19 November 2022 Meeting

AFIO/ME Meeting
November 19, 2022, 2 p.m.
Brick Store Museum Program Center
4 Dane Street, Kennebunk, ME

The Caucasus and Central Asia: Russia’s Southern Front

Our next meeting of AFIO (Association of Former Intelligence Officers) will be on Saturday, November 19th, with Ambassador (RET) Robert Cekuta.  He will address the topic of Russia’s ambitions of regaining the former Soviet Union intermingled with China, Iran, and Turkey also having a special focus on the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Ambassador Cekuta has an extensive background as a top-level U.S. diplomat including ambassador to Azerbaijan; and overseas postings that have taken him to embassies in Berlin, Tokyo, Albania, Yemen, Baghdad, Kabul, and Vienna. In the past he has been deeply involved with energy resources, sanctions, and security issues. His extensive efforts have resulted in a variety of prestigious awards.

For his presentation Ambassador Cekuta will discuss the Russian interests in regaining this region with rich resources of oil, gas, and uranium while some countries want to keep the independence they gained 30 years ago. China, Iran and Turkey have special interests in Central Asia along with threats of terrorism, religious extremism, and drug trafficking. Ambassador Cekuta will look at this evolving situation in this strategic part of the world and what the U.S. needs to do to advance our geostrategic interests there.

This the latest is a series of discussions relating to the importance of Intelligence in current public affairs. The AFIO meeting is open to the public and will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the Brick Store Museum Program Center, which is behind the Museum at 4 Dane Street, Kennebunk, Maine. A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation.