Why do peace negotiations fail? : a case study of the 2012-2015 peace talks between Turkey and the PKK

Pourquoi les négociations de paix échouent-elles? Pour répondre à cette question, ce mémoire synthétise la littérature sur les théories de la négociation et l’intervention de tierces parties dans les conflits intra-étatiques. À l’aide de la méthode de l’étude de cas, j’applique ce cadre théorique au troisième cycle de négociations de paix entre la Turquie et le Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan, qui s’est tenu de la fin décembre 2012 à Juillet 2015. Le modèle de négociation de guerre met l’accent sur les problèmes d’information asymétrique et engagement crédible qui mènent à l’échec de négociations. Les problèmes d’information asymétrique et engagement crédible sont habituellement plus aigus dans les conflits intra-étatiques. Car il est plus difficile d’obtenir les informations sur les capacités militaires des groupes armés non-étatiques (GANE) et il y a généralement de grandes asymétries de pouvoir entre les États et les GANE. Cette étude de cas apporte ainsi quatre contributions à la compréhension du sujet. Premièrement, lors d’un processus de paix, les deux parties impliquées peuvent consciemment faire des choix qui ne leur permettront pas d’atteindre leurs objectifs. Deuxièmement, ces choix résultent des mesures mal-conçues dans les pratiques de négociation et/ou l’absence de tierce partie qui rétablirait l’équilibre relatif de pouvoir et qui le maintiendrait pendant les négociations de paix. En fin de compte, cela accentue les problèmes d’engagement crédible. Troisièmement, les changements exogènes perturbateurs en matière des capacités relatives, en particulier en faveur des GANE, peuvent produire les problèmes d’information asymétrique. Quatrièmement, certains conflits ne se prêtent pas à l’intervention de tierce partie. Il peut être très difficile ou lourd de conséquence pour les tierces parties de rétablir l’équilibre relatif des pouvoirs.Why do peace negotiations fail? Answering this question, this dissertation synthesizes the literature on bargaining theory and third party involvement in intrastate conflicts. Using qualitative case study methods, I employ this theoretical framework to the third round of the peace talks between Turkey and Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which was held between December 2012 and July 2015. Bargaining model of war highlights the problems of information asymmetries and credible commitment that lead to bargaining failures. Information asymmetries and commitment problems are usually more severe in intrastate conflicts because it tends to be more difficult to obtain information about the military capabilities of non-state armed groups (NSAGs) and there tends to be larger power asymmetries between states and NSAGs. The case highlights four sets of implications. First, both sides in a peace process can willingly make choices that fail to achieve the ends to which they aspired. Second, these choices result from ill-designed measures in bargaining practices and/or the lack of a third party that would redress the relative balance of power and maintain it during the peace talks. This ultimately intensifies the problems of credible commitment. Third, disruptive exogenous shifts in relative capabilities, especially in favor of the NSAG, may produce asymmetric information problems. Fourth, some conflicts do not lend themselves to third-party involvement, as it may be too difficult or costly for third parties to redress the relative balance of power

Controlled reperfusion for different durations in the treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injury of the rat ovary: evaluation of biochemical features, molecular gene expression, and histopathology

High numbers of proinflammatory cells (PMNLs), which are carried by the blood to ischemic tissue during reperfusion, are considered responsible for inducing the inflammatory response that occurs in ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Our objective was to determine the controlled reperfusion (CR) interval duration (CRID) that would minimize the injury caused by the PMNLs that infiltrate ischemic tissue. Animal groups were divided into the following groups: Sham group, ovarian I/R group (OIR), and ovarian ischemia controlled-reperfusion groups OICR-1, OICR-2, OICR-3, OICR-4, OICR-5, OICR-6, which had their ovarian artery opened and then closed for 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, or 1 s, respectively. The results show that the COX-2 activity and the gene expression decreased while the COX-1 activity and the gene expression were found to be increased in parallel to the shortening of the period in CRID. From the histopathological examinations, the findings of hemorrhage, edema, congested vascular structures, degenerated cells, and migration and adhesion of PMNLs were scaled as follows: Sham group < OICR-6 < OICR-5 < OICR-4 < OICR-3 < OICR-2 < OICR-1. The results from the histopathological assessments were consistent with the molecular and biochemical findings. In conclusion, our findings suggest that increased COX-2 activity plays a role in I/R injury of the rat ovary, and that controlled reperfusion for 3, 2, or 1 s following 2 h of ischemia may attenuate the effects of I/R injury

A Turkish Gynecologic Oncology Group study of fertility-sparing treatment for early-stage endometrial cancer

Objective: To analyze the results of fertility-sparing treatment of early-stage endometrial cancer (EC) in patients treated at Turkish gynecologic oncology centers, and to present a review of the literature. Methods: Thirteen healthcare centers in Turkey were contacted to determine if they were eligible to participate in the study. Centers that were eligible and agreed to participate were sent a database form to record the demographic characteristics, clinicopathologic findings, and follow-up results for their EC patients. Results: Eleven Turkish healthcare centers provided data on 43 EC patients. Mean duration of treatment was 5 months and mean follow-up was 49 months. In total, 35 (81.4%) patients were tumor free following primary progesterone therapy. Mean time from the end of progesterone therapy to pregnancy was 10.6 +/- 4.3 months (range, 3-18 months). Two patients had tumor recurrence during follow-up. The pregnancy rate among the 31 women who actively sought pregnancy was 41.9% (n = 13). Conclusion: Conservative management of early-stage EC in women of reproductive age using oral progestins was effective and did not compromise oncological outcome. Pregnancy in the study patients was achieved spontaneously and artificially. (C) 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved