Turkey: beyond the refugees crisis

Europe-Turkey: still apart? Its’ time to shift from the current trend of looking at Turkey exclusively through the refugee crisis lens to a broader and open agenda that addresses all those variables that, for years, have influenced EU-Turkey relations:  the Kurdish issue and the Syrian dimension; Turkey’s renewed EU accession need and its chances to impact the domestic dynamics in Turkey; Turkey energy role and economic potential; Turkey’s role in facing foreign policy dossiers; Turkish regional role.

We have discussed all these issues with Asli Aydintasbas who has joined ECFR after a lengthy career in journalism, which last included being a columnist at Milliyet (2009-2015) and a commentator on regional issues in international publications and networks. She contributes to the International Herald Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, Politico.com and Newsweek. She has hosted a popular daily show, Karşı Gündem on CnnTurk during 2013-2014. Prior to joining Milliyet, she has served as a Washington correspondent and later the Ankara bureau chief for Sabah, one of Turkey’s leading newspapers. She covered the Clinton Administration, the United Nations, the Bush Administration, and the Iraq War in 1997-2004 as a Washington and New York correspondent for NTV and Radikal. Ms. Aydıntaşbaş is a graduate of Bates College, where she was the recipient of Maung Maung Gyi Award for Excellence in International Relations and holds a MA in Journalism and Middle East Studies from New York University.