About
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT BLED STRATEGIC FORUM
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, in cooperation with the Institute for Strategic Studies Ljubljana, is in the process of establishing Bled Strategic Forum. The initiative is conceptualized as a forum for promoting high-level strategic dialogue between leaders (from both private and public sectors) on key issues - regional and thematic - with which Europe of the 21st century will be confronted with. It intends to generate political momentum and attract political commitments for implementation of new strategies designed to allow Europe to better use its strategic weight and space. The Forum will at the same time offer a platform for cooperation between the private and public sectors aimed at developing common integrated approaches to resolving outstanding issues and efficiently tackling new challenges.
The first in the series of international events will be the organization of the international conference entitled "Caspian Outlook 2008". The aim of the gathering is to discuss the geopolitical relevance of the Caspian region for the European Union both from the economic political and strategic perspectives. Invited to participate are top international experts, political leaders, representatives from relevant international organizations and the private sector from the Caspian region, Europe, the United States, the Russian Federation and beyond. By the same token, the event will contribute to the preparation of the Slovenian EU Presidency in the first half of 2008, in the framework of which energy security and enlargement are identified as two of the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency.
ABOUT THE TOPIC: "CASPIAN OUTLOOK 2008"
The energy and geopolitical dimensions of the Caspian region, including the South Caucasus, is becoming increasingly relevant for European strategists and policy makers. In this context, the future political and economic development of the Caspian region will have long-term implications for the future of energy security, as well as security, in Europe. Political stability along the Black Sea and the South Caucasus area represents the basis and the precondition for developing this region into a reliable energy partner for Europe.
The Caspian region is important for its energy variable, as well as geopolitically. It serves as a bridge into Central Asia. The EU has an interest - not least in energy - in deepening its strategic partnership with the countries from the region. Its immediate priority is broader political stability and sustained economic prosperity in the Caspian region. The region exhibits different degrees of political maturity and also variety in expected economic performance. At the current stage, the future direction and the strategic yield of the EU-Caspian relationship remain poorly defined, which suggests the relationship presently operates below potential.
In this respect, the Bled Strategic Forum represents an opportunity to reenergize the strategic relationship between the European Union and the Caspian region. On the basis of an analysis of political and economic trends in the concerned countries, participants will discuss issues such as:
- Frozen conflicts and future implications for stability in the region;
- Risks in the Caspian basin: hedging insecurities while managing profits;
- European Neighbourhood Policy (EU Action Plan expires in 2007);
- Investment climate and investment opportunities in the Caspian basin in general and more specifically in the South Caucasus;
- Importance and relevance of this region for the broader Euro-Atlantic security.
The Forum represents the opportunity for a critical discussion on the current EU (and transatlantic) strategy vis-a-vis the region and on how to best adapt it to the new situation on the ground, within the overall aim of ensuring a long-term partnership between the EU and the Caspian basin.
The mentioned questions are even more relevant from the perspective of Slovenia's EU Presidency in the first half of 2008, when EU enlargement and energy sustainability will represent two of four currently identified thematic priorities.
Furthermore, these questions are pertinent in view of the NATO Summit scheduled for 2008, which is likely to address the issue of enlargement. The chosen topic is also a continuation of a process already launched during Slovenia's Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2005. The 2005 Chairmanship was marked most explicitly by Slovenia's efforts to contribute to broader stability and lasting reforms in and around the Caspian basin.
THE THEMES
The event will be divided into four discussion panels where high level politicians, private sector leaders, senior representatives from key international organizations and academics will discuss the geostrategic relevance of the Caspian region and the South Caucasus for Europe. Each panel will consist of cca. five speakers and a discussion moderator. An interactive discussion with other participants will follow the initial discussion.
The four panels, incorporating the relevant themes are:
- Europe's geostrategy and energy security: The relevance of the Caspian Basin for Europe
- Political dynamics in the Caspian region: present challenges and the future
- European Neighbourhood Policy: defining the end game
- Economic trends in the Caspian basin