TURKISH AMBASSADORS TO CONVENE FOR BRAINSTORMING
Today’s Zaman
July 8 2008
Turkey
Turkey will bring home all of its ambassadors serving in foreign
countries to participate in brainstorming sessions on foreign policy
in Ankara, officials have said.
The future of Turkish foreign policy will be discussed at the
meetings, expected to take place with the participation of over
100 ambassadors. Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and Foreign Ministry
Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan are both expected to attend the talks,
which will begin July 14.
The brainstorming sessions come as Turkey mediates between Syria
and Israel, restarting peace efforts that collapsed in 2000. Ankara
is also busy with its troubled bid to join the European Union
and regional issues such as relations with Armenia and the Cyprus
problem. Diplomatic sources say the increasing diversification in
foreign policy issues requires a multifaceted approach to foreign
policy. The Foreign Ministry has hosted ambassadorial meetings with a
regional scope in the past. The gathering of all Turkey’s ambassadors
serving abroad will be the first of its kind.