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
