CONSULATE VLADIVOSTOK HOSTS 2009 SYMPOSIUM ON NORTHEAST ASIA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 VLADIVOSTOK 000094 SENSITIVE SIPDIS EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES FOR PAO; DEPT FOR EAP/PD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OCII OPRC MARR MCAP OIIP SCUL PREL KR RS SUBJECT: CONSULATE VLADIVOSTOK HOSTS 2009 SYMPOSIUM ON NORTHEAST ASIA SECURITY (SNEAS),SEPTEMBER 14-16: "SECURITY IN NORTHEAST ASIA -- HAS THE PACIFIC CENTURY ARRIVED?" REF: VLADIVOSTOK 1277 VLADIVOSTO 00000094 001.2 OF 004 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Consulate Vladivostok, in collaboration with the Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service (VGUES),hosted the 2009 Symposium on Northeast Asia Security (SNEAS) on 14-16 September 2009 in Vladivostok, Russia. Participants from Russia, Mongolia, Japan, India, China, South Korea, and U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) discussed a wide range of issues under the theme of "Security in Northeast Asia -- Has the Pacific Century Arrived?" Among the highlights was the keynote speech on the theme, "A Hazy Shape of East Asian Security: Past Fears versus Future Challenges" by Professor Viktor Larin, Russian Academy of Sciences - Far Eastern Branch, and Director of the Institute of History, Archaeology, and Ethnology of the Peoples of the Far East. Additional stellar presentations included Professor Erdenebold Tsegmid, Leading Expert, Institute for Strategic Studies, National Security Council, Mongolia, who spoke on the theme "Northeast Asian Cooperation: A Mongolian Perspective," and Professor Sanjay Pandey, Associate Professor, Center for Russian and Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University who delivered a paper on the topic of "The Significance of India-Russia Relations in an Asia Pacific Context." Each participant benefited from expanding his/her professional network and from gaining new insights into various aspects of Northeast Asia regional security. End summary. ¶2. (U) Background: The Symposium on Northeast Asia Security (SNEAS) began in 1996 as a follow-on program to the EAP/PD and USPACOM sponsored Symposium on East Asia Security (SEAS). From its start, SNEAS was envisioned as a forum to promote discussion among security specialists from Northeast Asian nations, many of whom were SEAS alumni. SNEAS focuses on emerging regional security issues, the U.S. role in regional stability, cooperation among Northeast Asian countries, and the full range of Korean Peninsula issues. ¶3. (U) Professor Viktor Larin (Russian Academy of Sciences - Far Eastern Branch, and Director of the Institute of History, Archaeology, and Ethnology of the Peoples of the Far East),an alumnus of the Symposium on East Asia Security (an important objective of SNEAS is to provide an opportunity for alumni of EAP/PD's and USPACOM's premier collaborative program effort - the Symposium on East Asia Security or SEAS - to discuss security concerns specific to Northeast Asia with fellow alumni of EAP security programs) highlighted an engaged and energetic group of security experts from Russia, Mongolia, Japan, India, China, South Korea, and U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM). Following welcoming remarks by Consul General Tom Armbruster and Primorsky Territory Legislative Assembly (Duma) Chairman Viktor Gorchakov, Professor Larin's keynote speech on Tuesday, 15 September, on the theme "A Hazy Shape of East Asian Security: Past Fears versus Future Challenges," launched a series of discussions on topics ranging from North Korean weapons proliferation to Russo-Sino relations to India-Russia relations. More than three dozen official participants and a number of local observers, including representatives from Vladivostok's diplomatic community (Consul Generals from Japan, India, and Vietnam among others, attended the symposium),attended the conference (see participant list in paragraph 12). Other participants included Consulate Vladivostok staff, U.S. Embassy Moscow staff (the attendance of representatives from the Defense Attachi Office were particularly welcomed by the symposium participants),USPACOM military and civilian representatives, and U.S. embassy staff from throughout the region; military personnel and academics from universities and think tanks in Vladivostok and Moscow; and local and national government officials. Two dozen representatives from the participating countries offered presentations, all of which were followed by lively discussion. ¶4. (U) SNEAS 2009's first panel addressed the question of "Russia's Relations with Her Asia Pacific Neighbors: Competition, Conflict, and Cooperation." Professor Mikhail Shinovskiy of the International Relations Institute of Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service (VGUES) discussed the theme, "Northeast Asia: Main Threats for VLADIVOSTO 00000094 002.2 OF 004 International Security after the Cold War." Professor Xiao Ren of Shanghai's Institute of International Studies, Fudan University, China offered "Chinese Views on Russia's Role in the