საქართველოს პარლამენტის ევროპასთან ინტეგრაციის კომიტეტის თავმჯდომარის თამარ ხულორდავას და კომიტეტის თავმჯდომარის პირველი მოადგილის ირინა ფრუიძის საპარლამენტო თანამშრომლობის ინიციატივის ფარგლებში აღმოსავლეთ პარტნიორობის ასოცირებული ქვეყნების მორიგი შეხვედრაზე 2017 წლის 14-17 სექტემბერს იტალიაში ვიზიტის ანგარიში

N 16856 25/10/2017 საქართველოს პარლამენტის საორგანიზაციო დეპარტამენტის უფროსს, ქალბატონ ეთერ სვიანაიძეს, ქალბატონო ეთერ, გიგზავნით 2017 წლის 14-16 სექტემბერს იტალიაში, საპარლამენტო თანამშრომლობის ინიციატივის ფარგლებში განხორციელებული აღმოსავლეთ პარტნიორობის ასოცირებული ქვეყნების მორიგი შეხვედრის ანგარიშს. გთხოვთ უზრუნვეყოთ ანგარიშის უახლოესი ბიუროს სხდომის დღის წესრიგში შეტანა. დანართი: 30 გვერდი პატივისცემით, თამარ ხულორდავა თავმჯდომარე

ევროპასთან ინტეგრაციის კომიტეტის თავმჯდომარის, თამარ ხულორდავას და თავმჯდომარის პირველი მოადგილის, ირინა ფრუიძის ანგარიში საპარლამენტო თანამშრომლობის ინიციატივის ფარგლებში აღმოსავლეთ პარტნიორობის ასოცირებული ქვეყნების მორიგი შეხვედრის შესახებ იტალიაში 2017 წლის, 14-17 სექტემბერი 14-16 სექტემბერს, ევროპასთან ინტეგრაციის კომიტეტის ინიციატივითა და კონრად ადენაუერის ფონდის მხარდაჭერით საქართველოს, მოლდოვას და უკრაინის პარლამენტის წევრებმა, აღმოსავლეთ პარტნიორობის სამიტის წინ მოსამზდებელი შეხვედრა და კონსულტაციები გამართეს. 2015 წელს საქართველოს პარლამენტის ევროპასთან ინტეგრაციის კომიტეტის მიერ შექმნილი საპარლამენტთაშორისო თანამშრომლობის ინიციატივა, აღმოსავლეთ პარტნიორობის ასოცირებულ ქვეყნებს - საქართველოს, მოლდოვასა და უკრაინას ხელს უწყობს საერთო მიზნისკენ ერთობლივ სვლაში, ასოცირების ხელშეკრულების განხორციელებისთვის საჭირო კოორდინაციაში და გამოცდილების გაზიარებაში. თანამშრომლობის ინიციატივის მიზანია, აღმოსავლეთ პარტნიორობის ფუძემდებლური პრინციპების შესაბამისად, ასოცირების ხელშეკრულების შესრულებისა და გამოყენების გზით, ხელი შეუწყოს ასოცირებული ქვეყნების დაახლოებას ევროკავშირთან. ბოლო წლების განმავლობაში პლატფორმა ჩამოყალიბდა როგორც ევროპარლამენტის, საქართველოს, მოლდოვას, და უკრაინის პარლამენტებისგან შემდგარი საკონსულტაციო ორგანო. ინიციატივის ფარგლებში უკვე არაერთი მნიშვნელოვანი შეხვედრა გაიმართა და ერთობლივი დეკლარაცა გამოიცა. 14-17 სექტემბრის ღონისძიებაში, საქართველოს ევროპასთან ინტეგრაციის კომიტეტის თავმჯდომარის და თავმჯდომარის პირველი მოადგილის გარდა მონაწილეობდნენ მოლდოვას პარლამენტის ვიცე-სპიკერი, ევრონესტის საპარლამენტო ასამბლეის თანაპრეზიდენტი, უკრაინის რადას საგარეო ურთიერთობათა და ევროპასთან ინტეგრაციის კომიტეტების ხელმძღვანელები და უკრაინის ეროვნული დელეგაციის ხელმძღვანელი ევრონესტის საპარლამენტო ასამბლეაში. შეხვედრაში მონაწილეობდნენ აგრეთვე ევროპარლამენტის წევრი, ელმარ ბროკი (გერმანია, სახალხო პარტია), ლიტვის პარლამენტის წევრი, ჟიგიმანტას პავილიონისი და ევროპის და ამერიკის წამყვანი კვლევითი ცენტრების ექსპერტები. შეხვედრის პირველ ნაწილში ვიმსჯელეთ ევროპული ინტეგრაციის და ამ პროცესებში ამერიკის როლის შესახებ, განვიხილეთ ევროკავშირის სახელმწიფოებში მიმდინარე ცვლილებები და ევროკავშირის მომავლის პერსპექტივები, რუსეთის გავლენა და მისგან წამოსული საფრთხეების დაძლევის გზები, ამერიკის შეერთებული შტატების როლი ევროპის ეკონომიკური და ენერგო უსაფრთოხების უზრუნველყოფაში. 1 მეორე ნაწილი მიეძღვნა აღმოსავლეთ პარტნიორობას, ასოცირებული ქვეყნების მისწრაფებებს ევროკავშირთან ურთიერთობაში, განხილულ იქნა საქართველოს, მოლდოვის, უკრაინის მიღწევები მართლმსაჯულების, კანონის უზენაესობის და ეკონომიკური განვითარების სფეროებში. ამ ნაწილში ვისაუბრე საქართველოში მიმდინარე დემოკრატიულ რეფორმებზე, რომლებიც მიზნად ისახავს ქვეყნის მოდერნიზებას და ევროკავშირის სტანდარტებთან დაახლოებას, ევროკავშირთან პარტნიორობის მომავალზე, მოლოდინებზე და მოქმედების გეგმაზე აღმოსავლეთ პარტნიორობის სამიტთან დაკავშირებით. მესამე ნაწილი მიეძღვნა ევროპის უსაფრთხოების საკითხებს. მონაწილე ქვეყნების სუვერენიტეტი და ტერიტორიული მთლიანობა კვლავ არ არის უზრუბნველყოფილი. საუბარი შეეხო ჰიბრიდულ საფრთხეებთან გამკლავებისთვის საერთო ძალისხმევის აუცილებლობას; ხაზგასმით აღინიშნა, რომ ბოლო წლებში, ევროკავშირის ქვეყნებსა და აღმოსავლეთ პარტნიორობის ქვეყნებს დეზინფორმაცია და პროპაგანდისტული კომუნიკაცია უქმნის დამატებით საფრთხეებს. საქართველოს, მოლდოვასა და უკრაინის პარლამენტის წარმომადგენლები მიესალმებიან ევროკავშირში დაწყებულ დისკუსიას უსაფრთოხების სისტემების გაძლიერების თაობაზე და ევროკაშირის გეგმას, გააძლიეროს მეზობლებთან თანამშრომლობა თავდაცვისა და უსაფრთხოების პოლიტიკის მიმართულებით. მეოთხე ნაწილი მიეძღვნა ევროპეიზაციას და საშინაო რეფორმების პროგრამას. აღმოსავლეთ პარტნიორების ფუძემდებლური პრინციპები-კანონის უზენაესობა, ადამიანის უფლებები და გამოხატვის თავისუფლება კვლავ ინტერესის და მსჯელობის საგანია აღმოსავლეთ ევროპის სახელმწიფოებში. ამ მიმართულებით არსებული მიღწევების, გამოწვევების და სამომავლოდ ჩასატარებელი სამუშაოების შესახებ მოხსენება გააკეთა ირინა ფრუიძემ. 16 სექტემბერს, იტალიაში საქართველოს, მოლდოვის და უკრაინის პარლამენტის წევრებმა აღმოსავლეთ პარტნიორობის სამიტის წინ ერთობლივ დეკლარაციას - კომოს კომუნიკეს მოვაწერეთ ხელი. კომოს კომუნიკე, მიმართავს რა ევროპარლამენტს, ევროკავშირის საბჭოს და კომისიას, კიდევ ერთხელ აცხადებს სამი ასოცირებული ქვეყნის ევროპულ არჩევანს. ხაზს უსვამს აღმოსავლეთ პარტნიორობის შედეგად ევროკავშითან მიღწეული დაახლოების ისტორიულ მნიშნელობას. კიდევ ერთხელ გამოხატავს ამ ქვეყების მზაობას, უდიდესი გეოპოლიტიკური სირთულეების მიუხედავ, განავითარონ დემოკრატილი მმართველობა, განამტკიცონ კანონის უზენაესობა, ადამიანის უფლებათა დაცვის საფუძველზე წვლილი შეიტანონ საერთო ევროპული უსაფრთხოების და კეთილდღეოს განმტკიცებაში. საქართველოს, მოლდოვის და უკრაინის პარლამენტები სამიტს მოუწოდებენ, სამი ასოცირებული ქვეყნის დამსახურების გათვალისწინებით, ევროკავშირში გაწევრიანების პერსპექტივა, ასოცირებული პარტნიორების მხარდაჭერა, აღიარებულ იქნას მიმართავენ ევროკავშირს გააძლიეროს გაზარდოს ფინანსური დახმარება მათი და გაძლიერდეს კოლექტიური ძალსხმევა და უფრო აქტიური ნაბიჯები გადაიდგას ქვეყნების სუვერენიტეტის დასაცავად და რუსული საფრთხის დასაძლევად. დოკუმენტი აღწერს, რომ სამ ქვეყანას საერთო საფრთხე და საერთო, შორსმიმავალი მიზნები აერთიანებს, რომელთა საფუძველზეც სახელმწიფოები მზად არიან, უფრო ძლიერი სასტარტო პოზიციიდან მოსთხოვონ ევროკავშირს „მეტი მეტისთვის” - პარტნიორობის გაძლიერება დემოკრატიული მიღწევებისთვის. 2

INTERPARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION PLATFORM STRATEGIC RETHINKING OF THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP 14-16 SEPTEMBER, 2017 @ LAKE COMO, ITALY INTERPARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION PLATFORM STRATEGIC RETHINKING OF THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP GEORGIA, MOLDOVA AND UKRAINE Date: Venue: Language: 14-16 September 2017 “Villa La Collina”, Cadenabbia, Italy www.kas.de/villalacollina/en/ English 14 SEPTEMBER, THURSDAY Arrival of Participants – transfer of all participants from the airport and the train station to the conference venue will be arranged by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung 16:30-18:00 Cultural Program (optional): Passeggiata Adenauer – An evening walk through Cadenabbia in the footsteps of Konrad Adenauer 19:00-19:30 Aperitif at the Terrace of Villa la Collina 19:30 Gala Dinner at the State Dining Room, Villa La Collina 15 SEPTEMBER, FRIDAY 09:30-09:40 Welcome Remarks Thomas Schrapel – Director, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in the South Caucasus Tamar Khulordava – Chairwoman of the Committee on European Integration of the Parliament of Georgia 09:40-10:15 Garden Chat Conversation on Rethinking of the Eastern Partnership with Kurt Volker, Executive Director of the McCain Institute for International Leadership, Elmar Brok – Member of the European Parliament and Edward Lucas – Senior Editor of “The Economist” 10:15-10:45 Coffee Break 10:45-12:15 Panel I American Commitment and European Integrity Strategies for countering Russian influence in Europe; European reassurance initiative; The role of the US in common European economic and energy security field; Miriam Lexmann – Director of the EU Office of the International Republican Institute David J Kramer – Affiliated Senior Fellow, The McCain Institute for International Leadership, Florida International University Eduard Chow – Senior Fellow, Energy and National Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies Žygimantas Pavilionis – Member of the Lithuanian Parliament Moderator Batu Kutelia – Vice-president of the Atlantic Council of Georgia 12:15-13:30 Panel II More for More Expectations towards the Eastern Partnership Brussels Summit in November 2017; The association process with the EU; Success and challenges; future of the Eastern Partnership initiative; institutional capacity building for Security, Economic development and energy security, rule of law and good governance; Tamar Khulordava – Chairwoman of the Committee on European Integration of the Parliament of Georgia Kadri Liik – Senior Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations Mariya Ionova – Chairwoman of the Committee on European Integration, Parliament of Ukraine Marian Lupu – Co-President of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, Parliament of Moldova Moderator Victor Bojkov – Advisor Directorate Neighbourhood East, European Commission 13:30-14:30 Lunch 14:30-15:45 Panel III Trilateral Cooperation: Common threat perception and the European Security European security choices, short and long term implications; Russia’s hybrid challenge; European deliverables; Strategies for safer and more secure Europe; Updated Security and Defence Agenda; Building institutionalised strategic communication. Edward Lucas – Senior Editor of “ The Economist” Iurie Leancă – Deputy Chairman of the Parliament of Moldova David J Kramer – Affiliated Senior Fellow, The McCain Institute for International Leadership. Florida International University Boris Tarasyuk – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Chairman of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, Verkhovnaya Rada of Ukraine Moderator Benjamin Fricke – Scientific Associate, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung South Caucasus Office 15:45-16:15 Coffee Break 16:15-17:30 Panel IV Europeanisation: Domestic Reform Agenda Rule of law vs Rule by the Law: Human rights and freedom of speech; Deinitialization of corruption soft infrastructure (legal, trade and standards) Jerzy Pomianovsky – Executive Director, European Endowment for Democracy Hanna Hopko – Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Verkhova Rada of Ukraine Iulian Groza – European Institute of Politics and Reforms, Moldova Irina Pruidze – Deputy Chairwoman of the Committee on European Integration of the Parliament of Georgia Moderator Nino Evgenidze – Executive Director, The Economic Policy Research Centre 19:00 Dinner 16 SEPTEMBER, SATURDAY 09:00-10:30 Preparing for the Brussels EaP Summit - Strategies and Deliverables Tamar Khulordava – Chairwoman of the Committee on European Integration of the Parliament of Georgia Marian Lupu – Co-President of the Euronest PA, Parliament of Moldova Hanna Hopko – Chairperson of Foreign Affairs Committee, Parliament of Ukraine Leonid Litra – Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Word Policy, Ukraine Ivane Ckhikvadze – Program Manager, Open Society Georgia Foundation Moderator Iulian Groza – European Institute of Politics and