The President of the International Court of Justice, H.E. Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yousef and the Ambassador of El Salvador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the International Organizations based in The Hague, H.E. Mr. Agustín Vásquez Gómez. International Court of Justice and the Embassy of El Salvador In the Netherlands Pay Homage to Doctor José Gustavo Guerrero The President of the International Court of Justice, H.E. Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yousef and the Ambassador of El Salvador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the International Organizations based in The Hague, H.E. Mr. Agustín Vásquez Gómez, presided over the tribute to the illustrious Salvadoran internationalist Doctor José Gustavo Guerrero, last President of the Permanent Court of International Justice and First President of the International Court of Justice. The solemn ceremony took place on 16 October 2018 in the Great Hall of Justice of the International Court of Justice, at the Peace Palace, seat of the International Court of Justice, in the presence of members of the Court, representatives of the Diplomatic Corps and high officials of international organizations based in The Hague. The President of the Court highlighted in his words the honor that it deserves to the highest court of justice in the world, having had among its members a man who had international law and the concept of justice as a way of life, which translated into an exceptional step for more than two decades in the International Court of Justice and its predecessor the Permanent Court of International Justice. The Registrar of the Court, H.E. Philippe Couvreur referred that Judge Guerrero was the author of several landmark studies on some of the most controversial questions of his time. In words of Mr. Couvreur Dr. Guerrero “shaped the course of that history at the most difficult moments and safeguarded its legacy when the Court was re-formed, despite the turbulence of those new times” In his speech, Ambassador Vásquez Gómez highlighted the pride that Doctor Guerrero represents as a remarkable son of El Salvador, whose merit of professional life made him transcend the borders of his native land, gaining recognition and distinction not only for his dedication and profound contribution to international law, but also for its strong commitment to the principles and values ​​of peace and justice. The Brazilian Judge Antônio Augusto Cançado Trindade elaborated in a broad and comprehensive manner the contribution of Doctor Guerrero to the Latin American doctrine of International Law, underscoring particularly the codification of international law, the peaceful settlement of international disputes, the law of international organizations, and the law of nations, among others.

Representing the family of Doctor Guerrero, Mr. José Miguel Arévalo Rengifo expressed that Dr. Guerrero’s profound love and patriotism towards El Salvador was undeniable, adding with great emotion that “the lord of white mustaches became a hero and a model to follow, when confirmed in his indelible figure that the great world leaders are not exclusive of the most developed nations.” The highlight of the ceremony was the grant of Diplomatic Merit Medal Doctor José Gustavo Guerrero to the President of the International Court of Justice opportunity in which H.E. Vásquez Gómez mentioned that “this honor symbolize the gesture of a Nation grateful to the highest Court of Justice in the world, which offered the opportunity to Judge Guerrero to develop his deep devotion and dedication to justice and international law.” As part of the ceremony, attendees enjoyed a musical presentation of six Salvadoran children from the city of San Pedro Perulapán, members of the group “Armonía Cuscatleca”, who proudly performed the musical pieces named “El Carbonero” and “El Torito Pinto”.

