This is the third Chatham House Istanbul Roundtable.

The Roundtable will address three principal issues:

This event will take place against the backdrop of renewed concerns about the eurozone, and the latest IMF forecasts of a weak and fragile recovery in most advanced economies, and significant downside risks for the global economy. Discussions will concentrate on policies needed to improve the outlook and to increase the robustness of the recovery.

This event will be held under the Chatham House Rule.

Attendance is by invitation only.

In the context of the possible decline of the relative power of the US and Europe and the relative rise of new players, China, India and Brazil, the discussion focused on the role of mid-sized countries, such as Turkey and the UK.

Faced with the ongoing fallout from the financial crisis, this International Roundtable considered the near-term risks to the international economy and how the longer-term shift in the global centre of economic gravity from West to East will shape the future structure and sources of finance for investment and business around the world.

Established political dynamics in the Middle East region are in turmoil and there will be an important rebalancing of relations at the regional and international levels. What are the implications of changes within the Arab world for key interested parties outside the region, especially Turkey and European countries?