Part of CERES ongoing Ion Ratiu Lecture Series Tuesday, October 14 at 9:30am to 11:00am Copley Hall, Copley Formal Lounge 37th and O St., N.W., Washington with President Emil Constantinescu Former President of Romania (1996-2000) & Gen.(ret) Constantin Degeratu former head of the Romanian Armed Forces Chaired by: Ion Ratiu Visiting Professor of Romanian Studies Dennis Deletant The speakers will discuss the current geo-politics of the Black Sea, the regional impact of the crisis in Ukraine, Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the bilateral relations between his country (a NATO and EU member) and the United States. President Emil Constantinescu is a geologist/mineralogist by training and had a prestigious career in higher education and scientific research, publishing 12 books. He began his political career in 1989 as a civil society activist and was elected president of the Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR), an alliance of civil society organizations, in 1991. In 1996 Dr. Constantinescu, on behalf of CDR signed the “Contract with Romania” and shortly afterwards he was elected president of Romania. President Constantinescu oversaw Romania’s large scale process of economic and political reform and launched EU accession negotiations. Upon the end of his presidential term (December 2000), Emil Constantinescu resumed his academic career. Gen. Constantin Degeratu holds a doctoral degree in Military Science (1996) from The National Defense University, Bucharest, Romania. Gen. Constantin Degeratu has an impressive military career reflected by several senior positions held within the country’s Armed Forces including Chief of the General Defense Staff (1997- 2000). Gen. Degeratu is also a prolific writer and has written many books on the topic of global and European security. Ion Raţiu (6 June 1917 - 17 January 2000), distinguished Romanian diplomat, entrepreneur, publisher, writer, and humanitarian, was an outspoken critic of the communist regime in Romania during the 1947-1989 period. He devoted his life to the fight for democracy in Romania and its integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures. CERES Box 571031, Room 111 ICC Building Georgetown University Washington D.C. 20057 Phone: (202) 687.6080 Fax: (202) 687.5829 CERES@GEORGETOWN.EDU Twitter: @CERESGeorgetown

• published: 15 Oct 2014
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