Ine Eriksen Søreide & Jens Stoltenberg – Picture by NATO. By Henri Estramant.Brussels, Tuesday, 12 December 2017: NATO, the military alliance of 29 trans-atlantic partners, has extended the Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg’s mandate as Secretary-General for a further two years.The current head of NATO remains in office, as the allies have unanimously extended his term that would otherwise have expired after four years in September of next year.Holding the position since 1 October 2014, Stoltenberg was expected to take the positive vote of the NATO allies, as already once last week, the federal government of Germany had already spoken out for an extension of his term. Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel publicly supported to continue to rely on the 58-year-old former head of government.For further information:https://www.nato.int
Arusha, The Hague, 12 December 2017 – Prosecutor Serge Brammertz of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) spoke today at the briefing entitled “The International Tribunal and Beyond: Pursuing Justice for Atrocities in the Western Balkans” organized by the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission) and the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC).
The aim of the briefing was to assess the Tribunal’s achievements and limitations and what still needs to be done by the countries of the region to seek justice in outstanding cases, bring greater closure to victims and foster greater reconciliation among peoples.
The other panelists were Nemanja Stjepanović, Member of the Executive Board of the Humanitarian Law Center in Belgrade and Diane Orentlicher, Professor of Law, Washington College of Law, American University. The briefing was opened by U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren, co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and member of the Helsinki Commission, and moderated by Robert Hand, Policy Advisor of the Helsinki Commission. U.S. Representative Eliot Engel, member of the TLHRC, also attended the briefing and made remarks.
Prosecutor Brammertz stated that “in large measure, the ICTY has achieved what it set out to do”, and added: “In accordance with universally-recognized principles of law, we independently and impartially investigated the crimes, prosecuted senior leaders from all parties to the conflict and held them individually responsible for their crimes against the victims and indeed all of humanity”.
Speaking about the crucial role of the international community – the United States and the European Union in particular – in setting up and supporting the work of the Tribunal through conditionality policy, Prosecutor Brammertz said: “The lesson is clear: if there is a clear political agenda in support of justice, and if the international community speaks with one voice, those most responsible for atrocity crimes can be held accountable”.
Speaking about the importance of the ICTY’s legacy for future justice efforts, Prosecutor Brammertz said that the ICTY will continue to be a “symbol of justice to other victims and survivors”. The Prosecutor added that the ICTY greatly developed the law and practices needed to bring war criminals to justice, emphasizing his Office’s work in documenting the lessons learned from prosecuting rape, sexual enslavement, torture and other crimes of sexual violence in more than 50 cases.
Turning to his Office’s support to national judiciaries in the region of the former Yugoslavia, Prosecutor Brammertz noted, “If international tribunals focus on those most responsible for the crimes, there will need to be national courts to bring other perpetrators to justice in order to avoid significant impunity gaps”, and added that, “in the future, collaboration and intense cooperation between the international and national should be the rule, not the exception”.
Finally, Prosecutor Brammertz said that the completion of the Tribunal’s mandate is not the end of war crimes justice, but the beginning of the next chapter, as further accountability for the crimes now depends fully on national judiciaries in the former Yugoslavia.
He stressed that national judiciaries will need more support as “accountability for atrocity crimes in the national courts of the former Yugoslavia faces many challenges, with negative trends often overshadowing the positive”. Noting that reconciliation has not yet been achieved and remains a significant challenge, the Prosecutor concluded that the ICTY’s legacy would not be measured by its own work but by “whether the countries of the former Yugoslavia build the rule of law, demonstrate they can secure meaningful justice for the victims, and show the courage to accept the facts and pursue meaningful reconciliation”.
By Dr. Mohammad Javad Zarif , Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Dec. 10, 2017 Tehran— On a crisp morning in Vienna two summers ago, hours before concluding the nuclear deal with the United States, the European Union and five other world powers, I took to Twitter to write that the landmark accord was “not a ceiling but a solid foundation.”Unfortunately, for the past 11 months, the response to Iran’s good faith has been tantrums from the Trump administration. But the unreliability of the United States — from climate change to Palestine— has become predictable. Our main concern now is cautioning European countries against wavering on issues beyond the scope of the nuclear agreement and following in lock step behind the White House. As the nuclear deal and the Middle East enter uncharted and potentially combustible territory, it is imperative that Europe helps ensure that we don’t soon find ourselves repeating history.More than a decade before the talks that led to the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran held similar negotiations with Britain, France and Germany. European diplomats, seeking to persuade George W. Bush’s administration to give diplomacy a chance, asked us for a temporary, voluntary freeze on uranium-enrichment-related activities as a confidence-building measure. We agreed.But placating the Americans proved difficult, and the Europeans took another wrong turn. After two years of negotiation — and under pressure from the United States — Britain, France and Germany suddenly demanded that we abandon all enrichment activities. The talks fell apart and the Europeans ended up neither stopping our nuclear program nor appeasing Washington.Sporadic talks in the intervening years went nowhere, and by 2013, when we sat down again to negotiate — this time directly with the United States, as well — Iran had increased its number of centrifuges to 20,000 from fewer than 200 in 2005. There was no longer talk of an end to uranium enrichment on Iranian soil.H.E. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission and Dr. Mohammad Javad Zarif.The nuclear deal is a rare triumph of diplomacy over confrontation. Undermining that would be a mistake. Europe should not pander to Washington’s determination to shift focus to yet another unnecessary crisis — whether it be Iran’s defensive missile program or our influence in the Middle East. This would repeat the very dynamics that preceded the nuclear deal.Let me reiterate: Iran’s military capabilities comply with international law and are entirely defensive. Our defensive posture stems from sober geostrategic calculations, as well as moral and religious convictions. Our military doctrine is also based on historical experience: During the Iran-Iraq War, Saddam Hussein rained Soviet-made missiles on our cities, some of them carrying chemical components provided by the West. The world not only kept silent, but also no country would sell Iran weapons to enable us to at least deter the aggressor.We learned our lesson. We have honed missiles as an effective means of deterrence. And our conscious decision to focus on precision rather than range has afforded us the capability to strike back with pinpoint accuracy. Nuclear weapons do not need to be precise — conventional warheads, however, do.Our commitment to self-defense is not a slogan. We have deployed our missiles against only a few equally heinous adversaries: Saddam Hussein’s regime and its terrorist allies, and the so-called Islamic State. And our strikes came in response to their merciless killing of Iranians.No Iranian administration will leave our people defenseless. The international community — and Europe in particular — should realize this and instead focus its efforts on tackling real threats to the world, like the wars engulfing the Middle East.Iran is proud of taking the lead in trying to bring an overdue end to the bloodshed in Syria. In 2013, I presented a plan to end the conflict there through a cease-fire, the formation of a national unity government, constitutional reform and free and fair elections. But this plan fell on deaf ears. Still, we have continued our efforts. Just last month, our president, Hassan Rouhani, joined by his Russian and Turkish counterparts, took an important stride toward peace at their summit meeting in Sochi, Russia, paving the way for more aid, de-escalation and the convening of a Syrian people’s congress.In the case of Yemen, only two weeks after Saudi Arabia began its brutal bombing campaign in April 2015, Iran put forward a plan urging an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian assistance, followed by national dialogue to establish an inclusive government. The perpetrators of the humanitarian crisis, and their Western allies, choose war instead.As Iran and its partners labor to put out fires, the arsonists in our region grow more unhinged. They’re oblivious to the necessity of inclusive engagement. And yet, despite the huge stakes, important stakeholders remain reluctant to hold the arsonists to account.We urge responsible parties to recognize the need to look forward. And so, let us find hope in a shared vision of a more peaceful future and be brave enough to take tangible action to make it happen. In these pages in 2015 , I presented a proposal for a regional dialogue forum, a way to bring Iran and its neighbors together to work toward peace. We’re hopeful that responsible actors outside the Middle East will focus their efforts on urging their allies in our region to take seriously our proposal. We believe it can be a good start, and we once again invite all of our neighbors to participate —————- Note: This article and pictures are a courtesy of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in The Hague.
