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Round Table
Meeting On "In larger freedom"
AAPSO called for a round table meeting on 6/6/2005 to discuss the
report of the UN Secretary General entitled "In larger freedom" toward
development, security and human rights for all.
Several
organizations participated in this meeting: The Egyptian Council for
Foreign Affairs, Cairo Center for Human Rights, National Planning
Institute, Arab Labour Organization, UN Egyptian Association, Arab
Programme for Human Rights Activists, Arab and African Research Center,
Egyptian Center for Women¹s Rights and a number of prominent
personalities such as researchers and experts in this field.
Dr. Morad
Ghaleb inaugurated the session and the speakers were:
Dr. Hani Selim - Director of the UN Affairs Office in the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, and Ms. Fatma El Seweifi - Director of the UN Office in
Cairo, reviewed the report of the UN Secretary General.
Dr. Diaa
Rashwan, expert in terrorism issues in Al Ahram Strategic Studies Center
spoke of adopting a comprehensive convention against terrorism.
Ambassador Mohamed Ibrahim Shaker, head of the Egyptian Council for
Foreign Affairs touched on broadening Security Council membership.
Mr. Bahi
Eldin Hassan, Director of the Cairo Center for Human Rights addressed
the issue of establishing a human rights council. Dr. Saad Hafez from
the National Planning Institute dealt with reform in ECOSOC.
All
participants expressed their views which were in-depth and fruitful,
thus arriving at certain general recommendations which were communicated
to the UN Secretary General Kofi Anan.
***
A message to Mr. Kofi Annan- the U.N.
Secretary-General
On " The Reform of the U.N.....In Larger Freedom"
Attention to: Mr. Kofi Annan
Secretary-General of
the U.N.
Greetings,
AAPSO Permanent Secretariat, an international NGO with consultative
status in ECOSOC, called for a consultative round table meeting with a
number of NGOs, (Egyptian Foreign Affairs Council, Al Ahram Center for
Strategic Studies, Cairo Institute for Human Rights, National Planning
Institute, Arab Labour Organization, UN Egyptian Association, Arab
Programme for Human Rights Activists, Arab Lawyers¹ Union, Arab African
research center, Egyptian Center for Women¹s rights), experts and
researchers to discuss : "In Larger Freedom .. Towards Development,
Security and Human Rights for All", on 6 June 2005. This was in
accordance with your request that NGOs should participate with their
views on your report. The following is a summary of the proceedings of
the round table discussions in general in terms of comments and
recommendations, which we hope you will take into consideration:
First: We all agree with the vision to link economic and social
development of peoples with security and stability issues as well as
respect for human rights.
Second: Regarding your proposal on "Freedom from fear" and
relevant matters concerning fighting terrorism, curtailing nuclear
armament and enlarging the Security Council, we believe that:
1.
The report focused to a large extent on new threats that confront
security such as wars, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction,
organized crime and others. However, the report did not mention
previous threats such as direct foreign occupation and military
intervention .
2.
The report affirmed certain concepts without giving a clear definition
such as "responsibility of protection", "terrorism" and others. Hence
the participants of the round table stressed the importance of convening
an international conference sponsored by the UN to specifically define
terrorism. The participants asked for paying more attention to
disasters facing human being such as: infectious diseases, epidemics,
natural disasters and poverty as there is a discrepancy in defining
priorities that should be addressed. It is our firm opinion that in
meeting the challenges of terrorism, we need to go deeper into the real
causes that provide fertile ground for breading terrorism. The diverse
specialized organs should approach in an atmosphere of constructive
cooperation through the exchange of information, and timely warning in
order to remedy before it explodes into an uncontrollable situation.
3.
We affirm the legitimate right of peoples to resist and struggle for
liberation from occupation and their right to self determination in
compliance with UN resolutions.
4.
Any progress in disarmament and non-proliferation or deterring its
possession by terrorists will not be achieved since the super powers and
others possess these weapons.
5.
