The
Nordic Forum on Security Policy has emerged as the leading discussion
platform on the Nordic-Baltic-Russian security dialogue. Replacing a
previous network, the Working Group for a Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone in
the Nordic Area, the Nordic Forum has since 1987 gradually extended its
influence as a centre for opinion moulding. From concentrating on
purely Nordic security issues during the first period, the Forum has
since the early 1990s increasingly embraced Baltic and Russian affairs
in its programs. The Finnish Committee for European Security (STETE)
coordinates the work of the Forum.
FREEDOM, SECURITY AND JUSTICE - COMMON INTERESTS IN THE BALTIC SEA REGION
ST. PETERSBURG 26.–28.4.2010
The
next Nordic Forum for Security Policy will be held 26.–28.4.2010
in St. Petersburg, Russia. The Forum will concentrate on freedom,
security and justice as common interests in the Baltic Sea Region. It
aims at highlighting the challenges in the region and possible
solutions as well as different models and possibilities for
cooperation. It will bring the issues of traditional, human and
environmental security and civil society collaboration into wider
discussion in the broad security framework. In addition the conference
provides an opportunity to explore the practises of on-going
cross-border projects and share experiences and best practises. The
idea of the forum is to bring together different actors of society from
politicians to local civil society organisations.
The
Nordic Forum in St. Petersburg will continue the series of conferences
organised in the different parts of the Baltic Sea region since the
1990’s. In the year 2008 the Forum expanded to Ukraine,
experiences were shared between Baltic and Black Sea regions. Next year
the Forum will be back in Russia for the fifth time and second time in
St. Petersburg.
St.
Petersburg was chosen to host the upcoming Nordic Forum since it is the
most important Russian city in the Baltic Sea Region. Russia has a
strong influence in the security, economy and environment of the
region. Cooperation with Russia is vital for European security while
solving the problems of the region without Russia is impossible.
Cross
boarder cooperation is needed to solve environmental and social- and
health issues and to prevent human trafficking in the region. In order
to promote the role of the civil society in the Baltic Sea region
people to people contacts and NGO cooperation are crucial.
More information will follow. If you have any questions, please contact us at STETE office.
Hope to see you in St. Petersburg April 2010!
Previously organised events
Due
to Ukraine's important standing as well as its role and relations with
and within the European neighbourhood, this year the Nordic Forum
conference was organized in Kyiv, Ukraine 10th - 12th September 2008 under the title "Experience sharing between Baltic & Black Sea regions - Ukraine´s European Vision in Focus".
Ukraine belongs to one of the target countries of European
Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and has recently been appointed as a new WTO
Member State. The overall purpose of the Kyiv conference was to share
practices and thoughts between different countries, organisations and
regions. The idea was to exchange experiences and best practices
between the Baltic Sea and Black Sea regions on how to support
stability and societal development, civil society collaboration and
human security into wider discussion. The opening plenary looked into
Baltic and Black Sea regions and also focused on issues touching upon
Ukraine's European "aspirations". The core political and expert-level
topics dealed with traditional security politics, regional cooperation,
environmental and energy issues, human dimension/security issues and
frozen conflicts in Ukraine's neighbourhood.
The conference
was organised by the Nordic Forum for Security Policy (The Finnish
Committee for European Security - STETE and OSSE-nätverket, the
Swedish OSCE network) in co-operation with the local partner the
Polish-Ukrainian Cooperation Foundation - PAUCI and Konrad Adenauer
Stiftung from Germany. The Finnish Committee for European Security
co-ordinates the the work of the Forum.
Here you will find the programme of the conference and as well as some of the speeches and photos.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Models
for Cross-border Co-operation - Focus on the Pskov Region Conference in
Pskov, Northwest Russia19 - 20 May 2006. Nordic Forum for Security
Policy that is co-ordinated by STETE organised a broad-based discussion
forum in Pskov, 19 - 20 May, 2006 in-co-operation with the local
partners (NGO Chduskoe Project, Pskov & CIRP,
St. Petersburg). The conference in Pskov continued the conference
serial organised by the Nordic Forum around the Baltic Sea Rim. The purpose of
the conference was to support the stability and democratic societal
development of the Baltic Sea region. The project was seen crucial for
developing broad security, economic development and civil society
collaboration. The border between the EU (Estonia and Latvia) and
Russia is a challenging border where more closer international
co-operation and dialogue is needed for the stability and security of
the whole Baltic Sea region. The purpose was also to present already
on-going cross-border projects and areas, and to learn from their good
practises. The EU policies of the Northern Dimension as well as the New
Neighbourhood Policy and Instrument were the wider framework for the
event.
The conference
itself consisted of two plenary sessions and three working groups
dealing with the human and social security issues, environmental
questions and the business co-operation. The organisers will publish
the conference report afterwards.
Programme of the conference and pictures from the conference.
The latest three broad-based discussion forums before Pskov were organized in 10 - 12 September, 2004 in Gdansk, Poland and in 24 - 25 January, 2003 in Murmansk. The conference "Russia, Kaliningrad Oblast and the Baltic Sea Region - An Appeal for Enhanced Cooperation"
organized in Kaliningrad, 8 - 10 February, 2001, gathered together 260
participants from 21 countries and international organizations.
In November 1991, the Nordic Forum organized its first seminar of extended dialogue in Lohusalo, near Tallinn, Estonia,
with participation from the Nordic countries, the newly independent
Baltic states and Russia. The seminar was combined with a fact-finding
mission to the then Soviet naval base at Paldiski on the
Estonian coast. This was the first time people who were not attached to
the Russian military were allowed to visit the nuclear submarine base.
Later, the base was handed over to Estonia.
The Nordic Forum has also been involved in Arctic issues. In December
1992 the Nordic Forum and the University of Lapland held a press
seminar in Rovaniemi in Northern Finland on the Arctic and its environmental problems (nuclear tests, nuclear waste).
In June 1993 the Nordic Forum organized another press seminar in Andineeme, Estonia,
which focused on bilateral Estonian-Russian matters within the contexts
of the Baltic Sea Region and Europe. The seminar was followed by a
study tour to Narva, in East Estonia close to the Russian
border, to get acquainted with the conditions of the Russian majority
and the Estonian minority populations in this region.
In November 1994 over 160 people from 11 countries gathered in Vilnius, Lithuania,
for a think-tank style of conference on the theme Ideas on Cooperative
Security in the Baltic Sea Region. This was followed by a fact-finding
visit to Kaliningrad, the neighbouring enclave of the Russian Federation.
In the spring of' 1996, the Nordic Forum held a conference in St Petersburg
to discuss and debate the situation of St Petersburg, the Baltic Sea
and European security. A similar conference was held in Warsaw 1998 on "21st Century Challenges for the Baltic Sea Region and European Security" with emphasis on Polish issues.
The Finnish Committee for
European Security (STETE) |
OSSE-nätverket
|
Nordic Forum local partners |