Washington, DC (JBANC) --- Following recent important foreign policy trips by President Obama to Moscow and Vice President Biden to Ukraine and Georgia, the Central and East European Coalition (CEEC), an assembly of 18 ethnic organizations representing the communities of Central and East European descent, had an opportunity to meet with the principal architects for the Obama Administration’s foreign policy agenda.

In an hour-long discussion at the National Security Council on Wednesday, August 26th, the CEEC met with Antony J. Blinken, Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor to the Vice President, and Michael A. McFaul, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russia and Eurasia at the National Security Council. Also participating in the meeting was Leslie Hayden, Director for Russia at the NSC.

The purpose of the meeting was to be de-briefed on the both the Moscow and Ukraine and Georgia trips, as well as to discuss pertinent foreign policy issues regarding the region. The CEEC issues broached at the meeting included the missile defense shield; the strategic partnerships and commissions established with Ukraine and Georgia; energy and cyber security; the defense of human rights and liberties in the region, and the Armenia and Turkey rapprochement.

Members of the CEEC also had an opportunity to meet with representatives of the Office of Public Engagement, who will be responsible for interacting with the various ethnic communities.

Participants from the CEEC included Marju Rink-Abel, President of the Estonian American National Council, and Karl Altau, Managing Director of the Joint Baltic American National Committee, Inc. The American Latvian Association and the Lithuanian American Council are also CEEC member organizations. The CEEC was founded in 1994.

JBANC represents the Estonian American National Council, Inc., the American Latvian Association, Inc., and the Lithuanian American Council, Inc.

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