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If you ever want to know something – there is a place to find it – track it – resource it – learn it – interact about it – and get something done – Resources and Facts

05 Sunday Apr 2009

Posted by CricketDiane in Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips

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http://un.org/documents/

http://un.org/Depts/german/

http://www.unric.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=108&Itemid=196&lang=de

***

UNRIC Library Newsletter

http://www.unric.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=4&id=33&Itemid=222

Multimedia Resources

http://www.unric.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=580&Itemid=248

**

Sunday, 05 April 2009
Language Select Dansk Deutsch Ελληνικά English Español Français Íslenska Italiano Nederlands Norsk Português Suomi Svenska

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UNRIC Publication List PDF Print E-mail
Thursday, 25 October 2007
Article Index
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Page 1 of 9

Following please find a list with direct links to publications translated by our office into one of the following languages: Dansk, Deutsch, Ελληνικά, ĺslenska, Italiano, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, Suomi & Svenska

For easy reference links to the publications in three of the official UN languages – English, Español & Français – are included as well.

http://www.unric.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13071&Itemid=444

***

http://www.unric.org/html/italian/pdf/UNchart.pdf

2006 50 year anniversary – Italy – UN

Già membro non permanente dello stesso
Consiglio per cinque volte, l’Italia propugna una riforma che ne rafforzi
la rappresentatività geografica, il carattere di partecipazione
democratica e la efficienza operativa. Stiamo conducendo anche
un’attiva campagna per migliorare l’aiuto allo sviluppo e creare un
vero partenariato con i Paesi meno avanzati. L’Italia partecipa così
da protagonista alla concezione delle riforme volte ad assicurare
maggiore efficacia e coerenza alle attività operative delle Nazioni
Unite nel settore umanitario e dello sviluppo, rafforzare i meccanismi
di coordinamento ed incrementare la parte di risorse destinate ai programmi.
A cinquant’anni di distanza, resta intatto per l’Italia il sogno
di un pianeta ove le Nazioni siano veramente Unite.

L’Italia commemora i propri cinquant’anni di attiva partecipazione
alle Nazioni Unite e non ha mai cessato di indicare nel “multilateralismo”
uno dei cardini della propria politica estera.
Il multilateralismo è assieme un metodo, una visione e un sistema
di valori nella conduzione delle relazioni internazionali: la ricerca
incessante di soluzioni condivise, maturate e discusse entro gli organismi
che riuniscono i vari Stati, primo fra tutti l’ONU.
Di “pace” si parla costantemente, ma spesso se ne dimentica una
dimensione meno evidente che ci fa riscoprire le ragioni per cui le
Nazioni Unite rappresentano per l’Italia e per il mondo un orizzonte
promettente.

[ . . . ]

Il nostro villaggio globale è solcato da una rete fittissima di accordi
e accoglie più di 250 Organizzazioni internazionali, su cui ricade la
gestione in comune di un’infinità di servizi essenziali per gli Stati
moderni.

http://www.unric.org/html/italian/pdf/UNchart.pdf

Frutto dell’intreccio di progetti americani, britannici e francesi, la
Società delle Nazioni fu fondata durante la conferenza di pace di
Versailles (1919) che poneva ufficialmente fine alla prima guerra
mondiale. Fra i suoi obiettivi: la riduzione degli armamenti, la risoluzione
delle dispute tra le nazioni e il miglioramento delle condizioni di
vita dei popoli. La sede fu fissata a Ginevra. I suoi Organi erano
l’Assemblea degli Stati membri, il Consiglio e il Segretariato
Permanente. Il Consiglio era costituito da 4 membri permanenti
(Gran Bretagna, Francia, Italia e Giappone) e 4 temporanei, eletti dall’assemblea
ogni 3 anni.

[ . . . ]

Il Consiglio di Sicurezza è composto da quindici membri di cui
cinque – Stati Uniti, Russia, Cina, Regno Unito e Francia – siedono a
titolo permanente e godono del cosiddetto diritto di veto, mentre gli
altri dieci sono eletti per un biennio dall’Assemblea. Pur avendo una
competenza limitata soltanto alle questioni attinenti il mantenimento
della pace e della sicurezza internazionale, è l’organo che dispone
dei maggiori poteri decisionali vincolanti.

[ . . . ]

OTTO OBIETTIVI
CONCRETI DI SVILUPPO

Povertà e fame nel mondo: Dimezzare tra
il 1990 e il 2015 la percentuale di persone il cui
reddito è inferiore a 1 dollaro USA al giorno;
dimezzare entro il 2015 la percentuale di persone
che soffrono di fame.
Istruzione elementare universale: Assicurare
che, entro il 2015, i bambini in ogni luogo,
i ragazzi e le ragazze, siano in grado di completare
un ciclo completo di istruzione primaria.
Uguaglianza di genere e ruolo delle donne:
Eliminare la disuguaglianza di genere nell’istruzione
primaria e secondaria preferibilmente
entro il 2005 e a tutti i livelli di istruzione
entro il 2015.
Diminuire la mortalità infantile:Ridurre di
due terzi, tra il 1990 e il 2015, il tasso di mortalità
infantile al di sotto dei cinque anni d’età.
Salute materna: Ridurre di tre quarti, tra il
1990 e il 2015, il tasso di mortalità materna.
Combattere l’HIV/AIDS, la tubercolosi, la
malaria e le altre malattie: Arrestare, entro il
2015, la tendenza alla diffusione dell’HIV/AIDS.
Sostenibilità ambientale: Integrare i principi
di sviluppo sostenibile nelle politiche dei
paesi e nei programmi e arrestare la distruzione
delle risorse ambientali.
Una partnership globale per lo sviluppo:
Entro il 2015, i 191 Stati membri si sono
impegnati ad espletare una serie di interventi di
sviluppo, principalmente in quattro aree:
cooperazione allo sviluppo, debito estero,
commercio internazionale, trasferimento delle
tecnologie.

http://www.unric.org/html/italian/pdf/UNchart.pdf

LA “FAMIGLIA” DELL’ONU E LA SFIDA DI UN MONDO MIGLIORE: PACE, SVILUPPO LIBERTÀ E AMBIENTE

***

Il Consiglio Economico e Sociale è composto da membri eletti
dall’Assemblea ed è l’organo consultivo e di coordinamento
nell’attività economica e sociale delle Nazioni Unite e delle varie
organizzazioni ad esse collegate.

http://www.unric.org/html/italian/pdf/UNchart.pdf

***

Istituto di Ricerca delle Nazioni Unite sul Disarmo

Da Wikipedia, l’enciclopedia libera.

Vai a: Navigazione, cerca

Istituto di Ricerca delle Nazioni Unite per lo Sviluppo Sociale
(EN) United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
(FR) Institut des Nations Unies puor la Recherchesur le désarmament
Bandiera delle Nazioni Unite

Bandiera delle Nazioni Unite

Lingue ufficiali Inglese,francese,.
Direttore Esecutivo Patricia Lewis
Fondata 1978
Acronimo UNIDIR
Sede Ginevra
Sito ufficiale http://www.unidir.org

L’ Istituto di Ricerca delle Nazioni Unite sul Disarmo (UNIDIR dall’inglese United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research) è un’agenzia indipendente delle Nazioni Unite creata nel, che si occupa di supervisionare e promuovere il disarmo(soprattutto nucleare) dei paesi aderenti alle Nazioni Unite.

Indice

[nascondi]

  • 1 Mandato
  • 2 Organizzazione
  • 3 Voci correlate
  • 4 Collegamenti esterni

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Mandato [modifica]

L’Unidir è nato in base alle disposizioni finali de “Prima sessione speciale dell’Assemblea Generale delle Nazioni Unite sul disarmo” nel 1978.L’agenzia presenta ogni anno un rapporto sul suo lavoro all’Assemblea Generale.

L’attività dell’organizzazione si basa sostanzialmente in 5 punti:

  • Fornire alla comunità internazionale dati certi sugli armamenti, sui tipi di armamenti in dotazione ai vari paesi e sul disarmo(specie quello nucleare) al fine di facilitare dei negoziati sul disarmo che possano rendere le nazioni più sicure con uno sviluppo economico e sociale più sicuro.
  • Promuovere la partecipazione di tutti gli stati nei programmi di disarmo.
  • Lavorare per creare dei negoziati per il disarmo, dissuadere i paesi dal dotarsi di armamenti atomici.
  • Lavorare in stretta collaborazione con l’AIEA per effettuare ricerche più approfondite sugli arsenali degli eserciti dei vari paesi, al fine di avere la sicurezza di aver sotto controllo il numero armi(specie nucleari) in possesso dei vari stati.
  • Verificare il rispetto degli impegni presi nel Trattato di non proliferazione nucleare e negli Accordi START.

Organizzazione [modifica]

[ Etc. ]

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istituto_di_Ricerca_delle_Nazioni_Unite_sul_Disarmo

***

http://www.ctbto.org/fileadmin/user_upload/public_information/CTBT_FactSheet.pdf

CTBT = Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
Aim: bans nuclear testing everywhere on planet – surface, atmosphere, underwater and underground.
Why: to obstruct the development of nuclear weapons: both the initial development of nuclear weapons as well as their
substantial improvement (H-bomb) necessitate real nuclear testing. The CTBT makes it almost impossible for countries
that do not yet have nuclear weapons to develop them. And it makes it almost impossible for countries that have nuclear
weapons to develop new or more advanced weapons. It also helps prevent damage caused by nuclear testing to humans and
the environment.

History: Between 1945 and 1996, when the CTBT opened for signature, over 2000 nuclear tests were conducted: by the
United States (1000+) Soviet Union (700+), France (200+), United Kingdom and China (45 each). Three countries have
broken the de-facto moratorium and tested nuclear weapons since 1996: India and Pakistan in 1998 and the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in 2006. Many attempts were made during the Cold War to negotiate a comprehensive
test ban, but it was only in the 1990s that the Treaty became a reality. The CTBT was negotiated in Geneva between 1994
and 1996.

[ and more ]

Verification regime: A unique and comprehensive system. At the heart of the verification regime is the International
Monitoring System (IMS), which consists of 337 facilities located all over the world that constantly monitor the planet for
signs of nuclear explosions.

Around 70% of these facilities are already sending data to the International Data Centre at the CTBTO headquarters in Vienna.


The IMS uses the following four state-of-the-art technologies:

Seismic: 50 primary and 120 auxiliary seismic stations monitor shockwaves in the Earth. The vast
majority of these shockwaves – many thousands every year – are caused by earthquakes. But man-made
explosions such as mine explosions or the nuclear test announced by the DPRK in 2006, are also detected.
Hydroacoustic: 11 hydrophone stations “listen” for sound waves in the oceans. Sound waves from
explosions can travel extremely far underwater.
Infrasound: 60 stations on the surface can detect ultra-low frequency sound waves (inaudible to the human
ear) that are emitted by large explosions.
Radionuclide: 80 stations measure the atmosphere for radioactive particles, 40 of them also pick up noble
gas. Only these measurements can give a clear indication as to whether an explosion detected by the other
methods was actually nuclear or not. They are supported by 16 radionuclide laboratories.
On-site-Inspection: If the data from the IMS stations indicate that a nuclear test has taken place, a Member State can
request for an on-site-inspection to be carried out to collect evidence that will allow the final assessment to be made
regarding whether a nuclear explosion – a Treaty violation – has actually taken place. This will only be possible after the
CTBT has entered into force. A large on-site inspection exercise was carried out in September 2008 in Kazakhstan.
Civil and scientific applications: The IMS data are provided to the CTBT Member States and to other international
organizations. They are used also for applications other than test-ban verification, such as for tsunami-warning (by proving
timely data), research on the Earth’s core, monitoring of earthquakes and volcanoes; research on the oceans, climate change research and many other applications.

http://www.ctbto.org/fileadmin/user_upload/public_information/CTBT_FactSheet.pdf

***

http://www.unidir.org/

http://www.unidir.org/html/fr/accueil.html

La sécurité et le développement à long terme, qui garantissent l’alimentation, l’éducation, le logement et l’infrastructure économique, sont presque impossibles dans les régions déchirées par des conflits. Il arrive souvent que la communauté mondiale investisse encore et encore dans certaines régions, avant de voir un nouveau conflit éclater et venir détruire les progrès difficilement enregistrés. Les efforts de développement sont inutiles à moins de parvenir à maîtriser ces conflits et empêcher de nouvelles guerres. De plus, dans les régions instables, l’accumulation d’armes accroît les risques de violence et mobilise des ressources qui seraient précieuses pour des initiatives de développement humain dont le besoin se fait cruellement sentir.

Le programme de recherche de l’UNIDIR tente d’apporter des réponses à ces problèmes. L’UNIDIR, qui souhaite insuffler des idées nouvelles à la logique de sécurité, rapproche les questions de sécurité, de désarmement et de développement pour montrer que la sécurité, à quelque niveau que ce soit – national, régional ou mondial – est toujours une question de sécurité humaine. Pour l’UNIDIR, le sort des populations doit être une priorité dans les débats sur la sécurité et le désarmement, un choix qui devrait – nous l’espérons – contribuer de manière significative à une paix durable.

****

Actualité de l’UNIDIR
numéro 3, 2009

    Rencontres
  • Le 12 mars 2009, l’UNIDIR a organisé un séminaire intitulé « Les approches multilatérales du cycle du combustible nucléaire ». Les enregistrements audio des présentations sont disponibles sur notre site.
  • Les enregistrements audio de certains séminaires sont disponibles sur notre page multimédia.

http://www.unidir.org/html/fr/actualite.html

***

UNIDIR Highlights
number 3, 2009

    Events

  • On 12 March 2009, UNIDIR hosted a seminar entitled ” Multilateral Approaches to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle “. Audio files of the presentations are available online.
  • Check our media page for audio files of presentations made at our recent seminars.

    Recent Disarmament Forum issues

  • The Complex Dynamics of Small Arms in West Africa, 2008, no. 4
  • Uranium Weapons, 2008, no. 3
  • Arms Control in the Middle East, 2008, no. 2
  • Recent publications and papers

  • The Value of Diversity in Multilateral Disarmament Work, J. Borrie & A. Thornton, 2008.
  • Security in Space: The Next Generation, 2008.
  • Implementing the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons: Analysis of the National Reports Submitted by States from 2002 to 2008, S. Parker, & S. Cattaneo, 2008.
  • “The ‘long year’: Emerging international efforts to address the humanitarian impacts of cluster munitions, 2006–2007”, J. Borrie, in the Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law, vol. 10, 2007.
  • Summary report of the Disarmament Insight symposium entitled “Learn, Adapt, Succeed: Potential Lessons from the Ottawa and Oslo processes“.

http://www.unidir.org/html/en/highlights.html

***

Links

International Organizations

United Nations

Conference on Disarmament, Geneva
United Nations, Geneva
United Nations, Geneva (Disarmament)
United Nations, New York
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
United Nations Department for Peace-Keeping Operations
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
UNIFEM Portal on Women, Peace and Security
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
United Nations Mine Action Service
United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs
United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UN-LiREC)
United Nations University (UNU)

Related Organizations

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)
South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC)
United Nations Foundation

Other Organizations

African Union (AU)
Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL)
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
European Union (EU)
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
NATO Parliamentary Assembly (formerly North Atlantic Assembly)
Organization For Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
Organization of American States (OAS)

Research Institutes, Academic Institutions and NGOs

Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy
Arab Institute for Security Studies
BioWeapons Prevention Project (BWPP)
Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC)
British American Security Information Council (BASIC)
Brookings Institute
Canadian Landmine Foundation
Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflicts
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Center for Defense Information
Center for Nonproliferation Studies (Monterey)
Center for Security Studies and Conflict Research (Zurich)
Centre for Defence and International Security Studies (CDISS)
Centre de documentation et de recherche sur la paix et les conflits
Centre for the Study of Conflict, University of Ulster
Chemical and Biological Arms Control Institute
Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Dangers
Council for a Livable World
European Information Network on International Relations and Area Studies (EINIRAS)
Federation of American Scientists (FAS)
Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique (FRS)
Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP)
Geneva International Peace Research Institute (GIPRI)
Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD)
Global Information Access Net (GIANT)
Group for Research and Information on Peace and Security (GRIP)
Harvard Sussex Program
Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Hiroshima Peace Institute
Human Rights Watch
Initiative on Conflict Resolution and Ethnicity (INCORE)
Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI)
Institut de Relations Internationales et Stratégiques (IRIS)
Institute for Science and International Security
Institute of International Affairs (Rome)
Institute of War and Peace Studies (IWPS)
Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC)
International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA)
International Alert
International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)
International Centre for Security Analysis (ICSA)
International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)
International Peace Academy
International Peace Research Institute (PRIO, Oslo)
International Relations and Security Network (ISN, Zurich)
Lester B. Pearson Canadian International Peacekeeping Training Centre
Mountbatten Centre for International Studies
Netherlands Institute of International Relations (Clingendael)
Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers (NISAT)
Nuclear Threat Initiative (Washington DC)
Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Programme
Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI, Oslo)
Oxford Research Group
Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF/HSFK)
PIR Center–Center for Policy Studies in Russia
Preventing Biological Warfare, Department of Peace Studies, Bradford University
Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs
Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO)
Rand Institute
Reaching Critical Will
Research Institute for European and American Studies (RIEAS)
Small Arms Survey (SAS)
Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP)
Stimson Center (Henry L. Stimson Center)
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI, Stockholm)
Sunshine Project
United States Institute for Peace
Verification Research Training and Information Centre (VERTIC, London)
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

Links disclaimer

UNIDIR is not responsible for the content of external websites. These links are provided as a resource. External links do not reflect the views or opinions of the United Nations, UNIDIR, its staff members or sponsors.

http://www.unidir.org/html/en/links.html

***

http://www.unric.org/html/italian/pdf/UNchart.pdf

***
LA “FAMIGLIA” DELL’ONU E LA SFIDA DI UN MONDO MIGLIORE: PACE, SVILUPPO LIBERTÀ E AMBIENTE

Il Consiglio Economico e Sociale è composto da membri eletti
dall’Assemblea ed è l’organo consultivo e di coordinamento
nell’attività economica e sociale delle Nazioni Unite e delle varie
organizzazioni ad esse collegate.

L’Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite riveste una posizione fondamentale
nello sforzo globale teso al mantenimento della pace e della
sicurezza internazionale. Per perseguire queste finalità si vale di una
struttura articolata e complessa. Gli organi principali dell’ONU sono:
• l’Assemblea Generale,
• il Consiglio di Sicurezza,
• il Consiglio Economico e Sociale,
• la Corte Internazionale di Giustizia,
• il Segretariato,
• il Consiglio di Amministrazione Fiduciaria
L’Assemblea Generale è il più rappresentativo dei sei organi istituzionali
di cui si compone l’Organizzazione. È formato dai delegati di
tutti gli Stati aderenti alle Nazioni Unite, che dispongono tutti di un
pari diritto di voto. L’Assemblea Generale può discutere ogni questione
che, ai sensi dello statuto, rientra nell’ambito di competenza
dell’ONU e fare raccomandazioni agli Stati membri ed al Consiglio di
Sicurezza. In materia di bilancio dell’Organizzazione, l’Assemblea
Generale adotta decisioni vincolanti.

Consiglio Economico e Sociale Consiglio di Amministrazione Segretariato
Fiduciaria
AGENZIE SPECIALIZZATE
OIL Organizzazione
Internazionale del Lavoro
FAO Oganizzazione delle Nazioni
Unite per l’Alimentazione e
l’Agricoltura
UNESCO Organizzazione delle
Nazioni Unite per l’Educazione la
Scienza e la Cultura
OMS (WHO) Organizzazione
Mondiale della Sanità
GRUPPO BANCA MONDIALE
BIRS Banca Mondiale per la
Ricostruzione e lo Sviluppo
IDA Associazione
Internazionale per lo sviluppo
IFC Società Finanziaria
Internazionale
MIGA Agenzia Multilaterale
di Garanzia degli Investimenti
ICSID Centro Internazionale
per la Composizione delle
Controversie relative agli
Investimenti
FMI Fondo Monetario
Internazionale
ICAO Organizzazione per
l’Aviazione Civile Internazionale
IMO Organizzazione Marittima
Internazionale
UIT Unione Internazionale delle
Telecomunicazioni
UPU Unione Postale Universale
OMM Organizzazione
Meteorologica Mondiale
OMPI Organizzazione Mondiale
della Proprietà Intellettuale
FISA (IFAD) Fondo
Internazionale per lo Sviluppo
Agricolo
UNIDO Organizzazione delle
Nazioni Unite per lo Sviluppo
Industriale
WTO Organizzazione mondiale
del turismo
ORGANIZZAZIONI CORRELATE
AIEA Agenzia Internazionale per
l’Energia Atomica
OMC (WTO) Organizzazione Mondiale
per il Commercio
CTBTO Organizzazione per
l’applicazione del trattato per
il bando completo della
sperimentazione nucleare
OPAC Organizzazione per
la proibizione delle armi chimiche
DIPARTIMENTI E UFFICI
– Gabinetto del Segretario
Generale
– Ufficio Servizi Controllo Interno
– Ufficio Affari Giuridici
– Dipartimento Affari Politici
– Dipartimento Disarmo
– Dipartimento Operazioni di
Pace
– Ufficio Coordinamento Affari
Umanitari
– Dipartimento Affari Economici
e Sociali
– Dipartimento Assemblea
Generale e Organizzazione
Conferenze
– Dipartimento Informazione
– Dipartimento Gestione
– Ufficio Alto Rappresentante
per i PVS
– Ufficio Coordinatore ONU per
la Sicurezza
– Ufficio ONU per la lotta alla
criminalità organizzata e per la
prevenzione del crimine
ONUG Ufficio ONU a Ginevra
ONUG Ufficio ONU a Vienna
ONUG Ufficio ONU a Nairobi
COMMISSIONI TECNICHE
– Commissione per lo sviluppo sociale
– Commissione dei diritti dell’uomo
– Commissione per i narcotici
– Commissione per la prevenzione del
crimine e la giustizia penale
– Commissione per la scienza
e la tecnologia per lo sviluppo
– Commissione per la condizione
delle donne
– Commissione per la popolazione
e lo sviluppo
– Commissione per la statistica
– Commissione per lo Sviluppo
sostenibile
COMMISSIONI REGIONALI
– Commissione economica per l’Africa
– Commissione economica per
l’Europa
– Commissione economica per
l’America Latina ed i Caraibi
– Commissione economica e sociale
per l’Asia ed il Pacifico
– Commissione economica e sociale
per l’Asia occidentale
ALTRI ORGANI
– Forum permanente sulle

ALTRI ORGANI
– Forum permanente sulle Nazioni
autoctone
– Forum delle Nazioni Unite sulle Foreste
– Organi permanenti e di sessione
– Comitati di esperti, ad hoc ed organi
collegati

Corte Internazionale di Giustizia Consiglio di Sicurezza Assemblea Generale
IL SISTEMA DELLE NAZIONI UNITE: ORGANI PRINCIPALI
ORGANI SUSSIDIARI
– Comitati Sanzioni
– Comitato di Stato Maggiore
– Comitati permanenti ed altri organi ad hoc
– Tribunale Penale Internazionale per la ex Jugoslavia
– Tribunale Penale Internazionale per il Ruanda
– Commissione delle Nazioni Unite per il controllo,
la verifica e l’ispezione (Irak)
– Commissione delle Nazioni Unite per l’indennizzo
– Operazioni e Missioni per il mantenimento della pace
ORGANI SUSSIDIARI
– Comitati principali
– Altri comitati di sessione
– Comitati permanenti ed altri
organi ad hoc
– Altri organi sussidiari

PROGRAMMI E FONDI
UNCTAD Conferenza delle
Nazioni Unite sul Commercio e
lo Sviluppo
ITC Centro
Internazionale per il
Commercio
UNDCP Programma delle
Nazioni Unite per il Controllo
della Droga
UNEP Programma delle
Nazioni Unite per l’Ambiente
ONU-HABITAT Centro delle
Nazioni Unite per gli
Insediamenti Umani
INSTRAW Istituto
Internazionale di Ricerca e
Formazione per il progresso
delle Donne
UNRISD Istituto di Ricerca
delle Nazioni Unite per lo
Sviluppo Sociale
ALTRI ORGANISMI
OHCHR Alto Commissariato
delle Nazioni Unite per i Diritti
Umani
UNU Università delle Nazioni
Unite
ISTITUTI DI RICERCA E DI FORMAZIONE
UNDP Programma delle
Nazioni Unite per lo Sviluppo
UNIFEMFondo di Sviluppo
delleNazioni Unite per la
Donna
UNV Volontari delle
Nazioni Unite
UNCDF Fondo delle
Nazioni Unite per lo
Sviluppo del Capitale
UNFPA Fondo delle Nazioni
Unite per la Popolazione
UNICRI Centro Internazionale
delle Nazioni Unite per la
Ricerca in materia di
Criminalità e Giustizia
UNITAR Istituto delle Nazioni
Unite per l’addestramento e la
Ricerca
UNAIDS Programma
congiunto delle Nazioni Unite
per l’Aids
UNSSC Staff College del
sistema delle Nazioni unite
ACNUR (UNHCR) Alto
Commissariato delle Nazioni
per i Rifugiati
UNICEF Fondo delle Nazioni
Unite per l’infanzia
PAM (WFP) Programma
Alimentare Mondiale
UNRWA Agenzia delle Nazioni
Unite per l’Assistenza e la
Ricostruzione a favore dei
Rifugiati di Palestina nel
Vicino Oriente
UNIDIR Istituto delle Nazioni
per la Ricerca sul Disarmo
UNOPS Ufficio di servizi
ai progetti delle Nazioni Unite

http://www.unric.org/html/italian/pdf/UNchart.pdf

Istituto di Ricerca delle Nazioni Unite sul Disarmo
Da Wikipedia, l’enciclopedia libera.
Vai a: Navigazione, cerca
Istituto di Ricerca delle Nazioni Unite per lo Sviluppo Sociale
(EN) United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
(FR) Institut des Nations Unies puor la Recherchesur le désarmament
Bandiera delle Nazioni Unite
Bandiera delle Nazioni Unite
Lingue ufficiali     Inglese,francese,.
Direttore Esecutivo     Patricia Lewis
Fondata     1978
Acronimo     UNIDIR
Sede     Ginevra
Sito ufficiale     http://www.unidir.org

****

My note –

Look it up. It is really amazing. The more you know, the more you can do. The more you can do, the more options you have and the more opportunities you can create. And, after awhile, whole new worlds open up to you to explore, experience and engage.

– cricketdiane, 04-05-09

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Stuff you never knew you needed to know – just in case you need to know it sometime – about defence security information sources and access portals – International – US and other

05 Sunday Apr 2009

Posted by CricketDiane in Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

accounting principles, bailouts, banking, bankruptcy, banks, bondholders, bonds, budget deficits, Bush economics, Business, collateralized debt obligations, Creating Solutions for America, credit crunch crisis, credit default swaps, credit derivatives, Cricket D, cricket diane, Cricket Diane C Phillips, Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips, Cricket Diane Designs, Cricket House Studios, cricketdiane, CricketHouseStudios, currencies, currency values, Current Economic Info Sources, defence, Democracy, depression, diane c phillips, Economic depression, economic statistics and analysis, Economics, Economy, Federal government, financial derivatives, fiscal policy, foreclosures, global economic crisis, government corruption, international security, Inventing Solutions For America, invest in America, investing, investment banking, investments, macro-economic future forecasting, macro-economics, Macro-economics future forecasting, macroeconomics, mark to market, monetary policy, Money, NATO, nonproliferation treaty, Principles of Economics, Reality-based Analysis, recession, security, Senate, shareholders, Solutions, solvency, statistics, stimulus bill, stimulus package, structured investment vehicles, US currency, US dollar, US economic bailout, US economic crisis, US Government, US government policy

http://www.defencetalk.com/news/publish/airforce/Coalition_Force_Reaper_Unit_Deploys_to_Joint_Base_Bal100016726.php

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BAL defence – google search

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=BAL+defence&btnG=Search

****

Coalition Force Reaper Unit Deploys to Joint Base Bal
US Air Force | Nov 25, 2008
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JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq: A coalition force comprising experts from the U.S. Air Force and Royal Air Force deployed here recently to sustain operations for the world’s most lethal unmanned aircraft system.

An MQ-9 Reaper aircraft maintenance unit, attached to the 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance and Attack Squadron, melds airframe maintenance expertise with satellite communications system technical capability and brings American and British Airmen together to accomplish the Reaper’s persistent strike mission, said Capt. Antonio Camacho, the Reaper AMU officer in charge.

“It’s a very unique program,” said Captain Camacho, whose unit is deployed from the 432nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. “Some people see our system as remote control, but it’s not.”

The Reaper AMU took over maintaining the UAS from General Atomics, which produces the Reaper for the U.S. Air Force and Royal Air Force. Battlespace Flight Services maintains MQ-1 Predators stationed at Joint Base Balad.

Reaper and Predator systems consist of four main components: the aircraft, the satellite uplink, the local ground control station and the remote ground control station at Creech AFB, said Royal Air Force Chief Technician Gary Smith, NCO in charge of the Reaper AMU.

“All that is one system, and all of the system has to work to enable the aircraft to take off,” said RAF Chief Technician Smith, a native of Lincoln, England, who is deployed from Creech. “Unlike an F-16 (Fighting Falcon) AMU, which will look after just the aircraft, we look after the whole system. We become system managers rather than aircraft managers: it’s a worldwide system, and all of those pieces have to work.”

The major differences between the Reaper and Predator systems lie in the airframe, said Captain Camacho, a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Reaper flies faster and higher than the Predator and carries more than twice as much ordnance. However, the background systems that support the aircraft are the same. Staff Sgt. Kevin Wulf, a communications maintenance technician with the Reaper AMU, is responsible for those background systems.

“I work on everything outside of the aircraft: pilot and sensor operation, everything that controls the aircraft and all the equipment that commands it — both the line-of-sight antenna link and the satellite communications link,” said Sergeant Wulf, a native of Spokane, Wash.

UAS pilots and sensor operators use both commercial satellite systems and military satellites such as the Air Force’s Wideband Global SATCOM system to control Reapers and Predators, Sergeant Wulf said. Maintaining that link means overcoming environmental challenges.

“Being out in the desert, we get a lot of dust in the equipment, which can cause critical systems to fail,” he said.

Overall, however, the experience has proven helpful both for American Airmen and their British counterparts.

