ATA General Assembly, 4 – 6 February, Rome

Monday, 11 February 2013 17:36

The 58^th General Assembly of the Atlantic Treaty Association, gathered more than 40 delegations from 40 different countries in Rome, Italy from 4 – 6 February 2013. On the first working day, statutory proceedings were held and discussion regarding the future activities. The Bureau and the Council Meeting were held at the Italian Parliament.

The program on the 5^th February started with the opening remarks of Lt. Gen. Arne Bård Dalhaug, Commandant of the NATO Defense College. He welcomed all the guests and gave the opening speech to Hon. Prof. Enrico La Loggia, President of the Italian Atlantic Committee. Further, the opening ceremony continued with Hon. Karl A. Lamers, President of the Atlantic Treaty Association. The event and its value were confirmed with the speech of Minister of Defense of Republic of Italia and Republic of Albania, Adm. Giampaolo Di Paola and H.E. Arben Imami.

The day continued with the first forum entitled “NATO 2020”. Chairman of this forum was
Dr. Karl – Heinz Kamp, Director of the Research Division of the NATO Defense College. He set the margins of the topic and introduced the other speakers. Panelist on this forum were Dr. Frances G. Burwell, Vice President of the Atlantic Council of America, Dr. Julian Lindley – French, Strategic Advisory Panel, UK Chief of Defense Staff, Prof. Tanja Miscevic, University of Belgrade, Prof. Stanislav Tkachenko, Saint Petersburg State University and Amb. Gabriele Checchia, Italian Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council. They all gave their insights and thoughts regarding how NATO should develop and look like in 2020.

Second forum of the day was intended for the Mediterranean and Middle East. The forum was entitled “Cooperative Security in the Mediterranean and in the Middle East”. Chairman and introducer on this panel was Mr. Fabrizio W. Luciolli, Secretary General of the Italian Atlantic Committee. Panelists on this forum were Mr. Nicola De Santis, Head of Middle East and North Africa Section, NATO PASP Divison, Prof. Khaled Fouad Allam, University of Trieste, Dr. Yasemin Taskin, Sabah Columnist, Turkey, Dr. Oraib Al-Rantawi, Director of Al-Quds Center for Political Studies and Maj. Gen. Danny Rothschild, Director of Institute for Policy and Strategy at the Interdisciplinary Center “Herzliya”. The panelist gave different aspects of the Arab Spring, the permutations in the Middle East, the use of the Social Media and the possible future of the Middle East.

This day finished with Gala Dinner at Villa Madama, where Keynote speaker was H.E. Rezan Kader, High Representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

The last day of this General Assembly started with the third forum entitled “Modern Defense and Economic Development”. Chairman of this forum was Adm. Ferdinando Sanfelice Di Monteforte, President of the Military Committee at the Italian Atlantic Committee. Participants at this forum were Lt. Gen. Gian Marco Chiarini, Italian Representative to the NATO and EU Military Committees, Mr. James J. Townsend, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy, Dr. Antonio Perfeti, Managing Director Executive Group Sales and Business Development, MBDA Italy, Mr. Shai Blitzbau, CEO at Maglan Information Defense Technologies Ltd. They all discussed the connection of the modern defense and the opportunity that offers for economic development. The working part of the day finished with the ATA Statutory Assembly led by Hon. Karl A. Lamers, President of the Atlantic Treaty Association and Hon. Prof. Enrico La Loggia, President of the Italian Atlantic Committee.

The General Assembly finished with the visit of Capitoline Museum and the meeting with the mayor of Rome H.E. Giovanni Alemanno.