Uzbekistan and SCO

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Uzbekistan and SCO

By Anvar Nasirov, Director of the International Institute for Central Asia

Active and pragmatic foreign policy, pursued under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, strengthens the role and authority of the country not only in the region, but also on a global scale, and increases its influence on the international process.

Multilateral collaboration with international and regional organizations, in particular, Uzbekistan’s participation in the activities of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, is of particular importance.

The transfer of the chairmanship of the Organization to Uzbekistan for 2021-2022 has become a logical continuation of our active and open foreign policy, implemented over the past 6 years.

At Dushanbe SCO Summit 2021, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev outlined the most priority areas of chairmanship in the Organization, such as intensifying joint efforts to ensure peace and stability in the SCO space, deepening trade, economic and investment cooperation, expanding transport and communication ties, interaction on poverty reduction, ensuring food security, wide use of the existing potential in healthcare, cultural and humanitarian spheres, and in the fight against climate change.

Over 80 events were held in all areas of cooperation during Uzbekistan’s chairmanship in the SCO.

As a result of large-scale events held at the upcoming summit, it is planned to submit more than 30 documents for signing.

Undoubtedly, one of the main goals of the Samarkand Summit is the issue of further expansion of the SCO family. Within the framework of the Council of Heads of State, a Memorandum is expected to be signed on the Commitment of the Islamic Republic of Iran to obtain the status of an SCO member.

This will become an important step in the implementation of the decision taken last year to start the process of admitting Iran to full membership.

In addition, a decision will be made to expand the membership of observer countries and partners in the SCO dialogue.

Documents on establishing cooperation between the SCO and several international and regional organizations are expected to be signed at the summit.

Another important document that is being prepared for adoption is the Comprehensive Plan for the Implementation of the SCO Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation for 2023-2027.

This strategically important document was developed on the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and received the support of all SCO member states.

The draft plan includes cooperation in all areas within the Organization, currently, it contains about 120 events. The main attention is paid to the development of trade and economic relations. Thus, specific measures were defined to further strengthen industrial cooperation, partnership in investment, energy, transport, information and telecommunications, agriculture, customs and other spheres, logistics, as well as the agencies responsible for their implementation.

This Treaty can be compared in importance to the SCO Charter. If the Charter is the “soul” of the Organization, its “compass”, then the Treaty is the “conscience” of the SCO. Each member state is responsible for contributing to its implementation.

This document is aimed at ensuring the correct, rhythmic and stable functioning of the “compass” that enables the Organization to stay on the chosen path.

The Charter and the Treaty are the foundation for the political and legal relations of the SCO, determining its philosophy and image for the long term, for the entire period of the existence of the Organization.

The main features of the Treaty are that each provision of the document meets the national interests of all member states, as well as the goals of long-term joint development on the vast expanse of the SCO.

Therefore, the Comprehensive Plan submitted for signing and the specific measures indicated in it will serve the interests of all SCO member states without exception, including Uzbekistan.

SCO – major regional organization in the world

The total area of ​​the SCO member states is 34 million km², which is 60% of the Eurasian continent. The population of the member states is nearly 3 billion people or about half of the world’s population. The SCO countries account for 20% of the global economy.

By accepting Iran as a full member, the SCO opens the door to the Middle East, which is considered a strategically important region.

It is obvious to everyone that the key to the Organization’s success is multifaceted cooperation and openness. Therefore, the structure appears as a convenient platform for an open dialogue, and a broad interregional partnership.

Uzbekistan – one of the founders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Uzbekistan is always recognized as one of the leaders in determining the further strategy for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation within the framework of the SCO.

We consider the SCO as an instrument in the fight against terrorism, extremism, separatism, transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, as well as an Organization that promotes the development of multifaceted cooperation in trade, economic, transport, cultural and humanitarian spheres.

Our country has chaired the Organization three times before. At the initiative of Uzbekistan in 2004, the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the SCO was established in Tashkent. The format of meetings of security council secretaries was introduced. A mechanism for granting observer status in the SCO was launched.

