“Debates on Public Policy”: Javier Solana and Strobe Talbott
On March 30, students and professors of the Ilia State University held a meeting with Javier Solana (Secretary General of NATO in 1995-1999, High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy in 1999-2009) and Strobe Talbott (American diplomat, journalist and scholar, President of the Brookings Institution). Meeting was organized within the framework of the project "Debates on Public Policy". During the session participants discussed relations of Georgia, European Union and the United States of America.
According to Javier Solana the major issues of the 21st century still remain poverty, climate change and danger of distribution of the weapons of mass destruction. Strobe Talbott focused on two topics: terrorism and danger, that comes from the failed states. Questions of the students mainly concerned Russia-Georgia relations, position of Europe towards Russia, energy security and assessment of the Georgian role in the campaigns of Euro-Atlantic Union. An important message delivered by both guest speakers was to encourage Georgia on its way of democratic development in order to ensure its integration in Euro-Atlantic structures.