The German Marshall Fund (GMF) of the United States is opening a new office in Ankara, Turkey. The move reflects a belief that, at a time when the transatlantic community is increasingly focused on the Greater Middle East and the Caucasus region, Turkey has become an important partner, both in its own right and as a place where Americans and Europeans can meet with and learn from their counterparts in the Islamic world.

The director of the new centre will be Suat Kiniklioglu, formerly executive director of the Ankara Centre for Turkish Policy Studies. It is anticipated that the office will open in late winter 2005.

For GMF, the creation of this office is the logical next step in the development of its European programmes. Over the past five years, GMF has established new offices in Brussels, Paris, Bratislava and Belgrade. This expansion reflects the fact that the institution has refocused much of its policy work on the borders of Europe, including the Balkans, the Black Sea region and the Middle East. Through this new office in Turkey, we expect to significantly deepen our impact on the formation of strategic priorities for these regions.

Over the course of the first year of operations, GMF anticipates developing grantmaking, fellowships and policy dialogues in order to:
· encourage more active Turkish participation in the transatlantic community and in the European debate;
· support the strengthening of civil society in Turkey and its surrounding region;
· create a forum where Americans and Europeans can meet and learn from Turkish and other regional experts.

For more information contact Phil Henderson at phenderson@gmfus.org