“Our engineers are embedded in the AMU,” said RAF Chief Technician Smith, who accepted a one-year extension of his tour at Creech so he could help the AMU deploy here. “There’s no difference — it’s not, ‘I’m Royal Air Force, he’s U.S. Air Force.’ We’re totally embedded in the unit. Because of that, we pass ideas to one another, and I think the unit’s far better for it.”

The sharing of ideas has improved maintenance operations in general, Captain Camacho said.

“It provides a different perspective,” he said. “It’s like going into a brand-new unit: you see everything differently.”

The blend of American and British Airmen has provided some unintended benefits as well, RAF Chief Technician Smith said.

“They watch our soccer, and we watch their American football,” he said. “And I’ve got them drinking tea. How many tea bags have we gone through since we’ve been here? Hundreds — we have to have a constant resupply of them. The cultural differences have melded together, and we’ve got a kind of unique culture within our unit because of the mixture.”

http://www.defencetalk.com/news/publish/airforce/Coalition_Force_Reaper_Unit_Deploys_to_Joint_Base_Bal100016726.php

***

US approves sale of anti-sub planes to India
Agence France-Presse | Mar 18, 2009
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Washington: Washington has approved the sale to India of eight Boeing anti-submarine aircraft, a 2.1 billion dollar transaction which would be the largest ever sale of US arms to India, the State Department said Tuesday.

“The Department of State has notified Congress of the potential sale of eight P8i long-range maritime reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare aircraft to the government of India,” State Department spokesman Robert Wood told reporters.

“The US government is prepared to license the export of these items, having taken into account political, military, economic, human rights and arms control considerations,” he said.

The sale is in keeping with India’s drive to modernize its military. The Indian military plans to hand out contracts worth 50 billion US dollars by 2018.

India, which has tense relations with fellow nuclear-armed neighbor Pakistan, currently is mostly outfitted with military equipment from the former Soviet Union.

http://www.defencetalk.com/news/publish/navy/US_approves_sale_of_anti-sub_planes_to_India120017353.php

***

Agence France-Presse

http://www.afp.com/afpcom/en/

AFP covers the world in six languages

  • AFP covers the world with a combined 5,000 stories a day in English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese and Arabic.
  • Other languages are offered through partner agencies including Chinese, Japanese and Russian.

Immediate news

  • News is delivered by satellite or Internet feed.
  • An easy-to-use service, AFP Direct, offers access to breaking news and a vast database of stories.

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Easy navigation

  • Agendas on the major events of the day ahead.
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  • News advisories tell clients the angle, length and time of upcoming major stories.

Deep local knowledge

AFP reporters have years of experience in the countries and regions they report from.

Regional experience

Each region of the world has its own teams of editors bringing their regional experience to the story.

Global reach

The service is closely coordinated by the chief editor in Paris to give AFP deep local knowledge and a global reach.

  • North America : Washington
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A global multimedia news agency

Global reach

AFP delivers fast, accurate, in-depth news from every corner of the world, 24 hours a day

a broad range of clients

AFP sends the news in video, text, photographs, graphics and a pre-packaged multimedia format to a broad range of clients: newspapers, national news wires, television and radio stations…

Comprensive coverage

Every day AFP files: 5,000 text stories in six languages, 20 television news reports, up to 3,000 photographs, 80 still and interactive graphics.

http://www.afp.com/afpcom/en/content/afp/our-network

****

http://blogs.afp.com/

Our blogs

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Most viewed topics

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***

****

About the Conferences on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (Article XIV Conferences)

Visit the 2007 Article XIV Conference area.
Visit 2005 Article XIV Conference area.

Brief Background

  • The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) was adopted in New York on 10 September 1996.
  • The Treaty, which prohibits nuclear explosions in any environment, consists of 17 Articles, 2 Annexes and a Protocol.
  • Article XIV specifies the conditions for the Treaty’s entry into force. This will take place 180 days after the 44 States listed in Annex 2 to the Treaty have all ratified.
Visit 2003 Article XIV Conference area.
  • The negotiators of the CTBT included a mechanism under Article XIV to accelerate the Treaty’s entry into force, if this has not taken place three years after the anniversary of its opening for signature.
  • Ratifying States can request the Depositary of the Treaty to convene a Conference to examine how the ratification process can be accelerated.
  • These Conferences can be convened at subsequent anniversaries until the Treaty enters into force.
Visit 2001 Article XIV Conference area.

Participating States and Organizations

  • Representatives of States which have ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) are invited to participate in deliberations.
  • Signatory States, non-signatory States, intergovernmental organizations, specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations are invited to attend as observers

Objective of the Conferences

Visit 1999 Article XIV Conference area.

Decide which measures consistent with international law may be taken to accelerate the ratification process in order to facilitate the Treaty’s entry into force.

Previous Conferences on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the CTBT

Conferences on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the CTBT have been held in Vienna in 1999, 2003 and 2007, and in 2001 and 2005 in New York.

http://www.ctbto.org/the-treaty/article-xiv-conferences/about-the-article-xiv-conferences/

***

  • Topics
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  • Resources
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  • Information For…
    • Donors
    • Member States
    • NGOs and Civil Society
    • Press

http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/quick-Links.html

***

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/App/Solana/photos.aspx?id=246&y=2004&m=4&lang=lt

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/App/Solana/photos.aspx?id=246&y=2008&m=4&lang=lt

Photos – 2008 balandis

2009 Sau Vas Kov Bal Geg Bir Lie Rgp Rgs Spl Lap Grd
2008 Sau Vas Kov Bal Geg Bir Lie Rgp Rgs Spl Lap Grd
2007 Sau Vas Kov Bal Geg Bir Lie Rgp Rgs Spl Lap Grd
2006 Sau Vas Kov Bal Geg Bir Lie Rgp Rgs Spl Lap Grd
2005 Sau Vas Kov Bal Geg Bir Lie Rgp Rgs Spl Lap Grd
2004 Sau Vas Kov Bal Geg Bir Lie Rgp Rgs Spl Lap Grd
2003 Sau Vas Kov Bal Geg Bir Lie Rgp Rgs Spl Lap Grd
2002 Sau Vas Kov Bal Geg Bir Lie Rgp Rgs Spl Lap Grd
2001 Sau Vas Kov Bal Geg Bir Lie Rgp Rgs Spl Lap Grd
Portraits of the EU High Representative for the CFSP
30/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with His Highness Prince of Asturias, Felipe de BORBON
30/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with Special Presidential Envoy of Georgia, David BAKRADZE
29/04/2008
EU HR Javier Solana at the General Affairs and External Relations Council
29/04/2008
EU HR Javier Solana at the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Serbia
28/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Alexander STUBB
28/04/2008
EU-Egypt Association Council
24/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon, Tarek MITRI
22/04/2008
Trip of EU HR Javier Solana to Pakistan
21/04/2008
Trip of EU HR Javier Solana to Afghanistan
16/04/2008
Meeting with EU SR for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Erwan FOUERÉ
16/04/2008
Meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, Dimitrij RUPEL
16/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana the Prime Minister of Iraq, Nouri AL-MALIKI
15/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with Commander of Operation EUFOR TCHAD/RCA, General Patrick NASH
15/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with UNSG SR for Afghanistan, Kai EIDE
15/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with SG of Amnesty International, Irene KHAN
15/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with the leader of the Serbian LDP party, Cedomir JOVANOVIC
10/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with Baroness Ashton of Upholland, Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council
08/04/2008
Address of EU HR Javier Solana to the EP Foreign Affairs Committee
08/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with designated Chairperson of the AU Commission, Jean PING
08/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with the High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, Jorge SAMPAIO
08/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with the Chairman of EDA Research and Technology Directors, Jan-Olof LIND
07/04/2008
Address to the seminar of EU Foreign Ministers Policy Planners
07/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with members of the Dutch Senate
07/04/2008
EU HR Javier Solana at the “Shell Energy Scenarios 2050” presentation
05/04/2008
EU HR Javier Solana at the Progressive Governance Conference 2008: “Achieving an inclusive globalisation”
04/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with MFA of Bangladesh, Iftekhar Ahmed CHOWDHURY
03/04/2008
EU HR Javier Solana at the NATO Summit
02/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with President of the Arab World Institute, Dominique BAUDIS
02/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with the Speaker of the Serbian Parliament, Oliver DULIC
02/04/2008
Meeting with the Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin RUDD
01/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with Prime Minister of Montenegro, Milo DJUKANOVIC
01/04/2008
Meeting of EU HR Javier Solana with the President of the Xunta de Galicia, Emilio PEREZ TOURIÑO

LINKS

European Defence Agency
EU Institute for Security Studies
EU Satellite Center
ONU
OSCE
NATO
European Foundation Madariaga

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/App/Solana/photos.aspx?id=246&y=2008&m=4&lang=lt

http://www.ctbto.org/the-treaty/article-xiv-conferences/?Fsize=yyeojlifzwieup

The announcement by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or DPRK on 9 October 2006 that it had conducted a nuclear test was met with practically unanimous global expressions of concern. The UN Security Council strongly condemned the act as a clear threat to international peace and security. The Chairman and the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), as well as States Signatories expressed grave concern at the declared test and characterized the event as an action against the letter and the spirit of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

Data analysis resulted in the identification of a potential inspection area of less than 1000 square kilometres as illustrated by the red ellipse.

For the CTBTO and the global alarm system it is building, the event represented a real-life test case. Designed to verify compliance with the CTBT, the verification regime will monitor the earth for nuclear explosions once the Treaty enters into force. Although completed only partially and operating in test mode, the CTBT verification regime proved that it was capable of meeting the expectations set for it.

The announced test was well recorded throughout the world by the CTBTO’s International Monitoring System (IMS). Over twenty seismic stations of the IMS located throughout the world, including one as far away as South America, detected signals originating from the event. Less than two hours later, States Signatories received the first automatic analysis of the data, containing preliminary information on time, location and magnitude of the event.

As there was considerable interest in this event among States Signatories, analysts at the International Data Centre in Vienna expedited analysis of the seismic data, applying timelines as envisaged under the Treaty. As a result, a detailed analysis of the event on 9 October 2006 was issued and distributed to States Signatories on 11 October 2006. This bulletin confirmed the preliminary information.

The findings based on the so-called waveform technologies – seismic, hydroacoustic and infrasound – are used to identify the area for a possible on-site inspection. This final verification measure can be invoked by the future Executive Council once the Treaty enters into force. Under the Treaty, an on-site inspection area is to be no more than 1000 square kilometres. In the case of the event of 9 October 2006, analysis of all available data allowed for the identification of a potential inspection area of considerably less than 1000 square kilometres.

The radionuclide technology, measuring radionuclide particles or noble gases in the air, is applied to provide ultimate proof of a nuclear explosion. Radioactive noble gases are of particular interest. Due to their ability to seep through layers of rock into the air, they would be the only evidence of a well-contained underground nuclear explosion. Dispersed by the winds, traces of noble gases would eventually be registered at a radionuclide station equipped with the relevant technology.

Seismograms for the declared nuclear test and from an earlier earthquake, recorded at primary seismic station PS31 at Wonju, Republic of Korea.

Two weeks after the event, the radionuclide noble gas station at Yellowknife, Canada, registered a higher concentration of Xenon 133. Applying atmospheric transport models to backtrack the dispersion of the gas, its registration at Yellowknife was found to be consistent with a hypothesized release from the event in the DPRK.

At the time of the announced nuclear explosion by the DPRK, only ten out of the planned forty stations with noble gas measuring technology were operational in test-mode. The contribution of this technology to the analysis of the event on 9 October demonstrated its significant role in the CTBT verification system.

The event in the DPRK was a test for the CTBT verification system, for its reliability and technical capabilities. The system has proven its value for the purpose for which it was designed – receiving and reviewing data on a specific event and providing highly qualitative information to States Signatories, enabling them to make their own judgments.

The event underlined the need for early entry into force of the Treaty and the rapid completion of the CTBT verification regime’s build-up. Those States that have not yet joined the CTBTO family are encouraged to make that step in order to have the Treaty enter into force.

  • Previous page
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Hypothesized dispersion of radioactive noble gas Xenon 133 shown one (a), two (b) and (c) 10 days after the declared nuclear test.
Hypothesized dispersion of radioactive noble gas Xenon 133 shown one (a), two (b) and (c) 10 days after the declared nuclear test.
Hypothesized dispersion of radioactive noble gas Xenon 133 shown one (a), two (b) and (c) 10 days after the declared nuclear test.

http://www.ctbto.org/press-centre/highlights/2007/the-ctbt-verification-regime-put-to-the-test-the-event-in-the-dprk-on-9-october-2006/page-1/

****

EU HR Javier SOLANA stresses importance of enhanced political dialogue on global and regional issues with Korean Foreign Minister Yu MYUNG-HWAN

(English) – Nr: S087/09

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/App/Solana/list.aspx?id=246&BID=109&page=arch&lang=lt


****

CHAPTER X: THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

FUNCTIONS and POWERS

Article 62

  1. The Economic and Social Council may make or initiate studies and reports with respect to international economic, social, cultural, educational, health, and related matters and may make recommendations with respect to any such matters to the General Assembly to the Members of the United Nations, and to the specialized agencies concerned.
  2. It may make recommendations for the purpose of promoting respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.
  3. It may prepare draft conventions for submission to the General Assembly, with respect to matters falling within its competence.
  4. It may call, in accordance with the rules prescribed by the United Nations, international conferences on matters falling within its competence.

Article 63

  1. The Economic and Social Council may enter into agreements with any of the agencies referred to in Article 57, defining the terms on which the agency concerned shall be brought into relationship with the United Nations. Such agreements shall be subject to approval by the General Assembly.
  2. It may co-ordinate the activities of the specialized agencies through consultation with and recommendations to such agencies and through recommendations to the General Assembly and to the Members of the United Nations.

Article 64

  1. The Economic and Social Council may take appropriate steps to obtain regular reports from the specialized agencies. It may make arrangements with the Members of the United Nations and with the specialized agencies to obtain reports on the steps taken to give effect to its own recommendations and to recommendations on matters falling within its competence made by the General Assembly.
  2. It may communicate its observations on these reports to the General Assembly.

Article 65

The Economic and Social Council may furnish information to the Security Council and shall assist the Security Council upon its request.

Article 66

[ . . . ]

http://un.org/aboutun/charter/chapter10.shtml

***

My note –

defence assembly – google search

Official Reports
Only reports issued by official or reputable organizations are listed here.
Whenever possible, full text links take you directly to the first page of the document.

Some links become inactive, so links are also provided to the issuer’s home page.

Acrobat Reader is required to read some reports. To download it, click here.


  • DoD Must Adopt Incremental Approach to Weapon Acquisition (document.write(date(’03’,’19’));Mar 19)
  • RAF’s Chinook Mk 3 Procurement Has Lessons for JSF (document.write(date(’03’,’19’));Mar 19)
  • GAO Publishes Decision on JLTV Bid Protests (document.write(date(’03’,’19’));Mar 19)
  • Britain Must Hike Defense Spending, Investments (document.write(date(’03’,’19’));Mar 19)
  • Finland Security and Defence Policy Report 2009 (document.write(date(’03’,’19’));Mar 19)
  • Many Obstacles Hamper DoD Acquisition Management (document.write(date(’03’,’19’));Mar 19)

    http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-pres/2/pres_reports.html

    http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/verbatim/4/104036/asd-calls-for-upgrade-of-europe’s-strategic-air-transport-capabilities.html

    European Security and Defence Assembly: Hearing on “Challenges and Opportunities in the European Strategic Air Transport Industry”
    (Source: Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe; issued March 24, 2009)
    Speech by Allan Cook,
    President of the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD),
    CEO of Cobham

    Distinguished Members of the European Security and Defence Assembly, I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to speak at this hearing of the Assembly, focusing on ‘Challenges and opportunities in the European strategic air transport industry’. I will be speaking this morning in my dual capacity as President of the AeroSpace & Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD), and as Chief Executive Officer of Cobham.

    I would like to start by quoting the words of Nick Witney, former Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency. In a policy paper he drafted for the European Council on Foreign Relations last year, Nick Witney wrote:

    “Security for Europeans today lies not in manning the ramparts or in preparing to resist invasion, but in tackling crises abroad before they become breeding-grounds for terrorism, international trafficking and unmanageable immigration flows.”

    Yet the European Union’s ability to tackle such crises, and to make a significant contribution to maintaining global peace, is severely undermined by the fact that 70% of Europe’s land forces are simply unable to operate outside their national territory. Capabilities to project these forces abroad, and to provide them with the air support they need – I am talking here about air lifters and air tankers, of course – remain in chronically short supply and in most cases they are ill maintained and very old.

    Things have started to move in the right direction, albeit slowly. There is a growing realisation that what we need in Europe is more coherent efforts, more cooperation and less duplication. This will allow us to make more efficient use of taxpayer’s money and to increase the effectiveness of our spending on defence. In the area of military air transport, this rising awareness of the need to do things together materialised in the conclusion, last December, of an agreement by twelve European countries to launch a so-called ‘European Air Transport Fleet’.

    An initiative of this kind is truly encouraging. By accepting to bring together some of their stretched resources, the Member States involved have paved the way for a thorough rationalisation of Europe’s capabilities. The road, however, is still long. It is now necessary to move up a gear in order to properly address the challenges facing both our governments and the European strategic air transport industry.

    Reflect on the need to adapt to the nature of modern warfare Nearly two decades after the end of the Cold War, most European armies are still geared towards all-out warfare on the inner-German border rather than keeping the peace in Chad, or supporting security and development in Afghanistan. They are also badly prepared to face threats coming from both state and non state players who use all forms of warfare and tactics, acting with alarming speed and agility. Existing risks are not being retired fast enough and new threats are constantly emerging with disproportionately disruptive effects. The newly re-appointed US Secretary of State of Defence – Bob Gates – in his January 2009 speech said that:

    “The Pentagon has to do more than just modernise its conventional forces, it must also focus on today’s – and tomorrow’s – unconventional conflicts”.

    It is a common challenge. The reality is that we can probably only afford one force to fight and respond to this hybrid war. Hybrid armies will, however, need specialist capabilities: the most important of which are speed and force projection. In that context, strategic air transport capabilities are vital.

    The bleak reality, however, is that such a crucial area also represents one of Europe’s key capability gaps, alongside communications, operational intelligence and more accurate weapons. Air lifters and air tankers can deliver three top priorities: of course, better transport to the theatres of operations; better support for the troops on the ground (air tankers allow for smoother transfer of jet fighters and bombers, while strategic air lifters can bring helicopters to remote combat zones); and, last but not least, better logistics. The fact that these two types of aircraft are so scarce, or unfit for purpose, across a majority of European countries, severely hampers the EU’s ability to tackle the real threats to its citizens’ security, and to play its full role in today’s increasingly unstable global environment.

    Two programmes are bound to herald a new era for the European strategic air transport sector: the A400M air lifter and the A330 air tanker. My role, as ASD president, is not to make specific comments on programmes involving a particular firm. I will do so when answering your questions – I will then be speaking to you as CEO of my company, Cobham. However I can, at this stage, make two general remarks:

    • European countries need an air lifter that can bring their forces straight from their home bases to the theatres of operations, and which therefore has the ability to land on rudimentary airfields – think of humanitarian and peace building operations in Africa, for instance. The US, which unlike European countries has a whole network of permanent bases abroad with well maintained airfields, requires a different kind of aircraft. This is why a European solution to Europe’s air transport capability problems needed to be developed, and why we can only hope that such a solution will be made available to Europe’s armed forces.

    On the air tanker issue, we know that the European industry has developed, in cooperation with US partners, a world-class product that can meet the requirements of military forces across the Atlantic. The fact that such an aircraft exists today is a powerful symbol of what can be achieved on the basis of a strong EU-US partnership. We can hope that the process leading to the establishment of a level playing field across the Atlantic will continue to gather momentum. The transatlantic relationship is mutually-beneficial for the US and European aerospace industries. Each partner has everything to gain from easier access to its counterpart’s market, in order to foster competitiveness and innovation on both sides of the Atlantic. This is particularly true in the context of the current economic crisis, as we will only find answers to the challenges it raises by learning to work even closer as a global industry.

    These are the thoughts I wanted to convey to you as President of ASD, the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe.

    Thank you for your attention, and I would now be delighted to answer any question you may have.

    -ends-

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    Influences of Power – International and US – Global Economic Crisis

    05 Sunday Apr 2009

    Posted by CricketDiane in Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips

    ≈ Leave a comment

    Tags

    accounting principles, bailouts, banking, bankruptcy, banks, bondholders, bonds, budget deficits, Bush economics, Business, collateralized debt obligations, Creating Solutions for America, credit crunch crisis, credit default swaps, credit derivatives, Cricket D, cricket diane, Cricket Diane C Phillips, Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips, Cricket Diane Designs, Cricket House Studios, cricketdiane, CricketHouseStudios, currencies, currency values, Current Economic Info Sources, Democracy, depression, diane c phillips, Economic depression, economic statistics and analysis, Economics, Economy, Federal government, financial derivatives, foreclosures, global economic crisis, government corruption, Inventing Solutions For America, invest in America, investing, investment banking, investments, macro-economic future forecasting, macro-economics, Macro-economics future forecasting, macroeconomics, mark to market, Money, Principles of Economics, Reality-based Analysis, recession, Senate, shareholders, Solutions, solvency, statistics, stimulus bill, stimulus package, structured investment vehicles, US currency, US dollar, US economic bailout, US economic crisis, US Government, US government policy

    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/

    European Parliament

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    Elections 2009.

    ***

    Sakharov Prize has real impact, say previous winners

    Article – Human rights – 18-12-2008 – 11:17

    Tuesday night saw former winners of the human rights prize discuss its impact

    Celebrating 20 years of the Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought, 16 previous laureates gathered in Strasbourg to share their views on global human rights, and the importance of the Sakharov Prize.

    Read more

    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/documents_par_theme/902/default_en.htm

    ***

    The press and media are said make up the fourth estate, after government, parliament and the courts. Their freedom is vital to in any society which truly values freedom of thought. To defend the freedom of the press is to defend the highest values. No surprise then that past Sakharov winners include several who have stood up for journalists and their work in the most challenging circumstances.

    Read more

    A belief in democracy and universal human rights can be a two-edged sword. Defenders often face discrimination, intimidation and even physical attack. Several laureates symbolise the appeal against oppression, religious fundamentalism or work in labour camps.

    Read more

    The award of the 2008 Sakharov prize for human rights to jailed Chinese dissident Hu Jia took place at midday Wednesday. In his absence his wife gave an emotional and moving video message from under house arrest in Beijing to MEPs today. Zeng Jinyan spoke about her husband’s poor health and his continued fight for human rights. A symbolic empty chair was in the middle of the Chamber for Hu Jia.

    Read more

    MEPs split over widening anti-discrimination laws

    Article – Fundamental rights – 31-03-2009 – 10:58

    A women walks past an estate agent in London ©Belga/EPA/A. Rain

    For almost a decade a series of laws have protected Europe’s workers from discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sexuality or religious beliefs. Now on Wednesday MEPs will vote on extending such anti-discrimination to areas such as schools, hospitals and housing provision. Some Members however, notably in the right of centre EPP-ED group, think this is regulation too far and will lead to more red tape and expense for businesses.

    Read more

    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/documents_par_theme/902/default_en.htm

    ***

    How much should we tame financial markets?

    Article – Economic and monetary affairs – 24-03-2009 – 12:03
    2009 elections.

    A lion and a domestic cat side by side

    The US and Europe are in the worst economic crisis since the 1930s. With unemployment rising dramatically and businesses failing, fear is spreading. Against this background the excesses of the financial sector and the credit and prosperity bubble they helped create seem to be sheer recklessness. As governments struggle to fix or mend global capitalism, one of the key issues of the European Parliament elections this year will be the extent to which financial markets should be tamed.

    Read more

    MEPs Tuesday backed a minimum tax of €1.28 per pack of 20 cigarettes within 3 years, in an effort to reduce smoking across Europe through higher prices. At present tax on cigarettes varies widely from the equivalent of 75 cents in Lithuania to €5 in the UK. Around 1 in 3 adults across the EU either smoke or use tobacco on a regular basis, so will this move make some of them stop?

    Read more

    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/documents_par_theme/907/default_en.htm

    ****

    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/parliament.do?language=en

    Welcome to the European Parliament

    Thank you for visiting the official website of the European Parliament.

    The European Parliament is the only directly-elected body of the European Union. The 785 Members of the European Parliament are there to represent you, the citizen. They are elected once every five years by voters right across the 27 Member States of the European Union on behalf of its 492 million citizens.

    Hans-Gert Pöttering

    In this part of our website, you can find information on how the Parliament organises its work, through a system of specialised committees. The work of the European Parliament is important because in many policy areas, decisions on new European laws are made jointly by Parliament and the Council of Ministers, which represents Member States.

    Parliament plays an active role in drafting legislation which has an impact on the daily lives of its citizens: For example, on environmental protection, consumer rights, equal opportunities, transport, and the free movement of workers, capital, services and goods. Parliament also has joint power with the Council over the annual budget of the European Union

    Under the heading “The Parliament and You” there are a number of useful links for you to interact with Parliament as a citizen. This includes the right to write to Parliament with a question, to express your views, to receive all public documents. Should you wish to formally petition Parliament, you will also find all the necessary information here.

    Perhaps you would like to visit the Parliament in Brussels or Strasbourg and see it in action for yourself? This part of the website provides full details on visiting, as well as on recruitment and traineeships.

    If you click on ‘in detail’ you will find a guide to contracts and grants awarded and about invitations to tender, as well as a list of accredited lobbyists. Finally, by clicking on “Archives” you can access data on past European Parliament elections and our activities in previous years. I hope you enjoy your visit!

    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/parliament.do?language=en

    ***

    http://www.unctad.org/infocomm/anglais/docen.htm

    ***

    http://www1.worldbank.org/finance/html/amlcft/docs/Ref_Guide_EN/v2/12-AX02_EN_v2.pdf

    Websites

    European Central Bank
    • http://www.ecb.int/

    The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)
    • http://www.fincen.gov/af_main.html

    Financial Stability Forum)
    • http://www.fsforum.org/

    Interpol
    • http://www.interpol.com/Public/Terrorism/default.asp (Interpol’s involvement in the fight against international terrorism)

    Annex II
    Other Useful Websites and Resources

    Reference Guide to Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism
    Annex II-2

    The Money Laundering Compliance Website
    • http://www.countermoneylaundering.com/

    Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
    • http://www.oecd.org/ (Home page)

    U.S. Department of the Treasury, Comptroller of the Currency, Administrator of National Banks
    • http://www.occ.treas.gov/launder/origc.htm (Money Laundering: A Banker’s guide to Avoiding Problems)

    U.S. State Department—Country Summaries
    • http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/8703.pdf (Money Laundering and Financial Crimes)

    The World Customs Organization
    • http://www.wcoomd.org/ie/index.html (Main page)

    ***
    http://press.jrc.it/NewsExplorer/home/en/latest.html

    International resources for cooperative efforts – citizen to citizen – interagency – US and Global – also information portals

    CHAPTER VIII: REGIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
    Article 52

    1. Nothing in the present Charter precludes the existence of regional arrangements or agencies for dealing with such matters relating to the maintenance of international peace and security as are appropriate for regional action provided that such arrangements or agencies and their activities are consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations.
    2. The Members of the United Nations entering into such arrangements or constituting such agencies shall make every effort to achieve pacific settlement of local disputes through such regional arrangements or by such regional agencies before referring them to the Security Council.
    3. The Security Council shall encourage the development of pacific settlement of local disputes through such regional arrangements or by such regional agencies either on the initiative of the states concerned or by reference from the Security Council.
    4. This Article in no way impairs the application of Articles 34 and 35.

    Article 53

    1. The Security Council shall, where appropriate, utilize such regional arrangements or agencies for enforcement action under its authority. But no enforcement action shall be taken under regional arrangements or by regional agencies without the authorization of the Security Council, with the exception of measures against any enemy state, as defined in paragraph 2 of this Article, provided for pursuant to Article 107 or in regional arrangements directed against renewal of aggressive policy on the part of any such state, until such time as the Organization may, on request of the Governments concerned, be charged with the responsibility for preventing further aggression by such a state.
    2. The term enemy state as used in paragraph 1 of this Article applies to any state which during the Second World War has been an enemy of any signatory of the present Charter.

    Article 54

    The Security Council shall at all times be kept fully informed of activities undertaken or in contemplation under regional arrangements or by regional agencies for the maintenance of international peace and security.

    http://un.org/aboutun/charter/chapter8.shtml

    ****
    DST – Directorate of Territorial Security
    Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire
    Update 2008: On July 1, 2008, the DST was merged with the Direction centrale des renseignements généraux into the new Direction centrale du renseignement intérieur.

    Created in 1944 to “struggle against activities of espionage and against the activities of alien powers on territories under French sovereignty” the Directorate for Territorial Surveillance has undergone from the end of 1970s, an important evolution linked to the two phenomena:

    * the transformation in espionage activities from solely the military sector to economic domains, scientific and technical;
    * the appearance and the diversification of the terrorist threat.

    Since the Eastern Bloc opened up, the DST has redeployed its operatives, previously working on the Soviets, and assigned them to new threats, the Israelis and the Americans in particular. Since 1992, counterespionage noted that members of the CIA were “approaching” senior civil servants.

    The DST presently is administered as an internal security agency whose essential function is to search for information for security and to follow the uncertain and diversified evolution of patterns of the threat. Its headquarters has been situated at 1 rue Nélaton in Paris, since July 1985. In late August 1997 the French government appointed Jean- Jacques Pascal to head the DST. Pascal, who was in charge of the political intelligence unit — the Renseignements Generaux — between 1990 and 1992, took over from Philippe Parant who retired.

    The detailed organization of the DST is covered by the secret defense classification. In general, schematically it includes:

    * In Paris, on central administration divided into 5 Sub-Directorates (counterespionage, safety and protection of the patrimony, international terrorism, technical administration and general administration) and a special office of national relationships and international;
    * In the provinces there are 7 regional Directorates, and several brigades and 4 posts installed in overseas terrritories.

    The DST Economic Security and Protection of National Assets department has units in the 22 regions to protect French technology.. It has been operating for 20 years, not only on behalf of defense industry leaders, but also for pharmaceuticals, telecoms, the automobile industry, and all manufacturing and service sectors.
    Sources and Methods

    * Direction de la surveillance du territoire at Wikipedia

    FAS | Intelligence | World Agencies | France | Interieur |||||
    Index | Search |
    http://www.fas.org/irp/world/france/interieur/dst/
    Created by John Pike
    Maintained by Steven Aftergood
    Updated January 25, 2004

    http://www.fas.org/irp/world/france/interieur/dst/index.html

    ****
    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/

    Publications by UNCTAD

    http://www.unctad.org/infocomm/anglais/docen.htm

    Selected publications on commodities.

