The United States Institute of Peace in conjunction with the Aspen Institute Berlin recently organized a group of leading scholars and foreign policy practitioners to gather at a special conference to examine the prospects for constructing a stable peace in Europe. Chaired by U.S. Institute of Peace Board of Directors Member Steven Hadley and former National Security Adviser Anthony Lake, the group focused on three main issues:

1. Whether a peaceful, undivided, and democratic Europe is feasible, desirable, and in the interest of Europe and the United States.
2. The likely scenarios for a stable and peaceful Europe which is inclusive of Russia and the elements necessary for achieving such a peace.
3. European and U.S. policies and actions for achieving those elements needed for the creation of a peaceful, undivided, and democratic Europe.

Agenda:

Panel I: U.S. Perspectives on Constructing a Stable Peace in Europe

Discussants included:

James Goodby
U.S. Institute of Peace Grantee

Karsten Voight
Office of German- American Cooperation, German Government

• From the U.S. perspective is a peaceful, undivided, and democratic Europe feasible or desirable, and drawing from current trends what are its prospects?
  
  
• What forms might a peaceful, undivided, and democratic Europe take and will it be inclusive of Russia?
  
  
• What are the elements of the transition strategy to a peaceful, undivided, and democratic Europe, and how best can the U.S. support this process?
  
  

Panel II: Is a Peaceful, Undivided, and Democratic Europe Feasible, Desirable, and in Europe's Interest?

Speakers included:

Anthony Lake
Georgetown University

Steve Szabo
Johns Hopkins University, SAIS

Dmitri Trenin
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Russia

• What are the prospects for the United States remaining a powerful presence in Europe?
  
  
• What are the prospects for Russia becoming a normal member of a European or American-Eurasian security, political, and economic order?
  
  
• Can we achieve a European and North American consensus on how or whether to construct a peaceful, undivided, and democratic Europe which includes Russia?
  
  

Panel III: Defining a Peaceful, Undivided, and Democratic Europe

Speakers included:

Michael Brenner
Harvard University

Jean-Marie Guéhenno
Cour Des Comptes

Sergei Oznobistchev
Russian Academy of Sciences

• Is a Europe that is peaceful, undivided, and democratic achievable by shoring up a Western European "heartland" and gradually expanding out from there or is it better to move more rapidly to link Russia, Ukraine, and others to the Western world?
  
  
• Is it better, from the European standpoint for Western Europe to become an independent power center or for the U.S. to exercise leadership in Europe?
  
  
• Can a strong transatlantic community act as a magnet to attract and integrate Russia?
  
  

Panel IV-A: Achieving a Peaceful, Undivided, and Democratic Europe - Economic Issues

Speakers included:

David Calleo
Johns Hopkins University, SAIS

Rainer Emschermann
European Commission

• What are the key economic levers in constructing a peaceful, undivided, and democratic Europe?
  
  
• How will the different rates of adaptation to technology and globalization affect the prospects for a Europe that is peaceful, undivided, and democratic?
  
  
• Should the U.S. encourage a Transatlantic Economic Community or continue to support Western Europe as a separate economic power?
  
  
• Should the U.S. encourage Europeans to focus on settling European issues or encourage them to expend more energy on global issues?
  
  
• Is it better for Europe to focus on a deepening or federalizing of the European Union or to work for a more rapid enlargement to the East? Which is better for the U.S. and Russia?
  
  

Panel IV-B: Achieving a Peaceful, Undivided, and Democratic Europe - Political & Security Issues

Speakers included:

Daniel Hamilton
U.S. Department of State

Charles Kupchan
Council on Foreign Relations

Irina Lipowicz
Member, Polish Sejm

John Roper
RIIA

• What are the key political levers in constructing a peaceful, undivided, and democratic Europe?
  
  
• Can these levers be connected in the cause of creating a a peaceful, undivided, and democratic Europe?
  
  
• How might European-based institutions change to encourage the evolution of a peaceful, undivided, and democratic Europe?
  
  
• Should the U.S. support and encourage a Western European security and defense identity or should it support NATO only?
  
  
• Should Europe focus primarily on issues of integration and enlargement, or begin to engage with the U.S. globally?
  
  

Panel V: Domestic Support for a Peaceful, Undivided, and Democratic Europe

Speakers included:

Wolfgang Nowak
Office of the German Chancellor

Christian Tuschhott
Aspen Institute

• Are long-term domestic trends leading to a more integrated or more disparate Euro-Atlantic community?
  
  
• Will common domestic issues (such as demographic shifts, social security, environment, immigration, or technological revolution) create new arenas for transatlantic cooperation or institutionalization?
  
  
• Will divergent political approaches weaken transatlantic ties?
  
  
• What are the long term needs in maintaining public support for a Euro-Atlantic community?
  
  
• What will be the impact of issues such as globalization on domestic affairs technological revolution, quality of leadership issues, democratic institutions, or financial and economic institutions be on maintaining a Euro-Atlantic community?
  
  

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