The 'Aqqad House Media and Journalist Conference 2009 – Turkey and the Middle East

The 'Aqqad House Media and Journalist Conference 2009 on Turkey and the Middle East is the second of what is meant to be an annual event at the Danish Institute in Damascus.

Last year's theme was on The Ownerships of the Arab Economies. It was an attempt to address the macro or political economy of the Arab societies, and why it is so poorly dealt with in the media – Arab and Western - contrary to coverage of conflict and religion.

This years theme on Turkey and the Middle East was chosen do to the visible and striking transformation of Turkey into a cultural, economic and political player in the region.

One objective was to understand what had brought Turkey to this transformational point of choosing engagement after decades in more or less splendid isolation. Secondly, how this engagement will affect the region and its developments – peace being one of them – and how is it being received by neighbors, regional capitals and beyond.

Some voices of the conference where skeptical as to which extend Turkey has the political and economical clout to bring on a real shift in the balance of order in the Middle East. And perhaps also of its desirability. Also AKP's – Turkey's Islam-founded ruling party - underlying intentions regarding the country's orientation where questioned – but interestingly not so much in what it is actually doing. And least in its foreign policy.

But it is no overstatement that most participants of the conference excitedly played along in the exercise of exploring the potentials of Turkey's opening of new avenues. An engagement that contrasts the 'classical' position of divide and rule by taking a middle ground position based on civil society, trade and mutual security. A kind of policy, which maybe only a local democratic country can present with success and credibility.

Compared to the legacy of the Bush administration’s preference of hard political tools and loss of soft power and, as well, the political impotence and inwardness of the EU, Turkey’s involvement appears constructive and true to values also promoted in the West. Though, it still remains to be seen if Turkey's new 'no problems with neighbors'-doctrine can exist in the vacuum of the post-Bush era only or if it can stand the test of time and, indeed, of the conflicts in the region that still seem very real.

We will know probably sooner than later.

But, please, take a look at the papers, essays, articles yourself.

The 'Aqqad House Media and Journalist Conferences are arranged by The Danish Institute in Damascus and Mr. Jesper Berg, a Danish writer living in Damascus, in partnership with International Media Support, IMS.

To learn about IMS visit www.i-m-s.dk.