BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Center for International and Regional Studies - ECPv6.15.15//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Center for International and Regional Studies
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:Europe/Moscow
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0300
TZOFFSETTO:+0400
TZNAME:MSD
DTSTART:20080329T230000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0400
TZOFFSETTO:+0300
TZNAME:MSK
DTSTART:20081025T230000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0300
TZOFFSETTO:+0400
TZNAME:MSD
DTSTART:20090328T230000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0400
TZOFFSETTO:+0300
TZNAME:MSK
DTSTART:20091024T230000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0300
TZOFFSETTO:+0400
TZNAME:MSD
DTSTART:20100327T230000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0400
TZOFFSETTO:+0300
TZNAME:MSK
DTSTART:20101030T230000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20091201T080000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20091201T180000
DTSTAMP:20260413T063835
CREATED:20141022T153932Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20201021T124959Z
UID:10000810-1259654400-1259690400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu
SUMMARY:Hanan Ashrawi on the Future of Palestine
DESCRIPTION:Professor and Palestinian political activist Hanan Ashrawi shared her insights on the Palestinian struggle when she lectured on “The Future of Palestine” in Doha\, Qatar. The lecture was hosted by the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar. Ashrawi is the Founder and Head of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy-Miftah\, and an elected member of the Palestinian Legislative Council for the Jerusalem District. \n \n \nSFS-Qatar student Lina Abduljawad introduced Ashrawi to an audience of 400 people at the Diplomatic Club in Doha. Ashrawi noted that the title of her talk\, “The Future of Palestine\,” was deceptively simple but that such simplicity was not representative of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict\, which is mired in various historical\, economic\, political\, and ideological battles that fracture and divide the Palestinian people on a daily basis. In order to know where a nation is headed\, she explained\, it must come to terms with the past and must go through a “historical redemption\,” which is an important part of any reconciliation process. Ashrawi explained that Palestine not only needed international political recognition\, but was also in need of its history to be affirmed and recognized as legitimate and one that has been unfairly violated.  \n \n \nAshrawi noted that Palestine is in a struggle for “devolution of occupation and evolution of statehood\,” but that the exact opposite is occurring and is leading to what she terms “the deconstruction of Palestine.” This\, she said\, is the worst type of humanitarian crisis\, as it is a deliberately crafted one. Ashrawi gave details of the daily economic\, political\, and physical restrictions and challenges that the average Palestinian must endure under Israeli occupation\, including the inability for many children to attend schools\, and for many adults to reach their lands or places of work. She noted that physical restrictions in the form of checkpoints and the infamous “wall\,” ironically\, not only restrict the lives of Palestinians\, but also prohibit the Israelis form viewing their own horizon\, and are\, effectively\, imprisoning both communities.  \n \n \nIn conclusion\, Ashrawi called on the international community\, and especially Arab countries\, to take responsibility for the state of Palestine. She welcomed new ideas and gave several possible solutions that\, if honored by all parties involved\, will lead to a peaceful existence in the Middle East.  \n \n \nDuring the question and answer session\, Ashrawi gave recommendations for the future and how to begin to work towards a viable and longstanding peace. She called for unconventional approaches to solve the crisis\, such as United Nations involvement as a caretaker and mediator or requesting the presence of international ground troops to protect Palestinian rights. Ashrawi argued that the most important aspect of any attempt at conflict resolution was to redress the asymmetrical power relations between the two communities.  \n \n \nEarlier in the day\, Ashrawi was invited to speak at an informal luncheon meeting at Georgetown SFS-Qatar\, She took questions from Faculty and discussed the nature of the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict and how it might be resolved. In answer to a question regarding how the new U.S. administration might impact the conflict\, she noted that\, in order to break away from past failures regarding the Middle East peace process\, Barack Obama and his administration need to surround themselves with a new team of knowledgeable people and expert policy-makers. This was important in order to formulate a new approach and to create refreshing ideas about how to engage with the problem. It is important\, she said\, not to resuscitate old teams of experts who have been involved in past mediation efforts\, as their energies and ideas are spent. According to Ashrawi\, “this is the most important advice to give any new administration.” \n \n \nArticle by Suzi Mirgani\, CIRS Publications Coordinator.
URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/hanan-ashrawi-future-palestine/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2014/10/events_20451_16596_1413992372-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20091206T080000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20091206T180000
DTSTAMP:20260413T063835
CREATED:20141023T160316Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240314T110306Z
UID:10000950-1260086400-1260122400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu
SUMMARY:Kai-Henrik Barth on Nuclear Ambitions in the Gulf
DESCRIPTION:Professor of Government Kai-Henrik Barth delivered the December 6\, 2009 CIRS Monthly Dialogue on the topic of “Nuclear Ambitions in the Gulf.” He focused on nuclear proliferation concerns associated with ambitious goals to introduce nuclear power in the Gulf states\, with an emphasis on the United Arab Emirates. \n \n \nBarth’s presentation was divided in five parts. First\, he emphasized the “puzzle” at the heart of the debate: why would Gulf Cooperation Council states\, with their massive oil and gas reserves\, seek to develop nuclear power? Second\, he assessed the proliferation risks of nuclear power; third\, he highlighted the Gulf’s strategic context\, emphasizing GCC’s concerns about Iran’s nuclear program; fourth\, he analyzed the UAE’s nuclear effort; and\, finally\, he concluded with some policy recommendations. \n \n \nLooking at nuclear power developments throughout the world\, Barth said that “there are thirty states that have nuclear power stations and\, in total\, there are 436 nuclear reactors in operation. In the last couple of years\, more than forty other states have requested assistance from the IAEA” to develop new programs. Barth said that “in the short time period from February 2006 to January 2007\, thirteen countries in the region announced plans to use nuclear power.” These are countries in the greater Middle East and include all Gulf states with the exception of Iraq. \n \n \nBarth argued that “investment in nuclear energy in the Gulf appears to be motivated by security rather than economic reasons.” The timing of the 2006 GCC nuclear policy announcement is significant because it suggests that nuclear ambitions in the Gulf are a response to three developments: a growing concern about a weakening role of the United States in the region\, especially after the 2003 Iraq war; the rise of Shia confidence after the Israeli-Lebanese conflict of 2006; and\, in particular\, concerns about Iran’s nuclear program. Barth maintained that the Gulf’s nuclear projects can be explained as “being primarily about security and driven by a concern about Iran’s nuclear program.” \n \n \nIn terms of the dangers of nuclear proliferation\, Barth noted that regardless of the stated peaceful intentions of civilian projects\, there always remains the possibility of a nuclear weapons option down the line. Uranium enrichment facilities\, for example\, can be used to enrich uranium for civilian purposes\, but also for nuclear weapons. Equally\, the chemical reprocessing of spent nuclear reactor fuel separates plutonium\, which can be used for nuclear weapons. Barth argued that “the history of many nuclear weapons programs highlights the close relationship between civilian and military applications of nuclear power: military programs often benefitted from technology acquisition and expertise gained in civilian counterparts.” Although International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards are put in place to prevent this from happening\, the threat is always present\, Barth said. \n \n \nEmphasizing the strategic context of nuclear programs in the Middle East\, Barth noted that the threat of Iranian nuclear ambitions dominates the region. Highlighting the current status of Iran’s nuclear capabilities\, he said that “the Gulf states and the greater Middle East have enough reasons to be concerned.” In addition\, “the Iranian missile program doesn’t help to alleviate concerns in the region.” Barth added that “the relationship between the UAE and Iran is in a delicate balance; it is a rivalry\, they are close neighbors\, they are key economic partners\, there is a long-standing territorial dispute over three islands in the Gulf\, and\, on top of this\, the UAE hosts the largest Iranian expat community. So\, it is a very complicated\, interwoven relationship.” \n \n \nBarth emphasized the UAE’s nuclear capabilities by arguing that “the UAE has the most ambitious national nuclear program in the GCC\,” with two large nuclear power plants expected to be operational by 2017. Barth posed the questions\, “is energy a viable or plausible explanation in the UAE case? And is there really a shortage despite all the oil and gas wealth?” \n \n \nIn response to these apprehensions\, the UAE government maintains that “the UAE is concerned about energy security and it needs energy diversification.” Further\, because water and electricity in the UAE are subsidized\, “energy consumption rates in the Emirates are exceedingly high.” The UAE calculates that energy supplies will fall short of the growing demands over the next few decades. Indeed\, according to official UAE estimates\, “by 2020\, the UAE will need 20 gigawatts of additional electricity production capabilities.” The UAE claims that nuclear energy is one competitive option to produce electricity. According to an official UAE energy policy document\, the UAE had considered and rejected coal\, primarily because of CO2 emissions; equally\, while the UAE is pursuing alternative energies such as wind and solar power\, officials concluded that their base-load energy production capabilities are limited. Barth argued\, however\, that the suggested economic advantages of nuclear power in the UAE are doubtful at best: high capital costs and the uncertainty of oil and gas prices make pursuing a nuclear power option in the Gulf economically very risky. According to Barth\, optimistic assumptions about cheap electricity through nuclear power in the Gulf are questionable. He argued that while the UAE has legitimate energy concerns\, security concerns vis-à-vis Iran are significant drivers of the UAE’s nuclear ambitions. \n \n \nIn conclusion\, Barth relayed some policy recommendations that “provide energy security for GCC countries without provoking a nuclear proliferation cascade.” He proposed that nuclear supplier states should not sell nuclear power reactors to any country without stringent IAEA safeguards. He favored a worldwide moratorium on enrichment and reprocessing capabilities\, in the Middle East in particular. Finally\, Barth argued that ultimately\, “nuclear power still has major problems and its relationship with nuclear weapons has not been erased and I do not see any future where it will be erased.” \n \n \nKai-Henrik Barth is Visiting Assistant Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Qatar. From 2002 to 2008 he was a member of the core faculty in Georgetown’s Security Studies Program (SSP) on the main campus\, where he also served as Director of Studies for the last three years. Dr. Barth’s current research focuses on the causes and consequences of nuclear proliferation\, with a particular emphasis on Iran. He has also begun to investigate the nuclear aspirations of the Gulf States. His publications have appeared in Physics Today and Social Studies of Science\, among others\, and he is the guest editor (with John Krige) of a special issue of the journal Osiris on Global Power Knowledge: Science and Technology in International Affairs (University of Chicago\, 2006). \n \n \nArticle by Suzi Mirgani\,CIRS Publications Coordinator.
URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/kai-henrik-barth-nuclear-ambitions-gulf/
CATEGORIES:American Studies,CIRS Faculty Lectures,Dialogue Series,Environmental Studies,Regional Studies
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2014/10/events_20676_19776_1414080196-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR