The Hague, 28 September- The Judges of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) held their first in-person plenary session in The Hague on 26 and 27 September 2016. During the plenary, the Judges discussed issues pertaining to the internal functioning of the Mechanism, ways to further strengthen its efficiency, and its Rules of Procedure and Evidence.
During the plenary, the President of the Mechanism, Judge Theodor Meron, reported to the Judges on a variety of matters related to the Mechanismâs work.
The Mechanismâs Prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, briefed the plenary on the work of the Office of the Prosecutor. The Registrar of the Mechanism, John Hocking, also addressed the plenary concerning issues related to his area of responsibility.
The Mechanism has a roster of 25 Judges, who serve only when called upon to do so by the Mechanism President and are expected to exercise their functions remotely in so far as possible, unless required to be present at the seat of one of the two branches.
On the picture H.E. Vladimir Norov, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to the Benelux.
The Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan, led by its Chairman Mirza-Ulugbek Abdusalomov, hosted an important meeting attended by members of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan, heads of political parties and the representatives of mass media on 9 September 2016.
The meeting began with a minute’s silence in memory of the First President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, who untimely passed away on 2nd September 2016.
In accordance with Articles 96, 117 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Article 8 of the Law “On elections of the President of Uzbekistan”, Articles 5 and 9 of the Law “On the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan” the assembly determinate to host the next presidentialâs elections on Sunday, December 4, 2016 in order to elect the new President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
In this regard, the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan announced the commencement of election campaign from 9 September of this year and also approved a Program on the preparation of next elections. According to this program, all activities related to the preparation and conduct of elections is carrying out by the Central Election Commission, in strict accordance to the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the electoral legislation.
In line with Articles 9 and 14 of the Law “On elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan” the assembly voted a resolution on the establishment of electoral districts for the elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The electoral districts for the election of the President have been set up within the boundaries of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, regions and the city of Tashkent.
The list of electoral districts with an indication of the number of voters and locations of district election commissions are being published in mass media.
Members of the district election commissions from among members of the wider public, shall be approved by the Central Election Commission on recommendation of the Jokargy Kenes (Supreme Council) of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, regional and Tashkent city Kengashes (councils) of people’s deputies.
Consistently preparation is underway for the upcoming elections. Back in Uzbekistan, all political parties expressed their desire to participate in the election of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and to this end, the CEC presented a package of necessary documents.
In accordance with Article 24 of the Law âOn Elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistanâ the right to nominate the candidate for the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan is possessed by political parties. Thus every political party may nominate a candidate for the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the condition that it is registered by the Ministry of Justice no later than six months prior to the date of announcement of the election campaign.
On 16 September 2016 the Political Council of Movement of Entrepreneurs and Businessmen â Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (UzLiDeP) in its regular meeting unanimously supported the candidacy of the member of the Political Council of UzLiDeP Shavkat Mirziyoyev for the office of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which is to be considered at the next VIII Congress of the party.
The Central Council of the Democratic party of Uzbekistan (DPU) âMilliy Tiklanishâ in its regular Plenum, nominated the Chairman of the Political Council, head of the faction in the Legislative chamber of the Oliy Majlis Sarvar Otamuratov as candidate to the post of the President of Uzbekistan.
On 17 September 2016 the VI Plenum of the Political Council of the Social-democratic party of Uzbekistan “Adolat” supported the Chairman of the Political Council, head of the faction in the Legislative chamber of the Oliy Majlis Nariman Umarov as candidate to the post of the President of Uzbekistan.
At the same day the VI Plenum of the Central Council of the People’s democratic party of Uzbekistan supported the candidate of the Chairman of the Central Council of PDPU, the head of fraction Hotamjon Ketmonov as candidate to the post of the President of Uzbekistan.
For registration of candidates political parties must submit petitions with signatures of at least 5 percent of the total number of voters of Uzbekistan, representing not less than 8 administrative-territorial units of the country. At the same time in a single administrative-territorial formation (Karakalpakstan region, Tashkent) party cannot collect signatures of more than 8 percent.
Candidates will start their canvass after the registration, which ends 35 days before the election.
According to the Constitution, elections of the President of Uzbekistan will be held with openness, fairness and in line with international standards. In the same time, it will contribute to entering a qualitatively new level of development of the political system and to further deepening of democratic and social-economic reforms in Uzbekistan.
The Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan has sent the official invitation to the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS Executive Committee), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) to observe the elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The mass media of the Republic of Uzbekistan will cover the process of preparation of the elections, as well as in polling stations on election day and counting of votes at each polling station, have the right to participate per one observer from political parties which nominated candidates for President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, representatives of the print media, TV and radio, observers from other states, international organizations and movements. Their mandates should be confirmed by appropriate documents.
