Agenda

Note: All times are Central European Time (CET) + 1 hour

Friday, 10 September 2010 16:00 - 17:30

What Does the World Economic and Financial Crisis Mean for Security in the West?

The economic crisis has become a turning point not only in European inter-relationships but also in activities and thinking at a Transatlantic level. Europe and U.S. have been the closest partners jointly addressing international challenges. What does the world expect from the EU? Will the expectations and capabilities on the both sides of the Atlantic meet the requirements of diverse international challenges in pressing economic conditions?

Prof. Dr. Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, Vice-chair of the Reflection Group on the Future of Europe in 2020-2030 Time Horizon
Mr. Valdis Dombrovskis, Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia
Prof. Michel Foucher, Director of Studies at the Institute for Higher National Defence Studies
Mr. Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, Chairman of Baltic Development Forum
Dr. Simon Serfaty, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Senior Adviser, Europe Program

Moderator: Mr. Robert Cottrell, Editor of TheBrowser.com

SUPPORTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATION IN LATVIA

Friday, 10 September 2010 17:30 - 18:00

Coffee Break

Friday, 10 September 2010 18:00 - 19:00

Baltic Sea Region after Crisis: What Next?

Returning stability and economic growth are the aspects that characterize Baltic countries and Poland while parts of the world are struggling to overcome the economic crisis. How to use the potential of growth to endorse further economic development? How to move on with cross-border energy projects and interact with vague Russia?

H.E. Mr. Valdis Zatlers, President of the Republic of Latvia
H.E. Mr. Bronisław Komorowski, President of the Republic of Poland
H.E. Mrs. Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of the Republic of Lithuania
H.E. Mr. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of the Republic of Estonia

Moderator: Mr. Toms Baumanis, Chairman of the Board, Latvian Transatlantic Organisation

Friday, 10 September 2010 19:30 - 21:00

Opening dinner hosted by Mr. Imants Lieģis, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Latvia

UPON INVITATIONS ONLY

Dinner speaker: Mr. Valdis Dombrovskis, Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia

Friday, 10 September 2010 21:00 - 22:30

Night Owl Session I: The Renaissance of Geopolitics in the Search for Energy Resources

The depletion of fossil fuels, out-dated transportation infrastructure, complicated relationships between the countries that are transporting and producing energy, are driving the world towards a renaissance of geopolitics. Do the biggest consumers ignore common regional and the EU interests while struggling to meet their national needs?

Mr. Bruce Jackson, President of the Project on Transitional Democracies
Dr. Alan Riley, The City Law School, City University London
Dr. Vladimir Milov, Head of the Independent Institute of Energy Policy in Moscow
Mr. Vladimir Socor, Senior Fellow, The Jamestown Foundation

Moderator: Mr. Edward Lucas, Deputy Editor, Central and Eastern Europe Correspondent for the Economist

SUPPORTED BY THE FRIEDRICH EBERT STIFTUNG

Friday, 10 September 2010 21:00 - 22:30

Night Owl Session II: A new Strategic Concept: Green Light for Reforms

The New NATO Strategic Concept will outline the tasks for the Alliance which is facing the rise of new security challenges. The Alliance as the ‘club of the willing’ has been seen as the most effective collective security organization that acts on consensus principles. Can the new strategic concept to be expected to strengthen the basis for consensus among member states when addressing persisting or arising threats?

Mr. Jānis Sārts, State Secretary, Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Latvia
Amb. Dr. Hans-Friedrich von Ploetz, German Representative in the Group of Experts for Drafting NATO’s New Strategic Concept
Dr. Julian Lindley-French, Member of the Strategic Advisors Group, Atlantic Council and Professor at the Royal Military Academy of the Netherlands

Moderator: H.E. Mr. Artis Pabriks, Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia

SUPPORTED BY THE FRIEDRICH EBERT STIFTUNG

Saturday, 11 September 2010 09:30 - 11:00

A Strategy towards Europe’s Contested Neighborhood

The inability of the EU member states to speak with a single voice and react in a coordinated manner towards their Eastern Partners has revealed the lack of consensus in the EU regarding the implementation of the joint strategy towards its contested neighborhood. Diverse interests and arising threats restates the question to both sides of the EU and NATO common external border: what do we expect from the neighboring region and what will be the common action towards it?

H.E. Mr. Māris Riekstiņš, Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, former Foreign Minister of the Republic of Latvia
H.E. Mr. Grigol Vashadze, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Georgia
Mr. Henryk Litwin, Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland
Dr. Dimitrios Triantaphyllou, co-convener and co-rapporteur of the Commission on the Black Sea
Dr. Alexander Pivovarsky, Senior Economist, Office of the Chief Economist, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Moderator: Mr. Nils Muižnieks, Director of Advanced Social and Political Research Institute, University of Latvia

Saturday, 11 September 2010 11:00 - 11:30

Coffee Break

Saturday, 11 September 2010 11:30 - 13:00

Russia: Has Reset Succeeded?

New Transatlantic policy trends and President Obama’s administration in the U.S. call for extensive cooperation with Russia to jointly address challenges in Afghanistan, Iran and elsewhere. Do expectations meet the realities? Is Europe a third tango partner?

Mr. Mikhail Margelov, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation
Mr. Mark Leonard, Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations
Mr. Jeremy Shapiro, Special Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia Affairs at the Department of State
Mr. Konstantin von Eggert, Carnegie Moscow Center, Member of the Advisory Board of ,,Pro et Contra’’ Journal
Dr. Bobo Lo, Independent Scholar and Consultant

Moderator: Mr. Tomas Valasek, Director of Foreign Policy and Defense, Centre for European Reform

Saturday, 11 September 2010 13:00 - 14:30

Buffet lunch hosted by Mr. Andris Teikmanis, State Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia

Saturday, 11 September 2010 14:30 - 16:00

What is NATO’s Exit Strategy in Afghanistan?

The mission in Afghanistan has been the top priority for NATO, showing the solidarity and common action of the member states in the stabilization and state building process.  The present situation shows the military cannot be the only means for success in Afghanistan. Are regional cooperation, emphasis on the civilian missions, and engagement of the Taliban the key aspects of the success story in Afghanistan?

Mr. Imants Lieģis, Defense Minister of the Republic of Latvia
Dr. Edgar Buckley, Senior Vice-President for EU, NATO and European Cooperation, Thales Group
Mr. Paul H. Chapin, Conference of Defence Associations Institute, Member of the Board
Mr. Abubakar Siddique, Senior Correspondent covering Afghanistan and Pakistan for RFE/RL’s Central Newsroom

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Michael Stürmer, Chief Correspondent, Welt-Gruppe, Berlin

Saturday, 11 September 2010 18:00 - 20:00

Reception hosted by H.E. Mr. Valdis Zatlers, President of the Republic of Latvia