Is Mr. Musk’s AI moratorium a subterfuge to aid others in catching up with ChatGPT?

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<strong>Is Mr. Musk’s AI moratorium a subterfuge to aid others in catching up with ChatGPT?</strong>

By Dr. Robert Suzic

Summary: Whereas ChatGPT is an innovative AI tool, it does not produce ground-breaking content and is not a new AI brain. Despite its benefits in language enhancement, coding efficiency, and storytelling, prominent figures such as Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak express deep concerns about potential risks of the technology and are calling for its six-month long moratorium. However, some motives for their concerns may be impeding competition or overhyping the technology in order to acquire additional funding for their ideas.

Risks such as biased training data, commodification of knowledge that may jeopardize information, and personal data protection issues are valid AI-specific concerns. The proposed AI development moratorium is likely an illusion. Instead of stopping AI-development, embracing change, educating oneself about ethical AI, and improving the responsiveness of watchdog organizations can be more effective in addressing these challenges while maintaining AI’s positive contributions to society.

Many who have delved deeper into ChatGPT realize that it doesn’t produce ground-breaking, awe-inspiring content. Although innovative, it remains a somewhat mediocre tool when compared to truly creative content creation by a human. Indeed, it can be highly beneficial for language enhancement, coding efficiency, storytelling, and fact presentation. Yet, it also can be likened to an average politician who lacks expertise in every issue but always has an opinion, and can deceive without remorse.

Geoffrey Hinton, often considered the godfather of artificial intelligence for his early advocacy of neural network-based machine learning, also asserts, in his CBS interview[1],  that ChatGPT isn’t particularly impressive from an AI reasoning standpoint. OpenAI, the organization behind ChatGPT has never claimed that the ChatGPT is an all-powerful AI. Thus is ChatGPT a new AI brain? The answer is no. However, it can supplement aspects of our brain’s linguistic centre’s capabilities. The key distinction with rational humans is that it isn’t designed to make decisions. Nevertheless, AI in general and ChatGPT can offer valuable insights for decision-making. These insights should always be scrutinized, just as we would with any advice received from an advisor. We, humans should mentally adjust that what computer says is not always necessary fact or true, it is just an output to be interpreted.

Then why are notable figures like Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and co-founder of OpenAI, Steve Wozniak Apple co-founder who praised ChatGPT in a CNBC interview last month, and Professor Russel, a general AI pioneer, voicing their concerns in an open letter titled “Pause Giant AI Experiments[2]“?

Although ChatGPT’s algorithms are largely open, OpenAI has devoted an immense amount of time to training and fine-tuning it. Competitors appear to be trailing behind and may want to catch up. Mr. Musk, in particular, might be even more discontented since he sold OpenAPI for 30 times less than its current valuation. He announced just a month ago that he is considering starting a rival AI business. Thus, why not first impede the competition? The second motive could be overhyping ChatGPT and chatbot technology, turning it into something it is not—an all-powerful vicious and uncontrollable AI brain. In this way it is easier to securing funding for a new “holy grail” technology project.

Upon examining the references in the Open Letter, it becomes clear that many of the risks apply to any information system, whether AI-based or a conventional one, such as producing inaccurate or unreliable outputs. Many old 10+ years information systems contain millions of lines of code where oversight of business logic is almost impossible to grasp. Nonetheless, three primary AI-specific risks should not be simply overlooked, and those are:

  1. Biases in training data, which can perpetuate stereotypes, spread abusive language, and inflict psychological harm. In the case of ChatGPT, OpenAI dedicated considerable effort to cleaning the text used for training. While one might argue that OpenAI’s approach was exemplary, Time Magazine reported that some of ChatGPT’s contractors were remunerated a meagre wage of 2 USD per hour in Kenya, and subsequently experienced psychological harm[3] while cleaning the text used for training.
  2. Easier security breaches with ChatGPT – Since ChatGPT simplifies software development and can mimic “company language,” it may also be exploited by less tech-savvy malicious actors. In other words, one doesn’t need to be an expert like Mr. Robot to compromise information security.
  3. Intellectual and personal data protection – This issue calls for greater transparency in AI model training to ensure that no legal violations occur.

In conclusion:

• Embrace change and boost productivity – The proposed moratorium or slowing down of AI development is more of an illusion and a call for media attention to initiate a much-needed broader discussion. If we slow in down in the West, China will take the AI-lead. Instead of slowing down, we should focus on AI-utilization as well as increasing productivity in the context of an already fragile global economy.

• Educate yourself – Rather than hindering AI development, why not embrace the inclusion of responsible (ethical) AI in university curricula? AI companies should also be more transparent about their data handling practices and algorithms they use. Additionally, professional courses on this subject should be offered. Becoming informed before forming an opinion on a topic should be a guiding principle.

