Monday, September 1, 2014

NATIONAL SECURITY & ANALYSIS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION - RIEAS

The Research Institute for European and American Studies (RIEAS) organized the 1st Executive Security Training Seminar entitled: "National Security and Intelligence Analysis in the Mediterranean Region". The training seminar, which took place in an Athenian hotel on 7th-10th July 2014, is part of the activities that are planned, implemented and supported organizationally by the Research Institute for European and American Studies... Read more

Conference Proceedings; 
Edited by Antonia Dimou 
                      & 
Antonia Chatzopoulou




PREFACE

The Mediterranean is a geopolitically significant region which is, however, overwhelmed by security problems considered as vital ranging from interstate conflicts, intrastate crises and transnational threats with most prominent the proliferation of conventional and mass destruction weapons, cyber-warfare and terrorism. A comprehensive approach to security in the Mediterranean, including hard security-soft security integration and civil-military-private sector coordination is the key to stability.  

If the imperative for concord over instability prevails, then the dividents that will accrue in the entire Mediterranean will be multifold.  What some of the threats to stability present, the level of their complexities and whether they can be coped  efficiently under the current regional exigencies as evidenced in Syria and Libya, have led to the formation of the agenda of the 1st training executive seminar of the Research  Institute for European and American Studies.

An underlying theme of the seminar has been security as a prerequisite for foreign direct investment that can help overcome the legacies, psychological and otherwise that have burdened the Greek and other regional economies for so long. As it is widely acknowledged, issues of national security related to poor governance affect international economic transactions and have become more complicated after September 11th, 2001 when the term was expanded to include human security in the context of international trade.

Equally primary topic has been the presentation of the challenges related to CBRN risks and the illegal export of sensitive military technology as well as the outline of a series of effective strategies to mitigate risks through coordination of different national agencies like the intelligence communities, and cooperation between regional countries and international organizations. 

In articulating their presentations, instructors made no pretense to providing answers to complex issues addressed. As the chairman of the executive seminar noted in his concluding remarks, “instructors treated their topics with sincerity and clarity, and thus increased our understanding of the complex issues involved”.

This precisely has been the goal of the Research Institute for European and American Studies (RIEAS). In the context of its training activities, RIEAS sustains keen interest in the affairs of the Mediterranean region and supports a holistic approach to security encouraging cooperation and dialogue to identify contemporary risks and provide solutions.

The current publication of the summary of the conference proceedings serves as guide to the instructors’ information sharing and presentations with focus on the multi-dimensional challenges facing the Mediterranean.

Be that as it may, challenges still lie ahead…


Antonia Dimou,                                                                                                               Editor                                                                                                                          
August 2014

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