí čelit něčemu, co někteří řečtí Kypřané přirovnávají ke změně podmínek po turecké vojenské intervenci v roce 1974 a někteří ruští experti dokonce k leninskému převratu z roku 1917.


Originál článku je prístupný v plnom znení na IHNED.cz.

Mediation in the Mediterranean: Developing Capacities and Synergies

Mediation in the Mediterranean: Developing Capacities and Synergies

Dr. Sylvia Tiryaki, Deputy Director at GPoT Center, attended the first of two seminars as part of the United Nations Group of Friends of Mediation Spanish-Moroccan Initiative. The seminar, entitled “Mediation in the Mediterranean: Developing Capacities and Synergies” took place in Madrid 11-12 February 2013.

The Spanish-Moroccan initiative on Mediation in the Mediterranean aims to give support to the UN efforts to strengthen the role of mediation in conflict resolution. The initial seminar, organized by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairstogether with Cooperation and the Toledo International Centre for Peace (CITpax) in Madrid, invited representatives from various international institutions, non-governmental organizations, academia, and experts on mediation, in total from 26 countries. The seminar engaged with questions about the ways in which mediation capacities can be enhanced in the Mediterranean, such as through increased cooperation at an international, regional, and local level.

Dr. Tiryaki participated as a speaker during the seminar’s second session on the role of national and local mediation actors and their capacity of coordination with others. The session addressed questions of the salient needs for local mediators today and the most effective way of developing their capacities, and the best mechanisms for cooperation between local and other levels of mediation during different phases of a conflict.

Mediation in the Mediterranean: Developing Capacities and Synergies

Mediation in the Mediterranean: Developing Capacities and Synergies

Dr. Sylvia Tiryaki, Deputy Director at GPoT Center, attended the first of two seminars as part of the United Nations Group of Friends of Mediation Spanish-Moroccan Initiative. The seminar, entitled “Mediation in the Mediterranean: Developing Capacities and Synergies” took place in Madrid 11-12 February 2013.

The Spanish-Moroccan initiative on Mediation in the Mediterranean aims to give support to the UN efforts to strengthen the role of mediation in conflict resolution. The initial seminar, organized by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairstogether with Cooperation and the Toledo International Centre for Peace (CITpax) in Madrid, invited representatives from various international institutions, non-governmental organizations, academia, and experts on mediation, in total from 26 countries. The seminar engaged with questions about the ways in which mediation capacities can be enhanced in the Mediterranean, such as through increased cooperation at an international, regional, and local level.

Dr. Tiryaki participated as a speaker during the seminar’s second session on the role of national and local mediation actors and their capacity of coordination with others. The session addressed questions of the salient needs for local mediators today and the most effective way of developing their capacities, and the best mechanisms for cooperation between local and other levels of mediation during different phases of a conflict.

As EU Pares Budgets, Turkey and Korea Step up Aid Spending

As EU Pares Budgets, Turkey and Korea Step up Aid Spending

“EU leaders meeting in Brussels this week are to consider austerity measures that could reduce the EU’s foreign aid spending by 11% in the 2014-2020 budget, while several EU nations are likely to miss their aid commitments to disadvantaged nations.”

“Sylvia Tiryaki, the vice-chairwoman of Istanbul Kültür University’s international relations department, said Turkey was increasingly active in overseas development not just through foreign aid, but via non-governmental and charity organizations.

‘One of the reasons is that Turkey itself is becoming richer and the economic situation here is much better than it is in other countries, so we can afford it,’ Tiryaki said in an interview from Ankara.

Turkey’s help to Egypt following the Arab spring, as well as in fragileSomalia, has been designed to bring political and economic stability in regions close to Turkey, because ‘poverty breeds radicalism’, she said.”

To read the whole article click here.

As EU Pares Budgets, Turkey and Korea Step up Aid Spending | EurActiv | Timothy Spence

As EU Pares Budgets, Turkey and Korea Step up Aid Spending | EurActiv | Timothy Spence

“According to a EurActiv analysis of aid statistics, EU candidate Turkey and South Korea have been increasing aid programmes for poor nations at a time when such spending in Europe is under threat.”

“Turkey and South Korea figure among a handful of nations that are giving more to help poor countries at a time when the traditional heavy-hitters – the EU, Japan and the United States – are struggling with domestic budgetary problems and are on course to scale back their overseas commitments.”

“Sylvia Tiryaki, vice chairwoman of Istanbul Kültür University’s international relations department, said Turkey was increasingly active in overseas development not just through foreign aid, but though non-governmental and charity organisations.”

“One of the reasons is that Turkey itself is becoming richer and the economical situation here is much better than it is in other countries, so we can afford it,’ Tiryaki said in an interview from Ankara. The country, she added, is ‘undoubtedly a regional player and would look to see itself is a global player in future.”

“‘Turkey’s help to Egypt following the Arab spring and in fragile Somalia are designed to bring political and economic stability in Turkey’s back yard, because ‘poverty breeds radicalism,’ she said.”

To read the whole article click here.

Dr. Tiryaki’s interview for Týždeň weekly

Dr. Tiryaki’s interview for Týždeň weekly


Dr. Sylvia Tiryaki spoke about Turkey and the EU in an interview for Týždeň, a Slovak weekly. The interview entitled ‘Discussion about taboo cured Turkey’ (Diskusie o tabu Turecko ozdravili) was published in the section ‘Turkey without Europe’ (Turecko bez Europy).

You can read the interview in Slovak language here.

EuroMeSCo Annual Conference 2012

EuroMeSCo Annual Conference 2012

Following the workshop entitled “The Multilateral Track of Euro-Mediterranean Relations: The Role of the Union for the Mediterranean”, which was organized by the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean, European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed) and Euro-Mediterranean Study Commission (EuroMeSCo) in Barcelona on October 3, 2012, Dr. Tiryaki participated in the EuroMeSCo Annual Conference. The theme of this year’s conference taking place in Barcelona between October 4-5, 2012 was “Europe, the Mediterranean and the Arab Spring: Crisis as an Opportunity”.