    ***

    SFOA 30th Bürgenstock Meeting
    September 9 to 12, 2009 in Interlaken
    Information soon available. Thank you for your patience.

    Previous years
    2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998
    SFOA Bürgenstock Meetings are organised by the Swiss Futures and Options Association

    http://burgenstock.sfoa.org/

    ***

    Changes in the derivatives market, seen through the eyes of the …

    The Bürgenstock meeting has become one of the most important gatherings for the derivatives industry during the 26 years of its existence. …
    http://www.exchange-handbook.co.uk/index.cfm?section=articles&action=detail&id=60630 – 33k –

    http://www.exchange-handbook.co.uk/index.cfm?section=articles&action=detail&id=60630

    Changes in the derivatives market, seen through the eyes of the Bürgenstock Conference

    Paul Meier
    Chairman, Swiss Futures and Options Association (SFOA), Geneva

    The derivatives industry is very old – you can find references to it in the works of Aristotle and the Bible – yet very young. The concept of options and futures was first embraced by speculators (such as olive squeeze described by Aristotle or the tulip craze in the 17th century) but then adapted to the commodity markets. The need to lay off risk very soon became clear, but the lack of standardisation, storage, proper transportation and so on made it very difficult. Most of the very early efforts to trade such products failed because they mainly worried about buying and selling and failed to take into consideration the practical requirements just mentioned.

    It was the establishment of the Chicago Board of Trade in 1848 that set the stage as those founders realised they needed to offer the market participants the ‘whole package’. The early success led fairly quickly to the foundation of other markets and soon the trade could lay off its risk in a wide array of products – wheat, corn, butter, live cattle, coffee or sugar – you name it, someone offered a contract on it. This development was concentrated, however, in the US, where obviously the need to hedge commodity transactions was bigger than in Europe given the size of the US market and the fragmentation of the European markets.

    The early part of the 20th century showed maturity of those markets, and many went under, but during and after the depression and the World War the need to hedge was subdued, and with the market controls of the Bretton Woods system their importance was limited. This of course made many of the markets suffer, as the lack of volatility or price movements also reduced the need for hedging.

    This led many exchanges to search for new products – and with the commodities field covered they had to look elsewhere. In the late sixties Dr Richard Sandor started to work on his interest rate futures for the Chicago Board of Trade, but it took some time to clear all hurdles. At the same time, work started on the design of stock options, and Milton Friedman and Leo Melamed worked on currency futures. Some of these plans were not only novel due to the products, but also one must not forget: options had been illegal in the United States since the Depression and in Europe they were mostly unknown, as in most European countries they were subject to the gambling laws. Switzerland was an exception (gambling being illegal) and had a fairly efficient forward and options market on its stocks as far back as the late 19th century.

    Fate helped the developers of the new products in the United States: as they were getting on with the design of their products and laying the legal groundwork, President Nixon abolished the Gold/Dollar standard on August 15, 1971. With one fell swoop the dollar lost close to 10%. This highlighted the need for hedging – a lot of companies, merchants and manufacturers realised that their non-hedged positions were suffering badly…. The CME launched its FX products less than a year later, first trading seven currency pairs on its newly founded International Money Market (IMM). Apparently this did not suit everyone. One New York bank foreign exchange dealer was quoted in the Wall Street Journal as saying:

    “I am amazed that a bunch of crapshooters in pork bellies had the temerity to think that they can beat some of the world’s most sophisticated traders at their own game.”

    Well, they must have done something right…

    Stock options were finally introduced on April 26, 1973 when the CBOE (a subsidiary formed by the Chicago Board of Trade) traded for the first time – 16 stocks were listed and 911 options traded during the whole day! Interestingly only calls were allowed to be traded initially and there were still discussions whether the Black-Scholes formula was really a valid way to price options! This must have been a market-makers’ nightmare: no formula, no puts…. It was not until 1977 that the SEC allowed trading in puts!

    The Chicago Board of Trade was finally able to launch its interest rate products in 1975, launching Ginnie Mae Futures. With that the door was pushed wide open for a rapid launch of new products and the foundation of new markets. Energy Futures were started in the late 70s, and with the launch of index futures in the early 80s the idea of cash settlement was born. EOE opened the first European options exchange in 1978 and Simex followed in 1986 to start derivatives in Asia.

    At the same time, inflation was raging widely throughout the world and trading commodities was the name of the game for many investors and speculators who thought owning goods was better than sitting on paper. Volumes exploded as lots of people wanted to get in on the action. With that came a growing need for oversight and regulation. The CFTC was formed in 1974 and quickly started to establish a regulatory framework to handle this growing business.

    The big developments were followed by some consolidation but with the introduction of electronic trading in the second half of the 80s the real frenzy began (and is still going on).

    This happens to span the same time period as the Swiss Futures and Options Association (SFOA) has been in existence and the Bürgenstock conference has taken place. SFOA was formed in 1979 at the suggestion of the CFTC, the American Embassy in Berne and the brokerage community in Switzerland, as in those days it was for various reasons one of the most important European centres for commodity trading. The CFTC was finding it difficult communicating with the European brokerage community; don’t forget, this was in the days before internet and e-mail, even before the fax – and sending regulations via telex was not feasible. So everything went by post, which, if sent via regular mail, as was usual, meant going by boat – which took four to six weeks, often too late to answer calls and requests by the regulators. Since the exchanges were also looking for a quick link to the various brokers, it was decided to create an organisation to act as liaison. The first name was the Swiss Commodity Futures Association, reflecting the importance of the commodity aspect.

    As behoves any international organisation, of course, an annual conference was soon instigated. Ours has always been (with one exception when a hotel was rebuilt) on the beautiful Bürgenstock resort, high above Lake Lucerne in the central part of Switzerland. You may wonder how this conference found its way to Bürgenstock rather than being held in Zürich, Geneva or Lugano, where all important brokerage houses had their subsidiaries back then.

    Since Switzerland was politically correct already in those days it was not to be that the Association was led by a representative of one of the big brokers. Further, meetings were not to be held in those big centres where these brokers were located. Ferdinand Prisi, who had been elected chairman, came up with the idea (having visited the place a short time earlier during one of his annual military stints) of going up to the Bürgenstock to meet in a ‘neutral’ place. Well, as they say, the rest is history. The Bürgenstock meeting has become one of the most important gatherings for the derivatives industry during the 26 years of its existence.

    These conferences, of course, are not just for networking and socialising, but also fit in some work and paneling. For our 25th anniversary in 2004 we published a book ‘An intangible commodity’, and part of it was a listing of all the panels that took place during all these years. It gives an interesting look-back at the development of the industry in those years – and how quickly people’s priorities changed during that time….

    Let’s take a look at some of the developments and topics discussed:

    • For its first couple of years the conference was just a gathering for the annual assembly, with no formal panel discussions. These started in 1982 and were mainly a beauty contest by the exchanges followed by an outlook on the various product areas. Also covered were ‘Legal and regulatory problems’, including a discussion on the problematics of two regulators in the US – one that is still taking place…
    • A topic in 1983 was the internationalisation of markets; there was also a panel on ‘new products’ with 11 exchange presidents and chairmen present – I wonder how much of a discussion that was?! Additionally a workshop took place discussing crude oil and its place in our industry. Actually quite forward-looking considering the fact that at that time Nymex was still somewhat belittled for trading those products that seemed to be under the control of the oil giants. 1984 saw a discussion on ‘links between IMM and SIMEX – an alternative to 24-hour trading’. Again very innovative – and surprising such co-operations did not get set up more often!
    • 1985 had some discussions that looking back are a bit surprising. Bill Brodsky, then president of the CME, led a discussion on competition between futures and stock exchanges. Competition? Only together can they work, as experience has shown. This was followed by a huge panel discussing the ‘co-existence’ between exchange- and OTC-traded options. It’s quite interesting that this topic was already a central discussion point at such an early stage.
    • International harmonisation on regulation was a big topic in 1987 (and still the dream of many today!) as well as self-regulation versus state regulation, again a topic still current. The following year saw a discussion on ‘proliferation of futures and options exchanges – beneficial or detrimental to the development of the industry’! Hard to believe that such discussions took place but obviously the question was of great concern to many.
    • Interestingly 1989 showed extensive discussion on commodities, although they were not really very popular at that time with investors. No doubt the fact that Clayton Yeutter, then US Secretary of Agriculture, came back up to Bürgenstock (he was a regular while working at the CME) and gave a keynote speech was significant. Also ‘open outcry vs electronic; exchange vs OTC’ was a discussion point (remember, first experiences of electronic trading could be shared at that time; but interestingly the panel consisted mostly of users rather than exchanges). ‘International legal and economic obstacles to a further development of futures and options’ was discussed again. It is interesting that many of the obstacles still remain and yet the derivatives industry has greatly increased its volumes and product ranges, and is now reaching client segments that dared not even include the word derivatives in its vocabulary at that time.
    • 1990 saw some forward-looking discussion such as globalisation and the implications of EC directives on investment services (yes – in 1990!), but also covered advantages and risks related to mutual funds investing in options and futures – today a routine operation, but in those days still a fringe activity. Also eagerly discussed was the Asia Pacific Area in general and Japan in particular, and the expected developments in that area – Japan was of course very much in the news at that time, although the rest of the Pacific Area was still a sleeper.
    • Brazil put the stamp on the 1991 issue with a Samba party that apparently (I was not there, but a lot of stories went around….) lasted until the small hours. But obviously it was not just all about fun and dance: besides discussions on the Brazilian Economy, energy was again of interest (even Dr Subroto, then Secretary General of OPEC, participated), plus one topic that some should probably have attended: ‘Management of risk in the dealing room’. I did not find anyone from Barings on the attendance list!
    • The use of options in equity fund management was discussed in 1992 (hard to imagine today, but again showing the rocky road derivatives had on their way to acceptance) along with the development of managed futures in Europe. An interesting debate took place in the same year: ‘Who’s afraid of the ECU’? Somehow sounds strange – 1992 is not that long ago and not only has the ECU gone but the euro come!
    • 1993 brought up again ‘Can exchange clearers assist OTC markets?’ Of course, they can, as we have learned! This was followed by a no-doubt interesting debate in 1994 on ‘Systemic risk – fact or fiction?’ A most esteemed panel was chaired by Lord Healy and included Pat Arbor (Chairman CBoT), Nic Durlacher (Chairman Liffe), Raj Bagri (Chairman LME), Gerard Pfauwadel (Chairman Matif), and Elisabeth Sam (Chairwoman Simex). Another very forward-looking panel took place the same year: ‘Ecology, marketing and ethics’ –be a topic for any conference this year!
    • This was followed by a theme still very current: ‘International and cross-market risk management – the role of exchanges and clearing systems’ and, being on top of current themes, Metallgesellschaft, Orange County and Barings were discussed as well. Flex options were topical again vertical vs horizontal clearing… In 1996 Otto Graf Lambsdorff led off with a fascinating discussion on ‘The quest for exchange rate stability – realistic or quixotic?’. The thoughts of a single European currency led to many debates such as ‘A political dream, economic necessity or a psychological/cultural nightmare?’, ‘Will the introduction of the single European currency be the first step toward a single European Electronic Market?’ or ‘Will the single European currency force Switzerland to join the EU?’. Well, stability? Would be nice…. Single market – a lot of people are still waiting for it, although the euro is well-established. And no, Switzerland has not joined the EU yet and it does not appear to be going to in the near future…. A keynote speech was given on ‘Considering the diverging economic conditions of the EU members the currency will not be introduced’. Well, that is what makes debates interesting – not everyone can win! The conference was closed with a forward-looking debate: ‘Internet – a threat to traditional markets and intermediaries’ – maybe a bit ahead of its time but now very timely!
    • 1997 saw extended discussions on the purpose of exchanges. Should the exchanges be responsible for ensuring that the entire transaction processing cycle is efficient, or should they just aim at maintaining a low-cost market? What is the best governance structure? Non-profit or for-profit? Member-owned or shareholder-owned? I do not know what the outcome of the discussion was – but I could imagine that it would run a bit differently today – less than 10 years later. The developments in China after Hong Kong was handed back were assessed and, to conclude, various discussions took place on hedge funds. Considering the fact that hedge funds have only been the rage for the last few years what was discussed almost ten years ago was quite revolutionary: ‘How will the explosive growth in hedge fund products affect the complexion of the industry and money flows?’ ‘The possible case for altering the scope of regulation to achieve wider coverage of hedge funds: what might costs and benefits be?’ It is amazing – these discussions are still ongoing today. The virtual markets occupied much of the next convention which had as a highlight the pin-point parachutists that landed in the middle of the Friday night reception and stirred up the drinks!
    • Interestingly 1999 had no discussion of the millennium issues (probably most people could not bear to hear the word anymore…). Instead it was the liberalisation of the European Energy Markets and the growing need for international regulation of derivatives (will anyone listen?). It would be good to get this going, so we could stop discussing it….). The big E-word was central to the Millennium convention – ECN as competition to the exchanges, regulating e-networks and online brokerage were among the chosen topics. It was not until 2001 that Commodities were raised again – a bit late but still very timely as not many were yet ready to bet on a commodity revival. Horizontal vs vertical clearing was an issue – but that will probably continue for quite some time and will not be the focus for discussion anymore as it is like discussing religion – there can be no winners.
    • 2003 saw Warren Buffet’s comments on derivatives as tools of mass destruction, but it was tough finding many followers of that opinion; however an interesting discussion was had. The introduction of a panel on Sports Trading was considered very controversial, but developments since then proved us correct – these exchanges are still growing at extremely rapid rates. They may not be choice products for many investors, but the basic idea is the same – buy low, sell high!

    So much for looking back. It is actually quite interesting to follow the development of our industry this way – it has been incredibly fast and furious. From the narrow-based commodity world about 30 years ago, with very clearly focused clienteles and actually not too many markets, we have not only grown exponentially in products but also in exchanges. With the break-out from the commodity world into the financials, then energy and now ecology, our industry has changed from a narrow, almost special interest, industry into one that has become central to the entire investment spectrum. How will this development go on? No doubt an interesting topic for a panel!

    Looking back over these 25 years it is quite interesting to see that many issues still with us today have been discussed all through that period as have many products that have only come into their own in the recent past. And others have come and established themselves very quickly. Still, looking at the developments of our industry and the discussions on our panels I believe shows that we have had a pretty good hand at selecting the topics!

    So it really is worthwhile to take some time out of your hectic workdays to attend conventions like these – be it Bürgenstock, Boca, IDW in London or others – to share ideas and opinions, network and meet the people in and around the industry!

    http://www.exchange-handbook.co.uk/index.cfm?section=articles&action=detail&id=60630

    ****

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    International resources for cooperative efforts – citizen to citizen – interagency – US and Global – also information portals

    05 Sunday Apr 2009

    Posted by CricketDiane in Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips

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    Tags

    accounting principles, anti crime financial crimes, bailouts, banking, bankruptcy, banks, bondholders, bonds, budget deficits, Bush economics, Business, collateralized debt obligations, Creating Solutions for America, credit crunch crisis, credit default swaps, credit derivatives, Cricket D, cricket diane, Cricket Diane C Phillips, Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips, Cricket Diane Designs, Cricket House Studios, cricketdiane, CricketHouseStudios, currencies, currency values, Current Economic Info Sources, Democracy, depression, diane c phillips, documents, Economic depression, economic statistics and analysis, Economics, Economy, Federal government, financial derivatives, financial money laudering, foreclosures, global economic crisis, government corruption, international charter, international security, Inventing Solutions For America, invest in America, investing, investment banking, investments, macro-economic future forecasting, macro-economics, Macro-economics future forecasting, macroeconomics, mark to market, Money, NATO, non-proliferation treaty, nonproliferati, North Korean missile launch, nuclear test ban treaty, Principles of Economics, Reality-based Analysis, recession, security, Senate, shareholders, Solutions, solvency, statistics, stimulus bill, stimulus package, structured investment vehicles, UN Security council, united nations, US currency, US dollar, US economic bailout, US economic crisis, US Government, US government policy, US participation

    Alphabetic Index

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    http://www.unsystem.org/

    Official WEB Site Locator for the UN System of Organizations

    Alphabetic Index of Websites of the United Nations System of Organizations

    Test Navigation
    Alphabetic Index | Índice alfabético | Index alphabétique
    United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) (Preparatory Commision) – Vienna, Austria (e-mail)
    United Nations CyberSchoolBus – New York, USA (e-mail)
    Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) (now CEB) and its former Subcommittees
    Top of page
    Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (e-mail)
    Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) – Santiago, Chile (e-mail)
    Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) – Bangkok, Thailand (e-mail)
    Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) – Beirut, Lebanon (e-mail
    Top of page
    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) – Rome, Italy (e-mail)
    Global Programme on Globalization, Liberalization and Sustainable Human Development – Geneva, Switzerland [UNCTAD-UNDP] (e-mail)
    Former Inter-Agency Committee on Sustainable Development (IACSD) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE) (former IACWGE) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    Inter-Agency Procurement Services Office (IAPSO) – Copenhagen, Denmark (e-mail)
    Inter-Agency Working Group on Evaluation (IAWG) –  New York, USA  (e-mail)
    International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) – Vienna, Austria (e-mail)
    International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) – Washington, USA  [World Bank Group] (e-mail)
    International Bureau of Education (IBE) – Geneva, Switzerland [UNESCO] (e-mail)
    International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) – Trieste, Italy [UNIDO] (e-mail)
    International Centre for Science and High Technology (ICS) – Trieste, Italy [UNIDO] (e-mail)
    International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) – Washington, USA [World Bank Group] (e-mail)
    Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) – Trieste, Italy [UNESCO/IAEA] (e-mail)
    International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) – Montreal, Canada (e-mail)
    International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    International Computing Centre (ICC) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail
    International Court of Justice (ICJ) – The Hague, The Netherlands (e-mail)
    International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) – The Hague, The Netherlands (e-mail)
    International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) – Arusha, Tanzania (e-mail)
    International Development Association (IDA) – Washington, USA [World Bank Group] (e-mail)
    International Finance Corporation (IFC) – Washington, USA [World Bank Group] (e-mail)
    International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) – Rome, Italy (e-mail)
    International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) – Paris, France [UNESCO] (e-mail)
    International Institute on Ageing (INIA) – Valetta, Malta (e-mail)
    International Labour Organization (ILO) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    International Maritime Organization (IMO) – London, UK (e-mail)
    International Monetary Fund (IMF) – Washington, USA (e-mail)
    International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) – Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (e-mail)
    International Seabed Authority (ISA) – Kingston, Jamaica (e-mail)
    International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    International Trade Centre (ITC) – Geneva, Switzerland [UNCTAD/WTO] (e-mail
    International Training Centre of the ILO (ITC/ILO) – Turin, Italy (e-mail)
    Top of page
    Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail
    Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    Top of page
    Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) – Washington, USA [World Bank Group] (e-mail)
    United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) – Geneva, Switzerland and New York, USA (e-mail)
    Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) – Geneva, Switzerland and New York, USA  (e-mail)
    Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA) – Vienna, Austria (e-mail)
    Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) – The Hague, The Netherlands (e-mail)
    Top of page
    Panel of External Auditors of the United Nations, the Specialized Agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency – New York, USA (e-mail)
    ReliefWeb – Geneva, Switzerland [OCHA] (e-mail)
    Top of page
    United Nations (UN) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Atlas of the Oceans – Washington, USA
    United Nations Board of Auditors – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Capital Development Fund – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) – Vienna, Austria (e-mail)
    United Nations Common Supplier Database (UNCSD) – Oslo, Norway (e-mail)
    United Nations Communications Group (former JUNIC) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) – Bonn, Germany (e-mail)
    United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) (now UNODC)- Vienna, Austria (e-mail)
    United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Development Group (UNDG) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – Paris, France (e-mail)
    United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – Nairobi, Kenya (e-mail)
    United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – Bonn, Germany (e-mail)
    United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Geographic Information Working Group (UNGIWG) –  New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Office of the (OHCHR) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Office of the (UNHCR) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)– Nairobi, Kenya (e-mail)
    United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) – Vienna, Austria (e-mail)
    United Nations Information and Communication Technologies Task Force (UNICT TF) – New York, USA  (e-mail)
    United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    United Nations International School (UNIS) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) – Rome, Italy (e-mail
    United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Mine Action Service – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) (formely UNDCP) – Vienna, Austria (e-mail)
    United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) – Nairobi, Kenya (e-mail)
    United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) – Vienna, Austria (e-mail)
    United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) – Vienna, Austria (e-mail)
    United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) – Gaza, Gaza Strip and Amman, Jordan (e-mail)
    United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    United Nations Resident Coordinators Network (RCNet) – New York, USA (e-mail)
    United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) – Vienna, Austria  (e-mail)
    UN System Network on Rural Development and Food Security –  Rome, Italy [FAO/IFAD] (e-mail)
    United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) – Turin, Italy (e-mail)
    United Nations University (UNU) – Tokyo, Japan (e-mail)
    United Nations Volunteers (UNV) – Bonn, Germany (e-mail)
    United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) – Madrid, Spain  (e-mail)
    Universal Postal Union (UPU) – Bern, Switzerland (e-mail)
    Top of page
    WomenWatch – New York, USA (e-mail)
    World Bank Group – Washington, USA (e-mail)
    World Food Programme (WFP) – Rome, Italy (e-mail)
    World Health Organization (WHO) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    World Meteorological Organization (WMO) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    World Trade Organization (WTO) – Geneva, Switzerland (e-mail)
    World Volunteer Web – Bonn, Germany [UNV] (e-mail)
    Top of page

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    Oo

    Pp

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    Rr

    Ss

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    Xx

    Yy

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    The above list is an alphabetic index of websites of the United Nations System of Organizations, including joint initiatives and special projects which exist to address specific, substantive areas of interest.  Entries listed in bold are members of the United Nations System’s Chief Executives Board (CEB).

    If you work for a UN entity that is not listed here please send e-mail, providing all necessary references, to the UN System Webmaster.  Thank you.

    Please note that the UN System Chart is only available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). Files of this type require the Adobe Acrobat Reader which can be downloaded free-of-charge by clicking on the below graphic.

    Last Updated :  27-10-2008

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    If you do not have this software installed on your system, you may download it from Adobe’s website.

    Prepared for Internet by the UN Website Section, Department of Public Information – © United Nations 2007

    ***

    http://www1.worldbank.org/finance/html/amlcft/docs/Ref_Guide_EN/v2/12-AX02_EN_v2.pdf

    Websites
    European Central Bank
    • http://www.ecb.int/
    The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)
    • http://www.fincen.gov/af_main.html


    Financial Stability Forum)
    • http://www.fsforum.org/


    Interpol
    • http://www.interpol.com/Public/Terrorism/default.asp (Interpol’s involvement in the fight against international terrorism)
    Annex II
    Other Useful Websites and Resources

    Reference Guide to Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism
    Annex II-2
    The Money Laundering Compliance Website
    • http://www.countermoneylaundering.com/


    Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
    • http://www.oecd.org/ (Home page)
    U.S. Department of the Treasury, Comptroller of the Currency, Administrator of National Banks
    • http://www.occ.treas.gov/launder/origc.htm (Money Laundering: A Banker’s guide to Avoiding Problems)
    U.S. State Department—Country Summaries
    • http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/8703.pdf (Money Laundering and Financial Crimes)
    The World Customs Organization
    • http://www.wcoomd.org/ie/index.html (Main page)

    ****

    http://press.jrc.it/NewsExplorer/home/en/latest.html

    Latest and most comprehensive current news – Global and US

    ***

    ***
    Search – DU Security (du)
    UNOH – Undoc UNOH

    ***

    http://www.ifc.org/

    Research & Publications

    Resources from IFC
    Lessons from Past Financial Crises

    This report on World Bank Group interventions in past episodes is relevant in helping the Bank Group and countries confront the most severe global financial crisis in recent decades.
    more
    Who Cares Wins 2008 Report

    This report urges the financial industry to integrate sustainable investing practices or the consequences of climate change could fuel another financial crisis.
    more
    > More Featured Resources

    Key Titles

    Annual Report 2008
    The 2008 Annual Report continues an approach IFC pioneered last year, combining information on our investments and advisory services, sustainability, development effectiveness, and donor partnerships.
    Forthcoming: ???? | Español | Français | Português | P?????? | ???? | ???
    134 Pages | © 2008 IFC | Complimentary

    Telling Our Story – Focus, Delivery, Results
    Telling Our Story puts a human face on IFC work — a corporate success story publication featuring short profiles of leading projects and the people whose lives they improve.

    Doing Business 2009
    Doing Business 2009 is the sixth in a series of annual reports comparing business regulations in 181 economies. It measures regulations affecting 10 areas of everyday business

    185 pages | © 2008 WB | $35.00

    IFC PUBLICATIONS
    By TitleBy SubjectBy LanguageAnnual ReportContacts
    KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES
    Doing Business DatabaseReform ToolkitsPublic Policy JournalIndependent Evaluation
    ENVIRONMENT RESOURCES
    Environmental StandardsEnvironmental, Health, & Safety GuidelinesDisclosure PolicyIFC Exclusion List

    http://www.ifc.org/publications

    ***
    Announcement:

    This is an invitation to attend and provide scientific contributions to the ISS-2009 Conference that will be held in Vienna, Austria from 10-12 June 2009.  The conference is intended as a forum for dialogue on issues related to the capability and readiness of the Comprehensive Nuclear Tes-Ban Treaty’s (CTBT) verification regime.  The conference will also address how the verification regime has benefitted from scientific and technical developments since the Treaty opened for signature in 1996.

    The conference is open to diplomats, officials, scientists, representatives from non-governmental organization and the media.

    ISS-2009 Conference Information

    ISS Scientific Panel

    Printable Version of the Announcement and Call for Papers (PDF)

    International Scientific Studies Project

    * Global undertaking open to scientific experts and institutions around the world, which was launched in March 2008.
    * Involves a series of independent scientific studies and assessments to address the readiness and capability of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) to detect nuclear explosions worldwide.
    * Focuses on the detection and location capabilities of the 337 facilities making up the CTBT’s International Monitoring System  (IMS).
    * Addresses the ability of the IMS to characterize observed events.
    * Evaluates the geological and radionuclide technologies and methods used for on-site inspection  (OSI) technologies.
    * Explores the use of data, infrastructure and knowledge of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO in support of scientific, humanitarian and other security related applications.
    * Studies will be carried out by international scientists and institutions. The Preparatory Commission for the CTBO will facilitate and coordinate the project.

    http://www.ctbto.org/specials/the-international-scientific-studies-project-iss/?Fsize=yyeojlifzwieup

    ***

    http://un.org/aboutun/charter/

    CHAPTER VIII: REGIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

    Article 52

    1. Nothing in the present Charter precludes the existence of regional arrangements or agencies for dealing with such matters relating to the maintenance of international peace and security as are appropriate for regional action provided that such arrangements or agencies and their activities are consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations.
    2. The Members of the United Nations entering into such arrangements or constituting such agencies shall make every effort to achieve pacific settlement of local disputes through such regional arrangements or by such regional agencies before referring them to the Security Council.
    3. The Security Council shall encourage the development of pacific settlement of local disputes through such regional arrangements or by such regional agencies either on the initiative of the states concerned or by reference from the Security Council.
    4. This Article in no way impairs the application of Articles 34 and 35.

    Article 53

    1. The Security Council shall, where appropriate, utilize such regional arrangements or agencies for enforcement action under its authority. But no enforcement action shall be taken under regional arrangements or by regional agencies without the authorization of the Security Council, with the exception of measures against any enemy state, as defined in paragraph 2 of this Article, provided for pursuant to Article 107 or in regional arrangements directed against renewal of aggressive policy on the part of any such state, until such time as the Organization may, on request of the Governments concerned, be charged with the responsibility for preventing further aggression by such a state.
    2. The term enemy state as used in paragraph 1 of this Article applies to any state which during the Second World War has been an enemy of any signatory of the present Charter.

    Article 54

    The Security Council shall at all times be kept fully informed of activities undertaken or in contemplation under regional arrangements or by regional agencies for the maintenance of international peace and security.

    http://un.org/aboutun/charter/chapter8.shtml

    ****

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    05 Sunday Apr 2009

    Posted by CricketDiane in Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips

    ≈ 3 Comments

    Tags

    accounting principles, bailouts, banking, bankruptcy, banks, bondholders, bonds, budget deficits, Bush economics, Business, collateralized debt obligations, Creating Solutions for America, credit crunch crisis, credit default swaps, credit derivatives, Cricket D, cricket diane, Cricket Diane C Phillips, Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips, Cricket Diane Designs, Cricket House Studios, cricketdiane, CricketHouseStudios, currencies, currency values, Current Economic Info Sources, Democracy, depression, diane c phillips, Economic depression, economic statistics and analysis, Economics, Economy, Federal government, financial derivatives, foreclosures, global economic crisis, government corruption, Inventing Solutions For America, invest in America, investing, investment banking, investments, macro-economic future forecasting, macro-economics, Macro-economics future forecasting, macroeconomics, mark to market, Money, Principles of Economics, Reality-based Analysis, recession, Senate, shareholders, Solutions, solvency, statistics, stimulus bill, stimulus package, structured investment vehicles, US currency, US dollar, US economic bailout, US economic crisis, US Government, US government policy

    http://un.org/documents/tc.htm

    http://www.consilium.europa.eu/showPage.aspx?id=261&lang=en

    http://www.consilium.europa.eu/showPage.aspx?id=1281&lang=en

    Homepage » Documents » Legislative Transparency

    • Timetables and agendas
    • Summary of Council Acts
    • Council Minutes
    • Public votes
    • Links

    Legislative Transparency


    This section contains information on the activity of the Council as a legislative body.

    Timetables and agendas inform about the meetings of the Council and other preparatory bodies as well as the agendas foreseen.

    Monthly Summary of Council acts contain lists of legislative and non-legislative acts adopted by the Council, including the results of votes, explanations of voting and statements for the minutes when the Council is acting in its capacity as legislator.

    Council Minutes summarise the decisions taken and occasionally the content of the discussions held during that Council meeting. Pursuant to Article 207 (3) of the TEC, when the Council is acting in its legislative capacity, the results and explanations of votes are made public. They are published as addenda to the draft Council minutes.

    Public votes can be consulted: The result of the Council\’s voting on codecision acts is made public.

    More information on procedures and acts is available under Links.

    http://www.consilium.europa.eu/showPage.aspx?id=1281&lang=en
    ***

    http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CAC/working-group1.html

    http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/quick-Links.html

    Quick Links

    • Global Youth Network
    • IMOLIN – the international money laundering information network
    • International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (26 June)
    • International Anti-Corruption Day (9 December)
    • International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)
    • Treatnet
    • World Drug Report
    • United Nations drug, crime and terrorism treaties
    • United Nations system website locator

    http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/quick-Links.html

    ***

    SEC Protecting Investors, Markets During Credit Crisis

    During the current turmoil in the credit markets, the SEC has worked closely with other regulators in the U.S. and around the world to protect investors and the markets.

    • SEC Actions During Credit Crisis
    • 2008 Annual Report

    Other News:

    • SEC Halts Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi Scheme Operated By Long Island Investment Adviser
    • SEC Charges Take-Two for Stock Options Backdating Scheme
    • SEC Charges Seattle-Area Firm in Multi-Million Dollar Scam Targeting Religious Community and Charitable Investors

    Roundtable to Examine Oversight of Credit Rating Agencies

    Spotlight on Fair Value Accounting Standards

    Credit Rating Agency Examination Report

    21st Century Disclosure Initiative

    [from:]

    http://www.sec.gov/

    ***

    ISS 09 – see link on this page

    Comprehensive

    http://www.ctbto.org/

    http://www.ctbto.org/the-treaty/article-xiv-conferences/?Fsize=yyeojlifzwieup

    Text of US-Russia Statement on Nuclear Arms (NY Times, Washington Post, Miami Herald)

    A New Start for US-Russian Relations by Joseph Cirincione (Huffington Post)

    U.S., Russia Forge Plan for Arms-Reduction Pact (WSJ)

    ***

    1. About the Article XIV Conferences
    2. 2007 Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Vienna, Austria
    3. 2005 Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty United Nations, New York, USA
    4. 2003 Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Vienna, Austria
    5. 2001 Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Vienna, Austria
    6. 1999 Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Vienna, Austria

    DPRK announced test
    Tsunami warning
    Member States\’ payments

    Treaty Status
    Monitoring Stations
    Nuclear Test Sites

    CTBTO Fact Sheet (PDF)
    2008 Ministerial Meeting
    Largest on-site inspection exercise
    Interviews

    Meetings
    Workshops & training

    Text of US-Russia Statement on Nuclear Arms (NY Times, Washington Post, Miami Herald)

    A New Start for US-Russian Relations by Joseph Cirincione (Huffington Post)

    U.S., Russia Forge Plan for Arms-Reduction Pact (WSJ)

    Find all the documents of the latest conference here.

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    National and International Resources and handy stuff to know

    05 Sunday Apr 2009

    Posted by CricketDiane in Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips

    ≈ Leave a comment

    Tags

    accounting principles, bailouts, banking, bankruptcy, banks, bondholders, bonds, budget deficits, Bush economics, Business, collateralized debt obligations, Creating Solutions for America, credit crunch crisis, credit default swaps, credit derivatives, Cricket D, cricket diane, Cricket Diane C Phillips, Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips, Cricket Diane Designs, Cricket House Studios, cricketdiane, CricketHouseStudios, currencies, currency values, Current Economic Info Sources, Democracy, depression, diane c phillips, Economic depression, economic statistics and analysis, Economics, Economy, Federal government, financial derivatives, foreclosures, global economic crisis, government corruption, Inventing Solutions For America, invest in America, investing, investment banking, investments, macro-economic future forecasting, macro-economics, Macro-economics future forecasting, macroeconomics, mark to market, Money, Principles of Economics, Reality-based Analysis, recession, Senate, shareholders, Solutions, solvency, statistics, stimulus bill, stimulus package, structured investment vehicles, US currency, US dollar, US economic bailout, US economic crisis, US Government, US government policy

    My note –

    I was looking for something else and this was just so impressive, I had to share it –

    ***

    “Unoh”, in Japanese, translates to the right hemisphere of the brain.
    It is commonly known that the right brain
    is responsible for our creative thinking and artistic pursuits.

    Unoh’s mission is to make full use of this right brain in order to provide fun and
    entertaining products and services on the Internet.

    http://www.unoh.net/en_index.html

    bout Us

    Company Name Unoh Inc.
    Established August 1st, 2001
    Capital 170,000,000 yen
    (About 1,700,000 dollars)
    Number of Employees 14
    Headquarters Shibuya-ku, Tokyo JAPAN
    CEO Shintaro Yamada(Japanese)
    Executive Vice President Atsushi Ishikawa(Japanese)
    Director Takashi Yoshida
    Contact Us
    Address Shibuya TK Bldg 8F 3-13-11
    Shibuya Shibuya-ku
    Tokyo JAPAN 150-0002
    Tel. +81-3-5766-3911
    FAX +81-3-5766-3912
    Contact
    MAP

    Unoh Inc. firmly believes that the greatest element of the Internet is the ability to create and establish new businesses with very minimal resources. This fact contributes to our vision that everyone in the world can be reached and inspired for the better. In order to fulfill this vision, Unoh Inc. stands by the following principles:

    Creativity
    Unoh Inc. vows to create business with a new spark. We provide businesses and services that standout from others and do not imitate or copy existing services. Any and every business created by Unoh Inc. will be conjured only by our imagination.
    Challenge
    Every business opportunity that Unoh Inc. encouters must be challenging and will be met and overcome by Unoh Inc.’s unique method of problem solving.
    Changes
    Unoh Inc. will take part in exciting and original business projects that encourage new discoveries, ultimately leading to a new value system in the world.

    Above all we firmly stand by the concept that: Every business must be Fun.

    Service

    PhotoZou
    PhotoZou     Eiga Seikatu
    Eiga Seikatu     Unoh Labs
    Unoh Labs

    PhotoZou(J)     PhotoZou(J) Make your favorite moment last with PhotoZou! Create a picture album online and show off pictures in your own gallery. Capture a picture-perfect moment on PhotoZou by uploading photos and sharing pictures with others. Browse through pics, write comments, and make even more fun memories with your friends and family by joining PhotoZou today. (February, 2005)
    Eiga Seikatu(J)     Eiga Seikatsu(J) Calling all movie fans, critics, and viewers! This community website is dedicated to movie-lovers and goers. Search for the latest information on all types of movies, from tearjerkers, chick flicks, to action films! (February, 1999)
    Unoh Labs(J)     Keep up with what Unoh’s engineers are working on. From the small to the very large, all information can be found here. (April, 2006)

    http://www.unoh.net/en_about.html
    ****

    UN Documentation Centre

    General Assembly · Security Council. Session Documents >> 63rd I62nd I 61st I 60th I 59th I 58th I 57th · Resolutions · SG reports. Verbatim Records >> …
    un.org/documents/ – 11k – Cached – Similar pages

    GA Resolutions
    SG reports
    Press Releases
    Secretariat
    Trusteeship Council
    Exchange of letters

    My note –
    presse.cabinet@consilium.europa.eu <presse.cabinet@consilium.europa.eu>

    ***

    [PDF]

    book maony

    File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat
    http://www.unodc.org/pdf/lap_money-laundering-proceeds_2OOO.pdf ،17 ….. WOzUM’

    ا WO وR LK ،jI UNOH u fO و ،تU dA ا عUC S لاu _ا …
    siteresources.worldbank.org/INTAML/Resources/AntiMoneyLaunderingArabic.pdf –

    http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTAML/Resources/AntiMoneyLaunderingArabic.pdf

    xiii – xiv

    List of Financial Regulatory and Appropriating Authorities

    8 -11

    28-VI

    9-X to 12 X   (And )

    especially – pp. 201 (pdf document numbering) – or [ ( 1 – I )  to  ( 8 – I ) ]

    ***

    http://www1.worldbank.org/finance/html/amlcft/referenceguide.htm

    Comprehensive Reference Guide to AML/CFT

    Paul Allan Schott
    The World Bank and International Monetary Fund developed a unique Reference Guide to  Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) in an effort to provide practical steps for countries implementing an AML/CFT regime in accordance with international standards.  The Guide describes the global problem of money laundering and terrorist financing on the development agenda of individual countries and across regions.  It explains the basic elements required to build an effective AML/CFT legal and institutional framework and summarizes the role of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in fighting money laundering and terrorist financing.

    The primary objective of this joint Bank-Fund project is to ensure that the information contained in the Reference Guide is useful and easily accessible by developing countries that are working to establish and strengthen their policies against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.  Additionally, this Guide is intended to contribute to global understanding of the devastating consequences of money laundering and terrorist financing on development growth, and political stability and to expand the international dialogue on crafting practical solutions to implement effective AML/CFT regimes.

    Below is a detailed Table of Contents which links directly to the Guide in English. The second edition in other languages is coming soon.

    PART A: THE PROBLEM AND THE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
    CHAPTER I Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing: Definitions and Explanations
    CHAPTER II Money Laundering Impacts Development
    CHAPTER III International Standard Setters
    CHAPTER IV Regional Bodies and Relevant Groups
    PART B: THE ELEMENTS OF AN AML/CFT FRAMEWORK
    CHAPTER V Legal System Requirements
    CHAPTER VI Preventive Measures
    CHAPTER VII The Financial Intelligence Unit
    CHAPTER VIII International Cooperation
    CHAPTER IX Combating the Financing of Terrorism
    PART C: ROLE OF THE WORLD BANK AND IMF
    CHAPTER X World Bank and International Monetary Fund Initiatives to Fight Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing
    ANNEXES
    ANNEX I Websites for Key Organizations, Legal Instruments, and Initiatives
    ANNEX II Other Useful Websites and Resources
    ANNEX III United Nations Anti-Terrorist Conventions Referred to in the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism
    ANNEX IV The Financial Action Task Force Forty Recommendations on Money Laundering and Interpretative Notes
    ANNEX V The Financial Action Task Force Special Recommendations on Terrorist Financing
    ANNEX VI Interpretative Notes and Guidance Notes for the Special Recommendations on Terrorist Financing and the Self-Assessment Questionnaire
    ANNEX VII Cross Reference of the Forty Recommendations to Reference Guide
    ANNEX VIII Cross Reference of Special Recommendations to Reference Guide

    Contact Us | Help/FAQ | Site Index | Search | Home

    http://www1.worldbank.org/finance/html/amlcft/referenceguide.htm

    ***

    TheTrusteeship Council is made up of the five permanent members of the Security Council –China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States.

    UN HomeDocumentation CentreAbout the UN
    Status
    The Trusteeship Council suspended operation on 1 November 1994, with the independence of Palau, the last remaining United Nations trust territory, on 1 October 1994. By a resolution adopted on 25 May 1994, the Council amended its rules of procedure to drop the obligation to meet annually and agreed to meet as occasion required — by its decision or the decision of its President, or at the request of a majority of its members or the General Assembly or the Security Council.

    Background
    In setting up an International Trusteeship System, the Charter established the Trusteeship Council as one of the main organs of the United Nations and assigned to it the task of supervising the administration of Trust Territories placed under the Trusteeship System. Major goals of the System were to promote the advancement of the inhabitants of Trust Territories and their progressive development towards self-government or independence. TheTrusteeship Council is made up of the five permanent members of the Security Council –China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States.

    The aims of the Trusteeship System have been fulfilled to such an extent that all Trust Territories have attained self-government or independence, either as separate States or by joining neighbouring independent countries.


    Functions and powers
    Under the Charter, the Trusteeship Council is authorized to examine and discuss reports from the Administering Authority on the political, economic, social and educational advancement of the peoples of Trust Territories and, in consultation with the Administering Authority, to examine petitions from and undertake periodic and other special missions to Trust Territories.

    Sources: Basic Facts About the United Nations, ISBN 92-1-100850-6, Sales No. E.00.I.21 (Order now!)

    Prepared for Internet by the UN Website Section, Department of Public Information – © United Nations 2004

    http://un.org/documents/tc.htm

    ***

    Annex I
    Websites for Key Organizations,
    Legal Instruments, and Initiatives

    http://www1.worldbank.org/finance/html/amlcft/docs/Ref_Guide_EN/v2/11-AX01_EN_v2.pdf

    Annex II
    Other Useful Websites and Resources

    http://www1.worldbank.org/finance/html/amlcft/docs/Ref_Guide_EN/v2/12-AX02_EN_v2.pdf

    ***

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    After awhile that derision seems to be coming from everywhere, the opportunities for positive change are thwarted and the sustenance of life has been abrogated, then it is the last straw that breaks the camel’s back when it seems there is nothing left to lose

    05 Sunday Apr 2009

    Posted by CricketDiane in Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips

    ≈ Leave a comment

    Tags

    accounting principles, bailouts, banking, bankruptcy, banks, bondholders, bonds, budget deficits, Bush economics, Business, collateralized debt obligations, Creating Solutions for America, credit crunch crisis, credit default swaps, credit derivatives, Cricket D, cricket diane, Cricket Diane C Phillips, Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips, Cricket Diane Designs, Cricket House Studios, cricketdiane, CricketHouseStudios, currencies, currency values, Current Economic Info Sources, Democracy, depression, derision, diane c phillips, Economic depression, economic statistics and analysis, Economics, Economy, Federal government, financial derivatives, foreclosures, global economic crisis, government corruption, international crisis, Inventing Solutions For America, invest in America, investing, investment banking, investments, macro-economic future forecasting, macro-economics, Macro-economics future forecasting, macroeconomics, mark to market, missile launch, Money, North Korea, Principles of Economics, Reality-based Analysis, recession, Senate, shareholders, Solutions, solvency, statistics, stimulus bill, stimulus package, structured investment vehicles, US currency, US dollar, US economic bailout, US economic crisis, US Government, US government policy, world hunger

    http://news.stanford.edu/news/2009/april8/korea-us-relations-sneider-040809.html

    **

    United Nations Convention against Corruption

    http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CAC/index.html

    • Full text of the Convention
    • Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption
    • Working Groups established by the Conference of the States Parties

    . . . and decided to establish an ad hoc committee for the No Bribes negotiation of such an instrument in Vienna at the headquarters of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The text of the United Nations Convention against Corruption was negotiated during seven sessions of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Negotiation of the Convention against Corruption, held between 21 January 2002 and 1 October 2003.

    **

    2nd Expert Group Meeting on the Development of the Omnibus Survey Software to Gather Information on the Implementation of the UNCAC and UNTOC (Vienna, 23-24 February 2009) ( Agenda )

    http://www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/UNCAC/SA-Checklist/Agenda_4_02_09_rev1.pdf
    Informal Consultations of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Expert Working Group on Review of Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (Vienna, 26-27 February 2009)

    ( Rolling Text )

    http://www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/UNCAC/WorkingGroups/workinggroup1/26-27February2009/TOR2008-7-RollingText_postinformals.pdf

    ****

    Open-ended Intergovernmental Expert Working Group on Review of Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption: Fourth Meeting (Vienna, 11-13 May 2009)

    http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CAC/working-group1.html

    Information Note for Participants pdf

    http://www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/UNCAC/WorkingGroups/workinggroup1/2009-May-11-13/PAR-INFO-2009.pdf

    ***

    UNDAC

    UNDAC

    The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team is a stand-by team of disaster management professionals who are nominated and funded by member governments, OCHA, UNDP and operational humanitarian United Nations Agencies such as WFP, UNICEF and WHO.

    Upon request of a disaster-stricken country, the UNDAC team can be deployed within hours to carry out rapid assessment of priority needs and to support national Authorities and the United Nations Resident Coordinator to coordinate international relief on-site.


    Members of the UNDAC team are permanently on stand-by to deploy to relief missions following disasters and humanitarian emergencies anywhere in the world.


    The UNDAC team is responsible for providing first-hand information on the disaster situation and priority needs of the victims to the international community through OCHA.


    Particularly after earthquakes the UNDAC team has to be mobilized rapidly in order to effectively coordinate the search and rescue (SAR) operation of international SAR teams together with the national authorities of the affected country.

    http://ochaonline.un.org/Coordination/FieldCoordinationSupportSection/UNDACSystem/tabid/1414/Default.aspx

    Field Coordination Support System – UNDAC

    ***

    http://www.consilium.europa.eu/showPage.aspx?id=282&lang=en

    NATO co – CONSILIUM – EU NATO, Council of the European Union

    Counsel on the (coordinated response)

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    Българcки (bg) Español (es) Čeština (cs) Dansk (da) Deutsch (de) Eesti keel (et) Ελληνικά (el) English (en) Français (fr) Gaeilge (ga) Italiano (it) Latviešu valoda (lv) Lietuvių kalba (lt) Magyar (hu) Malti (mt) Nederlands (nl) Polski (pl) Português (pt) Română (ro) Slovenčina (sk) Slovenščina (sl) Suomi (fi) Svenska (sv)

    Home

    Council of the European Union

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    Homepage » Policies » Security & Defence » ESDP structures and instruments » EU-NATO Co-operation

    • ESDP News
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    • Links

    EU-NATO Co-operation

    Bullet01 Document on EU-NATO Consultation, Planning and Operations (European Council, December 2003)
    Bullet01 Background on EU-NATO permanent arrangements (Berlin +)
    Bullet01 Remarks by HR Solana following the agreement on the establishment of EU-NATO permanent arrangements + Joint EU-NATO Declaration (16 December 2002)
    Bullet01 NATO Summit, Washington, April 1999

    arrow-bluearrow-blue North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)

    Most of these documents are available as PDF files. To view, save and print these documents, you will need the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. This can be downloaded free from www.adobe.com.

    http://www.consilium.europa.eu/showPage.aspx?id=282&lang=en

    ****

    Informal meeting of EU defence ministers in Prague on 12 and 13 March

    http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/esdp/106634.pdf

    Brussels, 12 March 2009

    Remarks by
    Javier SOLANA,
    EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy,
    on the occasion of the informal meeting of EU defence ministers
    in Prague, Czech Republic, 12 March 2009

    FOR FURTHER DETAILS:
    The Spokesperson of the Secretary General, High Representative for CFSP
     +32 (0)2 281 6467 / 8239 / 5150 / 5151  +32 (0)2 281 5694
    internet: http://www.consilium.europa.eu
    e-mail: presse.cabinet@consilium.europa.eu

    http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/esdp/106634.pdf

    ***

    INTRODUCTION

    INFORMATION AND MARKET TRANSPARENCY

    São Paulo consensus was adopted at its eleventh quadrennial conference in June 2004 – UNCTAD XI – held in Brazil. It complements effectively the Bangkok Plan of Action to form a solid basis to build upon on the road to its twelfth session in 2008. In this frame, the São Paolo Consensus par. 74 recognized, inter alia, that “relevant suggestions contained in the report of the Meeting of Eminent Persons on Commodity Issues and the relevant outcome of discussions at the fiftieth session of the Trade and Development Board and in the General Assembly on the report should be given serious consideration. Support for commodity development projects – especially market-based projects – and for their preparation under the Second Account of the Common Fund for Commodities should be encouraged.” Paragraph 11 of the above-mentioned high level meeting of “Eminent Persons on Commodity Issues” stressed in particular that “developing countries suffer from a lack of access to timely, comprehensive, accurate and user-friendly information and analysis, as well as from the capacity to utilize it in decision making at the government, firm and farm level. It then call for strengthening the capacity of UNCTAD to regularly disseminate specialized information and analysis, covering a broad range of commodity issues and establish networks so as to contribute to market transparency and to develop collaborative tools to facilitate the use of this information”.

    These decisions adopted at UNCTAD XI complement the mandate given to UNCTAD at its tenth session which recognized inter alia that ” market transparency and information should be improved, as should capacities of developing country enterprises to access and use information, particularly in electronic form, and training to this end should be supported” (par. 68)” as well as that UNCTAD work’s should focus on (…) “assisting in increasing market transparency and information flows through, inter alia, collection and publication of relevant commodity information and data on a regular and frequent basis (par. 144).”

    In this spirit, UNCTAD developed a new way of working, in which specific skills (in this instance, expertise in world commodity markets) are obtained by pooling our efforts with other international organizations, academics, commodity exchanges, commodity associations, regional financial organizations, banks, trading companies as well as with warehousing and inspection companies.

    The creation of new synergies benefits various actors interested in the commodities area in both developing and industrialized countries, from policy makers to small producers (via relays), from trading companies to the processing industry, from researchers to the banking sector. In particular, the INFOCOMM project – market information in the commodities area – seeks to promote market transparency, to improve the understanding of commodity structures and to access to the analysis vital to the formulation of pertinent policies for commodity production, marketing, processing and financing. The main goals of INFOCOMM project, funded by the Government of France, involve the following:

    1. Development of an international electronic portal (www.unctad.org/infocomm), in which more than 40 commodity profiles containing practical and added-value information on market structures and innovations will be available;
    2. Establishment of partnership agreements with international commodity bodies and study groups in order to jointly up-date and disseminate specialized and selected information;
    3. Cooperation with various partners, including the civil society, in the dissemination of commodity trade information, with emphasis on facilitating access by developing countries;
    4. Build-up an active network of contacts and strengthen cooperation with actors having an expertise in world commodity markets, including universities;
    5. Establishment, under this portal, of a focal point providing overview of selected emerging commodity exchanges;
    6. Creation of a dedicated window making available on-line information related to activities carried out by the Project “P”, including agenda of workshops, studies, participants, etc;
    7. Publication of the “World Commodity Survey”, an authoritative book discussing over 80 commodities and key commoditized industry sectors in 330 pages of text;
    8. Preparation of a CD-Rom on cocoa market structures analyzing the situation in each cocoa producing countries;
    9. Policy advice activities on a wide range of issues related to production, consumption, trade and international cooperation in commodities.

    http://www.unctad.org/infocomm/anglais/indexen.htm

    ****

    http://ec.europa.eu/index_el.htm

    Περιβάλλον, καταναλωτές και υγεία – Κλίμα – Υπερθέρμανση του πλανήτη – 01/04/2009

    Προσαρμογή στην κλιματική αλλαγή

    var N100011515730 = new MediaGallery(‘N100011515730’);N100011515730.AddMedia(‘http://ec.europa.eu/snapshot2008/videos/energy_el.flv&#8217;,”,”,”,”);N100011515730.Generate(‘233′,’195′,’Y’,’/wel/images/mediagallery_previous.gif’,’/wel/images/mediagallery_resize.gif’,’/wel/images/mediagallery_next.gif’);

    Ο σχεδιασμός θα περιορίσει τις επιπτώσεις της κλιματικής αλλαγής στην υγεία, στον ενεργειακό εφοδιασμό, στα συστήματα μεταφορών, στη γεωργία και τον τουρισμό.

    Το 2007, μια διεθνής ομάδα επιστημόνων Englishespañolfrançais δημοσίευσε τη λεπτομερέστερη μέχρι σήμερα περιγραφή της κλιματικής αλλαγής, προειδοποιώντας για ξηρασία, περιορισμό της παραγωγής τροφίμων, διάβρωση των ακτών, πλημμύρες και πολλά άλλα.

    Νεότερες έρευνες δείχνουν, ωστόσο, ότι η κλιματική αλλαγή θα χτυπήσει σκληρότερα και νωρίτερα από ό,τι νομίζαμε. Καταστροφές που σχετίζονται με το κλίμα, όπως οι ξηρασίες και οι πλημμύρες, θα γίνουν συχνότερες, ενώ θα πάψει η καλλιέργεια ορισμένων προϊόντων που παράγονται παραδοσιακά σε συγκεκριμένες περιοχές. Αν και οι επιπτώσεις θα είναι σοβαρότερες για τις αναπτυσσόμενες χώρες, η Ευρώπη δεν πρόκειται να παραμείνει αλώβητη.

    Η Επιτροπή προτείνει στα κράτη μέλη να αρχίσουν να σκέφτονται πώς θα προσαρμοστούν καλύτερα στην κλιματική αλλαγή. Οι εθνικές και περιφερειακές αρχές θα πρέπει να αλλάξουν τις υποδομές τους και παράλληλα η ΕΕ θα πρέπει να διασφαλίσει ότι τα κράτη, οι επιχειρήσεις και οι πολίτες θα συνεργαστούν για να επιτύχουν τα καλύτερα δυνατά αποτελέσματα.

    “Πρέπει να εξακολουθήσουμε να εργαζόμαστε σκληρά για να μειώσουμε τις εκπομπές διοξειδίου του άνθρακα, αλλά ταυτόχρονα πρέπει να προσαρμοστούμε στην πραγματικότητα της κλιματικής αλλαγής. Δεν υπάρχει αμφιβολία ότι, παρά τις προσπάθειές μας, δεν μπορούμε να αποφύγουμε ούτε να αναστρέψουμε εντελώς την κλιματική αλλαγή”, δήλωσε ο Επίτροπος περιβάλλοντος Σταύρος Δήμας.

    Για να προσαρμοστούμε σε ένα διαφορετικό κλίμα, θα πρέπει να έχουμε σαφέστερη εικόνα του τι ακριβώς περιμένουμε. Η πρόταση της Επιτροπής English εκτός του ότι περιλαμβάνει συστάσεις για εκπόνηση μελετών με στόχο την καλύτερη κατανόηση της κλιματικής αλλαγής καλεί τα κράτη μέλη να καταστρώσουν στρατηγικές για καλύτερη διαχείριση των πόρων, να αξιολογήσουν το κόστος και τα οφέλη από την προσαρμογή στην κλιματική αλλαγή και να δημιουργήσουν αξιόπιστα εργαλεία παρακολούθησης των επιπτώσεων της αλλαγής αυτής στην υγεία.

    Η πρόταση περιγράφει επίσης σχέδια για τη δημιουργία μέχρι το 2011 ενός “δικτύου πληροφόρησης”, δηλαδή μιας εκτεταμένης βάσης δεδομένων για την ανταλλαγή πληροφοριών σχετικά με τους κινδύνους και τις επιπτώσεις της κλιματικής αλλαγής καθώς και με τους τρόπους αποτελεσματικότερης αντιμετώπισής της.

    Δράση για το κλίμα – Η ΕΕ κατά της κλιματικής αλλαγής DeutschEnglishespañolfrançaisitalianopolski

    • Ζώντας με την κλιματική αλλαγή
    • Η Ευρώπη πρωτοστατεί στον αγώνα κατά της κλιματικής αλλαγής
    Περισσότερα γι΄αυτό το θέμα
    • Νέα παγκόσμια συμφωνία για την κλιματική αλλαγή

    http://ec.europa.eu/news/environment/090401_1_el.htm

    ****

    http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm

    Environment, consumers and health – Climate – Global warming – 01/04/2009

    Adapting to a changed climate

    var N100011515301 = new MediaGallery(‘N100011515301’);N100011515301.AddMedia(‘http://ec.europa.eu/snapshot2008/videos/energy_en.flv&#8217;,”,”,”,”);N100011515301.Generate(‘233′,’195′,’Y’,’/wel/images/mediagallery_previous.gif’,’/wel/images/mediagallery_resize.gif’,’/wel/images/mediagallery_next.gif’);

    Planning will reduce the impact of climate change on health, energy supplies, transport systems, farming and tourism.

    In 2007, an international group of scientists published the most detailed summary of climate change so far, warning of drought, shrinking food production, coastal erosion, floods and more.

    But recent research suggests that climate change will strike harder and faster than they thought. Weather-related disasters such as droughts and floods will become more common, while some crops will no longer survive in areas where they have traditionally grown. While developing countries may be the hardest hit, Europe will not escape unscathed.

    The commission is proposing that EU member countries start to think now about how to adapt to climate change. While national and regional authorities will have to change their infrastructures, the EU’s role will be to ensure that countries, businesses and communities work together to achieve the best possible results.

    “We must continue to work hard to reduce carbon emissions, but we must also adapt to the reality of climate change. There is no doubt that despite what is achieved, some amount of climate change is inevitable and irreversible,” said the EU’s environment commissioner, Stavros Dimas.

    If we are to adapt to a different climate, a clearer idea of what to expect is needed. The commission proposal recommends studies to increase understanding of climate change. It also calls for strategies to manage resources better, an assessment of the costs and benefits of adapting to climate change and reliable tools to monitor how the changing environment affects health.

    The proposal also outlines plans for a ‘clearing house mechanism’ to be set up by 2011 – a vast database for exchanging information on climate change risks and impacts and the most effective ways to respond.

    Climate Action – EU against climate change

    • Living with climate change
    • Europe leads the fight against climate change
    More on this subject
    • Getting a new global deal on climate change

    http://ec.europa.eu/news/environment/090401_1_en.htm

    ***

    • ESDP News
    • EU Operations
    • Civilian crisis management
    • European Security Strategy
    • References
    • Capabilities
    • ESDP structures and instruments
    • Links

    http://www.consilium.europa.eu/showPage.aspx?id=261&lang=en

    ****

    PRADO

    Public Register of Authentic Identity and Travel Documents Online

    Welcome to PRADO !

    When checking security features of documents:
    FEEL, LOOK, TILT!

    Please note that the information on European travel and identity documents in this database is not yet complete; many documents and versions of documents are still missing. Please visit us again soon to see if the document you are searching for has been included in our database in the meantime.

    Whatever a document’s origin, please address any question relating to it to your national contact point. Only there will you be able to obtain extra information (including particulars of foreign documents).

    • PRADO Home
    • Identity & Travel Documents –
    • Search by Issuing Country
    • Search by Title
    • Glossary
    • Dictionary
    • Identity & Travel Documents – National Contact Points
    • Help / FAQs
    • About Us

    http://www.consilium.europa.eu/prado/EN/homeIndex.html?&cmsid=1399

    ***

    (I just thought that last part was pretty interesting as an accessible public data base – for future reference.)

    – my note

    ***

    • Go to main content [shortcut key S], by skipping site tools, language selector, navigation path and navigation menu
    • Go to navigation menu, by skipping site tools, language selector and navigation path
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    Добре дошли в Европейската комисия!
    Vítejte v Evropské komisi!
    Velkommen til Europa-Kommissionen !
    Willkommen bei der Europäischen Kommission !
    Tere tulemast Euroopa Komisjoni!
    Καλώς ήρθατε στην Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή
    Welcome to the European Commission !
    Bienvenido a la Comisión Europea !
    Bienvenue à la Commission européenne !
    Benvenuti alla Commissione europea !
    Laipni ludzam Eiropas Komisija!
    Sveiki atvyke i Europos Komisija !
    Fáilte go dtí an Coimisiún Eorpach!
    Üdvözöljük az Európai Bizottságnál!
    Merhba fil-Kummissjoni Ewropea
    Welkom bij de Europese Commissie !
    Witamy na stronach Komisji Europejskiej!
    Bem vindos à Comissão europeia !
    Bun venit la Comisia Europeană!
    Vitajte v Európskej komisii !
    Dobrodošli na Evropski komisiji!
    Tervetuloa Euroopan komissioon !
    Välkommen till Europeiska kommissionen

    http://ec.europa.eu/

    ****

    UNDAC – The Team

    The UNDAC Team was established in 1993 and today consists of more than 160 national emergency managers from fifty-seven countries in Europe, the Americas, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, together with staff from OCHA and 12 other International Organizations including UN Agencies. In major international emergencies, UNDAC teams are drawn from the entire membership. In disasters of more regional or national concern, they are normally drawn from amongst members in the affected country / region. Further expansion of the Team is being pursued in Africa and Asia.

    List of UNDAC Members

    http://ochaonline.un.org/Coordination/FieldCoordinationSupportSection/UNDACSystem/TheTeam/tabid/1427/language/en-US/Default.aspx

    ***

    UNHCR

    UNHCR and IDPs
    Protecting and assisting internally displaced persons (IDPs)

    http://www.unhcr.org/protect/47b417374.html

    **

    http://odeo.com/episodes/23488681-How-70-000-Delivered-5-000-Families-from-Drought-and-Hunger

    http://news.google.com/news?um=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=OHIO+food+

    Ohio power company says more people stealing electricity amid …

    Seattle Times – ‎12 hours ago‎
    Consumer advocates in Ohio are urging people struggling to pay utility bills not to risk injury or death by tampering with power equipment to steal …
    DP&L cracking down on people who steal power Dayton Daily News
    all 20 news articles »

    MiamiHerald.com

    Kroger chain recalls mayo sold in Ohio, Ky., Ind.

    The Associated Press – ‎Apr 1, 2009‎
    Cincinnati-based Kroger Co. says the recall involves 32-ounce plastic jars of Kroger Lite Mayo sold in Kroger stores in southwest Ohio, northern Kentucky …
    Comment by William D. Marler, JDMarler Clark LLP PS
    Kroger Expands Recall of Shelled Pistachios Due to Possible Health … FOXBusiness
    Get tough with US food safety Daily Republic

    TheStreet.com

    all 4,524 news articles »

    More critics blasting food stamp policy

    Cincinnati.com – ‎Mar 19, 2009‎
    Controversy about Ohio’s food stamp program emerged earlier this week when officials in Warren County identified a case where an unemployed woman there was …
    Food Stamp Rules Called ‘Offensive’ MSNBC
    Senator wants limit on food stamp eligibility Oxford Press
    Lawmaker: Food stamps are for needy, not wealthy Middletown Journal
    MSNBC – MSNBC

    all 56 news articles »

    Columbus Dispatch

    Ohio has OD ‘epidemic’

    Columbus Dispatch – ‎Apr 3, 2009‎
    … Pediatric HealthSource Web Chat on Food Allergies. A new killer has quietly replaced traffic crashes as the No. 1 cause of accidental death in Ohio. …
    Ohio overdose deaths surpass traffic fatalities The Plain Dealer – cleveland.com
    all 17 news articles »

    Popeye’s has closed — again — locally

    Muncie Star Press – ‎Apr 4, 2009‎
    … New Orleans-style fast food restaurant has gone out of business locally. The restaurant closed on Wednesday, owner Hasan Shehadeh, an Ohio businessman, …

    Nationwide Foundation Gives Feeding America $300000

    PR Newswire (press release) – ‎Apr 1, 2009‎
    … has donated to the national office of Feeding America, but they have been a long-time donor to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank and other Feeding America members. …

    ACROSS OUR COMMUNITIES

    SalemNews.net – ‎3 hours ago‎
    SALEM-Former AT&T and Ohio Bell Telephone Operators will meet for breakfast at 8:30 am April 16 at the Skyline Diner at the Salem Air Park. …

    News14.com

    Food Stamp Benefit Boost Comes as More Ohioans Look for Help

    Public News Service – ‎Apr 2, 2009‎
    Columbus, Ohio – Ohio residents in need of food assistance are receiving welcome news. The food stamp benefit is increasing nearly 14 percent on average as …
    Food stamp benefits going up in Ohio WKYC-TV
    Rescind Food Stamp Change Wheeling Intelligencer
    Stop abuse in food stamp program Hillsboro Times Gazette
    all 89 news articles »
    AIG
    ***
    http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=Americas+tent+cities
    1. Oprah.com Community: Tent Cities in America: A Lisa Ling …

      16 posts – 15 authors – Last post: Feb 25

      On today’s show, Lisa Ling investigates the emergence of tent cities—makeshift temporary shelters set up by people who simply have nowhere …
      http://www.oprah.com/community/thread/101782 – 86k – Cached – Similar pages

    2. Homeless in America’s tent cities « ChuckWarnock.com

      This is the new America for some in California. Tent cities are springing up from coast to coast as the unemployed lose their homes and apartments. …
      chuckwarnockblog.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/homeless-in-americas–tent–cities/ – 58k – Cached – Similar pages

    3. ‘Tent cities‘ of homeless on the rise across the US – Telegraph

      Sep 20, 2008 … Homeless encampments dubbed “tent cities” are springing up across the US, … we’re in an unofficial recession and Americans are worried, …
      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/2991742/Tent–cities-of-homeless-on-the-rise-across-the-US.html – Similar pages

    4. Video results for Americas tent cities

      Tent cities spring up in LA
      1 min 33 sec
      http://www.youtube.com

      America’s “Tent city” of failure
      2 min 51 sec
      http://www.youtube.com

    5. Devvy Kidd — Economic stimulus package: macabre waltz into the abyss

      Jan 31, 2008 … While the majority of Americans living at this tent city are simply those left with no place to go for various reasons, this 30-ish, …
      http://www.newswithviews.com/Devvy/kidd338.htm – 32k – Cached – Similar pages

    6. Tent Cities: An American Tradition

      Mar 19, 2009 … Tent Cities: An American Tradition – The Huffington Post.
      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/19/tent–cities-an-american-t_n_175665.html – 207k – Cached – Similar pages

    7. Sacramento Closes Tent City | The Onion – America’s Finest News Source

      Mar 27, 2009 … The city of Sacramento, CA is going to add more beds to homeless shelters to accomodate the 150 people currently living in from an …
      http://www.theonion.com/content/amvo/sacramento_closes_tent_city – 39k – Cached – Similar pages

    8. Pictured: The credit crunch tent city which has returned to haunt …

      With its ramshackle tents and flimsy box dwellings, this site in Sacramento, California, is reminiscent of the shanty towns of the Great Depression.
      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1159677/Pictured-The-credit-crunch-tent–city-returned-haunt-America.html – Similar pages

    9. BBC NEWS | Americas | Tent city highlights US homes crisis

      The BBC’s Rajesh Mirchandani reports on a California site for the homeless, among them victims of the US housing market collapse.
      news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7297093.stm – 55k – Cached – Similar pages

    ****

    Related searches: facts about the homeless homelessness in america

    Search Results

    1. Homelessness – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

      Homelessness is the condition and social category of people who lack housing, because they cannot afford, or are otherwise unable to maintain, regular, …
      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homelessness – 205k – Cached – Similar pages

    2. Homelessness – HUD

      Research, fact sheets, links to government and private organizations and other resources.
      http://www.hud.gov/homeless/index.cfm – 44k – Cached – Similar pages

    3. National Coalition for the Homeless

      National advocacy organization working to end homelessness. Provides information on homelessness and related issues, as well as links to local and state …
      http://www.nationalhomeless.org/ – 17k – Cached – Similar pages

    4. Facts About Homelessness

      The National Coalition for the Homeless publishes fact sheets on various aspects of homelessness. Each sheet summarizes facts and issues and contains a list …
      http://www.nationalhomeless.org/publications/facts.html – 14k – Cached – Similar pages
      More results from www.nationalhomeless.org »

    5. Image results for homeless

      – Report imagesReport the following images as offensive. Confirm CancelThank you for the feedback.

      http://www.philanthromedia.org/archives/2008/07/homelessness_which_margins_are.html http://theunheard.wordpress.com/category/expose/page/12/ http://www.hwupdate.org/update/2008/03/action_alert_stop_the_hrsa_hou.html http://reasonstohateamerica.wordpress.com/category/americans/page/2/
    6. Video results for homeless

      Leona Lewis – Homeless (NEW!)
      3 min 37 sec
      http://www.youtube.com

      Will Hatcher’s: Crank Dat Homeless Man
      2 min 19 sec
      http://www.youtube.com

    7. News results for homeless


      US study backs shelter, drink for homeless alcoholics – Mar 31, 2009

      By Michael Conlon CHICAGO (Reuters) – A program that gives shelter to homeless alcoholics but allows them to keep drinking and not be forced into treatment …

      Reuters – 129 related articles »

      Shelters slowly adapt to help transgender homeless – The Associated Press – 228 related articles »

      SF homeless census finds slight increase – San Francisco Chronicle

    8. National Alliance to End Homelessness

      A nationwide federation of public, private, and nonprofit organizations devoted to ending homelessness. Includes discussion forum, fact sheets, calendar, …
      http://www.endhomelessness.org/ – 72k – Cached – Similar pages

    9. Homeless Veterans Home

      Department of Veterans Affairs Homeless Veteran Program.
      http://www.va.gov/Homeless/ – 14k – Cached – Similar pages

    10. Homelessness

      On any given night in America, anywhere from 700000 to 2 million people are homeless, according to estimates of the National Law Center on Homelessness and …
      http://www.policyalmanac.org/social_welfare/homeless.shtml – 15k – Cached – Similar pages

    11. HOMELESS

      This movie is property of It’s Meow or Never Animal Sanctuary and may not be used, reproduced, or profited from in any way. …
      http://www.itsmeowornever.org/homeless.html – 3k – Cached – Similar pages

    12. Fannie Mae – Help the Homeless Program: homepage

      For more than 20 years, the Fannie Mae Help the Homeless Program has brought together caring and committed individuals to work toward preventing and ending …
      http://www.helpthehomelessdc.org/ – 18k – Cached – Similar pages

    Searches related to: homeless
    homeless shelters homeless stories homeless essay facts about the homeless
    homeless stats homelessness in america why are people homeless homeless photos

    http://www.google.com/search?q=homeless&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS258US258

    ****

    Where is America? The derision among our people towards one another must stop.  We are going to need all the help we can get among ourselves to shore up one another. Derision, cruel remarks, disgust, failure to reach out, lack of understanding, intolerance, and other things of a similar nature are a cruel and aggravating inconvenience when the economy is good, and opportunities exist. Once that has all gone to hell, that same derision becomes the instigation of violence and hopelessness – despair.

    Its bad enough when jobs are lost that are all tied up with identity and completeness, satisfaction and security, a feeling of encompassing and compassionate community and being a part of that community. Its even worse when homes are foreclosed and jobs lost, children no longer in the schools with their friends and the fabric of the communities are ripped asunder. Then, the willingness to suspend despair, hang in there and have hope, disappear quickly at the least and last provocation of that despair and that includes the derision and smart ass put downs of friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, ex- co-workers, bosses and associated members of the community that are seen everyday.

    After awhile that derision seems to be coming from everywhere, the opportunities for positive change are thwarted and the sustenance of life has been abrogated, then it is the last straw that breaks the camel’s back when it seems there is nothing left to lose.

    Worst of all, it is so completely unnecessary because we are all in this together whether the “bigwigs” think they are in it with us or not – they are, and whether it is socially cunning to send off a quick and smirky derisive put-down to cut somebody down to the knees, they don’t need it – and it doesn’t serve anybody.

    We really are all in this together and it isn’t now nor will it ever be the same as it was. Things have changed. Where there was room for error, there isn’t now in the same respect. And, that needs to be considered everyday because the only one running the mouth on the end of each face is the one with the brain behind it – and the same thing is true for the decisions made and choices that are created, resourced and pursued. But, we are still in this together and no man, woman or child is in it alone as an island unto themselves whether that fact is recognized or not.
    – cricketdiane, 04-05-09
    ***

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    North Korean missile launch coverage on CNN International clearly shows N. Korean troops that look anorexic and starved – Aren’t they trying to raise money with their missile launch to sell its paperwork / patents / technology to line the state coffers?

    05 Sunday Apr 2009

    Posted by CricketDiane in Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips

    ≈ Leave a comment

    Tags

    accounting principles, bailouts, banking, bankruptcy, banks, bondholders, bonds, budget deficits, Bush economics, Business, collateralized debt obligations, Creating Solutions for America, credit crunch crisis, credit default swaps, credit derivatives, Cricket D, cricket diane, Cricket Diane C Phillips, Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips, Cricket Diane Designs, Cricket House Studios, cricketdiane, CricketHouseStudios, currencies, currency values, Current Economic Info Sources, Democracy, depression, diane c phillips, Economic depression, economic statistics and analysis, Economics, Economy, Federal government, financial derivatives, foreclosures, global economic crisis, government corruption, Inventing Solutions For America, invest in America, investing, investment banking, investments, macro-economic future forecasting, macro-economics, Macro-economics future forecasting, macroeconomics, mark to market, missile launch, Money, North Korea, Principles of Economics, Reality-based Analysis, recession, rice, Senate, shareholders, Solutions, solvency, statistics, stimulus bill, stimulus package, structured investment vehicles, US currency, US dollar, US economic bailout, US economic crisis, US Government, US government policy, world hunger, World Security Council

    tanford Report, April 3, 2009

    Q&A with Stanford’s Daniel Sneider on U.S.-Korean relations

    BY ADAM GORLICK

    Daniel Sneider

    With fresh presidential administrations in the United States and South Korea, both countries are poised to deepen their military and economic ties. But the allies are still dealing with an old problem—North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

    North Korea is close to launching a rocket that Washington says is meant to test a long-range missile, but Pyongyang insists it is armed only with a communications satellite. Meanwhile, Kim’s regime is detaining two American journalists who crossed into North Korea from China.

    Daniel Sneider, the associate director of research at Stanford’s Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, was part of a group of 10 former government officials and scholars who recently presented recommendations to the Obama administration for revitalizing and expanding the United States’ relationship with South Korea.

    He spoke with Stanford Report about the bond between the two countries and the immediate challenges they have dealing with North Korea.

    Why should the Obama administration be so focused on South Korea right now?

    South Korea is by any standard one of the most important allies we have in the world, and President Obama has made that statement very strongly. Many people think of South Korea only in military terms because that is the legacy of the Korean War. And we still have almost 30,000 troops stationed in South Korea. But our alliance goes beyond simply our military security commitment. South Korea is a major economic player in the world—it’s one of the world’s biggest economies and they have a huge impact on our own fate as a country. They’re our creditors as well as a marketplace for the U.S. There’s also a global dimension to our relationship. As allies, they’ve sent troops to Iraq, to Afghanistan, and they have a role in providing assistance to developing countries in Africa and elsewhere. South Korea is a player on many key issues.

    The United States and South Korea have a free-trade agreement that still needs to be ratified. What is the importance of pact, especially in light of the global economic crisis?

    It’s an agreement that very much opens the markets in both countries to the products of each other. Korea has traditionally had a somewhat protected home market. They’ve followed an economic strategy protecting domestic producers from competition while building them up as global players in the marketplace. But now Korea is at a stage of its economic development where they’ve removed many of those barriers. One objective in this free trade agreement is to take those last barriers down, like those to U.S. financial service firms and law firms wanting to participate actively in the Korean market and allowing for more foreign investors in Korea.

    It’s been a controversial agreement in both countries. In South Korea, it means more foreign competition and a loss of jobs for Korean workers. And there are those in the United States who believe the agreement wasn’t sufficient in creating access, particularly in the automobile market. Koreans sell a lot of automobiles in the U.S., but we sell hardly any cars in Korea.

    But the agreement broadens the nature of our relationship beyond security dimensions. It lets the world know we’re allies and partners—not just because we have a history going back to the Korean War, but because we have overlapping and common interests in terms of how the global and regional economy is managed.

    President Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak have called for “stern, unified action” if North Korea launches a rocket in the coming days. What specific action can we expect to be taken?

    There is on the books a U.N. Security Council resolution calling upon North Korea to cease any test of ballistic missiles, and it imposes a range of sanctions. I expect the United States and South Korea and Japan to go aback to the U.N. Security Council to seek approval of a resolution condemning the North Korean test and asking for the implementation of the sanctions already in place. The question is how China and Russia will respond. Both of them will veto a resolution, and you can’t pass a resolution without them.

    What implications will a rocket launch have on the already sputtering six-party talks over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program involving the United States, North and South Korea, China, Japan and Russia?

    A lot of people would like to see those talks resume. I would say the view in Washington and Seoul is that the six-party talks should not be allowed to completely collapse. And remember—bilateral talks have been ongoing between North Korea and the United States during the past two years. We should continue both the multilateral talks, but we should not be afraid to conduct direct talks with the North Koreans and to keep the door open under all circumstances.

    Should there be any conditions on bilateral talks with the North?

    We don’t recommend there be conditions. We can respond toughly to a satellite launch while still being ready to engage in diplomatic contacts. We have limited leverage with the North Koreans. We can’t credibly threaten the use of force because is raises the danger of a wider war on the Korean peninsula. And we don’t have much economic leverage because it’s such an isolated state. We have to look for whatever little leverage we have and be realistic about what our expectations are.

    How does the detention of American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee play into U.S. relations with North Korea?

    This is a somewhat strange and unfortunate case. The Obama administration has been very quiet about it. I suspect there is a quiet effort behind the scenes to negotiate their release, but I think that’s going to have to wait for the missile launch and the aftermath of that. It’s a little hard to deal with the issue of the journalists in that context. The North Koreans use everything—their missile program, their nuclear program—and now this little gift of having these journalists cross over their border. They use everything at their disposal to try and gain bargaining leverage.

    The Obama administration has used a fair degree of mature patience not rising to the bait of provocation. It should simply stay on the line toward pushing the North Koreans toward negotiations over nuclear weapons with the understanding that we may not get immediate results.

    The possibility that the North Koreans are going to give up their nuclear weapons in the near future is practically nonexistent. These weapons give them leverage and a tool of intimidation that’s been very useful to them. This is not a strong state that’s acting against us as a threat. This is a weak state that’s using these instruments trying to compensate for its underlying weaknesses.

    Kim Jong-il reportedly had a stroke last year and it is assumed his health is deteriorating. What does that mean for North Korea’s future? What happens when he dies?

    North Korea has a collapsed economy and a very serious domestic political crisis. Kim Jong-il hasn’t prepared his own succession. It’s largely a question of which one of his three sons is he going to designate as his successor, and there are issues with those sons. The two older ones are widely not considered to be capable to rule, and the youngest son is 25 years old. They’re desperately looking for time and for legitimacy to be able to deal with succession issues.

    I suspect that part of what’s going on with the missile launch and the belligerent attitude the North Koreans have taken during the early Obama administration is a product of internal politics. Hard-line elements are in the ascendancy and the regime feels it needs to be quite aggressive because they’re actually quite weak.

    http://news.stanford.edu/news/2009/april8/korea-us-relations-sneider-040809.html
    ***
    My Note –
    I had noticed a picture on the CNNI broadcast of the Korean military which featured an upclose look at the marching troop members and was taken by the fact that the soldier, well-groomed, uniformed and stern – looked like skin and bones. I don’t know when this photo was taken and it appeared tonight on their broadcasts about the N. Korean missile launch, but if the camera adds five pounds – these soldiers are starving – and if they are starving then the population is surely suffering.
    – CricketDiane, 04-04-09

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    Food Security – Commodities Markets – Speculators and Real Hunger Across the World – US and Global Economic Crisis

    05 Sunday Apr 2009

    Posted by CricketDiane in Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips

    ≈ Leave a comment

    Tags

    accounting principles, bailouts, banking, bankruptcy, banks, bondholders, bonds, budget deficits, Bush economics, Business, collateralized debt obligations, Creating Solutions for America, credit crunch crisis, credit default swaps, credit derivatives, Cricket D, cricket diane, Cricket Diane C Phillips, Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips, Cricket Diane Designs, Cricket House Studios, cricketdiane, CricketHouseStudios, currencies, currency values, Current Economic Info Sources, Democracy, depression, diane c phillips, Economic depression, economic statistics and analysis, Economics, Economy, Federal government, financial derivatives, foreclosures, global economic crisis, government corruption, Inventing Solutions For America, invest in America, investing, investment banking, investments, macro-economic future forecasting, macro-economics, Macro-economics future forecasting, macroeconomics, mark to market, Money, Principles of Economics, Reality-based Analysis, recession, Senate, shareholders, Solutions, solvency, statistics, stimulus bill, stimulus package, structured investment vehicles, US currency, US dollar, US economic bailout, US economic crisis, US Government, US government policy

    ****&****

    My note –
    N.Korea only seems to start shit that demands response from the international community when they have concerns over food and specifically rice – rice crops and hunger.

    – cricketdiane, 04-04-09

    What have our commodities speculators done? Are the agri costs preventing crops from being planted this year as a result of the global contraction and the skyrocketing costs of fertilizers and lower expected return from those crops on the market?

    ****

    Military’s influence on aid too great in Afghanistan – NGOs


    KABUL – Much of the international aid to Afghanistan over the past seven years has been spent to achieve military and political objectives, and the current approach to aid lacks “clarity, coherence and resolve”, a group of international NGOs has said. full report

    • Food aid not reaching most vulnerable
    • “Work has never been as difficult as now” – ICRC
    • IRIN’s most popular articles
    • Receive IRIN reports for free by e-mail

    NEPAL: Switching to bananas


    •
    Concerns over worsening food security

    MYANMAR: Rohingya face rising food insecurity

    • Regional approach to Rohingya boat people

    BANGLADESH: Air pollution choking Dhaka

    • More Environment reports

    PHILIPPINES: ICRC hostage freed

    • Philippines RSS feed

    PAKISTAN: NGOs restricted, operating in fear

    •

    “NGOs should leave Swat” – insurgent leader

    ASIA: Urgent need to tackle transboundary animal diseases, says FAO

    • Asia RSS feed

    Asia News
    Maps

    AFGHANISTAN: Food aid not reaching most vulnerable women, children
    INDONESIA: Search for 131 missing people continues
    AFGHANISTAN: Dozens of schools reopen in volatile south
    PAKISTAN: Some 1,500 IDPs clash with police
    ASIA: Fighting the spread of Artemisinin-resistant malaria

    [archive more news »]
    Features
    CAMBODIA: The high price of jealousy
    PHNOM PENH, 26 March 2009 (IRIN) – Sreygao is house-bound, her life destroyed after a jealous wife doused her face and neck with acid. It burned into her skin and blinded her. “Everything has been taken from me because someone was very jealous,” she told IRIN.
    full report
    BANGLADESH: Fears for social stability as migrant workers return
    DHAKA, 26 March 2009 (IRIN) – Abdul Monsur has good reason to worry. After losing his job as a pipe welder in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) he was deported to Bangladesh. Such stories are not uncommon. Layoffs and forced repatriation of Bangladeshi workers from the Middle East and Malaysia (the two primary destinations for Bangladeshi workers) are increasing at an alarming rate.
    full report
    PHILIPPINES: Insecurity jeopardises aid work
    MANILA, 25 March 2009 (IRIN) – A hostage crisis involving three International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers may force agencies to stop bringing assistance to some areas, officials told IRIN, as humanitarian workers feel increasingly under threat in the hostile south.
    full report
    PHILIPPINES: Maternal mortality rates “not making sufficient progress”
    MANILA, 24 March 2009 (IRIN) – Thousands of Filipino women continue to die due to complications related to childbirth, according to health specialists.
    full report
    MYANMAR: Beyond the delta, aid projects miss out
    YANGON, 19 March 2009 (IRIN) – The positive aspects of the Cyclone Nargis response in the Ayeyarwady Delta have yet to translate into better access or more funds for aid operations in the rest of Myanmar, where needs are great and often unmet, according to aid workers.
    full report

    http://www.irinnews.org/IRIN-Asia.aspx

    ***

    World view
    Global hunger
    The crisis the world forgot

    Last Updated: Thursday, April 2, 2009 | 11:53 AM ET Comments20Recommend48
    By Brian Stewart CBC News

    It says a great deal about the general instability of our age that the world can misplace entire crises in the shock of the latest alarms.

    The G20 summit in London this week was chiefly concerned with what some now call The Great Recession across the developed world.

    But what happened to The Great Global Hunger Crisis? You’ll remember how it swept across large parts of Asia and Africa over the past two years, provoking widespread hoarding of rice and grain as well as food riots.
    Village women in Chirumhanzi, Zimbabwe, wait for food handouts from Oxfam in January 2009. At least five million Zimbabweans rely on food aid and the number is rising because of recent crop failures. Village women in Chirumhanzi, Zimbabwe, wait for food handouts from Oxfam in January 2009. At least five million Zimbabweans rely on food aid and the number is rising because of recent crop failures. (Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi/Associated Press)

    It has since almost entirely disappeared from the news. But not from the real world.

    In reality, the now largely overlooked food crisis is continuing to devastate much of the poor world and to reverse some of the historic advances over the past dozen or so years in reducing global poverty.

    Until fairly recently, hundreds of millions of people in Asia, Africa and South America were moving into better lives, even joining the middle class.

    But the lack of investment in agriculture, along with the rapid rise in commodity prices and the ravages of the current recession, has now cast an estimated 90 million people back into abject poverty.

    The total now living in such extreme conditions is once again climbing above one billion, the first absolute increase in the hungry and destitute in a generation.
    ‘It’s a mess’

    When I was in London recently I spoke with Tim Lang, who’s studied the economics of global food production for more than three decades. Lang is one of Britain’s leading development experts and an adviser to the World Health Organization.

    “In 2007,” he said, “I started being optimistic for the first time in a very long time about world food policy. It looked like world leaders were going to be coming together and taking very seriously the coming food crisis.

    “But then it actually started dropping off the agenda the moment the credit crisis happened. The leaders came to the UN and to the Food and Agriculture Organization in June 2008. But their minds were already on the meltdown of the capital markets.”

    World leaders from the 20 largest economies gathered in London for a G20 summit on the international recession amid an unprecedented security operation and protests in the streets. World leaders from the 20 largest economies gathered in London for a G20 summit on the international recession amid an unprecedented security operation and protests in the streets. (Simon Dawson/Associated Press)

    For the media, capital markets dominate global news even though one-third of UN nations — 60 overall — face growing food shortages and have large segments of their populations spending 75-80 per cent of their incomes on food.

    To those like Lang who track agricultural production, there appears little hope of a turnaround in the near future.

    “We’ve got a highly divided world of 6.7 billion people,” he says. “One billion are suffering malnutrition and hunger, 1.3 billion are overweight and obese. It’s a mess.”
    A hungry planet

    Indeed, it would be very difficult to exaggerate the gravity of the food crisis. Everyday, 24,000 children die from hunger related diseases — that’s one every 3.6 seconds.

    The world should have enough food, but agriculture has suffered from severe under-investment for over 30 years.

    Corn, sugar and petroleum products eat up steadily increasing amounts of prime land. Water is also in short supply, while populations are rising and countries such as Brazil, Russia, India and China have been growing richer and adding more (grain-consuming) meat to their diets.

    Together these things comprise the burning fuse of the 21st-century food crisis. And now you can add in the fact that food aid from rich donors has also been collapsing in recent months.

    Of the $20 billion in new aid pledged by developed nations less than 20 per cent has actually been delivered. These countries are reneging on promises as their own economies weaken.
    Neglect can be dangerous

    But possibly the gravest danger at the moment is the one least talked about.

    It is that, as economic protectionism rises, the jobs of many so-called guest workers will be sacrificed first.

    These workers send home over $200 billion annually in remittances to family members in the poorest nations. This amount is three to four times the level of international aid.

    In London, the head of the British Overseas Development Institute, Simon Maxwell, warns that the sacrifice of foreign workers could be the last straw collapsing a generation

    “Countries which have a very heavy dependence on remittances, you know Kenya for example, see remittances that are down 40 per cent and falling rapidly.

    “Mexico, where did their remittances come from? The United States. Those are falling. Bangladesh exports a lot of labour to the Middle East, but now the number of people leaving Bangladesh has dropped dramatically. And developed countries have become quite protectionist in terms of stopping migrant labour coming in. New rules, new formula, new quotas.”

    Anti-poverty activists have been trying to nudge the wealthy G20 nations into reversing labour protection rules and spending stimulus money in developing countries. But given the air of barely suppressed panic in the rich world, that approach is unlikely.

    For the wealthy nations, the future is too uncertain as the full blast of the economic crisis has yet to hit. That means the poorest countries will continue to receive minimal attention, which can have an impact well beyond their borders.

    The UN estimates 27 nations are approaching violent instability as their brief period of food prosperity comes undone.

    Given these realities, ignoring one crisis for another is not likely to increase the security of an increasingly troubled world.

    http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/04/02/f-vp-stewart.html

    ***
    humanitarian news and analysis
    UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

    THAILAND: Rising rice prices fuel fears of food shortages and starvation

    Photo: Amantha Perera/IRIN
    Mature rice ready for harvesting
    BANGKOK, 4 April 2008 (IRIN) – International aid agencies are increasingly worried by the recent dramatic rise in food costs, and particularly rice prices, across Asia and the effect this will have on food assistance projects for the poorest people in the region.

    The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is watching the rising price of rice, especially in Thailand, with alarm. “I have sleepless nights,” Jack Keulemans, regional procurement officer for the organisation, told IRIN.

    “As prices go up in the world market many millions of people across Asia will face food shortages and possible starvation,” WFP regional spokesperson Paul Risely said. “Every day we are battling to procure food, and every day millions of people in Asia are in greater danger of going hungry.”

    WFP estimates that at present prices, it needs more than US$160 million to maintain its current commitments in the Asia region. But, according to Keulemans, with rice prices increasing daily, the organisation will soon be hard-pressed to purchase rice at any price.

    “It’s not that we are panicking just yet,” Erika Joergensen, WFP’s deputy regional director for Asia, told journalists in Bangkok last week. “But we are cautioning that unless this situation improves it may really become a major problem.”

    International shortage

    The rice price in Thailand alone has more than tripled since the beginning of the year. This week, the export price of Thai rice topped US$1,000 per metric ton – the highest since the early 1970s during the OPEC oil squeeze. More critically, there is also a shortage of rice and other grains on the international market.

    World stocks of grain are at their lowest for more than 20 years, according to agricultural experts. International rice supplies are at their lowest since 1976.

