To mark the forthcoming publication, the Baltic Defence College has the honour and pleasure to announce a public presentation of the book by Dr. Raimundas Lopata "ANATOMY OF A HOSTAGE: KALININGRAD ANNIVERSARY CASE" (Tartu: Baltic Defence College, 2006) which will take place at the Bjorn von Sudow Hall of the Baltic Defence College on 12 June, Monday, at 15.30hrs. Professor Raimundas Lopata is the Director of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science of Vilnius University - a renowned political science educational and research institution in Lithuania. Dr Lopata is one of the leading Lithuanian experts in geopolitics, Russian-Baltic and Russia-EU relations and developments in the post-Soviet space. As such, he is also heavily involved in the foreign policy initiatives and projects of Lithuania: for instance, a recent summit "Common Vision for Common Neighbourhood" (Vilnius Conference 2006) - a forum co-hosted by the Presidents of Lithuania and Poland (see www.vilniusconference2006.lt).

 

His latest book, to be published by the Baltic Defence College in June, focuses on the Kaliningrad District of the Russian Federation - an area which epitomizes in many ways Russia's search for identity, difficulties with state-building and democratisation as well as challenges of constructing positive relations with the neighbouring countries. Dr Lopata uses the episode of the 3-day celebration of the 750th Anniversary of Kaliningrad to organise the narrative of the book, starting with Kaliningrad's history and identity formation, going through its place in Russia's state-building project and ending with the instrumental role of Kaliningrad in shaping Russia's relations with Europe. The author, as a long-standing observer of Kaliningrad and a frequent visitor there, is very well positioned to convey a complex message of Kaliningrad's hostage-like situation in the region. The book definitely opens many issues for the discussion and will be of interest to policymakers and academia. The presentation on 12 June will open with the author's brief lecture on Kaliningrad, to be followed by his discussion with the audience. To register, please send an e-mail to Ditte Henriksen - [email protected]  not later than 7 June, Thursday. As the number of available seats is limited, earlier registrations will be given preferential treatment. We are looking forward to seeing you at the Baltic Defence College!