CFR.org - Transcripts

Media Conference Call: The Obama-Medvedev Summit

Charles Ferguson, Stephen Sestanovich and Bernard Gwertzman — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:44:53 -0400

CFR Experts Charles D. Ferguson and Stephen Sestanovich discuss the Obama-Medvedev summit.

Media Conference Call: The Real War in Mexico

Shannon K. O'Neil and James F. Hoge Jr. — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:16:32 -0400

CFR's Shannon O'Neil discusses the challenges Mexico faces in combatting drug cartels. Improving the security situation, she argues, depends on strengthening Mexico's democratic institutions.

Roundtable Series on Public Diplomacy: Moscow, Washington, And The Future Of The Political Opposition In Russia

Boris Nemtsov and Daniel Senor — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:33:34 -0400

Boris Nemtsov discusses the future of Russia's political opposition and the prospects for a robust democracy.

Climate Change And American Foreign Policy: Security Challenges, Diplomatic Opportunities

John F. Kerry and Tom Brokaw — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:43:49 -0400

Senator John Kerry speaks about global climate change, its implications for global security, and the diplomatic opportunities it presents.

Reflections on Economic Policy in a Time of Crisis

Lawrence H. Summers and Carla A. Hills — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:39:26 -0400

National Economic Council Director Lawrence H. Summers speaks at CFR about economic policy during the financial crisis.

This session was part of the 2009 National Conference which was underwritten by a grant in memory of Peter E. Haas.

Zimbabwe's Present And Future: A Conversation with Morgan Tsvangirai

Morgan Tsvangirai and Margaret Warner — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:56:11 -0400

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai discusses Zimbabwe's present and future in Washington.

The North Korea Nuclear Crisis

Sheila A. Smith, Scott A. Snyder and Paul B. Stares — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:18:49 -0400

Sheila Smith and Scott Snyder discuss the reasons behind North Korea's provocative actions, and the implications for its neighbors in the region as well as the United States.

The Road To Recovery: A Conversation With Angel Gurria

Angel Gurria and Jessica P. Einhorn — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:15:04 -0400

What will the global financial crisis mean for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) efforts to promote sustainable economic growth? OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría offers his perspective on the economic downturn and his organization's strategies for blunting its impact on both developed and developing countries around the world.

Media Conference Call: Parliamentary Elections and the Future of Lebanon

Mohamad Bazzi and Steven A. Cook — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:09:10 -0400

In this teleconference with Steven A. Cook, Mohamad Bazzi provides an overview of the upcoming elections in Lebanon, and puts forward several post-election scenarios.

A View from the Hill: U.S. National Security

John M. McHugh and Thom Shanker — Fri, 29 May 2009 09:50:02 -0400

Writing in Roll Call earlier this week, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee John M. McHugh stated, "Republicans in Congress appreciate the administration's efforts to shape the [Defense] Department so we can more effectively fight the wars our troops are engaged in today. However... we remain deeply concerned about the trade-offs involved in the so-called rebalancing of the Pentagon." Given the current political realities, what role will Republicans play in shaping future U.S. national security policy? Read Representative John M. McHugh's address on U.S. National Security.

U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy: Report of a CFR-Sponsored Independent Task Force

William J. Perry, Brent Scowcroft and Jackson Diehl — Thu, 28 May 2009 14:58:56 -0400

The co-chairs of the CFR-sponsored independent task force on U.S. nuclear weapons policy outline their recommendations on how to ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the U.S. deterrent nuclear force, prevent nuclear terrorism and strengthen the nuclear nonproliferation regime.

Reforming Global Finance: The Squam Lake Papers

Martin N. Baily, Kenneth R. French, Matthew J. Slaughter and Sebastian Mallaby — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:09:50 -0400

Members of the Squam Lake Working Group on Financial Regulation, a collection of fifteen leading economists and academics, discuss their recommendations for reforming global capital markets.

Reforming the IMF: Is Bigger Better? And Who Should Get More Say?

Anne D. Krueger, Allan H. Meltzer and Roger M. Kubarych — Fri, 22 May 2009 09:08:28 -0400

Experts discuss the future of the International Monetary Fund, ranging from its governance to its potential role in alleviating financial crises

Media Conference Call: Lessons of the Financial Crisis

Benn Steil and Sebastian Mallaby — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:48:29 -0400

CFR experts Benn Steil and Sebastian Mallaby discuss the lessons learned from the current financial crisis.

Conference Call with Elliott Abrams and James Hoge

Elliott Abrams and James F. Hoge — Thu, 14 May 2009 11:01:13 -0400

A Council on Foreign Relations media conference call on strategic relations between the U.S. and Middle Eastern nations.

The Global Consequences of the Crisis, Session One in the Stephen C. Freidheim Symposium on Global Economics on Financial Turbulence and U.S. Power

Joseph S. Nye Jr., Philip D. Zelikow, Sebastian Mallaby and Richard Medley — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:01:03 -0400

How does the U.S. financial system contribute to US power? Is the U.S. in danger of losing its pre-eminence in global finance? Is the dollar's status as a reserve currency under pressure, and does that affect the U.S. ability to lead global responses to world financial crises?