• Watchdog organizations should be able to react more quickly – AI -or for that matter Blockchain-regulation should address the most prominent risks. Lawmakers, industry experts, and public representatives should collaborate to regulate only the most urgent aspects, rather than indiscriminately prohibit anything with a self-improving nature that could ultimately help humanity cure diseases, or make the world a better place.

[1] CBS interview with Geoffrey Hinton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpoRO378qRY

[2] Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter https://futureoflife.org/open-letter/pause-giant-ai-experiments/

[3] OpenAI Used Kenyan Workers on Less Than $2 Per Hour to Make ChatGPT Less Toxic – https://time.com/6247678/openai-chatgpt-kenya-workers/

About the author:

Dr. Robert Suzic

Dr. Robert Suzic – Technology PhD degree from KTH – The Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, and holds a track record of 23 years professional experience in the Information Technology field

Meeting H.E. Ms. Carolina Olarte Bácares, Colombia’s Ambassador in The Hague

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<strong>Meeting H.E. Ms. Carolina Olarte Bácares, Colombia’s Ambassador in The Hague</strong>

After a long academic career in the field of international law, H.E. Ms. Carolina Olarte Bácares has become the Ambassador of Colombia to the Netherlands. Within the broad portfolio in her hands, she plans to focus on three issues in particular: peace, just energy transition, and women.

On January 25th, 2023, H.E. Ms. Carolina Olarte Bácares presented her credentials to His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, thus officially becoming the Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia in The Hague.

The new Ambassador brings with her an impressive amount of expertise in the domain of international law, owing to her academic engagement in this domain during the past two decades. Starting with a Bachelor of Laws at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana of Bogota in 2001, in the span of 19 years Ms. Olarte Bácares went on to become the Dean of her alma mater’s Law School.

In between, a number of successes in the academic world and beyond: a Master of Research in International Law from Robert Schuman University in France, a PhD in International Law at university Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, teaching, research and guest lecturing positions at several prestigious universities across the Americas and Europe, as well as professional engagements with the UNHCR and the International Bar Association.

Owing to this long-standing career, The Hague is not a new city for Ms. Olarte Bácares, who has been a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, as well as an agent of Colombia before the International Court of Justice.

In this new role, her task – representing Colombia in the Netherlands – is a broader one, but one that the new Ambassador is taking up with excitement. “For a Colombian lawyer and international jurist like me, promoting the interests of Colombia in The Hague is undoubtedly a very significant opportunity” – H.E. Ms. Olarte Bácares said during the inauguration remarks following the presentation of her credentials.

Reflecting the breadth of the bilateral ties between Colombia and the Netherlands, the Ambassador’s portfolio is set to be a vast one. Within this broader framework, the Ambassador plans to focus on three specific areas: peace, a just energy transition, and women. After presenting these three priority areas during her inauguration remarks, the Ambassador discussed them in depth with Diplomat Magazine Publisher Ms. Mayelinne De Lara.

The Ambassador’s focus on peace reflects the strong focus adopted by her government on the “Total Peace Policy”, which seeks to achieve peace in the country by negotiating with all armed group, as well as by including local communities in the negotiations.

For the implementation of this policy, Colombia plans to work with its international partners, including the Netherlands, who have already been providing their support to the building of peace in the country – the Ambassador noted. “Total peace also implies constant collaboration with international criminal law institutions, such as the International Criminal Court, from a constructive and increasingly positive perspective of complementarity.”

The peace process in Colombia has included the creation of a number of innovative, ad hoc institutions such as the Special Jurisdiction for Peace and the Truth Commission. “One of my aims as Ambassador – Ms. Olarte Bácares told Diplomat Magazine – is to explain abroad the details of this long-term peace laboratory that we are going through in Colombia. This experience is very innovative, and it could be extremely useful for other countries and in other contexts.”

As a second priority for her mandate, the Ambassador stressed that “Colombia has a fundamental interest in strengthening bilateral relations with the Netherlands in favor of its energy transition and the promotion of renewable energies.” Colombia sees itself as a ‘world power for life’, and as such it is “committed to a just energy transition that responds to the global crisis generated by climate change” – she added.

Areas of focus for Colombia are the development of solar and wind power capacity, as well as the implementation of green hydrogen projects and the strengthening of a circular economy. In these areas, there is a lot of room for cooperation with the Netherlands – the Ambassador told Diplomat Magazine. For instance, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Colombia and the Port of Rotterdam, to enable the stocking of green hydrogen and its transport to Europe.

Delving into her third priority area, women, the Ambassador explained that Colombia is currently in the process of drafting a feminist foreign policy based on three key premises: pacifism, intersectionality, and  participation. “This policy addresses the root causes of gender inequality in the country and helps us bring them to international arenas with the aim of working together with others to overcome these causes” – the Ambassador noted. “The collaborative work that we can promote from the Colombian Embassy in the Netherlands, both bilaterally and multilaterally, will be decisive in advancing this purpose” – she added.

During her conversation with Diplomat Magazine, Ambassador Olarte Bácares also voiced her desire to further strengthen existing cooperation mechanisms for knowledge exchange – an area naturally dear to her owing to her academic background. The Ambassador praised the role of Dutch-funded programmes is this domain – such as the Orange Knowledge Program, which helps people from rural and conflict-affected areas to access quality education. She also noted the existence of networks of Colombian researchers and professors in the Netherlands, and expressed her interest in supporting them to grow further.

The diplomatic community of the Netherlands wishes Ambassador Olarte Bácares and her staff all the best for bringing forward this ambitious agenda in the coming years!

Indonesia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2023 and ASEAN – EU Cooperation

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<strong>Indonesia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2023 and ASEAN – EU Cooperation</strong>

By H.E. Mr. Andri Hadi, Ambassador of Indonesia to the EU, Embassy to Belgium and Luxembourg

The competition for power was indeed one of the raison d’etre of the establishment of ASEAN in which our founding fathers foresaw during the Cold War era. Therefore, the concept of geopolitical rivalries in the region is not something new, in which currently is predominantly portrayed by the US and China, especially in the South China Sea and in the Taiwan Strait. While ASEAN continues to aspire to be the driving force in the region, the geopolitical rivalries between the two superpowers present a challenge for ASEAN to maintain its unity and centrality.

The global economy is entering a pronounced slowdown amid the threat of the COVID-19 variants and rising inflation, debt, and income inequality that could jeopardize the recovery in developing countries. This situation is further exacerbated by food and energy insecurity due to the war in Ukraine. The conflict has affected food production and global supply chains. In addition, the conflict has negatively affected the world energy supply chain, especially in Europe.

Amid the regional and global challenges mentioned above, Indonesia took over the ASEAN chairmanship in 2023 from Cambodia. Indonesia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2023 theme is ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth. The theme reflects Indonesia and ASEAN’s vision to address the current regional and global challenges.

Under the theme ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth, Indonesia put forward three priorities for its Chairmanship in ASEAN 2023, namely: ASEAN Matters, Epicentrum of Growth, and Implementation of ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

The term “ASEAN Matters” refers to Indonesia’s vision to establish an ASEAN that maintains its relevance internally to its peoples and externally to the Indo-Pacific Region and the world. Epicentrum of growth means that ASEAN must always be the fulcrum of economic growth that is inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. The 4 cooperation priorities, are i) Strengthening ASEAN health architecture; ii) strengthening food security; iii) ensuring energy security to support the transition from fossil energy to clean and renewable energy; iv) strengthening financial stability.

Last but not least is the implementation of AOIP. Indonesia will identify a list of concrete projects for the implementation of AOIP that will include all ASEAN partners. Indonesia will convene several flagship events under the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum to implement AOIP. One flagship event is the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Infrastructure Forum toward the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AIPIF) to be held on 6 September 2023. Our chairmanship will also strengthen ASEAN relations with the Pacific.

ASEAN-EU cooperation would play a significant role among these three priorities, as long as it is based on the principle of equal partnership and respect. We must shift away from the assumption that “my standard is better than yours” as highlighted by President Joko Widodo during his opening remarks on The ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit held in Brussels on 14 December 2022.

The issuance of the EU’s Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, The Strategic Compass, and the Global Gateway, clearly indicate that the EU has a strong interest in increasing its presence and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Ultimately, there is a growing need for ASEAN and the EU to work together to ensure that the spirit of enduring collaboration in the region will prevail, not competition.

Under the framework of Global Gateway, for example, the President of the European Commission has announced 10 Billion Euro investment package until 2027 at the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit 2022, which will include green and digital transition sectors. There is also a commitment from the EU to provide 30 million Euro initial funding under the framework of ASEAN – Green Team Europe Initiative.

For further information 

Mission of Indonesia to the EU, Embassy to Belgium and Luxembourg: https://kemlu.go.id/brussels/en/pages/rbi/4191/etc-menu

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Photography by Mission of Indonesia to the EU 

The Miracle of Delft Blue – China’s gift to the World?

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The Miracle of Delft Blue – China’s gift to the World?