Reforms, Moldova 10:30-11:00 Coffee Break 11:00-12:00 Adopting and Signing the Final Communique All Members of the Parliament of Moldova All Members of the Parliament of Georgia All Members of the Parliament of Ukraine 12:00-13:00 Lunch 13:30 Cultural Program: Tour to Bellagio – a mirror image of European history 16:00 Free Time for all participants 17 SEPTEMBER, SUNDAY Departure of the participants Airport transfer for all conference participants will be arranged by the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation ABOUT THE CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS THE KONRAD-ADENAUER-STIFTUNG The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) is a German political foundation, which is active within Germany with 16 regional offices and two conference centers. The foundation offers a wide variety of civic education curricula and events. KAS offices abroad are in charge of over 200 projects in more than 120 countries. The foundation’s headquarters are situated in Sankt Augustin near Bonn, and in Berlin. In Berlin, an additional conference center, named “The Academy”, was opened in 1998. KAS is proud to bear the name of Konrad Adenauer. The Stiftung honors the first chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany by upholding the principles, guidelines, understanding of duty, and obligations enshrined by Adenauer´s policies. The Stiftung initially was established in 1955 as “Society for Christian-Democratic Civic Education”, and officially adopted Konard Adenauer´s name in 1964. In Germany as well as abroad, our civic education programs aim at promoting freedom and liberty, peace, and justice. KAS focuses on consolidating democracy, the unification of Europe and the strengthening of transatlantic relations, as well as on the development cooperation. COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN INTEGRATION OF THE PARLIAMENT OF GEORGIA The European Integration Committee was set up in the beginning of 2004. The objective of the Committee is the facilitation of the Parliament of Georgia´s integration into the EU, European structures and the timely and effective implementation of the EU Association Agreement and the Association Agenda. The main objectives of the committee are the implementation of the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) as well as the Association Agenda, and Eastern Partnership in regard to legal approximation. The Committee cooperates with numerous state agencies and organizations of Georgia´s international partners. Moreover, a close cooperation between the committee and the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee and EU´s EaP PA “EuroNest” is maintained. The Committee actively strives to enhance further of Georgia integration into the European family and promotes a sustainable EU integration path. THE ECONOMIC POLICY RESEARCH CENTER The Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC) is a unique think-and do-tank that brings to light the most pressing economic issues confronted by the society provides thorough analysis on economic issues, offers evidence-based recommendations stimulating public debate and education. EPRC was established in 2002 and from the very beginning has played an active role in linking civil society and the public sector, providing guidance and advice in various fields of public policy, budget oversight, and monitoring the implementation of the major state and donor-funded programs. Since its foundation, EPRC has strived to enhance the quality of economic policymaking in Georgia by fostering high quality, policy-relevant economic research, and disseminating it widely to decision-makers in the public and private sectors. Throughout the past decade, EPRC has earned a reputation of an objective, reliable and non-partisan source of information on the issues related to economic, financial and social policies. EPRC actively encourages diversity of opinion and independent thought in its network, with the result that EPRC output reflects out-of-the-box thinking on a range of perspectives, helping to enrich and enliven policy debates. CONFERENCE ORGANIZER BIOGRAPHIES THOMAS SCHRAPEL Director of the South Caucasus Office of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Thomas Schrapel is the director of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung´s regional program South Caucasus since March 2016. Dr. Schrapel holds a degree in history and archeology which he applied in several research functions before his work with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in 1993. Dr. Schrapel served between 1998-2003 as a political advisor to the CDU/CSU fraction in the German Parliament. In 2004 he reassumed his duty for the Konrad Adenauer-Stiftung and served a director of the offices in Mongolia (2004-2010) and Albania (2012-2016). TAMAR KHULORDAVA Chairwoman of the Committee on European Integration Parliament of Georgia Tamar Khulordava is the Chairwoman of the Committee on European Integration of the Parliament of Georgia since 2016. She leads the activities of the committee, represents the Committee in domestic and inter-parliamentary relations, provides overall coordination with state bodies and institutions and international organizations and defines the agenda for the committee meetings. Ms. Khulordava is a co-chair of the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee (PAC) and the Head of the permanent Parliamentary Delegation to the Parliamentary Association Committee. She is also the Chair