We support the recommendations in the report on nuclear disarmament,
and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. We underscore that Article 6
of the NPT should be implemented, the 13 steps mentioned in the Treaty
in the year 2000. What is most important is the implementation of the
1995 resolutions of the Treaty, in particular that the Middle East
should be free from weapons of mass destruction.
6.
The question of veto for new members should be democratically solved.
The participants recommended the importance of revitalizing the role of
the UN General Assembly which represents all governments of the world.
7.
We reject the annulment of the term hostile countries because this
undermines the right of peoples to fight against aggression and
countries that perpetrate this aggression against them.
Third: Regarding what your report mentioned on "Living in
dignity", democratic issues and establishment of the Commission on Human
Rights and others, we support your views on the rule of law and respect
for human rights as well as promoting democracy. These are all required
by the Millennium Goals. Our views are as such:
1
- We stress the need for greater participation of civil society
institutions especially NGOs in the works of the proposed human rights
council similar to that in the existing commission. Moreover, the UN
should extend moral and financial support to assist NGOs participating
in these activities.
2
- We deem that a report on the status of human rights should be issued
periodically similar to that in the existing commission.
3
- We are concerned that the proposal to review the human rights status
by the proposed council will analyze the situation country by country
and not according to a specific agenda on matters as presently carried
out. One year may not be sufficient to undertake such a task.
4
- We recommend that in the event a small council on human rights is
established, countries that wish to nominate themselves for membership
should forward a detailed report on the status of human rights in their
countries and should invite special rapporteurs to investigate. Any
member who violates International Law should be rejected.
5
- We affirm the need to permit other non- members to the council to
participate in the works of the council and attend its sessions without
having the right to vote. This in order to ensure constructive
dialogue.
6
- The proposal on the establishment of a democracy fund to promote
democracy requires more clarification and details on the concept of
aspired democracy should be clearly defined.
7
- We recommend to strengthen the role of the International Criminal
Court and the International Court of Justice.
Fourth: Regarding the proposal on the "Freedom from want" and
reform of the ECOSOC, we are of the view that:
1
- Progress in development should not be linked to any political agenda.
For development serves security and not vice-versa.
2
- Developed countries should meet their commitments towards developing
countries without preconditions or selectivity.
3
- The proposals presented in the report increases the marginalization of
UN agencies such as UNCTAD and UNIDO and give a greater role to IMF,
World Bank, WTO and TNCS as if it were a privatization of UN programmes.
4
- Underscores that every country has the right to present its own reform
strategies according to its circumstances and that reform should not be
stereotyped.
5
- As for increasing financial operations of economic institutions, we
recommend that there must be more transparency on this subject.
***
"North-South Joint Declaration"
* His Excellency Mr. Kim Jong II
* General Secretary
of the Worker's party of Korea
* Chairman of the
National Defence Commission of the D.P.R. of Korea
* Supreme Commander
of the Korean People's Army
Your Excellency
It
is a great pleasure for me to send my warmest greetings and would like
to express our firm solidarity to Your Excellency on the occasion of 5th
anniversary of North-South Joint Declaration.
Your unflinching effort to reunite Korea based on the principle of
Independence, Peace and Great National Unity is highly appreciable.
North-South Joint Declaration announced in Pyongyang on 15June 2000 is a
historical event and a landmark of the Koran reunification.
I
take this opportunity to wish you good health and happiness and great
success in your noble work to reunify Korea and to built a prosperous
country.
Best regards,
Nouri Abdul Razzak Hussain
General Secretary of AAPSO
***
Message to the International Meeting "Against
Terrorism"
To the Participants of the International meeting "Against Terrorism, for
Truth and Justice" Havana, Cuba.
Dear Comrades,
AAPSO has
great pleasure in greeting the participants of this timely international
meeting on Terrorism, for truth and Justice."
Today the
U.S. in trying to show to the world that its main agenda is fighting
terrorism throughout the world after the terrorist attack on World Trade
Centre in New York in 2001. This unfortunate incident has been used by
the U.S. government to terrorize the rest of the world and specially
those countries who do not tow its line. Cuba is a first target of U.S.
state sponsored terrorism since the establishment of the revolutionary
Socialist state in 1959.The way that the U.S. has taken its position to
fight terrorism only helps to create more incidents of that nature as we
have seen in a number of countries from Middle East to Indonesia. In
most of these countries the heavy-handed military activities of the U.S.
has helped to escalate the growth of fundamentalism which is raising its
head everywhere.
If the U.S.
is genuinely interested in fighting terrorism, it should help to
eradicate causes which become the fertile ground of terrorism such as
poverty, diseases, lack of development and minimum requirements of the
people as human being, including human rights and universal justice.
The peace
loving people all over the world and especially in the developing
countries are fully aware that it was Cuba which was constantly over
that last four decades had been a target by terrorists, sponsored and
financed by the United States.
The United
States territory moreover has become the safe haven for the terrorists.
The master mind terrorists Lis Posada Carriles who blew up the Cuban
Airline in 1976 has today illegally entered the U.S. territory but the
U.S government is not prepared to extradite him to Venezuela despite the
request by the Venezuelan government as the Lis Posada Carriles is a
naturalized citizen of that country. Venezuelan government and the U.S.
has an extradition treaty but the C.I.A. sponsored terrorists are
blue-eyed boys of the U.S.
While the
U.S. talk tall about fighting terrorism, in fact it is engineering
terrorism in the rest of the World including state terrorism. It is
helping the Israeli government with sophisticated weapons to assassinate
Palestinian leaders in the name of fighting terrorism.
The
participants are fully aware about the situation in Latin America where
a wave of terrorist activities are on going sponsored by the U.S. on one
pretext on the other.
AAPSO hopes
that your important conference will be able to expose the real terrorism
and how this menace could be eliminated from the World. Moreover your
conference will address the consolidation of the movements of the people
all over the World for fighting genuine terrorism in the interest of the
well being, Development and Peace in the World.
***
In whose interest are the active Lebanese
leaderships assassinated?
The national progressive militant George Hawi was assassinated in
cold blood the former Secretary General of the Lebanese Communist Party.
One of the most distinguished Lebanese and Arab fighters against
Israeli occupation of Lebanon was martyred, who with his comrades
launched the Lebanese National Resistance Front and who without
reservations supported the Palestinian struggle in the quest to overcome
Zionist occupation and oppression. This cowardly act claimed the life
of the courageous George Hawi who was characterized by his struggle for
Lebanese sovereignty and Lebanese peopleís
right to democracy. It was George Hawi who raised the slogan "advocates
of reason unite" and called for the need to return to reason in our Arab
world. He stressed for dialogue between diverse currents in order to
achieve revolutionary national, religious and liberal thinking.
George Hawi
joined other brave Lebanese martyrs such as Faragalla El Helwe, Kamal
Jumblat, Rafik El Hariri and Samir Koseir.
AAPSO
recalls the significant role of militant George Hawi in the
Organization¹s struggle as one of its founders in Lebanon. This role
that gave unconditional support to every liberation and democratic
struggle of peoples in general and Arab peoples in particular. George
Hawi was one of the sincerest and staunchest sons of Afro Asian
solidarity.
The
successive assassinations in Lebanon indicate a criminal scheme aimed at
detonating the situation in Lebanon in order to facilitate its
subjection to the American Zionist hegemony project in the Middle East.
AAPSO
condemns this brutal crime and deems that it should be called into
account. Moreover the Organization expresses its deep condolences to
the progressive Lebanese peoples as well as to the Lebanese Communist
Party for the loss of their great historic leader. AAPSO also conveys
its condolences to the Arab peoples on the loss of one of its most
prominent thinkers and revolutionary leaders.
The
Organization conveys its sincere condolences to the Lebanese Committee
for Peace and Solidarity as well as to his esteemed family.
