ZIVANIA: the heavier alcoholic spirit of Cyprus
Cyprus has another legendary alcohol beverage the zivania, its colorless and alcoholic with a light aroma of raisins. Its alcohol content varies, with 45% by volume being the typical value. Zivania contains no sugar and has no acidity. In order to produce Zivania of the highest grade, mature healthy grapes of the best quality are used.
Zivania has been produced in Cyprus since the time the Republic of Venice ruled the island, around the end of the 15th century. Evidence of its continued production during Ottoman and British rule of the island comes from writers such as the British writer Samuel Baker who in 1879 reported that “…the refuse of skins and stalks is laid upon one side to ferment for the manufacture of raki, or spirit, by distillation…”
Since 1989, Zivania’s name has been protected under EU regulations.
In old times, the main alcoholic drinks Cypriots consumed were wine and zivania. In some villages of Cyprus, cinnamon was added to zivania giving it a nice red color and a fine aroma and flavor. As zivania ages it gains a stronger flavor and aroma. Aged zivania has been valued very highly and is kept for consumption during special occasions or as a welcoming treat for visitors. Even nowadays at some villages in Cyprus, locals welcome visitors with zivania served together with dried nuts, Turkish delight, or small appetizers like cheeses and sausages.
Other than enjoying zivania as an alcoholic drink, Cypriots is using it for several other purposes. Zivania is used to treat wounds, for massaging sore body parts, as a remedy for colds and toothaches or as a warming-up drink during the cold months of winter, especially in the villages of the Troodos mountains.
After they are harvested,the grapes are set in the sun for a week to ten days, a process that serves to concentrate their natural sugars.
Commandaria gets its name from the Gran Commanderie, an area surrounding the well preserved Kolossi Castle which is located west of Limassol. Commandaria gets its name from the Gran Commanderie, an area surrounding the well preserved Kolossi Castle which is located west of Limassol.
Cyprus Commandaria: The wine of kings
Cyprus is considered the island where Aphrodite was supposedly born, risen up from the foam (aphro in Greek) produced by the sea waves hitting on rocky coasts.
This island which was chosen to give birth to the Greco-roman mythological goddess of love, beauty and pleasure, is also known for the production of the oldest wine in the world, commandaria: The wine of kings and the king of wines, as King Richard the Lionheart said during his wedding in Cyprus, at the 12th century.
Commandaria
Commandaria, the amber-coloured sweet dessert wine made from sun-dried grapes of the varieties Xynisteri and Mavro, in the Commandaria region of Cyprus on the foothills of Troodos Mountains has a rich history. It represents an ancient wine style documented in Cyprus back to 800 BC (Greek poet Hesiod named commandaria as the Cypriot Manna, food from haven) and has the distinction of being the world’s oldest named wine still in production, with the name Commandaria dating back to the crusades in the 12th century.
During the Crusades, Commandaria was served at the 12th century wedding of King Richard the Lion-heart to Berengaria of Navarre, in the southern coastal town of Limassol; it was during the wedding that King Richard pronounced Commandaria “the wine of kings and the king of wines”. Near the end of the century the Lion-heart sold the island to the Knights Templar who then sold it to Frankish nobleman Guy de Lusignan, but kept a large feudal estate at Kolossi, close to Limassol, to themselves. This Kolossi estate was referred to as “La Grande Commanderie”. The word Commanderie referred to the military headquarters whilst Grande helped distinguish it from two smaller such command posts on the island, one close to Paphos and another near Kyrenia. This area under the control of the Knights Templar (and subsequently the Knights Hospitaller) became known as Commandaria. When the Knights Templar began producing large quantities of the wine for export to European royal courts and for supplying pilgrims en route to the holy lands, the wine assumed the name of the region. Thus it has the distinction of being the world’s oldest named wine still in production.
Legend has it that in the 13th century Philip Augustus of France held the first ever wine tasting competition. The event, branded The Battle of the Wines (fr. La Bataille des Vins), was recorded in a notable French poem written by Henry d’Andeli in 1224. The competition which included wines from all over Europe and France was won by a sweet wine from Cyprus widely believed to be Commandaria. The Commandery region itself fell into the control of his descendant Philip IV in 1307, after the suppression of the Knights Templar.
Another legend has it that the Ottoman sultan Selim II invaded the island just to acquire Commandaria; also that the grapes used to make this wine were the same grapes exported to Portugal that eventually became famous as the source of port wine.
ZIVANIA: the heavier alcoholic spirit of Cyprus
Cyprus has another legendary alcohol beverage the zivania, its colorless and alcoholic with a light aroma of raisins. Its alcohol content varies, with 45% by volume being the typical value. Zivania contains no sugar and has no acidity. In order to produce Zivania of the highest grade, mature healthy grapes of the best quality are used.
Zivania has been produced in Cyprus since the time the Republic of Venice ruled the island, around the end of the 15th century. Evidence of its continued production during Ottoman and British rule of the island comes from writers such as the British writer Samuel Baker who in 1879 reported that “…the refuse of skins and stalks is laid upon one side to ferment for the manufacture of raki, or spirit, by distillation…”
Since 1989, Zivania’s name has been protected under EU regulations.
In old times, the main alcoholic drinks Cypriots consumed were wine and zivania. In some villages of Cyprus, cinnamon was added to zivania giving it a nice red color and a fine aroma and flavor. As zivania ages it gains a stronger flavor and aroma. Aged zivania has been valued very highly and is kept for consumption during special occasions or as a welcoming treat for visitors. Even nowadays at some villages in Cyprus, locals welcome visitors with zivania served together with dried nuts, Turkish delight, or small appetizers like cheeses and sausages.
Other than enjoying zivania as an alcoholic drink, Cypriots is using it for several other purposes. Zivania is used to treat wounds, for massaging sore body parts, as a remedy for colds and toothaches or as a warming-up drink during the cold months of winter, especially in the villages of the Troodos mountains.
After they are harvested,the grapes are set in the sun for a week to ten days, a process that serves to concentrate their natural sugars.
Commandaria gets its name from the Gran Commanderie, an area surrounding the well preserved Kolossi Castle which is located west of Limassol. Commandaria gets its name from the Gran Commanderie, an area surrounding the well preserved Kolossi Castle which is located west of Limassol.
ZIVANIA: the heavier alcoholic spirit of Cyprus
Cyprus has another legendary alcohol beverage the zivania, its colorless and alcoholic with a light aroma of raisins. Its alcohol content varies, with 45% by volume being the typical value. Zivania contains no sugar and has no acidity. In order to produce Zivania of the highest grade, mature healthy grapes of the best quality are used.
Zivania has been produced in Cyprus since the time the Republic of Venice ruled the island, around the end of the 15th century. Evidence of its continued production during Ottoman and British rule of the island comes from writers such as the British writer Samuel Baker who in 1879 reported that “…the refuse of skins and stalks is laid upon one side to ferment for the manufacture of raki, or spirit, by distillation…”
Since 1989, Zivania’s name has been protected under EU regulations.
In old times, the main alcoholic drinks Cypriots consumed were wine and zivania. In some villages of Cyprus, cinnamon was added to zivania giving it a nice red color and a fine aroma and flavor. As zivania ages it gains a stronger flavor and aroma. Aged zivania has been valued very highly and is kept for consumption during special occasions or as a welcoming treat for visitors. Even nowadays at some villages in Cyprus, locals welcome visitors with zivania served together with dried nuts, Turkish delight, or small appetizers like cheeses and sausages.
Other than enjoying zivania as an alcoholic drink, Cypriots is using it for several other purposes. Zivania is used to treat wounds, for massaging sore body parts, as a remedy for colds and toothaches or as a warming-up drink during the cold months of winter, especially in the villages of the Troodos mountains.
After they are harvested,the grapes are set in the sun for a week to ten days, a process that serves to concentrate their natural sugars.
Commandaria gets its name from the Gran Commanderie, an area surrounding the well preserved Kolossi Castle which is located west of Limassol. Commandaria gets its name from the Gran Commanderie, an area surrounding the well preserved Kolossi Castle which is located west of Limassol.
City of Peace and Justice
The Hague’s Diplomats are at the Heart of the City of Peace and Justice
By Dr. Abiodun Williams, President, The Hague Institute for Global Justice. Last years’ centenary celebrations at the Peace Palace were a reminder that The Hague’s role as an international center of diplomatic activity is not new. The anniversary gave cause to reflect on the reality that, notwithstanding The Hague’s profile as an international legal capital, the role it plays is even more expansive. This is not merely a center of law, but more broadly, a place where justice is sought. And the pursuit of justice, as the United Nations Charter underlines, must go hand in hand with peace. The genesis of the Peace Palace reminds us that efforts to entrench the international rule of law are ultimately efforts to achieve lasting peace. In this way, The Hague is not only a legal capital but, as the city’s Mayor importantly recognizes, the International City of Peace and Justice. The mission of realizing the promise of The Hague’s institutions and expertise is not one that rests only with courts, or with local policy-makers. It is a goal which is shared by knowledge institutions like The Hague Institute for Global Justice and by the diplomats resident in the Netherlands. Before arriving in The Hague a year ago, I served in senior postings at the United Nations and at the United States Institute for Peace. I am therefore no stranger to either New York City and Washington DC, two cities whose diplomatic corps’ boast enormous expertise. Nevertheless, since arriving in The Hague, I have been continually struck by the quality, ingenuity and effectiveness of the diplomatic representatives who live and work in the city. They are, I find, some of the best in the world. The work that the diplomatic community carries out here, on behalf of individual nations and the international community is, I believe, one of the attributes that is transforming The Hague into a pre-eminent international political capital. The Hague Institute, the organization which I lead, seeks to harness this experience and to ensure that, in this era of ‘networked diplomacy’, innovative links are made between the diplomatic corps, policy-makers in the Dutch government, business leaders, civil society and academics. Through our monthly Hague Roundtable Series, we convene events under the Chatham House Rule to discuss key international issues and trends, including, for example, migration, the work of the ICTY and the Iran nuclear deal. Our Distinguished Speaker Series, which over the past month has welcomed former German Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, and former Dutch Prime Minister, Jan Peter Balkenende, aims to provide a platform for the world’s leading statesmen to engage with the diverse community of practitioners in The Hague, especially those in the diplomatic corps. The close ties that have been formed between The Hague Institute and many of the diplomatic missions in the city has been critical to our ongoing work. In the months and years to come, I look forward to welcoming many more colleagues from this diverse community to The Hague Institute and to continuing our work to convene experts and disseminate cutting-edge knowledge to those in the policy-making process. In so doing, I am convinced that the eyes of the world will increasingly turn to The Hague, not only in search of legal solutions, but also as a place where peace is pursued and achieved.12th Consignment of Chemicals Removed from Syria
The OPCW-UN Joint Mission in Syria has confirmed that a 12th consignment of chemicals has been transported to the port of Latakia and removed from the country.
Noting this latest consignment the OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, expressed the hope that Syria will expedite the removal process. “This is the first shipment since 20 March. It is therefore important not only to follow this up with further rapid movements but also to make up for the lost time by increasing the volumes of chemicals to be removed”, said the Director General.
For more on the OPCW in Syria, visit: http://www.opcw.org/special-
Central Asia—A Region of Strategic importance to China
By Fahim Masoud
The five republics of Central Asia (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan) are endowed with an immense amount of natural resources and are located in the center of Eurasia. The collapse of the Soviet Union made it possible for these Central Asian states to develop independent relations with the rest of the world.
However, the emerging economic and geopolitical significance of these five republics to China is currently defining the international relations of these republics.
Kazakhstan in particular has attracted the interest of the Chinese government. Geographically, Kazakhstan shares a border with China’s western province, Xinjiang. Politically, Kazakhstan is still a dictatorship. China, unlike the United States and European powers, registers no objections to the Kazakh government’s “human rights abuses”. This makes China’s political and economic transactions with the Kazakh government much easier.
As China’s thirst for oil and natural gas has stimulated the Chinese to invest heavily in the markets of Central Asia, Kazakhstan will continue to be a particular target for that investment. Janet Liao describes Chinese economic interest in Kazakhstan:
With the steady growth of the Chinese economy and its energy demands, Kazakhstan together with other central Asian states— has become one of the key sources for China’s energy supply. In terms of absolute amounts, oil from Kazakhstan still only accounts for a small portion of China’s total oil imports: in 2004, China imported 1.19 million tons (8.3 million barrels) of crude oil from Kazakhstan, compared with the country’s total imports of 91million tons (636.8 million barrels), about 1.31 percent. Nevertheless, a bilateral strategic partnership underpinned by energy cooperation is believed to fit the fundamental interest of both nations.
Of course, China is not the only country eyeing the natural resources of Central Asia. Western Europe, Russia, India, and the United States are interested as well. Thus it is no surprise that Central Asia in recent years has become the center of world attention.
It is not only energy demands that draw China to Kazakhstan, but also security concerns. The western province of China—Xinjiang or the “NewTerritories”—was annexed to the Chinese empire in 1884. However, ever since its addition to the empire, the [Muslim] Uyghurs, the natives of the province, have been trying to separate and create their own independent state. During the upheaval and instability in China in the 1930s and 1940s, the Uyghurs broke away and created an independent Xinjiang. However, as the People’s Republic of China (PRC) emerged, Mao crushed the natives and re-annexed Xinjiang. Many of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang left China and settled throughout the region now governed by the five Central Asian republics. Uyghurs remaining in China have fomented unrest and been found responsible for “several bombings” in Xinjiang and other parts of China, writes Susan Shirk who is an expert on Chinese politics. China has been working with the Central Asian states to avoid political problems and to extinguish the remnant Uyghurs’ aspirations for an independent Xinjiang by preventing the Uyghurs’ partnering with the diaspora scattered throughout the region. The Uyghur dynamics are just one source of the multifactorial ethnic unrest that will continue to be a major domestic issue for China. Non-Uyghur separatist groups in Tibet and Mongolia also pose strategic threats to the regime. Thus, social unrest, in addition to economic concerns, contributes to need for China to march westward.
Central Asia is at the center of a super-continent whose strategic importance is many fold: it is a continent that is home to three of the world’s most sophisticated and advanced economic regions. Seventy-five percent of the world’s population lives in Eurasia and, as Zbigniew Brzezinski notes, “three-fourths of the world’s energy resources” are there as well. Eurasia is also the world’s most dynamic continent, as it is the location of six of the largest economies as well as the six biggest military spenders. The location of Central Asia has made it a “strategic pivot.” The interconnectedness and high degree of economic interaction among great powers makes it unlikely that a strategic player (China or Russia) could use Central Asia as a staging ground for an invasion. However, it should be “America’s primary interest to help ensure that no single power come to control this geopolitical space” [Zbigniew Brzezinski] because any strategic player dominating Eurasia would likely seek to control other parts of the world.
Central Asian countries, especially Kazakhstan, can be a conduit of stability, as their natural resources can satisfy some of the energy demands of the People’s Republic of China. Central Asian countries are rich in oil, natural gas, and other resources, and therefore, it makes sense for the Chinese to extend their economic muscle to that part of the world. Kazakhstan is a country that is rich in natural resources and can help Beijing with the prospect of creating jobs for its citizens. China has been working on many infrastructure projects in Kazakhstan: roads, railroads, bridges, airports, and pipelines. These efforts further demonstrate the importance of Central Asia to the Chinese government.
EU policy Justice and Domestic Policy
Direct from the European Commission.
There is an end to the five-year on December 1, 2014 Stockholm Programme of the European Council and its Action Plan, the Commission ( IP/10/447 ), identifying priorities in the area of freedom, security and justice are established. Transition also ends that had been committed. In the Lisbon Treaty concerning justice Therefore, the Commission presented in Annex future package that will be submitted to the Council on 26 June 2014.
JUSTICE POLICY
- Mutual trust should be the basis of justice policies of the EU (eg EU instruments such as the European arrest warrant and the rules relating to conflicts between Member States)
- It should be a priority to continue to take that EU citizens encounter when they exercise their right to freedom of movement and residence. In another EU country, the obstacles
- Companies must be assured that they are an efficient way to enforce compliance with contracts across the EU and disputes can make without the problems it while still experiencing now pending.
- Synergies with other policies (such as trade) can be improved,
- the movement of highly skilled service can be better controlled,
- a structured dialogue on labor migration can be set up with Member States, industry and trade unions,
- the recognition of foreign professional qualifications and skills can be simplified,
- and that more work can be made of the integration of migrants into the labor market and the host societies at large.
A milestone in the contemporary history of Peru
By John Dunkelgrün, Editor.
Ambassador Allan Wagner Tizon is a special man. The first thing you notice about him is that he is tall, very tall and that he carries his length with dignity and elegance. Then you see his smile, a wide, honest engaging smile. Ambassador Wagner is a warm friendly man who knows how to make you feel at ease, a man of such accomplishments he needs no pretenses.
He studied engineering because he liked mathematics, but realized he preferred the humanities to abstract problems. He wanted to help people, to help his country. So he studied humanities and law as well, yet amazingly managed to finish and enter the Foreign Ministry at the age of 21. He was sent to Switzerland for further studies and had early posts in Uruguay, the USA and Chile. What drew him to this work was a two-pronged approach: he could serve his country and work for the cooperation between countries, especially the countries of Latin America. There he was instrumental in the formation of the Andean Group, later the Andean Community of which he eventually became Secretary General. He worked particularly at establishing and improving regional infrastructure and the Strategic Alliance between Peru and Brazil.
His achievements brought him as ambassador to Spain, Venezuela and the U.S. Three times he held Cabinet posts, twice as Minister of Foreign Affairs (the first time when he was only 43!) and once, as the first civilian in Peru, Minister of Defense.
In 2008 at the age of 66 he was appointed Ambassador to The Netherlands as the Agent of Peru in a maritime conflict with Chile which was to be adjudicated by the International Court of Justice.
JD: It looks like your whole career prepared you just for this job.
AW: Oh no. I have no special knowledge of maritime law. What I brought to this case was experience in organizing teams of experts, of setting strategies in handling the case, and in directing the research on the issues involved. It was a real team effort and we found exceptional people for our team.
JD: Are you happy with the outcome?
AW: Yes, we gained 75% of the space we thought should belong to Peru. We didn’t get the fishing grounds close to shore, but those were mainly for anchovy of which we have a lot already. The waters we gained yield other fish like mackerel, tuna and giant squid. Immediately after the Court’s decision we started studying what those waters could bring and we are very enthusiastic.
JD: Aren’t the people of Tacna (the Peruvian port near the border, JD) disappointed, even angry?
AW: No, you got that wrong. They were disappointed at first, because they didn’t immediately realize what they were gaining. Before the decision, the boats from Tacna had to cross 200 nautical miles to reach their fishing grounds, now just 80. The boats from ILO (the largest fishing port in Peru’s South, JD) had only 40 miles of Peruvian waters in front of them, now they have 200.
JD: There were people in Chile who were very angry with how their government was handling it, who even demanded the case be withdrawn from the International Court.
AW: There were a few people and newspaper articles which got far too much attention. It was never serious and besides, it wasn’t possible to withdraw from “The Hague”.
JD: Is Chile happy with the deal? Are they ready to implement the decision or are they dragging their feet?
AW: Following the Courts decision Chile and Peru have to set the exact coordinates together, which has to be done by the 25th of March. This is going smoothly and exactly to plan.
JD: So there really are no more disputes between you?
AW: There has been a substantial improvement in the quality of our relations in the past few years. There are over 100,000 Peruvians living in Chile and a similar number of Chileans living in Peru. The relations between Tacna and its Chilean neighbor Arica are excellent. There are close to six million border crossings a year. We can now go forward.
JD: So you and your team can look back upon a job well done?
AW: (trying to be modest, but beaming) Yes!
JD: What are you going to do now?
AW: First a vacation, probably in the Holy Land where we have never been, and then back to retirement. I am going to study musicology, philosophy and some theology. I’ll continue giving lectures at university and spend time with my family and friends.
JD: Is there anything else you would like to say?
AD: Just that I am grateful to The Netherlands and the Dutch people who allowed me to spend six happy years here and to the diplomatic community in The Hague whom I found helpful and of a generally very high level.
Qatar and The Netherlands
By Khalid Fahad Al–Khater, Ambassador of the State of Qatar in The Netherlands.
Qatar and The Netherlands share common features: Both relatively small in geography but high in aspirations, they are open to the sea, and their international trade is the basis of their wealth and economic prosperity. It is then no surprise that the relations between The Netherlands and Qatar grew and developed beyond oil and gas industry. In few years, the bilateral ties between the two countries has expanded to a collaboration in several sectors such as education, sport, infrastructure, healthcare and seaport industry. Strong traditional diplomacy is also evident in the form of political consultations regarding a number of regional and international important issues.
In August 2005 the Netherlands opened its Embassy in Doha on the occasion of an official visit of the former prime minister Mr. Balkennende, in the perspective of the increasing business interests of The Netherlands in the booming Qatar economy. A year later Qatar opened its Embassy in The Hague in September 2006, and in June of the 2007 the former Deputy Prime Minister of the State of Qatar visited The Netherlands and took part in key diplomatic and economic meetings . Since the opening of both embassies , the bilateral relations in different areas has witnessed various trade missions and official visits.
In particular, the visit of H.M. The Queen of the Netherlands to Qatar in March 2011 , which was a successful state visit at all levels, and a good beginning for a privileged relationship between the two monarchy of both countries. In recent years, Qatar has achieved key economic development goals, and continues to be a hub of development, constructions and innovation in all sectors.
Qatar seeks diversification to reduce dependence on energy export as the main source of wealth. Thanks to the Qatar Vision 2030, which is pursued under the auspices of H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, progress continues more vigorously than ever. Since Qatar won the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Country became even more attractive to the Dutch expertise in infrastructure and sport management.
The Port of Rotterdam has close cooperation with Ras Laffan port in Qatar with the perspective of both ports to develop their joint business in LNG industry and for Ras Laffan to which is already one of the main LNG terminals in the world. Furthermore, the Dutch company Shell is currently involved in a huge project in Qatar that will create the world’s biggest Gas to Liquid industrial platform. While Oil and Gas will continue to be a key component of the relationship, the relations between Qatar and The Netherlands are steadily developing to encompass broader interests as the basis for a long and fruitful friendship.
Kenya: Vision 2030’s opportunities for trade and investment
By Rose Makena Muchiri, Ambassador of Kenya to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
As Kenya continues to commemorate its Golden Jubilee celebrations this year, we look back and appreciate the strides made by the Country since independence. Our journey as a country has not been easy, politically, economically and socially; however at the end of the day we stand as a United Kenya hopeful for a brighter future for the next generations. Our National development blue-print the Vision 2030 aims “to transform Kenya into a newly industrializing, middle-income country providing a high quality of life to all its citizens by 2030 in a clean and secure environment”. The Vision 2030 is being steered by the dynamic and youthful team of leaders of the Jubilee coalition whose Manifesto is consistent with that of the country’s Vision.
Under the Vision 2030, the Government seeks to improve the prosperity of all regions of the country. It seeks to do this through various flagship projects, which would be either government financed or through public-private partnerships. The opportunities available for trade and investments in these projects are found in six priority sectors that make up the larger part of Kenya’s GDP (57%): Tourism, Agriculture, Wholesale and retail trade, Manufacturing, IT enabled services and Financial Services.
One of my top priorities as Ambassador in The Netherlands has been to link the Kenyan agenda to prospective investors and businesses in The Netherlands particularly and indeed in Europe in general. Following her visit to Kenya in October 2013, Honourable Lilianne Ploumen, Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation concurred that Kenya was open for business and that the investment climate was conducive. She also confirmed that Kenya remains a key trade and business partner for the Netherlands, which is why she led a large business delegation to Kenya to seek investment and trade opportunities.
We therefore welcome potential Dutch investors to consider Kenya, which has been labelled as a viable business hub and to partner in fields where they have excelled in The Netherlands such as maritime and port development, infrastructure development including railway and road networks, healthcare, agriculture and renewable energy amongst several others.
Choosing Kenya as an investment destination will also provide entry to the East Africa Community region, which has a strong and growing market of a population of 135 million people. In order to access this, Kenya offers convenient infrastructure, having the second largest port in Africa, a strategic rail corridor and being the regional leader in air transportation. In addition, Kenya enjoys a well-developed information and communications technology, which includes a large part of the country having internet access courtesy of the fibre optics network, which is the largest in the region.
Our Mission will continue to engage and provide the necessary support to investors who are ready to set up or expand their presence in Kenya.
Dutch-Afghan relationship
By Azizullah Rasoully, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, Embassy of Afghanistan in the Netherlands.
