Casey Institute Salutes Ed Meese; New York Symposium Warns Of Emerging Crises In Global Markets

(Washington, D.C.): On 13 March 1997,
the William J. Casey Institute of the
Center for Security Policy marked the
occasion of the eighty-fourth birthday of
the man for whom it is named by hosting a
major conference in New York City. The
subject was one near-and-dear to Bill
Casey’s heart: “The Growing Nexus
Between Geopolitics and the
Markets.”

Immediately preceding this symposium
— the second in a series of semi-annual
meetings⁽¹⁾
to be convened on an alternating basis in
Washington and New York — an elegant
luncheon was held to salute Edwin
Meese III. In the presence of
Mr. Casey’s widow, Sophia Casey,
and his daughter, Bernadette
Casey Smith, and over one
hundred and twenty well-wishers drawn
from Wall Street, Washington and around
the Nation, Mr. Meese was awarded the
inaugural “Casey Medal of
Honor.” This tribute recognized his
tireless public service over the past
three decades, culminating with his
appointment by President Ronald Reagan as
the Seventy-fifth Attorney General of the
United States.

Among the corporate and industry
leaders representing many facets of
international business and finance,
former government officials, attorneys,
diplomats and members of the media in
attendance were: Robert Bartley,
the Pulitzer Prize winning
Editor-in-Chief of the Wall Street
Journal; former Secretary of Defense
Donald Rumsfeld; the
Chairman of J.F. Lehman & Co. and
former Secretary of the Navy John
F. Lehman; one of Secretary
Lehman’s successors as Navy Secretary, Sean
O’Keefe; John O’Sullivan,
Editor of the National Review
and representatives from Solomon
Brothers, Smith Barney, Moody’s Investor
Services, Bankers Trust, Bear Stearns and
U.S. Trust.

Mr. Meese was introduced by Evan
Galbraith — whose service as
U.S. Ambassador to France during the
Reagan Administration and accomplished
Wall Street career were very much in the
Bill Casey mold. The “Casey
Medal” was presented to Mr. Meese by
Mrs. Casey and her daughter. Closing
remarks were offered by Roger W.
Robinson, Jr., the current
holder of the Institute’s William J.
Casey Chair.

Immediately following the luncheon,
participants took part in a half-day
symposium, also held at the prestigious
Harvard Club. The lead discussants for
this lively and thought-provoking session
were: Mr. Bartley, who provided a
“Strategic Overview of Breaking
Geopolitical Flashpoints”; Secretary
Lehman, who outlined “The Likely
Evolution of the International Economic
Security Portfolio Under Current U.S.
Leadership”; and Mr. Robinson, who
elaborated on “Potential Policy
Initiatives Aimed at Mitigating the Risks
to U.S. Economic and Financial
Security.”

While no effort was made to reach a
group consensus, it was clear that the
majority of panelists and participants
appreciate the growing interaction of
international developments and global
currency, equities and credit markets —
a reality that obliges U.S. business and
government leaders to monitor such
political, national security and economic
developments around the world with ever
greater care.

The Casey Institute, and the Center
for Security Policy of which it is a
part, are dedicated to encouraging and
supporting that sort of real-time
strategic tracking. These institutions
were proud to host the luncheon honoring
a great American and the Casey symposium
addressing the nexus between geopolitics
and the markets.

Those interested in participating in
the next Casey symposium, tentatively
scheduled for June 1997 in Washington,
should write to or fax the Center — as
should those interested in receiving href=”index.jsp?section=papers&code=97-R_45at”> a summary of the
day’s proceedings, which will be made
available shortly.

– 30 –

1. For more on the
first such gathering, see Center
Inaugurates William J. Casey Institute
With Symposium On Emerging Crisis In The
Caspian Basin ( href=”index.jsp?section=papers&code=96-R_27″>No. 96-R 27,
14 March 1996) and New
Institute Launched With Tribute To Bill
Casey As Steve Forbes Provides Seminal
Security Policy Address ( href=”index.jsp?section=papers&code=96-R_28″>No. 96-R 28,
15 March 1996).