Sri Lankan, Tamil and Sinhalese New Year

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The Ambassador of Sri Lanka in the Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Buddhi Athauda, has the pleasure to invite everybody who wants to join in to take part in the celebration of Sri Lankan, Tamil and Sinhalese New Year on Sunday the 27th of April 2014 (09.00-21.00 h.), on the grounds of (football club) SVV Scheveningen, Laan van Poot 38-C, 2566 EC  DEN HAAG (free entrance) and to enjoy there: * sport and games for young and old * the delicious dishes served  from the Sri Lankan cuisine * the prizes that can be won in a number of activities * song and dance * and many more nice surprises   Thank you for helping us turning this event into a success

Royal Family at Dominican DMG in The Hague

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Direct from Diplomat Magazine’s Publisher Robert Buurke and Honorary Associate Publisher Dr. Eugenio Matos G. and the Special collaboration of Baron Henri Estramant.  H.E. Mr. Luis Arias, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, will be hosting Diplomats Meet & Greet at the Carlton Ambassador Hotel on 3 April, from 6pm, in the presence of Their Imperial and Royal Highnesses Archduke SĂĄndor & Archduchess Herta Margarete of Austria-Tuscany, Royal Prince & Princess of Hungary and Bohemia, Prince & Princess of Croatia. As matter of anecdote the “Braßov” (Romanian) line of the Habsburg Dynasty whereto this archducal couple belongs is the only one wherein the lineage of Maria Theresia mixes with British Queen Victoria. Herta Margarete of Austria-Tuscany SĂĄndor of Austria-Tuscany Which is the link between Their Imperial and Royal Highness and the Dominican Republic? Archduke SĂĄndor attended the « Colegio Carol Morgan » in Santo Domingo. His father, Archduke Dominic, who is co-owner and administrator of Bran Castle (known colloquially as “Dracula Castle”, www.bran-castle.com) He was lecturer at the “Instituto TecnolĂłgico de Santo Domingo”. During the II World War some members of the Habsburg House led by  Crown Prince Otto of Austria, Hungary, Bohemia and Croatia, assisted the Portuguese Consul-General in Bordeaux, Aristides de Sousa Mendes, to smuggle Jewish refugees and obtain visa for them to the Dominican Republic as “farmers”.  The Dominican Government was amongst the few countries welcoming Jewish refugees. His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke SĂĄndor was born in 1965 in Vienna, Austria, as a direct descendant of Empress and Queen Maria Theresia of the Holy Roman Empire, Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary, of Bohemia, of Croatia, etc. He is a member of the Tuscan line of the Habsburg Dynasty. He spent his youth in Austria, the Dominican Republic as well as Antigua and Barbuda. After he completed his university studies in the USA, his professional activities took him back to Europe, particularly to Austria. Presently he is on the board of directors of several companies and organisations. Main lineage of Archduke SĂĄndor & Archduchess Herta Margarete. Maria Theresia ,Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary, Bohemia and Croatia and Franz I Stefan of Lorraine, Holy Roman Emperor, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Leopold II of Austria, Grand Duke of Tuscany (as Pietro Leopoldo I), Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and Bohemia and Maria Luisa de BorbĂłn, Infanta of Spain Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Archduke of Austria and Luisa Maria Princess of the Two Sicilies Leopoldo II, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Archduke of Austria and Maria Antonia Princess of the Two Sicilies Karl Salvator, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Marie Immaculata Princess of the Two Sicilies Leopold Salvator, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Blanca de BorbĂłn, Infanta of Spain Anton Maria, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Ileana, Princess of Romania Dominic, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Engel Virginia von Voss SĂĄndor, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Herta Margarete, Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Tuscany Russian Imperial Family Catherine II the Great, Empress of Russia and Peter III, Emperor of Russia Pavel I Petrovich, Emperor of  Russia and Sophia Dorothea Princess of WĂŒrttemberg Nikolai I Pavlovich, Emperor of Russia and Friederike Luise Princess of Prussia Aleksandr II Nikolaievich, Emperorof Russia and Marie Princess of Hesse and by Rhine Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Maria Aleksandrovna, Grand Duchess of Russia Ferdinand, King of Romania and Marie of Edinburgh, Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain Anton Maria, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Ileana, Princess of Romania Dominic Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Engel Virginia von Voss SĂĄndor Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Herta Margarete Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Tuscany British Royal Family Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Albert Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, Duke of Saxony and Maria Aleksandrovna, Grand Duchess of Russia Ferdinand, King of Romania and Marie, Princess of Edinburgh Anton Maria, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Ileana Princess of Romania Dominic, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Engel Virginia von Voss SĂĄndor,Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Herta Margarete Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Tuscany.    