At the meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States, held in Tashkent in 2010, the Organization’s rules of procedure and the Regulations on the procedure for admitting new members were adopted.

One of the main results of the Tashkent Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2016 was the signing of memorandums of commitment between India and Pakistan to obtain the status of the SCO member state. This served to strengthen the Organization’s potential and further enhance its role in the international arena.

Since 2017, our country has become the leading initiator of further developing cooperation within the SCO.

For five years, the President of Uzbekistan has put forward 54 initiatives at the SCO summits to improve the effectiveness of cooperation in political, trade, economic, transport and logistics, innovation and other spheres. 37 of them have been implemented, 17 more are under implementation.

At the Dushanbe Summit, several initiatives put forward by the Uzbek side were adopted – the SCO Green Belt Program, the SCO Interaction Plan on Ensuring International Information Security, the Concept of the SCO Economic Forum, as well as the Regulations on the Tourism and Cultural Capital of the SCO.

As the analysis shows, in terms of ongoing initiatives, Uzbekistan takes a leading position in the SCO. If in past years the Uzbek side was mainly active in security, now it focuses on the need for building up the overall potential through such areas as the economy, transport and logistics, innovative and digital development, cultural and public diplomacy.

The strategy being implemented in the SCO space at the initiative of Uzbekistan’s President is based on such important principles as constructiveness, pragmatism and initiative.

The superiority of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy is expressed in the fact that the initiatives put forward by Tashkent within the framework of the SCO, in particular those aimed at sustainable development of the region, fully meet the national interests of the member countries. Therefore, these initiatives are widely supported by all SCO member states.

Activities carried out under the chairmanship of Uzbekistan on the eve of the summit in Samarkand enriched the activities of the Organization with concrete and effective, new and important projects. We can say that Uzbekistan has withstood another difficult political test with honor.

The results of Uzbekistan’s chairmanship in the SCO will be summed up at the summit, which will be held on September 15-16 in Samarkand.

We are confident that it will become a major political and diplomatic forum and will go down in history as an important step toward the further development of the Organization.

Queen Elizabeth II has died God save the King

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Queen Elizabeth II has died God save the King

The death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral today marks a moment of great sorrow and sadness for millions worldwide.

We deeply felt the death of Her Majesty the Queen who reigned for over 70 years with a great sense of duty, responsibility, total dedication and wisdom.

Her family surrounded her Majesty at Balmoral Castle, and her son Charles II became the King.

Takedown of online investment fraud

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Takedown of online investment fraud

With the support of Eurojust, authorities in Finland, Germany, Belgium and Latvia have succeeded in striking a blow against the operators of various fraudulent online investment platforms that have defrauded victims from 11 different countries out of several million euros.

During an action day, two suspects were arrested and 12 locations were searched.

According to the investigation, victims were directed to seemingly reputable online trading platforms in search of offers for lucrative investments. Through these platforms, they were promised enormous profits in a short time by trading in cryptocurrency, foreign exchange or shares.

After being contacted by phone via call centres, email or messenger, the victims transferred sums of money to bank accounts indicated by alleged “brokers”. However, no investment of any kind was seemingly ever made with this money.

The suspects were identified as authorised disposers of the accounts and they are suspected of money laundering activities for the operators of the online trading platforms.

Over one hundred victims from 11 different countries have been identified so far. It is believed that in Germany alone (where more than half of the victims are from), victims have transferred approximately EUR 4.3 million. Of this amount, at least EUR 700 000 has been received in accounts held by the suspects.

In an action day coordinated by Eurojust on 6 September, two suspects were arrested in Belgium. A total of 12 locations were searched.

The case was opened at Eurojust by the Finnish and German authorities in 2021. The Agency actively facilitated the cross-border judicial cooperation between the national authorities involved, including the execution of European Investigation Orders (EIOs), European Arrest Warrants (EAWs) and freezing orders on the basis of the Regulation (EU) 2018/1805. In addition, Eurojust organised five coordination meetings in preparation for the action day.

