Euro-Atlantic Integration and Russia after September 11

May 30-31, 2002

Moscow, Russia

Goals and Program of Conference

(hosted by the Higher School of Economics)

Speakers and Panels Chairs

Press Coverage

Photo Album

Goals

• To foster the development - among government policy advisors and academics - of a body of thought capable of serving the interests of both Russia and the West.
• To lay the foundations for joint educational initiatives between Western and Russian institutions on the theme of Russia 's cooperation and potential integration with the Euro-Atlantic world. Agreement on promoting teaching, research, analysis, and studies of these issues in Russian universities and institutes, to be coordinated by a mixed Russia-West working group - made up of representatives of think tanks and academic institutions - with a commitment to disseminate the results.
• Specifically, going beyond the existing field of European integration studies to develop the field of Euro-Atlantic integration studies in Russia . This will be done by establishing the Russia-West working group as a venue for common work in the future, through which to continue facilitating public discussion, scholarly work and research in this field.
• To support the work on joint educational initiatives by encouraging qualified Russian graduate students to apply for Frank Fund Grants administered by the Association to Unite the Democracies (AUD). This will help facilitate Russian academic work on assessing the mechanisms for Russia 's integration into Western political, security, and economic structures, including examination of internal impediments to this process.

Program

Thursday, May 30 2007

Keynote Addresses

• Ambassador Robert Hunter, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO
• Vladimir Lukin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma, former Russian Ambassador to the U.S.

Panel 1 - New Factors in Russia-West relations since September

• To what extent have the events of September 11th changed the priorities in the enlargement and security aspects of the Euro-Atlantic area?

• Would it be desirable at present for Russia to become a member of more of the Euro-Atlantic institutions? Under what conditions would this be in the mutual interests of Russia and the West?
• Given the renewed priority of security concerns, is NATO the preferred institution for deepening cooperation between Russia and the West? Which other Euro-Atlantic institutions could serve for integration of Russia ?
• How can Russia-U.S.-Europe cooperation in the war against terrorism be most effectively institutionalized and carried out in Central and South Asia , the Caucasus , and the Middle East ?

Panel 2 - Russia and the Euro-Atlantic space

• Russia 's role in US-EU relations: common partner or wedge-driving element?
• Is Russia a European or a Eurasian country? Is it possible for Russia to be European without also being " Atlantic " in the 21st century?
• What are the most important security concerns that NATO expansion needs to address? Is gradual expansion eastward the best way to deal with these concerns, or are there other options that should be considered?
• Could a transatlantic or OECD economic community provide a space for economic integration of Russia , or is Russia 's best prospect in a continental European economic space?

Videoconference: (with connections Moscow-Washington-Philadelphia)

• Remarks by Strobe Talbott (in Washington , D.C. )
• Remarks by Sergei Rogov (in Moscow )
• Remarks by Daniel Hamilton (in Washington , D.C. )
• Remarks by William Anthony Hay (in Philadelphia )

Friday May 31

Panel 3 - Widening and deepening the Euro-Atlantic structures of integration

• EU: how far can it widen?
• What are the prospects for Lord Robertson's call for "modernization" of NATO decision-making? Does a widening-deepening tension also arise in NATO?
• How have the new Central European members affected NATO policy-making on cooperation with Russia ?
• Is there any kind of effective decision-making that would be feasible in a NATO that included Russia ? What might a feasible and effective decision-making process look like, if so?

Panel 4 - West-West and East-West

• How does the development of West-West institutions - the change from intra-Western balance of power to intra-Western integration - affect East-West relations?
• Is institutionalization of cooperation with the Western democracies needed to stabilize new democracies and assure peace with the old ones?
• In order to improve research and education and to facilitate the work of policymakers, what kind of theoretical framework can the academic world develop to address the Euro-Atlantic institutions and their nexus with Russia ?

Panel 5 - Euro-Atlantic institutions and Russia

• Is it possible and desirable for Russia to become part of the Euro-Atlantic set of institutions?
• What are the main political, military, and economic aspects of integration that need to be considered?
• What Euro-Atlantic institutions would be able to include Russia ? Would they provide for integration of or cooperation with Russia ?
• Are Euro-Atlantic institutions adequate in their current form for including Russia ? Or would elements in the current Euro-Atlantic institutions need restructuring in order to provide a Euro-Atlantic architecture that is both sturdy and open to Russia ?

Working groups and closing remarks