President Shavkat Mirziyoyev – Picture by Uzbek presidency.
Thursday, 6 September 2018, Shakhrisabz, Qashqadaryo Region, Republic of Uzbekistan: Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev ceremoniously opened the first international maqom musical forum organized upon his own initiative in order to broadly promote the Uzbek national maqom art at home and abroad, and thereby highlight the pulchritudity and heritage linked to classical Uzbek music.
I Maqom International Festival at Shakhrisabz – Picture by Uzbek Presidency.
The forum itself was preceded by large-scale preparations in the form of various exhibitions, academic round tables dedicated to maqom.
All in all, shows and sales of national musical instruments, clothes, handicrafts, works of fine and applied art, sculpture, art and documentary films, books and albums were organised on and in the vicinities of Oqsaroy Square in Shakhrisabz, surrounded by the behemoth statute of Emperor Timur, the most prominent ruler to have ruled Shakhrisabz in the 14th century, and forebear to the Timurid dynasty.
In 2018, the International Forum of Maqom Art was held for the first time. In accordance to a resolution by President Mirziyoyev, this event will be held as a biennial.
For further information:
About Shakhrisabz: https://orexca.com/shakhrisabz.shtml
La Haye, 13 September 2018 – Le Juge Theodor Meron, Président du Mécanisme international appelé à exercer les fonctions résiduelles des Tribunaux pénaux, a fait aujourd’hui la déclaration suivante :
« Il y a près de deux mois, à l’occasion du vingtième anniversaire de l’adoption du Statut de Rome, j’ai eu l’opportunité d’exprimer mon profond attachement aux valeurs et aux objectifs qui sous-tendent ce Statut. Je souhaite réitérer aujourd’hui mon appui indéfectible au Statut de Rome et au système auquel il a donné naissance.Le système de Rome reflète le principe selon lequel mettre fin à l’impunité en matière de violations graves du droit international est un impératif universel, l’engagement des États étant d’une importance capitale si l’on veut que cet objectif soit atteint. Notre capacité à faire en sorte que ces crimes — qui comptent parmi les plus odieux qu’on puisse imaginer — ne restent pas impunis dépend de l’existence de mécanismes judiciaires nationaux et internationaux qui respectent les préceptes fondamentaux de la primauté du droit, notamment en garantissant l’équité fondamentale et une justice impartiale et indépendante, libre de toute ingérence politique. La Cour pénale internationale, qui fait partie intégrante du système de Rome, est un remarquable exemple d’un tel mécanisme.La capacité de la CPI, à son tour, de s’acquitter de son mandat essentiel dépend du soutien et de la coopération des États. Alors que la Cour et le système de Rome lui-même continuent de faire face à des difficultés et que le respect du principe de l’indépendance judiciaire demeure essentiel, je tiens à prendre le temps de saluer les juges et les hauts responsables de la CPI, ainsi que tous les autres à la Cour et de par le monde, et ils sont nombreux, qui nous aident — par leur persévérance, leur résilience et leur attachement aux principes qui fondent la communauté des hommes et qui sont consacrés par le Statut de Rome — à nous rapprocher encore de notre objectif fondamental : mettre fin à l’impunité en matière de violations graves du droit international. »
On 18 August 2018, Ms. Myroslava Krasnoborova took up her duties as Liaison Prosecutor for Ukraine at Eurojust.Before joining Eurojust, Ms Krasnoborova occupied the positions of Deputy Head of Department for International Legal Cooperation and Head of Division for International Cooperation of the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) of Ukraine.In 2008, she joined the PGO as a prosecutor dealing with mutual legal assistance (MLA) cases. In her role as head of the relevant PGO divisions, she specialised in the transfer of criminal proceedings, asset recovery, international cooperation and the negotiation of international treaties, in addition to MLA.As Eurojust contact point for Ukraine for several years, Ms Krasnoborova was directly involved in some of the most complex and high-profile cross-border cases related to Ukraine, including cybercrime, economic crime, terrorism, as well as the recovery of stolen art.After her appointment to Eurojust, Ms Krasnoborova said: “I am delighted and honoured to be the first Liaison Prosecutor for Ukraine at Eurojust. We wish to continue the success of combating transnational criminality with the support of Eurojust and EU Member States’ judicial authorities, and I am looking forward to enhancing this effective cooperation in the future in the framework of Eurojust’s activities.”
By Roy Lie Atjam.Diversity is not about how we differ, diversity is about embracing one another’s uniqueness (Maya Angelou)
The 73rd Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia has been widely celebrated in the Netherlands.
