This Public Forum will bring together leading international experts on Central Asia to discuss recent research findings regarding the political, economic and social factors affecting the prospects of peace and stability in the region, as well as relevant environmental issues.

In the area of peace and governance, Dr. Irina Zviagelskaya, Vice President of the International Center for Strategic and Political Studies in Moscow, will inform on security issues in Central Asia. Dr. John Schoeberlein, Director of the Forum for Central Asian Studies at Harvard University, will give a presentation on Islam, political order and social transformation in the region. Dr. Agadjan G. Babaev, Director of the National Research and Training Centre on Desertification Control in Turkmenistan, and Dr. Baktiyor Mardonov of the Samarkand Division of Uzbek's Academy of Sciences will introduce recent issues in environment and sustainable development, focusing on desertification and water resources, respectively.

This Public Forum is part of the "Akino Memorial Research Project" on peace and environment in Central Asia and neighbouring regions, undertaken by the UNU in memory of the late Dr. Yutaka Akino with the support of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Dr. Akino was killed in July 1998 while on active service as a Civil Affairs Officer of the United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT).

A copy of the programme is attached. The forum is open to the public, although advance registration is required. Registration form is available at http://archive.unu.edu/hq/japanese/akino-j/ReplySheet-Forum2002.doc.

Media representatives are cordially invited to attend. Simultaneous Japanese-English-Russian interpretation will be provided.