Yaşar Yakış

Yasar Yakis during ICD conference A World without Walls 2010

Yaşar Yakış (born 1938, Akçakoca, Turkey) is a Turkish politician. He is a former Foreign Minister, and a former ambassador to the UN Office in Vienna, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. He is an MP, representing Düzce in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. He is a member of the Justice and Development Party, the leading political party in Turkey at the moment and he is the chair of the European Union Harmonization Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. He received the French Légion d'Honneur (Officier Medal on December 2, 2009)

Born in Akçakoca in 1938. Graduated in 1962 from Ankara University, with B.A. degree in political sciences.

Joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1962. Served at various posts at the Turkish Consulate General in Belgium and Turkish Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria. Attended the NATO Defense College in Rome, Italy. Appointed as the Counsellor at the Turkish Delegation in NATO Brussels. Became the Counsellor at the Turkish Embassy in Damascus, Syria. From 1978 to 1988 he held various positions within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Turkey, becoming Head of Personnel Department, Head of NATO Department and Head of COMCEC Coordination Office.

In 1988, became the Ambassador of Turkey to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Appointed as the Deputy Under Secretary for Economic Affairs of the Ministry in 1992. In 1995, became the Ambassador of Turkey to Cairo, Egypt.

From 1998 to 2000 served as the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations Office and other international organizations based in Vienna. In 2000, appointed as a Senior Policy Adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 2000-2001 Lectured “Turkey’s Foreign Policy” in the Bilkent University and “Water Diplomacy and Turkey’s Foreign Policy” in the Hacettepe University in Ankara

In August 2001, became the founding member and Vice Chairman in charge of Foreign Affairs of the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti)

He was elected Member of Parliament on 3 November 2002.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the 58th Turkish Government.

Participated as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Convention to draft the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, in 2003.

Reelected as member of parliament in 2007.

Chairman of the European Union Commission in the Turkish Parliament.

Chairman of the Friendship Group with France in the Turkish Parliament.

Decoration of King Abdulaziz (1st degree) for his contribution to Turkish-Saudi relations -1992.

Decoration of “Ordine della Stella della Soliderietà Italiana – Commendatore-2007” by the President of the Republic of Italy.

Decoration of Légion d'honneur (Officier)

Speaks French, English and Arabic.

References