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Egemen BAGIS
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Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator, TBMM - Turkish Grand National Assembly, Ankara |
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Key Note |
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Werner AULI
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Vorstandsmitglied, OMV AG, Wien |
Abstract
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Turkey as Third OMV-Hub
Turkey junction between east and west
Turkey an important growing market
Turkey energy-politically significant
Turkey an important partner
Turkey is a remarkable growth market and a highly promising region. Furthermore, it is an important bridge to the worldwide biggest sources of natural gas. For this reasons, Turkey is becoming the third strategic OMV-Hub (in addition to Austria and Romania) and an important partner for OMV. Success in new regions can only be achieved when partnerships between supply countries, transit and consumer markets with mutual interests are built.
For their implementation, energy projects require trust and support from politicians, as well as from national and international stakeholders, and frameworks, which enable a reciprocal involvement of all parties.
OMV and the Turkish Botas are vital partners in the Nabucco project. With the signing of the Intergovernmental Agreement in July of this year, an important step was made and a foundation was laid for a common legal framework stipulating the gas transport by Turkey and the participating EU countries. Nabucco connects the markets and natural gas flows between the different growing regions.
OMV is active in Turkey and is a shareholder of the Turkish Petrol Ofisi. To cover the increasing electricity demand, OMV invests in the construction of a gas power plant in Samsun and ensures the necessary gas supply for this project.
An important element for the implementation of all these projects is sustainable and responsible corporate governance. Profitable growing as well as ecological and corporate social responsibility are inseparable from each other. Turkey is - also in this perspective - a partner for a sustainable future development.
Die Türkei als Dritter OMV-Hub
Die Türkei - Knotenpunkt zwischen Ost und West
Die Türkei - ein wichtiger Wachstumsmarkt
Die Türkei - energiepolitisch bedeutsam
Die Türkei - ein wichtiger Partner
Die Türkei ist ein bedeutender Wachstumsmarkt und wichtige Zukunftsregion. Sie ist darüber hinaus eine entscheidende Brücke zu den gasreichsten Regionen der Welt. Die Türkei wird deshalb strategisch der Dritte OMV-Hub (zusätzlich zu Österreich und Rumänien) und wichtiger Partner für die OMV. Erfolge in neuen Regionen lassen sich nur erzielen, wenn sich zwischen Lieferländern, Transit- und Konsumentenregionen Partnerschaften im gemeinsamen Interesse und zum mehrseitigen Vorteil entwickeln.
Energieprojekte benötigen zu ihrer Verwirklichung, aufgrund ihrer Dimension, das Vertrauen und die Unterstützung politischer Verantwortungsträger sowie nationaler und internationaler Stakeholder und Rahmenbedingungen, welche diese gegenseitige Einbeziehung ermöglichen.
Im Nabucco Projekt sind OMV und die türkische Botas wichtige Partner. Mit der Unterzeichnung des Intergovernmental Agreement im Juli dieses Jahres ist ein wichtiger Schritt getan und ein Fundament für einen gemeinsamen Rahmen für den Gastransport mit der Türkei und den beteiligten EU Ländern fixiert. Die Nabucco verbindet die Märkte und das Gas fließt als Versorgungsstrom zwischen den wachsenden Regionen.
Die OMV betätigt sich aktiv in der Türkei und ist an der Petrol Ofisi beteiligt. Für den steigenden Elektrizitätsbedarf investiert die OMV in die Errichtung eines Gaskraftwerkes in Samsun und sichert dafür auch den notwendigen Gassupply.
Ein wichtiges Element bei der Durchführung all dieser Projekte der OMV ist eine nachhaltige, verantwortungsbewusste Unternehmensführung. Profitables Wachstum, ökologische und gesellschaftlich-soziale Verantwortung sind untrennbar miteinander verbunden. Die Türkei ist - auch hier - Partner für eine nachhaltige Zukunftsentwicklung. |
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Buket UZUNER
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Author, Istanbul |
Abstract
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| The title of this meeting has strong referance to a well known phrase in Latin quo vadis? which refers to a legend in Christian tradition, related in the apocryphal Acts of Peter in which Saint Peter meets Jesus as Peter is fleeing from likely crucifixion in Rome. Peter asks Jesus the question; Jesus' answer, "I am going to Rome to be crucified again" (Eo Romam iterum crucifigi), prompts Peter to gain the courage to continue his ministry. ¹ As Islam accepts the other monotheistical holly books it can be said that the question of Where Turkey goes? has also very similar dramatical and alarming meaning in Turkish culture although the question has been used in daily jokes since Tanzimat-Reforms of Ottoman Empire (1839) as my be a sign of counterintuitive position in a non-Christian tradition. Hence different traditions and cultures mostly have similar understanding on critical and severe terms even for the most simple people. Because we all are human, and simply enough that human tears are salty in every corners of the planet. In my talk I will try to go around the pseudo differences of the human civilazition and the misfortunuate attempt of The Alliance of Civilization initiative which started in 2005 and continues between Spain and Turkey. I frankly think that we all are human, therefore must be only one humanity and its own civilization can be purely called: human civilization. The Alliance of Civilization might be only refer between ours and the alliens of outer space if their they have tears and if it is sweet (!) My question will be more simple then asking Where Turkey, and/or EU goes? and want to ask Qou vadis Humanity and the Blue Planet? while giving samples from Turkish literature and Turkish life including the images of the fear of Turk (meant Islamic army) in Europe and the fear of Crusaiders (meant ancient EU army) in Turkey. |
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Volkan VURAL
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Board Member, TÜSIAD - Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association; Counselor to Chairman, Dogan Holding, Istanbul |
Abstract
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-TURKEY IS FIRMLY ENTRENCHED IN WESTERN MODEL OF GOVERNANCE,DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF LAW.HOWEVER, ESPECIALLY DURING THE LAST THREE YEARS IT HAS BECOME MORE POLARIZED AROUND CERTAIN VALUES AND IDENTITIES. THIS SITUATION TENDS TO OBSCURE AND CASTS A DOUBT ON ITS DEMOCRATIC CREDENTIALS AS WELL AS WESTERN ORIENTATION.
- ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES OF POLARIZATION IS BETWEEN PSEUDO-ISLAMIC CONSERVATISM VERSUS ULTRA SECULAR MODERNISM.THIS POLARIZATION IS OFTEN PORTRAYED AS A FIGHT BETWEEN DEMOCRATIC FORCES AND PRO-ESTABLISHMENT SECULARISTS.THIS IS AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION AND HALF TRUTH.DIVIDING LINES ARE NOT CLEAR.A CASE IN POINT IS THE ERGENEKON TRIAL.THERE IS A GENERAL AGREEMENT IN TURKEY THAT MILITARY COUPS AND INTERVENTIONS IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS ARE NO MORE ACCEPTABLE. YET THIS TRIAL,THAT SHOULD IDENTIFY AND DO JUSTICE TO POSSIBLE COUP ATTEMPTS OF THE PAST IS MIRED WITH GROSS VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND ARBITRARY PROCEDURAL ERRORS.
- 7 YEARS OF AKP RULE IN TURKEY WAS NOT ABLE TO MITIGATE THE FEARS IN SOME INFLUENTIAL CIRCLES THAT THE MODERN REPUBLIC IS SLOWLY TAKEN OFF FROM ITS COURSE TOWARDS AN INCREASINGLY ISLAMIC SOCIETY.THE POLITICAL STABILITY BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE ELECTION VICTORIES OF THE AKP, IS NOW BEING CHALLENGED BY THE NEED OF COUNTERVAILING POLITICAL FORCES THAT WILL RESTRAIN A SINGLE PARTY RULE.
-ANOTHER MAJOR ISSUE OF POLARIZATION IS ON HOW TO SEPARATE THE KURDISH ISSUE FROM TERRORISM.THE SCOPE OF CULTURAL,SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS IN A MIND SET AND EXISTING CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK THAT EMPHASIZES A SINGLE IDENTITY IS A MAJOR QUESTION MARK..IN ADDITION,HOW TO DEAL WITH THE SENSIVITIES OF THE FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR LOVED ONES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERROR POSES AN ANOTHER CHALLENGE.
-UNTIL THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS TURKEY HAD REGISTERED AN IMPRESSIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND APPLIED SOUND FISCAL DICIPLINE.AFTER THE 2001 ECONOMIC CRISIS ,WHICH WAS TOTALLY HOME MADE,EFFECTIVE MEASURES WERE TAKEN TO BUILD THE NECESSARY INSTITUTIONS .TURKEY ADOPTED A COMPREHENSIVE AND THE IMF SUPPORTED ECONOMIC STABILAZATION PROGRAMME .WHEN CAME TO POWER, THE AKP GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTED FAITHFULLY THIS PROGRAMME.THE SITUATION IS DIFFERENT NOW.THE GLOBAL CRISIS IS STILL TESTING THE GOVERNMENT.THE FALL IN OUR EXPORTS ,ALARMING BUDGET DEFICIT AND THE VERY HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE POSE SERIOUS CONCERNS. THIS YEAR TURKISH ECONOMY WILL MOST PROBABLY SHRINK BY 5 TO 6 PERCENT.ANY GROWTH RATE LESS THAN 7 PER CENT AGGRAVATES UNEMPLOYMENT IN TURKEY.
-DESPITE ITS MEMBERSHIP NEGOTIATIONS ,TURKEY S EU VOCATION IS STILL CHALLENGED BY SOME EU MEMBERS.THIS CREATES RESENTMENT AND ERODES THE CONFIDENCE OF THE TURKISH PUBLIC OPINION IN THE EU PROCESS.THE TARGET OF MEMBERSHIP BY THE YEAR 2012 APPEARS UNLIKELY TO BE REALIZED DUE TO POLITICAL CLIMATE IN EUROPE AS WELL AS DOMESTIC POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL INCREASINGLY FOCUS ON 2011 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. |
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Thomas KARABACZEK
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Deputy Editor-In-Chief, Head of Department Economy, APA - Austria Presse Agentur, Vienna |
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Chair |
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