HM Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown – Picture by Royal House of Romania.On Monday, 11 December 2017, Bucharest, Romania: Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, addressed both Chambers of the Parliament, in a solemn session held in the honour of His Late Majesty King Mihai I of Romania.The National Anthem was played in the beginning of the session. A film with a fragment of the speech of King Mihai I addresed the Romanian Parliament in October 2011 was presented to the audience.President Klaus Iohannis – Picture by Royal House of Romania.During the session, the President of Romania, His Excellency Klaus Werner Iohannis, the President of the Senate, His Excellency Călin Popescu Tăriceanu, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, His Excellency Liviu Dragnea, the Prime Minister, His Excellency Mihai Tudose, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, and the representative of the Romanian Academy took the floor.At the end of the solemn session, the Royal Anthem was played (George Enescu version). It was for the first time since 1946 that the Royal Anthem was played in the Parliament of Romania.HRH Prince Consort Radu and HRH Princess Marie of Romania also attended the Solemn Session, along with the Apostolic Nuntio, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, and foreign ambassadors accredited to Romania.Speech of Her Majesty the Custodian of the Crown at the Solemn Session of the Romanian Parliament, 11 December 2017Mr President of Romania,
Chairmen of the Senate and the Chamber,
Mr Prime Minister,
Your Beatitude, Your Eminence,
Ladies and gentlemen senators and deputies,Your Excellencies,The solemnity we participate in is organized to pay tribute to our King, so loved by the Romanian people and admired by the whole world. But the meaning of today’s distinguished assembly has deep roots in 150 years of modern history, full of tragic, as well as uplifting pages.I lost, as it had the entire nation, a parent. In these difficult moments, we are united in our suffering.The goodness and forgiveness of my father defeated all the evils of the last century. His wisdom assured the continuity of our country in moments of tragedy and unbearable suffering last century. Even when our King was far away from his country, Romanians saw him as a beacon. For almost a century, King Michael was part of the Romanian state fabric.A new time starts for the Royal House. With the same values and principles as my father, I will continue to serve the fundamental interests of Romania. Like King Michael, I will devote my work to the Romanians from all over the world.The Crown will continue to do everything possible, alongside the fundamental institutions of the State, for the country’s progress, in the European Union and NATO. The King has always believed it is our duty to be an integral part of such efforts.Besides our activities for strengthening Romanian communities, and our charitable projects, my Family and I will continue, along the state institutions, to promote Romania’s true image and her interests globally.The countries of the world need to know better what Romania achieved in 150 years, as a modern state, what we managed to build in the century that passed from the Great Union and what we accomplished after the fall of communism. Looking back, we can be proud of the progress of our nation.In my parents’ heart there has always been a “tomorrow”. With the thought of that “tomorrow,” I am grateful to you for today.So help us God!Margareta,
Custodian of the Romanian Crown
Emmanuel Macron at Tallinn – Picutre Arno Mikkor (EU2017EE).
French President Emmanuel Macron shall be awarded 2018 Charlemagne Prize for his vision to rebuild Europe at a time when the bloc is battling instability, organisers of the award said Friday, 8 December 2017.
The selection committee of the German award said it picked Macron “in recognition of his vision of a new Europe and of the re-establishment of the European project, of a new European sovereignty and a close, restructured cooperation between peoples and nations.”
Since taking office, he has championed an ambitious plan to reform the bloc including pushing a “protective Europe” agenda to make it a shield against globalisation for the EU’s 500 million citizens. He also wants greater integration through the creation of a common eurozone finance minister and budget.
Previous winners of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen, awarded yearly since 1950 by the western city of Bad Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle), where Charlemagne is buried, include German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel, former French president François Mitterrand, Jean-Claude Juncker, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands or Prof. Herman Van Rompuy. For further information:http://www.karlspreis.de/en/
Statement of NRW Premier Armin Laschet on the award for President Macron: https://www.land.nrw/de/pressemitteilung/ministerpraesident-armin-laschet-gratuliert-dem-karlspreistraeger-2018-emmanuel
French Embassy to Germany (HE Ambassador Anne-Marie Descôtes): https://de.ambafrance.org/-Francais-
On December 11th 2017, the Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court found that the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a State Party to the ICC Rome Statute since 2002, failed to comply with its obligations under the Statute by not executing the Court’s request for the arrest of Omar Al-Bashir and his surrender to the Court while he was on Jordanian territory attending the League of Arab States’ Summit on 29 March 2017. The Chamber decided to refer the matter of Jordan’s non-compliance to the Assembly of States Parties of the Rome Statute (“ASP”) and the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”).Judge Cuno Tarfusser. Photography by ICC.The Chamber’s Majority composed of Judges Cuno Tarfusser, Presiding, and Chang-ho Chung clarified that Security Council Resolution 1593 (2005) imposed on Sudan the obligation to cooperate fully with the Court and provide to it any necessary assistance and that one consequence of this is that article 27(2) of the Statute applies equally with respect to Sudan, rendering inapplicable any immunity on the ground of official capacity belonging to Sudan that would otherwise exist under international law.Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut appended a minority opinion concurring with the Majority’s conclusions while considering that the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948) to which Jordan and Sudan are parties offers the basis for the non-immunity of Sudan’s Head of State in the present case.Decision under article 87(7) of the Rome Statute on the non-compliance by Jordan with the request by the Court for the arrest and surrender of Omar Al-Bashir
Diplomats Press Officers Group Meet & Work by Diplomat Magazine at Leiden Museum of Antiquities. On the picture together with Dr. Mayelinne De Lara Publisher, Mr.Roy Lie A Tjam, Editor and Ms. Abigail Montalvo also from Diplomat Magazine’s team; Ms. Selkit Verberk, PR, Marketing & Communication of Leiden Museum of Antiquities; Mr. Alvaro Sanchez, Charge d’Affaires, Venezuela; Ms. Pham Hanh, Second Secretary,Viet Nam; Ms. Sherry Keneson-Hall, Counselor for Public Affairs USA; Dr René González de la Vega, Diplomatic Attaché Culture, Academy and Press, Mexico; Ms. Nawrid Sharmin, First Secretary, Bangladesh; Mr. Mikhail Sobolev, Press Officer, Russia; Ms. Astrid Bharos, Press Specialist, USA; Ms. Brigitte Moreno, Secretary & Translator, Chile; Ms. Nino Kvantrishvili, Press Officer, Georgia; Mr. Willem Versteegh, PR & Press Officer, Rwanda; Ms. Julie Foucqueteau, Outreach and Advocacy Officer, Canada and Mr. Harald Hameleers, Media and stakeholder relations, policy adviser, Cyprus.By Roy Lie A Tjam.
