AUS hosts lecture by NATO Assistant Secretary General

His Excellency Ambassador Jean Fournet, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, delivered the lecture “NATO Gulf Relations in the Framework of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative” on campus September 27.

Co-sponsored by the Department of International Studies and the Gulf Research Center in Dubai, Ambassador Fournetʼs lecture focused on the different responses of the security communities during the Cold War, after the fall of the Berlin Wall and post 9/11. He highlighted the important role played by NATO, and how it is constantly adjusting to the evolution of the world and reinventing itself to address new threats and challenges. “In a complex world, we need to provide sophisticated answers based on cooperation, partnership and dialogue,” he said.

Following the lecture, the ambassador answered a number of questions raised by students pertaining to security in general and the role of NATO, as well as to the possible evolution of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative.