Lebanon “Le pays des Cèdres”

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Lebanon “Le pays des Cèdres”
By H. E. Abdel Sattar Issa, Ambassador of Lebanon to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. I present my warmest greetings to the readers of Diplomat Magazine. I have the honour to be, since the 21st of February the new Ambassador of Lebanon to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The impressions, I have had of the Netherlands in these past few weeks, are of a beautiful country. The nature is well preserved, and the efficient sustainable development can be seen everywhere in the Dutch landscapes. The cities I have visited till now, privately or officially are all elegant, full of cultural and historical sites. These two elements, a beautiful nature and a rich heritage, when mixed with the friendliness and open minded spirit of the Dutch people, give the formula that makes the Kingdom of the Netherlands one of the big tourist destinations in the world. Lebanon “Le pays des Cèdres” has this magic formula too. It is a small country. It’s surface is 10.452 Km, smaller than the Kingdom of the Netherlands by almost 4 times. The same applies regarding its population (4,6 millions). But Lebanon is a very rich and diverse country. The natural landscape is composed of a varied coastline, where sandy and rocky shores give the opportunity for multiple water sports all year long. A second feature of the natural landscape in Lebanon is its mountains that culminate at the height of 3,088m. This makes my country one of the rare ski destinations in the Middle East with ski seasons that can last till the end of April. This fact means that tourists can enjoy snow skiing and the pristine waters of the Mediterranean in the same time. Lebanon is also rich in its historical and cultural heritage. It has some historical sites dating back to 7000BC. The Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Ottomans, all passed, ruled and left their mark in these ancient lands. This explains why a small country like Lebanon has five sites on the UNESCO World heritage list: Anjar, Baalbeck, Byblos, Ouadi Quadisha, Tyre. If the visitor does not have enough time to visit all the famous historical sites spread all around Lebanon, a half day spent at the National Museum in Beirut, would surely give him a condensed preview of the rich history of the country. As for the lovers of cultural and artistic vibes, Beirut would give them a treat with its numerous galleries, theatres and music halls. The third element of the magic formula, the friendliness of the Lebanese people is as famous as their exquisite cuisine, all over the world. Composed of eighteen religious confessions, they are tolerant and open to all cultures of the world, and master in addition to Arabic, the French and English languages. This explains why Europeans find it easy to live and communicate in Lebanon. I encourage the readers of Diplomat Magazines to visit my beautiful country. To help me in convincing them to do this trip, I present some pictures of Lebanon, cause as we say a picture is worth a thousand words. Enjoy!
For additional information please visit the Ministry of Tourism of Lebanon, www.mot.gov.lb  Photography by the Ministry of Tourism of Lebanon.

Into the Volcano

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Into the Volcano
David J. Goldfield is an author who spent many years in the international corporate word in banking and finance. He wrote “The Ambassador’s Word” finalist in Ottawa Book Awards, now being adapted into a feature length film. “The Ambassador’s Word” is a non-fiction narrative account of a major international hostage taking and the role of the Canadian Ambassador in Lima, Peru in 1996-97. Now David J. Goldfield present his novel “Into the Volcano” set in Latin America. It was researched during his time living and working in Panama over 10 years. A film adaptation is also currently being developed while he is now working in another novel set in India. Frank Donahue, the protagonist of Into the Volcano, is playing a dangerous game in his role as an investigative journalist and publisher of Panama Express reporting on the vagaries of the corrupt government and other organizations. Frank, an ex-US marine, figures he can take care of any trouble that might come along. He is divorced, resigned to living his life alone, until Shauna, enters his life and asks him to help in tracking down her estranged husband, Paul, who has mysteriously disappeared. For information:  

