The beginning of the second day of the Joint Seminar of the Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group of NATO PA and the Sub-Committee on Transatlantic Economic Relations of NATO PA was marked by the session dedicated to the topic “Europe’s Evolving Relations with the Middle East: Managing Threats and Opportunities”, and on this occasion the participants in the gathering were addressed by High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Ms Federica Mogherini, on Europe’s Evolving Relations with the Middle East: Managing Threats and Opportunities.

This was followed by a session dedicated to the topic: “MENA Energy Outlook: Economic and Security Dimensions” during which the Director of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies Dr Bassam Fattouh addressed the participants in the gathering with a speech on “Geopolitics and Energy Markets in the Middle East: The Changing Nature of Risks”.

In continuation, Executive Vice-President at the Government Affairs Department Dr Pasquale SALZANO talked about Energy and Geopolitics in North Africa and the Mediterranean, which was followed by a “Discussion on challenges faced by women in the MENA region”, and then by the address of former Ambassador of Egypt to the Czech and Slovak Republics and South Africa and former Egyptian Minister of Family and Population Dr Moushira Khattab who talked on the topic “The Struggle for Women's Rights in the MENA Region”.

Then, within the next session of the Joint Seminar, there was a discussion on the topic “Libya: Between Statehood and Civil Strife”, and on this occasion the delegates were addressed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Paolo Gentiloni with speech on the topic:  “An Italian Perspective and on the Libyan Crisis” and Chief of Defence Staff of the Italian Military General Claudio Graziano with speech on the topic: “Libyan Crisis: What is the role of Italy?”

The discussion that followed was dedicated to the topic “Iran and the emerging regional order”, within which the participants in the Joint Seminar were addressed by representative of the General Direction for International Relations and Strategy at the Department of North Africa and Middle East of the French Defence Ministry Mr Louis RACINE, who presented his views in the answer to the question “Is Iran’s Regional Policy Evolving after the Vienna Nuclear Agreement?”

The closing session of the gathering was moderated by Head of the Italian delegation to the NATO PA Mr Andrea Manciulli, and on this occasion the speeches were held by Deputy to the Commander for Military Operations (DCMO) of the AFRICOM Headquarters in Stuttgart  Vice Admiral Michael T. Franken, followed by Minister of Defence Ms Roberta Pinotti.

Upon the end of discussion on the topics, the participants in the gathering summed up results of discussions led during the two-day Joint Seminar of the Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group of NATO PA and the Sub-Committee on Transatlantic Economic Relations of NATO PA, with special reference to the current security issues and discussions led in that respect.

In the concluding remarks of the chairperson, the work of the gathering was estimated as being high quality, especially bearing in mind that it provided a forum for effective exchange of knowledge and experiences and an opportunity to gather information on the issues of significance in the context of topics which were discussed.

The Joint Seminar of the Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group of NATO PA and the Sub-Committee on Transatlantic Economic Relations of NATO PA ends today.

On this occasion the Parliament of Montenegro was represented by member of the Security and Defence Committee Mr Luiđ Ljubo Škrelja.