Photography by the Mission of the PRC to the EU – Brussels.   By Ambassador Yang Yanyi, PRC Head of Mission to the EU. In commemoration of the 70^th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.   September 3 marks the 70^th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War seven decades ago was a life-and-death contest in human history of justice versus evil and brightness against darkness. In the wake of the war of aggression launched by German, Italian and Japanese fascist forces and its unprecedented havoc to human civilization, the Chinese people and other peace-loving forces in the world rose in united resistance and, after years of bloody battles, won eventually the great victory of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. That victory was a glorious epic in the cause of peace and justice and left us valuable inspiration of history. The very purpose that we commemorate the 70^th anniversary of the victory of the war is to bear in mind the history and open up the future. To do so, we must adhere to a correct outlook of history. The road to the future starts with lessons from the past. An important prerequisite to prevent the recurrence of the tragedy is for countries that committed the crime of aggression to repent thoroughly and profoundly and break with the history of brutal aggression. The international community, major countries with significant responsibility for world peace in particular, should take a clear-cut stand not tolerating the erroneous outlook of history. Over the past seventy years, amidst efforts by the international community to reflect on the root-cause of the war and explore ways to prevent war and bring about lasting peace, Germany has taken actions, in a correct historical perspective, to wash away the crime of war and prevent, by legislative means, the resurrection of the ghost of war. In sharp contrast, Japan has never thoroughly broken away with the past of aggression. Certain obstinate forces in the country even openly challenge human conscience by distorting and denying the history and attempting to revise Japan’s pacifist constitution. Unfortunately, they are connived to a certain degree by some in the world. The past, if not forgotten, serves as a guide for the future. How can regional and world peace sustain without rooting out the ghost of war? To bring about sustainable peace, the international community should unswervingly stick to a correct outlook on the history of the World War II and staunchly oppose any attempts to distort facts and turn back the wheel of history. To bear in mind the history and open up the future, we must stick to the path of peaceful development. The world we live in crackles with profound, complex as well as dynamic changes. In face of such changes, China pursues a policy of peace, development and cooperation. We adhere to the path of peaceful development, i.e., we strive for a peaceful international environment for our own development which, in turn, safeguards and promotes world peace and common development. However, whether or not China succeeds down the road of peaceful development and whether or not world peace and development sustains do not depend on China alone. It takes joint efforts by the entire international community. There is no denial that even as we live in the 21^st century, some people and some forces choose to stay in the old days of colonial expansion and in an outdated Cold War mentality. They interpret, willingly or non-willingly, the profound changes in the world today as a zero-sum game in the western theory on the rise and fall of powers. At the same time, hegemonism, power politics and neo-interventionism are still asserting themselves. All this, without doubt, poses a root for international tension and regional instability. History is the best textbook that blows cobwebs in the mind. Sustaining world peace requires all countries to follow the path of peaceful development as this is the wise choice that conforms to the trend of the times and the law of history. To bear in mind the history and open up the future, we must hold high the banner of international justice. History finds familiar faces. In the past, in an attempt to conquer China and Asia, Japanese militarists launched the war of aggression in defiance of international justice by fabricating shameless lies and tried to blur the lines and cover up their act of aggression under the disguise of the so-called Greater East Asia Co-prosperity. Today, some politicians and right-wing forces in Japan, resorting to the same old tricks, stand facts on their heads and shift the blame to others. They purposefully blur the nature of war between aggression and resistance and try to depict Japan the victimizer as a victim of the war. They fabricate the so-called China Threat, and flare up tension and confrontation, only to create an excuse to break Japan’s pacifist constitution, pass the security bills and lift bans on exercising the right of collective self-defense. On matters bearing on international justice, the international community must explicitly oppose these negative acts of Japan. One must not forget that the policy of appeasement by some countries was an important reason for Japan to launch and expand the war of aggression against China seven decades ago. Today, all countries need to bear in mind the lessons of history and do nothing to rear a tiger only to invite disaster for themselves and others. To bear in mind the history and open up the future, we must uphold the victory outcomes of WWII and the post-war international order. Houses wobble on a shaky foundation. The outcomes of the victory of WWII and the post-war international order underlie lasting peace in Asia and the world at large. The international instruments signed by the U.S., UK, China and the USSR on the eve of the end of WWII, i.e., the Declaration of United Nations, the Declaration on General Security, Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Proclamation, indubitably concluded that the war against China and the Pacific War launched by Japan were wars of aggression. The invasion and looting of Chinese territories by Japan are facts of modern history that brook no denial. These international instruments provide the very legal basis and obligation under which all sacred territories Japan stole from China, i.e., Northeast China, Taiwan and Penghu