of the Georgian Parliamentary Delegation to the EuroNest Parliamentary Assembly and a member of a Gender Council of the Parliament of Georgia. Prior to her election to Parliament Ms. Khulordava served as the First Deputy Minister of Corrections of Georgia and a Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry. Ms. Khulordava has over 10 years of professional experience with the European institutions on issues of human rights, justice and rule of law. She worked as a Lawyer and a Project Manager at the European Union Delegation to Georgia where she designed and managed EU cooperation programs. In her earlier carrier she was a Staff Attorney with the American Bar Association, Central and East European Law Initiative (ABA/CEELI), Rule of Law and Criminal Law Programs, Coordinator of the working group on Criminal Procedure Legislation Reform and a National Coordinator of the Interagency Commission on the Reform of the Law Enforcement and Security Services of Georgia, under the National Security Council, headed by the Chief Justice of Georgia. Ms. Khulordava is a graduate of the Tbilisi State University, LLM with High honors. NINO EVGENIDZE Executive Director Economic Policy Research Center Nino Evgenidze is the Executive Director at the Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC) since 2010. She also works as an anchor of daily morning economic show at the Radio Free Europe- Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Nino was a visiting scholar at Johns Hopkins University at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and a Stanford University Fellow in CDDRL Program. She was awarded state academic scholarship of the UK Government (Chevening Fellow) and obtained a Master Degree in Economic Policy Management at London School of Economics (LSE). Also graduated from the Joint Vienna Institute, Department of Economic Policy Administration with the scholarship of the WB (Austria, Vienna); Nino Evgenidze was awarded her Doctor of Philology at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University; was a fellow of Netherlands Government (Nuffic Fellow) and has a diploma from Maastricht University in Management of International Projects. Nino has an extensive experience both in working in governmental and non-governmental sectors – in various periods of times she was an advisor at the Center for Economic Reforms of the State Chancellery of Georgia (President Administration), Head of Public Outreach Department of the Anti-corruption Policy Coordination Council of Georgia, likewise – Media Coordinator of Parliamentary Assembly Monitoring Missions of the Council of Europe. CONFERENCE SPEAKERS’ BIOGRAPHIES ELMAR BROK Chair of the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee, MEP Mr. Brok studied at the Centre of European Governmental Studies (Edinburgh University). Mr. Brok is a trained journalist and was a member of the regional executive in North RhineWestphalia for the CDU. He was chairman of the CDU federal committee on foreign policy and former federal Vice-Chairman of Junge Union, Germany. Mr. Brok serves as chairman of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs. Due to his CDU membership he is also a member of the European People’s Party. An MEP since 1980, Brok has held many leadership positions in German and European politics. As a member of the Convention on the Constituti on for Europe and in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Brok is widely credited with contributing crucially to the Constitution of the European Union. He is currently the President of the Union of European Federalists (UEF). VICTOR BOKOV Advisor Directorate Neighbourhood East DG NEAR European Commission Iulian Groza is a former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova responsible for European Integration (2013-2015). Before that he served in different capacities including as Director General at the Directorate for European integration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. He was also posted in Brussels at the Moldovan Mission to the EU. Mr. Groza was a member of the Moldovan negotiation team of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement and led the Moldovan Task Force in the EU-Moldova Visa Liberalization Dialogue. Currently he is the Executive Director of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms in Moldova. Mr. Groza is a PhD candidate at the Moldovan State University and holds a degree in law. He also did postgraduate European Studies at Birmingham University and NATO Security Studies at National School of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) in Bucharest. EDWARD CHOW Senior Fellow Center for Strategic and International Studies Edward C. Chow is a senior fellow in the energy and national security program of the Center for International and Strategic Studies in Washington, DC. He is an international energy expert with more than 35 years of oil industry experience from working in Asia, Middle East, Africa, South America, Europe, Russia and the Caspian region. He has developed various policy and business strategies, and successfully negotiated complex, multi-billion dollar, international business ventures. He specializes in oil and gas investments in emerging economies. Dr. Chow has advised U.S. and foreign governments, international financial institutions, international oil companies, leading U.S. multinational corporations and European firms. Mr. Chow spent 20 years with Chevron Corporation in U.S. and overseas assignments. His