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2007

Program

Thursday, April 19

Friday, April 20

Saturday, April 21

Welcome speeches

The Eurasian Media Forum is the most prominent international media initiative in Eurasia aimed at defining the strategic role of Eurasia in world affairs, exploring a new approach to international relations, promoting equality of access to reliable public information throughout the area and encouraging the highest standards of journalism.

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(GUIDE 2007) TRIBUNENEWSABOUTCONTACTSHISTORY

Day 1

Thursday, April 19

Chair of the Conference:
Riz Khan, TV host and producer, Al Jazeera International, USA

07.30-09.00	Registration opens
09.00	Access into the Ballroom will not be allowed after 9.00 am
09.30-10.15	Conference Opening Ceremony (Ballroom) Welcome and Conference Introduction Dr. Dariga NAZARBAYEVA, Chair of the Eurasian Media Forum Organizing Committee Welcome Address Nursultan NAZARBAYEV, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
10.15-10.30	Break
10.30-12.00	Session #1 (Ballroom) In this opening discussion, a group of international and regional experts will examine the big questions raised by US foreign policy and the war in Iraq. The experts will be questioned by a panel of international journalists who will examine how opinions around the world differ or concur on potential future developments, solutions and repercussions. PART 1: WORLD POLITICS. QUESTIONS OF POWER AND JUSTICE While the war in Iraq continues to exact heavy military and political losses for all those involved, the international community must come to terms with the wider implications of these events. Now generally accepted as without moral legitimacy and certainly without international support, the events have undermined the authority and credibility of the international institutions. The circumstances in Iraq, the crisis in Darfur and the conflict in Somalia have also exacerbated the underlying tension between the US and the UN. While the US appears concerned about the legitimacy of its actions, it is also worried that the basic interest of the UN is to restrain American power. Consequently, the current administration decreasingly concerns itself with the international community and displays a diminishing respect of international law. What are the implications for future international disputes? Do these events give legitimacy to others inclined to aggressively resolve disputes and take military actions against another country without international accountability? What are the norms authorizing military action against a sovereign nation? Can this be viewed as a dangerous sign of dehumanization of world politics, hastening the need for reform of global institutions? Have these events shifted international allegiances and spheres of influence? PART 2: WHAT NEXT FOR IRAQ? The situation in Iraq is absolutely grim. The execution of Saddam Hussein for many was at best inept and insensitive and at worst a vulgar demonstration of power and score settling. These incidents continue to heighten the tension, hatred and aggression. What are the potential immediate and mid term solutions to the crisis? What opinions and suggestions are being proffered by Europe, Russia, Asia and the countries of Eurasia? Is there a vacuum in international diplomacy over this issue? Where now for Iraq? Chair: Riz Khan, TV host and producer, Al Jazeera International, USA Speakers: Eugenie Primakov, President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, former Prime-Minister of Russia Richard Perle, Resident Fellow at American Enterprise Institute; former Chairman of the Defense Policy Board (2001-2003); former Assistant Secretary of Defense (1981-1987), USA Richard Holbrooke, Chairman of the Asia Society and former US ambassador to the UN (1999-2001); former Assistant Secretary of State (1977-1981 and 1994-1996), USA George Galloway, Member of Parliament, House of Commons, UK Geydar Dzhemal, Chairman of the Islamic Committee of Russia Dr. Ariel Cohen, Senior research fellow, Russian and Eurasian Studies, the Heritage Foundation, USA Murat Auezov, Publicist, academician, Director General of the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan Bakhtiar Amin, former Minister of Human Rights, Iraq Front row: Antonio Stango, Member of the Board, Hands off Cain (League of parliamentarians and citizens for the abolition of the death penalty worldwide), Coordinator of the global parliamentary campaign for moratorium at the United Nations General Assembly, Italy Nermeen Shaikh, Managing Editor, Asia Society Online, Asia Society, USA Nikolai Zlobin, Director of the Russia and Eurasian Project, World Security Institute, co-chairman of the International Council «Russia Profile», USA Tzvi Yehezkeli, Journalist, Channel 10, Israel
12.00-12.30	Coffee break (sponsored by Russia Today) Opening of the RIA-Novosti news agency photo exhibition «Terrorism as a threat to civilization»
12.30-13.30	Session #2 (Ballroom) QUESTION TIME Celebrity Guests will be interviewed live on stage at the Forum. The interview will cover issues relating to regional and international politics, business, social development and media. Guests: H.E. Mohammad Khatami, former President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ambassador Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, Secretary General, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe Eugenie Primakov, President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, former Prime-Minister of Russia Richard Holbrooke, Chairman of the Asia Society and former US ambassador to the UN (1999-2001); former Assistant Secretary of State (1977-1981 and 1994-1996), USA Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Interviewers: Charles Hodson, Anchor, CNN International Riz Khan, TV host and producer, Al Jazeera International, USA
13.30-15.00	Lunch (Asian Caf, Astana restaurant)
15.00-16.00	Session #3, Part I (Ballroom) EURASIA: REGIONAL SECURITY QUESTION TIME A group of international experts and senior regional representatives discuss the current and future challenges facing the region. Issues to be raised by the chair and the audience include: What are the most important security challenges in the post-Soviet area? How can progress be made towards resolution of the «frozen conflicts» in Nagorniy-Karabakh, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transdniester? What are the potential consequences of the continued deterioration in relations between Russia and Georgia — what are the consequences for the continued stabilization of the entire region? The current and future situation in Turkmenistan How should countries in the region benefit from their geographical and political position of being both East and West? What relationships (economic, strategic, military or cultural) should countries in this region develop with Moscow, Beijing or the Euro-Atlantic alliance Chair: Natalya Antelava, Central Asia correspondent, BBC Speakers: Marat Tazhin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nikolay Borduzha, Secretary General, Collective Security Treaty, Russia Grigoriy Rapota, Secretary General of the Eurasian Economic Community, Russia Mamuka Kudava, Ambassador of Georgia to France, former Vice-Minister of Defence of Georgia Vitaliy Tretyakov, Editor-in-chief of «Moskovskie novosti» newspaper, Russia Dr. Stefanie Babst, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy (Communication Coordination), NATO Dr Martha Brill Olcott, Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, USA Viktor Tkachuk, Board Chairman of the Institute of System Modeling, former Advisor to the President, Ukraine Front row: Murat Laumulin, Chief research fellow of the Kazakhstan Institute of Strategic Studies, political scientist, Kazakhstan Vitaliy Volkov, Editor, «Deutsche Welle», Germany Anton Laskhishvili, Editor-in Chief of «Svobodnaya Gruziya» newspaper, Georgia Sona Chuli-Kuli, Member of the Bureau, Association of Journalists of Turkmenistan «Shamchirag», Turkmenistan
16.15-17.15	Session #3, Part II (Ballroom) BOUNDARIES, IDENTITY AND NATION BUILDING IN THE POST — SOVIET WORLD Across Central Asia, the Soviet era was characterized by a colonial attitude, secularization, Russification and the establishment of artificial borders that left ethnic groups divided. But what were once artificial internal borders now define nations and peoples and create a dilemma for those charged with nation building. This session will examine: redefining Russia?s role as the former cultural and political common denominator political and cultural development of the post Soviet psyche redeveloping social and cultural ties between former Soviet states striking a balance between cultural identity and xenophobia seeking a new way to develop inclusive national and cultural identities Producer: «RIA-Novosti» news agency, Russia Сhair: Irina Zvyagelskaya, Vice-president, International Centre for Strategic and Political Studies, Russia Speakers: Vladislav Inozemtsev, Research fellow, Centre of Post-Industrial Society Studies; Chairman of the Scientific-Consultative Council of «Russia in Global Politics» magazine, Russia Armen Darbinyan, Corresponding member, Armenian National Academy of Science, President of the Russian-Armenian (Slavic) University, Armenia Nikolai Zlobin, Director of the Russia and Eurasian Project, World Security Institute, co-chairman of the International Council «Russia Profile», USA Anton Laskhishvili, Editor-in-Chief of «Svobodnaya Gruziya» newspaper, Georgia Andrey Yermolayev, Director, Centre of Social and Political Studies «Sofia», Ukraine Oleg Poptsov, President of Eurasian Academy of Television and Radio, Russia Front row: Sergey Kara-Murza, Political scientist, author of the book «Manipulation of consciousness», Russia Valeriy Ruzin, Vice-president, General director of the Eurasian Television Academy, Russia Roza Otunbayeva, Co-chair of the ASABA political party, former Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan Dr Martha Brill Olcott, Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, USA
16.00-16.30	Coffee break at Ablai Khan room foyer (sponsored by Russia Today)
16.30-17.30	Roundtable (Ablai Khan room) NATO AND THE EU — SECURITY PARTNERS OR COMPETITORS? As a result of the challenges of enlargement of both organisations and the shifting priorities in global geo-politics, NATO and the EU have to redefine their position, role and relationship. Do the regional security needs and ambitions of the EU complement or compete with those of NATO? How have recent security issues highlighted potential obstacles between these organisations? What are the pressure points between these two organisations? How far did the Riga summit go in defining the future relationship between the US, NATO and the EU? Producer: International Institute for Modern Policy, Kazakhstan Chair: Bektas Mukhamedzhanov, Director, International Institute for Modern Policy, Kazakhstan Speakers: Richard Holbrooke, Chairman of the Asia Society and former US ambassador to the UN (1999-2001); former Assistant Secretary of State (1977-1981 and 1994-1996), USA Dr. Stefanie Babst, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy (Communication Coordination), NATO Fatima Kukeyeva, Doctor of Historical Science, Professor, Kazakh State University named after Al-Farabi, Kazakhstan David Merkel, Expert on Central Asia and the Caucasus, National Security Council, USA Bolat Sembinov, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan Thierry Meyssan, President, Voltaire Network, France
19.00-21.00	Welcome Reception hosted by the Almaty City Mayor