2009
Vladivostok Hosts Symposium on Security Challenges in North East Asia
Consulate Vladivostok, in collaboration with the Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service (VGUES) and the US Pacific Command, hosted the 2009 Symposium on Northeast Asia Security (SNEAS) on 14-16 September 2009 in Vladivostok, Russia. Participants from Russia, Mongolia, Japan, India, China, South Korea, and the U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) discussed a wide range of issues under the theme of "Security in Northeast Asia – Has the Pacific Century Arrived?" SNEAS 2009 panels addressed the following questions: "Russia's Relations with Her Asia Pacific Neighbors: Competition, Conflict, and Cooperation," "Multilateral Approaches to Traditional and Non-Traditional Security Challenges in Northeast Asia," and "Economic and Military Dimensions of Security in Northeast Asia.” Symposium participants expressed appreciation for the chance to meet their international colleagues and noted that they had already formed the foundations of a network of security professionals which would enable them to maintain contact with each other. The security and economic discussions among established and rising military and economic powers led to a consensus among the participants that the concerns of each nation must be addressed constructively, openly, and without delay, in order to prevent misunderstandings, miscalculations, and missteps in Northeast Asia during the 21st century – the Pacific Century. Press coverage of the event was very positive, with local and national news stations and newspapers covering the opening of the symposium and conducting interviews during breaks.