Region"; Professor Erdenebold Tsegmid, Leading Expert, Institute for Strategic Studies, National Security Council, Mongolia, discussed the theme, "Northeast Asian Cooperation: A Mongolian Perspective"; and Professor Vladimir Yevseyev, Senior Associate, Center for International Security, Institute for World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, contributed thoughts on "North Korea's Missile Program." ¶5. (U) The second panel session of the symposium was a continuation of the first session's theme. Professor Sanjay Pandey, Associate Professor, Center for Russian and Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India, spoke on the theme "The Significance of India-Russia Relations in an Asia Pacific Context." Research Fellow Takeshi Watanabe of the National Institute for Defense Studies, Ministry of Defense, Japan, discussed "New Security Architectures in Northeast Asia"; Professor Ik Joong Yoon, Department of International Studies, Hallym Institute of Advanced International Studies, Korea offered thoughts on "Russo-Sino Relations"; and Brigadier General Pamela Milligan from USPACOM offered wide-ranging opinions on the topic, "Russia's Cooperative Relations with Its Northeast Asian Neighbors." ¶6. (U) On Wednesday morning, 16 September, the second day of the conference, the participants discussed the question of "Multilateral Approaches to Traditional and Non-Traditional Security Challenges in Northeast Asia." Professor Artyom Lukin, a SEAS alumnus, Department of International Relations, Far Eastern National University, Vladivostok, discussed "International Relations in Northeast Asia: the Dialectics of Rivalry and Cooperation." Professor Joon Hyung Kim, International Studies Department, Handong Global University, Korea, discussed the "US-ROK Alliance"; Professor Jianfei Liu, Institute of International Strategic Studies, National Security Council, China, spoke on the need for "Multilateral Approaches to Security Challenges"; and Mr. Hiroshi Sanomura, North American Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan, addressed the "Japanese View of Effective Multilateral Approaches." The second panel on Wednesday morning featured Dr. David Fouse, Associate Professor at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, who discussed "An Overview of the Six Party Talks as the Major Multilateral Forum in Northeast Asia." Professor Sergey Sevastyanov, International Studies Center, VGUES, Vladivostok, spoke on "Northeast Asian Identity and Security"; Senior Researcher Bumkhorol Tsedendorj, Institute for Strategic Studies, National Security Council, Mongolia, discussed "Mongolian Views of Effective Multilateral Approaches"; and Deputy Director Chunsi Wu, Department of American Studies, Shanghai Institute for International Studies, China, offered a presentation on the theme of "Trust Building." ¶7. (U) The final session of the conference addressed the issue of "Economic and Military Dimensions of Security in Northeast Asia." Dean Jung Hoon Lee, Underwood International College, Graduate School of International Studies, Yonsei University in Korea, spoke on "Pyongyang's Nuclear End Game: Will North Korea Ever Give up Its Nuclear Weapons?" Mr. Nickolas Katsakis, a Political Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, offered a comprehensive analysis on "Russian Military Reform and Its Effects on Northeast Asian Security;" Colonel Chiharu Narita, Director, Intelligence Department, Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces, Minsitry of Defense, Japan, discussed "Japan's Defense Exchanges"; and Professor Nikolay Fokin, Far Eastern State University, Vladivostok, spoke on "Economic Security in Northeast Asia." ¶8. (U) In order to utilize the limited time available to the symposium participants most effectively, a plenary session of SNEAS 2009 was held on Monday evening at a dacha on the outskirts of Vladivostok; Professor Aleksandr Kozhevnikov of Vladivostok's Far Eastern National University's Oriental Institute addressed the roles of "Historical Memory and Security VLADIVOSTO 00000094 003.4 OF 004 Issues in Northeast Asia." Additionally, on Tuesday a guest luncheon speaker from the Maritime State University in Vladivostok, Professor Denis Akmaykin, spoke on the topic, "Port Security Measures in Vladivostok," while on Wednesday guest luncheon speaker Professor Alexander Kuznetsov of the Institute of International Relations, Far Eastern National University, Vladivostok, discussed "Ethnic Factors and Security Problems in Northeast Asia." Consul General Tom Armbruster hosted a robustly attended reception in honor of the participants on Tuesday, 15 September. In an offer greatly appreciated by the foreign participants in the symposium, VGUES arranged for a dozen of its students to act as guides; the students, whose English speaking abilities were excellent, offered walking and shopping tours of Vladivostok on the morning of 17 September, prior to the departure of the participants to the airport. The Russian students were polled about whether the Pacific is indeed the ocean of the future and while many named hometown