16th International Middle East and Caucasus Conference

TASAM Ankara Representative (R) Ambassador Doz. Dr. Ali Engin OBA attended the 16th International Middle East and Caucasus Conference on behalf of TASAM, which was held by Iran’s Institute of Political and International Studies (IPIS) in Tehran between 28-29th of October 2008. IPIS, an organization under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, is also the charter member of the “Think Tank Organizations’ Dialogue of Turkey“ communication network (www.todturkey.tasam.org), established under the leadership of TASAM. This year the aforementioned conference has been dedicated to the main subject of “ The Conflict in Caucasus : Its’ Roots, Dimensions and Influences“. Ambassador OBA made a speech about the subject of “Turkey and Iran’s Mutual and Varied Benefits from South Caucasus“ on the first day of the activity and then answered the questions directed at him.

Ambassador (R) Doz. Dr. Ali Engin OBA

As we all know, the developments in Georgia during last August, the controversy between the Russian Federation and Georgia, and then South Ossetia and Abhasia’s being recognized by the RF have created a new situation in Caucasus. This situation has started a process that threatens the peace and the stability of the region and has made the competition between USA and Russia even more visible. The roots, dimensions and influences of this period have been mainly discussed for two days by the experts of the subject from Islamic Republic of Iran, Russian Federation, Georgia, Turkey and USA, England, Italy, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Serbia and Armenia.

During the conference, the situation and policies of regional and global actors in Caucasus have been undertaken firstly and then the session titled as “Islamic Republic of Iran and Caucasus: Challenges and Opportunities“ was held, in which Mr. OBA also presented a speech .

Other main chapters of the conference are as follows:
• Regional Cooperation Approaches in Caucasus and Opinions about Permanent Peace and Stability
•Geopolitical and International System after the Conflict in Caucasus: Opinions for a new Cold War
•Security Arrangements in Caucasus: Pre-conditions and Perspectives
•Energy Safety and Pipeline Politics after the Conflicts in Caucasus
Russia Federation and Georgia, two parties of the political high tension in the South Caucasus, debated on these subjects by giving their opinion about them.

The conference has provided the new situation of South Caucasus’ and the tension for South Ossetia and Abhasia’s being well understood, it has helped for the evaluation of new cautions to be taken for the maintaining of peace and stability and it has also enabled Turkey’s proposal of “Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform“ to be handled.