Islands, be returned to China. These are the purposes and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter that should be observed in the post-war international order, as well as the role and mission of the United Nations to preserve the existing international order. The perverse acts by Japan are, in essence, designed to undermine and reverse the outcomes of WWII and the post-war international order. The crux and the nature of the contest among parties concerned is whether these outcomes and the existing world order should be preserved or rejected. As a founding nation of the post-war international order, China has both the right and obligation to uphold, together with the rest of the international community, the outcomes of the war and consolidate the post-war order. Likewise, other signatories of the Cairo Declaration, Potsdam Proclamation and the United Nations Charter should stand on the right side of history and honour their responsibilities and obligations. They should uphold justice and staunchly preserve the outcomes of WWII and post-war world order by saying unequivocally No to any attempts to turn back the wheel of history. They should join efforts in safeguarding security in Asia and the Pacific and world peace and in promoting common development and prosperity.

By HE Konstantine Surguladze, Ambassador of Georgia to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 82 years old David Vanishvili, went to sleep in his house in Georgia, just to find himself the next morning in the so called “South Ossetia”, occupied part of Georgia, with his house being separated from his farmland by the barbwire fence, marking the so-called “border” between Georgia and the occupied region. On the 7th anniversary of the Russia-Georgian 2008 August 5 days war, despite the EU-brokered six-point Ceasefire agreement between Georgia and the Russian Federation, the latter remains in full disregard of its obligation under this agreement. Russia blatantly violated the ceasefire agreement and recognized two regions of Georgia, Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states; instead of withdrawing its forces to their pre-war positions, the RF has reinforced its military bases in these regions, built on places of annihilated Georgian villages, inhabitants of which, up to 140 000 ethnic Georgians where forcefully driven from their homes, whereby they joined already existing IDPs; 20% of the Georgian territory continues to be occupied by Russian occupying forces. The political support Georgia received from international community, appeared, as time has shown, as non sufficient to stop Russia’s further aggressive steps, since Russia perceived it as a “soft persuasion” and a signal that revision on the “results of the cold war” was still possible, notwithstanding the drastic violation principles of inviolability of borders, hence the fundamental principles of International Law. So it seemed to be a good start for new endeavor-challenging Ukraine. Current developments in Ukraine are simply reinstallation of the approaches firstly tested by Russia in Georgia, just on the smaller scale. What we are witnessing today are merely steps undertaken by Russia towards “creeping occupation and annexation”. Let me shortly outline the facts: Barbwire fences are being installed along the occupation line in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region, which further intrude into the territory controlled by the Central Government of Georgia, leaving behind the houses and farmland of the local population; also, banners are being installed, marking the so-called “state border” along the occupation line, the most recent installation took place just over two months ago, whereby a considerable segment of the Strategic Baku-Supsa Oil Pipeline, has fallen under the control of the Russian occupation force. Moreover, Russia signed the so-called “treaty on alliance and strategic partnership” with its occupation regime in Sokhumi and similar “treaty on alliance and integration” with the Tskhinvali occupation regime, whereby both documents are directed against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and constitute the factual annexation of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions, as provide for their full integration into social, economic, administrative institutions and – most importantly – military and security space of Russia. The process is significantly affecting everyday life of the local population, both in the occupied regions, as well as in the adjacent areas. The local population is forcefully deterred from the access to their agricultural lands, potable and irrigation water systems. Residents are prevented from acceding to the local cemeteries and reaching emergency medical services. Moreover, some of them were compelled to leave their places of residence left behind the occupation line, thus creating a new generation of IDPs. The situation inside Georgia’s occupied regions raises particular concern given that no international monitoring mechanisms operate therein since the mandates of the UN and OSCE Monitoring Missions were vetoed by the RF back in 2009. As for the EU Monitoring Mission, deployed in Georgia immediately after the War, it is still denied access to the occupied territories. These developments are a part of Russia’s purposeful policy provoking Georgia and further threatening already fragile peace and security on the ground, region and beyond and are well inscribed in the broader neighboring political agenda of Russia – undermining the sovereignty of its neighbors with clear European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. There is only one coherent response from Georgia, – strengthening its grip on democracy, rule of law and promotion of other benefits of the democratic state along with its other undertakings, including the unilateral legally-binding non-use of force pledge vis-à-vis Russia. At the same time, on the part of the international community, vital is on the one hand, the genuine assessment – adequate to the wider challenges Russia represents today – of these developments and on the other, its active inclusion in Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration process,- our irreversible choice, which will certainly serve as a protective shield against Russia’s policy of sphere of influence domination.                