Fake news – everything changes since nothing changes

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Fake news – everything changes since nothing changes
By Corneliu Pivariu. Fake news (FN) was The Word of the Year 2017 (according to Collins Dictionary), a term which was not to much in use two years ago. Nonetheless, the governments and influential people used the information as weapon thousands of years ago for maintaining and enforcing their power as well as for weakening their opponents/ competitors. The example used often for illustrating the term dates back to the Roman period, when Octavian used a disinformation campaign for defeating Mark Antony (who eventually committed suicide). In the XXth century, when new forms of mass communication permitted carrying out much more extended disinformation and manipulation operations, especially during war time and the most notable example in this respect is the Fascist regime in Germany. There are several definitions of FN, yet there is none internationally accepted (if one didn’t succeed in defining terrorism, how could have FN been defined?), and there are different estimations concerning the importance and the effects of FN as well as the actions to be taken for limiting the FN negative consequences in the society. We underline the deliberate character of FN. Furthermore, FN is in strong correlation with another term in vogue, post-truth (The Word of The Year 2016, according to Oxford Dictionary – see the editorial in Strategic Pulse No. 232/05.03.2017), and the FN relevance increased in the post-truth politics. A Freedom House research covering 65 countries that pay pro-government commentators shows that the number of countries paying for FN increased gradually from 20 countries in 2013 to 30 countries in 2017. The government-run interference in on-line media (in the same number of 65 analyzed countries) led to the expansion of governmental media in 33 countries while FN about the elections was contested in 16 countries and 10 countries practice the electronic identity theft. In general, one witnesses a decline of public trust in mainstream media while the trust in on-line media evolves differently (increases or decreases) due to factors pertaining in general to education, culture, freedom of expression, etc. Before the emergence of Internet, the process of disseminating information and, implicitly, FN was much more costly, as earning the trust of a certain public could last several years and media regulation or self regulation was much easier. The growth of social media eliminated many of the limits preventing the FN dissemination within democratic regimes, the financial field included. Practically, everyone can create and disseminate data. Facebook and Twitter ( with 2 billion and, respectively, 330 million users) allow an exchange of information in real time and on a scale that could not have been even anticipated in the past, while platforms such as WordPress permit anyone to easily create a dynamic site. In fact, barriers to disseminating FN are almost nonexistent. Yet, if it is relatively easily to measure the FN disseminating capacity, it is difficult to appreciate its influence. The multitude of data and information that are conveyed makes its filtering by a common citizen more and more difficult and who is, most of the times, confused by data’s rapidity, multitude and diversity as he is bombarded with and doesn’t know what to believe. It is the situation in which he acts in accordance with his own misconceptions (which, in their turn, can be shaped over time). One of the FN most recent examples is the dissemination, by Syrian media and the Russian trolls, (an activity that increased by 2,000% within the first 24 hours after the April 14th attack on chemical facilities in Syria) in accordance to whom 17 or 71 (see the figures game intended to induce doubts) missiles launched by the allies were intercepted. In fact, no interception took place. The history’s wheel continues to revolve, time is pressing us and the danger of mistaking the reality with one’s own wisher or with a FN induced reality is ever bigger. Since the battle between the Hittites and Egyptians, in the XIIIth century B.C., and until today “everything changes since nothing changes”. —— About the author: Corneliu Pivariu, former first deputy for military intelligence (two stars general) in the Romanian MoD, retired 2003. Member of IISS – London, alumni of Harvard – Kennedy School Executive Education and others international organizations. Founder of INGEPO Consulting, and bimonthly Bulletin, Geostrategic Pulse”. Main areas of expertise – geopolitics, intelligence and security.    

