Tag Archives: CFoT

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu delivered a lecture on Turkish foreign policy at Ditchley Foundation in the UK.

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Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu delivered a lecture entitled “Changing Turkish Foreign Policy in Changing World” at the annual meeting of Ditchley Foundation which is one of the prominent think-tank institutions of the United Kingdom. A distinguished group of politicians, academics, representatives of think-thanks, journalists and diplomats participated in the meeting.

At his lecture Foreign Minister Davutoğlu stated that new elements of changing Turkish foreign policy in a changing world are security-freedom balance and efficient cooperation/partnership with adjacent regions and countries. Foreign Minister Davutoğlu expressed that Turkey is today pursuing an active foreign policy in every adjacent region and country from Afghanistan to Somalia. He said that Turkey became a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the first time after 50 years in 2009-10 periods and announced once again its candidacy for non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council for the period 2015-2016. He also underlined the similarities between the agenda items of the UN Security Council and the the issues of Turkish foreign policy.

Expressing that Turkey has been following a principled stance on Arab Spring from the very beginning and is supporting legitimate aspirations of the peoples of those countries, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu emphasized that in the same respect, Turkey will continue to stand by the Syrian people.

Source: Turkish Foreign Affairs Office

Hague Meets Foreign Minister Davutoğlu

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William Hague met Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Davutoğlu and discussed bilateral relations and regional security issues.

The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, welcomed Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Ahmet Davutoğlu to the UK during a meeting following the Friends of Yemen conference on 7th March. They enjoyed constructive and wide-ranging talks on the situation in the Middle East, Somalia and Cyprus.

The UK and Turkey continue to enjoy a deepening bilateral relationship, enhancing co-operation on a number of issues, including foreign policy, trade and EU accession. Turkey is a close ally on the Syrian conflict and is at the forefront of efforts to assist refugees and the Syrian opposition. The Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Davutoğlu discussed increasing support for the Syrian coalition, closer work on security sector reform in Somalia, the search for peace in the Middle East, and renewing efforts for a Cyprus settlement.

Source: UK Government

Photo: Anadolu Ajans

Turkish FM meets with British counterpart, Syria tops agenda

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Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, who is in the UK on an official visit, met with his British counterpart, William Hague, in London on Monday.

The two foreign ministers exchanged views over the latest developments in Syria, the Middle East peace process, the situation in Iraq and Egypt.

Both Turkey and the UK are staunch backers of the Syrian opposition and endorse robust action by the international community. The UK pushed for lifting the arms embargo in the EU and stepped up its unilateral efforts to provide aid for the Syrian opposition forces.

Diplomatic sources said Hague had invited Davutoğlu to a May conference meeting on Somalia in London.

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu was in London to participate in a meeting of the Friends of Yemen Group.

Turkish diplomatic sources said Davutoğlu offered during the meeting Turkey as the venue for an international investment conference for Yemen following the country’s general elections.

Davutoğlu also said in the meeting that Turkey has pledged to donate $200,000 to support the transition process in Yemen.

Source: Today’s Zaman

Photo: Anadolu Ajansi, Hakan Tepe

Press release: Higher Education relations between UK and Turkey strengthening

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Prof. Gökhan Çetinsaya, President, Council of Higher Education Turkey (YÖK), and Prof. Eric Thomas, President of Universities UK (UUK), signed a joint memorandum of understanding on December 13th, taking an important step towards strengthening academic ties between the two countries. The MoU was signed in the office of Rt Hon David Willetts, UK’s Minister of Universities and Science. The MoU between UUK and YÖK was supported by the British Council within the framework of the Knowledge Partnership Initiative that was signed in 2011 between UK and Turkey to increase trade and investment between UK and Turkey and collaborations in science, research and innovation.

Prof. Gökhan Çetinsaya went to London with a delegation from Turkey consisting of senior YÖK representatives and university rectors. During the visit, he spoke with various contacts about the internationalisation of higher education and quality assurance as well as the relationship between higher education and industry. The MoU signed between the two countries’ most influential agencies in higher education encompasses cooperation in all aspects of Higher Education

Çetinsaya talked about restructuring efforts being conducted in Turkish higher education. He touched on the importance of a diversified, multidirectional internationalisation instead of one dimensional internationalisation, saying that the memorandum of understanding they had signed would open up new opportunities for British and Turkish higher education. He stated that Turkey had, in the process of globalisation, begun to play a very important role globally in higher education due to its political power, regional influence, cultural heritage and rapid economic growth. He went on to say that this new MOU should be viewed in this context.

Prof. Gökhan Çetinsaya was accompanied by Prof. Mehmet Karaca, Rector of Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Prof Gülay Barbarosoğlu, Rector of Boğaziçi University, Prof. Murat Barkan, Rector of Yaşar University, Prof. Şenay Yalçın, Rector of Bahçeşehir University, Prof Tufan S. Buzpınar, Executive Board Member of YÖK and his Advisors at YÖK; Prof. Talip Küçükcan, Assoc. Prof. Fahrettin Altun, Prof. Bekir Gür and Recep Korkmaz.

 

Source: British Council