The mandates to observers from other states, international organizations and movements are issued by the Central Election Commission, their activities are regulated by the Provision “On observers from other states, international organizations and movements participating in the elections”, approved by the Resolution of the Central Election Commission â 734 dated September 15, 2016 and developed in line with the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan” and “On the Central election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan”, as well as the universally recognized norms and principles of international law on the organization and holding of elections.
It should be noted that the participation of foreign and international observers in the elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan serves to strengthen the principles of transparency and openness of the entire electoral process, respect for the principles of democratic elections such as: universality, equality, freedom and secret ballot.
Representatives of media (national and international) willing to cover the course of elections should get accredited at the Central Election Commission in a due procedure. The accreditation procedure can be learned on the CECâs official website at www.elections.uz.
The Clingendael Institute announced a lecture by H.E. Mr Erlan Abdyldaev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic. Mr Abdyldaev was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs per September 6, 2012. From 2007-2012 he was the Director of the Institute for War and Peace in Kyrgyzstan and has the diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kyrgyz Republic. He will provide an overview and analysis of the Foreign Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Mr Bart Hogeveen, Training & Research Fellow at Clingendael Academy will moderate the event and questions & answers session.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) yesterday hosted more than 870 visitors as part of the ninth annual The Hague International Open Day, organised by the Municipality of The Hague. Judge Carmel Agius, for the first time in his capacity as President of the ICTY, opened the event by recognising the Tribunalâs significant achievements over the past twenty-three years, both in fulfilling its mandate and as a pioneering international criminal tribunal. He also remarked on the unique time in which the ICTY celebrates this yearâs International Day: âIn these final stages of the Tribunalâs mandate and in addition to its remaining judicial work, we are both looking back, to ensure the archiving and preservation of its most important records, and looking forward, to engage with government, civil society, and institutional partners here, in the region of the former Yugoslavia, and abroad.âJudge Burton Hall welcomed the visitors on behalf of the MICT, and explained that organisationâs pivotal role in undertaking remaining judicial functions of both the ICTY and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Guests had a unique opportunity to peek âbehind the scenesâ of international criminal justice and learn about the inner workings of the two institutions, through tours of the courtrooms, discussions with judges and senior staff members, documentary screenings, and exhibitions.The event highlighted the contributions of the ICTY and MICT to the field of international criminal justice. Judges Alphonse Orie and Bakone Justice Moloto provided insights into the role of international Judges, while senior staff members explained the mandates and history of the ICTY and MICT, explored the work of the two institutionsâ different organs, and discussed the ICTYâs specific achievements in areas such as the prosecution of sexual violence in times of war. Throughout the day, visitors attended screenings of the latest ICTY Outreach documentary productions and viewed exhibited artefacts from the ICTYâs archives.As the ICTY approaches the completion of its mandate and the MICT continues to intensify its judicial activities, both institutions welcome opportunities such as The Hague International Open Day to promote a greater public awareness of their work and to engage with the wider community.
On the picture, HM The VII King of the Belgians and Chairman Mario Draghi, ECB – Picture by the Belgian Monarchy.Tuesday, 20 September 2016, Hessen, Germany: The Belgians’ monarch paid a visit to the European Central Bank headquarters in Frankfurt wherein he encountered the latter institution’s chairman, Mr Mario Draghi for a working meeting. Thereafter the king was treated to a lunch by members of the ECB’s executive board. The visit ended with a tour of the Jewish Memorial at the ECB. For more information: ECB: http://www.ecb.europa.eu/home/html/index.en.htmlJewish Memorial at the ECB: https://www.ecb.europa.eu/ecb/premises/intro/location/html/memorial.en.htmlÂ
On the picture Dr Len Ishmael shaking hands with Congolese Brazzaville ambassador, Roger Menga, Dr Patrick Gomes to their right. Picture by ACP Press
Brussels, Friday, 21 September 2016/ACP House: The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Committee of Ambassadors shall be chaired by the Ambassador of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, HE Dr. Len Ishmael for the period 1 August 2016 to 31 January 2017.
St. Lucian-born geographer Dr. Ishmael served as Director General for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) between 2003 and 2013 before taking up her ambassadorial post in Brussels. The OECSâs secretariat is located in Castries, St. Lucia.
Ambassador Dr. Ishmael represents the islands states of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica before Belgium and the EU. The missions are also concurrent to The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany.
Ambassador Ishmael chairs likewise the Bureau of the Committee of Ambassadors, which coordinates the work of the main body, and includes one Ambassador from each of the six ACP regions.
For the term from 1 August 2016 to 31 January 2017, members of the Bureau include: HE Ambassador Ibrahim Sorie (Sierra Leone /West Africa), HE Ambassador Dr Daniel Emery Dede (Central African Republic/Central Africa), HE Ambassador Tadeous Tafirenyika Chifamba (Zimbabwe/Southern Africa), HE Ambassador Vilma McNish (Jamaica/Caribbean), HE Ambassador Tine Leuelu (Tuvalu/Pacific), and HE Dr. Mutrif Siddig Ali (Sudan/Eastern Africa).
