page_title: Halifax International Security Forum
section_title: 2014 forum
hierarchical_section_title: Halifax International Security Forum / Annual forum / Key themes / 2014 forum
caption_attribution_description: English: Senator John McCain (R-AZ) speaks during a press conference held by the US congressional delegation at the Halifax International Security Forum 2014. He is joined (left to right) by Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA), Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), Representative Mike Pompeo (R-KS), Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Senator-elect Tom Cotton (R-AR), Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), and Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI).
context_page_description: Halifax International Security Forum is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. It is a forum and network for international government and military officials, academic experts, authors and entrepreneurs. Halifax Forum addresses global security issues.
  The forum is best known for its annual security summit in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The meeting brings together more than 300 delegates from over 70 countries and has been referred to by media as "The Davos of international security". This summit is the only event of its kind in North America. The 10th Halifax Forum was held from 16 to 18 November 2018.
context_section_description: The armed conflict in Ukraine was a key issue at the 2014 Halifax International Security Forum. Canadian Minister of National Defence Rob Nicholson, who also held the forum's opening speech, in a panel discussion called on Russia to get out of Ukraine describing the situation there as "completely unacceptable". He emphasized the Canadian commitment to oppose the conflict and accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of ignorance. "It’s certainly my hope and the hope of everyone that he does get the message", Nicholson declared. "We are not going to let up on this… Whether it takes five years or 50, the people of Ukraine deserve the freedom that they deserve, that they fought for", the minister promised. Nicholson's cabinet colleague, Justice Minister Peter MacKay, called it "telling" that none of the delegates from Russia were representing their government. In view of the Ukrainian conflict Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves opposed Russian propaganda and warned that "many things that Europe often takes for granted are under threat today". Ilves also described the conflict's negative consequences for global nuclear disarmament as Ukraine in 1994 gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange of international security promises and "when it comes to guaranteeing their territorial integrity, nothing is done".
  Less than a month after the terror attacks of Quebec and Ottawa, the forum's opening session addressed North American security. The session, moderated by Tom Clark, was recorded and was broadcast on The West Block, a Canadian Sunday political show. Minister Nicholson stated that Canada was willing to enter a more integrated common defense strategy with the US. This would not affect Canadian sovereignty, Nicholson emphasized.
  From the US, nine members of Congress attended the forum. This largest congressional delegation ever to visit Canada was led by the Senators John McCain and Tim Kaine.  At a forum panel examining America's role as a "indispensable superpower" McCain and Kaine confirmed their optimism about the future of the US. Both senators agreed that US President Barack Obama should have sought congressional authorization to conduct operations against ISIL. "You can't ask people to risk their lives, risk getting killed, seeing other folks getting killed or injured if Congress isn't willing to do the job to put their thumbprint on this and say, this is a national mission and worth it", Kaine said during the panel. "I totally agree with Tim, and I do think it's very important for the president to come over with the authorization that he wants", McCain added. Regarding the Keystone XL pipeline, Senator Kaine at the forum also explained why in the previous week he had voted against a Senate bill to approve the project due to environmental reasons.
  Senator McCain, against the backdrop of the failing negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program in Vienna and its repeated extension, criticized the US diplomacy and drew parallels to North Korea. McCain told the audience that North Korea was in command of nuclear weapons and delivery systems and called this a "wake up call". The senator's statement was confirmed by General Charles H. Jacoby, outgoing commander of NORAD and US Northern Command, who referred to North Korea as a "practical threat" due to its nuclear and ballistic capabilities.
  Abdullah Gül, the former Turkish president, at the forum spoke about the persistent instability in the Middle East. "The key term to express the gravity of the situation in the region at present can be ‘frustration’", Gül told the audience. He also responded to concerns related to interior developments in Turkey. It was Gül’s first public appearance since departing the presidency.
  On Saturday afternoon, the forum's president, Peter Van Praagh, issued a statement that the ISIL terror group was sending messages to the forum's staff and participants and also using #HISF2014, the forum's hashtag, to spread a propaganda video.  The ISIL terror in the Middle East was debated in several Forum panels. Further topics of the 2014 Forum were African
caption: Senator John McCain speaks during a press conference held by the US congressional delegation at HISF 2014
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