The Rumi Forum presented “New Approaches in Turkish Foreign Policy” with Dr Cagri Erhan.
It can be observed that Turkish foreign policy has recently began to approach and cover issues which are not under traditional Turkish foreign policy domains. These include the opening up to Africa, activism in the Azerbaijanian issue and the recent moderator roles taken in the conflicts in the Middle East and Caucasus. All these can be interpreted as indications that Turkey is gradually becoming a regional power. The conference will address the new openings in Turkish foreign policy and their possible consequences.
Cagri Erhan is vice –president of Center for Eurasian Strategic Studies (ASAM), a non-profit, independent think tank based in Ankara. He received his BA and MA degrees in International Relations from Ankara University, Faculty of Political Science (AUFPS) and concluded his Ph. D. in Hacettepe University Department of History (2000). He started his academic career as a research assistant at AUFPS Department of International Relations in 1994. He was appointed as an assistant professor in 2002 and as an associate professor in 2003 at the same department. He lectures on Turkish Foreign Policy, the Middle East, and Turkish-American Relations. He is also the director of European Research Center of Ankara University since 2005. He was awarded Tokyo Foundation Fellowship in 1995, Turkish Ministry of Education Fellowship in 1997, Turkish Academy of Sciences Fellowship in 1998 and Turkish Historical Association Award in 2002. Some of his books are, Turkish American Relations: Past, Present and Future (London, Routledge, 2004). Turkish-Israeli Relations in Historical Perspective (London, Frank Cass, 2003), Türk-Amerikan İlişkilerinin Tarihsel Kökenleri (Historical Roots of Turkish-American Relations – Ankara, Imge, 2001).