Pjetёr Shala transferred to The Hague pursuant to confirmed indictment

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Pjetёr Shala transferred to The Hague pursuant to confirmed indictment

On 16 March 2021, the Belgian authorities, acting on the basis of a request for cooperation in the execution of an order for arrest and transfer from the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC), arrested Mr Pjetёr Shala in Belgium.

On 15 April 2021, Mr Shala was transferred to the Detention Facilities of the KSC in The Hague, the Netherlands.

The Pre-Trial Judge, Nicolas Guillou, confirmed the indictment against Mr Shala on 12 June 2020. The redacted confirmed indictment has now been made public in accordance with Rule 88 of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence. For security reasons, the Pre-Trial Judge ordered the indictment to be made public with redactions.

The confirmed indictment alleges that Mr Shala is responsible, under various forms of individual criminal responsibility, for the war crimes of arbitrary detention, cruel treatment, torture and murder committed in
the context of and associated with a non-international armed conflict in Kosovo. The alleged crimes with which Mr Shala is charged took place between approximately 17 May 1999 and 5 June 1999 against persons
detained at the Kukёs Metal Factory (Albania) allegedly used by the Kosovo Liberation Army.

Information about the date and time of Mr Shala’s initial appearance before the Pre-Trial Judge will be announced in due course.

Closing arguments in Prosecutor v. Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović

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Closing arguments in Prosecutor v. Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović

The Hague, 14 April 2021 – The Trial Chamber at the Hague Branch of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), composed of Judges Burton Hall (The Bahamas), presiding, Joseph Masanche (Tanzania), and Seon Ki Park (South Korea), today concluded the hearing of the parties’ closing arguments in the case of Prosecutor v. Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović. The closing arguments were heard from Monday, 12 April, until Wednesday, 14 April 2021. 

In his final remarks, the Presiding Judge expressed appreciation to the parties and to all those who assisted during the retrial, while acknowledging that the Mechanism has been able to successfully complete the hearings in this case at a time when the global COVID-19 pandemic is still deeply affecting everyone’s life.

Conclusion of closing arguments in Prosecutor v. Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović

Following today’s hearing, the Trial Chamber will deliberate in private and will issue in due course a scheduling order for the pronouncement of the trial judgement. Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović are currently on provisional release until a date to be determined by the Trial Chamber at the time of scheduling the delivery of the trial judgement.  

This is the first retrial held before the Mechanism. Stanišić, formerly Deputy Chief and Chief of the State Security Service (DB) of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia, and Simatović, formerly employed in the Second Administration of the Serbian DB, were charged before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) with having directed, organised, equipped, trained, armed, and financed special units of the DB and other Serb forces, which were involved in the commission of murder, persecution, deportation, and forcible transfer of non-Serb civilians from large areas of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1991 and 1995.

Conclusion of closing arguments in Prosecutor v. Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović

On 30 May 2013, an ICTY Trial Chamber found that Stanišić and Simatović could not be held criminally responsible for these crimes and acquitted both accused of all charges. Following the appeals proceedings, on 15 December 2015, the ICTY Appeals Chamber quashed the ICTY Trial Chamber’s decision and ordered a retrial and the immediate detention of the accused.

The retrial commenced before the Mechanism on 13 June 2017 with the Prosecution’s opening statement. The Prosecution case was closed on 21 February 2019. A total of 51 witnesses were heard in court for the Prosecution. The Defence case commenced on 18 June 2019, and a total of 29 witnesses were heard in court for both accused.

Defense Secretary Austin in transatlantic mission with German counterpart

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Defense Secretary Austin in transatlantic mission with German counterpart

On the image Defense Secretary, Lloyd J. Austin poses with Chargée d’affaires Robin Quinville and Defense Attaché, Captain Mike Wenke and other embassy staff members. Picture by State Department, US Embassy in Germany.

Tuesday, 13 April 2021, Berlin, Germany: The first personal meeting between German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin focused on current challenges in security and defence policy. The political focus lied on the transatlantic relationship, the role of NATO, the engagement in the Indo-Pacific, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and joint operations.

The retired Army General was the first member of the new Biden administration to visit Germany for a personal meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to chart the course of the new US administration and to discuss a new transatlantic agenda in the field of security and defence policy.

Both parties emphasised the long friendship and partnership between Germany and the USA. German and American soldiers stand side by side in many missions.

Kramp-Karrenbauer welcomed the relaunch of the transatlantic security and defence policy. The current challenges require more than ever a joint shoulder-to-shoulder approach. Germany is aware of its central role in the future orientation of NATO.

“I am particularly pleased about the intention of my US counterpart not to reduce the US forces in Germany any further, but even to increase them by about 500 additional forces,” Kramp-Karrenbauer emphasised. The US soldiers are planned for the United States European Command. The two defence ministers agreed that in view of the current Russian exercise activities and troop movements in the border region with Ukraine, they wanted to proceed in a coordinated and joint manner.

Kramp-Karrenbauer and Austin explored cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. “This region is becoming increasingly important for international stability,” said Kramp-Karrenbauer as per statement below.  Germany also has vital interests there.

The deployment of the frigate “Bayern” in the second half of 2021 is a sign of the visible implementation of the Indo-Pacific policy of the German government. Germany is seeking close dialogue with the USA. The goal is a sustainable engagement beyond 2021.

The German Defence Minister and the American Defense Secretary considered a withdrawal from Afghanistan by 30 April 2021 to be unrealistic. Germany would coordinate closely with the USA and all other troop contributors on how to proceed.

Secretary Austin’s was accompanied to his meetings by the US top envoy in Germany, Robin Quinville, and the republic’s Defense Attaché, Captain Mike Wenke. 

For further information:  

US Defense Department: https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2571843/us-secretary-of-defense-and-german-defense-minister-joint-press-conference-germ/

German Ministry of Defence: https://www.bmvg.de/de/aktuelles/us-amtskollege-austin-besuch-kramp-karrenbauer-5054716

US Embassy in Germany (Chargée d’affaires Robin Quinville): https://de.usembassy.gov/2021-04-secretary-of-defense-austin-meets-german-defense-minister-kramp-karrenbauer/

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Bremen welcomed Ambassador Kafka

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Bremen welcomed Ambassador Kafka

Tuesday, 13 April 2021, Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, Germany: The Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Germany, Tomáš Kafka, was welcomed by Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte for his inaugural visit to Bremen City Hall.

At the beginning of the appointment, the diplomat signed the Golden Book of the City of Bremen. This was followed by an exchange of ideas in the Senate Chamber. Kafka was accompanied by Cultural Attaché Zuzana Chrištofová.

Among other things, the Ambassador’s visit to the Research Centre for Eastern Europe (FSO) at the University of Bremen was a topic of discussion. The FSO’s extensive archive contains more than 100,000 documents, photographs and works of art by dissidents from the former Soviet Union, Poland and the former Czechoslovakia.

Ambassador Kafka very impressed by the estates of several dissidents who were important to him in his personal and diplomatic biography. “I was particularly fascinated by the documents of Czech-Polish Solidarność,” says the top Czech envoy. Founded in 1982 in the midst of the “Cold War”, the FSO today studies the Eastern Bloc and its societies with their culture, as well as analysing current developments in the post-Soviet region.

Mayor Bovenschulte emphasised how important the exchange with a diplomat from Central Europe on the pan-European situation was to him.
Further appointments took Ambassador Kafka to the Bremen City-State Diet (Landtag) as well as to the Bremen Chamber of Commerce (IHK for Bremen and Bremerhaven).

For further information:
https://www.senatspressestelle.bremen.de/detail.php?gsid=bremen146.c.356194.de&asl=bremen02.c.732.de
…

Picture 20210413_Botschafter_Tschechien_GB.

President of Malta at the Vienna Process: No Europe without its Neighborhood

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President of Malta at the Vienna Process: No Europe without its Neighborhood

On the historic date of March 08th – International Women’s Day, a large number of international affairs specialists gathered for the second consecutive summit in Vienna, Austria.[1] Along with the two acting European State Presidents, the event was endorsed by the keynote of the EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood and Enlargement, His Excellency Olivér Várhelyi. Still, one of the most anticipated talks was that of the President of the Republic of Malta, Dr. George Vella.

By Eugene Matos De Lara.

In his highly absorbing keynote, His Excellency President Vella focused on the Euro-Mediterranean and its promising prospects.

President Vella covered a wide array of issues concerning the Mediterranean region, including prospects for and improvement of existing channels of dialogue and cooperation, the ever-changing dynamics of the region, an assessment of the developments in the Western, Central and Eastern parts of the region, and the roles of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) in addressing the Mediterranean’s challenges. This text is a brief recap highlighting the key points of the Maltese President’s intervention at the Vienna Process March’ event.

Excellency President started his keynote by calling for stronger and more coherent Mediterranean dialogue channels in order to effectively solve or at the very least address the region’s challenges. He pointed out that, “there is a high level of institutionalization at parliamentary levels. There are in fact no less than 23 international parliamentary institutions. Many countries are members of more than one organization with inevitable overlapping and repetition; for example, Greece is in 13 organizations, Andorra in 2 and Malta in 7. Most organizations are purely deliberative, however there is little cooperation, competition or division of labor; this hinders interregional cooperation. I mention the 5+5 Western Mediterranean Forum, the Union for the Mediterranean, the Med7. These are examples in which Malta is very actively involved. I find it quite ironic that a strong regional cooperation organization with proven credentials like the OSCE does not have yet a tangible Mediterranean dialogue.”

His excellency, then, proceeded to address the dynamics of the Mediterranean region, stating that “in the old days, the Mediterranean was seen as a playground for the superpower bickering and escalation. Nowadays it is actors from the region itself that flex their muscles often at the expense of the stability of others. When we speak of the Mediterranean, we often, perhaps unknowingly, commit the mistake of projecting this as a homogenous, uniform region; this is not the case. One can attribute the lack of success, if not downright failure, of certain policies because we forget about the regional dynamics and continuously changing realities of this region.” Therefore, he calls for a focused assessment of developments in the region that addresses the region from Western, Central and Eastern perspectives in order to grasp the particularities of the experiences of each and to escape the one-size-fits-all approach to assessing the region’s developments.

The President of the Republic of Malta, Dr. George Vella.

President George Vella then urged us to ask ourselves a very pressing questions, “what the EU, which is ideally placed to positively influence developments, is actually doing?” He stated that he welcomes “the launch of a new agenda for the Mediterranean which clearly states that a strengthened Mediterranean partnership remains a strategic imperative for the EU.” He further highlights the importance of addressing the gap between theory and practice. Here, he refers to the New Pact on Migration and Asylum in the EU; Excellency explained that what truly matters is not what is written in agreements, but rather what is implemented, pointing out that “questions still very much remain on the fair and equitable implementation of its [the New Pact’s] provisions.”

Mr. President also addressed the dire issue of the lack of solidarity in the region. He said: “While the responsibilities of the states of first entry are clear and stringent, solidarity through relocation remains uncertain in the rest of the pact. It appears, indeed, that relocation, which one can consider as the most effective tool of solidarity, remains entirely voluntary.”

As solidarity in the region would lead to more stability, President Vella draws attention to the primary role that youth ought to play in bringing stability to the Mediterranean. He proposed “a system of circular migration and organized mobility for the young Mediterranean generations; a sort of a Mediterranean Erasmus+, giving participants exposure to European realities which they would eventually take back home with them to use in boosting their economies.” This is not the first time his excellency raises this suggestion; in fact, he has done so previously on multiple occasions including in the Young Mediterranean Voices Forum.

President Vella also tackled the dimension of hard security, stating that “we need to do much more to eradicate the flow and the sales of armaments and ammunition. Apart from the obvious security dimension, we also need to consider how the exportation and supply of weapons to countries in the Mediterranean is resulting in political competing and conflicting spheres of influence. In times when multilateralism is wrongly being put into question, I feel we need to do more to increase its pertinence and relevance in global affairs.”

He seemed to very much welcome UN support, presence and visibility in the region; this was evident in his following statement: “There is ample room for the UN to take a more active, hands-on approach to resolving ongoing conflicts. Libya is a case in point, and recent indications that the UN might involve its own personnel are more than welcome. The UN’s message was to keep tensions down and to avoid open conflict, I ask whether the UN, henceforth, could also have a role in effectively bringing stability to the country through a possible physical presence. Greater visibility of the UN on Mediterranean matters has long been on Malta’s agenda.”

Finally, President George Vella closed his highly absorbing keynote by informing the conference participants that Malta is bidding on a non-permanent seat in the United Nation’s Security Council during the term 2023-2024 in order to be a “voice for dialogue, sustainable growth, [and] equality in the Mediterranean and beyond.”

Congratulating to Vienna Process partners on their sustained work in promoting the cross-European dialogue and understanding, and especially to IFIMES for the role played by its Euro-Med branch headed by Ambassador Lamberto Zannier, Malta went even further. This important southern EU member state already expressed its wish to host one of the planned Vienna Process conferences on Europe and its neighborhood in a due time. 

*the above article is based on the informal transcript and conference recordings, which may have nonintentionally caused minor omittances or imprecisions in the reporting. Ms. Rola Elkamash also contributed to this text.

Main picture: Malta President George Vella. Credits: Published in Newsbook by Amy Borg Feb 13, 2020.

About the Author:

Eugene Matos De Lara, publisher of the academic journal Border Crossing, he is an International Private Law specialist of the University of Ottawa, Canada.

[1] This leg of the Vienna Process titled: “Europe – Future – Neighborhood at 75: Disruptions Recalibration Continuity”. The conference, jointly organized by the Modern Diplomacy, IFIMES and their partners, with the support of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, was aimed at discussing the future of Europe and its neighbourhood in the wake of its old and new challenges.                                           

This highly anticipated conference gathered over twenty high ranking speakers from three continents, and the viewers from Australia to Canada and from Chile to Far East. The day was filled by three panels focusing on the rethinking and revisiting Europe and its three equally important neighbourhoods: Euro-Med, Eastern and trans-Atlantic (or as the Romano Prodi’s EU Commission coined it back in 2000s – “from Morocco to Russia – everything but the institutions”); the socio-political and economic greening; as well as the legacy of WWII, Nuremberg Trials and Code, the European Human Rights Charter and their relevance in the 21st century.

OPCW- IIT concludes that units of the Syrian Arab Air Force used chemical weapons in Saraqib

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OPCW- IIT concludes that units of the Syrian Arab Air Force used chemical weapons in Saraqib

OPCW Releases Second Report by Investigation and Identification Team. IIT concludes that units of the Syrian Arab Air Force used chemical weapons in Saraqib on 4 February 2018

THE HAGUE, Netherlands—12 April 2021—The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) released today the findings of the second report by the OPCW Investigation and Identification Team (IIT). The IIT is responsible for identifying the perpetrators of the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic where the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) has determined that chemical weapons have been used or likely used in Syria. The IIT released its first report on 8 April 2020.

The IIT’s second report reiterates its mandate, the legal and practical challenges of its work, and the findings of the investigation focusing on the incident in Saraqib, Syrian Arab Republic, on 4 February 2018. The IIT’s investigation and analysis included a comprehensive review of all the information obtained including: interviews with persons who were present in the relevant places at the time of the incidents, analysis of samples and remnants collected at the sites of the incidents, review of the symptomatology reported by casualties and medical staff, examination of imagery, including satellite images, and extensive consultation of experts.

The IIT also obtained topographic analysis of the area in question and gas dispersion modelling to corroborate accounts from witnesses and victims. The investigation relied on relevant FFM report as well as on samples and other material obtained by the Technical Secretariat.

The report reached the conclusion that there are reasonable grounds to believe that, at approximately 21:22 on 4 February 2018, a military helicopter of the Syrian Arab Air Force under the control of the Tiger Forces hit eastern Saraqib by dropping at least one cylinder. The cylinder ruptured and released chlorine over a large area, affecting 12 named individuals.

Cultural heritage must no longer be attacked and destroyed with impunity

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Cultural heritage must no longer be attacked and destroyed with impunity

Fatou Bensouda, at the conclusion of her visit to Mali

Photo credit: © Timbuktu TFV-ICC HD @Nicolas Réméné

From the 29th to the 31st of March, I had the honour to conduct my third and last official visit to Mali in my capacity as Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or the ‘’Court’’) before my term ends in June of this year. While in Mali, my delegation and I had a full programme  of meetings and productive discussions with the Malian authorities, the judiciary, representatives of civil society, victim associations, community and religious leaders, the academic community and the media. Our exchanges also included meetings with representatives of the United Nations and the diplomatic community based on Mali.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Malian authorities, and the President of the Transition, H.E. Bah N’DAW for the hospitality and cooperation extended to me and my team during my visit to Bamako and Timbuktu.