Europol has been supporting this high-priority case by providing tailored analysis and virtual tracing analysis. In addition, experts from Europol’s European Financial and Economic Crime Centre were deployed to Belgium and Latvia to assist the national authorities with the investigative actions.

The following authorities took part in this investigation:

Finland: National Bureau of Investigation; National Prosecution Authority, Prosecution District of Southern Finland

Germany: Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Itzehoe Regional Court, Department for Combating Cybercrime; District Criminal Investigation Office Kiel

Belgium: Federal judicial police Antwerp – ECOFIN service, assisted by RCCU under the direction/coordination of the International Legal Assistance Centre (IRC) of the Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s Office and the investigating judge

Latvia: The 3rd Unit of the International Cooperation Department of the Central Criminal Police Department of the State Police.

This operation was carried out as part of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT).

EMPACT tackles the most important threats posed by organised and serious international crime affecting the European Union. EMPACT strengthens intelligence, strategic and operational cooperation between national authorities, EU institutions and bodies, and international partners. EMPACT runs in four-year cycles focusing on common EU crime priorities. Fraud, economic and financial crimes are among the priorities for the 2021-2025 Policy Cycle.

ICC President meets with Chairperson of African Union and Chairperson of African Union Commission

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ICC President meets with Chairperson of African Union and Chairperson of African Union Commission

The President of the International Criminal Court, Judge Piotr Hofmański, met in The Hague with H.E. Macky Sall, President of Senegal and Chairperson of the African Union, and with H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, on 5 and 6 September 2022, respectively.

The two meetings provided an opportunity for fruitful exchanges on the shared values and goals the ICC and the African Union, notably the objective of ending impunity for the gravest crimes under international law and providing justice to victims. Perspectives for developing the relations between the two organisations were also discussed, particularly through closer communication. The objective of promoting universal ratification of the Rome Statute also featured in the discussions.

With 33 members, African States currently form the largest regional group among the States Parties to the Rome Statute, the Court’s founding treaty. Vice-President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, H.E. Ambassador Kateřina Sequensová, joined President Hofmański in the meeting with H.E. President Sall.

Rwanda Coffee Quality showcased in The Hague

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Rwanda Coffee Quality showcased in The Hague

On September 2nd, 2022, ten (10) selected Rwandan export companies have brought their coffee samples to be tasted during the first exclusive coffee cupping sessions after the COVID-19 pandemic, hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda to the Kingdom of the Netherlands in The Hague.

The cupping event was organized by the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), the Istituto per la Cooperazione Universitaria Onlus (ICU) and Coffee Cupping International (CCI), with support from the Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, to attract the interest of international connoisseurs, buyers, wholesalers, roasters, baristas, and other professionals in the coffee sector. The following 10 Rwandan coffees were cupped: Nova Coffee, Huye Mountain Coffee, Kivu Belt Coffee, Nyakizu Mountain Coffee, Mubuga Coffee, Fugi Washing station, Coocamu Cooperative, Simbi Coffee, Rwashoscco and Sholi.

Rwanda’s coffee cupping sessions in The Hague.

The initiative is part of ICU’s Coffee Value Chain Development project that has the goal to improve quality and quantity of coffee produced by smallholder farmers, strengthen coffee processing companies and cooperatives to build more sustainable businesses, facilitate access to finance and increase visibility on the international market. The project is working with more than 12,000 smallholder farmers and 20 coffee washing stations across 12 districts of Rwanda.

Next to the cuppings, ‘Rwanda Coffee – A Second Sunrise’ was heavily promoted in the Rwanda Pavilion during the 8th edition of the Embassy Festival in The Hague on September 3rd 2022, during which also Visit Rwanda and Made in Rwanda were featured. About 60,000 visitors were welcomed at the festival and many of them had the chance to enjoy a complimentary cup of Rwandan coffee while enjoying traditional Rwandan dance performances.