By Guido Lanfranchi During a trip to India and Europe, the Special Representative for Iran: Brian Hook, is trying to gain international support to the U.S. pressure campaign on Iran. Upcoming U.S. extraterritorial sanctions on Iran’s energy and financial sectors are at the center of the discussions.   There are less than three weeks left before November 5^th, the date in which the second batch of U.S. sanctions on Iran are set to take effect, and the State Department is stepping up efforts to convince its international partners to abide by these sanctions. U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Mr. Brian Hook, is currently engaged in an international trip that is bringing him to New Delhi, Luxembourg, Paris, and Brussels, where he is set to discuss with his partners about “U.S. policy aimed at reducing Iran’s malign activities.” U.S. President Donald J. Trump has been a long time critic of the Iran Nuclear Deal, and in May 2018 he has officially declared the U.S. withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action . Reiterating some of the President’s arguments, during his stop in Luxembourg Sr. Hook too criticized the agreement, arguing that Iran “used the deal as a strategic cover to expand its operations throughout the Middle East.” The $100 billion in sanctions relief arising from the deal – Mr. Hook claimed – were used by Iran to increase its regional malign activities, including the financing of terrorist proxy groups, the development of missile capabilities, and the execution of cyber-attacks. Such activities, according to the U.S. Special Representative, were not only against the spirit of the JCPOA, but also in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, such as in the case of ballistic missiles. Mr. Hook explained that the rationale behind the imposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran is to “cut-off the funding streams” that the Iranian government uses to fund such activities. The sanctions coming in on November 5^th, which will target Iran’s energy and financial sectors and will have extraterritorial nature, will be “the toughest ever imposed” – Mr. Hook claimed – and have already been yielding some results: Iran’s oil exports have declined, and more than 100 companies have announced or implemented their decision to pull out of Iran. The U.S. State Department and Treasury have been leading an international pressure campaign, in which U.S. officials traveled to more than two dozen countries to discourage U.S. partners from engaging with and in Iran. The combination of Iran’s “very dark economy” and the threat of U.S. secondary sanctions – Mr. Hook explained – is now very likely to drive global corporation away from Iran, a move that companies such as Total, Daimler, and Peugeot have already done. Concerning U.S. sanctions on Iran’s oil exports, the U.S. goal remains “getting countries importing oil from Iran to zero as quickly as possible.” On this note, Mr. Hook noted that the global oil market is currently “well-supplied and balanced,” assuring that both the U.S. and its oil-producing partners will spare no efforts to ensure market stability. Moreover, concerning some countries’ desire to enjoy a sanctions relief, Mr. Hook highlighted that the U.S. stands ready to have conversations with its partners on a case-by-case basis, in order to balance the interests of the U.S. and the needs of its allies. As for the clashes between U.S. and European positions on the Iran Nuclear Deal, Mr. Hook downplayed the divergence, stressing instead that both parties see eye to eye on key areas, such as on Iran’s malign activities and long-term threats. While praising the positive contacts between the U.S. and several European nations, Mr. Hook joined U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in criticizing European efforts to by-pass U.S. secondary sanctions, for instance through the establishment of the Special Purpose Vehicle. However, he declined to comment on European-Iranian bilateral relations, as well as on the disputes around the Swift financial transaction system. On the issue of humanitarian aid, Mr. Hook also stressed that “it has never been and it’s not now U.S. policy to target humanitarian trade,” and that exceptions to the sanctions regime have been studies accordingly. However, as the Iranian government “takes advantage of humanitarian relief to fund malign activities,” it is not easy for the U.S. to make sure not to benefit the “Iranian regime” while trying to support the “Iranian people.” Special Representative Hook made clear that the U.S. administration, in close collaboration with Congress, stands ready to engage with Iran, in order to resolve not only the issue of nuclear proliferation, but also a wider array of matters. “If the Iranian regime demonstrates a commitment to seriously change its behavior, the [U.S.] President is prepared to engage in diplomatic dialogue to find solutions.”  

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — 15 October 2018 — The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), H.E. Mr. Fernando Arias, and the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Costa Rica, H.E. Ms. Lorena Aguilar, met today at the OPCW Headquarters in The Hague.

By Guido Lanfranchi. In the wake of Ukraine’s renewal of special status for the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Ambassador Kurt Volker urged Russia to withdraw its troops from Eastern Ukraine, in order to provide the conditions for implementing the Minsk Agreement.   Ukraine is doing its part for the implementation of the Minsk agreements, but Russian persistent military and political involvement in Eastern Ukraine continues to prevent the implementation of the accords. This sentence could resume, in a nutshell, the main argument of U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine, Ambassador Kurt Volker. Speaking from Brussels, where he is holding consultations with different European institutions, Ambassador Volker welcomed the recent extension of the “Law on Special Status for eastern Ukraine” by the Ukrainian Parliament. Such extension – he noted – is a crucial step for the fulfillment of Ukraine’s requirements under the so-called Minsk II agreement, negotiated in 2015 by Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany. However, the Ambassador also stressed that the full implementation of the accord, which includes an amnesty for conflict-related crimes and the organization of local elections, requires conditions of security that until now have not been matched, largely due to Russia’s lack of compliance. While Ukraine has taken steps towards the fulfillment of its requirement, Russia has not – Mr. Volker claimed. The U.S. Special Representative accused Moscow of continuing to occupy Ukrainian territory, breaking the ceasefire, as well as maintaining ties with illegal armed groups and self-declared political entities in eastern Ukraine. As a result, a deadlock is currently in place, “between Ukraine needing Russia to do its part […] and Russia demanding more from Ukraine.” While reminding of U.S. efforts to break such deadlock through a UN-led peacekeeping mission, Ambassador Volker regretted that such proposals were not positively received his Russian counterparts. On their side, Russian negotiators did put forward some proposals, such as a UN peacekeeping missions to protect OSCE observers, as well as a referendum in eastern Ukraine to decide the region’s future. However, Ambassador Volker deemed such proposals as unworkable, considering the former as far too limited, and the latter as lacking any legal basis. Nevertheless, negotiations continue, and the U.S. Special Representative repeatedly reiterated his willingness to meet his Russian counterpart, Mr. Surkov, to jointly address the conflict in eastern Ukraine. To this regard, Mr. Volker stressed that, in spite of the government’s denials, Russia remains deeply involved in the region, as demonstrated by Mr. Surkov’s recent promises to raise salaries in the Donestsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. Russia’s involvement in eastern Ukraine – Ambassador Volker stressed – is causing extremely high costs to Russia. Firstly,the country is bearing the direct financial costs for its military and political support to the People’s Republics. Moreover, Russia is also suffering the consequences of European and U.S. sanctions, which – Mr. Volker argued – should be kept in place. Finally, the Ambassador added that the conflict in Ukraine is currently dealing a serious blow to Russia’s image, especially among the Ukrainians. Mr. Volker also touched upon the religious issues concerning Ukraine’s request for church independence from the Russian Orthodox Church. While reiterating the centrality of religious freedom, Mr. Volker expressed his wish that whatever decision will be taken, it should not lead to violence. In his final remarks, Ambassador Volker reiterated the seriousness of the humanitarian crisis in eastern Ukraine, where ordinary people, most of them Russian-speaking, are bearing the costs of the conflict. He then called on Russia to “move beyond bringing this conflict into Ukrainian territory, withdrawits forces, and reestablish peace,” as only in this way “the lives of these people would improve significantly.”

On the picture from left to right: Ms. Sheila Gemin, President Professional Women’s Network (PWN) Amsterdam, Ms. Nita Korsten, Co-Lead Mentoring Programme , PWN Amsterdam, H.E. Adia Sakiqi, Ambassdor of Albania, Ms. Angela Gest-McCall,  Co-Lead Mentoring Programme , PWN Amsterdam and Ms. Diana Eggleston,  Consultant, Member PWN Amsterdam. By Angela Gest-McCall. On the evening of Thursday 30th August, H.E. Adia Sakiqi, Ambassador of Albania to the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the OPCW, joined an inspirational group of twenty women and men for a Networking event in Amsterdam. They were preparing to travel to Skopje for an exciting new International Mentoring Program in Skopje, led by the Macedonian Mentoring Network (MMN) in partnership with The Professional Women’s Network (PWN) Amsterdam, and sponsored by the Dutch Embassy in Macedonia. Ambassador Sakiqi generously shared key insights into Albania’s business culture and diversity agenda, helping to shape expectations for the team of Netherlands-based mentors.They heard that there are great hopes for the future of Albanian business, that women play a key role in shaping this future, and that the younger generations in particular are visibly energized by the potential for greater entrepreneurialism. They learnt about the challenges faced by smaller geographic regions in attracting investment from larger companies, and some of the key differences in how business practices such as networking and communication can potentially lead to misunderstandings, without attention to common cultural expectations. Ambassador Sakiqi’s talk was energizing, and the team of Netherlands-based mentors ended the evening with high expectations.

On 21-22 September 2018, the teamjoined a2-day kickoff event to this innovative International Mentoring Program in Skopje with the aim of building powerful peer mentoring partnerships committed to empowering women entrepreneurs and professionals from Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania. The program got off to a roaring start during an inspiring panel discussion with H.E Ambassador Wouter Plomp (Netherlands Embassy in Skopje), Danela Arsovska (Macedonian Chamber of Commerce), Ardita Seknaj (International Chamber of Commerce, Albania), Lumnije Ajdini, (Association of Kosovar Business), Slavica Nikolovska (Macedonian Mentoring Network) and Sheila Gemin (President, Professional Women’s Network Amsterdam). And during a jam-packed 2-day conference that included an evening event hosted by the Dutch Embassy in Skopje, we witnessed the birth of some unique mentoring relationships expected to result in mutually beneficial outcomes and the progression of potential business growth opportunities across and between the regions. We certainly look forward to hearing about some of the exciting growth opportunities to come!