National Day of Pakistan

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By Bonnie Klap, Editor in Chief. On the occasion of Pakistan Day the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Mr. Moazzam Ahmad Khan hosted a reception. The reception was held at the Ambassador’s  historic residence, which was built approximately 150 years ago and was purchased by the Government of Pakistan in the early 1950’s. The reception was well attended by members of the Diplomatic Corps, Government and representatives of the Pakistani and Dutch business community. After the reception the guests were invited into the magnificent diningroom to enjoy a delicious buffet of Pakistani dishes. Photo album click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/72157643032781933/ More recent diplomatic events: https://diplomatmagazine.eu/category/event/

National Day Tunisia

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By Bonnie Klap, Editor in Chief. The Ambassador of Tunisia and Mrs. Karim Ben BĂ©cher hosted a reception in the Worldhotel Bel Air to celebrate the National Day. A seemingly endless line of well wishers came to congratulate Ambassador Ben BĂ©cher. The overwhelming attendance can no doubt be attributed to the Ambassador’s  vast diplomatic and social network and his affable personality.  Following the reception an elaborate buffet with Tunisian specialties was offered to the guests. In addition to the delicious Tunisian cuisine, a slideshow, which was played in the background, gave an impression of various highlights of  this beautiful country. For more recent diplomatic events click here: https://diplomatmagazine.eu/category/event/   

Philippines’ nr.2 in The Hague

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H.E. Jejomar C. Binay at the ISS.

The Vice-president of the Philippines, Mr Jejomar C. Binay, gave a very sharp and interesting lecture at ISS. His speech included topics such as migration and development perspectives of the Philippines, investment and legal recognition of citizens. H.E. Jaime Victor B. Ledda, Ambassador of the Republic of Philippines, also directors and representatives from migrations agencies, ONG’s and more than two hundreds expats from Philippines living in the Netherlands attended the event. Jejomar Binay was Mayor of Manila for 21 years before becoming number two of the Country.

ICC’s warrants of arrest for Al-Bashir from Sudan

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ASSEMBLY OF STATES PARTIES TO THE ROME STATUTE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT.

Directly from the ICC, President of the Assembly of States Parties.

Message sent on behalf of the President of the Assembly of States Parties, H.E. Ms. Tiina Intelmann, concerning the visit of Mr. Al-Bashir to Chad. I would like to inform States Parties that my Office received information that Mr. Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir, the President of Sudan, arrived today in the Republic of Chad, to address the “Forum of border tribes between Sudan and Chad”, taking place from 25 to 29 March 2014. The International Criminal Court has issued two warrants of arrest for Mr. Al-Bashir, dated 4 March 2009 and 12 July 2010, respectively. The Assembly has repeatedly expressed concerns regarding the negative consequences that failure to comply with decisions of the Court has on the Court’s capability to carry out its mandate. I renew my appeal to States Parties and others in a position to do so to join efforts to prevent instances of non-cooperation. Furthermore, I would like to remind States Parties that, as provided by Assembly Resolution ICC-ASP/12/Res.3, “contacts with persons in respect of whom an arrest warrant issued by the Court is outstanding should be avoided when such contacts undermine the objectives of the Rome Statute.”    

GALA- Sponsored by the American Women’s Club of the Hague

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By Linda Divon, President.

The American Women’s Club of The Hague is pleased to announce its 3rd Hearts and Mind Gala, which will take place on Saturday evening, June 14th, at the Hilton Hotel in The Hague. We invite you to partake in a very special and fun filled evening, starting with an elegant reception, followed by a delicious three course dinner and wine, fantastic music and dancing. There will also be a Live and Silent Auction.

The Gala theme is “Helping Special Children in Need”.

All proceeds will go to three beneficiaries :

Lighthouse Special Education,  Laat ze Maar Lachen and Hulphond Nederlands.

We welcome the Hague Community at large and hope that you will all join us on June 14th for a most enjoyable and memorable evening. Together, we will be able to make a difference in the lives of special needs children.

Tickets are 125 euros per person and can be purchased through heartsmindstickets@gmail.com. For more information about the gala or beneficiaries, contact us at awc.hearts.and.minds.gala@gmail.com

 

 

Inauguration NSS 2014

Inauguration of the NSS2014 in The Hague, the city of peace and justice.

By Roy Lie A. Tjam. We live in momentous times. Under a clear blue spring sky on Monday 24 March 2014, The Hague welcomed distinguished guests from 53 countries to the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) 2014. The PeacePalace would have been an appropriate venue for such a summit, however, logistically this one-hundred-year-old edifice is no longer adequate for a gathering of this size and the World Forum has today proven to be an excellent location. International peace summits are not foreign to Den Haag. The NSS carries on the tradition set by the first and second international peace conferences which were held in The Hague  in 1899 and 1907. The significance of the 2014 summit lies in the fact that its objective, preventing nuclear material from falling into the hands of irresponsible individuals, has resonance with current world tensions, for example the situations in Ukraine and Syria. Will man ever be able to eradicate war, terrorism and famine from this earth? We know this may be an impossibility, but sitting back idly is clearly not an option for the politicians of today. The key attendee of the summit is Barack Obama, President of the US, as the NSS was Obama’s brain child. Some fifty other heads of state and government joined the president at this extraordinary event. I overheard a conversation in which those involved were speculating whether this will be the last NSS as in around two years President Obama will be busy packing, his second and final tenure having come to an end. Would it be wise to hold a summit with a departing US president? The atmosphere inside the summit could be described as serene. There was of course strict security at the World Forum, yet this did not feel overpowering.  Also no significant protest has been recorded to date. Several protesters were arrested in The Hague today and last Friday members of the group Stop de NSS expressed their dissatisfaction with the summit near the city’s central library. The G7 met today at the official residence of Prime Minister Rutte, the Catshuis. High on the agenda was the matter of sanctions against Russia for violating the sovereignty of Ukraine. The question of whether Russia should remain in the G8 is expected to be discussed by the delegates. In his opening address Prime Minister Mark Rutte set out the key objectives of the summit stating that: ‘All our discussions today and tomorrow will focus on one question: how to prevent nuclear terrorism. Or to be more precise, how can we make sure that nuclear materials won’t end up in the hands of terrorists and that nuclear material is used more efficiently and stored more securely’. Prime Minister Mark Rutte further lauded both US President Barack Obama and Korean President Park Geun-hye: ‘President Obama, you are personally responsible for getting this issue on the international agenda. The first Nuclear Security Summit in 2010, and the Washington Work Plan that it produced, still guide our efforts today. You laid the foundations, and so the world is in your debt. ‘President Park, two years ago your country hosted the second NSS, where we noted the progress we had made and raised our ambitions. And with success, because looking back on the past two years, we can see that real progress has been made. Not only have diplomatic efforts moved forward and documents been adopted, but there have also been quantifiable results. For example, since the process began the number of countries with more than a kilogram of usable highly enriched uranium has fallen substantially. This shows that we set off in the right direction four years ago in Washington, and that the summit in Seoul was also productive. ‘But we cannot rest on our laurels. We have to raise our ambitions again. We have to aim even higher here in The Hague. Because even as we speak, there are still almost 2,000 tonnes of weapons-usable nuclear material in circulation worldwide. And its security has to be our constant concern’. Prime Minister Rutte concluded his address by observing that the leaders’ presence in The Hgaue today: ‘underscores once more your countries’ political commitment to this goal. This should give us confidence that we will succeed. The task we took on in 2010 demands resolve, and perhaps more patience than we would like. But in the words of Nelson Mandela, whose statue stands outside close by: ‘It always seems impossible until it’s done.’ Let us press on in that conviction – today, tomorrow and in the days that follow – towards our goal of a safer world’. 25 March 2014 – Final day, NSS2014 Today was not only the closing day of the NSS2014, but also that of the International Summit for the Nuclear Industry which was held simultaneously in Amsterdam. One of the focus points of which was how to deal with nuclear material, moving from the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU) to the use of lower enriched uranium (LEU). The presidium held a briefing at the Main Press Conference Room and subsequently presented their report to the NSS2014. The outcome of NSS 2014 is that a major step has been made towards a safer world. During the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS 2014) in The Hague, 58 world leaders made concrete agreements to prevent terrorists gaining nuclear material which could be used to create a nuclear weapon. It is hoped that this will further reduce any threat of a nuclear attack. The final communiquĂ© of the NSS 2014 represents a major step forward and a fitting follow-up to the agreements made at the earlier Nuclear Security Summits in Washington in 2010 and Seoul in 2012. More than 15 participating countries have committed themselves to switching from the use of highly-enriched uranium to low-enriched uranium. Furthermore, many countries have committed to putting legislation in place to prevent nuclear material from falling into the hands of terrorists. President Obama announced that he will host the fourth Nuclear Security Summit in 2016 and he thanked the Netherlands for organising a flawless summit, for their kind hospitality and for putting up with the traffic problems caused by his being in town. All in all it was, as the Dutch say: ‘gezellig’              

