Two decades of cooperation on security in Central Europe (1989–2009)

Organizer

Polish Institute of International Affairs

Conference
Two decades of cooperation on security in Central Europe (1989–2009):
sharing our experience with the neighboring regions

Warsaw, 5–6 October 2009

Co-organizing partners:

Institute of International Relations, Prague

Hungarian Institute of International Affairs, Budapest

Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association, Bratislava

With the support of the International Visegrad Fund

Venue: Bristol Hotel, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 42/44, Malinowa Room

Agenda

Galeria zdjęć fot. Katarzyna Kołakowska/PISM

Monday, 5 October 2009

10.00–10.15    Conference opening: Sławomir Dębski

10.15–12.00   

Session I: Visions of regional security in Central Europe: No alternative to the Western Institutions?

Issues for consideration:

• Security situation in the region after the collapse of the Eastern bloc: main problems and opportunities
• Institutional alternatives to NATO/UE: role of OSCE and sub-regional cooperation (V4, Weimar Triangle, CEI, others)
• Policy of neutrality as an option for Central European states
• Russian factor: A role for Russia in regional security architecture?

Moderator: János Terényi, Director, Hungarian Institute of International Affairs (HIIA), Budapest

Speakers:

• Andrzej Ananicz, Director of Diplomatic Academy, Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM), Warsaw
• Kai Olaf Lang, German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), Berlin
• Ferenc Gazdag, Security and Defence Policy Department, Zrínyi Miklós National Defence University, Budapest

12.00–12.15    Coffee break

12.15–14.15   

Session II: V4 and NATO enlargement

Issues for consideration:

• First wave of enlargement: impact of V4 cooperation
• Slovakian case: role of other V4 partners
• Second wave of enlargement: V4 support for Baltic states
• Third wave: V4 role in the accession of the Balkan states
• Future role for Central European countries

Moderator: Jerzy M. Nowak, President, Polish Euro-Atlantic Association, Warsaw

Speakers:

• Rastislav Kačer, former Deputy Minister of Defence, Slovak Atlantic Commission, Bratislava
• Sandro Knezović, Institute for International Relations, Zagreb
• Atis Lejiņš, former director of Latvian Institute of International Affairs, Riga
• Marek Madej, Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM), Warsaw

14.15–15.15    Buffet lunch

15.15–17.00   

Session III: V4 countries’ practical cooperation on security matters

Issues for consideration:

• Main areas of cooperation (military-to-military, diplomatic, other)
• Role of V4 cooperation in solving internal tensions and disputes in the group
• Achievements and problems of cooperation
• Is there any “common Central European security identity”?

Moderator: Michal Kořan, Head of Research Department, Institute of International Relations (ÚMV), Prague

Speakers:

• Róbert Ondrejcsák, Executive Director, Center for European and North Atlantic Affairs, Bratislava
• Péter Tálas, Director, Center for Strategic and Defence Studies, Zrínyi Miklós National Defence University, Budapest
• Karel Zetocha, Institute for Strategic and Defence Studies, University of Defence, Brno

Tuesday,  6 October 2009

10.00–11.45   

Session IV: Sharing knowledge and experience with the neighbors

Issues for consideration:

• Main initiatives and projects of V4 countries concerning transfer of experience and knowledge abroad
• Assistance in solving regional crises and tensions
• Responding to non-military security challenges in Central and Eastern Europe
• Cooperation with other “donors” (i.e. EU)
• Effectiveness of V4 countries’ activities
• Prospects and plans

Moderator: Sławomir Dębski

Speakers:

• Jan Piekło, Director, PAUCI Polish-Ukrainian Cooperation Foundation, Warsaw
• Ivo Samson, Head of International Security Program, Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association, Bratislava
• Jiří Schneider, Program Director, Prague Security Studies Institute

11.45–12.00    Coffee break

12.00–13.45   

Session V: Learning from V4 countries’ experience and developing cooperation

Issues for consideration:

• Current state of cooperation
• Expectations of neighboring countries
• V4 as an intermediary and aide in efforts to integrate with Western structures
• Possible role of V4 in solving conflicts, crises or tensions (i.e. Transnistria, Kosovo)
• Role of V4 in stimulating internal reforms in neighboring countries
• Directions and focus of future cooperation

Moderator: Łukasz Kulesa, Acting Head of the Research Office, Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM), Warsaw

Speakers:

• Oleksiy Kolomiyets, President, Center for European and Transatlantic Studies, Kiev
• Oazu Nantoi, Program Director, Institute for Public Policy, Chisinau
• Alexander Rusetsky, Executive Director, South Caucasus Institute for Regional Security, Tbilisi
• Sonja Stojanović, Director, Centre for Civil-Military Relations, Belgrade

13.45–14.00    Closing remarks

14.00–15.00    Buffet lunch

The conference was supported  by the International Visegrad Fund