Slovenian Ambassador Speaks on Yugoslavia
The Department of International Relations and the Bilkent Diplomacy Club jointly facilitated a presentation by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Milan Jazbec, Ambassador of Slovenia, on the subject of the dissolution of Yugoslavia. The ambassador began by discussing the origins of Pan-Slavism and the eventual formation of a state. He proceeded by tracing the political culture and nature of the state from foundation following the First World War until dissolution in the 1990s, drawing upon the difficulties of the variety of languages, religions, and ethnicities which were found within Yugoslavia's borders as well the uniqueness of Yugoslavia's non-aligned foreign policy throughout the Cold War.
The Ambassador concluded his presentation by pointing out that the disintegration process in Yugoslavia was mirrored throughout the region He said, "During the end of the Cold War era, we witnessed on the broad international arena a huge wave of disintegration and integration at the same time in the former Czechoslovakia, the former Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia."
The event concluded with a brief question and answer session and the serving of refreshments.