The fact that Rwandan specialty coffees meet high international standards provides an excellent opportunity to proactively increase their visibility in the international market and thus earn higher returns.

Rwandan coffee is not a new product to the Dutch market and it has gained popularity for its quality over the years. For instance in 2019, prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Rwanda exported 209.5 tons of coffee worth USD 556,731 to the Netherlands. In spite of this achievement, there’s still room for greater sales of Rwandan coffees in the Netherlands if its visibility is boosted to not only Dutch coffee lovers but also to the international community located in major big cities. It is expected that sixty Embassies with offices in The Hague will be represented and this could be an opportunity to take the “Rwanda coffee – A Second Sunrise” brand even further.

Rwanda’s exclusive coffee cupping.

About NAEB: National Agricultural Export Development Board, abbreviated as “NAEB” is a commercial, public institution established by the law No 13/2017 of 14/04/2017 in the framework of regulating and promoting the development and growth of Agriculture and Livestock export commodities in Rwanda, as well as marketing them worldwide. The head office of NAEB is in Gikondo, KK 530 St, in the City of Kigali, the capital of the Republic of Rwanda.

www.naeb.gov.rw

About ICU: ICU – Istituto per la Cooperazione Universitaria Onlus is implementing the project ‘A market driven approach for value chain improvements and the expansion of the Rwandan coffee market’ in Rwanda in partnership with Kahawatu Foundation. The EUR 2.5 million contract is co-funded by the European Union and monitored by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning of the Republic of Rwanda (MINECOFIN) with the support of the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB).

www.icu.it/en/progetti/rwanda-coffee-value-chain-development/

Rwanda Makes a Big Impression at The Embassy Festival in the Netherlands

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Rwanda Makes a Big Impression at The Embassy Festival in the Netherlands

On 2 & 3 September 2022, the Embassy of Republic of Rwanda in The Hague participated in the Embassy Festival that took place in The Hague in the Netherlands. The cultural world trip that this festival offered fits in seamlessly with the international city of The Hague. One out of three inhabitants have roots abroad, making it the city that brings the world together. The Hague is also home to most of all embassies.

The Embassy Festival showcased the cultural richness of around 60 countries at the Lange Voorhout.

The result of this was a colorful festival program with lots of dance and music: the universal language that ties us all together and the Embassy of Rwanda once again put up a special program for its visitors, including traditional dances, specialty coffee, Visit Rwanda and Made in Rwanda products were on display.

Rwanda at Embassy Festival 2022

On the 2nd of September, the Embassy participated in the Embassy Tour. People could buy a ticket which gave them the opportunity to visit 4 embassies, which included a visit to the Embassy of Rwanda. Ambassador Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe and his team welcomed 120 guests and informed them about Rwanda, it’s history, culture, people, nature, business & investment climate, sports events, Made in Rwanda products like the leather handbags and accessories from Dokmai Rwanda, great tourism adventures while the visitors enjoyed the taste of genuine specialty coffee and food from Rwanda.

On the 3rd of September, Rwanda had found its way to the Embassy Festival for the fourth time. The Rwanda Pavilion was centrally located at the International Market where Ambassador Nduhungirehe and his team welcomed a crowd of visitors (+60,000 visitors).

Rwanda at Embassy Festival

The Ambassador and Team Rwanda were there to talk about the activities of the Embassy, the business & investment opportunities, to promote Visit Rwanda, Rwanda Coffee – A Second Sunrise and Made in Rwanda products, and of course to invite everyone for a cup of excellent Rwandan coffee served by BREWANDA.

Two companies from Rwanda exposed their Made in Rwanda products: Dokmai Rwanda (Leather handbags and accessories) and Irebe Décoration (handwoven baskets).

The Embassy Festival 2022

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The Embassy Festival 2022

Images and text by John Dunkelgrün

Of course it helped that the weather was just perfect, nice and sunny but not too hot. Walking towards the festival I was greeted by nostalgic Turkish music and the general bustle of happy people, a lot of happy people from untold nationalities.

