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9/8/08

Middle East Challenges Topic For Forum At St. Lawrence

CANTON - "Middle East Challenges and the Next Administration" is the topic of the next Contemporary Issues Forum at St. Lawrence University, on Monday, September 15, at 8 p.m. in Gulick Theatre. The event, featuring speakers Geoffrey Kemp and Dennis Ross, is open to the public, free of charge.

Kemp is the director of regional strategic programs at the Nixon Center. His current areas of interest focus on U.S. policy in the greater Middle East, including the geopolitics of energy in the Caspian Basin and Persian Gulf; the Arab-Israeli peace process; and U.S. relations with Iraq and Iran. Kemp is completing a major study on Asia's growing footprint in the Middle East and what this means for the United States. He is author or editor of nine books or monographs.

A consultant to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and author of two books, Ambassador Dennis Ross is formerly the Washington Institute's counselor and Ziegler distinguished fellow. He has played a leading role in shaping U.S. involvement in the Middle East peace process and dealing directly with the parties in negotiations. Ross was instrumental in assisting Israelis and Palestinians to reach the 1995 Interim Agreement; he also successfully brokered the 1997 Hebron Accord; facilitated the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty; and worked to bring Israel and Syria together.

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More: Contemporary Issues Forum Web site