TURKISH AND RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE MIDDLE EAST FROM PAST TO PRESENT

4 minute reading time

In the cooperation between the Center For Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM) and the Turkish Historical Society (TTK), a symposium entitled as “Turkish and Russian Perspective on the Middle East from Past to Present” was held in the participation of the academicians from the Russian Federation and Kyrgyzstan as well. The subjects discussed in the symposium were the Middle Eastern policies of Turkey and Russia, cooperation and rivalry potentials. Some of the foreign participants of the meeting were Prof. Dr. Alexander Kolesnikov from the Moscow State University, Prof. Dr. Viktor Panin from the Pyatigorsk University, Prof. Dr. Vatanyar Yagya from the St. Petersburg City University and Deputy at the St. Petersburg City Parliament, Prof. Dr. Alexander Knyazev from the Bishkek Russian Slavic University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alexander Sotnichenko from the St. Petersburg University and Dr. Irina Svistunova from the Moscow State University International Relations. The Turkish speakers of the symposium were the following: Abant İzzet Baysal University Academic Member and ORSAM Middle Eastern Adviser Assoc. Dr. Veysel Ayhan, Gazi University Academic Member and ORSAM Middle Eastern Adviser Asst. Prof. Mehmet Şahin, TOBB University of Economics and Technology Academic Member Asst. Prof. Şaban Kardaş, the Turkish Historical Society Expert and ORSAM Eurasian Adviser Dr. İlyas Kamalov. In the symposium that was held in two sessions in the Hall of the Turkish Historical Society on March 4, 2011, the Director of the METU Institute of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Meliha Altunışık and BOTAŞ (Petroleum Pipeline Corporation) Former General Manager Mete Göknel carried out the moderations of the sessions. Additionally, a number of academicians, diplomats, experts and university students participated as audience in the symposium.

The symposium started with the opening statements of the ORSAM President Hasan Kanbolat, Prof. Dr. Alexander Kolesnikov and the TTK President Prof. Dr. Ali Birinci. In the opening statements which were about different dimensions of the Turkish-Russian relations, it was underlined that there are several subjects related to the relations between these two countries that have not taken into account and the academic studies in this area should be enlarged.

During the first session presided by Prof. Dr. Meliha Altunışık, “the Current Developments in the Middle East and the Policies of Turkey and Russia” were discussed. Firstly, Prof. Dr. Viktor Panin presented a statement entitled as “the Middle Eastern Policy of Russia”. He interpreted the subject by primarily mentioning the period of Czardom and Soviet and told what kind of a position Russia may take in relation to the recent developments in the Middle East. Assoc. Prof. Veysel Ayhan analyzed in his speech the civil rebellions in Tunis and Egypt and the internal conflict in Libya. Prof. Dr. Vatanyar Yagya, in his statement, talked about the priorities of Russia for the region in the context of the internal and external dynamics of the Middle East. Asst. Prof. Mehmet Şahin, taking the floor in the first session, indicated his opinions about the Turkish policies that Turkey should follow in the context of the recent developments in the Middle East. After the statements, the part of question and answer was held.

The subject of the second session which was opened under the presidency of Mete Göknel was “the Cooperation Possibilities between Turkey and Russia regarding the Middle East and the Rivalry Potential”. In his statement entitled as “In the Greater Middle East Project, the Place of Afghanistan”, Prof Dr. Alexander Knyazev evaluated the cooperation possibilities between Turkey and Russia, particularly about Afghanistan. Asst. Prof.Dr. Şaban Kardaş talked, in a general perspective, about the cooperation and rivalry potentials between Turkey and Russia in terms of economics and politics. While Dr. İlyas Kamalov presented a statement studying in detail the Turkish-Russian rivalry with its all dimensions, Dr. Irina Svistunova mentioned the Iran problem and evaluated the future possible policies of Turkey and Russia about Iran. The final speaker Assoc. Dr. Alexander Sotnichenko discussed which one would be more potential for Turkey and Russia in relation to the Middle East in the coming period; the rivalry or cooperation.

NOT: The whole of the statements done in the symposium will be published in the internet site of the ORSAM.