Evening debate
Wednesday 7 December 2011
Crowne Plaza Europa, Brussels

18:00 - 19:00

17:30 - 18:00          Registration

18:00 - 19:00          Debate

Twenty years after breaking free of the dying USSR, Azerbaijan has become an active member of the international community. Rich in oil and gas and a major stakeholder in regional affairs, Azerbaijan continues to face challenges with its neighbours, in particular over energy policy, sovereignty issues in the Caspian sea, and the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. How could the shifting balance of power in the region affect Western interests there? Can bilateral relations between Europe and NATO members with Azerbaijan and its neighbours promote stability in the region? How successful have Caucasus countries been in coordinating their policies towards the EU and NATO?

Keynote speech
H.E Dr. Elmar Mammadyarov, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Azerbaijan

Moderated by
Giji Gya, Head of Office of the Deputy Director of the Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF)

19:00 - 19:30          Cocktail