Diplomat Magazine to Promote Uzbek-Dutch Cooperation on Family Values

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Diplomat Magazine to Promote Uzbek-Dutch Cooperation on Family Values
H.E. Mr. Dilyor Khakimov, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to the EU and the Benelux countries. Uzbekistan is the most populous country in Central Asia, a region that lies at the heart of the Eurasian continent. Uzbek people have a rich history, culture, art, and literature. Among the array of values that characterize the Uzbek society, family definitely plays a major role. The people believe that a strong family is the basis of a strong society, and therefore they assign to it a great value when making their choices, both in the personal and the political sphere. For instance, Uzbekistan declared the Preservation of the Family Institute as one of its priorities, and the government has invested a lot of money and efforts to create favorable conditions for mothers to care about their families. In order to do so, a number of state programs have been recently implemented in the country, focusing for instance on the improvement of medical services for the population, and specifically for women and children. In addition, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has lately directed his efforts at improving the system of preschool education, thus positively impacting the lives of the 2.45 million Uzbek children in preschool age. Moreover, it is planned that in 2017-2021 the country will implement a special state program for construction and reconstruction of kindergartens. Вy 2018 alone, the plan envisages an investment of about $100 million for reconstruction of 427 kindergartens. The state is also taking care of women in need of social protection and psychological support. For instance, the State Women’s Committee, chaired by the government’s Deputy Prime Minister, who is in charge of women’s affairs, has been a focal agency to coordinate nationwide programs in this regard. Besides, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been championing further enhancement of state’s efforts to protect women’s rights, and to provide them with additional opportunities for realizing their potential. For instance, the latest Presidential decree mandated the establishment of “Oila” (Family) Scientific and Practical Research Center under the Cabinet of Ministers. The aim of this newly established think-tank is to identify and address a range of problems affecting women, and to provide support to families on the ground. Specifically, in 2017 the Center provided family and marriage-related consultations to over 5 million families, thus preventing 22,000 divorces, employing 36,000 women, and allocating preferential loans to 14,500 people. As for the employment, Uzbek women make up 45.5% of the country’s whole workforce, and 34% of the whole number of private company managers. Besides, women hold an array of relevant positions in Uzbek society: 500 of them are doctors of sciences and academicians, 15 are Heroes of Uzbekistan, 17 are senators, and 16 are members of the Lower house of the Parliament. The government and the people of Uzbekistan believe that, in times of globalization and mutual penetration of cultures, the preservation of national cultural and moral values is an important matter. And, in this process, the family is a major pillar. To this end, the country is currently drafting a Concept of Strengthening the Family Institute: this institute will identify the main priorities for all stakeholders in the process of making the family a primary cell of society, in order to preserve the traditions of the Uzbek people. Despite being different countries in different parts of the world, Uzbekistan and the Netherlands are somewhat similar in terms of protecting and empowering women. On the one hand, the Dutch are well known for their values of freedom, protection, and tolerance. On the other hand, Uzbekistan can be proud of its accomplishments in this regard, especially among fellow Central Asian countries and in the Islamic world at large. To closely observe Uzbekistan’s achievements and explore opportunities for cooperation, Diplomat Magazine is currently planning a visit to Uzbekistan in July this year. Women ambassadors accredited in the Netherlands and a number of women leaders from business and industry would be invited to this trip. In light of vast transformations which are now underway in Uzbekistan, interaction between women leaders from various countries might well lead to a broader dialogue on the very important issues, such as preservation and strengthening of family values. Diplomat Magazine is proud to facilitate this process, and to be part of this interesting and relevant initiative.  

KSC Judges meet for the Plenary

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KSC Judges meet for the Plenary

Dr Ekaterina Trendafilova, President of the Specialist Chambers.

Recently, the Judges of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers convened in The Hague on the occasion of the third Plenary.

Following the adoption, review and entry into force of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence during the first and second Plenary in 2017, the Judges created conditions for the Specialist Chambers to be fully judicially operational in July 2017. As the Rules are yet to be tested in practice, it was not necessary at this point in time to propose and discuss any amendments.

During the Plenary, the Judges were informed about activities performed by the Registry throughout the past year, further ensuring the smooth implementation of the mandate of the Specialist Chambers. In their discussions, the Judges focussed on the milestones ahead.

In accordance with the Law on the Specialist Chamber and Specialist Prosecutor’s Office, all Specialist Chamber Judges form part of a Roster, but receive no remuneration or benefit from this mere fact. In addition, they are only present at the seat of the Specialist Chambers as necessary at the request of the President, to exercise functions requiring their presence.

