Conference probes strained relations over Iraq

The war in Iraq is creating divisions in Europe and North America, a realignment of traditional allies, and a fundamental shift in universal values about the shape of the new world order.

To discuss these changes, Leonidas Chrysanthopoulos (left), Greek Ambassador to Canada, and Eric Hayes (right), Ambassador and head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Canada, join international scholars at York in a symposium, “Multilateralism and Unilateralism: The Role of the European Union in Global Politics,” on Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12.

“We are at the threshold of a tectonic shift in international relations. At issue is whether we live in a world where conflicts are settled through global negotiation, or the biggest military power sets the agenda and makes decisions on its own,” said Prof. Kurt Huebner (left) of the Canadian Centre for German and European Studies (CCGES) at York. “Greece holds the presidency of the European Union at a time of great strain in relations on the continent, and Canada is equally torn between its traditional support for the United States and its desire for multilateralism.”

Keynote speakers on Friday are Andreas Andrianopoulos, Greece’s former minister of industry and trade, and Zaki Laïdi, French scholar of international relations at the Centre d’Études et de Recherches Internationales (CERI) in Paris. LaVdi will address the issue of governance versus hegemony in relations between Europe and the United States.

On Saturday, York professor of international law, Michael Mandel, will examine the role of the World Court, and Joyee Gupta of the Free University of Amsterdam will address divisions on global climate change.

The symposium is sponsored by the Canadian Centre for German and European Studies at York University, the Consulate General of Greece, the Hellenic Heritage Foundation Chair at York, the Consulates General of France, Spain and the Netherlands, the Delegation of the European Commission to Canada, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and the Italian Cultural Institute.

For conference locations and the full program, visit http://international.yorku.ca/fyi/events/euconf.htm.