CENTRAL and EAST EUROPEAN COALITION
MEETS with U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIALS
Washington, DC– Following two very important foreign policy trips by President Obama to Moscow and Vice President Biden to Ukraine and Georgia, the Central and East European Coalition (CEEC), an assembly of 18 ethnic organizations representing the communities of Central and East European descent, had an opportunity to meet with the principal architects for the Obama Administration’s foreign policy agenda.
In an hour-long meeting at the National Security Council on Wednesday, August 26th, the CEEC met with Antony J. Blinken, Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor to the Vice President and Michael A. McFaul, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russia and Eurasia at the National Security Council. Also participating in the meeting was Leslie M. Hayden, Director for Russia at the NSC. The coalition members were briefed on the Moscow and Ukraine/Georgia trips and they broached issues related to the missile defense shield; the strategic partnerships and the commissions established with Ukraine and Georgia; energy security; the Armenia/Turkey rapprochement; and defending human rights and liberties in the region.
Members of the CEEC also had an opportunity to meet with representatives of the Office of Public Engagement who will be responsible for interacting with the various ethnic communities.
The Belarusian-American Association is one of the organizations comprising the CEEC. Since Ms. Alice A. Kipel while representing the Belarusian-American Association was also the introductory spokesperson for the group , it was clear to the NSC officials that Belarus has an important role within CEEC.
Following the meeting, Ms. Kipel stated: ”As the CEEC has done in the past, we hope to establish a productive dialogue with the Obama administration with respect to issues that are important to our communities, such as promotion of democracy and human rights, which are key issues for Belarusan-Americans.”
This article appeared in
Belarusian Review, Vol. 21, No. 3
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