ICC Presidency assigns the Situation in Georgia to Pre-Trial Chamber I

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ICC Presidency assigns the Situation in Georgia to Pre-Trial Chamber I
On 8 October 2015, the Presidency of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or the “Court”) assigned the Situation in Georgia to Pre-Trial Chamber I, following a notification by the Prosecutor, Mrs Fatou Bensouda, of her intention to submit a request to a Pre-Trial Chamber for authorisation to open an investigation into the situation in Georgia. Pre-Trial Chamber I is composed of Judge Joyce Aluoch (Presiding), Judge Cuno Tarfusser, and Judge Péter Kovács. Georgia deposited its instrument of ratification to the Rome Statute, the Court’s founding treaty, on 5 September 2003. The ICC Prosecutor announced the preliminary examination of the Situation in Georgia on 14 August 2008. On the basis of the information available, Prosecutor Bensouda has concluded that there is a reasonable basis to believe that crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court have been committed in Georgia in the context of the armed conflict of August 2008. The Prosecutor indicated that, pursuant to article 15(3) of the Rome Statute, she will shortly submit a request to the Pre-Trial Chamber for authorisation to open an investigation into this Situation. Once the Prosecutor will have submitted her request, it will then be for the Judges of Pre-Trial Chamber I to decide whether or not to authorise the Prosecutor to open an investigation into the Situation. The Judges will have to consider whether there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation, upon examination of the Prosecutor’s request and the supporting material. The Prosecutor will be releasing a public statement following the submission of her request under article 15(3) of the Rome Statute.

Sicily and the sea. A dive in the past

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Sicily and the sea. A dive in the past
The Embassy of Italy announces the opening of the exhibition “Sicily and the sea. A dive in the past”, at the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam. In cooperation with the Soprintendenza del Mare Regione Sicilia, the exhibition displays for the first time out of the Trinacria (as the Island is called), within a comprehensive framework, treasures brought from shipwrecks to the surface in recent decades. A trip through 2500 years of history of Sicily, crossroad of civilizations that have met and confronted each other in the Mediterranean Sea (Phoenicians, Italics, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Normans). A beautiful and very rich catalogue on the exhibition and the Sicily Region is available in Dutch and English. Sicily and the sea Living history for centuries  From 9 October 2015 to 17 April 2016, the Allard Pierson Museum will be hosting an exhibition entitled Sicily and the sea. A dive into the past. Sicily has been a popular berth for maritime heroes, pirates, ambitious Phoenicians, wine merchants, adventurers, migrants, pioneering Greeks and fishermen for many centuries. It was a place where different cultures and civilisations gathered, and where ideas were exchanged as easily as goods. But the sea gives and the sea takes away. The waters around this beautiful Mediterranean island are strewn with shipwrecks full of secret and extraordinary objects. It is quite literally an invitation to take a dive into history. Wim Hupperetz, Director of the Allard Pierson Museum: ‘As in centuries past, Sicily is once again the focus of attention for migration and a clash of cultures. The history lying on the sea bed has been brought to the surface in recent decades. This international project puts the treasures on display for the very first time.’ Over the years, underwater archaeologists have steadily been revealing the sea’s secrets. Hundreds of shipwrecks have been identified and explored. Sicily and the sea is all about the treasures found in six of these wrecks. The special exhibition gives unique insight into the life, work and sometimes death of people including Ulysses, Justinian I and the Dutch Michiel de Ruyter, who was killed at the Battle of Augusta on 22 April 1676. The unique objects and mysterious atmosphere of the rooms takes you on a voyage to the bottom of the seas around Sicily. The exhibition shines the spotlight on countless objects, including bronze helmets and weapons, as well as amphorae, statues and all kinds of utensils. Visitors are also treated to a glimpse of the work of an underwater archaeologist. Almost all the objects on loan originate from Sicily. A view of the current situation  The Sicily and the sea exhibition consists of three parts. The main exhibition is accompanied by two sub-exhibitions. Arrival on Lampedusa, with poignant pictures of boat people taken by the Italian photographer Sara Prestianni, is raw and confrontational. History is still being written in the waters around Sicily. Underwater heritage, keep it safe! is a collaboration between UNESCO and the Dutch Cultural Heritage Agency. The photo exhibition stresses the need to take good care of the treasures on our sea beds, including these archaeological objects.

