AVIM held a meeting entitled “A General Look at Asia and Turkey's Priorities” on June 11th 2013 in Ankara Palas in Ankara. On behalf of Ambassador Naci Koru the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Hayri Hayret Yalav the Director General for Bilateral Political Affairs, and Prof. Dr. Huseyin Bagci the Middle East Technical University, Head of the International Relations Department participated as speakers.

Director of AVİM, Ambassador (Rtd.) Alev Kılıç has made the opening speech. Kılıç has stated that a general perception that an emergent shift in international politics from Europe and the West, to East of Turkey, ie. Asia-Pacific began to be widely accepted. Drawing attention to unique geographical location of Turkey, Kılıç emphasized that Turkey took important steps in order to benefit from this feature.

Ambassador Hayret Yalav, presenting on behalf of Ambassador Naci Koru stated that all rising global powers, including Turkey, began to be directed to the Asia-Pacific, expressed that they work on the mechanisms of mutual consultation within legal framework for bilateral relations under the new Asia-Pacific strategy. Yalav emphasized that Asia has become a game-changer region in the global order. Turkey has been working on the legal framework for bilateral relations with Asian countries within the new Asia-Pacific Strategy and mutual consultation mechanisms, since 2008, and efforts to improve corporate relations have positive results with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and explained that Turkey is a part of ASEAN Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation which was signed in 2010. Yalav emphasized that the economic developments in the region are seen as an “Asian Miracle” by many actors. Yalav, who referred to the work of Turkish International Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) in Central Asia, also stated that Turkish Exim Bank provided assistance in excess of $ 1.8 billion to the Central Asian countries and Turkey took place among more than 2000 registered companies which are region’s leading trade partners.

The second speaker, Professor Hüseyin Bağcı, who is the head of Department of International Relations in Middle East Technical University, emphasized that Turkey headed towards Europe and neglected Asia for many years, but also stressed that the new era has started to become the continent’s top priority. Bağcı stated that Asia has many more opportunities than Europe, Turkey’s globalization is possible with Asia, in this context, it is important to develop relations all aspects with China, India and especially with Russia. Stating that Turkey may play a midfielder role between European and Asian powers, and in this context, Turkey can not only make openings to Asia by Turkish Airlines, but also has to pay attention to cultural and economic aspects of these relations.