Thai musicians at Embassy Festival 2022.

The Voorhout was crowded but not uncomfortably full. People were just enjoying themselves, looking at the many stands with signature local products and eating. I should have written that in capitals.

People were standing in very long lines for food, especially for the many different types of grilled meat on skewers. Some were eating food from one stand or drinking while standing in line for another. These lines were sometimes over 50 meters long! But there was no pushing or other unpleasantness, people were just happy to be there. The foods of Armenia, Georgia and South Africa were especially popular.

The crowd liked the music of a Taiwanese trio almost as much as the food. Their music, while exotic to European ears, was very accessible in a way that matched the mood of the afternoon.

South Africa had one of the larger stands with quite a big crew. I asked one of the crew members why there wasn’t a single black person on the stand. He said that it was because of the difficulty for black people to get a visa for the E.U. To get a visa you need bank statements, proof of being able to support yourself for three months, a statement from your employer and much more. For most black people that was an impossible hurdle.

Oscar Izquierdo, Minister Counsellor, Embassy of Ecuador, H.E. Mr. Juan Bautista Duran, Ambassador of Dominican Republic, H.E. Ms Elizabeth Ward Neiman, Ambassador of Panama and H.E. Roberto Calzadilla Sarmiento, Ambassador of Bolivia.

By far the most elegant lady on the festival grounds was Mrs. Le Thi Hien Anh, the wife of H.E. Mr. Viet Anh Pham, ambassador of Vietnam, you can see her posing in front of the flags of the ASEAN Member States in the main picture.

All in all it made many people looking forward to the Embassy Festival 2023

Promulgating Cyprus Shipping Industry

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Promulgating Cyprus Shipping Industry

By Roy Lie Atjam

It has been a pleasurable encounter meeting with the Shipping Deputy Minister of Cyprus, Vassilios Demetriades in the Anna Pavlova room Hotel Des Indes, on 1 September 2022.

Deputy Minister Vassilios Demetriades, an energetic and amicable gentleman. The Deputy Minister is in this position since July 2020.

The Cyprus Government attaches great emphasis on shipping and for this reason it has established a Deputy Ministry of Shipping. The Cyprus Shipping Deputy Ministry (SDM) focuses on safety and sustainability.

The Deputy Minister of Shipping reports directly to the President in the same way as all the other Ministers.  The establishment of Deputy Ministries in Cyprus instead of new Ministries is because of constitutional constraints that limit the number of Ministries to 10.

Deputy Minister Vassilios Demetriades aspires to promote Cyprus shipping globally and to communicate a positive image for the sector to the civil society. He will therefore exploit Cyprus’s maritime potentials to the fullest.  

Cyprus is the eleventh largest merchant fleet in the world, the third largest fleet in the European Union, and Europe’s largest ship management centre. Shipping contributes to 7% of Cyprus’s GDP.

Cyprus’s shipping industry is capable of competing in the world shipping market. We strive to promote the Cyprus flag while at the same time supporting the development of the European maritime industry by advancing new green technologies. When asked if Cyprus competes with the Liberia flag, Demetriades’ reply was a categorical no.

Cyprus is no novice to the world of shipping.

Since ancient times, the Biblical refers to Cyprus as a shipping nation. See the book of Numbers 24:24 “Ships will come from the coast of Kitʹtim. And they will afflict As·syrʹi·a. And they will afflict Eʹber.” The historian Josephus referred to Kittim as “Chethimos,” Cyprus, Kition-Citium. red.

The Shipping Deputy Ministry has recently presented “SEA Change 2030”, a strategic vision for Cyprus Shipping promoting a more extroverted, adaptable and sustainable future for the sector. A progress report on the implementation of the 35 sustainable actions that are incorporated in the Strategy is taking place every six months.

Furthermore, Cyprus is a leading advocate for sustainable shipping. Broad and diverse measures are needed at a global and regional level to achieve emissions reduction targets and a sustainable future for the industry.