Dr. Morad Ghaleb
Mr Nouri Abdel Razzak
AAPSO President
AAPSO Secretary General
***
SUDAN IN ENDLESS CONFLICTS
Recently, a reconciliation agreement has been reached between the
Sudanese government and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
According to this agreement, the NDA will be incorporated into the
government of national unity. This is a most rational approach since the
country was confronted with the worst ever civil war involving different
parties, warring groups and other factions engaged in permanent
confrontations, threatening the very unity of Sudan.
If
the above agreement is to be realized with the Sudanese government and
the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) with the signing of a
long-waited historical agreement on 9th January, and appropriately
implemented, the new developments over the issue of national unity
represents a big step toward the normalization of the aspirations of the
Sudanese people.
Fightings have erupted in eastern areas of the country claiming the
lives of many citizens. In the western region of Darfur, the bloody war
continues, violence gravely affects innocent people with death toll
rising amid huge numbers of refugees and displaced populations. With the
tensions raising in both regions of Sudan, it is time for the Sudanese
government to seek political settlements to the various problems with
the opposition groups.
Political and economic marginalization, discrimination and sidelining of
the ethnic groups or regional populations of the country constitute the
main root causes of the conflicts, added to that the effects of
poverty, misery, starvation, ignorance and corruption.
The deployment by the United Nations and the African Union of
peacekeeping forces, the unfinished peace negotiations still underway,
would result nothing if there were no strong political will from the
sides of government and its opponents, and determined efforts to break
the cycle of confrontations. Any agreement on national unity should
embrace the participation of all Sudanese citizens without exception, in
the construction and development of their unified country, the only
democratic way to build the future of Sudan, to lead it to progress and
prosperity.
AAPSO remains very concerned with the situation in Sudan and urges the
leaders to undertake negotiations with good will and determination,
without preconditions, allowing the possibility of sharing political
power, economic wealth, social advantages and benefits.
The new government consisting of a coalition of the Islamists and
secular SPLM and scheduled to assume office soon, has the very
responsibility of giving peace and security a chance to rein over the
country, the sooner the decisive action, the better.
****
Seminar Held by the Secretariat of the Arab
Social Forum
(Cairo Sector)
A seminar on "Dismantlement and Construction" was held to discuss
the new American course based on destruction and demolition of all that
exists in order to formulate a new theory in the name of construction to
realize American hegemony.
The seminar was held on Wednesday 29/6/2005 and was hosted by AAPSO.
Two research studies were presented. The first paper was introduced by
Mr. Mustafa Gamal, researcher in the Arab African Research Center in
which he dealt with the context of this policy and its application
particularly in the Arab world. The meeting was steered by Dr.Fakhri
Labib from the Organization. The second paper was presented by Mr.
Talaat Rumeih, political writer, on ways and means to confront and
resist. The session was steered by Dr. Tarek Abdel Latif from the Arab
Doctors Union.
The participants, representatives from NGOs and journalists shared in
enriching the dialogue and discussions.
***
Arab African Research Center
Dr. Morad Ghaleb
Mr. Nouri Abdel
Razzak
The Center takes pleasure in inviting you to participate in the
colloquium on: South South relations under the conditions of
globalization, comparative view of Latin America and the Arab world on
28-29 June 2005. The meeting will be convened with the Latin American
Council for Social Sciences (CLACSO) - its headquarters are in
Argentina.
Six professors from Latin America will participate in this meeting which
will be held in Pyramisa Hotel, Dokki.
These professors expressed their great interest in hearing Arab and
African views in the hope that a continuous dialogue between both
cultures and regions will be initiated.
Hence, your participation is considered as an active factor in this
expected dialogue.
Helmi Shaarawi
Director of the Center
***
Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs
Dr. Morad Ghaleb
I
have the honour to inform you that Madame Michelle Elio Marie, Minister
of Defence of France will meet a number of the Council members and will
give a lecture entitled: Europe: Defence and Security in the world.
This meeting will be held on Thursday 30 June 2005 at 5 pm at the
Egyptian Diplomatic Club.
We
hope your time will permit you to attend.
