The Foreign Policy Centre

Bahrain goes to the polls tomorrow, 1st December, for the second, run-off, round in elections to the 40-seat lower house. So what? - Find out more here:
https://fpc.org.uk/bahrain-will-elections -mark-new-chapter…/

''In the still unlikely event that democratisation succeeds and is tolerated by Russia, the question still remains whether this is simply because the Kremlin feels confident enough in its strategic dominance over Armenia, both in the military and economic spheres: Armenia’s dependence might make Moscow sufficiently self-assured to put up with the emergence of democratic government, where it might be seen as a geopolitical threat in other, less reliably dependent neighbours.'' - Article by Dr Kevork Oskanian, FPC Research Fellow

Listen Now: Audio Recording from our Event 'Strategic Partners or Drifting Apart? British-Turkish Relations in the Age of Brexit' held on Tuesday 27 November 2018, in UK Parliament. Speakers: Dr Simon Waldman, Mercator-Fellow, Istanbul Policy Center, Dr Ayla Göl, Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy and Dr Natalie Martin, Senior Lecturer in Politics and IR, Nottingham Trent University. Chaired by: Catherine West MP and Adam Hug, FPC Director
https://soundcloud.com/…/strategic-part ners-or-drifting-apa…

On 27 November 2018, the Foreign Policy Centre in partnership with the Istanbul Policy Center held a Westminster seminar with scholars and policymakers to focus on the challenges, opportunities and pitfalls on the road ahead in British-Turkish relations.
Speakers: Dr Simon Waldman, Mercator-IPC Fellow, Istanbul Policy Center, Dr Ayla Göl, Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy, Dr Natalie Martin, Senior Lecturer in Politics and IR, Nottingham Trent University. Chair: Catheri...ne West MP
Listen to audio recording of the event here: https://soundcloud.com/…/strategic-part ners-or-drifting-apa…
As Britain prepares to leave the European Union, London is looking to develop bilateral relations with non-EU countries. Turkey has been identified as an important trade and strategic partner. British-Turkish relations are worth $16 billion and there are 3,000 British companies, which operate in Turkey. Both are NATO members and are part of the Global Coalition against ISIS, while the UK has traditionally been an advocate for closer collaboration with Turkey.
However, there are significant challenges to closer relations. These include deepening concerns about Turkey’s human rights record and its commitment to democracy and the rule of law. Turkey has been also been experiencing a significant economic downturn and is steadily rebuilding and strengthening its ties with Russia. While on the UK side opposition to Turkish membership of the EU formed a plank of the Leave campaign in the UK’s 2016 referendum, adding tension to bilateral relations.
The future of UK-Turkey relations poses a number of questions about the UK’s wider foreign policy objectives while it is in the process of leaving the EU. The UK will seek to strengthen its non-EU alliances, but faces a major challenge trying to balance its strategic and economic priorities while advocating the protection of human rights and democracy.
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Listen to the FPC's event on 'Hungary and Poland: Democracy and rule of law under pressure' held in the UK House of Commons on Thursday 22 November. https://soundcloud.com/…/hungary-and-po land-democracy-and-r…

On 22 November 2018, the Foreign Policy Centre hosted a Westminster seminar to explore the current political situation in Hungary and Poland. The event examined the growing concerns about rule-of-law (including judicial freedom), media freedom, protection of minorities, commitment to democratic pluralism and the rise of oligarchic elites, with both countries facing pressure from European institutions about their conduct.
CHAIR: Alex Sobel MP
SPEAKERS:
... Dr Gabor Scheiring, Research Fellow University of Cambridge Dr Marcin Matczak, Associate Professor, Institute of State and Law Studies, University of Warsaw Lyudmyla Kozlovska, President, The Open Dialogue Foundation
The event started with the first UK presentation of a 35 min documentary film, ‘State Capture: The story of Hungary 1988-2018’.
Click the link below to listen to the audio recording of the event https://soundcloud.com/…/hungary-and-po land-democracy-and-r…
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The Social Democratic Party which ruled Georgia from 1918-1921 came out of the revolutionary student movement of that time. Today there is much talk of a radicalised student movement and the rise of a Georgian “new left”. Maybe Georgian social democracy is going to get a second chance?