Nuclear what?

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Peter Knoope, Director ICCT. A most eventful meeting took place in The Hague. All of your staff have most likely been extremely busy preparing for the visit of your own dignitaries. Let’s face it is “a hell of a job” to program the visit of a VIP in such a way that it fits with expectations on all sides, and with logistical as well as security requirements at the same time. So the question “was it worth it?” must have sprung to your mind. This questions was also uttered by critical voices in the Dutch press. So let me try and answer that question. Is it worth the millions of Euros invested, is it worth to take all those measures and prepare not just the city, but almost the whole country for such an event with all the unpleasant side effects like traffic jams and with very visible and sometimes annoying security measures? The answer is without a doubt in the affirmative, but conditional: “It depends”. What is at stake? According to an inventory that we at ICCT have done, most international terrorism experts reckon that the use of CBNR (Chemical, Biological, Nuclear or Radiological) material for terrorist purposes is potentially a realistic future scenario.  However, we do not know what the analytical basis for this fear is. Fact is that international terrorists seek to make themselves heard and do not shy away from tough and rough modi operandi. We know that some of them will do just about anything to get their message across. I can simply remind you, reader, of individuals like Breivik in Norway (2011) or the tragedy at the school in Beslan, North Ossetia (2004) to indicate the willingness of terrorists to harm and dehumanize victims, including children. These examples show that once the frustration level rises above a certain limit and the opponent is sufficiently drained of its human characteristics, angry individuals are capable of just about anything. Still, the examples also show something else: The Beslan massacre also marked the start of international public outrage over the Chechen rebels. Whereas some level of sympathy may have existed internationally for their cause prior to the attack, these sentiments disappeared fully after the incredible atrocities that were committed by the members of the rebel group within the walls of that school. The same is true for Breivik.[1] His concerns about identity and culture may be shared by others, but his methods were harmful for his cause. Very few people want to be associated with him and his message. Although he tried to regain some of his credibility during the trial, he lost almost all of his potential support base because of the attacks on UtĂžya. Increasingly, we see this consideration at play in some of the arenas in which international terrorist groups are active. Winning hearts and minds has become part of the strategic approach of these groups. It happens in Yemen where  Al Qaeda in the Arabic Peninsula (AQAP) has been seen active in the area of service and justice delivery systems. It happens in Syria where some of the AQ affiliates are amongst the only ones that effectively give out humanitarian assistance. It was an activity instructed to terrorist organisations active in West Africa from higher command structures, as can be derived from documents captured in Mali. Public support and a building support base are relevant strategic considerations for terrorist organizations.  The use of CBRN material for terrorist purposes is not very helpful in that respect – on the contrary. Very few people will support an organization that uses materials with the widespread impact of an atomic bomb. Nobody sane will be attracted to an organization that deems it necessary to use chemical weapons. Regardless how much a terrorist may want to be heard, he or she will also want to have some level of public support after the attack.  