LEWISTON, Maine -- The president of the Moscow Public Science Foundation will discuss "Management, Military Reform and Law (Local Government)" at Bates College Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Muskie Archives. The public is invited to attend free of charge.

An expert for the committee on foreign relations of the Russian State Duma, Andrei V. Kortunov has taken an active role in U.S.-Russian joint ventures for the purpose of military conversion within the former Soviet region. He also is a columnist for the Moscow News and has written for the Washington Post, the London Times, Newsweek and Zie Deutsche Zeitung.

A frequent commentator on the News Hour with Jim Lehrer and National Public Radio, Kortunov's professional analysis on security issues often is sought by the international broadcast media. Kortunov is the author of more than 100 publications analyzing U.S.-Soviet relations, international security and Soviet domestic and foreign policy. The coordinator of multiple international security projects throughout Europe and Asia, he works extensively with the global academic community.

Kortunov holds a degree in history from the Moscow State College of International Relations and has pursued postgraduate studies at the Institute of the U.S.A. and Canada, where he served until recently as deputy director and head of the foreign policy department.