Issue No. 13376

 

GREEK entrepreneur Lavrentis Lavrentiadis’ initiative and support made possible the launch of a high-profile world leaders and policymakers’ forum in Washington on January 29.

 

The Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a US think-tank which enjoys close ties with Lavrentiadis in the promotion of strategic thinking and policy-making around the world, has reconvened its Statesmen’s Forum Speaker Series, sponsored by the Lavrentiadis Group of Companies.

 

For several years, the CSIS Statesmen’s Forum has brought to CSIS such world leaders as King Abdullah II of Jordan, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner of France and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

 

On January 29, General James Jones, US national security adviser, was the statesman who delivered the keynote address at the CSIS forum, entitled “Securing American Interests in an Interconnected World”.

 

“I am pleased that CSIS has launched its Statesmen’s Forum Speaker Series at the beginning of 2010 by hosting one of the most important and respected figures in the American administration, President Barack Obama’s national security advisor, General James Jones,” said Lavrentiadis, chairman and CEO of the Lavrentiadis Group of Companies. “Such communication between world leaders and top analysts is essential to constructive foreign policy.”

 

 CSIS is a non-profit organisation founded in 1962 and headquartered in Washington, DC. It seeks to advance global security and prosperity by providing strategic insights and policy solutions to decision-makers.

 

“CSIS provides a nonpartisan platform for US and world leaders to discuss crucial issues of public policy,” said John Hamre, president of CSIS. “We are grateful to the Lavrentiadis Group of Companies for helping us strengthen this role in the Washington policy community.”

 

The CSIS Statesmen’s Forum offers global political leaders the opportunity to present their views about critical policy issues before a group of US government executive and legislative branch officials, foreign diplomats, academic and regional experts, leaders from the corporate community and the media.

 

 

“The series gives those who have professional responsibility for policy determination and interpretation a chance to assess the positions and perspectives of global leaders and to engage them in dialogue,” said Andrew Schwartz, CSIS vice-president for external relations.

 

Lavrentiadis is the founder of several companies with an extensive presence in the eastern European market. His companies operate in diverse fields such as chemicals, detergents, food and drinks, pharmaceuticals, transportation and real estate. 

 

His commitment to the stabilisation and development of the southeast European region was highlighted last year when he sponsored the establishment of a new CSIS chair in southeast European studies.

 

The principal aim of his initiative was to utilise the geopolitical position of Greece to boost its leadership role in the wider Balkan region, as it is going through its transformations.

“Greece and its neighbours can help promote the entire region as a crucial component of European Union integration as well as a secure part of the Euro-Atlantic community,” Lavrentiadis said.

 

ATHENS NEWS 30/08/2010, page: 18