By HE Francesco Azzarello, Ambassador of Italy to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.  

“Feeding the Planet. Energy for Life”

Since its opening the 1st of May, EXPO 2015 has been the showroom of efficient and sustainable food management, as well as a unique platform for economic opportunities and political discussions. Leaders, businessmen, visitors from all over the world have gathered in Milan in order to visit the premises of the Exposition and raise awareness on the issue of food production. The message carried through the slogan “Feeding the Planet. Energy for Life” could not have been more timely and effective. EXPO 2015 has 145 participating countries, among which 54 built up their pavilions and the remaining joined in nine clusters organized around a specific theme: bio-Mediterranean (10), rice (5), cacao and chocolate (6), coffee (10), cereals (7), fruits and legumes (9), islands and sea (14), desert (8), spices (4). Through the clusters, EXPO 2015 has ensured the highest level of representation of African countries ever attained by a Universal Exposition. Among the International Organisations, the United Nations and the European Union set up their own pavilions, with the UN prestigiously established at the Pavilion Zero at the main entrance of EXPO and the UE in front of the Tree of Life. A large number of private companies have also taken an active role, such as Alitalia, Case New Holland, Coca Cola, ENEL, Ferrero, Intesa Sanpaolo, Perugina. So far EXPO 2015 has attained an impressive record of 11,5 million visitors, with an increasing rate of 120.000-150.000 visitors per day. A larger amount of visitors is expected for the final months of September and October. This remarkable achievements point out that EXPO 2015 has been delivering one of the best performances ever in the history of Universal Expositions. World leaders have gathered in Milan to visit EXPO 2015, mainly during the national days of their countries: the most intense months have been June and July, and more national days are scheduled for September and October. In the first weeks, EXPO 2015 was visited, among others, by the European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini, President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, Egyptian Minister for Foreign Trade Mounir Abel Nour, Ethiopian Minister of Industry Mebrathu Meles, Indonesian Minister of Trade Rachmat Gobel, Qatari Minister of Economy Sheikh Ahmed Bin Jassim Al-Thani, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis. To recall some of the visits in June, the Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Wang Yang on 8 June, Argentinian President Christina de Kirchner on 9, the Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin on 10. And the British Prime Minister David Cameron on 17, US First Lady Michelle Obama on 18, French President François Hollande on 21, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev on 27. The Japanese Minister of agriculture Yoshimasa Hayashi and the Minister of Economy Daishiro Yamagiwa visited on 11 of July and Queen Letizia of Spain on the 23. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the 18 of August, the Iranian Minister for Industry Mohammen Reza Menatzadeh and Minister of Culture Ali Jannati on the 23, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the 27. EXPO is a unique opportunity for business. More than 1.750 private companies from 72 countries have registered in the platform EXPO Business Matching, which has been organized in order to facilitate B2B meetings. 350 of them took place in May and June. 400 more delegations of private companies are expected to visit during the months ahead. Also civil society has been actively involved with a dedicated pavilion at Cascina Triulza. A particular mention should be addressed to the “Women’s week” which took place from 29 June to 10 July, with the participation of the Italian former Foreign Minister Emma Bonino and former Deputy Foreign Minister Marta Dassu’, and the President of EXPO Diana Bracco. For these many reasons, I warmly invite all of you to visit EXPO Milano 2015 before its ending on 31 October!