Tony Blair to become a special guest of the 5th annual meeting of Yalta European Strategy

British politician and public leader Mr. Anthony Charles Lynton (Tony) Blair who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 will arrive to Ukraine to participate in the 5th annual summit of the international network Yalta European Strategy (YES) on invitation of Mr. Victor Pinchuk, founder and the Board Member of YES.

As the special summit guest Mr. Tony Blair will speak at the plenary session in the evening of July 12.

"Having been at the helm of one of G7 key countries for more than ten years, Tony Blair is a personality of a unique experience and knowledge who has global approach to the modern world issues, Mr. Victor Pinchuk emphasized. - His contribution to discussion of the global challenges, which Ukraine as a part of a modern world faces today, will enable Ukrainian politicians and Ukrainian society to view the situation in the country within the international context as well as to take stock of strengths and weaknesses of our global positions to develop the strategies for the future".

Among the participants of the 5th annual YES summit are President of Poland Mr. Lech Kaczynski, IMF Managing Director Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, President of Poland in 1995-2005 and YES Board Member Mr. Aleksander Kwasniewski, Vice President of the European Parliament and YES Board Member Mr. Marek Siwiec.

The panel lists include the leading strategists of the largest US political parties - the Republican Karl Rove, the former Deputy Chief of Staff of President George W. Bush, main strategist of the presidential election campaigns of Mr. Bush and the Democrat Bob Shram, a political consultant of the election campaigns of Mr. Albert Gore and John Kerry. Mr. Richard Haas, the President of the Council on Foreign Relations, will act as panel moderator.

Over 160 politicians, public leaders, businessmen and diplomats from more than 20 countries of the world are expected to participate in the summit.

The purpose of the 5th annual YES summit is to discuss global modern challenges, their impact on Ukraine and Europe. The summit will focus on the new threats and opportunities triggered by the global financial and food crises, new EU configuration and the future of Lisbon treaty, energy security, strategies for EU, the Black Sea region and Ukraine. Special sessions will feature analysis of political development of Ukraine and its EU integration.

Background information

The Yalta European Strategy, YES, is an independent international network that brings together prominent politicians, business and society leaders and journalists to support Ukraine's reforms and its eventual accession to the EU.

Since 2004, participants of the Yalta Annual Meetings have included 42th president of the USA William Clinton, German Chancellor (1998-2005) Gerhard Schroeder, President of Poland (1995-2005) Aleksandr Kwasniewski, President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko, Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Jansa, Prime Minister of Croatia Ivo Sanader and Vice President of the European Parliament Marek Siwiec.

The 3rd Yalta Annual Meeting (2006) launched Agenda 2020, a strategy of Ukraine's accession to the EU. The key political outcome of the 4th Yalta Annual Meeting (2007) was the recognition of Ukraine's European prospects by leading representatives of political elites of Europe, the U.S. and Russia.

Between annual summits YES organizes research and opinion surveys, forums and debates on key issues of Ukraine-EU relations.

Since 2005, YES has performed opinion surveys in the EU member states about Ukraine's European prospects. In 2007, YES organized a European debate forum in Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk.

Since 2007, the YES Summer University fosters dialogue and networking between future political leaders of the EU and Ukraine.

In April 2008, YES organized an international forum on the future deep free trade area between Ukraine and the EU.

YES was founded in July 2004 by Ukrainian businessman and society leader Victor Pinchuk.

For more information please visit YES website: www.yes-ukraine.org.

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