A number of 275 participants from 34 countries, including nine heads of state and government of will attend the Transatlantic Forum “Bucharest Conference”, organized by German Marshall Fund on April 1-3, GMF Chairman Craig Kennedy announced on Wednesday.
According to the American official, nine heads of state and government will attend the Conference, among whom Traian Basescu, Hamid Karzai (Afghanistan), Mikhail Saakashvili (Georgia), Valdis Zatlers (Latvia), Toomas Hendrik Ilves (Estonia).
Craig Kennedy avoided confirming the presence of the United States President George W. Bush at “the Bucharest Conference”; however, the programme includes a speech delivery from a high dignitary of the US Administration whose name was not made public.
Asked whether the Secretary of State Condolezza Rice will attend the event, Kennedy offered a negative reply, and when asked about Bush’s presence he only smiled, refusing to offer a direct answer.
Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu confirmed his presence at the Conference; he is to deliver a speech in the morning of 2 April.
Among the personalities expected to take part in the conference there are also NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, chairwoman of the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee, Ellen Tauscher, Armenian Foreign Affairs Minister Vartan Oskanian, Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and Boris Tarasiuk, member of the Ukrainien Rada.
24 ministers and Parliament Members are expected to take part in the event, amongst whom the head of the Romanian diplomacy, Adrian Cioroianu. Other guests at the Conference include 40 research institute and organization leaders.
“The Bucharest Conference” will take place at the National Military Club Palace in Bucharest, and will begin on April 1, with a speech delivered by President Basescu, three parallel "night owl sessions" being programmed in the first night.
The second day of the Conference will begin with the speech of the high level US dignitary, followed by Chatham House Director Robin Niblett and by Prime Minister Tariceanu.
Afterwards the program will consist of sessions centered on themes such as NATO’s expansion policy, Alliance strategic problems and Afghanistan. The third and last day of the Conference will be centered on matters of partnerships, anti-missile defence and Russia.
(Source: Mediafax)
