The Eastern Mediterranean Studies Initiative (EMSI) and the Cyprus Center for European and International Affairs of the University of Nicosia would like to invite you to the research seminar titled:  “THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN AS A GEOPOLITICALLY CONTESTED REGION” by Dr Vassilis Kappis (Lecturer, Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies, University of Buckingham) on May 23, 2018, chaired by Evie Zambetakis (Director, Eastern Mediterranean Studies Initiative (EMSI)).

For the first time since the onset of the Cold War, the Eastern Mediterranean appears to be geopolitically contested. Russia’s re-emergence as a great power is only now affecting the region in a meaningful way, as the Syrian conflict showcases. At the same time, the aftermath of the Arab Spring and the refugee crisis delineate the volatile posture of the Arab countries involved and showcase the vulnerability of the European south, with Greece, Turkey, Italy and Cyprus deeply affected by the shifting geopolitical tectonic plates. The influence of NATO and the EU across the Eastern Mediterranean, finally, appears to be anaemic, failing thus far to offer a comprehensive vision. The presentation will highlight these dynamics in an effort to ascertain the region’s future outlook in terms of both stability and geopolitical orientation.

R.S.V.P. – Tel: 22841600, Email: [email protected]