This is the case for Plenaries, the purpose of which is to allow for discussions between Judges, which usually take place in their presence at the premises of the Specialist Chambers.

 

“Back and Beyond” – A Fresh Look at IOM’s Counselling Work in The Netherlands

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“Back and Beyond” – A Fresh Look at IOM’s Counselling Work in The Netherlands
The Hague – “Back and Beyond” takes a close look at IOM Netherlands’ Migrant Assistance work through six real-life portraits and an in-depth interview with one of the mission’s twenty counsellors. Back and Beyond includes stories and many pictures produced by migrants themselves. It thus presents migrants as masters of their destinies and decisions and it clearly illustrates there is no such thing as ‘THE migrant’ – all are different and in need of tailor-made support. Having assisted a record of 4,634 migrants with their voluntary return and reintegration in 2016, IOM had to remain flexible whilst working under pressure and without compromising their attentive care to each case. Following the closure of the Balkan route, the Turkey statement, changes in Dutch return policy and recent interceptions in Libya, IOM’s caseload fell to 1,532 in 2017. However, the number of complex cases, mostly involving vulnerable migrants, increased that year, requiring more 360-degree counselling and tailor-made approaches. Following Dutch policy decisions, excluding certain nationalities from IOM’s services, IOM worked on making sure that, irrespective of their nationality, vulnerable migrants could still access the voluntary return support they needed. Given the voluntary nature of return, IOM counsellors are reaching out and in touch with many more migrants than those actually departing – the story “Under the Radar”, illustrates this well. The mission emphasizes the importance of its predeparture counselling work also because in the wake of the last years’ mass arrivals, greater attention is now directed towards post-arrival assistance and reintegration facilities in the countries of origin. This approach is more coherent and in many ways more logical than the current practice based on each destination country’s peculiar policies and divergent reintegration packages. At least in theory, this change would finally allow for fairer access to reintegration benefits for all returnees in a given country of origin, regardless from where they were returned.
Dr Martin Wyss,
Having directly assisted migrants and asylum seekers for more than 30 years, Dr. Martin Wyss, IOM Chief of Mission in the Netherlands cautions that the new focus on post-arrival assistance could eclipse the importance of IOM’s predeparture care: “Personal counselling is an essential part of Migrant Protection and Assistance in the Voluntary Return process. It is important to remember this now when there is a shift towards Post-Arrival Assistance in reaction to the recent record inflows.” He concludes, “Our experience shows that jointly discussing the possible challenges with our clients is the best preparation for a smooth return and a successful reintegration. Our mission assists migrants 24/7 with a very personal and human touch. We expect that the six portraits and the interview convey this clearly to the readers and viewers of Back and Beyond.” Back and Beyond: https://indd.adobe.com/view/f21ef5ca-33cc-47f2-9696-d24d061d83a6 or http://tiny.cc/BackandBeyond

