The on-going humanitarian crisis in Syria, also affects Turkey and Armenia and their mutual relations. At the same time, the recent deterioration of relations between Russia and Turkey may further decrease the chances of normalization between these two countries.

To explore the role that Armenia and Turkey can play in this new geopolitical setting, the Global Political Trends Center (GPoT) of Istanbul Kültür University and EPF will organize two roundtable discussions. Each discussion will bring together ex-politicians, diplomats, representatives of humanitarian organizations, high-ranking officials and civil society representatives, journalists and academicians from Armenia, Turkey, and presumably from other countries of the region. These 2-day discussions will seek new opportunities for improving Armenia-Turkey relations through the prism of a constructive engagement of these two countries in the region, including the Syrian crisis, removal of sanctions from Iran, the issue of Islamic State and political Islam. Each discussion will also produce recommendations for further collaboration. The first roundtable discussion will be hosted by EPF in Yerevan, and GPoT will host the second one in Istanbul. EPF and GPoT will produce brief reports (policy papers) summarising main ideas and recommendations voiced during the discussions, which will be made freely accessible to public through EPF’s, GPoT’s and ATNP’s web-sites.  

EPF and GPoT are proponents of the principles of gender equality and inclusive participation of women. To comply with the provisions of the above principles within the frames of the proposed activity, EPF and GPoT will make sure that the participants of the two roundtables include female participants in a ratio close to 50/50 percent. 

The activity will look at the prospects of Turkey-Armenia normalization through the prism of a constructive engagement of these two countries in issues of regional concern. The activity will promote partnerships among the participants on track 1.5 level supporting the process of Armenia-Turkey normalization while focusing on common security and geo-political issues.