By Professor Richard Griffiths

In January I was showing my friend and colleague Sarah Ward the sights, including a visit to the Kunstmuseum Den Haag (The Hague Art Museum). Sarah is editing a book on China’s cultural influence along the (ancient) maritime silk road. If you visit the museum, you cannot miss the fact that it boasts an exhibition on the ‘The Miracle of Delft Blue’. “Who is writing that chapter?” I asked. The reply that she did not (yet) have a chapter on the subject, launched me on a wonderful journey of investigation and discovery. She has that chapter now. 

Let’s start with a few basics. First China’s blue and white export porcelain influenced blue and white ceramics everywhere. They are also blue and white. Second, for the Dutch, the experience with Chinese porcelain started in 1602, with the capture Chinese cargoes on board Portuguese vessels. It intensified after 1629 when the VOC (Dutch East India Company) established its own trade links with Chinese suppliers. And it ended in 1643 when civil war in China brought the trade to a forty-year-halt. Third, although the Dutch industry became almost exclusively identified with the city of Delft, it certainly did not start there. Delft began to penetrate the market only after the 1650s with an influx of producers from neighbouring cities. Finally, although Chinese patterns were initially imitated, before long the blue and white medium became an inspiration for innovation in both decoration and form.

The original Chinese export porcelain plates were Buddhist-inspired and typically had a flower, bird or insect in the main design and a rim divided into panels. We will stay with plates since they allow an easy comparison of different styles.  

Plate from the wreck of the Witte Leeuw, 1613 Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, NG-1977-167-W

However, the Dutch appetite for such designs soon waned, the prices they could commend fell and the VOC demanded new, more exotic designs – ‘Chinese figures, water, landscapes, pleasure houses…. with their boats, birds and animals (as) all this is well-liked in Europe.’ Since trade was disrupted before this could take effect, Dutch potters started making them themselves.

Plate by Willem Jansz. Verstraeten, Haarlem or Rotterdam 1650-60 Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, BK-NM-8242

Chinese porcelain did not arrive in a vacuum. Since the mid-16th century Dutch potters had been inspired by colourful ‘majolica’ ceramics whose colours and patterns had been introduced by Middle Eastern and Italian producers. It was not difficult to copy these designs into the new blue and white colour of Chinese imports.

Plate 1625-1635 Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, BK-1977-262

Another source of inspiration for the development of Dutch blue porcelain was the artistic milieu in the country itself. This was the ‘Golden Age’ of Dutch art which stretched from paintings to engravings and ceramics. The interrelationship was personal as well as intellectual since potters, engravers, glass makers, tapestry weavers, faiencers, booksellers, sculptors as well as painters were all members of the Guild of Saint Luke. If we look at Delft in the 1650s, ‘artist painters’, like and Jan Vermeer, made up only half of the 109-membership. Copies from engravings were exceedingly popular. The one below is a copy of an engraving of an Old Testament scene of an angel stopping Abraham from killing his own son. Note, however, the Dutch city-scape on the right which was certainly not in the original!

Plate by Willem Jansz. Verstraeten, Haarlem or Rotterdam 1650-60 Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, BK-1958-33d.

By the start of the last quarter of the century, Delft potteries alone had the capacity to produce nine million pieces annually. Even half of that figure would have been considerable, bearing in mind that the size of the population was little more than two million. The industry was known for the technical excellence of its products dominated the Dutch domestic market and was expanding rapidly abroad. There was one final dramatic flourish to come.

Between 1650 and 1672 the Dutch Republic had decided to dispense with a ruling position of the ‘Stadshouder’.  When Prince William III was restored to the position, he decided that his status needed some ‘grandeur’ to match that of fellow rulers (not least Louis XIV of France). In 1684 he hired a French architect to create a baroque effect with tapestries, mirrors and grand display cabinets of the very best Dutch blue ceramics. When, through marriage, he also became King of England, he had even more royal palaces to transform. ‘Royal Delft’ flourished as never before.

Pair of Flower Pyramids, Delft, 1685-1690 Haagse Kunstmuseum, The Hague, (1060704)

An illustration of a plate could not do this period justice. The grandest piece of all, that was replicated time and again, was the so-called ‘flower pyramid’ to display individual blooms. There are several elements in their design. First, and most obvious, the blue and white colour scheme owed its origins to the Chinese porcelain imported at the start of the century. Second, the concept of perforated flower vases came from Turkey (also the source of the tulips that provoked the tulipmania of the 1630s). Finally, the idea of a tower made of porcelain may have had some roots in the 80-metre high porcelain tower of Nanjing, built in 1412 and illustrated in the Netherlands for the first time in 1665. That tower, like the towers illustrated, also had nine stories, and nine was the number associated with imperial status in China.

Delft Blue

‘Delft blue’ is so associated with the Netherlands that it has almost become a cliché. But next time you see an imitation in a tourist shop window, why not take it as a reminder to see some of the ‘real thing’.

Places to visit:

  • Kunstmuseum Den Haag
  • Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (Room 2.2 and special collections 0.7 and 0.10)
  • Royal Delft Museum
  • Museum Princenhof, Delft

Israel and the Netherlands: Two small countries, a big partnership

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Israel and the Netherlands: Two small countries, a big partnership

One year into his tenure as Ambassador of Israel to the Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Modi Ephraim talked with Diplomat Magazine Publisher Dr. Mayelinne de Lara about the bilateral ties between the two countries.

After a diplomatic career spent mostly in Latin America and in the United States, H.E. Mr. Modi Ephraim has for the last year been Israel’s top representative in The Hague – his first posting in Europe. “In this context – the Ambassador said – the commemoration of the Holocaust is something of particular importance. A large part of the Jewish community here disappeared during the Holocaust. And yet, we have seen recently that many young people in the Netherlands do not know what happened. Even worse, we see an increase of anti-Semitic incidents. The Israeli government, together with the Jewish community, the Dutch government, NGOs and all other relevant stakeholders, is working to correct this trend”.

Presenting credentials to H.M. the King of the Netherlands on February 2, 2022/ H.E. Mr. Modi Ephraim : C Jeroen van der Meyde.

Bilateral ties between the Netherlands and Israel are currently very strong, Ambassador Ephraim explained, pointing at the visits to Israel made by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in October and by Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra in May. These visits covered all aspects of the bilateral ties between the two countries, ranging from investment in the hi-tech sector to international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. The October visit by PM Rutte also paved the way for further diplomatic exchanges, set to involve civil society, academics and business people.

74 years Israel in Madurodam.

In his interview with Dr. De Lara, Ambassador Ephraim emphasized the importance of people-to-people exchanges between his country and the Netherlands. The field of arts is a prime example of these dynamics. Both countries are very active in the international arts scene, and Israeli artists – musicians, dancers and writers – often come to the Netherlands for exchanges. A prominent Israeli writer, David Grossman, recently won the 2022 Erasmus Prize. The coming months will see more and more initiatives in the arts domain. In September, Israel will join the Embassy Festival in The Hague, with a delegation of artists set to participate in the event. Moreover, a number of initiatives are being planned to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the State of Israel – not only in The Hague, but across the whole of the Netherlands.

H.E. Mr. Modi Ephraim : C Jeroen van der Meyde.

Overall, H.E. Mr. Ephraim said, “the Netherlands and Israel are both small countries in terms of size and population, but they both have big ambitions, hard working people, and a multi-cultural background.” On this basis, cooperation between the two countries can thrive – and Ambassador Ephraim is set to work hard for this to happen.

Alternative Conflict Resolutions

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Alternative Conflict Resolutions

By Daan Breukhoven

If we look back 2500 years, we can see that the Romans were the inventors of alternative conflict resolution. In fact, basic mediation principles were used in ancient Asia, China, Africa and The Roman Empire, way before the emergence of legal norms and the establishment of state organizations. 

Based on my own experience, conflicts, whether in or between organizations, can be normalized or even solved through mediation. The key is to reinstate communication to understand each other’s common interests, rather than clinging to opinions and personal viewpoints. But how is mediation possible between international organizations and embassies, or between states and/or even heads of states?

Definition

A certified mediator in the Netherlands must follow strict rules and a code of conduct. A mediator supervises a process that is used to resolve conflicts between parties. The decisions are made by the parties, not the mediator, unlike the usual judicial or arbitration proceedings. Mediation is conducted independently and impartially; each opinion is considered, and the parties think through proposed solutions. Besides coming to an agreement after considering past conflicts, the parties will especially consider how a solution impacts their future relationship.

History

When lands were in turmoil centuries ago, restoring peace amongst civilians was ‘a thing’. In Asia, cooperation and consensus have been seen as the highest form of wisdom of the Confucian Philosophy, creating harmony for thousands of years. In China, mediation was embedded in large segments of the judiciary, solving social, family and business conflicts. African tribes knew how to settle disputes without the assistance of a Court, knowing the norms and code that could create conflicts when violated.

In the US, the first mediation centers were established by immigrants. It was at the end of the 19th century that Americans became aware of this form of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Congress created this legal structure so that mediation could be used in labor disputes. Here in Europe, mediation between spouses was being used, even before the French Revolution!

UN Charter

Issues between States can lean on Article 33 of the UN Charter: “The parties to any dispute, the continuance of which is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security, shall, first of all, seek a solution by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice“. 

That one word, mediation, is listed as one of the peaceful alternatives to maintain international peace and security. How it works in practice is worth exploring. There are several situations to use international mediation to resolve disputes between States and private companies; companies need to be ’”Dispute Wise”’. First,  mediation can be used to resolve disputes arising in the context of international trade or payment issues. Secondly, it could be used for Intellectual Property disputes. Thirdly, mediation may provide a solution to divergent interpretations of contracts.

Dispute Wise

Using mediation to resolve the above disputes can lead to a mutually acceptable result, while avoiding the need for costly and time-consuming litigation; it can also offer a durable, long-term sting solution. Research conducted by the AAA (American Arbitration Association) shows that “Dispute Wise” organizations have better relationships with clients and improved business relations. It also adds to a higher employee satisfaction rate; handling conflicts is viewed as more than a cost-reduction factor. From a business point of view, it offers advantages throughout the entire organization.

If the parties to the conflict are willing to hear each other’s story and possibly make concessions, it is useful to try mediation. For example, if the conflict involves a payment issue, there may be numerous reasons why someone refuses to pay. A poorly written letter can lead to a misunderstanding. When people dig in, the behaviour of ostracising and shame can be remedied effectively with mediation. Mediation offers an opportunity to stay closer to an organisation’s values. It allows the parties to find solutions in line with those values, in a language that everyone speaks. Conversations are more reserved in a court setting with solutions mandated by the Civil Code and Legal Procedure.

Embed it

As a business advisor on Conflict Management, I simply would knock on the door of the corporate legal officer and ask about the company’s willingness to engage in ADR. One can successfully include this mediation step in the company’s conflict resolution position within its mission statement or in its Terms and Conditions. Remember, not all issues are suitable for mediation. When someone deliberately does something wrong, mediation is not the first choice for resolution.

Question or inquiries to: info@breukhovenmediation.nl

About the author:

Daan Breukhoven, is a certified (inter)national mediator and the owner of Breukhoven Mediation (https://www.breukhovenmediation.nl).

Be creative, do good, help others!

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Be creative, do good, help others!

By Alexandra Paucescu

I perfectly remember when I saw her for the first time. It was in 2004, at the MAE CUP, an annual sports competition between diplomats from the various embassies accredited to Bucharest, which her husband, then the Foreign Minister of Romania, today the Deputy Secretary General of NATO, had initiated.

I was there supporting my soon to be husband, at that time a young diplomat at the beginning of his career, she was supporting hers, along with the couple’s two small children. That image stayed in my mind because I was impressed by a certain sophistication and style that she exuded, without being ostentatious in any way. Later, over the years, I found the same elegance in other great ladies, from all over the world, who initially became my mentors, and then my friends, in this diplomatic journey.

Mihaela Geoana, an architect with an MBA in Marketing, is certainly a woman that you can learn a lot from. She is a perfect example that you can do important things if you really want to, regardless of how life goes up or down. Tenacity and perseverance are the keys.

On a sunny winter morning we sat down over a cup of tea and she graciously took the time to tell me her life story…  

She remembered about her first years of profession as an architect in Bucharest and then Paris. Little did she know that the life, how she thought it would be, would change completely when her husband was appointed ambassador to the US. ‘We moved to Washington when I was only 32, with a toddler and a baby in my arms. We were so young and had to learn a lot along the way. We tried to make ourselves known, as a family, but especially as diplomatic representatives of a country that, at the time, did not seem very interesting over the Atlantic’.

Mihaela Geoana

She shows me pictures with the family meeting president Clinton and I recognize the same attitude that had once impressed me. ‘In Washington, we hosted lots of events and charity galas and this was how we basically came to know many influential people. We opened the doors to our residence and supported different causes that we believed in but, in the meantime, we made the necessary connections for a successful diplomatic posting abroad’.

After returning to Bucharest, she wisely tried to replicate what she had learned overseas. She organized the first Charity International Christmas Bazaar in the Romanian capital (together with the International Women Association of Bucharest), she initiated recurring meetings with diplomatic spouses and started to think about what else she could do, as social involvement, in a Romania that was still emerging on its democratic path.

Inspired by a personal incident (which luckily turned out to be a false alarm), she founded ‘Renasterea’ (meaning ‘Renaissance’ in Romanian) in 2001, an NGO meant to bring to attention, for the first time in Romania, the major importance of breast cancer prevention actions.

‘The beginning was very hard because nobody talked about prevention, about cancer, this word was taboo. Many tried then to discourage me. But I knew I had to do it. Romania had only a 30 percent survival rate in breast cancer cases, totally opposite to the situation I had left in America’.

22 years later, countless humanitarian awareness campaigns and initiatives, a free phone line which provided answers to more than 100,000 calls, but also an intelligent communication strategy involving influential people from the media, business and the Romanian artistic sector, have brought unparalleled notoriety at national level. ‘Today, we have two diagnostic centers; we organize mobile medical units throughout the country, where we offer free of charge breast investigations and Pap Smear Tests to vulnerable women. Also, in partnership with Susan G. Komen US, which had launched in 1983 the Race for the Cure, world’s largest and most successful education and fundraising event regarding breast cancer, we initiated in 2015 our own national ‘Race for the cure’, a 5 km run event which gathers over 5000 participants each year and helps funding our campaigns. Also, on our initiative, October 1st was officially declared National Breast Cancer Day and on this day, each year, as it happens in more than other 80 countries, emblematic buildings are illuminated in pink, as a symbol of the fight against breast cancer’.

Starting in 2004, she has organized ‘Art for Life’, fundraising galas hosted by diplomatic residences in the city, where art was exhibited and then auctioned.

She was for 8 years president of the ‘Red Cross Romania’ and also the president of Brussels based ‘Think Pink Europe’. ‘During my tenure at Red Cross, I started, for the first time in Romania, the ‘Food Bank’ project and helped attract funds for the creation of regional centers to teach First Aid techniques’.

She tells me about these accomplishments in a soft and reserved voice, with the modesty and openness of a woman who knows well who she is and what she can do. She has nothing more to prove and the facts recommend her above her notorious name. She got here following her own path and ambitions. She tells me, also as an advice to all young diplomatic spouses out there, that regardless of whether or not you have to leave your career behind, you need to create a new universe for yourself, to put to work the knowledge you have acquired, to build a new identity, compatible with your partner’s status and diplomatic path. ‘Explore new options, learn from what is happening around you, get new ideas and use them to your advantage’, she says.

‘Regardless of conditions, status, financial possibilities, you must have the right attitude, know your own value and try to assert yourself, to create your own, unique profile. Be smart! Be creative; do good, help yourself and others!’

About the author:

Alexandra Paucescu

Alexandra Paucescu- Author of “Just a Diplomatic Spouse” Romanian, management graduate with a Master in business, cultural diplomacy and international relations studies.

She speaks Romanian, English, French, German and Italian,  gives lectures on intercultural communication and is an active NGO volunteer.

Eurojust supports action against drug trafficking and money laundering: 22 arrests

Diplomat Magazine
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Eurojust supports action against drug trafficking and money laundering: 22 arrests

The Hague, 31 March 2023

Judicial and law enforcement authorities in France, the Netherlands, Spain and Romania have carried out a coordinated action against an organised crime group (OCG) suspected of trafficking cocaine and cannabis and laundering the proceeds of this crime. During a joint action, 22 suspects were arrested. Eurojust assisted the authorities in setting up and funding a joint investigation team (JIT) into the case.

Information obtained by the French authorities from two encrypted communication systems used by the criminals, EncroChat and SkyECC, proved the existence of a major drug trafficking and importation operation, as well as a money laundering network spanning several European countries, notably between France, the Netherlands and Spain. The suspects allegedly used vehicles with fitted hiding places to commit the crimes.

The OCG is believed to have used underground banking to launder the proceeds from the drug trafficking. With this method, large amounts of cash can be moved or converted into cryptocurrencies within a network of underground bankers. A payment can be made anywhere in the world without the money having to physically cross the border.

During a joint action day on 28 March, 22 suspects were detained in France, the Netherlands and Spain. Searches led to the discovery of more than EUR 2 million in cash, dozens of kilograms of cocaine and firearms. Luxury vehicles and watches were also seized.

300 law enforcement officers were deployed across Europe for this operation.

The case was opened by the French authorities in January 2021. A JIT was set up between the French and Dutch authorities with the support of Eurojust in March 2022. Five coordination meetings were hosted by the Agency to facilitate judicial cooperation and provide support for the coordinated investigative efforts. During the action day, Eurojust set up a coordination centre to facilitate rapid cooperation between the judicial authorities.

The following authorities took part in this operation:

France: JIRS (Interregional Specialized Jurisdiction of Marseille) / SRPJ (Judicial Police) Nice

The Netherlands: Public Prosecutors Office Oost-Nederland; National Public Prosecutors Office for Economic and Environmental Offences; Police Oost-Nederland; Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service

Romania: Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism; Directorate for Countering Organized Crime – Antidrug Service and Financial Investigations Service; Services for Combating Organized Crime Neamt and Vrancea

Spain: Investigative Courts in Marbella (num 1), Fuengirola (num 1) and Benidorm (num 2), and Central Court num 3 at Audiencia Nacional; and International Cooperation Sections of the Spanish Prosecution Service in Málaga and Alicante and at the Antidrug PPO; Policía Nacional

Action in Romania and the Republic of Moldova against trafficking of doping substances

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Action in Romania and the Republic of Moldova against trafficking of doping substances

The Hague, 30 March 2023

With the support of Eurojust and Europol, the Romanian and Moldovan authorities have taken action against an organised crime group (OCG) suspected of trafficking high-risk doping substances. During a joint action, 11 suspects were arrested, and raw materials intended for the production of more than one million doses of anabolic steroids were seized. Eurojust assisted the authorities in setting up and funding a joint investigation team (JIT) into the case.

Anabolic steroids are synthetic substances that mimic the action of male sex hormones, such as testosterone, and are commonly used to increase muscle mass, strength and athletic performance. However, their use can lead to various serious cardiovascular side effects, including liver and kidney problems, as well as psychological disorders and cancer risks. Improper use or abuse of anabolic steroids can also lead to overdose, which can sometimes be fatal.

According to the investigation, the raw material used for the preparation of the doping substances was brought from China disguised as imported pharmaceutical substances. The packaging indications and the import prices were false. 

The final production of the anabolic substances took place in a clandestine laboratory established in Romania. The equipment and storage facilities did not comply with any sanitary hygiene standards.

The final product was distributed in many European Union countries. To secure as many customers as possible, the OCG used labels of well-known brands in the field.

The purchase of the active substances and the distribution of the finished products were undertaken through markets on the darknet. The transactions were also partly undertaken in cryptocurrencies to make them more difficult to trace.

Initial estimates show that the OCG obtained over EUR 1 million through this criminal activity, which was used for luxurious living and invested in luxury items and real estate in the Republic of Moldova.

In a joint action on 29 March, 11 suspects were detained. A total of 37 searches were carried out, including 15 in Romania and 22 in Moldova. Active substances and other raw materials for the production of more than one million doses of anabolic steroids were seized, together with cash and luxury items.

Eurojust supported the authorities involved in setting up and funding a JIT in November 2022.

Europol also provided operational support to the national authorities involved.

The following authorities took part in this investigation:

  • Romania: Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism Iasi, Brigades for Countering Organized Crime Iasi, București, Constanța, Sibiu,
  • Republic of Moldova: Prosecutor’s Office for Combatting Organized Crime and for Special Cases

Dr. Yousef Bataineh received by Polish President Duda

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Dr. Yousef Bataineh received by Polish President Duda

Monday, 27 March 2023, Warsaw, Republic of Poland: The President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda welcomed for a ceremony of accreditation the non-resident Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Dr. Yousef Radwan Ali Bataineh, who is resident in Berlin, Germany and accredited there since 18 July 2022. The ceremony wherein Ambassador Yousef Bataineh handed in his letters of credence and the ones of recall of his predecessor took place at Belweder Palace.

Dr. Bataineh had been serving in the capacity as the Secretary-General, Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates from October 2020 through June 2022. Before that he was Head of Mission of Jordan to the European Union, NATO as well as Belgium, Luxembourg and Norway (2015-2017) between 2015 and up to October 2020. 

Yousef Bataineh began his diplomatic career back in 1991 as a Diplomatic Attaché at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Amman. Since then, Dr. Bataineh has held a number of posts abroad; for instance, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Jordanian embassies in The Netherlands, Germany and Greece. Whilst serving in headquarters, Dr. Bataineh held various positions, serving as Chief of Cabinet of the Minister; Director for European Affairs, the EU, UfM & NATO; as well as Head of the Disarmament Desk.

Ambassador Yousef Bataineh & President Andrzej Duda Yousef. Picture by Przemysław Keler, KPRP

Dr. Bataineh holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Language & Literature, a Master’s Degree in Political Translation & Linguistics, and a Ph.D. in Political Science. He has been awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of Independence. Ambassador Bataineh speaks his native Arabic in addition to the English and German languages. 

Based in Berlin, Germany Dr. Bataineh is also accredited to the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Finland. In the latter country he presented credentials to President Sauli Niinistö on Wednesday, 15 February 2022. 

For further information 

Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in Germany (also responsible for Poland, Finland): https://mfa.gov.jo/ar/embassy/Berlin

Polish Presidency: https://www.prezydent.pl/aktualnosci/listy-uwierzytelniajace/listy-uwierzytelniajace-od-nowych-ambasadorow-w-polsce,66241

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