Conservative Friends of Turkey

Conservative Friends of Turkey (CFT) aims to promote links between Turkey and the Conservative Party at all levels.

CFT works with a plethora of individuals, political organisations, academia and business associations in pursuit of this fundamental aim. Its activities range from encouraging an active debate on the Turkey-UK strategic partnership to raising awareness of the Conservative Party within the Turkish community in the UK.

Rt Hon William Hague MP at the CFT launch in 2008

Latest news:

- President Abdullah Gul was in the UK for a 3-day state visit in Nov 2011. Welcomed by the Queen, the Turkish head of state attended a state banquet at the Buckingham Palace, had detailed talks with Prime Minister Cameron, delivered Wilton Park's inaugural annual address, and gave speeches at the CBI annual conference and at the Parliament. You can find the transcripts of all his speeches here.

London's Pall Mall during President Gul's visit

During the course of the visit, Foreign Minister Hague gave more details about the "new special relationship" between Britain and Turkey in a Daily Telegraph article.

- CFT hosts fringe event at the Party Conference in Manchester on Oct 3, 2011 - "Turkey-UK Strategic Partnership in a Changing World", with Europe Minister Rt Hon David Lidington MP, HE Turkish Ambassador Unal Cevikoz and Dr Gulnur Aybet, University of Kent. (Notes)

Rt Hon David Lidington MP, Ambassador Cevikoz, Dr Aybet

- CFT and the Young Conservative Europe Group (YCEG) held a panel to discuss the developments in British & European cooperation with Turkey - covering foreign policy, trade and civil society on May 10, 2011. Panellists were John Peet, Europe Editor of the Economist, Maurice Fraser, Senior Fellow in European Politics at the LSE and Richard Balfe, former MEP. (Notes)

 John Peet, Richard Balfe, Maurice Fraser

(photo credit to YCEG and Kat Antosova Photography)