Vladivostok as the most promising capital for commerce, others said that San Francisco, Tokyo, or Honolulu may become the world's leading city this century. ¶9. (U) Symposium participants expressed appreciation for the chance to meet their international colleagues and noted that they had already formed the foundations of a network of security professionals which would enable them to maintain contact with each other. An email list of participants' cell phone numbers and email addresses was provided to each member of SNEAS 2009. ¶10. (U) Press coverage of the event was positive, with local and national news stations and newspapers covering the opening of the symposium and conducting interviews during the breaks. Scholars from each of the participating countries have promised to publish articles on the conference; background attribution rules will be followed. ¶11. (SBU) Comment: SNEAS 2009 achieved its dual goals of furthering U.S. foreign and military policy goals in the Northeast Asia region and expanding and strengthening EAP/PD's and USPACOM's network of security professionals in the region. The opportunity for military and civilian security professionals from Russia, China, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia to discuss together the most pressing issues facing their governments was invaluable; also, in Vladivostok, for the first time, a participant from India participated in the symposium, and his contributions and insights proved extremely valuable for his colleagues. The security and economic discussions among established and rising military and economic powers established a consensus among the participants that the concerns of each nation must be addressed constructively, openly, and without delay, in order to prevent misunderstandings, miscalculations, and missteps in Northeast Asia during the 21st century -- the Pacific Century. ¶12. (U) Participant List: China LIU Jianfei, Professor, Director of Division of Chinese Diplomacy Institute of Int'l Strategic Studies, Central Party School of CPC REN Xiao, Professor and Associate Dean, Institute of Int'l Studies, Fudan University, Shanghai WU Chunsi, Deputy Director, Department of American Studies, Shanghai Institute for International Studies India Sanjay Kumar Pandey Senior Researcher, Associate Professor, Center for Russian and Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University Japan Chiharu Narita, Director, Intelligence Department, Japan Ground Self-Defense (JGSDF),Northern Army, Ministry of Defense (MOD) Hiroshi Sanomura, Japan-U.S. Security Treaty Division, North American Affairs Bureau, MFA Takeshi Watanabe, Research Fellow, The National Institute for Defense Studies, Ministry of Defense VLADIVOSTO 00000094 004.2 OF 004 Mongolia Erdenebold Tsegmid, Leading expert, Institute for Strategic Studies, Office of the National Security Council Bumkhorol Tsedendorj, Institute for Strategic Studies, Office of the National Security Council Republic of Korea Lee Jung Hoon, Dean, Underwood International College, Professor of International Relations; Graduate School of International Studies, Yonsei University Youn Ik Joong, Assistant Professor of Russian Studies, Department of International Studies , Hallym Institute of Advanced International Studies Kim Joon Hyung, Associate Professor, International Studies Department, Handong Global University Russia Viktor Larin, Director, Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography, Vladivostok Artyom Lukin, Associate Professor, Department of International Relations, Far Eastern State University, Vladivostok (FENU) Mikhail Shinkovskiy, Director, International Relations Institute, VGUES Sergey Sevastyanov, Director, International Studies Center, VGUES Tamara Troyakova, Head, Chair of Int'l Relations, Vladivostok Institute of International Relations, Far Eastern State University, Vladivostok Igor Tolstokulakov, Associated Professor, Head, Department for Korean Researches, Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography, Vladivostok Nikolay Fokin, Head, Economy and Finance of Pacific Rim Countries Department, Oriental Institute, FENU Viktor Yevseyev, Senior Associate , Center for International Security, Institute for World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO),the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow Yevgeniy Volosastov, Third Secretary,Vladivostok, MFA representative office Sergey Parkhomenko, Attache, Vladivostok, MFA representative office U.S. Michael Richards, Public Diplomacy Advisor, DOS/USPACOM Pamela Milligan, BG, USAF (J3),USPACOM David Fouse, APCSS, DoD David Parker, Colonel, USPACOM Phil DuPont, LTC, Standing Joint Forces HQ, USPACOM Robert Lisch, LTC, USAF, USPACOM Jon Smith, Major, HIANG, USPACOM Nickolas Katsakis, Acting Political-Economic Officer, U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok Lisa Vining, Assistant Army Attache, U.S. Embassy Ulaanbaatar Eric Stephens, Assistant Naval Attache, U.S. Embassy, Moscow ¶13. (U) Consulate Vladivostok thanks EAP/PD and USPACOM for their support of this important and valuable program. +++END+++ ARMBRUSTER