Defence and Security

What role will Europe play in the emerging US missile defence system? Has the transatlantic gap in threat perceptions of missile proliferation changed, and if so how? What are the strategic implications of NATO’s impending decision on missile defence? What problems remain in the architecture and command & control of a NATO/Europe missile defence? Can Russia accommodate itself to missile defence architecture in Europe?

How capable is NATO of mounting a rapid and well-coordinated consequence management effort in the immediate aftermath of a CBRN terrorist attack in Europe, especially when the consequences extend across national borders? The experience of NATO’s deployment to northern Pakistan and the organization of international relief efforts following the Indian Ocean tsunami suggest military mechanisms have, at least until recently, been ill-prepared for such cooperative humanitarian missions. What is the current state of play in terms of our ability to react to such events and then to carry out large-scale consequence management? What are the barriers to smooth integration of national military and civilian assets? Despite joint command structures, what are the residual challenges – political, cultural, organizational – we confront?
Location: Wilton Park

What ‘forks in the road’ are appearing for the nuclear non-proliferation regime? What are the political and technical challenges confronting nuclear abolition and can they be overcome? What are the chances for the CTBT entering into force? Is the NPT 'fit for purpose' and what are the main challenges for the upcoming PrepCom and 2010 Review? What are the prospects for successul resokution of the nuclear issues surrounding Iran and North Korea? What are the implications of the 2007 Israeli air strike in Syria? What will be the priorities for the incoming US Presidential Administration? FOR A COPY OF THE PROGRAMME PLEASE CONTACT THE CONFERENCE ADMINISTRATION MANAGER ALISON JONES.

As it reaches its sixtieth birthday, NATO is working towards a New Strategic Concept. What might this look like? How will NATO maintain its ability to perform the full range of its missions in the 21st Century: collectively defending our security at home and contributing to stability abroad? What is the significance for NATO of the new US Administration and France’s reintegration into the Alliance’s military structure? How can NATO address the hard security threats of the next decade while harmonising with the peacebuilding activities necessary to make its interventions effective in the long-term? Is NATO 'fit for purpose'?
Location: Wilton Park

What is the evolving nature of risks and threats in the maritime environment? What are current gaps in the gathering, sharing and analysis of information concerning that environment, and how can those gaps be filled? How might bilateral, regional, and international legal frameworks for maritime security operations evolve? How can leading maritime powers and multinational organisations assist developing countries in building capacity for securing their coastal areas and Economic Exclusion Zones.
Location: Wilton Park