With the support of Eurojust and Europol, the French Gendarmerie and Polish Criminal Police dismantled an organised crime group (OCG) suspected of having committed at least 36 cargo thefts, with damages estimated at EUR 1.5 million. Last week, 15 properties were searched simultaneously in Gorzow, Poland, and Nancy, France, three suspects were arrested in each country, and evidence was seized.In Europe, the number of incidents of cargo theft is increasing. OCGs, originating mainly from eastern Europe, frequently target high-value products. This OCG targeted trucks at unsecured parking sites in eastern France, although the OCG’s activities are suspected to span across several other Member States.Investigations began in March 2017. International police and judicial cooperation helped in the apprehension of the six suspects. A number of parallel investigations have been opened. Europol provided analytical support before and during the action day. Eurojust ensured a coordinating role on a judiciary level. At the request of the Interregional Specialized Jurisdiction of Nancy, Eurojust organised two coordination meetings with judicial and law enforcement authorities from France, Poland, Germany and Denmark that highlighted the cross-border activities of the targeted OCG.Eurojust ensured a coordinating role on a judiciary level. At the request of the Interregional Specialized Jurisdiction of Nancy, Eurojust organised two coordination meetings with judicial and law enforcement authorities from France, Poland, Germany and Denmark that highlighted the cross-border activities of the targeted OCG.
Australian Ambassador Lynette Wood & Premier Armin Laschet – Picture by Land NRW, G. Ortmann, 29 August 2018.
Wednesday, 29 August 2018, Düsseldorf, NRW: At Government House Australian Ambassador Lynette Wood paid her maiden courtesy visit to Premier Armin Laschet, albeit it had not been her first visit to the chancery, having visited in March 2017.
Discussions were focus on the support of NRW for a EU-wide trade agreement with Australia as well as intensifying relations in the domain of education.
Ambassador Wood is accredited to Germany since 28 September 2016, and represents her country also as non-resident head of mission to Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
On the picture, the Mayor of Hamburg, Dr. Peter Tschentscher and the Turkish ambassador to Germany, Ali Kemal Aydin.
Friday, 7 September 2018, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg: First Mayor of Hamburg, Dr. Peter Tschentscher received the courtesy visit of the Turkish ambassador to Germany, Ali Kemal Aydin, who paid thus his official visit to Hamburg’s governing mayor since being accredited to Germany on 13 December 2016.
François Sénémaud – Picture by French Embassy to Laos.
Monday, 27 August 2018: President Macron’s “Personal Representative of the French Presidency for Syria” commenced his duties in this role directly promoted from the Élysée Palace.
Minister-Plenipotentiary François Sénémaud entered to France from his service as French Ambassador to Iran. Previously he was head for the French Intelligence Service (DGSE, 2012-16).
Diplomatic observers noted that Sénémaud is well-acquainted to the Arab region, having served as a top diplomat in Jordan during the Gulf War whilst he is likewise well-versed on Iran, its system and strategies; the latter being a pivotal country in order to solve successfully the Syrian crises.
Since 2012 the French Embassy in Damascus has been shut down just as all other EU embassies with the exception of the Czech Embasssy.
Pasar Raya Indonesia 2018. On the picture H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Ambassador of Bangladesh, Thailand Deputy Head of Mission, Ms. Tanyarat Mungkalarungsi , H.E. Ms. Ngo Thi Hoa, Ambassador of Viet Nam, H.E. Dr. Hisham Al-Alawi, Ambassador of Iraq, H.E. Ahmad Nazri Yusof, Ambassador of Malaysia, Ms. Marloes Borsboomand, Deputy Mayor of Rijswijk and H.E. I Gusti Wesaka Puja, Ambassador of Indonesia.By Roy Lie Atjam.Pasar Raya Indonesia has moved from Wassenaar and landed at the Broodfabriek in Rijswijk in 2017.
This time around Pasar Raya Indonesia or PRI is part of the 73rd celebrations of Indonesia’ Independence.
The PRI aims at strengthening the bounds of friendship between nations.
Thousands of individuals visited Pasar Raya Indonesia 2018, held from 14 – 16 September 2018. They came from all quarters of Europe.
PRI 2018 was officially opened by H.E. Ambassador I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja along with the Deputy Mayor of Rijswijk Ms. Marloes Borsboom. According to the deputy mayor, Rijswijk is very pleased to see the second Pasar Raya taking place in the city.
Several members of the diplomatic corps, including the Ambassadors of Bangladesh, Iraq, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand Deputy Head of Mission attended the official opening of the Pasar on Saturday 15 September.
The Pasar Raya promoted and showcased Indonesian economy, fashion, cosmetics, culture; cuisine and various Indonesian products such as textiles, handicrafts as well as the people to people contact.
Pasar Raya edition 2018 has by all means been a successful Indonesian promotional event in the Netherlands.
Retno Marsudi and Heiko Maas – Picture by Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Twitter.
Friday, 14 September 2018, Berlin, Germany: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi and her German counterpart Heiko Maas opened the Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) Chapter Berlin. The forum is the same with previous BDF Chapter Tunis.
Themes on the agenda are democracy and migration. Approximately 140 participants partook at Bali Democracy Forum Chapter Berlin according to the Indonesian Foreign Ministry.
Most relevant issue was immigration, wherein the handling immigration experiences were shared between Indonesia and Germany. The output of BDF Chapter Berlin will be brought to the XI Bali Democracy Forum to be held in Bali in November 2018.
The Bali Democracy Forum is an annual meeting of heads of state and government to discuss international and security-policy issues in South-East Asia. It is modelled after the annual Munich Security Conference. The Bali Democracy Forum – Berlin Chapter taking place this year in Berlin is the forum’s first outreach event in Europe.
The event is being organised by the Federal Foreign Office with the support of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.
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.