For more information:Â
Embassy of the Eastern Caribbean States (HE Dr Len Ishmael):Â http://www.oecs.org/overseas-missions/ecs-mission-in-brussels
ACP House:Â http://www.acp.int/content/st-kitts-and-nevis-presides-over-acp-committee-ambassadors-new-chair
Pictured H.E. Carlos Herrera, Ambassador of Peru.By Ellen Brager-Michiels.
The Embassy of Peru chose Prinsjesdag to organize a culinary workshop with the Peruvian pepper â or ajĂ – as the main ingredient. As H.E. Ambassador Carlos Herrera pointed out in his welcome words, it is not possible to condense in one single night all the different cuisines from Peru.
Very diverse flavors and ingredients are native to the Andean mountains, the Amazon jungle and the coastal areas, influenced by 90 different microclimates and many rich and ancient cultures. Did you know that more than 3,000 varieties of the potato and 55 types of corn are grown in Peru? With such abundance of choice, some focus was required and the spot light was put on the Peruvian ajĂ.
For additional Kim Vermaat’s pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157674393406275
The event took place in the beautiful and professionally equipped facilities of De Kookfabriek in The Hague. Among the many guests we noticed not only Ambassadors and other diplomats, but also professionals and students from the culinary sector.
At the entrance several importers had put a variety of Peruvian products on display for the arriving guests to check out while enjoying a traditional pisco sour welcome drink.
The Ambassador of Chile H.E. Maria Teresa Infante with guests.
Ambassador Herrera and Jeroen van der Graf of the company Verstegen, specialist in spices & sauces and co-sponsor of the event, opened the evening with praise for the Peruvian cuisine and its growing worldwide reputation as one of the finest.
Then Chef James Berckemeyer, owner of restaurant Cosme in Lima, went on with the first cooking demonstration. He explained how leche de tigre is made and how it can be used as a starting point to create a variety of ceviches. With skill and passion he lead us through the various preparations while giving away a few insider secrets.
Chef James Berckemeyer
We learned, among other things, that the ingredients for the leche de tigre (see insert) must be blended with short impulses, just to get the flavor out of them but not turn them into mush.  That the ajĂ must be boiled three times, each time starting with cold water and renewing the water when it has come to a boil. That soaking sliced onion in cold water makes it crisp and softens the taste. âLeche de tigreâ, he said jokingly, âliterally means âtiger milkâ, supposedly because if you drink some of it when you have a hangover it makes you feel like a tiger again!â
Nevertheless, he preferred to use it that evening to create four unique ceviches: a traditional one, one inspired by the Chinese cuisine, one with tuna, and one with fried instead of raw fish. His main advice was to start with a tried-and-true base, be creative and look for unusual variations on a common theme.
H.E. Carlos Herrera, spouse Veronique Miclea, H.E. Willys Delvalle, Ambassador of Panama and spouse Tatiana Delvalle.
With their appetites now sufficiently aroused, the guests went on to the cooking stations where several Peruvian restaurants from near and as far as Antwerp had prepared a feast for the eyes and palate.
Each table tried to outdo the others with the most beautiful display of colorful ceviches, tiraditos, causas, ajà relleno, lomo saltado, mermelada de rocotto and other staples from the Peruvian cuisine. In the meantime at the bar the pisco sours became more and more creative as well, with a touch of Grand Marnier or Blue Curaçao or a special high-end soda.
Mrs Veronique Miclea, Chef Alberto Lara and Ambassador Herrera.
To end the evening Chef Berckemeyer returned to the stage with a preparation of limĂłn de convento, made of a very thin lime skin, vacuum boiled and stuffed with a mixture of dulce de leche, whipping cream, almond milk and other ingredients. Then the winners of the eveningâs raffle were announced and four lucky guests received a Peruvian cook book.
Last but not least a delicious desert with layers of chocolate and lĂșcuma, prepared by Chef James Berckemeyer was passed around; also  Alberto Lara, the Embassyâs own chefs, presented his best recipes . As the guests were leaving, happy and satisfied, they received a goody-bag with business cards of the participating restaurants and entrepreneurs, a mini cook book issued by Verstegen and inspired by the spices they import, as well as a small bottle of pisco, a little jar of ajĂ and a quinoa brownie.
The evening was a true tribute to the Peruvian cuisine and an affirmation that its high rank in the global gastronomy is a well-earned title.
The event took place in the beautiful and professionally equipped facilities of De Kookfabriek in The Hague. Among the many guests we noticed not only Ambassadors and other diplomats, but also professionals and students from the culinary sector.
At the entrance several importers had put a variety of Peruvian products on display for the arriving guests to check out while enjoying a traditional pisco sour welcome drink.