I would also like to thank the Trust Fund for Victims of the ICC as well as The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (“UNESCO”) for the organisation and gracious invitation to take part in the historic ceremony marking the symbolic recognition of victims – their suffering, their courage and resilience – following the conviction of Mr Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, the first individual accused and convicted at the ICC for the war crime of intentionally directing attacks against religious and historic buildings in Timbuktu, Mali. Mr Al Mahdi was sentenced to nine years imprisonment and ordered to pay 2.7 million euros in reparations to victims. His conviction sent a clear message that these are serious under international law and that perpetrators must be and will be held accountable. Cultural heritage must no longer be attacked and destroyed with impunity.

As I stated at the ceremony, when cultural property is destroyed, it erases the past, never to be lived again, leading to an irreplaceable loss to humanity. We must pool our resources and within our respective mandates, collectively address the serious issue of the destruction of cultural heritage in war and conflict. No actor alone is able to effectively fight impunity for atrocity crimes and protect cultural heritage. Joint action and collaboration are essential. We must indeed #unite4heritage.

ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, at the Djinguereber Mosque, one of UNESCO’s endangered World Heritage Sites in Timbuktu, Mali. © Timbuktu TFV-ICC HD @Nicolas Réméné

Given the importance that I, along with my Office, attach to this matter, and in line with my Strategic Plan to pay particular attention to crimes against and affecting cultural heritage, we recently published a Draft Policy on Cultural Heritage for consultation and comments by States Parties to the Rome Statute, civil society and other stakeholders. My Office has enjoyed close collaboration with UNESCO on this initiative, and I seize the opportunity to publicly salute them for their critical work and the cooperation and assistance extended to my Office. We look forward to our continued collaboration.

In our second case in the Situation of Mali, the trial against Mr Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud has been ongoing since last July. Mr Al Hassan faces a total of 13 charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including sexual and gender-based crimes and the deliberate attacks against cultural heritage allegedly committed in Timbuktu. He is the first individual at the ICC to be charged with persecution on the grounds of gender and on religious grounds. The attack on cultural heritage is part of the underlying crimes.

My Office will continue to do what it can to address these serious crimes, including the assault on cultural heritage – our common heritage. My personal visit to Timbuktu on this occasion and having directly interacted with community leaders and those affected by the destruction brought upon this historic city have only reinforced my belief in the importance of accountability for such crimes. History, whose physical embodiment is at peril through such attacks, will not be generous to our failure to care or act decisively.

During my visit, I have also discussed with the Malian authorities the ongoing violence in the country, and in particular, the preoccupying situation in central Mali and the need to ensure that investigations by the Malian authorities are conducted as swiftly as possible and that those responsible for the commission of atrocities against the civilian population are brought to justice. I reiterated the commitment of my Office to provide support as appropriate in conformity with our mandate and  the principle of complementarity to assist national efforts to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for atrocities.

Our investigations in Mali continue. I am grateful to the Malian authorities for their cooperation and support. My Office remains committed to doing everything it can within its mandate and means to advance justice for victims of atrocity crimes, whether at the ICC or in support of national efforts within the framework of complementarity.

Philippines Contributes to OPCW

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Philippines Contributes to OPCW
Philippines Contributes $15,000 to Future OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology



THE HAGUE, Netherlands — 9 April 2021 —The Government of the Philippines has contributed US$15,000 to a special Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Trust Fund to support the construction of a new facility, the OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology (“ChemTech Centre”).

The contribution was formalised during a ceremony between the Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Jose Eduardo E. Malaya III, and OPCW Director-General, H.E. Mr Fernando Arias, which was held today at OPCW Headquarters in The Hague.Ambassador Malaya stated: “The Philippines is committed to disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, notably chemical weapons.

I commend the work of the OPCW and its vision to establish the ChemTech Centre, which aims to strengthen the Organisation’s capability against new and emerging chemical weapons threats and support capacity building among OPCW Member States.