On 13 November the Foreign Policy Centre and the Richardson Institute at the University of Lancaster hosted the launch of the new publication “Saudi Arabia and Iran: The Struggle to Shape the Middle East” (Part of the SEPAD- Sectarianism, Proxies & De-sectarianisation- Project)
Speakers included: Fabian Hamilton MP, Shadow Minister for Peace and Disarmament ; Dr Simon Mabon, Director of the Richardson Institute and SEPAD Project Leader, Lancaster University; Dr May Darwich, A...ssistant Professor, Durham University ; Dr Edward Wastnidge, Lecturer, The Open University, Chair: Rt Hon Baroness Northover, Liberal Democrats Lead Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs- House of Lords.
Listen to the audio recording of the event here: https://soundcloud.com/…/new-publicatio n-saudi-arabia-and-i…
Read the publication here: https://fpc.org.uk/publications/saudi-ara bia-and-iran/
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Listen to the FPC's event on 'Saudi Arabia and Iran: The Struggle to Shape the Middle East' held in the UK House of Commons on Tuesday 13th November. https://soundcloud.com/…/new-publicatio n-saudi-arabia-and-i…

New FPC Publication: This publication examines the increasingly fractious rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran and its devastating impact, shaped by geopolitical aspirations but given existential importance by claims to Islamic legitimacy. As the rivalry has begun to play out in divided societies across the Middle East such as the ‘proxy arenas’ of Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon, and particularly Syria and Yemen outlined in this report, their cultivation of sectarian difference has both created and exacerbated existing social tensions. This has created opportunities for grassroots ‘sectarian entrepreneurs’ to capitalize with catastrophic humanitarian impact. The publication is now available online and can be downloaded from our website. https://fpc.org.uk/publications/saudi-ara bia-and-iran/

Strategic Partners or Drifting Apart? British-Turkish Relations in the Age of Brexit - Tuesday 27 November, 6PM, House of Commons. Register via EventBrite here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/strategic- partners-or-drifti…

The event will comprise an expert panel discussion and the first UK presentation of a 35 min documentary film, ‘State Capture: The story of Hungary 1988-2018’.

The Foreign Policy Centre’s newsletter for September is out today and details upcoming events in November on the Middle East, Hungary & Poland and Turkey. Also featuring our latest articles, briefings and our well regarded publication on the illiberal rise in the former Soviet Union. Click the link below to read the newsletter: https://bit.ly/2N8WKyK

Gender inclusion challenges in Kyrgyzstan. Ryskeldi Satke wrote an article for The Foreign Policy Centre about EBRD funded public transport project in Osh city in 2017.

The central argument of this essay is that Western governments and businesses should take seriously rule of law in China and devote their diplomatic and lobbying powers to seek better Chinese legal institutions. The authors argue that the rule of law has the potential to be an effective point of diplomatic engagement with China. There is an appetite within China and among foreign investors for change, and Xi Jinping’s Government should take advantage of the economic and diplomatic opportunities presented by reforming China’s legal system.

As like-minded partners, sharing many policy traditions, norms and standards the EU and UK have every strategic interest in working together on a values-based foreign policy post-Brexit. See the full article by our Research Fellow Jacqueline Hale

The Foreign Policy Centre and the Richardson Institute at Lancaster University are holding this Westminster seminar to launch and debate the findings of a new publication entitled Saudi Arabia and Iran: The Struggle to Shape the Middle East, part of the Sectarianism, Proxies and De-Sectarianisation (SEPAD) project.

China’s draconian approach to the Uighur Muslim minority in its far-western province of Xinjiang is currently – and rightly – receiving a substantial amount of media attention. Less discussed are the vast infrastructural changes also underway in the region, particularly in Xinjiang’s southern city of Kashgar, an economically deprived, religiously conservative and hitherto deeply isolated area, in which approximately 90% of the population are Uighurs. The centrepiece of this construction frenzy is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).