The Embassy of Indonesia in the Netherlands under the direction of H.E. Ambassador I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja has successfully organized various activities to mark this memorable day. Activities as an impressive Flag hoisting ceremony, Indonesian Flavour Festival, a Diplomatic reception, Pasar Ryan etc.
The Diplomatic reception took place on the lawns of“ Wisma Duta” in Wassenaar, the official residence of the Ambassador of Indonesia in the Netherlands. The date was 6 September 2018, the theme was Diversity and Friendship.
The Ambassador of Sri Lanka, H.E. Adam M.J. Sadiq together with H.E. Ambassador I Gusti Wesaka Puja.
H.E. Ambassador I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja opened the reception with a brief address. Featuring alongside him Mister and Miss Indonesia 2017, Miquel Sijbers and Nike van der Velde.
The presence of Mister and Miss Indonesia is a token of the vigour of the phenomena diversity Ambassador Puja remarked. In addition to celebrating Independence and Diversity, the diplomatic reception was also an expression of the long standing friendship between Indonesia and the Netherlands.
H.E. Mr Agustin Vazquez Gomez, Ambassador of El Salvador, Mrs. Laura Dupuy and H.E. Ricardo Nava, Ambassador of Uruguay.
The Diplomatic reception, quotation:
More than 850 guests made up of diplomatic corps, officials of various Dutch government institutions, international organizationspartners, the press, and Indonesians. Among the guests were also prominent Dutch political figures, members of Parliament, and the Senate. For example, Ben Bot, the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Balkenende Cabinet II and III; AnkieBroekers-Knol, President of the Dutch Senate; Geert Jan Hamilton, Secretary General of the Dutch Senate; Fernando Arias, Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW); Pauline Krikke, Mayor of The Hague; Lenny Poppe-de Loff, Mayor of Zundert. Simon Boon, President of Gelre Association International.
H.E. Mrs. Adia Sakiqi, Ambassador of Albania, H.E. Fernando Arias, Director – General OPCW and H.E. Ms. Mirsada Čolaković, Ambassador of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Ambassador Wesaka Puja also expressed the pride of the Indonesian people, who had successfully held the 2018 Asian Games some time ago. Because of this success, Indonesia has a strong foundation to offer itself as the host for the 2032 Olympics.
Ambassador Wesaka Puja took advantage of this opportunity to promote Indonesian restaurants in the Netherlands. As a form of commemoration of the 73rd Indonesian Anniversary, the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague published a book 73 favorite Indonesian restaurants in the Netherlands. “If you go home later, please take the book. I hope you can visit one of them” he said.
As a series of the 73rd RI independence activities, this Diplomatic Reception was also sponsored by various companies, including Damen, BNI, Garuda, PT. Lis International, Van Oord, The East, Pipiltin, Polygon, and others.
Mrs. Fernanda Jagusiak, Mrs. Linda Zin and the Ambassador of Malaysia, H.E Mr. Ahmad Nazri Yusof.
After the speech, Ambassador Wesaka Puja invited the guests to enjoy a variety of Indonesian specialties that were provided such as chicken soup, gado-gado, guling goats, as well as various satay – chicken, goat and shrimp. Not to forget, ice teler, various herbs, native Indonesian tea, Bintang beer, as well as Indonesian snacks, such as rolls, spring rolls, and lapis legit.
While enjoying the meal, guests were entertained by music presented by the Krontjong Toegoe group. It has been a great celebration of the 73rd Indonesian Anniversary.
María Fernanda Espinosa and Michelle Bachelet – Picture by UN
1 September 2018, UN: Michelle Bachelet hailing from Chile became the VII United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. She stepped in the shoes of predecessor, HRH Prince Zeid bin Ra’ad Al Hussein, native of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Bachelet ended her second four-year term as President of Chile in March 2018, having already held the position between 2006 and 2010. The first woman elected to Chile’s highest office, after her first term, she joined the United Nations as the first Executive Director of the newly established United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women).A long-time human rights champion and ground-breaking leader, Michelle Bachelet is a pediatrician who began her Government career as an adviser in the Ministry of Health, rising quickly to become the first woman to lead Chile’s Health Ministry in 2000 and its Defence Ministry in 2002.Holder of a medical degree, Ms. Bachelet also studied military strategy at Chile’s National Academy of Strategy and Policy and at the Inter-American Defense College in the United States.
Friday, 31 August 2018, Hong Kong, PRC: Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Carrie Lam welcomed Austria’s Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and his delegation to Hong Kong, which included three federal ministers, namely the Federal Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology, Mr Norbert Hofer; the Federal Minister for Digital and Economic Affairs, Mrs Margarete Schramböck; and the Federal Minister for Education, Science and Research, Mr Heinz Fassmann, who Mrs Lam met during her visit to Europe some months ago.