”The Director-General expressed his gratitude to the Government of the Philippines and noted: “The Philippine contribution advances the establishment of the ChemTech Centre which will be a centrepiece for research, analysis, and training for all Member States.”Director-General Arias also thanked all the OPCW States Parties and other donors who have supported the project.

He emphasised the important role the new ChemTech Centre will play in strengthening the OPCW’s ability to address chemical weapon threats and enhance capacity building activities to the benefit of all 193 OPCW Member States.So far, 47 countries, the European Union, and four other donors have contributed or pledged to contribute financially to the ChemTech Centre project, and €33.6M has been raised.

States Parties are encouraged to continue participating in this important project. Further voluntary contributions will also be used to finance equipment and activities related to International Cooperation and Assistance involving the ChemTech Centre.
Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Jose Eduardo E. Malaya III, and OPCW Director-General, H.E. Mr Fernando Arias.

Türk Keneşi issues declaration at first virtual summit

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Türk Keneşi issues declaration at first virtual summit


Türk Keneşi issues declaration at first virtual summit

Informal Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (hereinafter referred to as the Turkic Council) was held via video conference on 31 March 2021 on the theme of “Turkistan – A Spiritual Capital of the Turkic World”.

The meeting was presided over by H.E. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan< and attended by H.E. Nursultan Nazarbayev, First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy and the Honorary Chairman of the Turkic Council; H.E. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan; H.E. Sadyr Zhaparov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic; H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Turkey; H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, H.E. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, President of Turkmenistan; and H.E. Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary as well as H.E. Baghdad Amreyev Secretary General of the Turkic Council. 

The Heads of States of the Turkic Council, 

Celebrating Nowruz, a holiday which welcomes the vernal equinox and symbolizes the renewal of nature and the beginning of new life;

Congratulating the upcoming 30th anniversary of the restoration of the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan; and expressing gratitude to the Republic of Turkey for immediate recognition of independence of the Turkic Speaking States in 1991;

Highlighting the remarkable political and socio-economic progress that the Turkic Speaking States achieved during the last decades and highly valuing the evolution of multilateral relations in the Turkic World and expressing their strong commitment to further deepening cooperation among the Turkic States; 

Commending the liberation of territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan from military occupation and welcoming the end of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict;

Reiterating their determination to lay down long-term vision and goals for closer cooperation and enhanced solidarity in the Turkic World and to shape the strategic orientation;  

Emphasizing the valuable achievements of the Turkic Council since its inception and reaffirming the intention to enhance its role in ensuring cooperative and coordinated action in the Turkic World and further promoting the values and interests of the Turkic World in the regional and international arena;

Underlining the significance of the multilateral economic cooperation as a tool for contribution to the peace, stability, security and prosperity for the benefit of their peoples; 

Acknowledging the spiritual significance of the city of Turkistan in bringing peoples together from across the wider Turkic World;
Praising the heritage of Kozha Akhmet Yasavi as a great inspirational figure, who founded Turkic school of Islamic morality and exerted a powerful influence on the development of philosophy across the Turkic World; 

Expressing the importance of continuation of holding consultations on regional and international issues affecting the interests of the Turkic World in order to develop a consolidated position of the Member States of the Organization on them in line with the Nakhchivan Agreement on the Establishment of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States. 

Declared that they:

1. Proclaimed the city of Turkistan as a Spiritual Capital of the Turkic World. Agreed that other prominent ancient cities of the Turkic World might be accorded with similar statuses on a rotating basis in the future; and instructed the Secretariat to prepare a regulation on this matter in cooperation with the Member States to be adopted by the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) prior to the 8th Turkic Council Summit in Turkey; 

2. Supported the initiative of H.E. Nursultan Nazarbayev, First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy and the Honorary Chairman of the Turkic Council to change the name of the Turkic Council and instructed the Foreign Ministers and the Secretariat to prepare the relevant documents to lay the basis for this decision at the 8th Summit of the Turkic Council envisaged to be held in the fall of 2021 in the Republic of Turkey; 

3. Commended the Secretariat for the preparation of the initial drafts of the “Turkic World Vision -2040” and “Turkic Council Strategy 2020-2025”, and instructed the relevant authorities of the Member States to work with the Secretariat to prepare them for the possible approval in line with their respective national procedures at the next Summit in Turkey; 

