Decision makers to analyze NATO, EU activities

GARMISH, Germany — The German minister of state is among the experts to address about 90 decision makers from 22 countries engaged in NATO and European Union activities in the Western Balkans at a conference in Berlin May 2-4.

The George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies is teaming with the German Federal Foreign Office to bring together participants to analyze the activities of NATO and the EU in Southeastern Europe. Topics include the current situation in the region, the progress of reform and the current and future roles of the two organizations.

Senior decision makers who will join Minister of State Gernot Erler include Albanian Minister of Defense Fatmir Mediu, Romanian State Secretary Teodor Baconschi and Slovenian State Secretary Dr. Božo Cerar. Also participating will be parliamentarians and senior officials from the ministries of defense and foreign affairs for Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine. The conference will be in English, German and Russian.