Re-thinking Turkish foreign policy in the Western Balkans First Meeting of the Think-Tank Dialogue: "Ruptures in the Neighborhood: The Impact of Turkish Foreign Policy in its Neighboring Countries and Beyond"

With this meeting, we aim to address the following issues:

• Analysis of the implementation of TFP in Balkans & implications for German-French and overall EU approach to Turkey.
  • Turkish cultural and development aid (TİKA)
  • The religious dimension of TFP in the Balkans under the shadows of neo-Ottomanism, Islamism, Gülenism, and anti-Gülenism
  • Is neo-Ottomanism over?
  • Turkey’s role in post-Dayton Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Turkish role in Kosovo, Albania, Serbia (and Sandzak), North Macedonia and Montenegro
• Outlining foreign policy risks and opportunities for the peace, stability, and welfare of the region.
• Analysis of main economic dimensions of foreign policy issues.
  • Turkish investments and trade
  • Energy projects
  • EU Connectivity Agenda & Belt and Road Initiative
• EU Enlargement policies and fostering of practical cooperation (Berlin Process/Connectivity Agenda, new French Western Balkans Strategy etc) and the Balkans.
• Turkey and other third actors’ influences in the Balkans (Russia, Gulf States, China)
• Refugee crisis, challenges to European migration regime, and their implications for the countries of the region.
• Developing a joint German-French approach to Turkish policies in Balkans. Chances for joint EU-Turkey initiatives.