Thursday, January 28, 2010

Sixth International Conference: EU, Turkey and the Kurds


6th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON "EU, TURKEY AND THE KURDS"

"Turkey and the Kurdish conflict: Political dialogue & Peace-building"

European Parliament, Brussels 3rd & 4th February 2010 - Room ASP 1G2 (Interpretation available in EN - TK - FR - DE - PT - IT - DA)

Patrons

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, South Africa

Dr. Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Iran

Bianca Jagger, Council of Europe Goodwill Ambassador

Chair of the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation, UK

Professor Noam Chomsky, Writer, USA

Yasar Kemal, Writer, Turkey

Leyla Zana, European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, Rafto Prize Laureate, Turkey

Wednesday, 3rd February 2010, 15h00-16h00, Opening Session, Room ASP 1G2

Opening Remarks

Ms. Kariane Westrheim, PhD, Chair of the "EU Turkey Civic Commission" (EUTCC), Associate Professor at the University of Bergen, Norway

Opening Speeches

Ms. Leyla Zana, EP Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, Rafto Prize Laureate, Turkey

Mr. Lothar Bisky, MEP, Chair European United Left / Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), Germany

Mr. Ahmet Turk, former Co-Chair of Democratic Society Party (DTP), Turkey

Mr. /Ms. , representative of South Africa (name to be confirmed)

Wednesday, 3rd February 2010, 16h00-18h30, Session I, Room ASP 1G2

Recent Peace Initiatives in Turkey & Different Perspectives

Moderators:

Professor Michael Gunter, Board member EUTCC, USA

Ms. Jean Lambert, MEP, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Vice-Chairwoman, UK

A. Turkish Government Initiatives: Mr. Hasan Cemal, Journalist, Turkey

B. Kurdish Peace Initiatives: Ms. Emine Ayna, MP BDP, former Co-President of Democratic Society Party (DTP), Turkey

C. European Union, Turkey and the Kurds: a European Perspective: Ms. Helene Flautre, MEP, Co-Chairman of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, France

Mr. Jurgen Klüte, MEP, European United Left / Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), Germany

European Commission (to be confirmed)

Questions and discussion followed by closing remarks by moderators

Thursday, 4 February 2010, 09h30-13h00, Session II, Room ASP 1G2

Review of EU-Turkey Accession Progress, Human Rights & Democratization

Moderators:

Ms. Jill Evans, MEP, Greens/European Free Alliance, Vice-President of Plaid Cymru, UK

Mr Jon Rud, Lawyer, Advisory Board of EUTCC, Norway / Spain

A. Human Rights Violations - Commitment and Implementation

M.Emin Aktar, Chairman of Diyarbakir Bar Association, Turkey

B. EU & Human Rights in Turkey

Mr. Richard Howitt, MEP, Socialists & Democrats Group, UK

C. EU-Turkey Relation and the Kurdish issue

Baroness Sarah Ludford, MEP, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, UK

D. Freedom of Expression

Mr. Oral Calislar, Journalist, Turkey

E. Human Rights Defenders & Implementation of European Court of Human Rights Judgments

Mr. Ibrahim Bilmez, Lawyer, Turkey

F. Social & Economic situation

Ms. Ece Temelkuran, Journalist, Turkey

G. Women's Rights

Ms. Sabahat Tuncel, MP, Turkey

H. EU Enlargement Policy and the Kurdish issue

Mr. Soren Bo Sondergaard, MEP, European United Left - Nordic Green Left Group, Denmark

Questions and discussion followed by closing remarks by moderators

Thursday, 4 February 2010, 15h00 - 18h00, Session III, Room ASP 1G2

Possible Roadmap for the Kurdish Resolution & Role of the EU

Moderators:

Mr. Hans Branscheidt, Board of Directors, EUTCC, Germany

Ms. Ramani Muttettuwegama, Lawyer, Sri Lankan Human Rights Forum, Sri Lanka

VIDEO MESSAGE of Mr. Osman Baydemir, Mayor of Diyarbakir, Turkey (*)

(*) "video message" because Mr Baydemir has been recently prohibited to travel outside Turkey, this means that Turkish authorities are not allowing him to participate to the Conference

A. State Policy Towards the Kurdish Resolution

Prof. Dogu Ergil, Ankara University, Turkey

B. Recognition of the Conflict &, Political Dialogue

Mr. Kerim Yildiz, Chief Executive of KHRP and Board Member of the EUTCC, UK

C. Prospects for Peace and Democratic Reconciliation

Mr. Felat Sumerkan, KNK representative, Turkey

D. The role of the EU in the implementation of a "road map for peace"

Ms. Rui Tavares, MEP, European United Left - Nordic Green Left, Portugal

E. Lessons from the Irish Experience

Mr. Gerry Kelly, member of Legislative Assembly for North Belfast, Ireland

Tuesday, 4 February 2010, 18h00-18h30

Closing Session, Room ASP 1G2

Discussion and Adoption of Conference Resolution

Final Remarks by the Board of the EUTCC