Proposal for U.S. Speaker Dr. Anthony Cordesman

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000431 SIPDIS STATE FOR IIP/G/EA - SPRIETO AND RFHOLDEN; EAP/PD - AEGRIMES AND RJPOST; EAP/ANP - DRICCI EMBASSIES FOR PAO E.O.12958:N/A TAGS: OIIP SUBJECT: Proposal for U.S. Speaker Dr. Anthony Cordesman ¶1. Dr. Anthony Cordesman is the Burke Chair of Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Co-Director of the Center's Middle East Program, Washington D.C., to visit Wellington, early September, 2006. ¶2. Post requests Dr. Cordesman for five days of speaking engagements in New Zealand in support of MPP Goal 07-01, Active Anti-Terrorist Coalitions (Counter terrorism) & Regional Stability, and Goal 07-03, Mutual Understanding. ¶3. Justification and Objective: Cordesman's positions -- as Burke Chair of Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and Co-Director of the Center's Middle East Program -- and as a military analyst for ABC and professor of National Security Studies at Georgetown University, where he directs the assessment of global military balance, strategic energy developments (including CSIS' Dynamic Net Assessment of the Middle East),and maintains interests in the West and the Arab world as either a partnership or a clash of civilizations, make him especially suited to meetings with top officials in the New Zealand government, in academia, and at the Military Studies Institute. Post would also like Cordesman's NZ visit to coincide with the 5th anniversary of September 11. Cordesman has a reputation as a speaker with great authority/credibility on his topic. For this reason, Australia has expressed interest in programming him the week before NZ (4-8 September - funds pending); and he could visit Fiji for one day after NZ. Our Australian colleagues have advised that they would have Dr. Cordesman at any time. ¶4. Please note: Post has contacted Dr Cordesman who has registered his interest in visiting New Zealand at this time. A CV is requested, along with speaking topics. ¶5. Activity Date, Fiscal Year and Quarter: Requested date is September 9-18; fourth quarter, FY 2006. ¶6. Audience and Types of Events: We envisage a program of lectures, seminars, discussions, and media interviews in the university centers of Wellington, Palmerston North, and Auckland, as well as programs in support of our South Island Virtual Presence Post. We expect that the audience for the New Zealand visit will include business leaders, opinion makers, policy makers, academics, the media, and members of the Strategic Studies Institute and New Zealand Institute of International Affairs (NZIIA) in at least three centers. ¶7. We plan to discuss the exact subject of the presentations and roundtables with Dr. Cordesman once the proposal is accepted. ¶8. Cordesman's contact details: Burke Chair in Strategy Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Suite 400 1800 K Street NW Washington DC 20006 Phone: (202) 775-7325 - William Sullivan, Research Assistant wsullivan@csis.org Fax: (202) 775-3199 Email: BurkeChair@csis.org and Acordesman@aol.com ¶9. Cordesman's publications are numerous and include two recent reports: "American Strategic, Tactical, and Other Mistakes in Iraq: A Litany of Errors" and "Iranian Nuclear Weapons? Iran's Missiles and Possible Delivery Systems"; "Iranian Nuclear Weapons? The Uncertain Nature of Iran's Nuclear Programs"; and "Saddam's Last Circle." ¶10. Post Project Officer: Control Officer: Christine Vivian. Office Phone: 644-462-6112; Fax: 644-499-0490 Email: cvivian@actrix.gen.nz or vivianc@state.gov ¶11. Funding: This visit is contingent on availability of funding as per email dated 6/1 from Victor Sidebras to Dr. Roy Glover -- to cover all aspects of this seven-day program. Please advise soonest. Many thanks. MCCORMICK