Terms such as Green Tax Incentives, low-carbon alternative fuels, lower emissions, and enhanced cooperation at EU and global level are at the core of the Cyprus Shipping Deputy Ministry’s (SDM) activities.

A highlight of the Minister’s mission to the Netherlands was the launching ceremony of the new vessel MV. SOLVIK. Dutch build in 2022 that will operate under the Cyprus flag.

It is the property of SOLVIK Shipping Ltd., Limassol / SMT Shipping (Cyprus) Ltd. Featuring at the launching ceremony was the speech by Isobel Reed, SMT’s legal advisor and MV Solvik’s godmother. Reed wishes the vessel and her crew a lifetime of safety and good fortune.

The Solvik is a Dutch vessel under the Cyprian flag, may she swim well! Minister Vassilios Demetriades would like to see an enhanced cooperation between EU member states aiming to the promotion of environmentally sustainable shipping.

Mr. Vassilios Demetriades, Shipping Deputy Minister of Cyprus and Cyprus Ambassador H.E. Ms. Frances Lanitou Williams.

Minister Demetriades stated that shipping builds bridges, bringing together likeminded nations strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations, both at government and business level. It is important to work together in promoting a more positive image of the sector.

In unprecedented times, the ability of shipping services to continue undisrupted to transport food, energy and medical supplies across the continents play a critical role. During COVID-19 pandemic, Cyprus was one of the first countries worldwide that recognized seafarers as key workers. Cyprus implemented a formal crew change process, assisting with the repatriation of thousands of seafarers. The SDM also formulated and proposed a practical, global approach to delivering COVID-19 vaccinations to seafarers, which was then adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO). Further recognizing the urgency of seafarer vaccination, and the role this would play in easing the crew change crisis, Cyprus then committed to vaccinating all crew onboard Cyprus-flagged and managed vessels with the adoption of a national vaccination plan to provide protection to over 40,000 seafarers.

In addition, in response to Russia invasion to Ukraine, Cyprus facilitated the opening of bank accounts for both Ukrainian and Russian seafarers to enable them, and their families, to easily access their wages. We also believed that shipowners and crew managers required an effective solution from flag states to a challenge that many were facing.

  • “SEA Change 2030” A strategic vision for Cyprus Shipping where “S.E.A” stands for the three strategic pillars: Sustainability Extrovert Adaptability creating a continuous, interactive and systematic approach to achieving the vision.

COME (Cyprus Open Maritime Exchange) is an online communication platform and engagement channel, a concrete example of extrovertness. It will enable shipping industry stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations and all other actors involved in the maritime transport and supply chain, to exchange views in ad hoc virtual meetings on current maritime affairs and emerging issues.

Mr. Vassilios Demetriades, Shipping Deputy Minister of Cyprus at Langue Voorhout in The Hague.

Cyprus is also in a continuous effort to strengthen ties with other States to exchange views and ideas on issues of common interest and formulate common policy approaches. An enhanced, effective and constructive dialogue with regulators and decision-makers at global and European Union level responsible for the formulation of shipping policies is an absolute must to ensure that the regulatory framework is fit for purpose.

Technology, digitalisation or even AI-Artificial Intelligence are key elements of transforming shipping. However, Cyprus believes that the human element will always be at the heart of shipping operations and it is extremely important to invest on education, training and up skilling of the workforce. Since diversity is good for business, the Deputy Ministry of Shipping is in the process of recruiting more women into the male-dominated shipping industry.

Deputy Minister Vassilios Demetriades was on a two-day working visit in the Netherlands.

Evaluation of Objection Mechanisms at International Meetings

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Evaluation of Objection Mechanisms at International Meetings

By Dr. Ali Hilal Al-Hadi, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Iraq

Usually, representative(s) of countries meet in multilateral meetings and international conferences for the purpose of working together and in a spirit of cooperation to reach an agreement, outcome or decision that everyone agrees on in order to achieve the interests of those countries.

Nevertheless, an act or statement might be issued, or a draft resolution might be prepared that faces objection from one or more countries.