    The availability of rice on the international market has been further exacerbated by the decision of many of the world’s leading rice exporting countries to limit sales or ban them altogether.

    Last week, the Cambodian prime minister urged people not to panic buy or hoard rice. In the past few weeks leading rice exporters, including Egypt, India and Pakistan have halted almost all exports of rice, at least for the time being, while China and Vietnam have also dramatically reduced their exports.

    While this may help stabilise rice prices locally and ensure supplies in the supermarkets, it is not good news for importing countries like the Philippines and Timor-Leste, or aid agencies seeking rice supplies, according to WFP.

    Contingency plans

    The agency says it will have to reduce the size of food rations, or reduce the frequency of distribution to once a fortnight instead of once a week, if it does not receive more funds. Only as a last resort would WFP stop distribution all together, Risely told IRIN.

    The situation in Thailand, the world’s biggest rice exporter and where WFP buys most of its rice requirements for Asia, seems to be getting worse daily.

    “The price is almost certain to continue to go up in the near future,” said Vichai Sriprasert, president of Riceland International, a major Thai rice exporter. “Exporters who have stocks are making a lot of money, as millers who have supply contracts are not actually delivering the rice.”

    Many aid experts blame speculation and media reports about the prospect of further rises in rice prices for the regional price-hike crisis.

    According to Prasit Boonchuey, president of the Thai Farmers’ Association, rice farmers do not seem to be benefiting from the increased prices. He said they have to sell their grain immediately after harvest because of the lack of storage facilities.

    WFP is not alone in sounding the alarm about a pending rice crisis. Thousands of Burmese refugees, who fled across the border into Thailand to escape the military government, are now facing severe rice shortages.

    Poorest people suffer

    “The rice price is killing us,” said Jack Dunford, head of the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) of agencies that provide food, shelter and other aid to more than 140,000 refugees along the border with Thailand.

    The agency has appealed to its donors for more funds, but is seriously considering reducing the rations it currently provides the refugees. “This is a very vulnerable group of people,” Dunford said. “We may have to cut our support to them.”

    His sentiments mirror those of many aid workers and UN officials providing support for the poorest people in the region. “They are the ones who are going to suffer most if the rice prices continue to skyrocket,” said WFP’s Risely.

    “There is a potential for a significant humanitarian crisis as a result,” he told IRIN. “We have already seen unrest in some places in the region where price rises have affected people.”

    lj/bj/sr

    Theme(s): (IRIN) Early Warning, (IRIN) Economy, (IRIN) Food Security

    [ENDS]

    [This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

    http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77608

    ***
    http://www.irinnews.org/IRIN-Asia.aspx

    humanitarian news and analysis
    UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

    Sunday 05 April 2009

    Military’s influence on aid too great in Afghanistan – NGOs

    KABUL – Much of the international aid to Afghanistan over the past seven years has been spent to achieve military and political objectives, and the current approach to aid lacks “clarity, coherence and resolve”, a group of international NGOs has said. full report

    • Food aid not reaching most vulnerable
    • “Work has never been as difficult as now” – ICRC
    • IRIN’s most popular articles
    • Receive IRIN reports for free by e-mail
    NEPAL: Switching to bananas

    • Concerns over worsening food security

    MYANMAR: Rohingya face rising food insecurity
    • Regional approach to Rohingya boat people
    BANGLADESH: Air pollution choking Dhaka

    • More Environment reports PHILIPPINES: ICRC hostage freed

    • Philippines RSS feed
    PAKISTAN: NGOs restricted, operating in fear

    • “NGOs should leave Swat” – insurgent leader ASIA: Urgent need to tackle transboundary animal diseases, says FAO

    • Asia RSS feed
    Asia News
    Maps
    AFGHANISTAN: Food aid not reaching most vulnerable women, children
    INDONESIA: Search for 131 missing people continues
    AFGHANISTAN: Dozens of schools reopen in volatile south
    PAKISTAN: Some 1,500 IDPs clash with police
    ASIA: Fighting the spread of Artemisinin-resistant malaria
    [archive more news »]
    Features
    CAMBODIA: The high price of jealousy
    PHNOM PENH, 26 March 2009 (IRIN) – Sreygao is house-bound, her life destroyed after a jealous wife doused her face and neck with acid. It burned into her skin and blinded her. “Everything has been taken from me because someone was very jealous,” she told IRIN.
    full report
    BANGLADESH: Fears for social stability as migrant workers return
    DHAKA, 26 March 2009 (IRIN) – Abdul Monsur has good reason to worry. After losing his job as a pipe welder in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) he was deported to Bangladesh. Such stories are not uncommon. Layoffs and forced repatriation of Bangladeshi workers from the Middle East and Malaysia (the two primary destinations for Bangladeshi workers) are increasing at an alarming rate.
    full report
    PHILIPPINES: Insecurity jeopardises aid work
    MANILA, 25 March 2009 (IRIN) – A hostage crisis involving three International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers may force agencies to stop bringing assistance to some areas, officials told IRIN, as humanitarian workers feel increasingly under threat in the hostile south.
    full report
    PHILIPPINES: Maternal mortality rates “not making sufficient progress”
    MANILA, 24 March 2009 (IRIN) – Thousands of Filipino women continue to die due to complications related to childbirth, according to health specialists.
    full report
    MYANMAR: Beyond the delta, aid projects miss out
    YANGON, 19 March 2009 (IRIN) – The positive aspects of the Cyclone Nargis response in the Ayeyarwady Delta have yet to translate into better access or more funds for aid operations in the rest of Myanmar, where needs are great and often unmet, according to aid workers.
    full report

    http://www.irinnews.org/IRIN-Asia.aspx

    ***

    In-Depth: Food Crisis: Status and Impacts

    <!–

    –>

    Global food crisis focus in Madrid

    – Food aid must change to suit children
    – Talks and more talks about food
    – Calls to reform Food Aid Convention
    – Splitting the food bill in Madrid

    Asia Features
    AFGHANISTAN: Drop in fuel, food prices raises hope for food insecure


    LAOS: Breeding livestock to nurture livelihoods


    NEPAL: Building a food bridge to survive the lean times


    AFGHANISTAN: Urgent need to pre-position food aid <!–
    PAKISTAN: Food inflation spikes over Ramadan
    NEPAL: Fuel shortage threat to food security
    THAILAND: Buffaloes play greater role as fuel and fertiliser prices soar
    CAMBODIA: Farmers turn back to oxen as fuel price rises
    INDONESIA: Battling to beat the rice crisis–>
    Middle East Features
    SYRIA: Rice import snag leaves some Iraqi refugees short


    SYRIA: Bread subsidies under threat as drought hits wheat production


    ISRAEL-OPT: Gaza fuel, cooking gas shortages beginning to bite


    YEMEN: Soaring food prices force more people below poverty line – WFP
    Africa Features
    NIGERIA: Food stocks low, prices high, despite good harvest


    WEST AFRICA: Do high food prices warrant a cash response?


    CAMEROON: Life in Douala, one of the world’s most expensive cities


    KENYA: Livestock disease, high prices fuelling food insecurity <!–
    COTE D’IVOIRE: Racketeering at roadblocks raises food prices
    SENEGAL: Dakar on less than $5 a day
    MAURITANIA: Struggling to cope in pre-harvest “lean season”
    NIGERIA: Desperate children swamp northern cities as food price hikes bite–>
    Film/Audio
    KENYA: Impact of climate change on three Masai families

    Bangladesh – Cyclone misery
    Coping with the aftermath of Cyclone Sidr

    Fisherman Shiraz Munshi put  out of business
    Widow Layli Akhtar left with one daughter
    Orphan Mustafa Mullah can’t cope on his own
    Food Crisis Q & A
    Why everything costs more
    Hear our Voices
    KENYA: Agnes Ekelan, “I can only eat if I sell firewood”

    more…

    Photogallery
    PHILIPPINES: Rice shortage hits poor
    Links and References
    <!–

    –>ReliefWeb Food crisis
    <!–
    –><!–
    –>The Secretary-General’s High-Level Task Force
    Food and Agriculture Organisation
    World Bank
    Overseas Development Institute
    Famine Early Warning Systems Network
    International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD)
    World Food Programme
    BBC
    In-Depth Feedback
    IRIN welcomes feedback. Send your messages to feedback.

    Global: Multimedia coverage, links and stories


    Photo: Jaspreet Kindra/IRIN
    WFP vouchers for free maize have prompted requests for rice (file photo)

    BURKINA FASO: WFP expands food voucher pilot

    OUAGADOUGOU, 3 April 2009 (IRIN) – Families in Burkina Faso’s second-largest city, Bobo-Dioulasso, have begun receiving US$3 vouchers that can be cashed in for maize, cooking oil, salt, sugar and soap.

    The distribution is the second half of a World Food Programme (WFP) urban hunger-alleviation experiment launched on 13 February in the capital, Ouagadougou, to help people cope with high food prices.

    full report

    <!–GLOBAL: Food aid must change to suit children–>FRONTLINE REPORTS

    Increased hunger more

    MYANMAR: Rohingya face rising food insecurity
    KENYA: Severe warning sounded on food security

    New online price tool shows food still expensive
    JOHANNESBURG, 26 March 2009 (IRIN) – If you are a humanitarian food aid agency with limited resources, operating in Afghanistan and trying to access wheat supplies at the lowest prices, a new UN online tool can help you shop around.
    full report

    Rising aid costs more

    GLOBAL: Winds of change in US food aid policy?
    GLOBAL: Donor response to food crisis inadequate, agencies say

    Health affected more

    AFGHANISTAN: Food aid not reaching most vulnerable women, children
    CONGO: Thousands to benefit in food and nutrition project

    Reduced growth more

    GLOBAL: Economic slowdown to push 100m into poverty
    INDONESIA: Poor hit hard as fuel prices rise

    Threat of unrest more

    COMOROS: Concerns over possible social unrest
    GUINEA-BISSAU: Soaring prices could trigger social conflict

    Slideshow
    Philippines: Rice shortage hits poor

    Government intervention more

    DJIBOUTI: “We are not moving as fast as I would like”
    AFRICA: Soil scientists join efforts to boost food security

    Opportunities? more

    ZAMBIA: A better meal than maize-meal
    CAPE VERDE: Growing food without soil

    [ENDS]

    HyperLink

    http://www.irinnews.org/InDepthMain.aspx?InDepthId=72&ReportId=77872

    ****

    My note – check this story from 1993 against actions in Asia / N, Korea

    Floods in Asia ruin rice crop: Japan set to reverse import ban – Storms threaten rest of harvest

    RAYMOND WHITAKER, Asia Editor

    Monday, 11 October 1993

    A COOL, wet summer in north- east Asia has devastated the rice crop, an event with political and social consequences ranging from raids on rice storehouses in Japan to possible unrest in North Korea. Typhoon Ed is threatening further damage in Japan, while further south and west, rice-growing areas of the Philippines and Vietnam have been hit by tropical storms.

    Japan, where governments’ refusal to allow imports of rice forces consumers to pay at least nine times more than anywhere else, will have to import at least 1 million tonnes over the next 15 months, following the worst crop since 1945. Typhoon Ed is now threatening to bring more rain just as the harvest is being brought in.

    South Korea has estimated that bad weather will cut its rice crop by just over 10 per cent. In Communist North Korea, propaganda organs have claimed a bumper harvest, but have given no reliable figures. According to a research institute in the south, Pyongyang is covering up one of the worst rice crops in recent years.

    Kim Un-kun, a fellow of the state-funded Korea Rural Economic Institute, said North Korean rice production was expected to fall by nearly a third this year. Food shortages seemed to be ‘a serious problem’ in the north. Earlier this year rumours filtered out of food riots and guards being placed on warehouses where rations are kept. One report said visitors had seen a new slogan on billboards, calling on North Koreans to eat one meal fewer per day.

    The South Korean institute said it co-operated with a Chinese institute to carry out surveys along North Korea’s borders with the two countries. The north’s collectivised agriculture, added Mr Kim, suffered from poor working practices, a lack of production incentives and shortages of technology and fertilisers. Andy Aronson, chief rice forecaster for the US Department of Agriculture, said North Korea was likely to attempt to make up its shortfall by bartering mineral resources for low-quality rice from China.

    Rice forms a small part of the world trade in agricultural products, but the refusal of Japan and South Korea to permit imports has put their staple food at the top of the Gatt (world trade agreement) agenda. This week the US Agriculture Secretary, Mike Espy, arrives in Tokyo to keep up the pressure on Japan to open its market. He will be followed later this month by Peter Sutherland, the new Gatt chief, who will be seeking a resolution of the dispute by the 15 December Gatt deadline.

    The failure of this year’s crop has heightened the embarrassment of Tokyo and Seoul. Japan has announced ’emergency imports’ of 200,000 tonnes this year, and will probably ensure that some is bought from the US, the world’s leading exporter. But Morihiro Hosokawa’s coalition government cannot afford to antagonise the country’s rice farmers, who have disproportionate political influence. It insists that the self-sufficiency policy will remain, even though imports of up to 1 million tonnes may be necessary next year. South Korea, where 15 per cent of the population earns a living from rice growing, is equally obdurate.

    With astronomical rice prices likely to go even higher in Japan, thefts from storehouses have increased. Farmers and office workers have joined professional criminals in stealing supplies, hoping, according to police, to make a profit as prices rise.

    World rice stocks are enough to supply deficits in any Asian country, but prolonged floods in the Philippines, which has been hit twice by Typhoon Flo, would weaken the country’s economy further. Vietnam, the world’s third- largest exporter, has the worst flooding for 90 years in central provinces, but its main rice-growing areas have had a record crop.

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/floods-in-asia-ruin-rice-crop-japan-set-to-reverse-import-ban–storms-threaten-rest-of-harvest-1510013.html
    ****

    Bumper rice crop may not help the world’s poorest

    var addthis_pub=”owsa”; Bookmark  and Share
    27 February 2009

    Food and Agriculture Organisation has predicted that global paddy production in 2008 can bring down consumer prices. However, it also cautions that falling incomes and rising job insecurity due to economic meltdown may continue to affect the poor and their access to basic food.

    Rome: The 2008 rice bumper harvest is coming to a close with better-than-expected production that could help ease consumer prices, FAO said in its February Rice Market Monitor.

    But the agency warned that the global economic slowdown could outweigh the gains for the poorest of the world’s rice consumers, because of falling incomes and rising job insecurity.

    Rice-Harvest.jpg
    Rice harvesting in West Africa/ Photo credit: FAO

    FAO currently predicts global paddy production in the 2008 season to rise to 683 million tonnes, 3.5% more than in 2007 and the fastest rate of growth for three years.

    The increase will be due to a 2.2% increase in the amount of land cultivated globally as farmers and governments reacted to the high prices. The global 2008 rice harvest ends in Asian northern hemisphere countries around May.

    Rapid increases in the price of rice – the staple food for around two and a half billion people – and other cereals played a major role in the food price shocks last year, characterised by high fuel and fertilizer prices that triggered political unrest in many countries.

    Down but still high

    Global rice prices for 2008 ended the year on average 80% higher than in 2007 despite the steady decline since their peak levels in May, FAO said. The price of a tonne of the benchmark Thai white 100% second grade was $611 in January compared to $385 in the same month in 2008 having risen to a peak of $963.

    “One positive effect of the high rice prices in 2008 was that farmers and governments took up the challenges and opportunities and planted more, boosting production despite high fuel and fertilizer costs and a scarcity of quality seed,” said FAO Senior Economist Concepcion Calpe.

    Favourable weather in many parts of the world also helped to sustain yields in the face of high fuel and fertilizer prices.

    Slowdown to hit consumers

    Soaring rice prices last year led governments round the world to take a variety of measures to try and dampen the effects on the poor.

    “If last year they (governments) had to intervene on two conflicting fronts, both to stimulate rice production and to keep rice affordable to consumers, they may face even greater challenges in 2009 in the context of the severe global economic slowdown,” FAO said in its report.

    “In this context, governments may again have to intervene, this time to sustain rice producer prices while also protecting the purchasing power of their populations, at a moment when demands for public help from other sectors are quickly intensifying.”

    Much of the global production gain for the 2008 paddy season is expected to be concentrated in Asia, with bumper harvests expected in both large and small producing countries.

    African harvest soars

    African countries are also forecasting exceptional results and rice production is expected to rise by an impressive 18 percent due to government support and increased use of new, high-yielding and resilient seed varieties. As a result, rice imports to Africa are now expected to decline to their lowest level since 2004.

    The excellent 2008 paddy crop is expected to lead to a strong rebuilding of world rice reserves this year to 118 million tonnes, in milled rice equivalent, the highest level since 2002 and nine million tonnes more than in 2008.

    Traditional importing countries are forecast to replenish their reserves by over one million tonnes to some 20 million tonnes, but most of the world stock increase is likely to be concentrated among exporting countries.

    Although lower prices are good for consumers, export prices below US$400 per tonne for top quality white rice could adversely affect producers and hamper polices geared towards self-sufficiency in many importing countries, FAO said.

    Source : FAO

    http://southasia.oneworld.net/todaysheadlines/bumper-rice-crop-may-not-help-the-worlds-poorest

    ***

    Asia’s Rice Crop Under Threat: Research Institute – Rice Trade …

    1 post – 1 author – Last post: Oct 29, 2004

    Asia’s Rice Crop Under Threat: Research Institute World Rice Farming Crop Management Info, Research & new Technologies.
    http://www.oryza.com/forums/showthread.php?t=524 – 26k

    1. Asia Observer – Record cold weather threatens Thai rice crop

      Asia Observer is a portal to Asia with news, guide, community and forums.
      www.asiaobserver.com/content/view/576529/123/ – 43k – Cached – Similar pages

    2. The Rice Economy of Asia – Google Books Result

      by Randolph Barker, Robert W. Herdt, Beth Rose – 1985 – Rice trade
      High winds damage the rice crop by causing lodging (bending over of the stalks). … In the temperate areas, cold weather limits rice production to one crop …
      books.google.com/books?isbn=0915707144…

    3. Waterproof Rice May Help Asia Cope with Flooding : NPR

      Oct 9, 2007 … Asia’s rice crops are in danger from extreme weather associated with climate change. So now people are trying to develop rice that can adapt …
      http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15032263
    ****

    CROP

    – Harvest
    – Rice farming systems

    Harvest

    Depending on the weather and the cycle of the varieties, it is possible to obtain from one to four harvests per year.

    In tropical climates, rice is generally harvested twice a year. Sometimes, there are three harvests as in Vietnam and the Mekong Delta. Up to four harvests have taken place in China. The main harvest normally occurs between December and February.

    In temperate and cold tropical climates (in high altitude areas), there is only one harvest per year – from September to October in the Northern Hemisphere and from March to April in the Southern Hemisphere.

    Many factors must be combined to ensure a good harvest :
    – Adequate temperatures (the zero-physiologic is 12°C for Japonica and 13°C for Indica);
    – Enough water;
    – Careful work.

    The necessity of warm temperatures is not the major obstacle. Higher temperatures are only indispensable during the maturation period (at least 20°C for 25 to 40 days). Rice can bear seasonal variations of temperatures in Mediterranean regions, where winters can be cold, since water supply is regular and abundant during the growing period. In high altitude areas, adapted varieties can tolerate low temperatures (12°C in average) at night.

    Productivity

    – World average productivity: approximately 3,9 tons per hectare;
    – National maximum productivity: nearly 9,5 tons per hectare in intensive irrigated systems (Australia);
    – National minimum productivity: approximately 0,75 tons per hectare in traditional upland rice systems (Congo Republic).

    In most regions where the upland system predominates (Africa and mountain areas in the Southeast Asia which are characterized by burned areas and long 8-to-15 year rotations) the yields are low, with the exception of Brazil (intensive mechanized systems). Land easily deteriorates if handling practices (rotations and no tilage) are not quickly adopted. On the other hand, even without intense mechanization, irrigation allows very high productivity as in Australia (9,5 ton per ha) and Egypt (8,7 ton per ha).

    Rice farming systems

    The rainfed lowland rice

    – It grows over a compacted soil (mainly in Africa and Madagascar), in bunded fields able to retain between 0-25 centimeters (low level) and 25-50 cm (medium level) of water. Rainwater or a local reception tank, passing from one paddy to another by gravity, feeds this non-irrigated rice. The rainfed lowland rice is also cultivated in deep water (50-100 cm), therefore excluding semidwarf varieties. The risk of temporary drought and unexpected floods is the major concern in this production system.
    – Fertilizer utilization is rare. Introducing this type of cultivation, often associated with direct seeding and transplanting, is difficult and yields are low.
    – This type of rice system represents 25 percent of the total rice area and 17 percent of world production, ranking second after irrigated rice.
    – This rice farming system is located in rural regions where populational density is high, often in the poorest rural and urban populations.

    Upland or dryland rice (in mountains or plateaus)

    – Land is prepared for planting and rice is dry-seeded. Lack of humidity and normally poor soil affect crops and yields are often very low;
    – This ecosystem is found in Brazil (Center-West), Madagascar, India and southeast Asia. In Asia it is observed mainly near the river banks when the water goes down at the end of the rainy season. In some African and Latin-American countries it represents more than 50 percent of the total rice area;
    – Upland rice represents approximately 13 percent of rice planted area in the world and 4 percent of global rice production.

    Irrigated rice

    – Land is prepared while wet. Water is held in little reservoirs. Transplanted rice is most common in Asia. Elsewhere, direct seeding is used more and more due to increased labor costs.
    – In the transplanting system, seeds are pregerminated and grown in wet seed-beds for a period extending from 9-14 days in Madagascar to 40-50 days after sowing in Asia. The seedlings are then transplanted.
    – In direct seeding, seeds are frequently pregerminated. They may be broadcasted by hand (in Asia), machine-drilled in puddled soil or drill-seeded into dry soil, or even spread over the water by airplane (as in the United States and Australia).
    – Fertilization helps increase productivity, especially with semidwarf varieties or high-yielding varieties from the Green Revolution. Mineral, organic and ecological fertilizers are applied.
    – Rice productivity may obtain 5 tons per ha during the rainy season and more than 10 tons per ha in the dry season, when adapting advanced technologies.
    – Irrigated rice accounts for 55 percent of the world rice area and about 75 percent of world production.

    Deepwater or flood-prone rice

    – Water is 1 to 5 meters deep and is supplied by rivers, lakes or tides in river mouth deltas. Water depth may exceed 5 meters in some parts of Bangladesh, as well as in the Mekong, Chao Phraya and Niger deltas.
    – Seeds are broadcasted in ploughed fields, normally unbunded, in regions where the water level rises quickly after the beginning of the monsoon.
    – Traditional long tiller and few sprout varieties are cultivated. The plant elongates and floats as the floodwater advances, thus its name – “floating rice”.
    – Deepwater rice is found in south and southeast Asia (Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia, Sumatra), West Africa and South America.
    – Productivity is low, mainly due to climate risks (droughts and floods) and the low production potential of cultivars grown with few inputs. Nevertheless, this ecosystem meets the needs of more than 100 million people, most of them living on small family farms.
    – The construction of dams and other hydraulic projects has led to the transformation of some parts of Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Vietnam into irrigated rice areas.

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    http://www.unctad.org/infocomm/anglais/rice/crop.htm

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    ***

    ***

    Gov’t embarrassed over wrong N Korean rocket launch info

    National › 06:55 AM JST – 5th April

    TOKYO — As Japan went on high alert in anticipation of an imminent rocket launch by North Korea, erroneous launch information sent…

    http://www.japantoday.com/

    Gov’t embarrassed over wrong N Korean rocket launch info

    Sunday 05th April, 06:55 AM JST

    By Daisuke Yamamoto

    TOKYO —

    As Japan went on high alert in anticipation of an imminent rocket launch by North Korea, erroneous launch information sent out by the Japanese government on Saturday led to widespread confusion among the public and municipal authorities.

    The mistake has been tracked to the Self-Defense Forces, which misunderstood radar information as indicating a rocket launch had taken place and allowed the information to be sent out to the country and the world.

    The misstep has embarrassed the administration of Prime Minister Taro Aso, who was apparently hoping that by quickly conveying the launch information to the public, he could raise his profile as an effective crisis manager.

    ‘‘We caused a great deal of trouble to the Japanese people. This was a mistake in the transmission of information by the Defense Ministry and the Self-Defense Forces,’’ Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada told reporters. ‘‘I want to apologize to the people from my heart.’’

    The saga unfolded little more than an hour into the time frame North Korea had given for a rocket launch, which Pyongyang said would be conducted sometime between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. from Saturday to Wednesday to put a satellite into orbit.

    Tensions were mounting after a report earlier in the day by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency that the satellite ‘‘will be launched soon.’’

    At 12:16 p.m., the government released information via its Em-Net emergency e-mail system saying that ‘‘North Korea appears to have launched a projectile.’’

    Although the information was retracted as a ‘‘detection failure’’ five minutes later, the damage had already been done.

    Media organizations, both domestic and international, reported the notification as breaking news and some municipalities issued alerts to their residents based on an emergency email message sent by the central government.

    According to the ministry, the Air Self-Defense Force’s ground-based FPS-5 radar at the ministry’s Iioka research and development site in Asahi, Chiba Prefecture, picked up a trace over the Sea of Japan on the radar screen.

    The ‘‘Spark Information’‘—a code used for the detection of a ballistic missile—was immediately conveyed to the ASDF’s Air Defense Operations Group in the suburbs of Tokyo.

    The information was then relayed to the ASDF’s Air Defense Command on the same premises. The phrase ‘‘Detection at Iioka’’ had been added to it by then.

    However, the person who received the information at the command mistook the ‘‘Spark Information’’ for satellite early warning information provided by the U.S. military, according to the ministry. When the person conveyed the information to another person there, it contained two phrases that were not identical to the previous ones: ‘‘Detection at Iioka. SEW received.’’

    Satellite early warning information is based on data sent by the U.S. military’s Defense Support Program satellite orbiting the Earth. Equipped with an infrared telescope, the satellite is normally the quickest tool to detect ballistic missile launchings.

    The erroneous information was then relayed to the SDF’s Central Command Post in the Defense Ministry headquarters in central Tokyo, where the word ‘‘launch’’ was added in the process, and soon found itself within the crisis management center at the prime minister’s office at 12:16 p.m.

    The center immediately passed the information on to local governments across the country and media organizations without realizing that it was mistaken.

    ‘‘Personnel at the Central Command Post should have confirmed on their own computer terminal that satellite early warning information had indeed been received. The mistake could have been avoided if they had done so,’’ a ministry official said.

    The official declined to elaborate on why the personnel at the Iioka radar site misunderstood a trace on the radar screen as that of a ballistic missile or why the airman at the Air Defense Command mixed up the radar and satellite early warning information.

    ‘‘Although detection errors by an SDF radar are possible, the problem is serious if the launch information was disclosed to the public without cross-checking it with other pieces of information Japan and the United States had,’’ said Kazuhisa Ogawa, a military analyst.

    Ogawa said those who are supposed to verify and make judgments on such detection information should be held accountable.

    The day saw another blunder by the SDF in Akita Prefecture, over which part of the rocket is set to pass if it flies according to the plan announced by North Korea.

    A few hours before the mistaken information was sent out by the central government, the Akita prefectural government was notified by the Ground Self-Defense Force that North Korea had ‘‘fired a missile.’’ Based on the information, it issued an erroneous report to all municipalities in the prefecture.

    One of the municipal offices ended up communicating the report to households through a radio transmission for disaster management.

    According to the Defense Ministry, the email computer system at the Ground Staff Office in the ministry malfunctioned and a message bearing wrong launch information was sent to hundreds of recipients of the service.

    One of the recipients, a GSDF member at the prefectural government’s disaster preparedness headquarters, verbally communicated the message to a prefectural government official, who then passed on the information to all the municipalities six minutes later, prefectural officials said.

    ‘‘The (central) government disclosed the information it received as is, though it should have verified it at every step and carefully,’’ said Koichi Oizumi, an expert on crisis management.

    ‘‘This is the most elementary mistake…How can it defend the country like this? They need to scrutinize why they made mistakes,’’ the Aomori Chuo Gakuin University professor said.

    © 2009 Kyodo News. All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission.

    http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/wrong-launch-info-an-embarrassment-to-government

    ***

    North Korea: U.S. Seeks To Resume Six-Party Discussions
    Ambassador Bosworth (Apr. 3): “On the subject of the missile launch, which I suspect is at the forefront of everyone’s mind…we have continued to press the North Koreans and other countries on the issue of a missile launch. We take the position, as you know, that it is a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1718. We have continued to urge, as we urge now, the D.P.R.K. not to launch this.”  -Full Text  -Video

    http://www.state.gov/

    U.S. Policy Regarding North Korea
    April 3, 2009

    FPC Briefing
    Ambassador Stephen W. Bosworth
    Special Representative for North Korea Policy, U.S. Department of State
    Foreign Press Center
    Washington, DC

    Date: 04/03/2009 Location: Washington, DC Description: Ambassador Stephen W. Bosworth, Special Representative for North Korea Policy, U.S. Department of State, Briefing at the Washington Foreign Press Center on “U.S. Policy Regarding North Korea.” State Dept Photo

    11:00 A.M. EDT

    Video

    MODERATOR: Okay. Welcome to the Washington Foreign Press Center. We are very honored to have with us our Special Representative for North Korea Policy Ambassador Stephen Bosworth.

    Ambassador.

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: Thank you very much. It’s good to be here this morning. I recognize some faces and I suspect I will come to recognize more.

    I have now been in this position for about six weeks. It has been a rather busy six weeks. I made, together with Ambassador Sung Kim and colleagues, a trip to the region. We went to Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul. In Seoul, we consulted with our Russian partners in the Six-Party process. And I met with the press several times on that trip. This is the first time I’ve met with the press since being back here.

    Let me just say a few words and then I’ll take your questions. On the subject of the missile launch, which I suspect is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, I really don’t have anything new to say. We have continued to press the North Koreans and other countries on the issue of a missile launch. We take the position, as you know, that it is a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1718. We have continued to urge, as we urge now, the DPRK not to launch this. Whether it’s a satellite launch or a missile launch, in our judgment, makes no difference. It is a provocative act. And we hope that they will still reconsider and not do this.

    If it does occur, we will be continuing to work closely with our partners and our allies in the UN Security Council to consult vigorously on what action might then be appropriate. We believe that a defiance of a UN Security Council resolution is an action that requires that there be some consequences, and that will be our objective. At the same time, however, I would also say that we continue to look with great interest, and give great priority, to the need to resume the Six-Party discussions with the goal of the denuclearization – the verifiable denuclearization – of the Korean Peninsula. And that remains, of course, our long-term goal. And we would hope to be able to return to that goal in as reasonable a period of time as possible.