Ambassador El Sayed Amin Shalaby
Executive Director
***
World Peace Forum 2006
We were sorry you were not able to attend our planning meeting on June
15. There was vigorous discussion and debate about the "implementation"
plan, which will serve us well in making decisions on how best to
proceed.
It
is clear that the "implementation plan" needs to be revised and reworked
to reflect your comments and those of others, so it is proposed that
Lynn Hainsworth, Executive Director - Operations, and I undertake that
work. In order to incorporate all input and suggestions, we would
appreciate it if you would review both the attached minutes and the plan
and then provide us with your further comments at your earliest
convenience and no later than Friday, June 24. The new, revised document
will be circulated once re-drafted and adopted by the Joint Steering
Committee, the World Peace Forum Society and the Peace and Justice
Committee.
Thank for all your support and we look forward to hearing from you.
Ruth Herman,
for the Coordinating Committee
Tania Aguila
Administrative Co-ordinator
World Peace Forum 2006
***
Solidarity with World Peoples
Dear Mr. Nouri Abdul Razzak Hussain,
Warm greetings from
Korean Committee for Solidarity with World Peoples (KCSWP)! I hope this
letter will find you and your family well
We
have received emails from AAPSO and found that AAPSO is working very
actively.
As
you know, the "World Conference for Supporting the Independent and
Peaceful Reunification of Korea" will be held in Pyongyang in August.
Around 200 responsible representatives from various international NGOs
and their national organizations, friendship and solidarity
organizations have expressed their willingness to participate in the
event.
During the past, the AAPSO has been paying deep attentions to the
independent and peaceful reunification of Korea. After due
consideration, the Organizing Committee has decided to invite you who
can fully represent AAPSO. Your traveling and accommodation expenses
will be covered by Organizing Committee.
Looking forward to meeting you at the Conference in Pyongyang,
With regards,
Kim II Bong
Secretary General
***
INVITATION
To: Mr. Nouri Abdul Razzak Hussain Secretary-General, AAPSO
Dear Mr. Nouri Abdul
Razzak Hussain,
The year 2005, is the year to celebrate 60th anniversary of the Korean
liberation, and it is the year that the Korean people are witnessing 60
years division of Korean peninsula by the foreign forces.
Also it is the historical year to mark 25th anniversary of publication,
by the great leader President Kim Il Sung, of the proposal to found the
Democratic Confederal Republic of Koryo and 5th anniversary of the June
15 North-South Joint Declaration.
The division of the Korean peninsula, as a product of the cold war of
the 20th century, is still continuing even in 21st century, and thereby
the Korean people is suffering from untold pains and misfortunes up to
now.
From this, the "World Conference for Supporting the Independent and
Peaceful Reunification of Korea" will be held in Pyongyang, the capital
of the DPR of Korea between August 13-15, on the occasion of the 60th
anniversary of the Liberation of Korea in response to the joint appeal
adopted last year by the International Liaison Committee for
Reunification and Peace of Korea, East European Center of Support and
Solidarity with the DPRK and Latin-America and Caribbean Regional
Committee for Supporting Reunification of Korea.
The upcoming conference will be the important opportunity to extend the
active support and encouragement to the Korean people in their struggle
reunification and peace of Korea.
It
is a great pleasure for us to invite you to the upcoming world
conference who has been exerting all efforts for the reunification and
peace of the Korean Peninsula.
We express our firm belief and expectation that you would participate in
the Conference who has been giving the active support and solidarity to
the Korean people¹s struggle in the past period.
With regards,
On behalf of International Preparatory Committee
Guy DUPRY, Secretary General of
International Liaison Committee for Reunification and Peace of Korea
Mun Jae Chol, Chairman of
The Korean Committee for Solidarity with World Peoples.
***
Arab League General Secretariat
Dr. Fakhri Labib
Responsible for
Information in AAPSO
As
you are aware, the Arab League declared its commitment to implement the
Millennium Development Goals until 2010 despite the disparity for
achieving these Goals from one Arab country to another. However, Arab
countries continue to face challenges as regards their implementation.