Leiden, 7 December 2017. Diplomat Magazine hosted her second Diplomats Press Officers Group meeting. This time around the meeting was in collaboration with the Leiden Museum of Antiquities. It transpired at the first press officers group meeting that there is a need to find ways to bridge the gap between the diplomatic press officers group and Dutch media.
To this end, the press officers group gathered for a Meet and Work with Ms. Selkit Verberk, PR, Marketing & Communication and Mr. Wim Weijland Director of the Leiden Museum of Antiquities. After a short introduction, Mr. Wim Weijland welcome the guests to the museum. A four min. video on an authentic Egyptian temple-Taffeh, a gift from the Egyptian government was part of the welcome.
For additional pictures by Marian van Noort, please open the link below: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157664098732928Sherry Keneson-Hall, USA; Mikhail Sobolev, Russia and Pham Hanh, Vietnam, during the coffee-break.
Ms Selkit Verberk delivered an informative and interactive expose. She elaborated on the subject of how to deal with the Dutch media, the dos and don’ts.
The information went down well with the dozen or so Diplomatic Press Officers who attended the Meet and Work.
How the museum organise their successful media-trips programmes starting months in advance until the publication of the articles by the Dutch medias, was analyzed in deep by Selkit Verberk.
As the museum’s PR, Marketing & Communication person, Verberk is in close contact with the Dutch writing press. Apparently, all in attendance gleaned something from Ms Verberk’s presentation. An informal gathering concluded the information morning.
Serge Brammertz, Chief Prosecutor, International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
Washington—The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, and the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC) today announced the briefing:
The International Tribunal and Beyond: Pursuing Justice for Atrocities in the Western Balkans
Between 1991 and 2001 the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, made up of six republics, was broken apart by a series of brutal armed conflicts. The conflicts were characterized by widespread and flagrant violations of international humanitarian law, among them mass killings of civilians, the massive, organized and systematic detention and rape of women, torture, and practices of ethnic cleansing, including forced displacement.
In 1992 the U.N. established a Commission of Experts that documented the horrific crimes on the ground and led to the 1993 creation of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). This month, after more than two decades of persistent, ground-breaking efforts to prosecute the individuals responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in the former Yugoslavia, the ICTY is concluding its work. As it prepares to close its doors, this briefing will assess the tribunal’s achievements and limitations, and most importantly, what still needs to be done by the countries of the region to seek justice in outstanding cases, bring greater closure to victims, and foster greater reconciliation among peoples.
Panelists will discuss these questions and suggest ways that the United States, Europe, and the international community as a whole can encourage the further pursuit of justice in the Western Balkans.
Panelists:
Serge Brammertz, Chief Prosecutor, International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
Nemanja Stjepanovic, Member of the Executive Board, Humanitarian Law Center (from Belgrade, Serbia, live via video)
Diane Orentllicher, Professor of Law, Washington College of Law, American University
Bettina Orlopp – Picture by Commerzbank AG.
For the very first time in its 147 years old tradition, Germany’s second largest bank, Commerzbank, shall appoint a lady to its Board of Directors, namely Bettina Orlopp (45).
She shall be in charge for Compliance, Staff and Law, that is, in charge for main salespeople and securities traders whilst implementing staff downsizing. Hitherto she serves as Executive Vice-President for Group Development and Strategy.
Commerzbank was founded in 1870 in Hamburg, then German Empire.
For further information:https://www.commerzbank.com
