Turkey-EU Cooperation in Counter-terrorism: Challenges of ISIS and PKK

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ORSAM, in partnership with European Neighborhood Council, organized a conference, entitled Turkey-EU Cooperation in Counter-terrorism: Challenges of ISIS and PKK, on 9 June 2016 in Brussels. The event brought together members of academia and think tanks as well as practitioners. Conducted under Chatham House rules, the event allowed for senior security specialists and academics to meet and share their policy views with highlevel government officials about the rising threats of ethnic radicalism and foreign terrorist fighters. The event made an important academic contribution to the Turkish and EU fight against terrorism.

Press coverage:

http://www.haberler.com/bruksel-de-terore-karsi-turkiye-ab-isbirligi-8514826-haberi/

http://www.dailysabah.com/eu-affairs/2016/06/10/experts-discuss-role-of-turkey-eu-ties-against-terrorism-in-brussels-conference

Turkey-EU Cooperation in Counter-terrorism: Challenges of ISIS and PKK.

PROGRAM AND SPEAKERS

09 June 2016

9:00 – 9:15. Arrival Time

9:15 – 9:30. Introduction and Welcome

Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, Managing Director at the European Neighbourhood Council

(ENC).

Saban Kardas, President at the Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM) and

Faculty Member at TOBB University.

9:30 – 10:00. Counter terrorism: Turkey and the EU

Fatma Ceren Yazgan, Deputy Director General for Security and Intelligence at the Turkish

Ministry of Foreign Affair (MFA Turkey).

Angelina Eichhorst, Director for Western Europe, Western Balkans and Turkey at the

European External Action Service (EEAS).

10:00 – 11:15. Session I: Foreign Terrorist Fighters and the ISIS

Moderator: Saban Kardas, Director of ORSAM.

Associate Professor Haldun Yalçınkaya, Security Studies Coordinator at the Center for

Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM).

John Gatt-Rutter, Head of Division for Counter Terrorism Team at the European External

Action Service (EEAS).

Joost Hiltermann, Program Director for Middle East and North Africa at the International

Crisis Group (ICG).

11:15-11:30. Coffee & Refreshment Break.

11:30 – 13:00. Session II: Ethnic Radicalization and the PKK

Moderator: Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, Managing Director of the ENC.

Associate Professor Nihat Ali Özcan, Senior Security Analyst at the Economic Policy

Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV).

Associate Professor Murat Yeşiltaş, Security Studies Coordinator at the Foundation for

Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA).

Jean Paul Rouiller, Director at the Geneva Center for Training and Analysis of Terrorism

(GCSP).

13.00 – 13.10. Closing Remarks