4. Expressed solidarity with the Government and the People of Azerbaijan in their effort to rehabilitate, rebuild and reintegrate conflict-affected territories and supported the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the basis of mutual recognition of and respect for each other’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders;  

5. Stressed the importance of the economic outlook for enabling the Turkic Council to set more ambitious and achievable goals, undertake and effectively implement regional projects of strategic importance, in particular in the field of transport, customs, energy and infrastructure; 

6. Noting the great merits of the famous poet and statesman Mir Alisher Navoi in the eye of the Turkic people, who made a great contribution to the development of the literature, art, social-economic, scientific and cultural life of the Turkic world, as well as in connection with the wide celebration of his 580th anniversary this year, agreed to establish the Alisher Navoi International Prize within the Turkic Council; 

7. Instructed the relevant authorities of the Member States to hold in collaboration with the Turkic Cooperation Organizations coordinated events for celebration of the 1005th anniversary of Zhusup Balasagyn, 880th anniversary of Nizami Ganjavi, the year of Yunus Emre and the Turkish language, the 580th anniversary of Alisher Navoi, 175th anniversary of Zhambyl Zhabayev, 155th anniversary of Alikhan Bokeikhan, and the 120th anniversary of Huseyin Karasaev, prominent poets, philosophers and statesmen of the Turkic World who made significant contributions to the development of literature, art, science and culture of the Turkic World;

8. Commended the significant achievements in the activities of the Secretariat of the Turkic Council since the last Summit.

The Heads of States express profound thanks to H.E. Nursultan Nazarbayev, First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy and the Honorary Chairman of the Turkic Council for initiating the Turkistan Informal Summit and H.E. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan for steering the deliberations at this meeting to a successful conclusion. 

Adopted on 31 March 2021 at the videoconference in the Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Turkish, Uzbek and English languages. 

The Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States was set up 2009 in Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan, at the initiative of Kazakhstan’s then President Nursultan Nazarbayev who still serves as the council’s honorary chairman. The General Secretariat is located in Istanbul. Secretary-General is the Kazakh diplomat Baghdad Kultaevich Amreyev.

Membership therein includes Turkey, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Hungary is an observer state, and Turkmenistan holds an unwritten status as a country of Turkic heritage that has declined membership in the council owing to its policy of absolute neutrality.  

The council has its own flag, and intends in playing a more relevant role in the region for countries of Turkic heritage. 

For further information:
https://www.turkkon.org/en/haberler/turkistan-declaration-of-the-informal-summit-of-the-cooperation-council-of-turkic-speaking-states_2220

Picture by Turkic Council.

Jaime de Parme to tackle climate change

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Jaime de Parme to tackle climate change

The Dutch Ministry of Interior and Royal Relations has announced the appointment of Jaime de Bourbon de Parme as ‘Climate Envoy’. From the summer 2021, he shall be responsible for international climate diplomacy on behalf of the central government. 

The Kingdom of the Netherlands joins other major countries in tackling climate change, and appointing erudite envoys to advise them on suitable policies on sustainability, and climate change.

US President Biden appointed erstwhile 68th Secretary of State John Kerry at the outset of his presidency. Already in November 2020, the UAE appointed Minister of State, Dr Sultan Al Jaber to an analogous position. 

Minister President Dr. Whiteman and Ambassador Jaime de Bourbon de Parme. Picture by Government of Curaçao.

HRH Prince Jaime de Bourbon de Parme (b. 1972 in Nijmengen, The Netherlands) works at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is currently on secondment at the UNHCR-Refugee Agency in Geneva; wherein he serves in the capacity of Senior Advisor Private Sector Partnerships. He has held various positions at home and abroad, such as Ambassador to the Holy See in Vatican City (2014-18) and Special Envoy for Natural Resources.

Jaime de Bourbon de Parme is a son of HRH Princess Irene of the Netherlands (alias Irene van Lippe-Biesterfeld) and the late Duke of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla, Carlo Ugo. He pursued his tertiary studies at Brown University (Rhode Island, USA), and completed them with a Master in International Economics and Conflict Management at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, USA (MA).

He speaks Dutch, English, French, Spanish and Italian. 

For further information 


World Economic Forum: https://cn.weforum.org/people/jaime-bourbon-parme


Biography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaime_de_Bourbon_de_Parme

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