Financial Turbulence and U.S. Power, Session One

Joseph S. Nye, Jr., Philip D. Zelikow and Richard Medley — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:24:56 -0400

A Council on Foreign Relations meeting on "The Global Consequences of the Crisis" and Session One in the Stephen C. Freidheim Symposium on Global Economics on Financial Turbulence and U.S. Power.

"Growth Without Bubbles," Session Three In The Stephen C. Freidheim Symposium On Global Economics On Financial Turbulence And U.S. Power

Christina Romer and Henry R. Kravis — Tue, 12 May 2009 09:22:02 -0400

Christina Romer, the chair of U.S. President Barack Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, presented a cautiously optimistic picture of U.S. recovery from the current recession in a May 12 address at the Council on Foreign Relations. Romer argued that the United States ought to be able to achieve strong economic growth without risking asset price bubbles like the ones seen in the dot-com business in early 2000 and then again in U.S. housing prices in 2006. Romer said President Obama's stimulus and regulatory reform agenda is an appropriate means to achieve this goal. "The goal of long-run economic growth without asset price bubbles is not only achievable," she said, "but is something we should expect if we put a sound regulatory framework in place and if policymakers remain vigilant." Romer cited "pent-up demand" and "the natural forces of inventory rebound" as factors that could work alongside Obama's policy to stir this growth.

The Use Of Force And Accountability In International Law: A U.S. Perspective

John Bellinger, Matthew C. Waxman, David J. Scheffer and Jeffrey Toobin — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:49:19 -0400

Do current trends in international law threaten U.S. sovereignty? What international legal or normative restraints on the use of force should the United States accept and promote? What should be the place of international law in U.S. jurisprudence? What attitude should the United States take toward the International Criminal Court?

The Financial Crisis And Global Financial And Monetary Cooperation

Daniel W. Drezner, Steven Dunaway, Sebastian Mallaby and Michael J. Elliott — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:39:45 -0400

What new forms of international financial and monetary coordination and regulation are required in light of the global economic crisis? How should the United States work to reform the Bretton Woods Institutions? Should the BRICs and other developing countries have an increased role at the IMF and World Bank? What are the preconditions for a U.S.-China bargain on global monetary and financial issues?

Tackling Climate Change

Paula J. Dobriansky, Bill Antholis, Michael A. Levi and Jessica T. Mathews — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:28:32 -0400

What will be the most effective forums for international cooperation in regulating the global commons, and what leadership role should the United States play on these issues? What are the prospects for a climate change agreement at Copenhagen in 2009, and what role should the United States play? What are the prospects for "mini-lateral" cooperation-especially between the United States, European Union, China, and India-among major emitter countries?

The Global Response To The Swine Influenza

Laurie A. Garrett, James Traub and Stewart M. Patrick — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:11:37 -0400

Laurie A. Garrett speaks at CFR on the global response to the H1N1 virus.

Strengthening The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime

Charles Ferguson, Christopher A. Ford, Paul Lettow and Henry Sokolski — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:36:40 -0400

What stake does the United States have in the global nonproliferation regime as it currently exists? What are the risks and rewards of bilateral arrangements with countries such as India? How can loopholes in the NPT be closed? Should the United States ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty? What are the lessons of voluntary initiatives, such as the Proliferation Security Initiative, for a coalition approach to nonproliferation?

"War of Necessity" with Richard Haass

Richard N. Haass and David Remnick — Fri, 08 May 2009 11:47:57 -0400

A Council on Foreign Relations meeting on President Richard Haass's new book, War of Necessity, War of Choice: A Memoir of Two Iraq Wars.

International Affairs And Obama's First 100 Days: Policies, Priorities And Politics

Samuel R. Berger, Lawrence S. Eagleburger and David E. Sanger — Thu, 07 May 2009 13:58:22 -0400

In testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee this week, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton cited the top priorities of the Obama administration as "existing and emerging challenges" that would not only define Barack Obama's presidency but also "shape our century." As the administration passes the hundred-day mark, join Samuel Berger and Lawrence Eagleburger for a discussion of foreign policy during President Obama's time in office thus far.

American Leadership And Global Governance In An Age Of Nonpolarity

Thu, 07 May 2009 10:16:13 -0400

An Unsettling Settlement: The 1922 Middle East Peace Agreement Seen Today

David Fromkin and Harold M. Evans — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:35:45 -0400

David Fromkin, professor of international relations, history, and law at Boston University and author of Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East, analyzes how the 1922 division of the Ottoman Empire continues to affect the Middle East.

Ferguson-Scowcroft Conference Call

Charles D. Ferguson and Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft — Fri, 01 May 2009 11:54:17 -0400

This Council on Foreign Relations press conference call discussed the release of the report of the independent task force on U.S. nuclear weapons policy.

Philanthropy and U.S. Foreign Policy

Carol C. Adelman, Jane M. Wales and Trevor Neilson — Fri, 01 May 2009 09:09:37 -0400

This Council on Foreign Relations panel discussion covered current trends in philanthropy.

Global Health Crisis: Swine Flu

Laurie A. Garrett and Robert McMahon — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:20:15 -0400

A Council on Foreign Relations media conference call about the current state of the swine flu outbreak.