And why should a terrorist organization use CBNR material anyway? The handling is risky and complex, the impact is out of control and most importantly, the same impact can be obtained with much less of an effort. The Boston marathon attack and the murder in London of a British soldier are examples of how high the impact can be of relatively small scale terrorist operations.  Hence the fact that is claimed by many of my colleagues: CBRN attacks have a “low probability but a high impact”. We might ask ourselves: then why have the Nuclear Security Summit? Why did you go through all this trouble to organize your incoming visit? There is some underlying logic to this. That is the fact that not all terrorists are rational individuals. Not all terrorists operate from strategically governed groups.  We have lately seen an increase in activity of the so-called “lone actors”. Now, again, this concept can be understood in different ways. But one way of understanding it is that a confused individual takes the initiative to make a statement.  It has happened and it will happen again. The problem with confused individuals is that they are unpredictable in their behavior. And here, the availability issue becomes seriously relevant.  One does not want waste products of nuclear facilities, medical facilities and other dangerous materials readily available to the potential lone actor.  Dangerous materials are dangerous; they should be treated that way to prevent any abuse, or the possibility of them falling into the hands of angry or confused minds.  This is not because the probability is high, but because the potential impact is high. We had the summit; the participants reached a common understanding of the required actions. We owe it to ourselves that we treat dangerous substances with care. Technology produces great results, but sometimes also unpleasant products. Nuclear material is one of those by products of technological developments that we could have done without, if you ask me. But it is there. Now it is our leaders’ responsibility to “handle with care”. The fact that they do should be applauded. I would claim I want “more, more, more” specifically in terms of follow-up.  Now that we have had the summit, the work starts. If not, the answer to the question “was it worth it”? is still in the negative.    


[1] See also on the wider implication of the Breivik trial the ICCT Research Paper The Anders Behring Breivik Trial: Performing Justice, Defending Democracy (August 2013), http://icct.nl/publications/icct-papers/the-anders-behring-breivik-trial-performing-justice-defending-democracy.

Director-General Meets with Prime Minister of Japan

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Director-General Ahmet ÜzĂŒmcĂŒ met this morning with the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr Shinzo Abe, who is visiting The Hague to attend the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS). The Director-General commended Japan for its active role in global disarmament and non-proliferation efforts, and in particular for the steady progress made in destroying chemical weapons abandoned by Japan on Chinese territory. He also expressed appreciation to the Prime Minister for Japan’s generous contribution of €13.25 million to the OPCW’s Syria Trust Fund, which is the largest single financial contribution received thus far. The Director-General said the confirmed use of chemical weapons in Syria had given new urgency for the remaining six non-States Parties to join the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) without delay. He appealed to Japan to continue raising this issue bilaterally with non-States Parties and expressed appreciation for Japan’s ongoing efforts to advance disarmament and non-proliferation in Asia at regional fora. The Prime Minister commended the OPCW for its receipt of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2013 and for its efficient work in the mission to dismantle Syria’s chemical weapons programme. He assured the Director-General of Japan’s continuing commitment to achieving the goals of the Convention and support for the work of the OPCW.