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Seminar on “Track II Diplomacy: A Way Out in the Eastern Mediterranean?" was held at EMU with Prof. Dr. Ahmet Sözen

A seminar titled “Track II Diplomacy: A Way Out in the Eastern Mediterranean?" was held on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), jointly organized by the Cyprus Policy Center (CPC) and the Department of Political Science and International Relations. The opening remarks were delivered by Hatice Savoğlu, a PhD student in International Relations at EMU and a research assistant at the CPC, who introduced the seminar's speaker, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Sözen, Chair of the Department of Political Science and International Relations and Director of the CPC.

Sözen began his talk by explaining the differences between Track I and Track II Diplomacy. Track I Diplomacy refers to official diplomatic efforts conducted by government representatives to resolve conflicts or manage international relations. Track II Diplomacy, on the other hand, involves informal, non-governmental interactions—often carried out by academics, NGOs, or private citizens—aimed at understanding and influencing official peace processes. According to Sözen, Track II Diplomacy does not seek to replace Track I, but rather to complement and support it.

Following these explanations, Sözen discussed several Track II initiatives in which he has participated, including the Turkish–Greek Forum, the Eastern Mediterranean Initiative, and DIPLOMEDS. He assessed the effectiveness of these initiatives in contributing to conflict resolution.

In the highly interactive session, under the moderation of Hatice Savoğlu, Sözen responded to audience questions and, drawing on examples, explained how Track II Diplomacy could also provide solutions to conflicts in different regions.