The Day of Wallonia and the Federation Wallonia-Brussels

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The Day of Wallonia and the Federation Wallonia-Brussels
On the picture  from left to right H.E. Ahmet Üzümcü, Ambassador, Director-general of the OPCW,  H.E. Chris Hoornaert, Ambassador of Belgium to the Netherlands, H.E. Laurent Pic, Ambassador of France to the Netherlands, Mr. Marc Clairbois, Delegate of Wallonia-Brussels in the Netherlands.   The Day of Wallonia and the Federation Wallonia-Brussels was celebrated in The Hague on the 23rd of September. On invitation of the Delegate of Wallonia-Brussels in The Hague, Marc Clairbois, and his spouse a reception was organised in the Sociëteit De Witte. Ambassadors, diplomats, representatives from Dutch authorities and associations and members of the Belgian community were present. Marc Clairbois seized the opportunity to mention the most important fields of activity of the Delegation Wallonia-Brussels, the Walloon agency for exports (AWEx) and Wallonia-Brussels Tourism in The Netherlands. These domains include education, culture, scientific research, universities, the promotion of foreign trade and investments and tourism. Special attention was drawn to several projects. Among those the opening of the lock of Lanaye on the Dutch-Belgian border in November 2015 by King Philippe of Belgium and the Dutch Minister for Infrastructure Mrs. Melanie Schultz van Haegen. This major construction project is of strategic importance for the economic development of Wallonia, since it will facilitate waterway traffic between the ports of Liège and Rotterdam. DélégationW-B Marc Clairbois also evoked the intensive cooperation with The Netherlands in the field of cinema as well as the support for Dutch education in Wallonia and French education in The Netherlands. The theme of this reception was “Mons 2015, European capital of culture”. A photographic exhibition entitled “Mons street review” was presented; inspired on the “Street View” function of Google, a company that has made some major investments in the region of Mons. It was an illustration of the success of Mons2015 (1.5 million visitors up till now), and of the cultural programme that will continue until the end of the year. The presence of a Jazz quartet from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, as well as some local Walloon drinks and food, further contributed to the excellent atmosphere of this reception.

Five Master Chefs, Charity Lunch

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Five Master Chefs, Charity Lunch
  Announcing our eighteenth Charity Luncheon. For over a decade now we have been holding these amazing events, to aid children in need. Dutch and expatriate ladies from various clubs in Den Haag, along with an eclectic mix of local and international dignitaries, have been enjoying these fantastic culinary experiences, and making significant contributions to charities in The Hague and Overseas. The beneficiary charity for this event is ‘Make-A-Wish’, a generous stichting who, for 35 years, have been ‘granting magical dreams’ to terminally ill children. This is the second time the Luncheon will support this most interesting cause. The young lad who was the beneficiary from the last event had his dream to ‘meet Lionel Messi’ came true. Four master chefs, Remco Biesma [Hotel Des Indes, Den Haag], Sido de Brabander [Hotel Crowne Plaza, Den Haag], Marcel Molenkamp [Hotel Mercure, Leidschendam] and Patrick Otten [Hotel van Oranje, Noordwijk], along with master Patissier Hidde de Brabander [Dreams of Magnolia, Den Haag] are giving their valuable time, and sharing special skills, to craft a culinary experience like no other.  Our Guest of Honour is the wife of The Mayor of The Hague, Mrs. Henriëtte van Aartsen. Sligro are generously sponsoring the ingredients, the refreshments and providing the venue for this extravaganza. They are providing a wonderful selection of prizes for a raffle/auction to further encourage more generous support for this worthwhile cause. The Five Master Chefs Charity Lunch, for Make-A-Wish, will be held on Thursday, October 29th, from 12h00 to 15h00 at Sligro Den Haag, Forepark, Linge 2, 2491 BX, The Hague, (070) 317 7777. The price per ticket is Euro.40, per person. Portion of this cost goes towards the Charity. These events are always fully subscribed, and early registration is definitely recommended in order not to miss out on this experience, and the opportunity to help a child in need. Enquiries should be directed to: Patricia Hollamby [070 358 8257 / 065 202 2156] pmhollamby@icloud.com    

Japanese imperial honor for Prof. Beukers

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Japanese imperial honor for Prof. Beukers
  On Tuesday October  13th at 18h  Dr. Harmen Beukers, Professor and Special Collections associated with the Scaliger Institute of Leiden University, will received an imperial award during a ceremony at the residence of the Japanese ambassador. Professor Beukers will be distinguished in the name of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan  with the Order of the Rising Sun, golden rays with neck ribbon. This in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the promotion of academic exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and the Netherlands.

The Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Ms. Irene Mkwawa Kasyanju

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The Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Ms. Irene Mkwawa Kasyanju

Ambassador Kasyanju, was appointed the Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania to The Kingdom of The Netherlands in October 2015.

She is a lawyer by profession and holds Bachelor of Laws (LL. B Honours) degree from the University of Dar es Salaam and a Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations & Diplomacy from the Centre for Foreign Relations in Dar es Salaam. Ambassador Kasyanju served briefly as a State Attorney with the Attorney General’s Chambers & Ministry of Justice of Tanzania before joining the Legal Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tanzania in April 1987. She is a career diplomat. Prior to her nomination as Ambassador, she served as Director for Legal Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for ten years (2005 – 2015).

Ambassador Kasyanju, represented the Ministry in various international and regional conferences including in the negotiations that led to the establishment of two main international (legal) bodies under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), namely, International Seabed Authority (ISBA) and International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in early 1990s in New York, USA and Kingston, Jamaica.

She represented Tanzania in the Preparatory process (1996 – 1998) for the establishment of The Hague based International Criminal Court (ICC) in New York; and at the Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries, which adopted the Rome Statute of the ICC in July/August 1998 in Rome, Italy. Ambassador Kasyanju, thereafter participated in various ICC meetings including Assemblies of States Parties to the Rome Statute both in New York and in The Hague.

She served at the Permanent Mission of the United Republic of Tanzania to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland for six years (1999 – 2005).

She participated in the AU negotiations, which nominated Tanzania to become the seat of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) in 2006 and successfully settled down the Court in Arusha, Tanzania in 2007. She settled down other international institutions in Arusha, Tanzania including United Nations Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (UNRMCT) the successor to International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in 2012-13; African Institute of International Law (AIIL) in 2013; and African Union Advisory Board on Corruption (AUABC) also in 2013. She played the central role in ensuring Arusha City became an international city by hosting many international organizations as possible.

Ambassador Kasyanju has held several national high-level ministerial positions including Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Audit Committee; Secretary to the Tanzania National Authority established under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) to assist the work of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in Tanzania; Member of the National Multi-Disciplinary Committee on Anti-Money Laundering; Member of National Civil Aviation Security Committee, Member of the National Anti-Human Trafficking   Committee, and served as Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in many occasions.

The Ambassador of the Russian Federation, H.E. Mr. Alexander Shulgin

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The Ambassador of the Russian Federation, H.E. Mr. Alexander Shulgin

H.E. Mr. Alexander Vasilievich Shulgin is the newly appointed Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He is bringing years of diplomatic and ambassadorial experience to his term in The Hague. 

Mr. Shulgin’s career in diplomacy began when he graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in 1973. From this point onwards, he took up various posts in Moscow and abroad. 

From 1998 to 2003, Mr. Shulgin was the Consul General of the Russian Federation in Marseilles and Monaco. Afterward, he returned to Russia for three years to be Deputy Director of the First European Department in MOFA. In 2009, he went overseas to commence his first term as Ambassador to Senegal and Gambia. This was soon followed by another term as Ambassador to Luxembourg from 2009 to 2012. 

As expected from his postings in Europe, Mr. Shulgin speaks French and English in addition to his Russian mother tongue. 

When Mr. Shulgin returned to Moscow in 2013, he resumed work in the First European Department, but as the Department Director this time. Two years later, in 2015, he was designated Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Netherlands, as well as the Permanent Representative of Russia to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). 

He presented his credentials to H.M. Willem-Alexander, the King of the Netherlands on October 7, 2015

As Ambassador, Mr. Shulgin is determined to promote further collaboration between Russia and the Netherlands in the upcoming years. He expresses that Russia has always considered the Netherlands to be one of its key partners and allies. The deep ties of friendship between the two countries have enabled cooperation in many areas, particularly in trade and investment, as well as culture. Unfortunately, this collaboration has been going through unsettling times, indicated by a significant decline in the turnover of commodities.

This development only motivates Mr. Shulgin even further to foster stronger relations and cooperation between the two nations. This will not be limited to the economic sector, as he believes an extended partnership will bolster Russia and the Netherlands’ capability to deal with new threats and challenges, such as international terrorism. He is optimistic that current obstacles will be overcome to welcome a return to robust cooperation promoting sustainable economic growth, peace, and security.  

The diplomatic community in The Hague sends a warm welcome to Ambassador Shulgin and wishes him all the best in his new term.

