Secretary General of the Shangai Cooperation Organization Bolat NURGALİYEV is visiting Turkey as the quest of TASAM…
“Regional Organizations, Institutionalization and Cooperation in Asia“ themed IV. International Turkish-Asian Congress will be held in Istanbul between the dates of 27-29 May 2009. As it can be seen from the participant list that is prepared keeping the experts and academician apart; ever since the Shangai Cooperation Organization was established which we applied to be an observer country, a visit from the level of Secretary General (Bolat NURGALIYEV) will be made to Turkey for the very first time.

Top executives of organizations, experts and academicians of many significant countries will attend the Congress which is being held with the cooperation and support of related institutions.

SCO (Şanghay Cooperation Organization), Secretary General

OIC (Organization for Islamic Conference), Secretary General
CICA (Conference for Cooperation and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia), Executive Director
D-8, Secretary General
KEİ (Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation), Secretary General
ECO (Economic Cooperation Organization), Assistant Secretary General
Arab Union, Assistant Secretary General
CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization), Political Cooperation Department Vice President
AEC (Eurasian Economic Community), Integration Department Vice President
ADB (Asia Development Bank), Regional Economic Integration Office Director
IDB (Islamic Development Bank), Director and the Board of the Strategic Planning Group Office
Deputy Foreign Minister of Islamic Republic of Iran
Special Delegate of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq
Special Delegate of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh
Undersecretary of the State Planning Organization on behalf of Prime Minister of Syria
Representatives of the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Iraq
Vice Director of ECO Trade and Development Bank

Shanghay İşbirliği Örgütü (ŞİÖ) Genel Sekreteri Bolat NURGALİEV

Chairman of TASAM Süleyman Şensoy stated about the IV. International Turkish – Asian Congress that; “Asia was considered and used as the center for raw material and resource in the 19th and 20th centuries. However, rapid economic and sociological changes that took place in recent years has turned Asia into a strategic area upon which new economic balances in the world can be established. Many countries, especially China, have made huge progress that could affect the world economic balances. High acquisitions that give strategic depth such as population, natural resources and technological advances are increasing the importance of Asia as the star of the new century.

İslam Konferansı Örgütü (İKÖ) Genel Sekreteri Ekmeleddin İHSANOĞLU

The world’s economic power balance center’s changing place from the West to the East has naturally increased the interest in the developments of Asia. In the last periods, the Asia continent has evoked its significance in politics as mush as in its rising economy. Together with the globalization process that has been rapidly continuing in the world, the process of regionalization is also spreading out day by day. Various countries have focused on cooperating with each other in different areas, with economy being in the first place.“

Türkasya Stratejik Araştırmalar Merkezi (TASAM) Başkanı Süleyman ŞENSOY

Chairman of TASAM, ŞENSOY continued as; “Turkey is just in the middle of the regionalization movements. While Europe goes to economic, cultural and political integration in the West, there are different integration policies mentioned in the East. The region of Eurasia is of great importance for its energy resources, big market structure and for Turkey’s historical relations with the Turkish Republics in that region. Being a part of the Asia Continent, which is the cradle of civilizations and has a significant cultural heritage, Turkey is closely following the developments in Asia as a result of its intense relations with the countries of Caucasus, Middle East and Central Asia. As a think tank organization of a country that correctly arranges its priorities in a multidimensional foreign policy understanding, our interest in Asia and our efforts to empower the initiative that we have taken up on this area will increasingly continue.“

Last year’s III. International Turkish-Asian Congress, which had the topic of “Security and Strategic Cooperation in Asia: China – India – Russia“ and was held between the dates of 21-23 May 2008, brought together many qualified academicians from across the world and Turkey.

IV. International Turkish – Asian Congress will be held in three days at the Istanbul Cevahir Congress Center with the participation of academicians both from Turkey and abroad.

For detailed information: www.tasam.org and www.tasam asya.org

For information: Dr. Almagül İSİNA, Central Asia Expert, Project Coordinator
Contact: TASAM (Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies)
Tel: 0 212 635 61 51
E-mail:almagulisina@tasam.org