MERI Forum 2014 Programme
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4th November (Day 1 – 16.00 – 19.00)
14.00-16.00: Guests arrive and register in the afternoon
16.00-16.10 Welcome to delegates
16.10-16.30 Forum opening: Professor Dlawer Ala’Aldeen, President of MERI
16.30-18.00: Session 1: The Future of Disputed Territories
- Chair: Ann Hagood, Research Fellow at the Middle East Research Institute
- Gareth Stansfield – University of Exeter
- Marwan Ali, Director of Political Affairs, United Nation’s Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI )
- Mohammed Ihsan, Visiting Research Fellow, Kings College, Former KRG Minister for disputed territories
- Hassan Toran, Member of Parliament and Head of Turkuman Front Coalition
18.30-20.00: Reception
5th November (Day 2 – 09.00 – 18.00)
08.00-09.00: Registration and coffee
09.00-09.20: Introduction
09.20-11.00: Session 2: The War on ISIS .
- Chair: Sam Morris, Research Fellow at MERI
- Anwar Muslim, President of Kobani Canton, Syria
- Galip Dalay, Research Fellow, SETA, Turkey
- Max Hoffman, Researcher, Center for American Progress, USA
11.00-11.30: Coffee break
11.30-13.00: Session 3: Turkey in the Neighborhood
- Chair: Athanasios Manis, Research Fellow at MERI
- Michael Werz, Senior Researcher, Center for American Progress, USA
- Cengiz candar, Journalist, Turkey
- Saban Karadas, President of ORSAM, Turkey
13.00-14.00: LUNCH
14.00-16.00: Session 4: The New Middle East Order: Threats and Opportunities
- Chair: Dlawer Ala’Aldeen, President, MERI
- Nechirvan Barzani – Prime Minister, Kurdistan Region of Iraq
- Barham Saleh – Former Prime Minister, Kurdistan Region of Iraq
- Gültan Kışanak, Co-Mayor of Diyarbakir, Turkey
16.00-16.30: Coffee break
16.30-18.00: Session 5: Iran and the US: The Impact of a Changing Relationship
- Chair: Jane Arraf, Journalist, Christian Science Monitor
- David Pollack, Washington Institute, USA
- Hiwa Osman, Media Specialist, Former Medial Adviser to Iraqi President
6th November (Day 3 – 09.00 – 18.00)
08.00-09.30 Registration and coffee
09.30-10.00: Introduction
10.00-12.00 Session 6: Sunni Re-engagement: Chances of Success
- Chair: Tanya Talat Gilli, Former MP in Iraqi Parliament, Civil activist
- Osama Nujayfi, Vice President of Iraq and former Speaker of Parliament
- Bahaddin Naqshbandi, Deputy Head of Iraqi Islamic Party
- Bayan Jabr al-Zubaidi, Minister of Transport, Iraq
- Ali Bapeer, Leader of the Kurdistan Islamic Group
12.00-13.30 LUNCH
13.30-15.00 Session 7: Dialogue and Reconciliation: The Start of Nation Building in Iraq
- Fouad Massoum – President of Iraq
- Salim Al Jabouri – Speaker of Parliament, Iraq
- Bayan Jabr al-Zubaidi on behalf of Ammar al-Hakeem, Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq
- Dlawer Ala’Aldeen, President of MERI
15.00-15.30 Coffee break
15.30-17.00 Session 8: The Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Political Dependence or Economic Independence? Part 1 and Part 2
- Chair: Jane Arraf, Journalist
- Bayan Jabir Al-Zubaidi – Minister
- Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of Kurdistan Regional Government
- Ashty Hawrami, Minister of Natural Resources, Kurdistan Regional Government
17.00-17.30 Closing Statement