last position at Chevron was head of international external affairs at headquarters in California. Mr. Chow is a graduate of Ohio University with degrees in economics and international affairs. He has published articles in leading academic and foreign policy journals on global energy developments, spoken on energy in international conferences, and appeared in major international media. He has testified before the U.S. Congress and lectured at leading universities around the world. IVANE CHKHIKVADZE Program Manager Open Society Georgia Foundation Vano Chkhikvadze joined the Open Society Georgia Foundation in August 2012. In the capacity of Civil Society Program Managerr, Mr. Chkhikvadze deals with the issues related to the Georgia’s European integration; peace initiative, regional (Black Sea and South Caucasus) integration, ethnical minorities and marginalized groups. In 2005-2006 he studied at the College of Europe (Warsaw, Poland) and obtained Master’s Degree in European Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies. Before joining the foundation Mr. Chkhikvadze worked for the International Organization for Migration Mission to Georgia in 2010-2012; European Stability Initiative in 2009-2010; Eurasia Partnership Foundation in 2007-2009 and at the Office of the State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration in 2006-2007. Mr. Chkhikvadze is a visiting lecturer of the EU Foreign Policy at the Caucasus University. BENJAMIN FRICKE Scientific Associate Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, South Caucasus Benjamin Fricke received his M.A. in Statecraft and International Affairs from The Institute of World Politics (IWP) in Washington, DC in 2013 with further research studies at Oxford, England. Mr. Fricke was awarded his B.A. in Political Science from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio with two years of study at the University of Leipzig, Germany. He has also taught English at a Catholic elementary school in Temuco, Chile and done several high profile internships, such as at the U.S. Consulate General in Leipzig, Germany, the U.S. Senate, the KonradAdenauer-Stiftung in Washington, D.C., and the German diplomatic mission in New York. After graduation from IWP, Mr. Fricke returned to Europe, where he spent a few months studying in France and started working for a private sector energy management and software company close to his hometown, Lutherstadt Wittenberg, where he also was elected town council member for two years. Since 2016, Mr. Fricke has been working for the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, where he after training in Berlin now works as a Scientific Associate at the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s regional program South Caucasus. IULIAN GROZA Executive Director The institute for European Policies and Reforms, Moldova Iulian Groza is a former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova responsible for European Integration (2013-2015). Before that he served in different capacities including as Director General at the Directorate for European integration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. He was also posted in Brussels at the Moldovan Mission to the EU. Mr. Groza was a member of the Moldovan negotiation team of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement and led the Moldovan Task Force in the EU-Moldova Visa Liberalization Dialogue. Currently he is the Executive Director of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms in Moldova. Mr. Groza is a PhD candidate at the Moldovan State University and holds a degree in law. He also did postgraduate European Studies at Birmingham University and NATO Security Studies at National School of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) in Bucharest. HANNA HOPKO Head of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Parliament of Ukraine Hanna Hopko was one of the leading members of the Civic Sector of EuroMaidan during the Revolution of Dignity. There she launched with other activists a coalition of Ukrainian NGOs “Reanimation Package of Reforms” focused on implementing reforms in Ukraine and served as an expert on the inter-factional parliamentary group. During the parliamentary elections that followed the EuroMaidan revolution, Hanna headed the list of the Samopomich (SelfReliance) Party and was elected into the Parliament of Ukraine. Hanna Hopko was expelled from Self Reliance on 31 August 2015 for her support of amendments to the Ukrainian Constitution that would lead to decentralization. In 2014, Hanna was also named a “100 Global Thinkers” by Foreign Policy magazine, she received the “Certificate of Merit” at the Georgetown University Leadership Seminar, and was presented the National Democratic Institute’s “Democracy Award” for her efforts to further the cause of democracy in Ukraine. In her early career Hanna was active as an expert in advocacy, media and political communications, and also worked as a journalist. Hanna’s story “Supporting Ukraine’s struggle, the world is helping itself” was published at the newspaper “The Day” – Book “Ukraine Incognita. TOP 25”. Hanna is an expert in advocacy, media and political communications. She worked with the Institute of Political Studies, the National Democracy Institute, and the Parliamentary group’s coalition “For Morality, Spirituality and Nation’s Health”. Hanna became a famous Ukrainian civil society activist being the coordinator of National Coalition of NGOs and Initiatives “For SmokeFree Ukraine”. She advised the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Secretariat in Geneva. All in all, she developed a comprehensive experience in advocacy, including the co-founding and managing of Regional advocacy center “Life”. MARIIA IONOVA Deputy Chairwoman of the Committee on European Integration Parliament of Ukraine Mariia Ionova is the Deputy Chairwoman of the Committee on European Integration and Co-Chair, Equal Opportunities Inter-Faction Union. Mariia Ionova began her political career in 2005 serving as a consultant to the presidential administration. From 2008 to 2012, she served as deputy of the Kyiv City Council. In 2012, she was elected to Parliament, where she served as head of the Sub-Committee on the Legal Support for Maternal, Child and Reproductive Health on the Committee of Public Health. In 2014, Ionova was re-elected as part of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction. Mariia Ionova consistently works on the issues of European integration. As a Deputy Chairwoman of the Committee on European Integration Mariia Ionova is involved in numerous international activities regarding the conflict in Donbass region. Mariia Ionova regularly conducts meetings with foreign parliamentarians, representatives of UNDP, UN, UNICEF, and OSСE to inform on the humanitarian situation in Donetsk and Luhansk region and Crimea. During the conflict in Donbas region, Mariia Ionova has worked on legislation to strengthen the rights of internally displaced persons and to assist women and children impacted by the fighting. Ionova is also actively involved in humanitarian efforts – collecting and delivering aid to hospitals, emergency shelters and transit centers for women and children evacuated from the conflict zone. DAVID J. KRAMER Affiliated Senior Fellow The McCain Institute for International Leadership David J. Kramer joined the McCain Institute as senior director for Human Rights and Democracy in November 2014. Prior to that, he served for four years as president of Freedom House and was a Senior Transatlantic Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Kramer served eight years in the U.S. Department of State, including as Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs (responsible for Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus affairs as well as regional non-proliferation issues); and Professional Staff Member in the Secretary’s Office of Policy Planning; and Senior Advisor to the Undersecretary for Global Affairs. Kramer has been an adjunct professor at the Elliott School for International Affairs at The George Washington University. Kramer is a member of the board of directors of the Halifax International Security Forum. He also was executive director of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy in Washington, DC. Before joining the U.S. Government, Kramer was a Senior Fellow at the Project for the New American Century, Associate Director of the Russian and Eurasian Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Assistant Director of Russian and Eurasian Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in Washington, DC. Prior to moving to Washington, he was a Lecturer in Russian Studies at Clark University in Worcester, Mass. and a teaching fellow at Harvard University. He also served as an analyst for the Christian Science Monitor Network during the collapse of the Soviet Union. A native of Massachusetts, Kramer received his master’s in Soviet studies from Harvard University and his bachelor’s degree in Soviet studies and political science from Tufts University. Kramer is a member of the board of directors of the Halifax International Security Forum and a Member of the Advisory Council for the George W. Bush Presidential Center’s Human Freedom Project. BATU KUTELIA Vice President The Atlantic Council of Georgia Ambassador Kutelia is the Vice President of the Atlantic Council of Georgia and the Next Generation Leader fellow at the McCain Institute for International Leadership. He served as the Deputy Secretary of the National Security Council of Georgia, from January 2011 till November 2013. From 2008 until 2011 he was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. In his previous capacities he has been First Deputy Minister of Defense (2007-2008), Deputy Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs (2006-2007) and Deputy Minister of State Security (2004). From 2005-2006 he served as the Head of the Intelligence Service of Georgia. Prior to this function he was the Head of the Foreign Intelligence Department of the Ministry of State Security of Georgia and Director of the Political Security Department of the National Security Council in 2004, and also held numerous pol.