ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
The Caspian Security Conference organized by the Washington-based Caspian Policy Center and the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NESA Center) of the U.S. National Defense University, will explore the future of security for the Greater Caspian Region following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Conference sessions will examine the following questions:
AGENDA
PRELIMINARY AGENDA
PRELIMINARY AGENDA
Panel 1 – Formulating A Unified Regional Response to Afghanistan
PRELIMINARY AGENDA
Panel 1 – The Developing Roles of Multilateral Security Organizations in the Caspian Region
June 28, 2021
11:00 AM – 12.30 PM
Location: Zoom Conference
Overview: In the past year, multilateral security organizations have been more active in the Caspian region. In August 2021, the Taliban rose to power, following the United States and other NATO forces’ chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and then both the SCO and CSTO responded with military exercises in Central Asia. In January 2022, Russian-led CSTO forces were deployed to Kazakhstan, a member state. The mobilization of troops suggests the future use of multilateral security organizations as instruments of exerting political pressure as well as avenues to maintain security ties. Panelists will discuss the evolving role that NATO, CSTO, and SCO play in the Caspian region, given that these organizations can be an avenue for partnership as well as competition.
Moderator
Brianne Todd, Assistant Professor, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (invited)
Keynote
Laura Cooper, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, Department of Defense (invited)
Panelists
- Dr. Nargis Kassenova, Director of the Program on Central Asia, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University (invited)
- Dr. Mariya Omelicheva, Professor, National War College (invited)
- Raffaello Pantucci, Senior Associate Fellow, RUSI (invited)
- Alexander Vinnikov, Head, NATO Liaison Office Georgia (invited)
Panel 2 – Intraregional Security Cooperation After the Destabilization of Afghanistan
Panel 2 – The Future of Asymmetric and Hybrid Threats in the Caspian Region
June 29, 2021
11:00 AM – 12.30 PM
Location: Zoom Conference
Overview: Overview: While kinetic conflict has been a major factor in the security of the Caspian region many other threats exist. Due in part to its position at the crossroads of East and West, the region faces concerns over terrorism, economic and energy resource coercion, malicious use of technology, and disinformation from various state and non-state actors. Panelists will discuss asymmetric and hybrid threats faced by the Caspian states and how the United States and the region’s governments can work together to maintain resilience against future challenges.
Keynote
Rebecca Zimmerman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia, Department of Defense (invited)
Panelists
- Dr. Nurlan Aliyev, Lecturer, University of Economics and Human Sciences, Warsaw
- Michael Kofman, Director of Russia Studies, Center for Naval Analyses (invited)
- Dr. Erica Marat, Assistant Professor, National Defense University
SPEAKERS
Brianne Todd, Assistant Professor, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (invited)
Laura Cooper, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, Department of Defense (invited)
Dr. Nargis Kassenova, Director of the Program on Central Asia, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University (invited)
Dr. Mariya Omelicheva, Professor, National War College (invited)
- Raffaello Pantucci, Senior Associate Fellow, RUSI (invited)
Alexander Vinnikov, Head, NATO Liaison Office Georgia (invited)
Rebecca Zimmerman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia, Department of Defense (invited)
Dr. Nurlan Aliyev, Lecturer, University of Economics and Human Sciences, Warsaw
Michael Kofman, Director of Russia Studies, Center for Naval Analyses (invited)
Dr. Erica Marat, Assistant Professor, National Defense University
Brianne Todd, Assistant Professor, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (invited)
Laura Cooper, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, Department of Defense (invited)
Dr. Nargis Kassenova, Director of the Program on Central Asia, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University (invited)
Dr. Mariya Omelicheva, Professor, National War College (invited)
Raffaello Pantucci, Senior Associate Fellow, RUSI (invited)
Alexander Vinnikov, Head, NATO Liaison Office Georgia (invited)
Rebecca Zimmerman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia, Department of Defense (invited)
Dr. Nurlan Aliyev, Lecturer, University of Economics and Human Sciences, Warsaw
Michael Kofman, Director of Russia Studies, Center for Naval Analyses (invited)
- Dr. Erica Marat, Assistant Professor, National Defense University
Lieutenant General (ret.) Michael Nagata, Former U.S. Special Operations Command-Central
