Villa Cordellina Lombardi di Montecchio Maggiore, Vicenza October 5 2001

    Second Tentative schedule, September 14, 2001
 

    After the acts of war against the United States of America perpetrated on September 11 in New York and Washington, the meeting at    Villa Cordellina has been reassessed so as to include some of the numerous aspects imposed by such dramatic circumstances.
    The scope of this impromptu meeting has been considerably enlarged - as suggested by the new subtitle - thus transforming this    first event at Villa Cordellina into a conference that will open the European debate on the new strategy required in order to fight an   exceedingly cruel and elusive enemy. The conference updates and enlarges the results of the Public Hearing of September 10 in    Brussels on "The US missile defense initiative: Europe's response".

    Registration of participants will begin at 9.30 am, October 5. The conference will close at 5 pm the same day. Lunch will be inside
    the Palladian Villa Cordellina, not far from Vicenza.
    A score of panelists will introduce the subjects. Considering mounting requests, the organizers have decided to extend the qualified   audience from forty to sixty people. They will be able to ask questions and to discuss with speakers during informal breaks.

    European as well as US experts will join in. Space and airspace security, intelligence, missile defense, sensors and radars will be    discussed.

    Italy's Defense Minister, Mr. Antonio Martino, will not be able to participate due to emerging NATO engagements outside Italy. The    Italian Government and the Military Staff will be adequately represented nevertheless. Dr. Umberto Giovine, PDG of The European
    Institute for World and Space Affairs, will introduce the conference speaking about missile threats by actual and potential "rogue    states" against the US, Europe and Russia. Pending confirmation, Prof. Edward Luttwak will outline the new grand strategy required    by advanced democracies in view of the new threats of widespread terrorism and of government-supported terrorist attacks.

    Prof. Gianni De Michelis, Italy's former minister of Foreign Affairs, will examine the political aspects of the involvement of Italy and    other NATO countries.

    NATO's representative, Dr. Ted Whiteside, Head of Weapon and Ballistic Missile - Political Affairs, will make his presentation with a    general appraisal of state-of-the-art missile defense as seen by the Atlantic Alliance.

    Admiral Vincenzo Ascoli, vicepresident of ASI, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, will speak on the possible involvement of space agencies in   defense efforts worldwide.

    Prof. Manfred Fuchs, head of the Fuchs Gruppe, will speak on Germany's and Europe's participation in satellite systems for defense.

    Prof. Stefano Silvestri, president of Italy's Istituto Affari Internazionali, will analyze recent international developments and put them into     perspective.

    Dr. Giorgio Zappa, president of Alenia Spazio, will speak on present and potential technological and industrial participation in    missile defense projects.

    Comm. Vincent Calderon III, who flew 46 combat missions over Iraq during the Gulf War, also qualifies as an airline transport pilot,    will explain the dynamics of air space security and the use of military aircrafts to protect air traffic.

    Ing. Paolo Nespoli, Italian astronaut of the ESA Program, will share his experience of the European and the US aeronautic and    space environment.

    Prof. Ezio Bussoletti will speak on technological and scientific European reactions to present confrontations.

    Confirmations are still pending, as of September 14, from other persons invited, like: Gen. Di Paola, Prof. Michael Krepon, Brig. Gen.    Jean-Louis Fabre, Amm. Fulvio Martini, Gianandrea Gaiani, Jean-Pierre Darnis, The Hon. Philip E. Coyle, Prof. John Newhouse, Ing.    Silvano Casini, Ing. Giovanni Scerch, Michele Nones.

    Information was also being forwarded to: Lt. Gen. Joseph Cosumano, Dr. James L. Lindsay, Dr. Michael E. O'Hanlon, J. David     Martin, Dr. Alexander Konovalov, Sharon Riggle, Dr. Bruno Tetrais, Klaus Arnold Oberst a.D., Tim Hare, Brad Knopp, Paul Keetch,   Brad Roberts, Paul Schulte.

    President Brent Scowcroft will not be able to intervene, as he will be attending a wedding in California at the time. We will keep him    posted, and later will ask for his opinion.

    On October 6, at Vicenza's SAT Expo - Europe's largest commercial satellite exhibit - the 3rd Italian Aerospace Forum will take place,     with Italy's minister for Industry and Trade Mr. Antonio Marzano participating, together with many protagonists of the European
    aerospace industry.
 

    The next and final program will be forwarded by September 28