This article is going to evaluate the objection mechanisms of the state’s representative(s) (head of state, prime minister, minister of foreign affairs, diplomat(s) at the United Nations’ meetings/ conferences…etc.) on what is delivered, adopted, or happened in the multilateral international meetings such as meetings of the principal organs of the UN such as: the Security Council (SC) and the General Assembly (GA) or international conferences and meetings of the executive councils or boards of international organizations and specialized agencies of the UN.

– Among the rights granted to the representative(s) of a state in international meetings (the right of reply) which is exercise by a representative of a state to defend his/her country against public criticism in the same venue. Some conventions or internal regulations have been granted the right of reply as a means to defend the dignity of the state exercised by the state’s representative by waving with a plaque bearing the name of his/her state or waving with his/her hand to the chairperson of the meeting to interrupt the speaker and clarifying his/her point of view, in some cases the chairperson ignores the act of waving.

When the state representative receives no response, he/she would resort to knocking on the table with his/her hand or with a plaque to draw the chairperson’s attention to his/her request, and in rare cases, after not responding to these procedures, the state’s representative starts shouting, which is an undesirable method and far from diplomatic decency. The state’s representative might not exercise this right of reply despite the abuse towards his/her state when s/he does not wish to draw the attention to what has been said. When the accusations were mentioned in the NGOs statement, in this case, the representative deals with this accusation with what can be called a (low profile), especially in the meetings of the GA or Human Rights Council (HRC).

– An objection to the resolution against member state or the draft resolution submitted in a meeting might be in a form of using a (written objection) and shall be after the end of the meeting, if the rules governing the meeting permit so, the state shall submit a written objection against the proceedings of the meeting or session or its proposition through a diplomatic note issued by its accredited diplomatic mission to the receiving state where the meeting took place or any other mission of the state or through a letter of protest.

It will be addressed from the head of the delegation to the Director General of the Organization, or the Chairperson or the Secretariat of the Organization, or the meeting or with a diplomatic note circulated to all missions accredited to the state of meeting, the main advantage of a written objection to the right of direct reply is that the objector has a period of time through which it can refer to the decision-making authority in the capital of the State concerned. 

– The objection of the State representative(s) in the meeting to the breach by the representative(s) of a State to the rules of procedure of the Organization or the rules of procedure by which the Organization operates under which the international meeting is conducted, in this case, the rules of procedures at international conferences and multilateral meetings allow the State affected by the breach of the rules of procedure or the Convention governing the proceedings of the meetings of the Conference to request for the so-called (point of order) and it will be through the objection of the representative of the State at the meeting (during a particular procedure), or to make a speech to a particular delegation, for example) to request the chairperson to approve the intervention of the State representative concerned to clarify the point of order that shows the breach in the proceedings of the meeting, and the chairperson, in this situation, is often obliged to listen to the point of order, and this entails suspending the conduct of the legal procedure under consideration or interruption the speech that was objected to at the point of order and to listen to the opinion of the delegation (the concept of the point of order) or representative of the objecting State and then to discuss it confidentially between the chairperson and the secretariat, or the chairperson might sometimes resorts to his/her convictions and personal knowledge to decide whether the point of order is accepted or not.

Exercising this feature requires legal knowledge of the treaty and rules of procedures that the organization work under it, therefor it is necessary to be very careful in the use of such a procedure and ensure the accuracy of the objection so that the point of order raised does not receive criticism and indicates a lack of legal knowledge of the delegation.

The mechanisms that were mentioned above cannot be classified in terms of importance or an ascending manner, as each case pave the way for the delegation participating in the meeting to choose one of the above tools to explain its objection, so that the delegation participating in international meetings must take these mechanisms into account, and think of a certain strategy in exercising the means of objection according to the situation and its seriousness.

CZ at the helm of the EU: Freedom as a task

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CZ at the helm of the EU: Freedom as a task

By Tomáš Kafka, Ambassador of the Czech Republic in the Federal Republic of Germany

While speaking about Ukraine

We speak to ourselves,

If freedom champions sell their dreams

They subscribe to nightmares.

