By Mr Leo van der Velde.  With effect from January 1 Ambassadors and Consuls can order newspaper articles – also in translation – from the new Hague company Global Media Analysis Services. The Hague – With just over a weekend to go we will be poised on the brink of the New Year.  And on the verge still a scoop to report from the diplomatic circuit.  Peter Gobets will launch the diplomatic bureau Global Media Analysis Services  (GMAS) in The Hague on January 1^st, to provide foreign Embassies and Consulates relevant news from the host country.   Gobets does not only have ample experience in The Hague’s international community as press officer but also has numerous media contacts.  “That is useful,” he admits, “but what is especially important is that I know precisely what the requirements are of an Ambassador and his or her staff.  They want to read what is being written or said about their country.”  Peter Gobets also indicates that diplomats furthermore also want advice on the publicity that they themselves seek for their country or on a specific issue.  “Any mention of their home country in the Dutch Parliament, such as questions posed by parliamentarians, also on websites, can be tracked and reported to the mission.  The same applies to Dutch MEPs and the proceedings in the European Parliament.”  The managing director of GMAS knows like no other that many new diplomats are well-briefed on bilateral issues of importance to both countries.  And also that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs first and foremost, but also and especially a city like The Hague offers all assistance and advice required.  But we offer just that extra media advice and our website will soon be expanded to include a Diplomatic Desk.  Eventually we aim towards the world’s first ‘Virtual Diplomatic Community’, rather unique, to tackle questions / assignments.  And last but not least the greater good is served in this modest way by bringing together all those countries. www.gmas.nl  

By Bonnie Klap — His Excellency Mr. Eduardo Pizarro Leongómez, Ambassador of Colombia, hosted this month’s  Diplomats Meet and Greet in the Carlton Ambassador Hotel. Despite the chilly Dutch weather outside,  this gathering had a  vibrant, South-American atmosphere.  A touch of Colombia could also be sampled,  as the Colombian Cocktail “Güipa,” was generously offered to every guest.  Güipa is a tasty cocktail made of Aguardiente, Lulo juice, ginger, mint and anis syrup.  The monthly Meet and Greet once again proved a great success for the diplomats to mingle and catch up in an informal setting.

Directly from the Embassy of Mexico in The Hague. The National Rehabilitation Institute in Mexico made public a successful technique to treat bone cancer as well as the development of a treatment called “Water Controlled Hyperthermia” (abbreviated to HHC in Spanish), which kills cancer cells with heat. For the last 20 years, the National Rehabilitation Institute has been developing the “Mexican Line of Prosthesis for Tumor Reconstruction”. This Line has had positive results in patients that were about to lose a limb and it has also had a low cost. This was claimed by the Head of the Bone Tumor Service of the Institute, Doctor Genaro Rico Martinez. He said that more than 200 people with hip problems, 40 people with humerus problems and several people with knee, elbow and hand problems have received the benefits of the mentioned treatments. This is one of the reasons why the National Rehabilitation Institute is regarded as one of the best institutions in the world specializing in orthopedic oncology. Doctor Rico Martinez highlighted that people coming from other countries such as Cuba have also been treated at the Institute. Several experiences have been shared with Brazil, Guatemala and Colombia, where research development and technological innovation in the treatment of patients with bone cancer is recognized. In a press conference, Doctor Rico Martinez showed different successful stories in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients coming from different parts of Mexico. He showed an implant of a massive prosthesis of femur, one of shoulder, one of hip and one of knee. These prostheses gave the patients their mobility back to normal levels. These implants were developed in Mexico and provide the body with stability so that the patient is allowed to preserve the damaged limb, since most of the people affected by bone cancer are very likely to have an amputation, said the Doctor. He emphasized that the relevance of this technique is quite high because it reintegrates sick teenagers and adults to their normal lives. These are the population sectors in which most of the cases of bone tumors are presented. Doctor Miguel Linares, specialist of the National Rehabilitation Institute, talked about the characteristics of the prostheses and mentioned that this Mexican innovation leaves surgical steel behind and only uses titanium, which is widely known for its lightness. In this way, the Mexican implants form part of the best implants in the world. Doctor Linares said that this effort constitutes 23 years of continuous work in the subspecialty of orthopedic oncology. Regarding “Water Controlled Hyperthermia”, Doctor Rico Martinez said that it is a procedure that consists in exposing the sick bone to heat-based treatments at 42°C, which kills cancer cells. We understood that there were patients that needed a more limited and conservative surgical treatment in order to preserve the most of the bone segments. This is how the principle of Water Controlled Hyperthermia was born, said Doctor Rico. He explained that this principle consists in applying heat to the affected zone through water vapor or by sinking the whole affected body in water at 50°C. “Today, heat constitutes the fourth pillar of cancer treatment together with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy”, he concluded. Highlights The National Rehabilitation Institute forms part of the structure of the Mexican Ministry of Health, which is led by Doctor Mercedes Juan. Some other areas of specialty of the Institute are: otolaryngology, ophthalmology, rehabilitation medicine, sport medicine, audiology, speech and language pathology and others.  

International Court of Justice, The Hague. The United Nations’ highest court drew a new maritime boundary between Peru and Chile on Monday, awarding Peru parts of the Pacific Ocean but keeping rich coastal fishing grounds in Chilean hands. The line drawn by the International Court of Justice ended decades of debate about how to carve up some 38,000 square kilometers (14,670 square miles) of fish-rich waters off the coasts of the Latin American neighbors. Peru’s fishing industry estimates the annual catch in the region to be worth some US$200 million. Peru wanted a maritime border heading roughly southwest, perpendicular to the point where the two countries’ land border meets the ocean. Chile insisted the border should extend from the coast parallel to the equator. The court found a compromise by saying a border already existed parallel to the equator extending 80 nautical miles from the coast and then drawing a line southwest to a point where the countries’ 200-mile territorial waters end. A professor of international relations at Lima’s CatholicUniversity, Farid Kahhat, said Peru had won a bit more than half the territory it sought. Chilean government figures put Peruvian investment in Chile at $11 billion last year with Chile investing $13.5 billion in Peru.

By Zelmys María Domínguez Cortina, Ambassador of Cuba. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Netherlands, His Excellency Mr Frans Timmermans, performed a successful official visit to Cuba from 5 to January 7, 2014. During his stay, Mr. Timmermans and his delegation completed an extensive program that included official talks with the Vice President of the Council of State and Ministers, HE Ricardo Cabrisas, with HE Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and with HE Rodrigo Malmierca , Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment. The Dutch Minister also met with the Historian of Havana, Eusebio Leal Spengler, which is in charge of the restoration of the historical center of the city, which, some time ago, was declared by UNESCO Patrimony of Mankind. One of the most important moments of the visit was the signing of a Memorandum for the establishment of a mechanism for bilateral consultations between the two Ministers of Foreign Affairs, which marked another important step in the process of improving the bilateral relations between the two countries. Other important steps were: the visit of the previous Director of Political affairs of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign affairs in May 2013, when it was signed the Declaration of restarting the cooperation between Cuba and the Netherlands; and the signature, in July 2013, of an agreement for exchanging of prisoners. Among other highlights of the visit were the opening of a soccer training activities for children and young Cubans by Feyennord Rotterdam Football Club, and the tour through the facilities of the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Havana. The Minister saw Sports and Science, two important fields were Cuba has a lot of success. He also met with representatives of civil society and the church, among other official and private activities. At the same time of the visit of the Minister, a big delegation of Dutch businessmen also visited Cuba and met with Mr. Timmermans and Cuban Counterparts. Mr. Timmermans was satisfied with the results of his visit and said to the press that there will be an increasing bilateral cooperation in various fields. He also expressed his interest in strengthening the political dialogue between the two governments and said it’s time to update the EU relations with Cuba, based on respectful dialogue. The visit was made in the context of the pro-tempore Presidency of Cuba of CELAC (Conference of Latin-American and Caribbean States), and in a moment where inside EU there are talks about the establishment of a bilateral agreement between Cuba and EU, which will represent a great success in the normalization of the relations between the two parties. The visit of Mr. Timmermans to Cuba not only is consider as a very positive step, but also it is the first time in history that a Dutch Foreign Minister visits the Caribbean nation, and reaffirmed the commitment of both parties to move forward in strengthening economic, political and social ties.

                            On January 23 the The Swedish Chamber of Commerce and the Ambassador of Sweden Mr. Håkan Emsgård welcomed the members of the Swedish Chamber and distinguished guests at a New Year’s Reception at the beautiful Museum Escher in Het Paleis in The Hague. More than 100 guests representing the Swedish and Dutch Business network in the Netherlands were attending the reception together with the Swedish Consul of North Netherlands, Mr. Lukas Joel, and Honorary Members of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Clas-Ivar Schultz, Mr. Gerard Perik and Mr. Henk Lokin. In their New Year’s speeches, Mr. Nils van Dijkman, Chairman of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Mr. Ambassador Mr. Håkan Emsgård both emphasized 2014 as year of excellence celebrating the 400 years diplomatic relations between Sweden and the Netherlands. The reception was accompanied by a performance by the Swedish/Dutch group De Andersons.