    So with that brief introduction, I would be happy to take questions. Yes.

    MODERATOR: Wait, just one moment, please. I’d ask you, please, to wait for the microphone and identify your media. Start in the back. Sir.

    QUESTION: Zoltan Mikes, World Business Press Online, Slovakia. I would like to ask if you have a set of negative incentives, like a set of punishments, what happens if North Korea do not – do not back up, end their launch? This flight, and if – because the positive ones didn’t work in the past, so what do you plan to do if North Korea will go on and they’ll provoke?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: I really am not going to get into that question in any depth at all, other than to say that we will continue to consult with our partners and the other members of the UN Security Council on what would be an appropriate response.

    MODERATOR: Sir.

    QUESTION: Hi, good morning. Tomohiro Deguchi with Kyodo News, Japanese wire. It looks like the North Koreans are trying to link the missile issue and the Six-Party Talk issue. It’s – if you bring the missile issue to the UN Security Council, then they are going to leave from the Six-Party Talk framework. And is that your position to – I mean, if they move forward on the denuclearization, are you willing to give them the remaining assistance, which is the Japanese portion, about 200,000 tons? Thank you.

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: I’m sorry, the two questions seem conflated somehow. Whether the North Koreans step back from the Six-Party Talks as a result of what might happen in the UN Security Council as a result of their decision to launch a missile is up to the North Koreans. We can’t obviously control that. I would hope that they would not link the two issues because from our point of view, both are important.

    With regard to fuel deliveries, that’s something we continue to consult with our partners about, and I am confident that when we get back to the negotiating table in the Six-Party process, that we will be able to find solutions to that question.

    http://fpc.state.gov/121278.htm

    ***

    *** 10.30 a.m. Hong Kong time 04-05-09 N. Korea launched long-range ballistic missile (10,30 p.m. EDT, Saturday evening, 04-04-09 our time.)  CNNI story this evening around 11 p.m.

    ***

    Saturday, April 4, 2009

    As North Korea counts down, Japan talks tough

    Surprised by a 1998 launch, Tokyo is ready this time, warning against any violation of its airspace. Nervous Japanese officials know that the first moments after a North Korean rocket launch will be critical: Barely seven minutes after liftoff, it is likely to be hurtling over Japan’s northern coast.

    http://press.jrc.it/NewsExplorer/clusteredition/en/20090404,latimes-69ebb152ed3276b619f86d02c46a8e1e.html

    ****

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    Here a Trillion – There a Trillion – Everywhere a Trillion Trillion –

    05 Sunday Apr 2009

    Posted by CricketDiane in Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips

    ≈ 2 Comments

    Tags

    accounting principles, bailouts, banking, bankruptcy, banks, bondholders, bonds, budget deficits, Bush economics, Business, collateralized debt obligations, Creating Solutions for America, credit crunch crisis, credit default swaps, credit derivatives, Cricket D, cricket diane, Cricket Diane C Phillips, Cricket Diane C Sparky Phillips, Cricket Diane Designs, Cricket House Studios, cricketdiane, CricketHouseStudios, currencies, currency values, Current Economic Info Sources, Democracy, depression, diane c phillips, Economic depression, economic statistics and analysis, Economics, Economy, Federal government, financial derivatives, foreclosures, global economic crisis, government corruption, Inventing Solutions For America, invest in America, investing, investment banking, investments, macro-economic future forecasting, macro-economics, Macro-economics future forecasting, macroeconomics, mark to market, Money, Principles of Economics, Reality-based Analysis, recession, Senate, shareholders, Solutions, solvency, statistics, stimulus bill, stimulus package, structured investment vehicles, US currency, US dollar, US economic bailout, US economic crisis, US Government, US government policy

    Here a Trillion – There a Trillion – Everywhere a Trillion Trillion –

    Yep, they could’ve given every American a million dollars each and we could’ve bought our own durn cars and houses, started our own businesses and made it through this touch and go situation without  being homeless, hungry and desolate.

    – cricketdiane, 04-04-09

    ***

    Estimated U.S. taxpayer cost for bailout jumps
    Sat Apr 4, 2009 3:19pm EDT

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. congressional budget analysts have raised their estimate of the net cost to taxpayers for the government’s financial rescue program to $356 billion, an increase of $167 billion from earlier estimates.

    The Congressional Budget Office had originally projected the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program would cost taxpayers $189 billion.

    The additional cost, which applies to TARP spending for fiscal years 2009 and 2010, was included in the CBO’s March projection of a $1.8 trillion deficit for fiscal 2009, which ends September 30.

    Congress passed the Wall Street bailout program in October with the goal of stabilizing banks and reassuring jittery markets.

    (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Jackie Frank)

    – Reuters

    http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE53323420090404

    ***

    U.S. property bust threatens condo “death spiral”
    Thu Apr 2, 2009 8:37pm EDT

    By Jim Loney

    MIAMI (Reuters) – Rust pokes through the peeling paint on the railings, pest control has been curtailed and the palm trees are no longer being fertilized at the 1940s-era Miami Modern condominium building in Miami Beach.

    The condo association has been forced to cut expenses because the owners of 11 of the 28 apartments in the modest two-story building are delinquent, victims of a mammoth U.S. real estate collapse that has hit Florida especially hard.

    With so many cash-strapped owners failing to pay their monthly fees for upkeep, the condo board last year had to raise $40,000 with a special levy to fill a giant hole in the $80,000 annual budget, but only managed to collect $19,000 from the owners who are still able to pay their bills.

    Florida’s condominium and homeowners’ associations are facing what experts call a trickle-down disaster from the property crisis. Dozens and perhaps hundreds of condo buildings have budget shortfalls as thousands of owners, under water on their mortgages or in foreclosure, stop paying monthly fees.

    “I call it a death spiral,” Miami Beach city commissioner Jerry Libbin said. “It’s a catastrophe in the making.”

    Nearly half of Florida’s 18 million residents live in condo or homeowners associations, communities where owners pay monthly fees for common expenses like cleaning, landscaping, pool maintenance and building insurance.

    When a unit owner stops paying monthly fees, which can range from $150 in a small building to over $1,000 in a luxury tower, a condo board must collect money from other owners to make up the shortfall. Rising fees or special assessments, or levies, can drive other vulnerable owners into insolvency.

    BANKS ARE STALLING

    Condo advocates say banks are partly responsible for hobbling condo boards by being slow to foreclose on owners who have fallen behind.

    Lenders don’t become responsible for an apartment’s costs until they foreclose and under current law, a bank is liable to pay only six months worth of fees in arrears, or 1 percent of the mortgage value, when it takes back a property.

    Condo advocates say banks are deliberately stalling.

    [Etc.]

    (Editing by Pascal Fletcher and Doina Chiacu)
    – Reuters

    http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE53200O20090403?sp=true

    ***

    MY Note –

    This means that condo associations and their lobbying efforts are working to force banks to foreclose on owners faster ( in order to get about 6 months of fees that are in arrears) – without any compassion for the families, individuals and particularly elderly retirees that they are tossing out into the street.

    Who needs international enemies when people like this are making decisions right here in the United States?

    – CricketDiane

    ***

    New York Times threatens to shut Boston Globe
    Fri Apr 3, 2009 10:45pm EDT

    By Jason Szep and Robert MacMillan

    BOSTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – The New York Times Co has threatened to shut The Boston Globe unless the newspaper’s unions quickly agree to $20 million in concessions, the Globe reported on Friday, quoting union leaders.

    The union officials said executives from the Globe and the Times, which owns the Boston newspaper, made the demands on Thursday morning in a meeting with leaders of the newspaper’s 13 unions, the Globe reported.

    If the Globe closed, it would join a growing list of big city dailies that have shut down this year, including EW Scripps Co’s Rocky Mountain News and the print edition of Hearst Corp’s Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Hearst’s San Francisco Chronicle might join that list.

    Possible concessions at the Globe, the 14th-largest U.S. daily paper by weekday circulation, include pay cuts, the end of pension contributions by the company and the elimination of lifetime job guarantees for some veteran staff, the paper said, quoting Boston Newspaper Guild president Daniel Totten.

    The Boston Globe, the most widely circulated daily in Boston and New England, was founded in 1872 and privately owned until 1973, when it went public as Affiliated Publications.

    On March 26, The New York Times and the Washington Post, two of the most respected U.S. newspapers, said they were cutting costs further in the face of dramatic declines in advertising revenue.

    The Times said it laid off 100 workers and is cutting non-union salaries. It is also asking unionized employees to accept similar concessions to avoid layoffs in the newsroom.

    http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE53303820090404

    ***

    5 children found slain in Washington state, police say

    * Story Highlights
    * Police: Five children found shot to death in a home in Orting, Washington, Saturday
    * Father apparently killed self later in nearby King County, sheriff’s spokesman say
    * Police believe the children, ages 7 to 16, were killed by their father

    (CNN) — Five children were found shot to death in a home near Tacoma, Washington, Saturday afternoon, police said.

    Pierce County sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer told CNN that the children, ages 7 to 16, were killed by their father, who apparently committed suicide later in nearby King County.

    The children — four girls and one boy — were found in a Pierce County home.

    Troyer said the children’s mother was located after the shootings

    updated 31 minutes ago

    http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/04/washington.children.shot/index.html

    ***
    Karzai: Afghanistan to review criticized sharia law

    * Story Highlights
    * Afghan president promises review of law that critics say legalizes marital rape
    * “If there is something of concern, we will… send it back,” Hamid Karzai says
    * Legislation says men can have sex with wife even if she says no
    * President Obama called law “abhorrent,” German chancellor calls for its withdrawal

    KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) — Amid mounting pressure from the West, Afghan President Hamid Karzai says his government will review a recently approved version of a law that critics say legalizes marital rape and the U.S. president has called “abhorrent.”
    Recently approved version of law also mandates that a woman ask a male relative to leave the house.

    Recently approved version of law also mandates that a woman ask a male relative to leave the house.

    “We understand the concerns of our allies in the international community,” Karzai told reporters Saturday.

    The minister of justice would study the draft, he said.

    “If there is anything that is of concern to us then we will definitely take action in consultation with our [religious clerics] and send it back to the parliament,” Karzai said. “This is something that we are also serious about and we should not allow.”

    Karzai’s news conference was in response to a series of news reports by Western media since the president signed the law last month.

    He specifically mentioned a March 31 story by London-based The Independent, which called the law “a massive blow for women’s rights” and cited critics who said Karzai “rushed” the bill through parliament in hopes of appeasing Islamic fundamentalists ahead of August elections.

    Human rights groups and news reports consistently refer to a report from the U.N. Development Fund for Women which reportedly stated that the legislation — a piece of sharia law, or Islamic law — that affects the Shiite community in the predominantly Sunni nation “legalizes the rape of a wife by her husband” by allowing men to force sexual intercourse on their spouses.
    Don’t Miss

    * Obama pleased with NATO allies’ pledges of support
    * Advocate: U.S.-Taliban deal may threaten women’s rights

    Shiites make up roughly 10 percent of Afghanistan’s population.

    Western leaders attending a NATO conference Saturday also signaled their disapproval of the legislation.

    “I think this law is abhorrent,” U.S. President Obama said in Strasbourg, France. “We think that it is very important for us to be sensitive to local culture, but we also think that there are certain basic principles that all nations should uphold, and respect for women and respect for their freedom and integrity is an important principle.”

    French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed, with the latter saying, “We very much hope that the draft piece of legislation is to be withdrawn.”

    The law was drafted by Afghanistan’s conservative lawmakers after spending more than a year off and on the parliament’s daily agenda. Shia Muslims have been practicing their form of Islam for centuries in Afghanistan, but this law allows them to preserve their identity among the majority Sunni population, one parliamentarian said.

    Among its provisions are that women must ask a male relative to leave the house.

    “What my fear is, women and children of Afghanistan are always the victims of political games,” Afghan lawmaker Fawzia Koofi told CNN in a recent interview. “I mean, they don’t have a gun to fight, they cannot create a mess.”

    Koofi, and other critics of the law, hope that the supreme court will rule that the legislation is at odds with the Afghan constitution, which promises equal rights to all citizens — male or female. Video Watch Hamid Karzai’s comments »
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    Still, despite the international outcry against the bill, many in Afghanistan remain unaware of it. Support can be found among those who do, especially the Shiite population.

    “Shia people are in Afghanistan,” Shia resident Mohammad Zahir said. “They are a part of Afghanistan and there needs to be a law that they go by and follow.”
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    CNN’s Atia Abawi in Kabul contributed to this report.

    http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/04/04/afghanistan.womens.rights/index.html

    ***

    Remarks at The International Conference on Afghanistan

    Hillary Rodham Clinton
    Secretary of State
    The Hague, Netherlands
    March 31, 2009

    Thank you very much, Minister Verhagen, and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Special Representative Kai Eide, President Karzai, Minister Spanta, friends and colleagues, I want to thank all of you, and especially the United Nations and the Government of the Netherlands for hosting us. I also want to acknowledge the extraordinary contribution of the government and people of the Netherlands to the mission in Afghanistan.

    And I want to also acknowledge President Karzai, who fills a critical leadership role in his nation, and whose government helped to shape the shared comprehensive and workable strategy that we are discussing today.

    We are here to help the people of Afghanistan prevail against a ruthless enemy who poses a common threat to us all. Afghanistan has always been a crossroads of civilization, and today we find our fate converging in those plains and mountains that are so far and yet so near in this interconnected world to all of us.

    Thanks to the efforts of the international community, the perpetrators of the horrific terrorist attacks of 9/11 – attacks which killed citizens from more than 90 countries – were driven from Afghanistan, and the Afghan people made a promising start toward a more secure future. But since those first hopeful moments, our collective inability to implement a clear and sustained strategy has allowed violent extremists to regain a foothold in Afghanistan and in Pakistan, and to make the area a nerve center for efforts to spread violence from London to Mumbai.

    The range of countries and institutions represented here is a universal recognition that what happens in Afghanistan matters to us all. Our failure to bring peace and progress would be a setback not only to the people of Afghanistan, but to the entire enterprise of collective action in the interest of collective security. Our success, on the other hand, will not only benefit Afghanistan, Pakistan and the region, but also the blueprint for a new diplomacy powered by partnership and premised on shared interests.

    So as we recommit ourselves to meet our common challenge with a new strategy, new energy, and new resources, let us be guided by an ancient Afghan proverb, “patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”

    The plan I outline today is the product of intensive consultations with nations that have donated troops and support; Afghanistan’s neighbors and international institutions that play a vital role in Afghanistan’s future. The results of these consultations are clear: Our strategy must address the challenge in Afghanistan and Pakistan; it must integrate military and civilian activities and support them with vigorous international diplomacy; and it must rest on the simple premise that while we can and will help, Afghanistan’s future ultimately rests with the Afghan people and their elected government. Security is the essential first step; without it, all else fails. Afghanistan’s army and police will have to take the lead, supported by the International Security Assistance Force.

    President Obama has announced that the United States will deploy 17,000 more soldiers and 4,000 additional military trainers to help build up Afghan security forces. The international community will also have to help. We should provide every army and police unit in Afghanistan with an international partner that can provide training and help build capacity. Our collective goal should be standing up an army of at least 134,000 soldiers and a police force of at least 82,000 officers by 2011. These steps will provide the people of Afghanistan with an opportunity to fight and win their own battle for their nation’s future.

    We must also help Afghans strengthen their economy and institutions. They know how to rebuild their country, but they need the raw material of progress – roads, public institutions, schools, hospitals, irrigation, and agriculture. The United States is supporting the Government of Afghanistan’s National Development Strategy, the National Solidarity Program, and other initiatives that help Afghans improve their lives and strengthen their own communities.

    In consultation with the Afghan Government, we have also identified agriculture – which comprises 70 percent of Afghanistan’s economy – as the key for development. In the 1970s, Afghans exported food to their neighbors. They were often called the garden of Central Asia. Today, this sector lags far behind, and its problems feed the deadly malignancy of the narcotics trade. The United States is focusing its efforts on rural development in provinces near the Afghan-Pakistan border, and we hope that others gathered here will heed the United Nations’ and Afghan Government’s call for help throughout the country with job creation, technical expertise, vocational training, and investments in roads, electrical transmission lines, education, healthcare, and so much else.

    As we work with the Afghan people to supply these building blocks of development, we must demand accountability from ourselves and from the Afghan Government. Corruption is a cancer as dangerous to long-term success as the Taliban or al-Qaida. A government that cannot deliver accountable services for its people is a terrorist’s best recruiting tool.

    So we must work with bodies such as Afghanistan’s Independent Directorate of Local Governance to ensure that the government at all levels is responsible and transparent. The international community, gathered here, can help by providing auditors and governance experts and training a new generation of civil servants and administrators.

    To earn the trust of the Afghan people, the Afghan Government must be legitimate and respected. This requires a successful election in August – one that is open, free, and fair. That can only happen with strong support from the international community. I am, therefore, pleased to announce today that to advance that goal, the United States is committing $40 million to help fund Afghanistan’s upcoming elections.

    We must also support efforts by the Government of Afghanistan to separate the extremists of al-Qaida and the Taliban from those who joined their ranks not out of conviction, but out of desperation. This is, in fact, the case for a majority of those fighting with the Taliban. They should be offered an honorable form of reconciliation and reintegration into a peaceful society if they are willing to abandon violence, break with al-Qaida, and support the constitution.

    Just as these problems cannot be solved without the Afghan people, they cannot be solved without the help of Afghanistan’s neighbors. Trafficking in narcotics, the spread of violent extremism, economic stagnation, water management, electrification, and irrigation are regional challenges that require regional solutions.

    The United Nations has a central role in this effort to coordinate with the Government of Afghanistan and neighbors in the region to make sure that programs are properly prioritized and well focused. We are committed to working with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UN Special Representative Kai Eide to achieve that goal. The United States Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, will lead American efforts as we move forward, and we welcome the appointment of special representatives by other countries.

    If we are to succeed, we will need the help of all the nations present here. As President Obama has pointed out, “the world cannot afford the price that will come due if Afghanistan slides back into chaos.” While there is great temptation to retreat inward in these difficult economic times, it is precisely at such moments that we must redouble our effort. And as we make commitments and contributions, we must ensure they are flexible enough to respond to immediate needs and evolving opportunities. And we all must be willing to coordinate those efforts together.

    The challenge we face is difficult, but the opportunity is clear if we move away from the past. All too often in the past seven years, our efforts have been undermanned, under-resourced and underfunded. This goal is achievable. We know we have made progress where we have made adequate investment and worked together.

    The status of Afghanistan’s army, the lives of women and girls, the country’s education and health systems are far better today than they were in 2001. So if all of us represented here work with the government and people of Afghanistan, we will help not only to secure their future, but ours as well.

    Now the principal focus of our discussions today is on Afghanistan, but we cannot hope to succeed if those who seek to reestablish a haven for violence and extremism operate from sanctuaries just across the border. For this reason, our partnership with Pakistan is critical. Together, we all must give Pakistan the tools it needs to fight extremists within its borders.

    The Obama Administration has made a strong commitment through our support for legislation called the Kerry-Lugar assistance program. And in a few weeks, we will have a chance to join together in Tokyo for a meeting of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan to provide the support that the Pakistani Government and people need. I urge the nations here today in support of Afghanistan to join us in Tokyo on April 17th to help the people of Pakistan.

    This effort has already required great sacrifice and it will require more. But in Afghanistan and Pakistan, we face a common threat, a common enemy, and a common task. So let us use today, this conference, to renew and reinvigorate our commitment and our involvement, and to lay a firm foundation for a safer region and a safer world. It is in the interests of all of the people who we represent as we sit around this conference table here in The Hague, and for the kind of world that we wish to help create.

    Thank you very much.

    PRN: 2009/T5-2

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    http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/03/121037.htm

    ***
    Kabul – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    The total provincial population of Kabul is 3.5 million people. It is an economic and cultural centre, situated 5900 feet (1800 m) above sea level in a …
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabul – 151k –

    http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=kabul

    ***

    FACTBOX – Security developments in Afghanistan, April 4
    Sat Apr 4, 2009 2:19pm EDT

    (Reuters) – Following are security developments in Afghanistan at 5:30 a.m. EST on Saturday:

    * Denotes new or updated incident

    * SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN – A NATO soldier was killed in a bomb blast in southern Afghanistan, the alliance said, without giving details of the location or the nationality of the soldier.

    HELMAND – Afghan and U.S.-led coalition forces killed 20 insurgents in a series of operations in Kajaki, some 475 km (295 miles) southwest of Kabul on Friday, the U.S. military said.

    KHOST – Afghan troops captured a Taliban commander responsible for facilitating suicide bombings and roadside bombs in the Lagharah Valley, some 150 km (95 miles) southeast of Kabul, the U.S. military said.

    (Reporting by Jon Hemming; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)

    © Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved

    ***

    Saturday, April 4, 2009

    As North Korea counts down, Japan talks tough

    Surprised by a 1998 launch, Tokyo is ready this time, warning against any violation of its airspace. Nervous Japanese officials know that the first moments after a North Korean rocket launch will be critical: Barely seven minutes after liftoff, it is likely to be hurtling over Japan’s northern coast.

    latimes 7:00:00 AM CEST

    Japan aims for walking robot on the moon by 2020

    telegraph 9:23:00 AM CEST

    Technology › Japan aims for walking robot on the moon by 2020

    japantoday 12:44:00 AM CEST

    Japan redfaced over mistaken N.Korean rocket report

    alertnet 2:44:00 PM CEST

    Latest News : Japan’s business confidence drops

    tehrantimes 1:12:00 AM CEST

    Picture of the Day › Play ball

    japantoday 2:14:00 AM CEST

    http://press.jrc.it/NewsExplorer/clusteredition/en/20090404,latimes-69ebb152ed3276b619f86d02c46a8e1e.html

    ****
    Singer Mai Kuraki, 26, acknowledges the crowd before throwing the opening pitch at the Hanshin-Yakult game at Kyocera Dome in Osaka on Friday night.

    Saturday 04th April, 08:01 AM JST

    http://www.japantoday.com/category/picture-of-the-day/view/play-ball

    *** 10.30 a.m. Hong Kong time 04-05-09 N. Korea launched long-range ballistic missile (10,30 p.m. EDT, Saturday evening, 04-04-09 our time.)  CNNI story this evening around 11 p.m.

    ***

    Gov’t embarrassed over wrong N Korean rocket launch info

    National › 06:55 AM JST – 5th April

    TOKYO — As Japan went on high alert in anticipation of an imminent rocket launch by North Korea, erroneous launch information sent…

    http://www.japantoday.com/

    Gov’t embarrassed over wrong N Korean rocket launch info

    Sunday 05th April, 06:55 AM JST

    By Daisuke Yamamoto

    TOKYO —

    As Japan went on high alert in anticipation of an imminent rocket launch by North Korea, erroneous launch information sent out by the Japanese government on Saturday led to widespread confusion among the public and municipal authorities.

    The mistake has been tracked to the Self-Defense Forces, which misunderstood radar information as indicating a rocket launch had taken place and allowed the information to be sent out to the country and the world.

    The misstep has embarrassed the administration of Prime Minister Taro Aso, who was apparently hoping that by quickly conveying the launch information to the public, he could raise his profile as an effective crisis manager.

    ‘‘We caused a great deal of trouble to the Japanese people. This was a mistake in the transmission of information by the Defense Ministry and the Self-Defense Forces,’’ Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada told reporters. ‘‘I want to apologize to the people from my heart.’’

    The saga unfolded little more than an hour into the time frame North Korea had given for a rocket launch, which Pyongyang said would be conducted sometime between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. from Saturday to Wednesday to put a satellite into orbit.

    Tensions were mounting after a report earlier in the day by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency that the satellite ‘‘will be launched soon.’’

    At 12:16 p.m., the government released information via its Em-Net emergency e-mail system saying that ‘‘North Korea appears to have launched a projectile.’’

    Although the information was retracted as a ‘‘detection failure’’ five minutes later, the damage had already been done.

    Media organizations, both domestic and international, reported the notification as breaking news and some municipalities issued alerts to their residents based on an emergency email message sent by the central government.

    According to the ministry, the Air Self-Defense Force’s ground-based FPS-5 radar at the ministry’s Iioka research and development site in Asahi, Chiba Prefecture, picked up a trace over the Sea of Japan on the radar screen.

    The ‘‘Spark Information’‘—a code used for the detection of a ballistic missile—was immediately conveyed to the ASDF’s Air Defense Operations Group in the suburbs of Tokyo.

    The information was then relayed to the ASDF’s Air Defense Command on the same premises. The phrase ‘‘Detection at Iioka’’ had been added to it by then.

    However, the person who received the information at the command mistook the ‘‘Spark Information’’ for satellite early warning information provided by the U.S. military, according to the ministry. When the person conveyed the information to another person there, it contained two phrases that were not identical to the previous ones: ‘‘Detection at Iioka. SEW received.’’

    Satellite early warning information is based on data sent by the U.S. military’s Defense Support Program satellite orbiting the Earth. Equipped with an infrared telescope, the satellite is normally the quickest tool to detect ballistic missile launchings.

    The erroneous information was then relayed to the SDF’s Central Command Post in the Defense Ministry headquarters in central Tokyo, where the word ‘‘launch’’ was added in the process, and soon found itself within the crisis management center at the prime minister’s office at 12:16 p.m.

    The center immediately passed the information on to local governments across the country and media organizations without realizing that it was mistaken.

    ‘‘Personnel at the Central Command Post should have confirmed on their own computer terminal that satellite early warning information had indeed been received. The mistake could have been avoided if they had done so,’’ a ministry official said.

    The official declined to elaborate on why the personnel at the Iioka radar site misunderstood a trace on the radar screen as that of a ballistic missile or why the airman at the Air Defense Command mixed up the radar and satellite early warning information.

    ‘‘Although detection errors by an SDF radar are possible, the problem is serious if the launch information was disclosed to the public without cross-checking it with other pieces of information Japan and the United States had,’’ said Kazuhisa Ogawa, a military analyst.

    Ogawa said those who are supposed to verify and make judgments on such detection information should be held accountable.

    The day saw another blunder by the SDF in Akita Prefecture, over which part of the rocket is set to pass if it flies according to the plan announced by North Korea.

    A few hours before the mistaken information was sent out by the central government, the Akita prefectural government was notified by the Ground Self-Defense Force that North Korea had ‘‘fired a missile.’’ Based on the information, it issued an erroneous report to all municipalities in the prefecture.

    One of the municipal offices ended up communicating the report to households through a radio transmission for disaster management.

    According to the Defense Ministry, the email computer system at the Ground Staff Office in the ministry malfunctioned and a message bearing wrong launch information was sent to hundreds of recipients of the service.

    One of the recipients, a GSDF member at the prefectural government’s disaster preparedness headquarters, verbally communicated the message to a prefectural government official, who then passed on the information to all the municipalities six minutes later, prefectural officials said.

    ‘‘The (central) government disclosed the information it received as is, though it should have verified it at every step and carefully,’’ said Koichi Oizumi, an expert on crisis management.

    ‘‘This is the most elementary mistake…How can it defend the country like this? They need to scrutinize why they made mistakes,’’ the Aomori Chuo Gakuin University professor said.

    © 2009 Kyodo News. All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission.

    http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/wrong-launch-info-an-embarrassment-to-government

    ***

    North Korea: U.S. Seeks To Resume Six-Party Discussions
    Ambassador Bosworth (Apr. 3): “On the subject of the missile launch, which I suspect is at the forefront of everyone’s mind…we have continued to press the North Koreans and other countries on the issue of a missile launch. We take the position, as you know, that it is a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1718. We have continued to urge, as we urge now, the D.P.R.K. not to launch this.”  -Full Text  -Video

    http://www.state.gov/

    U.S. Policy Regarding North Korea
    April 3, 2009

    FPC Briefing
    Ambassador Stephen W. Bosworth
    Special Representative for North Korea Policy, U.S. Department of State
    Foreign Press Center
    Washington, DC

    Date: 04/03/2009 Location: Washington, DC Description: Ambassador Stephen W. Bosworth, Special Representative for North Korea Policy, U.S. Department of State, Briefing at the Washington Foreign Press Center on “U.S. Policy Regarding North Korea.” State Dept Photo

    11:00 A.M. EDT

    Video

    MODERATOR: Okay. Welcome to the Washington Foreign Press Center. We are very honored to have with us our Special Representative for North Korea Policy Ambassador Stephen Bosworth.

    Ambassador.

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: Thank you very much. It’s good to be here this morning. I recognize some faces and I suspect I will come to recognize more.

    I have now been in this position for about six weeks. It has been a rather busy six weeks. I made, together with Ambassador Sung Kim and colleagues, a trip to the region. We went to Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul. In Seoul, we consulted with our Russian partners in the Six-Party process. And I met with the press several times on that trip. This is the first time I’ve met with the press since being back here.

    Let me just say a few words and then I’ll take your questions. On the subject of the missile launch, which I suspect is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, I really don’t have anything new to say. We have continued to press the North Koreans and other countries on the issue of a missile launch. We take the position, as you know, that it is a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1718. We have continued to urge, as we urge now, the DPRK not to launch this. Whether it’s a satellite launch or a missile launch, in our judgment, makes no difference. It is a provocative act. And we hope that they will still reconsider and not do this.

    If it does occur, we will be continuing to work closely with our partners and our allies in the UN Security Council to consult vigorously on what action might then be appropriate. We believe that a defiance of a UN Security Council resolution is an action that requires that there be some consequences, and that will be our objective. At the same time, however, I would also say that we continue to look with great interest, and give great priority, to the need to resume the Six-Party discussions with the goal of the denuclearization – the verifiable denuclearization – of the Korean Peninsula. And that remains, of course, our long-term goal. And we would hope to be able to return to that goal in as reasonable a period of time as possible.

    So with that brief introduction, I would be happy to take questions. Yes.

    MODERATOR: Wait, just one moment, please. I’d ask you, please, to wait for the microphone and identify your media. Start in the back. Sir.

    QUESTION: Zoltan Mikes, World Business Press Online, Slovakia. I would like to ask if you have a set of negative incentives, like a set of punishments, what happens if North Korea do not – do not back up, end their launch? This flight, and if – because the positive ones didn’t work in the past, so what do you plan to do if North Korea will go on and they’ll provoke?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: I really am not going to get into that question in any depth at all, other than to say that we will continue to consult with our partners and the other members of the UN Security Council on what would be an appropriate response.

