Fourth International Conference on EU, Turkey and the Kurds
- KurdishMedia.com
- 25/11/2007 00:00:00
In memory of the Kurdish Writer Mehmed Uzun
Preliminary program
European Parliament, Brussels
December 03-04, 2007
Room – 1G3, ASP
Patrons
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
Dr. Shirin Ebadi
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
Harold Pinter
Writer
Nobel Literature Prize Laureate
Bianca Jagger
Council of Europe Goodwill Ambassador & Chair of the World Future Council
Noam Chomsky
Professor, Writer
Yasar Kemal
Writer, Turkey
Leyla Zana
European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought & the Rafto Prize
Monday, 3 December 2007
Opening Session 15.00-16.00
Opening remarks
Ms. Kariane Westrheim, Chair of the EUTCC and Associate professor at the University of Bergen, Norway
Mr. Kerim Yildiz, Executive Director, Kurdish Human Rights Project and
Board Member of EUTCC, UK
Opening Speech
Mr. Hans-Gert Pöttering President of EP (invited)
Ms. Leyla Zana, Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, Rafto Prize, Turkey
Ms. Bianca Jagger, Council of Europe Goodwill Ambassador, UK
Mr. Frances Wurtz, MEP, EP Left Group, France
Session One: 16.00-18.30
DEMOCRATISATION, THE EU REFORM PROCESS: POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND THE KURDS
Moderators: Mr. Jon Rud, Lawyer and Mr.Jan Beghin, Member of the Brussels Parliament, SP.A-Spirit, Board Member of EUTCC, Belgium
Speakers:
a. EU-Turkey Accession talks and Turkish membership of the EU – developments and future prospects
• Mr. Joost Lagendijk, MEP, Co-Chairman of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, the Netherlands
• Member of Portuguese Presidency of EU (invited)
b. Democratic transformation – the implementation of legal and constitutional reforms
• Mr. Akin Ozcer, former Turkish Diplomat
c. Can Turkey become a full member of the EU before a Resolution of the Kurdish Issue?
• Mr. Ahmet Turk, MP, Democratic Society Party (DTP), Turkey
Closing remarks by moderators, questions and discussion
19.30 Dinner
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
Session Two: 09:00-11:00
HUMAN RIGHTS, FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS AND DEVELOPMENTS
IN ACCESSION
Moderators: Mr. Hans Branscheidt, Board Member of EUTCC and Ms. Jill Evans MEP,
Vice-President of Plaid Cymru, UK
Speakers:
A.The Ilisu Dam project: Environmental, social and political impact.
Building support for the Save Hasankeyf Campaign
• Mr. Kerim Yildiz, Kurdish Human Rights Project (KHRP), UK
B.Human rights - commitment and implementation
• Mr. Ibrahim Bilmez, Lawyer, Turkey
C.Freedom of expression and association and the rule of law: What prospects for change?
• Mr. Ali Bayramoglu, Journalist, Yeni Safak, Turkey
D. Decentralisation and local governance: developing and supporting local projects
• Mr. Osman Baydemir, Mayor-Diyarbakir, Turkey
E.The role of women in the struggle for democacy and peace
• Ms. Pelguzar Kaygusuz, Democratic Society Party (DTP), Women Section, Turkey
• Ms. Margaret Owen, Barrister, Founder Member of GAPS (Gender Action for Peace and Security) and member of the Bar Human Rights Committee, UK
Closing remarks by moderators, questions and discussion
Session Three: 11:00-13:30
ONGOING CONFLICT & THE ACCESSION PROCESS
Moderators: Ms. Jean Lambert, MEP, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Vice-Chairwoman, UK and Bairbre de Brun MEP, Sinn Fein, EUL-NGL Group, UK
Speakers:
A. International context: political development in Turkey, regional and global conflict
• Mr. Jochen Hippler, Transnational Institute Amsterdam, The Netherlands
B.The need for dialogue: Democratic participation, political representation and civil actors
• Professor Dr. Cengiz Gulec, Member of the Peace Parliament, Turkey
• Mr. Abdullah Demirbas, Mayor-Diyarbakir-Surici, Turkey
C. Peace-making efforts and the armed conflict
• Mr. Mark Muller QC, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the KHRP, Board member EUTCC, and Chair of the Bar Human Rights Committee, UK.
D. The Applicability of Humanitarian Law to the Current Conflict between Turkey and the PKK
• Dr Susan Breau, Reader in International Law and Assistant Associate Dean for Research at the School of Law at the University of Surrey
E. Improving support for the peace process: The role of the EU, European governments and NGOs
• Mr. Hugh Pope, Senior Analyst, International Crisis Group, Turkey
F. Prospects for Peace and Democratic Reconciliation in Turkey: Old Mistakes and New Opportunities
• Professor Dogu Ergil, Ankara University, Turkey
Closing remarks by moderators, questions and discussion
13.30 Lunch
Session Four: 15.00 - 17.30
CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND THE DEMOCRATIC FUTURE OF TURKEY AND
THE KURDS
Moderators: Ms. Feleknas Uca, MEP, Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left Germany and Mr. Andy Carl, Executive Director of "Conciliation Resources", UK
Speakers:
A. Lessons from international peace processes
• Dr Clem McCartney, Independent consultant on conflict and community issues, Ireland
B. Choosing to engage: the Kurdish project
• Mr. Adem Uzun, Kurdistan National Congress
C. Government policy on the Kurds in Turkey
• Professor Baskin Oran, Ankara University, Turkey
D. How the resolution of the Kurdish question can open the road for democracy in Turkey and the Middle East
• Professor Michael M. Gunter, Tennessee Technological University, USA
D. Reflections on EU and EU government’s foreign policies and the resolution Kurdish question
• Ms. Gaby Ruth-Vermot, EU-Strasbourg
• Mr. Vittorio Agnoletto, MEP, Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left, Coordinator of the EP-Kurdish Friendship Group, Italy
Closing remarks by moderators, questions and discussion
Session Five: 18.00-18.30
Discussion and Adoption of Conference Resolution
Final Remarks by the Board of the EUTCC
19.30 Dinner
- KurdishMedia.com
- 25/11/2007 00:00:00