Therefore, in view of this commitment, the Arab Ministers of Social
Affairs adopted resolution No (473) in the 24th Ordinary Session held on
4 - 5 December 2004, concerning the follow up of the Goals. In this
respect, it was decided to hold a ministerial conference on 30 June 2005
on the Millennium Development Goals in the Arab region sponsored by HE
Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the Arab League. The conference will
be held in cooperation between the Arab league and UNDP Cairo Office
within the framework of revitalizing cooperation existing between both
institutions in the fields of development, especially social
development.
The ministerial conference will be preceded by a workshop on the
achievements accomplished by Arab countries regarding the Goals and
challenges faced in this concern. The workshop will take place on 28 -
29 June 2005 in a bid to prepare a unified Arab paper on the follow up
of the implementation and financing of the Millennium Development Goals
in the Arab region. This, in order to represent the Arab stance in the
forthcoming second millennium summit held by the UN next September 2005.
The workshop will be at the level of under secretaries, sector
directors and representatives of civil society and experts in
development from Arab countries.
In
light of your outstanding experience and intellectual and scientific
contributions in the field of human resources and its issues, we look
forward to your participation in the workshop and hope to receive your
positive answer.
Ibrahim Jaafer El Souri
Director of the Development and Social Policies Department
In the Technical Secretariat of the Arab Social Ministers Council
***
Ibn Rushd Association
AAPSO
Within the context of importance given by Ibn Rushd Center to
development, by discussing societal issues at the local, regional and
international level.
The Center in cooperation with Freidrich Neurman Foundation is
organizing a meeting to discuss the annual report of the National
Council for Human Rights (2004 - 2005).
The Center looks forward to your participation with a view to enrich
discussions and dialogue.
The meeting will be held on Sunday 12 June 2005 in Flaminco Hotel,
Zamalek at 10 am until 5 pm.
We
thank you for your valuable cooperation.
Head of the Board of Directors , Dr. Ahmed Thabet
Director of the Center, Mr. Hussein Maaloum
***
Workshop on Women
Supporting the Rights of Rural Women in Participation
Dear Sir/Madam
Greetings
Land Center for Human Rights is pleased to invite you to take part in
its' workshop entitled "Supporting the Rights of Rural Women in
Participation" that will be held on the 9th of July 2005 from 9 am till
7 pm in Caritas Misr Association:
1
Mahmoud Sidqi St, Khulusy, Shubra Misr, Cairo, Egypt.
If
you would like to participate in this workshop, please fill in the
participation form and send it to us before the 1st of July 2005, at the
Center headquarter by e-mail at: <Ichr@lchr-eg.org
> Or by fax number: +202-5750470
We
are confident that your participation will enrich the debates in this
issue and achieve the workshop goals in improving and supporting the
rights of rural women in participation.
Kind regards
Karam Saber, Executive Manager
Land Center for Human Rights
***
International Workshop on Gender Equity and
Micro Enterprise Development
Dear Sir,
Greetings
It
is our pleasure to invite you to our forthcoming International Workshops
to be held in Goa from 18 July - 23 July, woo5.
The program is designed to cater the current need of helping women to
overcome the blockades and draw maximum participation from them to set
up micro enterprises, which will help them, achieve self reliance and
place them at par with their male counterparts in the development
sector. The event will be unique experience for the delegates with blend
of cross culture.
Awaiting your positive and kind acknowledgment.
With best regards
Ms. Anupama, Senior Manager, IDMAT
***
World Peace
Dear Sir,
The purpose of this letter is to formally invite you to be the closing
keynote speaker at the World Peace Conference in New York. The theme of
this conference is racism and child abuse. It will be held at New York
United States of America from Monday 4th to Thursday 7th July 2005.
For your information Vladimir Orlov, Journalist and Moderator will be
the opening keynote speaker.