-mil. positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Before his diplomatic and political career Mr. Kutelia earned his PhD in physics and a master´s in Public Affairs Administration. Mr. Kutelia is fluent in English, Russian and Georgian languages. LEONID LITRA Senior Research Fellow Institute of World Policy, Ukraine Leonid Litra is Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of World Policy in Kiev, Ukraine, previously served as Deputy Director at the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives “Viitorul” in Chisinau, Moldova where he is now an Associate Fellow. In 2011, he was part of the expert team carrying out the Strategic Conflict Assessment of the Transnistrian conflict for the European Commission. Leonid has co-authored many publications on democratization of the post-soviet area, European integration and frozen conflicts. He is also part of the core team for preparing the “European Integration Index for Eastern Partnership Countries” (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014), the Visa Liberalization Index of the Eastern Partnership Countries and a regular reviewer of the Nations in Transit Report on Moldova of the Freedom House and contributor to the Bertelsmann Transformation Index. Leonid was a Carnegie Research Fellow at Yale University and holds a master degree from the European Institute of High International Studies in Nice (France) in International Relations and European Studies. IURIE LEANCĂ Deputy Chairman Parliament of Moldova Iurie Leancă is the Deputy Chairman of the Moldovan Parliament. He was born on October 20, 1963, in Cimișlia. He graduated from Moscow State Institute of International Relations and from 1986 until 1993 worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Between 1993 and 1997 Mr Leancă was the Minister-Counselor at the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Washington, D.C. Then, he was Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1998 to 1999 and First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2002. Mr. Leancă also worked as the Ascom Group deputy CEO (2001–2005, 2007–2009). Also he was a Senior Adviser to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe High Commissioner on National Minorities (2005–2007) as well as the vice-president of The Foreign Policy Association of Moldova (2005–2009). Furthermore, Leancă was First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European (2009 - 2013) and later Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova (2013 – 2015). EDWARD LUCAS Senior Editor The Economist Edward Lucas is a senior editor at The Economist, the world’s foremost newsweekly. Mr. Lucas expertise includes energy, cyber-security, espionage, Russian foreign and security policy and the politics and economics of Eastern Europe. He is also a senior vice-president at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). In 2008 he wrote The New Cold War, a prescient account of Vladimir Putin’s Russia. In 2011 he wrote Deception, an investigative account of east-west espionage. He is a strong critic of the fugitive NSA contractor Edward Snowden, and author of the e-book The Snowden Operation. His latest book is Cyber phobia. He has also contributed to books on religion and media ethics. An experienced broadcaster, public speaker, moderator and panelist, Edward Lucas has given public lectures at Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge and other leading universities. He is a regular contributor to the BBC’s Today and Newsnight programs, and to NPR, CNN and Sky News. He is regularly cited by Foreign Policy magazine as one of the top 100 Twitterati. For many years Mr. Lucas serves as a foreign correspondent in Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Moscow and the Baltic states. He is currently in London, as a senior editor at The Economist, responsible for the daily news app Espresso. His weekly syndicated column has appeared since 2005; he also writes for the Times, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Foreign Policy and Standpoint. As well as working for the Independent, the BBC and the Sunday Times, he also co-founded an English-language weekly in Tallinn, Estonia: the Baltic Independent. His undergraduate degree is from the London School of Economics and he speaks five languages German, Russian, Polish, Czech and Lithuanian. MARIAN LUPU Parliament Member Parliament of Moldova Marian Lupu is the Chairman of the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly’s Moldovan Delegation. Mr. Lupu led the Democratic Party of Modlova (DPM) from 2009 until 2016. He is a trained economist and holds a PhD in economics. Mr. Lupu started his career as Executive Director of TACIS-Moldova Program and continued holding a number of positions in the Ministry of Economy, being appointed as Minister of Economy in 2003. Since 2005 he has dedicated himself to his political career and from 2010-2012 was Acting President of the Republic of Moldova. ŽYGIMANTAS PAVILIONIS Member of the Lithuanian Parliament Žygimantas Pavilionis is the meber of Lithuanian Parliament from 2016. Ambassador Pavilionis has served as an Ambassador-at-Large for Europe’s East (European Neighborhood) at the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs since August 2015. He is also a Lithuanian career diplomat. As for his earlier posts, Pavilionis served as Deputy Chief Negotiator of Lithuania for the EU accession and led the European Union Department from 2002-2004, served as a Political Director and Deputy Foreign Minister from 2005-2009. More recently, he served as Chief Coordinator for Lithuania’s presidency of the Community of Democracies (2009-2010) and as the Lithuanian Ambassador to the US and Mexico (2010-2015). JERZY POMIANOWSKI Executive Director European Endowment for Democracy Jerzy Pomianowski took the leadership of the European Endowment for Democracy (EED) after two years as Deputy Foreign Minister of Poland. In this most recent position, he coordinated among others the Polish Foreign Policy democratization agenda, which included the establishment of the EED, a flagship initiative of the Polish EU Presidency in 2011. As the director of OECD-UNDP’s Partnership for Democratic Governance (2008-2011), Pomianowski supported countries destabilised by armed conflict or natural disasters. This followed his launch of Poland Aid (2006-08) and work as Director General of the Polish Foreign Service (2005-06). Pomianowski began his career as a civil servant in 1990, just after the fall of communism, first in the Ministry of Education, and then in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After being in charge of Poland’s relations with Asia, Middle East and Africa, he was Ambassador to Japan from 1997-2002. From 1980-89, Pomianowski was an active member of the democratic opposition in Poland. He was a board member of the Independent Students’ Association and co-founder of the students’ independent publishing house during his Sociology studies at University of Warsaw. IRINA PRUIDZE Vice Chairwoman of the Committee on European Integration Parliament of Georgia Ms. Irina Pruidze is a Member of Parliament, elected through Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party lists in October 2016. She is a member of the Political Council of the party, 1st vice-chair of the Committee on European Integration, chairwoman of the Permanent Parliamentary Council on Open and Transparent Governance, member of Gender Equality Council of Parliament of Georgia, member of the temporary commission on Territorial Integrity, full member of PACE, PAC and EURONEST delegations and chief of the Friendship Group with the Parliament of the Kingdom of Spain. Ms. Pruidze was vice-president of the Youth of the European People’s Party (YEPP) in 2007-2009, member of the World Scout Committee in 20132016 and founding curator of Tbilisi Hub of World Economic Forum (Davos) Global Shapers Community. At the same time she has a vast experience of managing different community development, small business development and youth capacity building projects. Irina Pruidze is Medical Doctor and Master of Psychology, currently making PHD in Tbilisi State University on Organisational Development. BORYS TARASYUK Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Parliament of Ukraine Borys Tarasyuk is a Ukrainian diplomat and politician. He was twice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in five governments under two Presidents, from 1998 to 2000 and 2005 to 2007. Since 2015 Mr. Tatasyuk is Vice-President of the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly (2011-2015Co-President of this Assembly). Mr. Tarasyuk has been the Founder and Director of the Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation since 2001, and Chairman of the Board of the magazine “Euro Atlantic.” Mr. Tarasyuk was the leader of the political party “People’s Movement of Ukraine” from 2003-2012 and Deputy Head of All-Ukraine Union “Bat’kivschyna” party since 2013. He has been a member of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine since 2002, and Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs since 2014. He is Chair of Inter-factional Group “Ukraine in NATO”, and was the Head of the Parliamentary Committee for European Integration from 2002 to 2005, 2006, and 2007 to 2012. Since 1975, Mr. Tarasyuk served at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, at the Mission at the UN from 1981 to 1986, and served as a member of the Delegation to the UN Security Council from 1984 to 1985. He served as Ambassador of Ukraine to the Benelux countries from 1995 to 1998, and was the Head of the Mission of Ukraine to NATO from 1997 to 1998. In 1992, Boris Tarasyuk received the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. KURT VOLKER Executive Director The McCain Institute for International Leadership Ambassador Kurt Volker is a leading expert in U.S. foreign and national security policy with some 30 years of experience in a variety of government, academic, and private sector capacities. Ambassador Volker serves as executive director of the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University based in Washington, D.C. He is also a non-resident senior fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, a senior advisor at the Atlantic Council, and a Trustee of IAU College in Aix-en-Provence, France. He is a consultant to international business, a member of the Board of Directors of Capital Guardian Funds Trust, and had previously served as managing director—International for BGR Group. He has taught Transatlantic Relations at The George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs. In July 2017, Ambassador Volker was named United States Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations by Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, a voluntary role he has assumed as he continues to lead the Institute. KADRI LIIK Senior Policy Fellow European Council on Foreign Relations Before joining ECFR in October 2012, Kadri was the director of the International Centre for Defence Studies in Estonia from 2006 until 2011, where she also worked as a senior researcher and director of the Centre’s Lennart Meri Conference.Throughout the 1990s, Kadri worked as a Moscow correspondent for several Estonian daily papers, including the highest-circulation daily in Estonia, Postimees, as well as Eesti Päevaleht and the Baltic News Service. In 2002, she became the foreign news editor at Postimees. In 2004, she left to become editor-in-chief at the monthly foreign affairs magazine, Diplomaatia. She was also the host of “Välismääraja”, a current affairs talkshow at Raadio Kuku in Tallinn. NOTES Date: Venue: Language: 14-16 September 2017 “Villa La Collina”, Cadenabbia, Italy www.kas.de/villalacollina/en/ English