Ploumen to attend G20 in Turkey

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Ploumen to attend G20 in Turkey
  Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Lilianne Ploumen will be participating in the G20 Trade Ministers Meeting in Istanbul on 6 October. She will also attend the OECD Global Forum on International Investment in the same city one day earlier. Ms Ploumen has been invited to participate in the annual meeting of G20 trade ministers by the current G20 president, Turkey. It is the first time since 2011 that a Dutch minister has taken part in the G20. Items up for discussion include disappointing global economic growth and stimulating the involvement of low-income countries and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in international trade. Better trade The Netherlands has knowledge and experience to share when it comes to aid, trade and investment, Ms Ploumen said. ‘Last week in New York, 193 countries adopted the new sustainable development goals, pledging their commitment to eliminating extreme poverty by 2030. Now it’s up to us to ensure the global trade and investment system helps us achieve this. For example, by placing greater focus on sustainability and corporate social responsibility, so we don’t just foster trade, but better trade.’ Doha negotiations Ms Ploumen will be urging her fellow ministers to finalise the long drawn-out Doha negotiations on the further liberalisation of international trade. This is crucial for developing countries, as many businesses there suffer from the negative impact of complex regulations and lengthy procedures. The ministers will also discuss new challenges facing global trade, such as obstacles to cross-border services, the growing importance of the internet and disappointing international investments. The OECD Global Forum held the day before the G20 will also focus on international investment. Refugee crisis While in Turkey, Ms Ploumen will also be discussing the refugee crisis with the Turkish government. A number of bilateral talks, and meetings with aid organisations that work with refugees, are planned for Monday 5 October. ‘Turkey has already welcomed some 1.8 million Syrian refugees,’ Ms Ploumen said. ‘It’s an enormous challenge not just to provide these people with a safe haven, but to give them the opportunity to be self-reliant and build a new life until they can return home. Turkey is an important partner for the EU and the Netherlands when it comes to dealing with migration. We will be strengthening cooperation to meet the shared challenges we face, including the fight against people smuggling and human trafficking.’  

Koenders: deeply concerned by human rights situation in Yemen

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Koenders: deeply concerned by human rights situation in Yemen
Dutch Foreign Minister Mr Bert Koenders is deeply concerned by the human rights situation and violations of humanitarian law in Yemen. ‘There is bitter suffering in Yemen. Four out of five Yemenis need humanitarian assistance,‘ according to minister Koenders. That is why the Netherlands has worked in the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and with contacts in New York for a clear resolution on Yemen which argues for an independent international inquiry. However this did not gain sufficient support from both countries in the region or from western countries. Minister Koenders is disappointed by the lack of support in the council. ‘The situation in Yemen demands our urgent attention. We cannot allow the daily reports of human rights violations to go unanswered.’ said minister Koenders. The Netherlands has made its disappointment over the lack of support for a strong signal from the Council clear to the members of the Human Rights Council. The Netherlands hopes that the current resolution will be fulfilled in both letter and spirit, and will remain undaunted in its efforts to fulfil humanitarian needs and improve the human rights situation in Yemen. In this, the Netherlands is supported among others by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Yesterday minister Koenders took part in a ministerial meeting with countries in the region and European countries to come to a joint and speedy political solution to the conflict in Yemen. The Netherlands deems it of the utmost importance that peace negotiations in Yemen are continued. The efforts of UN special representative for Yemen, Mr Ismaël Ould Cheikh Ahmed, are crucial in this regard.  

Matthias Müller, VW’s CEO

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Matthias Müller, VW’s CEO
 
 
 
By Baron Henri Estramant & Christoph Haebler.
 
Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany: Volkswagen has appointed Matthias Müller, the head of its Porsche sports car brand, as its chief executive, as the fallout from the USA vehicle emissions test rigging scandal broadened.
 
Matthias Müller, 62, had been widely tipped to succeed Martin Winterkorn, who resigned his executive post on Wednesday, 23 September 2015. Müller shall take responsibility for steering Volkswagen through the biggest business crisis in its 78-year history. Additionally he will also remain at the helm of Porsche until a replacement has been named. Müller has led Porsche (which is owned by Volkswagen) since 2010.
 
Müller, who has worked for parts of the Volkswagen empire since the 1970s, is a management board member of Porsche SE, and deemed a confidante to the Piëch-Porsche family that controls Volkswagen through the holding company.
The research and development chiefs of Audi and Porsche, Ulrich Hackenberg and Wolfgang Hatz, have been be relieved of their duties by the supervisory board as well as Volkswagen’s top executive in the United States, Michael Horn. 
 
For more information:
Volkswagen Cars and SUVs: www.vw.com
About Matthias Müller: www.newsroom.porsche.com
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