On 15 March 2013, the Centre for Political and Foreign Affairs (CPFA) in Paris hosted Yasar Yakis, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, for a day of discussions on Turkey’s policy in Syria and the wider Middle East. The programme opened with a breakfast session for journalists and experts, moderated by Renaud Girard, providing an overview of Ankara’s evolving stance during a time of deep regional upheaval.

The discussions continued at a formal lunch, also moderated by Renaud Girard, reserved for diplomats and experts. Yakis elaborated on Turkey’s strategic challenges and priorities, examining the complexities of Turkish-Syrian relations, the impact of the conflict on regional stability, and Turkey’s balancing act between Western partners and its immediate neighbours. His intervention shed light on both Ankara’s foreign policy ambitions and the constraints it faced amid shifting alliances and escalating violence in Syria.

By combining outreach to the press with a more in-depth diplomatic exchange, the event allowed for a wide-ranging conversation on Turkey’s role in the Middle East. Yakis’s reflections underscored the importance of Turkey as a pivotal actor in the region, while also revealing the dilemmas that complicated its ability to influence the trajectory of the Syrian conflict.