Let me briefly sketch some topics regarding the Dutch-Afghan relationships. There lives a community of about 40,000 Afghans in The Netherlands, mostly with a refugee background, and The Netherlands and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan maintain good relations. Since late 2001, The Netherlands support my country with financial and military resources in its stabilization, democratization and reconstruction, with an emphasis on diplomacy, defense and development. From the beginning of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, The Netherlands contribute to that mission. From 2006 to 2010 they were a leading country in the southern province of Uruzgan, where the mission consisted of about 1,600 soldiers and a dozen diplomats and development experts, engaged in promoting stability and security in the province. Unfortunately, the debate in the Dutch parliament on a further extension eventually led to the fall of the Dutch Cabinet Balkenende IV. It should be noted that during that period 25 Dutch militaries have paid the highest price, which is they sacrificed their lives, to the reconstruction of my country.![rassoully[1]](https://i0.wp.com/diplomatmagazine.eu/wp-content/uploads/rassoully1.jpg?fit=200%2C291&ssl=1)
In the following period 2011-2013 the Dutch support included a police training mission with an integrated approach, with emphasis on the qualitative strengthening of the civil police and building the capacity of judicial institutions, especially in the province of Kunduz. As part of the police training mission The Netherlands also placed 40 police trainers and five judicial experts at the European Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL) in Kabul and Kunduz.
Less known is that the history of the diplomatic relationships between Afghanistan and The Netherlands actually already dates from the ‘30s, when Afghanistan was still a kingdom. In 1938, the Afghans proposed the co-accreditation of the Dutch envoy to the Turkish government. And in 1939 a treaty was signed by the Dutch and Afghan diplomatic representatives in Turkey. However, the German occupation of The Netherlands in May 1940 caused the postponement of its completion. After World War II, an interesting but also complicating development occurred when Afghanistan was one of the first states to recognize the independence of Indonesia, the former Dutch colony in Asia. Finally, in 1956 the diplomatic relationship between The Netherlands and Afghanistan got revived by a new treaty, but still without the establishment of mutual permanent missions. In the 60’s Afghanistan became popular with Dutch tourists, especially among young people expecting a carefree, adventurous and mind-expanding holiday in an exotic faraway land, and who increasingly called upon the then honorary consulate in Kabul for their difficulties. After the events in Afghanistan in 1978 / 2001, a lasting relationship could finally be established, marked with the opening of the present Dutch Embassy in Kabul.
After this short regression to the history of the relationships, let us look ahead. Coming September, the 2014 NATO Summit will take place in Celtic Manor, Wales (UK). A follow up to the ISAF-mission will be on the agenda. The Government of my country is looking forward to a further constructive commitment of The Netherlands and its fellow NATO members.
![rassoully[1]](https://i0.wp.com/diplomatmagazine.eu/wp-content/uploads/rassoully1.jpg?ssl=1)
In the following period 2011-2013 the Dutch support included a police training mission with an integrated approach, with emphasis on the qualitative strengthening of the civil police and building the capacity of judicial institutions, especially in the province of Kunduz. As part of the police training mission The Netherlands also placed 40 police trainers and five judicial experts at the European Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL) in Kabul and Kunduz.
Less known is that the history of the diplomatic relationships between Afghanistan and The Netherlands actually already dates from the ‘30s, when Afghanistan was still a kingdom. In 1938, the Afghans proposed the co-accreditation of the Dutch envoy to the Turkish government. And in 1939 a treaty was signed by the Dutch and Afghan diplomatic representatives in Turkey. However, the German occupation of The Netherlands in May 1940 caused the postponement of its completion. After World War II, an interesting but also complicating development occurred when Afghanistan was one of the first states to recognize the independence of Indonesia, the former Dutch colony in Asia. Finally, in 1956 the diplomatic relationship between The Netherlands and Afghanistan got revived by a new treaty, but still without the establishment of mutual permanent missions. In the 60’s Afghanistan became popular with Dutch tourists, especially among young people expecting a carefree, adventurous and mind-expanding holiday in an exotic faraway land, and who increasingly called upon the then honorary consulate in Kabul for their difficulties. After the events in Afghanistan in 1978 / 2001, a lasting relationship could finally be established, marked with the opening of the present Dutch Embassy in Kabul.
After this short regression to the history of the relationships, let us look ahead. Coming September, the 2014 NATO Summit will take place in Celtic Manor, Wales (UK). A follow up to the ISAF-mission will be on the agenda. The Government of my country is looking forward to a further constructive commitment of The Netherlands and its fellow NATO members.
Austria (and the Netherlands) beyond stereotypes
By H.E. Werner Druml, Ambassador of Austria.
The two can look back to an old and also complicated past. Their common history began in the 15th Century, they have though taken completely different paths, a land with an ancient calvinist and republican tradition and on the other side a catholic imperial past, the conditions could not have been more different. Today the Netherlands and Austria are two modern and successful countries and important partners in the EU. 