Syria –the Thirld World War does not start on Twitter

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Syria –the Thirld World War does not start on Twitter
By Corneliu Pivariu. Some days after the American president Donad Trump announced it on Twitter, more exactly on the night of Friday to Saturday, April 14th at 04.00 Damascus time, the USA, Great Britain and France launched a missiles attack (Tomahawk and other air-to-ground bomber launched missiles) on punctual targets (one on the Damascus outskirts and two in Homs region) belonging to the chemical weapons program of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime. Readers can look at a more detailed analysis in the Suplement to this issue while here we make some consideration concerning the global and regional geopolitical situation folowing this last allied attack as well as on the possible consequences. Although there vere several guesstimates that the attack will take place at the end of April, it happened a short time after the American president’s declaration, this time probably in connection with the recent internal events in the USA. For the British prime minister Theresa May and for the French president Emmanuel Macron, too, the act represented a good opportunity for improving their favourable ratings and public appreciation. As it was anticipated, the strike was more powerful than the April, 2017 one and proved the USA president’s resolution (and of the allies) of not tolerating the use of chemical arms by the Syrian regime as Barack Obama did in 2013, when crossing ”the red line” set by the American administration itself was not penalised. In fact, the Syrian regime led by the Assad’s has benefited, along the history, from the lack of reaction of the international community over the attrocities perpetrated against their own population and we mention here only the February 1982 massacre in Hama when the army and the security troops killed around 40,000 inhabitants of the town that was closed, as it was destroyed in a great part, for almost a year. In this context, we consider that the 14th of April 2018 strike was not decisive in determining Assad’s regime to not further bomb its own population. We noticed the USA’s and allies’ concern of not ”scratching any of the Russian soldiers” as some analysts appreciated after the strike. For the matter, this is better emphasized by the fact that another facility of the Syrian chemical program, situated in the mountaneous area of Lattakia region, was not hit having in mind its proximity to the Russian base in Hmeimim. We note also that, according to some sources, the radars of the Russian systems of missiles were shut down (probably for avoiding incidents). A Russian source appreciated that April 14th ”was a very good day for president Putin”, as it showedthat Russia is dealt with carefully, contrary to the declaration (that might be considered as a little too unusual for a democratic state) of the Russian ambassador in the USA according to whom the attack represented an insult to the Russian president. On that occasion, the USA regained some of its lost role of important international arbiter and is being repositioning itself as an important player in Syria, even if the strike is not sufficient in this regard. NATO proves anew that it is an strong alliance having resources to overcome difficult moments. France will probably strengthen its position in Syria (most likely in the north-east of the country), while Great Britain will continue to be an important USA’s ally in the Middle East. The dispute will continue with diplomatic, political and other nature means (the digital activity of the Russian trolls increased already by 2,000% 24 hours after the attack). A resolution of condemning the attack submitted by Russia was vetoed by the Security Council (with 8 votes majority with Russia, China and Bolivia only voting in favor), something that was expected indeed. The impromptu opinion of a source in Damascus is very interesting as he said, before the attack, that the analysts had different opinions considering it to be on a small scale, big or extended or it will not be at all, while he anticipated it will be ”quite petty” and added that the Syrians have been passing through more difficult moments and manifested his trust in the future actions of Assad’s regime. Reiterating Syria’s regional geostrategic importance and its probably ample energy reserves not harnessed yet, it is our opinion that, on a short run, the Third World War will not start from Syria. —— About the author: Corneliu Pivariu, former first deputy for military intelligence (two stars general) in the Romanian MoD, retired 2003. Member of IISS – London, alumni of Harvard – Kennedy School Executive Education and others international organizations. Founder of INGEPO Consulting, and bimonthly Bulletin, Geostrategic Pulse”. Main areas of expertise – geopolitics, intelligence and security. ——– Corneliu Pivariu, INGEPO Consulting-Photographer Ionus Paraschiv.  

Tulips Ball 2018: More tickets available than before and only available until Thursday 10th of May

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Tulips Ball 2018: More tickets available than before and only available until Thursday 10th of May

From left to right: the Organisational Committee Members: Clemens van Steijn, Duke Michael of Mecklenburg, Princess Christine of Prussia accompanied by Berlin Entertainment Star Henry de Winter

By Duke Michael of Mecklenburg.

Once more it is time to announce that spring is knocking on our doors. That means endless fields of Tulips blossoming and more sunny days than dark ones and with that also the Tulips Ball comes closer.

This year’s edition really is setting standards high for the organisation committee. The beautiful weekend ball in Amsterdam starts on Friday 18th and lasts until Sunday 20th of May. This three-day programme promises to be a spectacular event with: A fantastic evening in the Koninklijke Industrieele Groote Club, a surprise trip and of course, the Grand Tulips Ball in the Koepelkerk.

Picture by Floris Heukensfeldt Jansen, Verkijk; Vice Admiral rtd. Matthieu J.M. Borsboom and Countess Yasmin of Schweinitz and Krain.

The main organiser Clemens van Steijn last year promised to make a big addition to the usual programme. He is very happy to state that: “We got what was missing for this year – A Polo Picnic!” The committee is positively looking forward to welcome again over 200 people from around the world to dance and enjoy Dutch Culture presented on a silver platform – Amsterdam. 

