September 19, 2020

200917 Meeting Minutes

Minutes of meeting

 

Bloc’s Name: Foreign Policies Bloc

Coordinator’s Name: Makram Zeenny

Date: 17/09/2020

Guests: Paula Ghantous – Camille Ammoun

Attendees: Najwa Baroodi, Walid Chahine, Walid Abou Samah, Rabih El Hajji, Makram Zeenny

 

Summary of Meeting Minutes:

A) Briefing and discussing with the guests about the work plan

B) Discussing organizational topics

C) Checking input of members about target countries studies

D) Miscellaneous

Decisions and To Do Lists with Time frame:

A) The guests were briefed about the work done by the bloc in addition to its future plans. The bloc invited the guests to check the webpage of the bloc.

B) The Coordinator informed the presents (And through this MoM informs the absentees) that all past MoM’s have been uploaded on the bloc’s webpage and this one will be too moreover as of Saturday September 19, 2020 all the documents prepared by the members will be uploaded on the webpage.

C) The target countries have been allotted and/or delivered:

1. Makram Zeenny:
   1. How Russia of nowadays apply its Foreign Policy through examples (Nagorno Karabagh) sent by mail and uploaded
   2. Algeria as it is related to the East Mediterranean and Gas/energy and its history and superpowers interventions are needed to be known. Already Submitted by e-mail to all and uploaded
   3. The Guardians of the revolution (Iran). Already Submitted by e-mail to all and uploaded
   4. The Turkey of Erdogan. Already Submitted by e-mail to all and uploaded
   5. China of Xi Jimping: What are its international ambitions? To be submitted in October / November
   6. USA strategies in the Middle-East. To be submitted in October / November

1. Najwa Baroodi: Syria History and present situation that can affect Lebanon. Sent by mail and uploaded
2. Walid Chahine: Israel History and causes of hegemony on Lebanon. Date TBD by Walid
3. Diva Chbeir: UAE History and importance in the region (Economy and policy). Date TBD by Diva
4. Jean-Luc Imbert: France History and regional interests. To be submitted during 13/20 – 09 - 2020

D) Miscellaneous: Rabih El Hajji voiced a concern related to the Lebanese in the UAE and Bahrain having businesses. The Commerce Minister of the UAE informed them that Israeli companies will be visiting the UAE with a request to meet with Local companies. The issue is that their competitors of the same fields will have an edge over them in case they go along with the request

Action/Discussion during the next meeting:

- Rabih El Hajji will be a short bullet pointed document briefing the bloc

- The bloc will prepare a potential action plan to submit to all those interested to help

- Check which of the members has finished the study of the target country allotted to him/her.

NEXT NEETING TBD according to future contacts made by coordinator