Молодежная летняя школа 2008 "Балто – черноморский регион: перспективы региональной безопасности после саммита НАТО в Бухаресте "
7 июля - 11 июля 2008 г., п. Лосево (Ленинградская область) Application Form
7 июля - 11 июля 2008 г. в п.Лосево Ленинградской области Центр международной и региональной политики (CIRP) проводит очередную Молодежную Летнюю Школу. На этот раз тема Школы : "Балтийско-Черноморский регион: перспективы региональной безопасности после саммита НАТО в Бухаресте"

The Baltic Black Sea area occupies a geographic area that is not only the immediate neighborhood of the EU, NATO and Russia, but also embodies a bridge to the Central Asia and the Middle East. As a result, the strategic significance of the Wider Black Sea area can hardly be overestimated. Meanwhile it is still face a number risks and challenges that increasingly affects on regional security environment.

The Baltic Black Sea area is a collision point for different security strategies: NATO, Russia and the EU. Contributing to stability by its support to individual countries by cooperative programs, NATO has nevertheless not developed a comprehensive strategy for the Wider Black Sea are as a whole. Access to the Black Sea is strategic priority for Russia, but Russia' policy is considered as imperial by mostly. For the EU, the Wider Black Sea area is considered to be in its periphery and coherent policy towards the region is lacking.

An additional strategic challenge that specially affects the Baltic Black Sea region involves of energy security. Energy security has been especially prominent in shaping strategic perceptions about the Baltic Black Sea area over the last decade. Western countries are urgently seeking to diversify their supplies of energy. Therefore, the Wider Black Sea area is set to become a pivotal conduit for energy supplies from the Caspian Sea and Central Asia.

The security environment around the Baltic Black Sea area is influenced by strong competition between main strategic stakeholders. Russia, the EU and NATO face the challenge of shaping overlapping areas of integration. It was clear demonstrated by the different approaches to the resolution of “frozen” conflicts in the area. Despite international efforts, the regional conflicts remain “frozen” and thereby continually threaten to turn into violence. As a result, the durable and peaceful conflict resolution is central factor for promoting stability in the Euro-Atlantic community's direct neighborhood.

Rapid integration of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova into democratic institutions is need to accompanied by more positive engagement with Russia. From European and Transatlantic perspective, a key question for the future will be need to balance political and security engagement around the Wider Black Sea area in acceptable relations with Russia. A key challenge for Russia will be to develop a comprehensive foreign policy that takes democratic values and local interests into consideration. It is time for NATO, the EU and Russia to place a renewed focus on their policies in the Wider Black Sea area.

Target audience
The participants from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and other countries of the region are welcomed to apply for participation in the Summer School. The preference is given to senior students and PhD students in international relations, political science, sociology, economics, history and journalism, youth public activists, representatives of NGO.