Picture by Floris Heukensfeldt Jansen, Verkijk; the Dutch National Student Orchestra (Nederlands Studentenorkest) the most talented musicians in the Netherlands!.

“Last year we had a diverse group of about 200 guests reaching from academic scholars to military officers, business people and diplomats”, said Committee Member Jonkheer Thomas Stoop, “which gave the ball a perfect atmosphere”. Thus, do not miss the chance to enjoy the Netherlands on such a beautiful occasion.

If you want to know more about the past years and the upcoming ball please visit: www.tulipsball.com

OPCW statement on Mission to Douma

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OPCW statement on Mission to Douma
OPCW Spokesperson’s Statement on Fact-Finding Mission Deployment to Douma
The Hague, Netherlands — 4 May 2018 — The initial deployment of the Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) to gather facts in Douma, Syrian Arab Republic is complete. The Director-General thanked the FFM team members for their courage and professionalism. Samples were brought to the OPCW Laboratory where they will be split and then dispatched to the OPCW designated laboratories. The analysis of the samples may take at least three to four weeks. Meanwhile, the FFM will continue its work to collect more information and material. At this time, it is not possible to give a timeframe for when the Douma report will be issued to States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Buren Annual Legal Seminar for Embassies

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Buren Annual Legal Seminar for Embassies
By Sheila Turabaz. The first few months of 2018 have already passed and thus Buren – an internationally oriented Dutch law firm based in The Hague’s diplomatic quarter – decided it was high time to update embassies and diplomatic missions in respect of the newest rules and regulations that have come into effect this year in the Netherlands. Like previous year, the Crowne Plaza Hotel– adjacent to its office in The Hague – was the chosen venue for the annual legal seminar. Ambassadors and embassy diplomatic staff of African, Asian, European, Latin American and embassies from the Middle East participated in the seminar and engaged in discussions about various employment, corporate, commercial and tax law issues. Dutch employment law was of particular interest, as evidenced by the many questions that were asked by the attendees. Suzan van de Kam, partner and employment lawyer gave a brief overview of legal matters that are a frequent topic of discussion, such as issues regarding locally recruited staff. Furthermore, Peter van Dijk, partner and (tax) lawyer at Buren and Maja Bole, senior associate corporate law, succinctly explained the legal and tax aspects of doing business in the Netherlands by outlining the five main types of legal entities constituted under Dutch law, speaking about commercial contracting in the Netherlands and the (changing) landscape of litigation (e.g. the Netherlands Commercial Court: the establishment of a specialized commercial court to facilitate international business litigation) as well as tax measures proposed by the new Dutch government which are currently being implemented. In addition, Jan Melissen, senior research fellow at the Clingendael Institute was invited to speak about digital diplomacy. Jan Melissen underlined the importance of this new phenomenon, stating: “diplomacy has become ‘societized’ (…) and digital technology has shifted from being anti-diplomacy to becoming the core business of diplomacy”. Moreover, Ilja van Haaren, Executive Director at The Hague Business Agency, persuasively explained why entrepreneurs should invest and start their business in The Hague, substantiating her argument by providing examples of its attractive business climate, good living conditions, and innovative atmosphere in particular. Afterwards, the attendees were invited for drinks and discussions at the reception. Due to its convenient location in the heart of the diplomatic centre of the Netherlands and its well-established and good relations with various embassies, diplomatic missions, international organisations and knowledge institutions, Buren has developed an expertise in the field of international and diplomatic law and also offers a full range of legal services through its Diplomat Desk – Buren’s specialized practice area—, assisting diplomatic clients with issues regarding public and private law. On the 20th September of this year, Buren will be organizing several workshops on employment law, real estate law and all legal, corporate and tax aspects related to doing business in the Netherlands. These workshops are specifically designed for ambassadors and embassy staff. For more information, please contact:  m.loves@burenlegal.com  
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