Dr Brendan Nelson on the EU & the Future of NATO

Hosted by: AIIA NSW in Sydney

The event will start on: Tuesday, 05 April 2011 6:00 PM

And will end on: Tuesday, 05 April 2011 7:30 PM

At The Glover Cottages, Sydney

124 Kent Street , Sydney NSW

02 9247 8504    

Posted by: nsw   

NATO has been a cornerstone of security in Europe—and of United States foreign policy—for six decades. But its ability to continue playing such a central role is unclear.  Some people write it off as a redundant relic from the Cold War. The independent global intelligence company, Stratfor, called it meaningless, and ‘in a state of paralysis’. Certainly NATO has found it difficult to come to terms with urgent calls for its intervention in the Middle East, and, last year, in Georgia.

Another Brussels-based organization whose future is in question is the European Union. Riddled by divisions and faction fighting, deflected by member countries pursuing national interests, torn over whether or not to consider Turkey for membership, and concerned about the viability of the euro as a currency, its demise is seen by some as inevitable. Others believe the EU is resilient enough to survive its present bad patch.

Observing all this for Australia is our ambassador to the EU, NATO, the World Health Organisation, and the countries of Belgium and Luxembourg, Dr Brendan Nelson Dr Nelson was Australian defence minister in the Howard government, and briefly leader of the opposition. He was appointed to his present post by Kevin Rudd, when prime minister.

In early April, Dr Nelson will be back home in Sydney for a brief visit, and we are delighted that he has accepted our invitation to meet our members, and give his perspective on both the European Union and NATO. Not to mention Belgium, which has struggled for months without a government at all.