Freedom champions must not lose

While dictators dictate

If we prevent freedom abuse

The freedom would be great.

The music legend, Bob Dylan, mused once very poetically about the true substance of history and came to the famous conclusion that “times are changing”. The same result we may have heard listening to the in the meantime also legendary speech by the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, as he was challenged and forced to deliver appropriate response to the brutal war President Putin waged on Ukraine. Times are changing, Zeitenwenden happen! And the EU Presidency has, of course, to follow suit.

No wonder, that against a backdrop of the changing times the first draft of the Czech EU Presidency´s program – aiming primarily at healing the Covid-struck European medical system and heavily affected national budgets respectively at safeguarding the smooth launch of the Green Deal – ended up scrapped. Of course, not fully scrapped, but heavily adjusted. In times, where Russian artilleries devastate vast patches of Ukrainian territory and President Putin plots violent submission of the Ukrainian statehood to the Russian rule of evil it is simply impossible to talk just about “the weather”, regardless how important our struggle for healthy environment is. The fear of totalitarian regimes in general and Russia in particular came back to Europe on February 24, 2022 at latest. The EU had simply to fight back and overcome its own arising horror.

The Czech EU Presidency heeded the sea-change of times from its very beginning. The first, most prominent priority of the new set of five main programmatic points highlights the necessity of adequate support to the Ukraine in three areas, the military, the economic and humanitarian one. It would be – of course – out of proportion to claim, that the support to the Ukraine is everything, but it is true, that without this support everything else may be nothing or close to nothing. If the EU – or properly said the West and its partners – don´t step up to the plate and protect decisively allied democracies against imperialistic aggressions of autocracies, it will not only heavily undermine chances of the first to survive the attacks of the latter, it will the same way ruin the self-confidence and reputation of the West as such. Support to the Ukraine is therefore also support to the West and its own values and interests.

The choice of the remaining four programmatic points reflected the above-mentioned logic. These points cover strengthening economic self-sufficiency, energy security, European defense capabilities and cybersecurity and democratic resilience. Next to these political priorities, there is, of course, also second part of the national program containing the priority sectoral agendas. Still in order not to get lost in the vast number of the legislative and non-legislative proposals that the Czech Republic will focus on under the relevant Council formations, it is important to have and accept the core message, the presidency is coming with. This message, which as the proverbial red thread pervades all areas and politics, which the EU as common political organism consists of, says: the whole EU and its representatives have to do whatever it takes in order to maintain the unity in times of the common threat.

As the Russian war unfolds, this threat is fitting more and more the once so popular thesis of the Huntington´s Clash of Civilizations. It is still too early to say whether our conflict with Russia may reach up to this predicament. I am afraid, however, that another diagnosis, which tried to find out what may be the real goal of President Putin, already came true. It is more than one decade ago as the American historian, Timothy Snyder, stated that Vladimir Putin obviously realized, that Russia wouldn´t ever be like the West and would therefore do his best to achieve the opposite, i.e. that the West would one day be like Russia. Current Russian war on Ukraine is to be seen as an ultimate contribution to reaching this horrible goal.

Still, the dice isn´t cast. What President Putin wants, is one thing. Something completely different is, what the West, the EU and their partners – in close alliance with the Ukraine – will allow.  The precondition for us to save our value-based lifestyle and get Putin´s Russia out of the Ukraine is keeping our unity as close as possible and be bold and determined while standing our ground. Let us hope that we will manage. Let us hope, that while embracing unusual but effective measures both, the Czech EU Presidency and Chancellor Scholz, will be at the end of the day as successful and inspiring – at least within the margins given to their genre – as Bob Dylan has remained in the category of legendary songs.

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For further information 

Czech Presidency of the European Council: https://czech-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/

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Cover picture of Ambassador Tomáš Kafka – Image courtesy of the Czech Embassy in Germany – Lydie Holinková 

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