| Date | April 15, 2015 |
| Time | 12:00pm – 5:00pm |
| Location | ASP Conference Facilities, 7th Floor West Tower, 1100 New York Ave NW, Washington DC |
ASP will host a half day conference to examine the energy security challenges faced in the Eastern Mediterranean. Over the course of three panel discussions, the event will first examine the geopolitical importance of the region, focusing on the recent discovery of major natural gas fields in Israel.The next panel will look at the challenges of promoting energy cooperation throughout the Eastern Mediterranean, and will attempt to offer prescriptions for increasing energy security. The final panel will discuss the potential role that the US can play in the region in terms of investment opportunities and regional cooperation.
Agenda: Geopolitics of Energy Security in the Eastern Mediterranean
12:00pm – 12:30pm: Networking Lunch
12:30pm: Welcome and Introduction: BGen. Stephen A. Cheney, USMC (Ret.) – ASP
12:30pm – 1:45pm: Panel 1 – The Geopolitical Promise of Energy in the Eastern Mediterranean
The panel will examine the potential of using new found energy reserves to build international cooperation within the region. For the countries bordering the Eastern Mediterranean, conflict, mistrust, and insecurity have characterized regional relationships for decades. Could the newly discovered undersea natural gas fields catalyze a more cooperative relationship among countries in the region?
Panelists:
- Tim Boersma, Acting Director, Energy Security and Climate Initiative, Brookings
- Zack Gold, Fellow, Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), Tel Aviv
- Andrew Holland, Senior Fellow for Climate and Energy, ASP
1:45pm – 2:00pm: Coffee & Networking Session
2:00pm – 3:15pm: Panel 2 – Building Effective Cross-Border Energy Relationships
The panel will examine the challenges to developing the newfound energy resources in the region. It will look at the challenges of providing energy security as well as how to ensure equity among energy consumers.
Panelists:
- Sir Michael Leigh, Senior Fellow, German Marshall Fund of the United States
- Anne Korin, Co-Director Institute for the Analysis of Global Security
- Emre Tuncalp, Managing Partner, Sidar Global
3:15pm – 4:30pm: Panel 3 – American Interests in Eastern Mediterranean Energy
The US will not be a consumer of energy exported from the Eastern Mediterranean, so why has it been so involved? This panel will discuss the role of outsiders in promote energy cooperation among the countries in the Eastern Mediterranean. The panel will examine America’s role in building energy cooperation between countries in the region, as well as promoting economic and investment opportunities for new found energy reserves.
Panelists:
- Steve Lutes, Director, Middle East and North Africa Affairs, US Chamber of Commerce
- David Gillers, Professional Staff, US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
- Ben Dillon, Vice President for Communications and Government Relations, Noble Energy
ABOUT THE AMERICAN SECURITY PROJECT
The American Security Project is a non-profit, non-partisan public policy and research organization dedicated to fostering knowledge and understanding of a range of national security issues, promoting debate about the appropriate use of American power, and cultivating strategic responses to 21st century challenges. For more information, visitwww.americansecurityproject.org.
