Press Release (97)40 14 Apr. 1997

NATO/PFP Activities In Moscow 22nd-25th April, 1997 From 22nd to 25th April 1997, within the framework of Partnership for Peace, two historical, back-to-back activities in the field of Civil Emergency Planning will take place in Moscow Civil Emergency Planning Symposium 1997 The Humanitarian Challenge of the 21st Century: Blueprint for the Future The first event will be a two day, high level symposium on the Humanitarian Challenge of the 21st Century organized by NATO's Senior Civil Emergency Planning Committee (SCEPC) and hosted by EMERCOM of Russia. This event, which will take place from 22nd to 23rd April 1997, prior to a consecutive SCEPC meeting in Plenary Session with Cooperation Partners, marks the first occasion that a SCEPC Symposium will be conducted outside a NATO country. The Symposium will address humanitarian and other non-military aspects of security facing NATO and Partner Countries as well as their consequences for, and interrelationships with, today's broad concept of security. The Symposium will examine national and international roles and responsibilities along with the capabilities and perspectives of International Organizations engaged in meeting the Humanitarian Challenge and their relationship with NATO. The Symposium will be organized around three modules dealing with: Future Challenges Identification of the major humanitarian and other non-military security challenges which are likely to increasingly influence, if not transform, the security environment of the future. Issues such as population movements, demographic changes, health and medical issues, environment, pollution, banking and economy, demand for vital resources, globalization, etc. will constitute significant challenges for nations and existing institutions. Regional Cooperation An examination of the evolving nature of international cooperation: possibilities for increased future cooperation at the regional level as well as between international institutions: an in-depth perspective from several international organizations. National Perspectives As the Humanitarian Challenge of the 21st Century as well as the strategy and means for meeting this challenge will ultimately rest with nations, this module will allow for examination of specific topics from the national perspective of individual NATO and Partner Countries. The Symposium will consist of presentations by various high level speakers as well as panel discussions on the major issues, their interrelation, and strategies for meeting such challenges. In addition to Alliance and Partner Countries, speakers will be drawn from major International Organizations such as NATO, UNITED NATIONS, ICRC, EU, EBRD, UN-DHA, etc. Approximately 200 officials from 44 NATO and Partner Countries and various International Organizations are expected to participate. The second PFP event in Moscow will be a meeting in Plenary Session from 24th to 25th April 1997 of NATO's Senior Civil Emergency Planning Committee with Cooperation Partners. Participants will be the national Heads of Civil Emergency Planning from 44 NATO and Partner Countries. The meeting will be chaired by NATO Assistant Secretary General Herpert van Foreest and hosted by Minister Sergei Shoigu of EMERCOM of Russia. It will provide an opportunity for follow-on work to the preceding Symposium by focusing on practical cooperation issues as part of the developing blueprint for future cooperation. In addition to issues which emerge during the Symposium, this meeting will address such topics as: Opening to Partners participation in the work of SCEPC's subordinate Planning Boards and Committees; Development of interoperability objectives; Participation of Partners in the NATO Civil Emergency Planning and Review Cycle; Crisis Management Exercises; Civil-Military Cooperation; CEP Legislation; and Future PFP Activities. This will be the first meeting of NATO's Senior Civil Emergency Planning Committee to take place in a Partner Country, and the first meeting of any NATO committee in the Russian Federation.. For further information please contact Dr. Francesco Palmeri, Director of Civil Emergency Planning, NATO HQ, Tel.: 32 2 707 4139 - Fax: 32 2 707 7900.