This World Peace Conference Against Racism, Child abuse, Xenophobia and
Related Intolerance has come at an opportune time when the world, is
rapidly being reduced into a global village, finds itself at socio
economic and political crossroads where careful selection of difficult
choices for survival must, more than ever before, form our agenda to
address causes, results and remedies of human problems .In closing, we
would be please and honoured if you would be our closing speaker on
Thursday 7th July 2005.
Yours Sincerely
Chris Jones, Co-chairTechnical Committee
***
Civil Society International Conference
Dear
I
have the pleasure to invite your Organization to participate in the
United Nations International Conference of Civil Society in Support of
Middle East Peace. The Conference will be held on 12 and 13 July
2005 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris under the auspices of the Committee
on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.
The Conference will draw on the positive results of the previous United
Nations International Conferences of Civil Society and will focus on the
current situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East
Jerusalem, and support by civil society for the current peace efforts.
Its aim is to provide civil society organizations from all regions of
the world with an opportunity to discuss the situation in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, coordinate their
activities and to develop action-oriented proposals in support of Middle
East peace. Invited experts will speak about the role of civil society
in the work towards the resolution of the question of Palestine. During
discussion periods in each plenary session, and in specific workshops,
participants will have an opportunity to discuss issues of particular
interest to civil society organizations.
It
is envisaged that a plan of action will be adopted by participants at
the close of the Conference.
I
hope your Organization will be in a position to accept this invitation.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Badji
Chairman Committee on the Exercise of the
Inalienable Rightsof the Palestinian People
***
Seminar Postponed
Dear Colleagues,
The Bangkok Seminar entitled "Combating racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance: the role of education and
awareness-raising" originally scheduled to take place on 4-6 July
2005 has been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. The expert
regional seminar is organized by the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights within the context of the comprehensive
implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme
of Action. The seminar has been rescheduled for 19 -21 September 2005.
I will keep you informed on further developments regarding the
preparation of the seminar as they unfold.
I thank you for your understanding on the matter and hope to
count you among the non-governmental organizations contributing to the
seminar on these new dates.
Yours sincerely,
Sandra Aragón-Parriaux
NGO liaison officer Anti-Discrimination Unit, OHCHR
***
Elimination of Racial Discrimination
The
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) will hold
its 67th session from 1 to 19 August 2005 at the United Nations Office
at Geneva. During its session, the Committee will examine the reports of
the following states parties: Barbados, Georgia, Iceland, Nigeria,
Tanzania, Turkmenistan, Venezuela and Zambia. The Committee will also
review the implementation of the Convention in the following States
parties whose reports are at least five years overdue: Malawi,
Mozambique, Saint Lucia and Seychelles.
***
Coalition for the International Criminal Court
The Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the
International Criminal Court will convene its Fourth Session, in the
Hague, from 28 November to 3 December, 2005, and the assumed fourth
session, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, on the 26 and
27 January, 2006.
***
UNCTAD
Expert Meeting on Methodologies, Classifications, Quantification and
Development Impacts of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs).
The Expert Meeting on
Methodologies, Classifications, Quantification and Development Impacts
of Non-Tariff Barriers will be held from 5 to 7 September 2005 at the
Palais des Nations, Geneva.
***
Israeli Palestinian
Dialogue Committee
It is time to sweep out occupation
After 38 years of odious Israeli occupation that recorded and
continues to record killings, dispersion, threats, pillage and
destruction against the sons of the Palestinian people in the West Bank
and Gaza, we now stand before Sharon¹s new oppressive scheme to demolish
scores of houses in the town of Selwan and evict its inhabitants, a
matter that will end the state of "tranquility" and destroy the entire
peace process.
We appeal to
international fora including the UN Quartet as well as public opinion in
the world and in Israel to step up their efforts in pressuring Sharon¹s
government to abort this terrible scheme. Moreover, we should continue
our persistent struggle to realize withdrawal from Gaza despite Sharonís
delaying policy, this in order to reach the next stage in terms of
starting withdrawal from the West Bank. Hence the forthcoming year will
witness the end of occupation and establishment of the independent
Palestinian State with Al Quds Al Sherif as its capital. It is time to
sweep out occupation.
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