CE Lam said that she visited Vienna in her previous capacity of Chief Secretary for Administration in 2014, during which she invited a high-level delegation of the Austrian Federal Government to visit Hong Kong.
Austrian and Hong Kong authorities are eager in expanding cooperation in the field of arts and culture. In fact CE Lam mentioned that the world-renowned Vienna Boys Choir set up its first overseas music academy in Hong Kong in 2011.
Moreover, the soon-to-be completed M+ Museum and the Hong Kong Palace Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District, together with the renovated Hong Kong Museum of Art, will bring the development of arts and culture in Hong Kong to new heights. She also expressed the hope that room for collaboration could be explored with the acclaimed MuseumsQuartier Wien.
For further information :
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, European Union, Brussels (Director Shirley Lam): www.hongkong-eu.org
Tuesday, 28 August 2018, Canberra, Commonwealth of Australia: Senator and until then serving Minister of Defence Marise Payne has replaced Liberal party comrade Julie Bishop as Australian Chief of Diplomacy.
Payne serves as Senator since 1997 for the state of New South Wales. Julie Bishop resigned of her own accord after losing the ballot contesting the leadership to the Liberal Party, and thus aiming at the prime ministership.
XV informal meeting of German-speaking heads of state and spouses – Picture by the Belgian Monarchy.
Thursday, 6 September 2018, Sils im Engadin/Segl, Canton of Graubünden, Swiss Confederation: Loyal to their annual tradition the heads of state of Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, Belgium and Liechtenstein (acting head of state) were hosted by the Swiss Federal President Alain Berset to discuss topics of relevance.
The visiting delegations arrived in the municipality of Sils im Engandin located in the Canton of the Grisons (Graubünden) for their informal welcome on Wednesday, 5 September, albeit the official programme began on 6 September with discussions rounds concerning the possible membership of Western Balkan countries into the EU, the Brexit, the upcoming global climate conference to be held in October in Poland as well as the Austrian EU-Council chairmanship.
Although the meeting is meant for the heads of state of partaking countries, one should note that Switzerland has no one single head of state, hence Federal Counsellor Alain Berset welcomed his colleagues in his role as primus inter pares within the seven-members strong Federal Swiss Council. Likewise Liechtenstein’s Hereditary Prince Alois participates in his capacity as deputy to the sovereign prince.
Statement by the President of the Assembly
The International Criminal Court is an independent and impartial judicial institution crucial for ensuring accountability for the gravest crimes under international law. The Court is non-political and acts strictly within the legal framework of the Rome Statute, its founding treaty. The Court’s mandate is to help put an end to impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole and to bring justice to those affected by such crimes.
One of the cornerstones of the Rome Statute system is that it recognizes the primary jurisdiction of States to investigate and prosecute atrocity crimes. The jurisdiction of the Court is only complementary to domestic jurisdictions.
The Court is encouraged by the strong support and cooperation, not only of the 123 States Parties to the Rome Statute, but also by the support it has received from other States and international organizations and civil society in carrying out its mandate. This commitment was recently reaffirmed on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Rome Statute this July.
The Assembly of States Parties remains committed to uphold and defend the principles and values enshrined in the Rome Statute, including in particular the judicial independence of the Court.
The Hague, Netherlands — 10 September 2018 — The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of the Chemical Weapons (OPCW), H.E. Ambassador Fernando Arias, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark, H.E. Mr. Anders Samuelsen, during a visit today to OPCW Headquarters in The Hague.
The Director-General briefed the Foreign Affairs Minister on the progress in the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). They discussed the approach to and anticipated outcomes for the upcoming Fourth Review Conference of the CWC, progress in implementing the June decision on addressing the threat of chemical weapons use, and plans for upgrading the OPCW Laboratory.
The Director-General commended Denmark’s efforts in upholding the norm against the use of chemical weapons. He acknowledged Denmark’s invaluable assistance for the verification and destruction-related activities of the Organisation, especially in Syria and Libya.
The Director-General stated: “I am impressed with Denmark’s stalwart support for the OPCW. I hope that the Kingdom of Denmark and the OPCW will continue to collaborate to eradicate chemical weapons in concert with the other Member States.”
The Minster remarked: “The threat from chemical weapons is clear, present and takes many forms. The unacceptable breaches of the ban on the use of chemical weapons, not least in Syria and Salisbury, are tragic reminders. The decision to establish an attribution mechanism in the OPCW sends a clear message. There must be no impunity. Denmark remains committed to the fight to uphold the ban. Director-General Arias and I discussed how best to achieve progress and secure OPCW’s leading role.”
