Launch of Policy Report “Threats to Stability in Wider Europe”

access full programme here:Threats to Stability in Wider Europe_Programme

Partners: European Neighbourhood Council (ENC), Brussels; University of St Andrews, UK; University of Coimbra, Portugal; CASPIAN Marie Curie Training Network.

Purpose: Launching of the ENC policy paper entitled Threats to Stability in Wider Europe (part of the ENC Perspectives Publications), which includes academic contributions and policy recommendations from eight analysts from across the wider European neighbourhood and Central Asia. The publications focus specifically on the areas of importance in terms of EU and Member State security interests, threats and cooperative conflict resolution opportunities across Wider Europe, ranging from the Middle East, European Neighbourhood and Central Asia.

Structure: The report will be presented by both leading co-authors, including Professor Dr. Rick Fawn, St Andrews convenor of the EU-funded Marie Curie ‘Around the Caspian Programme’ and Director of the Institute for Middle East, Central Asia and Caucasus Studies (MECACS) at the University of St Andrews and Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, Director of the European Neighbourhood Council (ENC).
Andreas Marazis, Researcher for Eastern Europe & Central Asia, will also present his research at the event, and help contextualize the other articles in the ENC publication.
Opening remarks for both panels will be conducted by H.E. Ambassador Tomasz Chłoń, Senior Officer, NATO Public Diplomacy Division.
The presentations will be followed by an open discussion, with Q&A from a selected roundtable-group of invited policy makers, think tank specialists and St. Andrews’ partner academics from the University of Ghent and the University of Coimbra.

Co-funded by ‘Around the Caspian’: A Doctoral Training for Future Experts in Development and Cooperation with Focus on the Caspian Region. CASPIAN is funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme. Grant agreement number SEP210161673.

Rationale: The EU faces severe challenges along its eastern and south-eastern flanks. The publication brings together eight in-depth research articles by leading regional academics and experts with a range of long-standing and international perspectives, new ideas and publishing or government experience.
This work also anticipates challenges and opportunities for the EU and Member States emanating from Russia, Russia’s North Caucasus, Turkey, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Central Asia.
The findings are not only about risk identification and management, but also about the positive projection of the EU in wider Europe and Eurasia. The publication will furthermore provide much-needed vision and academic field work on topics of EU and regional foreign policy importance, which may both serve as research data for policy makers, while also ensuring that its findings are disseminated correctly among policy experts, media and institutions.

Dissemination: The report is written and presented in an accessible style, with specific policy analysis and recommendations. Printed copies will be available at the event. Electronic copies will be available to download from partners’ websites and ENC. Media and policy makers from policy and government institutions, including EU offices, universities, think tanks and delegations/permanent representations will be invited to participate.

Authors and Policy Articles:

Prof. Dr. Rick Fawn, Professor of International Relations, School of International Relations, University of St Andrews. He also convenes the St Andrews section of the ‘Around the Caspian’ Marie Curie Innovative Training Network, which is funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme. “Are four heads better than one? Russia as conflict instigator, mediator, saviour and perpetuator.”

Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, ENC Managing Director. “Kurds, Europe and Turkey’s regional window of opportunity?”

Andreas Marazis, ENC Head Researcher for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. “Crisis in Ukraine, Three Years Now: Towards Containment or Conflict Resolution?”

Dr. Nina Lutterjohann, PhD Researcher, University of St Andrews. “Conflict Management in Moldova and Georgia: EU potential and joint capacities for breaking the deadlock?”

Dr. Elena Zhirukhina, Researcher, University of St Andrews. “Security concerns for the EU: to what extent is the Caucasian Emirate reaching out?”

Shairbek Dzhuraev, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Research Fellow, University of St Andrews and Karolina Kluczewska, Maria SklodowskaCurie Research Fellow, University of St Andrews. “Threats to stability in Central Asia: What role for the EU?”

Jason Bruder, PhD Researcher, University of St Andrews, Former U.S. Diplomat and Senior Staff Member U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “Consistently Inconsistent: Cognitive Dissonance and Geoeconomics in U.S. Policy towards Europe”

Dr. Dominika Krois, OSCE/COSCE Coordinator, European External Action Service (EEAS). “How the EU is handling threats to stability in the wider Europe?”