Guest Lectures

Public Lecture by Dr. Ariel Cohen (The Heritage Foundation) 21 May 2010

On May 21, 2010 Ariel Cohen, PhD, delivered a lecture titled In Search of U.S. Strategy in South Caucasus: the Quest for Peace, Freedom & Prosperity. The View from Washington at GFSIS.  Dr. Cohen spoke about the challenges that the Obama administration and U.S. foreign policy face in the South Caucasus, in Georgia in particular, in light of the new “reset” policy with Russia.

More specifically, he discussed the global and regional implications of rethinking Washington’s strategies in all directions, including nuclear safety and global security trends.  After analyzing the possible ramifications of these new developments and the global and regional power shifts, Dr. Cohen emphasized the importance of maintaining America’s engagement in the South Caucasus.
 
Dr. Cohen, currently a Senior Research Fellow for Russian & Eurasian Studies and International Energy Security at The Heritage Foundation, based his arguments on his firsthand knowledge of a wide range of issues on political and economic transformation of the former Soviet republics gained through years of professional experience and studies.  Dr. Cohen’s fields of expertise also include the U.S. energy security, the global War on Terrorism, and the Middle East conflict.
 
Ariel Cohen’s talk ignited lively discussions among the audience.  He also eagerly responded to a number of questions raised by members of the diplomatic community, academics, experts, students and other attendees.