    MODERATOR: Sir.

    QUESTION: Hi, good morning. Tomohiro Deguchi with Kyodo News, Japanese wire. It looks like the North Koreans are trying to link the missile issue and the Six-Party Talk issue. It’s – if you bring the missile issue to the UN Security Council, then they are going to leave from the Six-Party Talk framework. And is that your position to – I mean, if they move forward on the denuclearization, are you willing to give them the remaining assistance, which is the Japanese portion, about 200,000 tons? Thank you.

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: I’m sorry, the two questions seem conflated somehow. Whether the North Koreans step back from the Six-Party Talks as a result of what might happen in the UN Security Council as a result of their decision to launch a missile is up to the North Koreans. We can’t obviously control that. I would hope that they would not link the two issues because from our point of view, both are important.

    With regard to fuel deliveries, that’s something we continue to consult with our partners about, and I am confident that when we get back to the negotiating table in the Six-Party process, that we will be able to find solutions to that question.

    MODERATOR: I’m going to take a question from New York via videoconference. Go ahead, New York.

    QUESTION: Okay. Hi, Mr. Ambassador. My question is about the UN Security Council discussion and – well, actually, given the fact that North Korea is threatening to withdraw from the Six-Party Talks, do you think – if there’s any chance for the U.S. to make a compromise in the discussion to talk them into coming back to the Six-Party Talks?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: I really do not want to prejudice the outcome of discussions that may occur in the UN Security Council, so I really can’t comment on that. As I just said, we would hope and believe strongly that everyone has a long-term interest – regardless of this short-term problem, everyone has a long-term interest in getting back to the negotiations in the Six-Party process as expeditiously as possible. I’m not able to predict when that might occur, but we will be talking vigorously with our partners in the process to try to bring that about.

    MODERATOR: Okay. Back there.

    QUESTION: Arshad Mohammed of Reuters. Ambassador Bosworth, one, can you tell us how it is that you are urging the North Koreans not to go ahead with this proposed launch? Is it in direct contacts with them in – through the New York channel or otherwise? Or is it simply through intermediaries or is it just the sort of – you know, the comments that we’ve heard in public from the State Department spokesman and now yourself?

    And secondly, are you not – you know, the Administration has made very clear from the Secretary on down that a launch would have consequences. Are you not concerned that consequences, whatever they might be, will simply push the North Koreans further away from returning to the Six-Party Talks?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: We have been communicating our position to the North Koreans in a variety of ways including most of the ones that you enumerated – through the New York channel, through our partners who are doing so directly, and through our public statements.

    And my concern that acting to show that there are consequences would have an impact on the Six-Party – on the Six-Party Talks, obviously, there are connections here. But as I said, we believe that one, we have an obligation to demonstrate that there are consequences for the defiance of a UN Security Council resolution, and we believe that a missile launch, satellite launch, whatever it is, is in violation of that resolution.

    We also believe quite strongly that all parties concerned, including the North Koreans, have an interest in coming back to the table to complete the discussions and the negotiations on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

    MODERATOR: Yes, right here.

    QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Ambassador. My name is Ai Awaji. I’m from Japanese newswire Jiji Press. So how are you going to get them back to the negotiation table? Are you still prepared to go back to Pyongyang if they invite you after the missile launch?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: I don’t know what’s going to happen specifically after the missile launch, but I am prepared to go to Pyongyang whenever it appears to be useful. Whether we will be invited or not, I don’t know. We will be, as I said earlier, working very closely with our partners to ensure that after the dust of the missiles settles a bit, we get back to the longer-term priority of the missile – of the Six-Party Talks.

    MODERATOR: I’ll take the next question from New York. Go ahead, New York.

    QUESTION: Yes, it’s Ronda Hauben and I’m from Ohmy News International. And my question is: Is it possible that this is, in fact, not a provocative act of North Korea, but it’s a modification of its activities? Because it isn’t launching a missile; it’s saying it’s launching a satellite, and a satellite is not a missile. And so has that been considered? And has it been considered that there’s an – this is part of an effort to have the talks resume and that this should be looked at that way?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: I think it’s a stretch to characterize this as part of an effort to have the talks resume. That the rest of the international community reacts adversely to a launch will come as no surprise to the North Koreans.

    In our view, and this is a view shared by many others, UN Security Council Resolution 1718 prohibits any launch, whether it’s a ballistic missile or whether it’s to launch a satellite. And the reason for that is that we are concerned that even a satellite launch would advance North Korean capabilities in a way that would prove provocative and destabilizing.

    MODERATOR: Okay. Here, this lady.

    QUESTION: Good morning, Rosslyn Jordan with Al Jazeera English. Much was made during the last administration about the efforts between the United States and China to put positive pressure on Pyongyang. What can you say about a similar relationship in order to make Pyongyang back away from this planned launch?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: I would only say that we’ve been working very closely and productively with the Chinese, and I think that that line of cooperation will continue. We share a broad range of common interests with regard to the region and particularly with regard to North Korea.

    MODERATOR: Okay. The gentleman in the middle.

    QUESTION: Hawon Lee, Washington correspondent for South Korea newspaper Chosun Ilbo. When – could you – according to the formula within the Six-Party Talks and bilateral talks in the Obama Administration, it seems that there are some concerns that having bilateral talks by you will weaken the Six-Party Talks.

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: The Six-Party Talks, we believe, must be at the center and forefront of our efforts to deal with the issues of North Korea and their nuclear program. So that will not change. We will continue to have bilateral contacts with the North Koreans. And we are prepared to open that channel at any point. Now I don’t think that bilateral contacts of the sort, that have occurred in the past, and that, I believe, will occur in the future, weaken the Six-Party process. I think, indeed, that it is possible they will strengthen the Six-Party process.

    And I would note that during the last administration in Washington, many of our partners and allies were urging that we have bilateral contacts with the North Koreans. And indeed, in the last couple of years of that administration, we did have bilateral talks, and they proved to be quite useful.

    MODERATOR: Microphone.

    QUESTION: My name is Alison Smith. I’m with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. I’m curious to know what real leverage, what real pressure can be brought to bear on the North Koreans at this point. There’s an assessment that, in fact, their brinksmanship is working and that they have little to lose by firing off this missile. So what real leverage, what range of options do you have to pressure them not to do so?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: In my experience in dealing with North Koreans, pressure is not the most productive line of approach. You have to combine pressure with incentives and I think we are in a position to begin doing that.

    QUESTION: What are the incentives?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: I would rather not get into the incentives at this point, just to say that I think there are things that we can provide and do that the North Koreans would find positive.

    QUESTION: My name is Hyunju Yi from KBS, Korean Broadcasting System. And you have emphasized the visiting schedule through the — Pyongyang several times, including Hillary Clinton, and she also mentioned about regret about North Korea’s reject of – for the invitation to North Korea. But what could be the agenda you can talk with North Korean authority when you are allowed to visit there?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: Well, I think there’s a wide range of issues that we would have on any agenda, and it would be on their agenda as well, having to do not only with the denuclearization issue, which is of course foremost in our thinking, but also with what might be required to normalize the relationship between the DPRK and the United States.

    And one further point: how we can facilitate North Korea’s accommodation, integration into the region, which is another, I think, very important question.

    MODERATOR: The gentleman in the front here. The microphone, please.

    QUESTION: Mike Lavallee from TBS. You keep on saying that everybody wants to get back to the Six-Party process as soon as possible, but as you said, there has to be consequences if they fire off this missile. Wouldn’t it be reasonable to expect some cooling-off period after – if they do go ahead and fire off this missile?

    And secondly, North Korea will most – if there are consequences, North Korea will mostly go into a mode of escalation. Are you confident that you can stop that escalation? Are you concerned about escalation, if there are consequences after this?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: First of all, I’m not in any way predicting that they will go into a mode of escalation. They might. They might not. I’ll come back and simply reiterate that in the period after the launch, we will be coordinating very closely with our partners to determine what steps would be most appropriate.

    I think we all share the long-term objective of a negotiated, verifiable denuclearization of the peninsula. That is not going to disappear as a result of the missile launch. It complicates the equation, without question. And it may be that a cooling-off period is the inevitable result. I don’t know. I’m not predicting that. I still hope that they decide not to launch the missile.

    QUESTION: Is that realistic?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: Realistic or not realistic, it’s still my hope.

    MODERATOR: Okay. I’ll take a question from New York next.

    QUESTION: Hello. My name is Joe Geni of Yomiuri Shimbun. Regarding consequences for North Korea after – assuming they do go ahead with the launch, could we see the U.S. seeking enforcement of existing sanctions under 1718, either through further Security Council action or through multilateral action with our partners?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: Again, I’m reluctant to get into that question, because I do not want in any way to prejudice the outcome of the discussions that are going to be underway in New York at the UN. That’s a question that at an appropriate time you might address to the UN, to the U.S. Mission to the UN.

    MODERATOR: Okay. The gentleman in the back there.

    QUESTION: Thank you. Yonhap News Agency, South Korea. Some say you may not be able to focus on (inaudible) North Korea because your job as special representative is part-time. What do you think? Also, North Korea rejected the offer – proposal to visit Pyongyang in February. What does that mean?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: Well, the part-time issue is not, for me, an issue. I have committed to devote as much as time as is necessary to this position, and I have been doing so. I think that the two roles that I have are very compatible, one with the other, so I’m not concerned about the part-time issue. And I think I’ve demonstrated to our partners that I am accessible, I’m available, I can — I’m able to travel, whatever.

    And the second question you had was?

    QUESTION: North Korea rejected your proposal to visit Pyongyang in February. What does that mean?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: I don’t think it means anything. So – I’ve been there actually, in February, in the first part of February, in a private capacity before I was appointed to this position. So I don’t think that my – the fact that I did not visit there in early March is relevant at this point.

    MODERATOR: The lady here. Sorry, could you pass the mike?

    QUESTION: Bagya from the Straits Times, Singapore. Do you think the hardliners have the upper hand in North Korea now?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: I think I know relatively little — in fact, very little about who’s hard line, who’s soft line in North Korea. And you know, my view is that we must deal with North Korea as we find it, not as we would like it to be.

    QUESTION: Thank you. Nami Inoue from Tokyo Broadcasting System. Once you get back to the Six-Party Talks, how would you try to put together the verification protocol which the North Koreans have been rejecting? Are you — do you have any different tactics or new ways to construct the verification protocol?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: We’ve been giving quite a bit of thought to that question. We’ve been discussing it very intensively with our partners. I think we have some ideas about how this could be done. Our immediate goal, of course, is to complete so-called phase two of the process, and move on to phase three of the dismantlement phase. And I’m quite confident that with some intense negotiating and diplomatic activity, we can get over that question.

    MODERATOR: This lady here.

    QUESTION: Kim Ghattas from the BBC. Ambassador Bosworth, when were you appointed, just over a month ago, you seemed to indicate that you believe the North Koreans were willing to engage with a new administration in the United States. And yet, now you are still waiting for an invitation to visit Pyonyang. Is the task proving much more difficult than you expected? How frustrated are you?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: I’ve been dealing with North Korea on and off for 15 years or so. And I’ve long since suppressed my tendency toward frustration. I think that what is required is patience and perseverance. I think with patience and perseverance, we can make progress. So I’m not really frustrated. There are times in a negotiation process with the North Koreans where everything just stops for a time.

    MODERATOR: Okay. The gentleman in the back.

    QUESTION: Libo Liu, Voice of America, Mandarin Service. Ambassador, what’s China’s position on the North Korea launch that is related to you? Thanks.

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: As I understand the Chinese position as explained to me by the Chinese Government, they have taken a very strong position that this is an act of provocation and that it should not occur.

    MODERATOR: Okay. In the back.

    QUESTION: (Inaudible) Korean newspaper. My question is about the journalists that were detained by North Korea recently. So I wonder who are in charge of this issue in Department – State Department or U.S. – or Obama Administration? Are you also in charge of this issue of the journalists who are detained?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: Well, let me just comment – to just say briefly, there is no higher priority for American foreign policy and the Department of State than the protection of American citizens abroad. We have been working with the Government of Sweden who, as you know, represents U.S. interest in North Korea, and we will continue to do that. We are fully engaged with the Swedes diplomatically.

    As to who is responsible for that particular problem within the bureaucracy, there are a lot of us who are responsible for that, starting with the Secretary of State and going down from there. As I said, there is no issue on which we give higher priority than the protection of American citizens.

    QUESTION: Thank you. I’m Kaori Arioka with NHK Broadcasting Corporation. Ambassador, are you willing to start the missile talks – I mean, missile negotiation with North Korea? And if so, would you rather do it in a Six-Party context or, I mean, rather separately from the denuclearization issue?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: Well, I don’t want to get too much into the details, but I think it’s – the current situation demonstrates quite effectively why it’s important for us to engage with North Korea on the subject of missiles. As you will recall, this was a topic that was under discussion at the end of the Clinton Administration. And we had made substantial progress – did not have an agreement, but we had made progress. We think it’s time to come back to that. Obviously, we think that it’s a subject that requires discussion, negotiation, as to precisely how it would be handled within the Six-Party process, I’m really not able to say right now. This is something on which we’ve been consulting with our partners. And I think we will work out an acceptable approach.

    MODERATOR: We’re going to have time for about two more questions. I’ll start here and then go back.

    QUESTION: Thank you, Ambassador. Jimkule Kim with Radio Free Asia. I know you went to the Capitol Hill last Wednesday to brief on North Korean issues. And as you know, some of the U.S. congressmen and senators have urged that U.S. should intercept North Korea missile. How much are you concerned about those opinions on the North Korean missile launch – those so-called hardliners?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: We had very useful consultations on the Hill with the House leadership and then with staff directors on the Senate side. I found a considerable amount of support for the approach that the U.S. is taking.

    MODERATOR: The next question. This gentleman here.

    QUESTION: Ambassador, I was wondering if you could comment a little on how the negotiating tactics might have changed for you with the Obama Administration coming in? And conversely, also, do you feel there’s been any change in reaction from the North Koreans in how their response may have altered over the last few months?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: Well, I wasn’t here in the last administration, so my point of reference is not all that clear. But I think I would say that clearly the Obama Administration is committed to diplomacy to solve problems of this sort. That does not mean that it is a diplomacy without strength. My own view is that diplomacy is most useful when it reflects strength and that will be our effort in this negotiation.

    And the second part of your question?

    QUESTION: Has North Korea changed its response in any way?

    AMBASSADOR BOSWORTH: Oh, I don’t know. We’ll see. I would hope that perhaps they are little less difficult than I’ve found them in the past, but my expectations are well under control. (Laughter.)

    QUESTION: Thank you very much. Thank you all for coming. Ambassador.

    http://fpc.state.gov/121278.htm

    ***

    Equity firm wins Poloroid auction for $59M
    Published: April 4, 2009 at 2:14 PM
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    ST. PAUL, Minn., April 4 (UPI) — The private equity firm Patriarch Partners of New York appears to have won the auction for the beleaguered camera company Polaroid Corp.

    The Star Tribune reported Saturday that the firm’s $59.3 million bid for the instant-photo company still must be approved by a bankruptcy judge. A hearing has been set for Monday, the Minneapolis newspaper reported.

    Patriarch’s bid includes $43.2 million in cash and $7.8 million in stock in the new entity but excludes $8.3 million in various Polaroid assets, including Polaroid Japan.

    Included in the deal, however, is Polaroid’s vast art collection, which includes more than 600 original Ansel Adams photographs, 13 original Andy Warhol photographs and thousands of museum pieces.

    Lynn Tilton, chief executive of Patriarch Partners, said the private equity firm will seek to rebuild the Polaroid brand. Mary Jeffries, Polaroid’s chief executive officer, said in a statement that Patriarch Partners “has the vision and the resources to act on the myriad of opportunities to leverage this iconic brand.”

    http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2009/04/04/Equity-firm-wins-Poloroid-auction-for-59M/UPI-54511238868893/

    ***
    Ritz Camera to begin liquidation
    Published: April 4, 2009 at 11:01 AM
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    BELTSVILLE, Md., April 4 (UPI) — Ritz Camera was to began liquidation sales Saturday ahead of closing more than 300 stores in the United States, say company officials.

    The sales were to occur at Ritz stores and affiliate stores Proex, Wolf and Kit Camera as part of a court-supervised bankruptcy reorganization, CNet reported, noting the company plans to keep another 400 stores operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

    Ritz Camera, based in Beltsville, Md., filed for bankruptcy protection in February after growing to a chain of more than 800 stores since its start as a single store in Atlantic City, N.J. in 1918, The Star Tribune of Minnesota reported Saturday.

    http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2009/04/04/Ritz-Camera-to-begin-liquidation/UPI-91661238857280/

    ***
    Disney announces 1,900 job cuts
    Published: April 3, 2009 at 9:12 PM
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    BURBANK, Calif., April 3 (UPI) — Walt Disney Co. said Friday it has eliminated about 1,900 jobs at its U.S. theme parks through job cuts and attrition.

    The cuts came as a part of the company’s reorganization of its theme parks and resort operations, the Los Angeles Times reported.

    The newspaper reported that Disney — based in Burbank, Calif. — has experienced a decline in attendance at its theme parks, including Disneyland and Disney World.

    To help weather the U.S. economic downturn, Disney said it would lay off about 1,200 people and leave about 700 positions unfilled. Most of the cuts will be at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

    About 1,400 jobs will be eliminated at the Florida property, while 300 jobs will be cut from the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif.

    “These decisions were not made lightly, but are essential to maintaining our leadership in family tourism and reflect today’s economic realities,” the company said in a statement. “We continue to work through our reorganization and manage our business based on demand.”

    In January, Disney offered buyout packages to 600 executives at its domestic parks division, which employs about 80,000 people, the newspaper noted.
    http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2009/04/03/Disney-announces-1900-job-cuts/UPI-37921238807564/

    ***
    GMAC drops minimum credit score for loans
    Published: April 2, 2009 at 5:21 PM
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    DETROIT, April 2 (UPI) — U.S. car loan giant GMAC said it would lower finance charges and open up car loans to borrowers with lower credit scores to jump start vehicle purchases.

    GMAC has target $5 billion for the next two months to entice more customers into buying autos, The Detroit News reported Thursday.

    The lender, which lowered its minimum credit score for borrowers to 620 in December, said it would accept loan applications for borrowers whose score falls under 620, which generally designates subprime customers.

    John McEleney, president of the National Automobile Dealers Association, told the News it was “very positive step.” When GMAC raised its minimum credit score to 700 last October, analysts said it kept 40 percent of its potential customers from securing an automobile loan.

    McEleney said lowering the minimum score “is going to help … dealers and make credit available to a wider range of customers.”

    GMAC also said it will stop demanding “curtailment” payments, which are payments dealerships have been required to make on their GMAC loans if their inventory doesn’t move fast enough off of their lots.

    http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2009/04/02/GMAC-drops-minimum-credit-score-for-loans/UPI-37661238707280/

    ***

    An Antarctic ice shelf has disappeared -scientists
    Fri Apr 3, 2009 6:27pm EDT

    WASHINGTON, April 3 (Reuters) – One Antarctic ice shelf has quickly vanished, another is disappearing and glaciers are melting faster than anyone thought due to climate change, U.S. and British government researchers reported on Friday.

    They said the Wordie Ice Shelf, which had been disintegrating since the 1960s, is gone and the northern part of the Larsen Ice Shelf no longer exists. More than 3,200 square miles (8,300 square km) have broken off from the Larsen shelf since 1986.

    Climate change is to blame, according to the report from the U.S. Geological Survey and the British Antarctic Survey, available at pubs.usgs.gov/imap/2600/B.

    “The rapid retreat of glaciers there demonstrates once again the profound effects our planet is already experiencing — more rapidly than previously known — as a consequence of climate change,” U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in a statement.

    “This continued and often significant glacier retreat is a wakeup call that change is happening … and we need to be prepared,” USGS glaciologist Jane Ferrigno, who led the Antarctica study, said in a statement.

    “Antarctica is of special interest because it holds an estimated 91 percent of the Earth’s glacier volume, and change anywhere in the ice sheet poses significant hazards to society,” she said.

    In another report published in the journal Geophysical Letters, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that ice is melting much more rapidly than expected in the Arctic as well, based on new computer analyses and recent ice measurements.

    The U.N. Climate Panel projects that world atmospheric temperature will rise by between 1.8 and 4.0 degrees Celsius because of emissions of greenhouse gases that could bring floods, droughts, heat waves and more powerful storms.

    As glaciers and ice sheets melt, they can raise overall ocean levels and swamp low-lying areas. (Reporting by Maggie Fox; Editing by Xavier Briand)

    © Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved

    http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN03361051

    ***
    U.S. property bust threatens condo “death spiral”
    Thu Apr 2, 2009 8:37pm EDT

    By Jim Loney

    MIAMI (Reuters) – Rust pokes through the peeling paint on the railings, pest control has been curtailed and the palm trees are no longer being fertilized at the 1940s-era Miami Modern condominium building in Miami Beach.

    The condo association has been forced to cut expenses because the owners of 11 of the 28 apartments in the modest two-story building are delinquent, victims of a mammoth U.S. real estate collapse that has hit Florida especially hard.

    With so many cash-strapped owners failing to pay their monthly fees for upkeep, the condo board last year had to raise $40,000 with a special levy to fill a giant hole in the $80,000 annual budget, but only managed to collect $19,000 from the owners who are still able to pay their bills.

    Florida’s condominium and homeowners’ associations are facing what experts call a trickle-down disaster from the property crisis. Dozens and perhaps hundreds of condo buildings have budget shortfalls as thousands of owners, under water on their mortgages or in foreclosure, stop paying monthly fees.

    “I call it a death spiral,” Miami Beach city commissioner Jerry Libbin said. “It’s a catastrophe in the making.”

    Nearly half of Florida’s 18 million residents live in condo or homeowners associations, communities where owners pay monthly fees for common expenses like cleaning, landscaping, pool maintenance and building insurance.

    When a unit owner stops paying monthly fees, which can range from $150 in a small building to over $1,000 in a luxury tower, a condo board must collect money from other owners to make up the shortfall. Rising fees or special assessments, or levies, can drive other vulnerable owners into insolvency.

    No one seems sure how many condo buildings are in trouble but the number of calls to Florida’s condo ombudsman could be an indicator. They are up tenfold in recent months.

    At Miami-based condo management company CADISA Inc, co-founder Jackie Diaz-Sampol estimated that delinquency rates are running at 30 percent to 35 percent in half her buildings.

    As a result, associations are cutting back pool and hallway maintenance, trimming services and firing maintenance staff.

    “We’ve had to become very creative. Desperate times create desperate measures,” Diaz-Sampol said. “We’ve even had owners who have volunteered to do a little painting.”

    TROUBLED BUILDINGS

    Carol Housen, the board president at the Miami Beach condo where nearly half the units are in hot water, would talk about its problems only with an agreement that the address would not be published. It’s tough to sell a condo with a bad reputation.

    Housen points out chipped paint on the concrete walkways, which haven’t been redone lately. Crown-of-thorns and bougainvillea plants are blooming but she wonders how they will survive with the landscaper visiting less frequently.

    “Everything is not going to look as nice,” said Housen, a property broker. “We had an exterminator once a month. Now he comes once every two months. We’re not fertilizing the trees.”

    The story of this building is a familiar one.

    The apartments were converted to condos at the height of a boom that saw prices — inflated by speculation and fraud — double within four years, then tumble in the last three. A one-bedroom, 560-square-foot (52-square-meter) unit that topped out near $200,000 might now get $70,000, leaving owners drowning in debt.

    Still, said Housen, it could be worse. She pointed to a nearby tower where she said more than 200 of the 244 units have liens or lawsuits pending.

    Housen said an upscale building not far away — where units that once sold for over $1 million and are now priced below $500,000 — has 16 troubled apartments of 44 in the building.

    The crisis could mean serious pain for Miami Beach, a resort town with 88,000 residents and 42,000 condos. If debtors walk away from their units, buildings could become derelict.

    “I haven’t seen it yet, but I think we’re going to see it,” Housen said.

    BANKS ARE STALLING

    Condo advocates say banks are partly responsible for hobbling condo boards by being slow to foreclose on owners who have fallen behind.

    Lenders don’t become responsible for an apartment’s costs until they foreclose and under current law, a bank is liable to pay only six months worth of fees in arrears, or 1 percent of the mortgage value, when it takes back a property.

    Condo advocates say banks are deliberately stalling.

    “There’s no doubt in my mind it’s done so they don’t have to pay the fees,” Rosa de la Camara, a lawyer with Becker & Poliakoff, a Florida firm that does condo legal work.

    Proposed legislation would make banks pay up to 12 months of fees. Advocates also want the Florida legislature to allow associations to collect rent directly from tenants when owners are taking in rent but not paying condo fees, and said other states are considering similar legislation.

    Libbin, the Miami Beach commissioner, left this week for the state capital Tallahassee to lobby lawmakers to pass a bill giving more financial protection to condo associations. He took with him resolutions from Florida condo boards representing some 135,000 unit owners pleading for help.

    He said the state might end up taking over bankrupt condo associations. “Imagine what it will be like if you have to call the governor’s office to get a plumber,” he said.

    (Editing by Pascal Fletcher and Doina Chiacu)

    © Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved

    http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE53200O20090403?sp=true

    ****

    New York Times threatens to shut Boston Globe
    Fri Apr 3, 2009 10:45pm EDT

    By Jason Szep and Robert MacMillan

    BOSTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – The New York Times Co has threatened to shut The Boston Globe unless the newspaper’s unions quickly agree to $20 million in concessions, the Globe reported on Friday, quoting union leaders.

    The union officials said executives from the Globe and the Times, which owns the Boston newspaper, made the demands on Thursday morning in a meeting with leaders of the newspaper’s 13 unions, the Globe reported.

    If the Globe closed, it would join a growing list of big city dailies that have shut down this year, including EW Scripps Co’s Rocky Mountain News and the print edition of Hearst Corp’s Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Hearst’s San Francisco Chronicle might join that list.

    Possible concessions at the Globe, the 14th-largest U.S. daily paper by weekday circulation, include pay cuts, the end of pension contributions by the company and the elimination of lifetime job guarantees for some veteran staff, the paper said, quoting Boston Newspaper Guild president Daniel Totten.

    The guild is the Globe’s biggest union, representing more than 700 editorial, advertising and business office employees, the report said.

    “Management told union leaders Thursday that the Globe will lose $85 million in 2009, unless serious cutbacks are made, according to a Globe employee briefed on the discussions,” the Globe report said. That compares with an estimated $50 million loss last year, the newspaper quoted the employee as saying.

    “The ad revenues have fallen off the cliff,” the Globe quoted Ralph Giallanella, secretary-treasurer of the Teamsters Local 259, as saying. “Just based on everything that’s going on around the country, they’re serious.” His union represents about 200 drivers who deliver the paper.

    Giallanella and Globe executives could not be reached by Reuters. A Times spokeswoman declined to comment. Totten was not immediately available for comment.

    The Times sought the concessions because it can no longer subsidize the Globe’s losses, the report said, quoting the Globe employee, who requested anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly.

    The threat comes as a host of U.S. newspaper publishers have reduced staff, declared bankruptcy or shuttered newspapers to cope with a recession that has squeezed advertising revenues and with a new era in which readers seek news online.

    Many U.S. newspapers have lost 20 percent or more of their advertising revenue as more people get news online for free.

    Earlier this week, the Boston Globe completed cutting the equivalent of 50 full-time newsroom jobs.

    Separate media reports have said that the Times may try to sell the Globe to drum up cash to pay off debt. As recently as two years ago, the Globe was considered to be worth more than $500 million. The Times bought it in 1993 for $1.1 billion.

    A report late last year by Barclays Capital pegged its value as low as $20 million.

    Boston and the surrounding area has not proven to be a good investment for the Times. The Telegram-Gazette in Worcester, which the Times also owns, has been dealing with falling ad revenue like most U.S. papers.

    The Times also is trying to sell its stake in the holding company that owns the Boston Red Sox Major League Baseball team as a way to raise money to pay off debt.

    It has taken other measures including selling its stake in its New York headquarters and borrowing from Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, who owns a large stake in the Times.

    The company also is awash in widespread media speculation that the Ochs-Sulzberger family, which has controlled it for more than a century, could sell the Times.

    The Boston Globe, the most widely circulated daily in Boston and New England, was founded in 1872 and privately owned until 1973, when it went public as Affiliated Publications.

    On March 26, The New York Times and the Washington Post, two of the most respected U.S. newspapers, said they were cutting costs further in the face of dramatic declines in advertising revenue.

    The Times said it laid off 100 workers and is cutting non-union salaries. It is also asking unionized employees to accept similar concessions to avoid layoffs in the newsroom.

    Non-union employees at the New York Times and the Boston Globe would get a 5 percent pay cut for nine months, along with 10 days off, the Times said. At other units, including the company’s Worcester, Massachusetts, newspaper, the amounts would be a 2.5 percent pay cut and five days off.

    (Reporting by Jason Szep in Boston and Grant McCool and Robert MacMillan in New York; Editing by Doina Chiacu, Gary Hill)

    http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE53303820090404

    ***

    Estimated U.S. taxpayer cost for bailout jumps
    Sat Apr 4, 2009 3:19pm EDT

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. congressional budget analysts have raised their estimate of the net cost to taxpayers for the government’s financial rescue program to $356 billion, an increase of $167 billion from earlier estimates.

    The Congressional Budget Office had originally projected the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program would cost taxpayers $189 billion.

    The additional cost, which applies to TARP spending for fiscal years 2009 and 2010, was included in the CBO’s March projection of a $1.8 trillion deficit for fiscal 2009, which ends September 30.

    The TARP cost projection was raised due to changes in financial market conditions, new transactions and a shift in expected timing of payments, the CBO said.

    The Treasury Department announced plans to use some of the money to help avoid home foreclosures and made new deals with Bank of America and American International Group. Those programs involved higher subsidy rates than previously estimated, the report said.

    Congress passed the Wall Street bailout program in October with the goal of stabilizing banks and reassuring jittery markets.

    (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Jackie Frank)

    © Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved

    http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE53323420090404

    ***
    BANKS ARE STALLING

    Condo advocates say banks are partly responsible for hobbling condo boards by being slow to foreclose on owners who have fallen behind.

    Lenders don’t become responsible for an apartment’s costs until they foreclose and under current law, a bank is liable to pay only six months worth of fees in arrears, or 1 percent of the mortgage value, when it takes back a property.

    Condo advocates say banks are deliberately stalling.

    http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE53200O20090403?sp=true

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