Perceptions of each other, as often is the case, are dominated by stereotypes. Tourism, skiing, Mozart, the New Years Concert and the ball season still dominate the public perception of Austria abroad. There is obviously a lot of truth in all that, but needless to say, Austria is much more, as much as the Netherlands, which goes way beyond cherished, but stereotypical images.
For sure, tourism is an important, and increasingly so, economic and also human factor in our relations. One out of ten Dutchmen go on vacation to Austria, 6 out of 10 winter tourists prefer skiing – and I suppose, everything around it – in the Austrian mountains. However beyond this traditional service sector Austria is an innovative, industrial High-Tec location – a successful automotive industry being only one exemple – and for good reasons an interesting destination for Dutch investments.
For sure, the Ball season with hundreds of balls in the carnival season is a very specific Austrian tradition, and the Viennese Ball in the Netherlands a well cherished institution. The yearly Life (Aids) Ball in the Vienna Rathaus, that is probably the craziest of its kind in the world, is definitely beyond such traditions. For sure, Mozart and the classical music tradition is an important cultural factor, and rightly so, given the highest standard of all kinds of performing institutions in the whole country. But also culturally is Austria a place of and for contemporary expressions. Be it in modern experimental music, be it in theater, the Wiener Festwochen, a major festival for partly eccentric expressions, be it ImPulsTanz, the biggest modern dance festival in Europe – obviously always with Dutch participation – be it in architecture, and here also a significant presence in the Netherlands with the Amsterdam Opera House or recently the spectacular Eye Film Instituut Nederlands in Amsterdam from Austrian Architects.
Admittedly, the tourist boards do, and for good and understandable reasons, use cherished clichés, mostly attractive and simpatici, addressing needs and expectations. But that the “Sound of Music”, one of the most successful films in the US, which has formed stereotypical views of Austria, is practically unknown in Austria should speak for itself.
Austria and the Netherlands are, and how should it be otherwise, open and modern countries, and also with an important international presence. Finally Vienna and The Hague are two cities with a particular international aspiration, here the City of Peace and Justice, there a UN seat and host of many important International Organizations.
Perceptions of each other, as often is the case, are dominated by stereotypes. Tourism, skiing, Mozart, the New Years Concert and the ball season still dominate the public perception of Austria abroad. There is obviously a lot of truth in all that, but needless to say, Austria is much more, as much as the Netherlands, which goes way beyond cherished, but stereotypical images.
For sure, tourism is an important, and increasingly so, economic and also human factor in our relations. One out of ten Dutchmen go on vacation to Austria, 6 out of 10 winter tourists prefer skiing – and I suppose, everything around it – in the Austrian mountains. However beyond this traditional service sector Austria is an innovative, industrial High-Tec location – a successful automotive industry being only one exemple – and for good reasons an interesting destination for Dutch investments.
For sure, the Ball season with hundreds of balls in the carnival season is a very specific Austrian tradition, and the Viennese Ball in the Netherlands a well cherished institution. The yearly Life (Aids) Ball in the Vienna Rathaus, that is probably the craziest of its kind in the world, is definitely beyond such traditions. For sure, Mozart and the classical music tradition is an important cultural factor, and rightly so, given the highest standard of all kinds of performing institutions in the whole country. But also culturally is Austria a place of and for contemporary expressions. Be it in modern experimental music, be it in theater, the Wiener Festwochen, a major festival for partly eccentric expressions, be it ImPulsTanz, the biggest modern dance festival in Europe – obviously always with Dutch participation – be it in architecture, and here also a significant presence in the Netherlands with the Amsterdam Opera House or recently the spectacular Eye Film Instituut Nederlands in Amsterdam from Austrian Architects.
Admittedly, the tourist boards do, and for good and understandable reasons, use cherished clichés, mostly attractive and simpatici, addressing needs and expectations. But that the “Sound of Music”, one of the most successful films in the US, which has formed stereotypical views of Austria, is practically unknown in Austria should speak for itself.
Austria and the Netherlands are, and how should it be otherwise, open and modern countries, and also with an important international presence. Finally Vienna and The Hague are two cities with a particular international aspiration, here the City of Peace and Justice, there a UN seat and host of many important International Organizations.