How is the Arab state changing? Are the political systems undergoing transformation? How are they influenced by crises and conflicts? What is happening to the institutions of presidency and monarchy? What are the new roles of parliaments, political parties, electoral procedures? Have the political functions of armed forces and security services changed? Is there a renewal of elites underway? Will the new generation of leaders catalyse institutional changes? What is the role of information technologies in these changes? Is the political culture changing? What awaits the alternative forms of political organisation of societies? These issues were addressed during the third session of the Valdai Club Middle East Conference.
Speakers:
HRH Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud, Founder and Trustee, King Faisal Foundation; Chairman, King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies
Mustafa Aydin, President, International Relations Council of Turkey
Hrair Balian, Director, Conflict Resolution Program, Carter Center
Alastair Crooke, Director, Conflicts Forum
Nikolay Surkov, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Middle East Studies, Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) RAS
Moderator:
Veniamin Popov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Analyst of the Institute for International Studies, Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO)