Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel issued the following statement this evening (27 February) on the decisions by the Turkish judicial authorities concerning Deniz Yücel:

Zusatzinformationen

I am deeply disappointed by the news from Istanbul. After two weeks in police custody, Deniz Yücel will now be held on remand for an indefinite period. This decision is far too severe and therefore also disproportionate. It neither takes into account freedom of the press and freedom of opinion, precious commodities in every democracy, nor the fact that Deniz Yücel handed himself in to the Turkish authorities and has stated his readiness to cooperate fully with the investigation.

These are dramatic times for Turkey, as well as difficult times for German-Turkish relations.

The case of Deniz Yücel drastically highlights the differences which our two countries evidently have when it comes to applying rule of law principles and how we regard freedom of the press and freedom of opinion.

We have every reason to raise this issue with Turkey and to make our views known in no uncertain terms.
We are determined to do everything we can to ensure that Deniz Yücel is set free soon and that the proceedings end well.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170227_BM_Yuecel.html?nn=479796

Federal Foreign Office comments on the killing of a German hostage in the Philippines

A Federal Foreign Office Spokesperson issued the following statement in Berlin today (27 February 2017):

Zusatzinformationen

“There can no longer be any reasonable doubt that the German national kidnapped in the Philippines is indeed dead. We are profoundly shocked by the inhumane and cruel actions of his kidnappers.

We condemn the murder of this German man in the strongest terms. There can be no justification for this terrorist crime.

We extend our deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to the victim’s family.

Together with the competent Philippine authorities, we will do everything in our power to bring the perpetrators to justice.”

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170227_Geisel_Philippinen.html?nn=479796

Monday, February 27, 2017

Travel Destination Germany - Follow Me (Short Version)

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INjN_R-ob30

Dr Hazel Wilkinson, Public Engagement with Research Award winner 2016

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psh2rO1jGbU

Human Rights Commissioner welcomes release of Ildar Dadin

Bärbel Kofler, Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Foreign Office, issued the following statement today (27 February) on the release on 22 February of Russian civil rights activist Ildar Dadin by the Russian Supreme Court:

Zusatzinformationen

“I was greatly relieved to hear the news that Ildar Dadin’s guilty verdict has been overturned. I hope that this decision will also be interpreted as a message by the judiciary as regards putting an end to the disproportionate action taken by the Russian authorities against the peaceful expression of opinion in the public domain.

Action must urgently be taken to reverse the growing tendency in Russia to block out independent voices from public life. I call on the Russian authorities to protect the right to peaceful demonstration enshrined in the Russian constitution and to bring its laws on the freedom of assembly and the freedom of opinion into line with international human rights standards and apply these accordingly.

At the same time, all accusations of abuse of prisoners must, as a matter of urgency, be comprehensively and independently investigated and those responsible brought to justice. As a member of the Council of Europe, Russia has undertaken to guarantee this.”

Background information:

Russian citizen Ildar Dadin had repeatedly made public calls for human rights to be preserved, especially the freedom of opinion and the freedom of assembly. When he was sentenced to two and a half years’ imprisonment in a prison camp at the end of 2015, this was the first time that the Russian judiciary had applied restrictions on the right of assembly introduced in 2014. Whereas violations of the right to demonstrate were previously treated as an administrative offence, a sentence of up to five years’ imprisonment may now be handed down in the case of repeated infringements in accordance with Article 212.1 of the Russian Criminal Code.

Dadin was found guilty of taking part in several peaceful political demonstrations, which had not been authorised by the authorities, from autumn 2014 onwards, for each of which an administrative penalty had been imposed. Dadin had accused the prison staff of severe maltreatment in 2016.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170227-Idar_Dadin.html?nn=479796

Travel Destination Germany – Follow Me

Human Rights Commissioner welcomes release of Ildar Dadin

Zusatzinformationen

“I was greatly relieved to hear the news that Ildar Dadin’s guilty verdict has been overturned. I hope that this decision will also be interpreted as a message by the judiciary as regards putting an end to the disproportionate action taken by the Russian authorities against the peaceful expression of opinion in the public domain.

Action must urgently be taken to reverse the growing tendency in Russia to block out independent voices from public life. I call on the Russian authorities to protect the right to peaceful demonstration enshrined in the Russian constitution and to bring its laws on the freedom of assembly and the freedom of opinion into line with international human rights standards and apply these accordingly.

At the same time, all accusations of abuse of prisoners must, as a matter of urgency, be comprehensively and independently investigated and those responsible brought to justice. As a member of the Council of Europe, Russia has undertaken to guarantee this.”

Background information:

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fSr_-wLOz0

Guidance: Criminality guidance in article 8 ECHR cases

Guidance on how claims involving article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) are considered when a person is being deported from the UK because of their criminality.

from
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminality-guidance-in-article-8-echr-cases

Travel Destination Germany: Incoming and Brand Summit 2016

This guidance deals with how article 8 ECHR cases are considered when deporting a criminal.

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1XvX_R233w

Foreign Minister Gabriel on his first official visits to Italy and Austria

On Monday, 27 February 2017, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel will travel to Austria and Italy. In this connection, Foreign Minister Gabriel issued the following statement today (26 February):

Zusatzinformationen

Seldom have so many forces been undermining the European Union at the same time – both externally and internally. During my talks in Vienna and Rome, I want to discuss with my counterparts how we can strengthen Europe’s cohesion and make the European Union fit for the future. That will only be possible if we in the EU pull together and reach durable compromises, also on difficult issues such as how to deal with the refugee and migration crisis.

In Vienna I will also discuss OSCE matters. Having taken over the OSCE Chairmanship from Germany, Austria plays a key role in our efforts to stabilise the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine.

In Vienna, Foreign Minister Gabriel will have talks with Federal Chancellor Christian Kern and Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, among others. In Rome, he is due to meet Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano. The talks will focus on bilateral and European issues as well as urgent international crises and conflicts.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170226_BM_Reise_Rom_Wien.html?nn=479796

In Oslo, Foreign Minister Gabriel pledges humanitarian assistance for Nigeria and the Lake Chad region

Foreign Minister Gabriel issued the following statement today (24 February) at the Oslo Humanitarian Conference for Nigeria and the Lake Chad region:

Zusatzinformationen

Hundreds of thousands of children are threatened by starvation in the Lake Chad region. Millions of people have had to flee their homes in the face of the brutal terror of Boko Haram. Countless families are fighting for survival. We are facing one of the biggest humanitarian crises of our age.

I was particularly moved today by the speech given by the Nigerian civil society representative that reminded us that it is not the countries with the largest humanitarian aid budget that make the biggest contribution, but rather the people in the Lake Chad region itself. They are “the biggest donors”. They are hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees in their region and helping them with the little that they have, all the while suffering themselves in the face of extremely difficult living conditions.

I am able to announce today that Germany will contribute a further 120 million euros for humanitarian assistance and stabilisation measures for the Lake Chad region over the next three years.

It is important to me that we look beyond the present day. If we intend to improve the situation of the people in the long term, then we must have a stronger focus on crisis prevention and stabilisation than to date. With this in mind, we have decided to set aside 20 million euros of our total contribution for projects to support deradicalisation and reconciliation and to strengthen local structures.

Five million euros have been earmarked for a country-specific fund for Nigeria, which Stephen O’Brien, the Emergency Relief Coordinator of the United Nations, has announced today. This fund will help to deploy this aid even more swiftly and in a manner tailored to the needs of the people in the region.

Such steps will only yield fruit if we implement them in close partnership with the African countries. We have agreed to set up a consultative group together with the co-chairs from Nigeria and Norway, as well as with our counterparts from Cameroon, the Niger and Chad. We will hold regular discussions in order to agree the next steps to counter the basic problems of terrorism, displacement and poverty. This format is open to further countries and organisations.

Furthermore, we have also held discussions today on other crisis regions in Africa. Germany has increased its support considerably in recent years. We doubled our financial contributions to humanitarian crises on the continent once again in the past year and have become the second‑biggest bilateral donor worldwide.

In view of the dramatic situation in South Sudan, I have decided today that the Federal Government will provide the country with an additional 40 million euros of humanitarian assistance. We must ensure that children are no longer threatened by starvation and help to alleviate their unbearable suffering.

Background information:

Together with his counterparts from Nigeria and Norway, as well as the Emergency Relief Coordinator of the United Nations, Foreign Minister Gabriel invited participants to the conference in Oslo in order to raise funds to help as many people as possible with urgently needed humanitarian assistance. In particular, Germany is working together with international partners to develop measures to stabilise the region in the long term.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170224_BM_HuHi.html?nn=479796

Friday, February 24, 2017

No university taxes for immigrant students

No university taxes for immigrant students. At least, this is the strategy adopted by the Italian institution in the region of Puglia, Politecnico of Bari, ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/no-university-taxes-for-immigrant-students/

Speech by Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel at the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region

Colleagues,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like to thank you, Børge Brende, for hosting us. But I would also like to thank each and every one of you for joining us at this important conference.

This conference is about raising awareness and much needed financing in order to improve the dire humanitarian situation in the Lake Chad region. At the same time, there is an ongoing discussion in Europe about increasing the military spending. This strikes me as a discussion that is disconnected from what we see in many parts of the world – hunger, poverty, a lack of future. Wouldn’t it be wise to invest more in humanitarian assistance, in stabilisation and in development aid, which has a real impact on the lives of millions of people, instead of concentrating the discussion on military expenses?

By coming together around this table, we are sending out a message - loud and clear: We must not look away! We must not turn a blind eye to the suffering of millions of people in the Lake Chad region. Hundreds of thousands of children are threatened by hunger. Millions of people have been forced from their homes – fleeing Boko Haram’s brutal terror. Countless families are battling to survive, living in conditions that we find hard to even imagine!

These people need our help and they need it now!

That’s why I am joining Børge Brende in calling for your support. Germany will contribute 100 million euros over the next three years in humanitarian assistance to the region.

This aid is crucial. Humanitarian assistance helps people to survive. That is the utmost priority.

But the bad news is: This will almost certainly not be enough. We need to do more. We must prevent this crisis from becoming protracted. We have to seek ways to break the cycle of terror, forced displacement, economic disruption and poverty. We need to target preventive measures – to stop a crisis from escalating. And we need to focus on stabilizing a situation rather than letting it deteriorate until millions suffer. This is the spirit of the commitments we made at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul last year.

And this is why Germany is contributing at least 20 million euros over the next three years to finance prevention and stabilization measures in the Lake Chad region; together with our humanitarian assistance we will spend 120 million euros. Strengthening the capacities of local police and border control is one important example.

We want to support the governments in the region in their efforts to stabilize communities and strengthen local governance. And we want to do so together with our partners! For that purpose we and the countries of the Lake Chad region have agreed on the formation of a consultative group to focus on preventive and stabilization measures for the region. We want to assess what we can do to complement humanitarian assistance and build bridges to longer-term development cooperation. I invite all interested partners to join this group!

Looking beyond crisis management and towards ways to boost economic development in Africa – that was also a key topic we discussed at our G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Bonn last week. And I am glad that all of us agreed that we will only be able to tackle our challenges if we work together internationally.

The same is true for this conference!

That’s why I encourage you all to rally around this crucial cause and help those in desperate need in the Lake Chad region. It is our joint responsibility. We can make a difference. But we must act together! And we must act now!

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Reden/2017/170224_Rede_BM_Gabriel_Oslo_Tschadsee-Konf.html?nn=479796

Foreign Minister Gabriel on the Syria peace talks in Geneva

Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel issued the following statement today (23 February) as peace talks for Syria are officially scheduled to begin in Geneva:

Zusatzinformationen

“After nearly one year, there is now a possibility that talks between the Syrian regime and the Syrian opposition will be taken up again in Geneva, with the aim of finding a solution to the bloody civil war. For the first time in many months, there is the prospect that the vicious circle of violence may be broken and a true political process can be initiated under the leadership of the United Nations.

Neither the Syrian regime nor the opposition should let this opportunity pass, although the talks will certainly not be easy. The civilian population of Syria is suffering and has been waiting all too long for this devastating war to finally come to an end. The attack on the UN humanitarian convoy at al-Waer again demonstrates how important it is for steps to be taken now to rapidly de-escalate the situation.

I call on all sides to seriously and constructively engage in the negotiations on a political transition. Germany will continue to do everything in its power to support the United Nations, and in particular UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura, as they tackle this difficult task.”

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170223_BM_Syrien.html?nn=479796

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Immigration Skills Charge – Tier 2

The Introduction of the Immigration Skills Charge 6th April 2017 – Subject to Parliamentary Approval

Businesses who employ foreign workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) through the Tier 2 visa routes for Skilled Workers and Intra Company Transfer routes be aware that subject to parliamentary approval, the Immigration Skills Charge will be rolled out on 6th April 2017.
The Immigration Skills Charge is designed to encourage businesses to source their skilled work force from the UK resident labour market and to invest money into apprenticeship training for their employees. The skills charge will also help reduce the burden of tax from the Immigration System.
Unless otherwise listed below, all businesses will be required to pay £1000 per Tier 2 migrant per year.
Those who are exempted from paying the Immigration Skills Charge:

Small and Charitable sponsors will only pay £364 per migrant / year
Occupations skilled to PHD Level
Intra Company Transfer Graduate Trainee Category
Tier 4 switching into Tier 2
Croatian Nationals

If you employ a large workforce and you are unsure of what implications the skills charge has for your business please get in contact with one of our Corporate Immigration advisers.

The post Immigration Skills Charge – Tier 2 appeared first on The Visa Office.

from
http://www.visa-office.com/immigration-skills-charge-tier-2/

Feeling not welcome, they are leaving before they are thrown out

In post-Brexit England, one better think about prevention instead of medical care. This is probably what 10,000 foreign physicians across The Channel were thinking. Who ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/feeling-not-welcome-they-are-leaving-before-they-are-thrown-out/

Press release: 5,000 refugees arrive since Syrian scheme expanded

Over 1,200 refugees arrived in the final 3 months of 2016, meaning 5,454 people have been given refuge since the government pledged to resettle 20,000 refugees by 2020.

Within this total, approximately half of those who arrived under the scheme were children.

Today’s figures also show Syrian refugees are now being housed by more than 200 local authorities across the United Kingdom. The government continues to work with councils and devolved administrations to ensure placements are available as more vulnerable people arrive.

Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill said:

The humanitarian crisis in Syria is unprecedented, which is why this government is undertaking one of the largest resettlement schemes in the UK’s history.

I’m delighted with the significant progress we have made with the VPR scheme so far and vulnerable refugees are arriving here every month.

The hard work will continue throughout this Parliament, as we work with local authorities to provide those who have been displaced by conflict with a safe environment and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.

In September 2015, the government pledged to resettle 20,000 vulnerable Syrians by the end of this Parliament in 2020. Additionally 3,000 children and adults will be resettled from the Middle East and North Africa through our Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme.

And in 2016, a total of more than 8,000 children were granted refuge or other forms of leave. This included more than 900 unaccompanied children from Europe.

The government has already pledged an additional £10 million in English language funding in order to help the Syrian families improve their English language skills, which are vital to help them in finding work, gain independence and give back to the communities that have welcomed them.

These resettlement schemes are only one of the ways the government is supporting vulnerable children and adults who have fled danger and conflict. The UK government remains the second largest donor in humanitarian assistance and has pledged £2.3 billion in aid to Syria and the neighbouring countries, which has provided:

over 21 million food rations that feed a person for a month
over 6.5 million relief packages
over 6.2 million vaccines
over 4.8 million medical consultations

The UK has also provided humanitarian support in response to the Mediterranean migration crisis of more than £100 million since October 2015. This includes providing winter clothing, hygiene kits and emergency medical care for those rescued at sea as well as protection for women and girls at risk of being trafficked.

from
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/5000-refugees-arrive-since-syrian-scheme-expanded

Press release: 5,000 refugees arrive since Syrian scheme expanded

Over 1,200 refugees arrived in the final 3 months of 2016, meaning 5,454 people have been given refuge since the government pledged to resettle 20,000 refugees by 2020.

Within this total, approximately half of those who arrived under the scheme were children.

Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill said:

The humanitarian crisis in Syria is unprecedented, which is why this government is undertaking one of the largest resettlement schemes in the UK’s history.

I’m delighted with the significant progress we have made with the VPR scheme so far and vulnerable refugees are arriving here every month.

The hard work will continue throughout this Parliament, as we work with local authorities to provide those who have been displaced by conflict with a safe environment and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.

And in 2016, a total of more than 8,000 children were granted refuge or other forms of leave. This included more than 900 unaccompanied children from Europe.

over 21 million food rations that feed a person for a month
over 6.5 million relief packages
over 6.2 million vaccines
over 4.8 million medical consultations

from
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/5000-refugees-arrive-since-syrian-scheme-expanded

Night of Breath - Feel it Festival

More than 5,000 Syrian refugees have been resettled in the UK under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement (VPR) scheme since October 2015, new figures reveal today (Thursday 23 February).

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVkkUQCm8fU

Transparency data: Historical interest transparency data: February 2017

This document contains data on:

2006 cohort of foreign national offenders released without consideration for deportation

from
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/historical-interest-transparency-data-february-2017

Transparency data: Border and immigration cross cutting data: February 2017

This document contains data on:

staffing within UKVI and IE
spending on external consultant

from
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/border-and-immigration-cross-cutting-data-february-2017

Transparency data: Immigration Enforcement data: February 2017

This document contains data on:

migration refusal pool data
foreign national offender data
family returns data
cedars return data
cost of detaining people who left immigration detention and were subsequently granted leave to enter or leave to remain in the UK
cost per day to hold an individual in immigration detention
reports made under Rule 35 on individuals in immigration detention
reports made under Rule 35 by institution
carriers issued with a notification of demand for payment
intelligence intake crime type breakdown
enforcement visit arrests linked to subsequent removals
escorted moves and Home Office manual for escorting safely (HOMES) data

from
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-enforcement-data-february-2017

Transparency data: Customer service operations data: February 2017

This document contains data on the performance against service standards in relation to:

performance against service standards in relation to replies to MP letters
outstanding out of service standard MP letters
performance against service standard for customer complaints and MP’s emails
UKVI applicant satisfaction survey results

from
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/customer-service-operations-data-february-2017

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Seven Earths and the Dwarf Star

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsCZihBoFWg

Foreign Minister Gabriel on the current situation in eastern Ukraine

Foreign Minister Gabriel issued the following statement today (22 February) on the current situation in eastern Ukraine:

Zusatzinformationen

Alarming reports are reaching us once again today from eastern Ukraine. The fact is that the agreed ceasefire is not holding. According to the OSCE, heavy weapons were used again last night – and this was the case at several points along the line of contact.

At our meeting in the Normandy format on the margins of the Munich Security Conference both sides – Moscow and Kyiv – undertook to use their influence to implement the points agreed by the Trilateral Contact Group on 15 February.

This includes the withdrawal of heavy weapons and complete adherence to the ceasefire by 20 February. It also includes informing the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission about the current position data of the heavy weapons so that the observers can monitor their withdrawal. So far, neither has happened – on either side.

Those who make an undertaking on Saturday that no longer applies just a few days later share responsibility for downgrading the negotiating process.

We can only call urgently on both sides to now implement the agreed steps immediately. Otherwise, we run the risk of greater military escalation, with a large number of further civilian victims, and a continuation of the standstill in the political process.

Even the most intensive negotiation endeavours come to nothing if the political will to implement agreements is lacking.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170222_BM_Ostukraine.html?nn=479796

University of Cambridge Sustainable Food Policy

Foreign Minister Gabriel on the current situation in eastern Ukraine

Foreign Minister Gabriel issued the following statement today (22 February) on the current situation in eastern Ukraine:

Zusatzinformationen

Alarming reports are reaching us once again today from eastern Ukraine. The fact is that the agreed ceasefire is not holding. According to the OSCE, heavy weapons were used again last night – and this was the case at several points along the line of contact.

At our meeting in the Normandy format on the margins of the Munich Security Conference both sides – Moscow and Kyiv – undertook to use their influence to implement the points agreed by the Trilateral Contact Group on 15 February.

This includes the withdrawal of heavy weapons and complete adherence to the ceasefire by 20 February. It also includes informing the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission about the current position data of the heavy weapons so that the observers can monitor their withdrawal. So far, neither has happened – on either side.

Those who make an undertaking on Saturday that no longer applies just a few days later share responsibility for downgrading the negotiating process.

We can only call urgently on both sides to now implement the agreed steps immediately. Otherwise, we run the risk of greater military escalation, with a large number of further civilian victims, and a continuation of the standstill in the political process.

Even the most intensive negotiation endeavours come to nothing if the political will to implement agreements is lacking.

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCMkKlhj-GE

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Speech by Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel at the 53rd Munich Security Conference

Ladies and gentlemen,

I think we have known for a long time that German foreign policy is no longer simply about mastering east-west relations. We are in a position, these days, to develop analysis on practically every region of the world. The key question today, however, is this: in a world that we do understand pretty well but in which we have little influence, how can we Germans, we Europeans, enhance our active role in that world? We Germans can only do that within the framework of Europe.

What we must ask ourselves is whether we Europeans – i.e. the European Union – with the structures through which we can act and our understanding of politics, are actually compatible with today’s world.

If we are honest, America is not the only entity to have a tradition of exceptionalism, the policy of a country convinced of its merits and its structure, trying to spread them around the world, in part with instruments which we have not always considered sensible.

No; there is also a European exceptionalism, which also consists of believing that our values are unique in the world while at the same time striving to keep at arms length any conflict that discomposes us.

For some years now, however, we have been reluctantly learning that this is impossible. The streams of refugees coming to us from around the world are one example. They are connected to violent developments in regions of the world that are not part of Europe.

And if we are entirely open and honest with one another in that context, we do have to admit that, in each of these conflicts, we have to some extent been ultimately relying on American leadership to solve the problem somehow in the end. And if we didn’t agree with the outcome, we criticised the Americans for it.

We ourselves have been somewhat distant and reticent about actually getting involved in the world as it has, all around us, grown ever more difficult than we would like. So the question is this: are the structures through which we act and our understanding of politics compatible with a more and more difficult world?

Dyed-in-the-wool Europhiles might find that a provocative question at first glance, given that we are involved in practically all multilateral and international processes: the G20, the United Nations, the WTO, negotiations on protecting the climate.

And yet I am not absolutely convinced that we Europeans are currently in a position to fully realise our potential influence.

That should by no means be read as an accusation. The European Union was not designed to be a global player. It was intended to create peace and prosperity for its members. And it has been successfully fulfilling that remit for decades. But maybe we have given too little consideration to the fact that we are living through a change of world order.

Take the rapid development in Asia, for example. China, with its growing economy and population, is no longer merely a place to sell our exports or produce goods at low prices. We are now trading partners, and we are competitors.

We have not yet completely managed the leap from the old to the new, continually changing world order. That said, we have become significantly closer to the outside world since the Iron Curtain was removed. As I have mentioned, the refugees coming from North Africa, Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere are the most topical example.

Let me put it in more definitive terms: we have created a system which has to all intents and purposes eliminated the risk of war in Europe, at least in the European Union.

But we have not yet learned how to deal with the realities of crises and wars outside the European Union, on our external borders.

We in Europe need to quickly learn to see that we are part of a world in which power politics, even pursued by means of war, regrettably still has a place in the political toolbox – and indeed is once again being wielded more than it was. And we need to understand that we will not avoid this sometimes troubled and belligerent world by trying to shut ourselves off.

At the same time, we are facing a major crisis of confidence in Europe. However, we cannot restore confidence by withdrawing into smaller and smaller groupings. Yes, there are already different speeds within Europe, differing levels of integration. This can and will still be the case in future, e.g. in security and defence policy.

Nonetheless, the principle must continue to apply: the European Union is a community based on shared values, shared responsibilities and shared duties. Amputation is not a very acceptable way of dealing with problems here – not least with respect to Greece within the eurozone.

Our objective must be to re-establish a better balance within Europe and make sure that no country in Europe needs to see itself as the loser. That means reviving the culture of responsibility in Europe, perhaps as we saw in Schuman’s day.

How courageous must those people have been who invited Germany, of all countries, back to the European table shortly after the Second World War. I cannot imagine that there was much popular enthusiasm for that move in France, the Benelux countries and Italy. It was probably met with great consternation. But Schuman’s generation nevertheless knew that this was the only way to bring about stability and security in Europe, and they had the courage to stand by their vision and see it through. Compared to the courage they needed, I really don’t think we have any reason to be afraid nowadays. On the contrary, we have many more possible ways of holding Europe together than the founders did. The most important thing is that we mustn’t abandon Europe to those who want to destroy it. We need to talk about what the core of this European project is that we need to protect, cement or even recreate.

For me, a stronger Europe will principally grow out of closer cooperation in the following five areas:

1. Strengthening the joint formulation and conduct of European foreign policy, and then – as a consequence thereof, not a prelude – of common defence and security policy. That at least is how I have always understood the primacy of politics: foreign policy must come before security and defence policy, not the other way around.

2. Jointly protecting Europe’s external borders rather than leaving it to member states alone. This has to become a truly European job. And Germany has in the past been among those who were not prepared to do this and regarded it as a field of national policy.

3. Conducting common internal security policy.

4. Breathing new life into the European Union’s promise of prosperity by investing in competitiveness, research, education and development and the creation of jobs.

5. Developing the internal market into a social market economy that generates not only entrepreneurial freedom and a level playing field for competition but also greater social security and mutual responsibility.

This also applies to our relationship with the UK. I very much regret the British decision in favour of Brexit, but we have to respect it. We should also resist the temptation to deal overly harshly with Britain now – not out of sympathy but for reasons of self-interest. We need Britain as a partner in security policy. And Britain needs us; of that I am sure.

In relations with the US too, we shouldn’t take offence at and ignore the shifts that were discernible even before President Trump’s election. It was President Obama who declared the US a Pacific nation, with his “pivot to Asia”. This is therefore not a particularly new development. And the idea is guided not only by economic considerations but also – and I address this to our UK friends – by the fact that, in a few years, the majority of US citizens will no longer be of European origin but will have Asian, Latin American or African roots. That is sure to alter the country’s ties to Europe and to Britain.

After 70 years of US leadership, it is not unreasonable for Washington to redefine its role in the world and in relation to Europe. Our job must now be to make sure that does not result in a vacuum and instead develop a strong Europe which is willing to shoulder responsibility.

What we can offer the US is joint formulation of interests, joint setting of priorities – and a shared platform of common values.

That approach does have one precondition, however, which is that both sides need to define their interests and not let ideology determine their foreign policy. Widely though interests may diverge, there are always ways to accommodate them. Ideologies make that impossible. They split the world into “us and them”, and such divisions are ultimately not bridgeable.

Ladies and gentlemen,

What does that mean for us Europeans now? My advice is to stay optimistic, but not unprepared. “Hoping for the best and preparing for the worst,” as they say. But let’s not do it as pessimists. Even if all the various developments in global politics turn out as well as they possibly could, we in Europe are going to have to change. But the good news is that, if we prepare for the worst-case scenario, we will also be better prepared for the best-case scenario. And we won’t be doing that because of the US but because we in Europe need it ourselves. Growing stronger is good for us. We can also assure our European partners, to paraphrase Mario Draghi’s “Whatever it takes” slightly, that

Germany will do all it can to stop Europe splitting up.

This includes listening more in Europe and accepting that others have problems, perspectives and challenges that are not the same as Germany’s.

It includes Germany and the European Union defending and standing by the ideas referred to as Western values – liberty, democracy and mutual responsibility.

It also includes us Europeans assuming more responsibility together. And we are doing so. France and Germany, for instance, will continue talks with Russia and Ukraine this afternoon in order to make progress – in spite of all the difficulties – on the Minsk peace process.

I understand and accept that the US expects Europe to shoulder a greater share of responsibility for security in the world. However, it would be entirely wrong to believe that one could more readily expect this from a Europe disintegrating into its component nation states. Ultimately and in the long term, the “best deals” are reached through rules-based international cooperation.

I want to say a word about military expenditure too. I understand that we have an obligation. But we do have to be a bit careful that we don’t fall back into the times when we thought increased military spending equated to increased security. We have known for a long time that crisis prevention, reconstruction and economic cooperation generate prospects for people and that this can have a much more significant effect than any military expenditure.

It is regrettably true that we do sometimes need to use military means, since you cannot build schools when there are violent criminals and terrorists without first defeating them.

But with all due respect for the 2% goal, one of the European countries that have achieved it is Greece. Using 2% of Greece’s GDP for defence at a time when pensions cannot be paid – we need to think about whether that is a particularly clever idea and whether it is contributing to greater stability in Greece.

So we need to be a little careful not to over-interpret the 2% idea. The broader objective is clear, and nobody is questioning it. But what it means in practice is that Germany would have to spend 25 billion euros more on defence within a few years. And I will add at this point that we have to stay fairly realistic, including during election campaigns, about what politics can promise and what it can actually bring about. I certainly do not know where those tens of billions are supposed to come from, particularly not when tax cuts are being proposed at the same time.

Let’s keep things in proportion and hold the line, and let us not skip blithely into a new spiral of armament. Arms alone cannot guarantee security.

Let me conclude by raising one point which I think we need to keep reiterating both to our American friends and to ourselves in Europe. For all the difficulties this continent has, for all its challenges and arguments, I know of no region in the world where people can live with as much peace, democracy and social security as they can in the European Union.

Europe is the greatest civilising project of the 20th century, and in the 21st century, many people around the world still envy us our problems. They would be glad to have nothing worse to deal with. That uniqueness does, in a way, make us proud to be European.

Thank you very much!

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Reden/2017/170218_Rede_BM_Gabriel_Muesiko.html?nn=479796

Monday, February 20, 2017

Speech by Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel to bid farewell to State Secretary Steinlein and welcome State Secretaries Lindner and Sontowski

Colleagues here at the Federal Foreign Office,
Representatives of the Staff Council,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Guests,

It’s not very long, just a little over a fortnight, since you gathered here in the Weltsaal to bid farewell to Frank-Walter Steinmeier and welcome me. And now it’s already my turn to invite you to the next round of hellos and goodbyes.

Even in the short time I’ve been at the Federal Foreign Office, I’ve learnt that change is part of the routine. However, I hope it’s not going to carry on at quite such a rapid rate.

State Secretary Steinlein, Stephan,

Now that Frank-Walter Steinmeier and you are moving to Schloss Bellevue, and given that both your surnames contain the German word for “stone“, one might say that the Stone Age at the Federal Foreign Office is over.

To some people’s ears, that might sound as if it were something to be relieved about. But the real experts know that the Stone Age was an extremely productive era!

New instruments were discovered. Here at the FFO, you would talk about toolboxes.

Forms of peaceful coexistence were practised ‑ sort of forerunners of the OSCE. Whether Germany had the chairmanship back then, though, is something we will never know...

In short, Stephan, there is absolutely no doubt that it is largely down to you that the most recent Stone Age here at the Federal Foreign Office has been such an important one. Important for the ministry itself – because you were one of the key minds and drivers behind reform at the FFO. But also important far beyond the walls of the ministry; important for German foreign policy, which had to prove its worth in times of crisis. The fact that it was so successful is of course thanks not only to the Minister, but most especially to his closest advisers.

“Closest adviser” ‑ that sounds almost too distant for the relationship between you and Frank-Walter Steinmeier. “Alter ego” would be a bit more like it. At least, that’s how I saw it. During our time in opposition together, whenever there was something that had to be discussed between party headquarters and the parliamentary group – and on the very rare occasion when there was something to be argued about – there were times at the end of a long day when I didn’t really know any more who I’d actually been talking to, Frank-Walter or you. But basically it didn’t matter. Because to talk to one of you was to talk to the other as well. That is the great strength of what was not only a long-standing professional connection, but above all a good friendship.

Stephan,

In recent years your political biography has been interwoven with that of Frank-Walter Steinmeier. But it began long before that. With the events of 1989 you learnt that change, particularly democratic change, has to be fought for. You can’t just let change wash over you; you can and have to shape it. It was clear to you that change in Germany had to be embedded in the idea of a united Europe. Reunification had to be a manifestation of European integration policy. Even before reunification, you nurtured contacts abroad, with our European neighbours.

So it is no coincidence that your only two foreign postings took you to France, as the GDR’s last ambassador there, and then to the Embassy in Warsaw, as a representative of reunited Germany. France and Poland: very early on, you focused for yourself on these two key points of orientation in German foreign policy.

Your biography reflects the change in our country. Indeed, you helped shape this change. In the best Prussian sense, you shouldered responsibility for the polity. Without ever pushing yourself to the fore. To paraphrase your academic and political teacher, Walter Ullmann: you decided to “serve the planet”. And the good thing is that this service is to continue, in a key position, in a crucial phase in which we have to fight for cohesion in our own country, but especially also in Europe and beyond, in a world which might otherwise go down the nationalist route.

I am sure I speak for all the colleagues here today when I wish you all the very best in your new position. Thank you very much indeed for everything you have done here at the Federal Foreign!

State Secretary Lindner, Walter,

Welcome back to Berlin! To a very wintry Berlin... I must say, when I saw the photos from your farewell in summery South Africa, I almost felt guilty about fetching you back to Berlin. But only almost.

There are the wildest rumours going around about the reasons for your appointment as State Secretary.

Some people think the appointment of Walter Lindner points to certain conclusions about the next government coalition. It’s going to be a Kenya coalition, they claim. Of course that’s nonsense.

So is the rumour that Walter Lindner is just going to be working part-time at the Federal Foreign Office, and playing the flute with the Berlin Philharmonic in the evening.

It’s not that I doubt your musical talent ‑ I’ve heard it myself, after all – but we need all your energies for the Federal Foreign Office!

Esteemed colleagues,

I am delighted that, in Walter Lindner, we have a new State Secretary who is entirely familiar with the diplomatic stage – and sometimes uses it for music of all kinds. He is someone who invariably understands his diplomatic activity as taking him right to the heart of events, and he has no fear of getting involved. Because diplomacy is not an aseptic job that takes place under laboratory conditions. Diplomacy happens exactly where things are bubbling up, where life is.

Walter, I have seen for myself on several occasions just how close you are to people. At the end of a visit we paid together to a slum in Nairobi, a local woman invited us to enjoy her home-made ‑ or rather hut-made ‑ mandazi and sukuma wiki. I wonder when you’ll be introducing these east African dishes in the FFO canteen?

Walter, I look forward to working with you. And let me assure you, spring will arrive in Berlin at some point!

***

State Secretary Sontowski, Rainer,

A few minutes ago I described Stephan Steinlein as Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s alter ego. Something similar could be said about our relationship. But there are a few differences. Steinmeier and Steinlein: not only their names are similar, but also their temperaments. To reassure everyone here in the room: that’s not the case with us! He’s the quieter one, I hasten to add. Not a bad qualification for a State Secretary at the Federal Foreign Office.

State Secretary Sontowski and his staff at the Federal Foreign Office will look after political coordination vis-à-vis the other federal ministries and the Länder. Bringing these tasks related to the function of Deputy Chancellor back to the FFO probably isn’t a bad thing for the ministry. Certainly, Rainer Sontowski has a wealth of experience of negotiations with the Federal Finance Ministry!

On that note, I am confident that with you, Rainer and Walter, the Federal Foreign Office is now even stronger!

***

Esteemed colleagues,

I am very glad that we have sorted out the urgent personnel issues quickly, that we have got our trio of State Secretaries Ederer, Lindner and Sontowski together. I am very grateful to State Secretary Ederer for staying on and ensuring continuity.

An active German foreign policy can only succeed, however, if we have good members of staff, as the Federal Foreign Office most certainly does, but also if the political and administrative leadership is well organised. It can only succeed if we all, you all, here in Berlin, in Bonn and at the missions abroad, put our entire energy into it!

We’ll need it. Because we can all see that the uncertainties remain and may even increase. This week we have the meeting of G20 Foreign Ministers and the Munich Security Conference. Everyone is keenly waiting to see what impressions and signals are given, because we do not yet know whether interests will play a role in the relationship between the United States and Europe and perhaps even between the United States and the rest of the world. That’s nothing bad, not even if the interests differ, because there are competition procedures for that, institutions that ensure balance. Nor do we know whether we need to be concerned that American domestic and foreign policy is going to operate on ideological lines. In that case, it is difficult to find a balance. Ideology which assumes that America is the very opposite of what it actually is. Because America definitely isn’t the land of the white man and the white woman. Nor is it a country which became great and strong by aiming for national hegemony and cultural and ethnic homogeneity. If that turns out to be American policy now, then we have difficult times ahead, because Europe and Germany are the exact opposite of this ideology. The Federal Republic of Germany was founded after the Second World War as a rejection of the idea of national hegemony and as a rejection of the idea of ethnic homogeneity. To that extent, we are the exact opposite of what seems to be emerging over there, at least in American politics.

What can we do? Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Obviously, try everything possible to debate and balance interests. But I believe we also need to prepare ourselves for Europe being given greater responsibility. The good news is that whatever we achieve in preparing for the worst will at the same time help us deal with the best case scenario. In the end, the aim is to make Europe stronger – in all the different aspects of its activities. At a time when Europe is showing weakness, some people find this scarcely conceivable. But I want to tell you about one example which I would never have thought possible when I was a young man. It shows just what potential there is in German foreign policy, but also in Europe. You will have read that after the Netherlands put military units under German command some time ago, Czechia and Romania are now talking about doing the same. Leaving aside the question of how important the military issue is in Europe, this is an astonishing development. As a young man, I would never have believed that those very countries which had been devastated by my parents’ and grandparents’ generations would ever be willing to align with German military structures. The fact that this is possible today shows how strong the ties of trust are in Europe, despite some differences, conflicts and hard confrontations. And I believe that, notwithstanding all the difficulties we have in moving closer to each other, we can build on this trust, trust which has evolved since the establishment of the European Union. I believe there is no reason to be discouraged. It must have been courageous men and women who invited the Germans ‑ the Germans!‑ to the European table after 1945. I cannot imagine that the citizens of France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg were particularly enthusiastic about the idea. But they did it nonetheless, and they succeeded in convincing the majority of people in their countries that the European integration project was the only way to a good and secure future, also for those countries which had so recently been attacked by us Germans. Why am I saying this? Because I believe that, in times of doubt, it is useful to recall these experiences. Because I believe that the resistance we need to overcome in our population and in the populations of other European states is less than that faced back then by Robert Schuman and others. Because I believe that they created something wonderful. And to my mind at least, the continent of Europe is, despite all the problems, the region of the world where one can live a life with the greatest democracy, freedom and social security. I believe that the greatest civilisation project of the 20th century is unparalleled even now in the 21st century. We must work to make this Europe stronger and more self-confident so as, in the best case, to create new partnerships with many, also with the Americans. And in the worst case, we must be strong enough to ourselves remain true to the values which we call Western values, which is not a geographical terms, but a political and cultural one, the idea of cohesion. That will be at the heart of our work over the next few months. Let me thank you already for helping us work towards this goal. I believe we will achieve it, with the help of our trio of State Secretaries.

Thank you very much.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Reden/2017/170214-Staatssekretaere.html?nn=479796

Foreign Minister Gabriel after his meeting today with the Foreign Ministers of France, Russia and Ukraine on the fringes of the Munich Security Conference

Foreign Minister Gabriel issued the following statement today (18 February) after his meeting with the Foreign Ministers of France, Russia and Ukraine on the fringes of the Munich Security Conference:

Zusatzinformationen

At today's foreign ministers meeting in the Normandy format on the fringes of the Munich Security Conference, we, the Foreign Ministers of France, Russia, Ukraine and Germany, reached the following agreements regarding the serious escalation of cease-fire violations in eastern Ukraine:

All parties will use their influence to implement the agreement reached in the Trilateral Contact Group on 15 February, namely to arrive at a cease-fire with effect from 20 February and to do what has long been agreed but never came about: removing and securing heavy weapons from the area and giving the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission the opportunity to monitor where they are.

We have agreed that the exchange of prisoners is to be continued rapidly ‑ with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

We will meet again in a few weeks to continue working on the next steps in the political process ‑ that will be the most difficult task. But without a cease-fire and without the withdrawal of heavy weapons, the political process cannot gain momentum.

Together, we appeal to those who are currently blocking roads and railway tracks to stop these blockades because they are harming both sides ‑ those who want to export coal and those who need it to generate electricity.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170218_BM_Gabriel_Normandieformat_Muesiko.html?nn=479796

Friday, February 17, 2017

BBC report on Matt Lucas receiving honorary degree

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVXnN042I0Y

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Matt Lucas - honorary degree

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMqLHGe32dU

Mystery of Chinese immigrants who excel at school

Not all immigrants are the same. It becomes apparent when you compare the Asian and the North Afrigan immigrants living in France. While the national ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/mystery-of-chinese-immigrants-who-excel-at-school/

“La niña bonita” gives hope to Syrian refugees

There is increasing interest in the documentary La niña bonita (“The beautiful girl”). The Spanish film features two women as protagonists. The first is Hala, ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/la-nin%CC%83a-bonita-gives-hope-to-syrian-refugees/

Vice-Chancellor's Fellowships 2017

There is increasing interest in the documentary La niña bonita (“The beautiful girl”). The Spanish film features two women as protagonists. The first is Hala, a very young girl from the Syrian province of Homs, who ended up living inaaa

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jve904qHuYM

Foreign Minister Gabriel after his meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister

Following his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi today (16 February) on the fringes of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Bonn, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel issued the following statement:

Zusatzinformationen

I am pleased to have had my first opportunity to talk in person with my Chinese counterpart Wang Yi today. Germany and China are linked by very close and friendly ties, not only economic and political relations but above all links between the peoples of our two countries. We agreed that we want to further develop our comprehensive strategic partnership, particularly in these turbulent times in global politics.

We share many foreign-policy interests – conflict prevention, peace missions and climate protection, where China has achieved a great deal in the past few years and where we want to cooperate even more closely in future.

In addition, Germany and China are both interested in expanding their economic relations. China has given repeated assurances that it intends to continue to open its markets and implement reforms. I therefore asked Minister Wang that China underscore these assurances with clear signals that foreign companies will be treated equally in China, for instance in the field of electric mobility. China has set itself ambitious goals in this area, and German companies can make an important contribution with their know-how – if the conditions are right.

But Germany and China are linked by far more than just trade. So we also talked intensively today about our cooperation in the fields of civil society and education, where we want to intensify exchanges between young people from Germany and China. Such an exchange can only be of benefit to both sides.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170217_BM_CHN.html?nn=479796

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Chrissie Wellington awarded honorary degree

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02p0BlzNgqs

Statement by Foreign Minister Gabriel today (15 February) on the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting

Zusatzinformationen

“Foreign policy is, and must be, more than crisis management. We are well advised not to constantly run from one fire to the next, putting out the flames. That is why it is so important that the 20 largest countries in the world are meeting to address the causes of conflicts and the options for peaceful crisis prevention and conflict resolution.

No country in the world can tackle the major international problems of our time alone. Terrorism, water scarcity, forced migration and humanitarian emergencies cannot be resolved by isolation. Climate change cannot be tackled by barbed wire.

As the coincidences of international diplomacy would have it, I am not the only one for whom this meeting is a première as Foreign Minister.

Germany will be a forum for global politics in the coming days. We want to use this opportunity, first in Bonn and then in Munich, to address the major issues on the agenda.“

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170215-G20-AM-Treffen.html?nn=479796

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Foreign Minister Gabriel on the signing of the framework agreement on an untied loan to support Iraq

Foreign Minister Gabriel issued the following statement in Berlin today (13 February) on the signing of the framework agreement on an untied loan to support Iraq:

Zusatzinformationen

We want to assist the Iraqi Government in restoring public infrastructure to enable those who were forced to flee from IS terrorism to return home.

The liberation of eastern Mosul by Iraqi security forces is a significant success. Tens of thousands have already returned to the suburbs and the liberated areas of the city. In other Iraqi towns too, such as Tikrit, Ramadi and Fallujah, international stabilisation measures have enabled many families to go back home.

In order that these cities and areas can soon become peaceful, vibrant and pleasant places to live once again, even more engagement and investment is needed: in a functioning water and energy supply and a working transport system. That is the focus of our engagement.

IS cannot be conquered by military means alone. Extremism and terrorism will only be deprived of their breeding ground if the people in the areas liberated from IS can envisage a positive future for themselves and their families. That is a Herculean task, but it is also strengthening the Iraqi communities, helping to pave the way for a peaceful future and tackling the root causes of displacement.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170213-Unterstuetzung_Irak.html?nn=479796

Monday, February 13, 2017

Keeping the Patient in the Picture: Patient Reported Outcome Measures

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUa44YR4-Zs

4 characteristics of second-generation immigrants

In 2015, France recorded 7,3 million second-generation immigrants. This amounts to 11% of the country’s total population. At least, that is the data recently released ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/4-characteristics-of-second-generation-immigrants/

Federal Government condemns North Korean missile test

Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel issued the following statement in Berlin today (12 February) in response to North Korea’s launch of a ballistic missile:

Zusatzinformationen

In 2017, North Korea is continuing to violate international law. I condemn the recent ballistic missile launch in the strongest possible terms. With this provocative action, which is in violation of the Resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, North Korea is moving towards even greater international isolation.

We stand firmly at the side of our partners, with whom we will closely coordinate all further measures. We urgently call on North Korea to see reason and to fully abide by all UN Security Council Resolutions.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170212_Nordkorea.html?nn=479796

Friday, February 10, 2017

One truth about prostitution that remains often off limits

Prostitutes by choice, not because of "slavery". To put an end to the myth that all sex workers are victims of a type of "slave ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/one-truth-about-prostitution-that-remains-often-off-limits/

BBC Points West report into life-saving cot death research

Prostitutes by choice, not because of “slavery”. To put an end to the myth that all sex workers are victims of a type of “slave trade”, the Canadian University of Victoria published the results of their study. Interviews with aaaa

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUb8L8t9Yys

A virtual reality journey through a tumour

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PavWaFWeNII

Human Rights Commissioner Kofler on the closure of the Nadeem Center in Cairo

Federal Government Human Rights Commissioner Bärbel Kofler issued the following statement today (10 February) regarding the closure of the Nadeem Center in Cairo:

Zusatzinformationen

“The ever greater curtailment of civil society engagement in Egypt fills me with great concern. The closure on 9 February of the Nadeem Center, which provided medical assistance for victims of torture and domestic violence, is part of this pattern.

Lasting stability cannot be achieved without a free civil society and respect for human rights. I call on the Egyptian Government to reopen El Nadeem and to create conditions in which human rights groups can do their work unhindered – work that is important for the country.”

Background information:

Premises of the Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence in Cairo were sealed by the authorities on 9 February. The Nadeem Center is an independent Egyptian NGO which campaigns against torture and provides medical assistance for torture victims and victims of physical violence.

Human rights activists and organisations in Egypt are currently being subjected to an unprecedented level of investigation. In 2016, the bank accounts of organisations such as the Nadeem Center, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies and the NGO Nazra for Feminist Studies were frozen. Known activists like Gamal Eid and Hossam Bahgat were banned from leaving the country, and their bank accounts were likewise frozen.

The Egyptian anti‑terror law provides for harsh penalties, including life imprisonment, for acts that “harm national interests or endanger social peace or the independence or unity of Egypt” and lays down strict conditions for NGOs’ work in the international sphere and for accepting funding from abroad.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170210_%2520Kofler_Kairo_Nadeem_Center.html?nn=479796

Foreign Minister Gabriel condemns rocket attack on Israeli city of Eilat

Foreign Minister Gabriel issued the following statement today (9 February) concerning attack on the Israeli city of Eilat yesterday:

Zusatzinformationen

I condemn the rocket attack on the Israeli beach resort Eilat in the strongest terms. Again, our Israeli friends were the target of a terrorist attack.

We are relieved that the terrorists' plan did not come to fruition thanks to the effective Israeli security precautions in place, and that nobody was harmed in the attack. However, the attempt alone is proof of the disrespect for human life of those behind such a terrorist act, who try to fuel tension with all means at their disposal. There is nothing to justify this.

The international community stands together to counter the threat posed by terrorism. We stand firm as close friends at Israel’s side, for whose security we bear special responsibility.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170209_BM_Eilat.html?nn=479796

Carlos Purves - Jesus College - Computer Science

Facebook has announced that it would begin using its artificial intelligence tools to identify ads for housing, credit and jobs, then shut them down if they are targeted by “ethnic affinity”. When Facebook recognizes that an advertiser is attempting toaaa

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhn4XN5_PIs

Thursday, February 9, 2017

What do Europeans think about Muslim immigration?

"All further migration from mainly Muslim countries should be stopped". This is the the question asked by The Chatham House Royal Institute of International Affairs ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/what-do-europeans-think-about-muslim-immigration/

Facebook will use an artificial intelligence tools to identify racist ads

Facebook has announced that it would begin using its artificial intelligence tools to identify ads for housing, credit and jobs, then shut them down if ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/facebook-will-use-an-artificial-intelligence-tools-to-identify-racist-ads/

Federal Foreign Office condemns attack in Afghanistan

A Federal Foreign Office Spokesperson issued the following statement today (9 February):

Zusatzinformationen

We condemn the attack on aid workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross in northern Afghanistan in no uncertain terms. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims.

These humanitarian aid workers are in the country in order to help supply the people in Afghanistan with basic essentials during the cold winter months. They are offering the Afghan people great assistance under the most difficult of circumstances. The fact that they are being turned into targets is a reflection of the terrorists’ inhuman mindset. There can be no justification for this violence.

The understandable decision taken by the International Committee of the Red Cross to suspend its work in Afghanistan will not make civilian reconstruction and humanitarian support for the people in the country any easier for the international community. This is the responsibility of the perpetrators who carry out such perfidious crimes. We would like to offer the International Committee of the Red Cross our most sincere condolences in a spirit of solidarity.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170209_AFG.html?nn=479796

A Federal Foreign Office spokesperson on the conviction of Alexei Navalny

A Federal Foreign Office spokesperson issued the following statement today (8 February) on the conviction of Alexei Navalny, a leading opposition figure in Russia:

Zusatzinformationen

We are concerned by the news that the five-year suspended sentence handed down to the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in 2013 was confirmed today. The European Court of Human Rights described the 2013 conviction as politically motivated and criticised the arbitrary interpretation of Russia’s penal laws.

With regard to these proceedings, too, doubts remain as to whether the right to a fair trial in line with the European Convention on Human Rights was ensured. In this connection, the German Government reminds Russia of its obligation to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Alexei Navalny must have the opportunity to remain politically active in Russia.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170208_AA_zu_Verurteilung_%2520Alexej_Nawalny.html?nn=479796

Statement by the Federal Foreign Office on the implementation of the National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights and on the situation in Bangladesh

A Federal Foreign Office Spokesperson issued the following statement in Berlin today (8 February):

Zusatzinformationen

A unit has been set up in the Federal Foreign Office to implement the National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights. Foreign Minister Gabriel welcomes this implementation of a point in the coalition agreement that is also important to him personally. The Federal Foreign Office is highly committed to the mandate to put the National Action Plan into practice now and to enhance human rights standards.

The textile sector in Bangladesh, where striking workers and trade unionists still remain in prison following strikes in December, shows the need to improve standards. We are increasingly concerned about whether these people will be granted a fair trial in line with the rule of law.

In recent years, Bangladesh has established an internationally competitive textile sector, thus achieving considerable economic success. However, this success must not be achieved at the expense of the people who make it possible, namely the workers in the textile factories. Progress has been made since the terrible disaster in the Rana Plaza factory in 2013, but further improvements are needed as regards occupational health and safety and conditions in factories. There is still no legal basis for founding effective trade unions.

We call on the responsibility of German companies to uphold human rights along the entire production and supply chain. We also call on the responsibility of the state and the business sector in Bangladesh to agree further steps on improving workers’ situation. We thus support the dialogue between workers, employers and the government on improving social and environmental standards.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170208_Aktionsplan_Wirtschaft_und_Menschenrechte_Lage_Bangladesch.html?nn=479796

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

2016: a record year for asylum seekers in Italy

2016 was a record year for Italy as far as the number of asylum seekers is concerned. They were more than 123,000, the highest figure ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/2016-a-record-year-for-asylum-seekers-in-italy/

This is how Germans re-program foreign fighters

“Bare-Handed” is a documentary film that shows, for the first time, the inside of a German prison, exclusively for minors who are returning foreign fighters. ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/this-is-how-germans-re-program-foreign-fighters/

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Pact signed between Italian government and Islamic community representatives

The Islamic associations and community representatives present in Italy have signed a pact with the nation’s government. The signed document starts with the supremely important ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/pact-signed-between-italian-government-and-islamic-community-representatives/

How people of ethnic minority Roma live in Italy

Camps of Roma people in Italy are found primarily in the north-west and central regions of the country. More than 72%, are concentrated in these ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/how-people-of-ethnic-minority-roma-live-in-italy/

The German Government on the bill legalising outposts which was passed in the Knesset yesterday

A Federal Foreign Office spokesperson issued the following statement in Berlin today (7 February) on the adoption of the bill on the retroactive legalisation of outposts:

Zusatzinformationen

The purpose of the bill passed by the Knesset yesterday is to retroactively legalise the numerous outposts on private Palestinian land in the occupied territories which were hitherto regarded as illegal even by Israel.

Many people in Germany who stand firmly by Israel’s side in a spirit of heartfelt solidarity are disappointed by this turn of events.

The confidence we had in the Israeli Government’s commitment to the two-state solution has been profoundly shaken.

Only a negotiated two-state solution can bring durable peace and is in Israel’s interest. It remains a fundamental tenet of our Middle East policy.

In view of the many reservations which the Israeli Attorney General, among others, has affirmed once more, it would be good if the bill could soon undergo a critical legal review.

We hope and expect that the Israeli Government will renew its commitment to a negotiated two-state solution and underpin this with practical steps, as called for by the Middle East Quartet. Following the disconcerting comments by individual members of the Israeli Government, who have openly called for the annexation of parts of the West Bank and are preparing bills to this end, this is now a question of credibility.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170207-ISR_Gesetz_Legalisierung_Aussenposten.html?nn=479796

Twenty‑fifth anniversary of the friendship treaty between Germany and Hungary: Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers

Joint Statement by Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó (6 February 2017):

“Twenty‑five years ago to the day, the government representatives of the Federal Republic of Germany and Hungary signed the Agreement on Friendly Cooperation and Partnership in Europe in Budapest. It was a natural progression following an unprecedented peaceful revolution which began with courageous steps such as the opening of the border between Hungary and Austria for citizens of the GDR in 1989, thus taking the first stone out of the Berlin Wall and paving the way for the unification of Germany and Europe. To this day, the Agreement forms the cornerstone of our bilateral relations. Germany and Hungary are now close partners in the European Union and in NATO. The goals and obligations formulated at the time have retained their validity.

We reaffirm that back then and today we attach the utmost importance to the goal of European unity on the basis of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law and that we will continue to do all we can to further the cohesion of a European Union in which borders are overcome and we strengthen what we share. Our common goal is to guarantee prosperity, security and cohesion in Europe, to protect minorities and to bolster competitiveness and economic growth . This united Europe that also includes the internal market is the basis for our future.

We share responsibility for the European unification project, which is currently facing many threats, as well as for defending the fundamental values anchored therein. We are engaged in an intensive, broad-based and – where necessary – critical dialogue in which our parliaments, governments as well as the Länder and regions all take part. But also apart from official contacts, there is a broad network of civil society and interpersonal connections which breathe life into our bilateral relations. One prime example is the only German‑language university in Europe outside German‑speaking countries, the Andrássy Universität Budapest. The German minority in Hungary and its members, who were driven out of Hungary after World War Two and denaturalised and who, with a view to promoting reconciliation, now have their own day of remembrance in Hungary, serve as an additional, important link. With the German‑Hungarian Forum which has been held annually since 1991, we also have a very special instrument for dialogue covering issues from the spheres of politics, business, culture and the media.

German‑Hungarian relations are deep‑rooted and multi‑faceted. On this basis, we want to keep working both bilaterally and in the European and international context to maintain and deepen the European Union as a community of shared values and a peaceful order for the future and for coming generations.”

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170206_HUN_Freundschaftsvertrag.html?nn=479796

Monday, February 6, 2017

For attracting foreign talent, Italy is world’s black sheep

Italy's real problem is not that its university graduates go abroad, but, rather, with the fact that few come from abroad to Italy. The country ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/for-attracting-foreign-talent-italy-is-worlds-black-sheep/

Human Rights Commissioner Kofler on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation

Bärbel Kofler, Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Foreign Office, has issued the following statement to mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation on 6 February 2017:

Zusatzinformationen

“Even in Germany, girls are at risk of having their genitalia mutilated either secretly in this country or abroad. They are often small girls whose external genitalia are partially or totally removed with knives or shards of glass without any kind of anaesthetic, thus exposing them to unbearable pain. All that remains is a sewn-up wound with a small opening for bodily fluids: many women and girls bleed to death during this barbarous procedure or die later from tetanus or during childbirth.

Female genital mutilation is a serious human rights violation. The victims are subjected to pain and suffering all their lives. It not only violates the right to physical and mental integrity; it is a misogynous practice, which serves to control and degrade women and girls.

To save future generations from this suffering, we have to work in the countries concerned, as well as in Germany, to end this misogynous and illegal practice. We will only succeed by protecting women and girls at risk and, at the same time, by encouraging and helping parents, doctors and the guardians of tradition, for example dignitaries and the authorities, to break down traditional structures and to combat the practice of genital mutilation.”

Background information:

The World Health Organization estimates that 200 million women and girls around the world have been the victims of female genital mutilation; every year around three million young girls are cut.

The practice is banned under a number of international human rights conventions and United Nations resolutions. It is illegal in many countries around the world, in Europe and in Germany. German penal law provides for comprehensive protection: under section 226a of the German Criminal Code, the mutilation of the outer genitalia of a female person carries a penalty of imprisonment of not less than one year. This also applies to offences committed abroad, regardless of the law in the country in question, if the perpetrator is German or if the crime was committed against a person whose place of residence or habitual abode was in Germany at the time of the offence.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2017/170205_Genitalverstuemmlung.html?nn=479796

Remittances from immigrants working in Italy on the decrease

In 10 years, the remittances from immigrants working in Italy reached €64.5 billion. Passing from €3.9 billion in 2005 to over €5.2 billion in 2015. ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/remittances-from-immigrants-working-in-italy-on-the-decrease/

Friday, February 3, 2017

Experimental Psychology in 60 seconds

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaHiqqMuABQ

Policy paper: Home Office response to the report 'Country of Origin Information, November 2016'

The Home Office response to the Independent Chief Inspector’s report ‘Country of Origin Information, November 2016’, including achievements and recommendations for improvement.

from
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-office-response-to-the-report-country-of-origin-information-november-2016

Curious Objects: Asante Gold Weights

The Home Office response to the Independent Chief Inspector's report 'Country of Origin Information, November 2016'.

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6C_Qdmhw_0

Guidance: European passport return service: Belfast (premium service centre)

Use this guide to find the details of the premium service centre in Belfast that offers a European passport return service for a registration certificate or a document certifying permanent residence application.

from
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-passport-return-service-belfast-premium-service-centre

University of Bristol launches Vice-Chancellor's Fellowships 2017

Premium service centre in Belfast that offers a European passport return service.

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTpRQNoa0N4

You can pay a meal for the immigrants in Rome

In Rome it is possible to pay a meal for the immigrants. The idea comes from the Association “Casetta Rossa”, located in Garbatella district, which ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/you-can-pay-a-meal-for-the-immigrants-in-rome/

Speech by Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth on presenting the contemporary witness project “Remembering the occupation of Greece” at the University of Athens

-- Translation of advance text --

Ladies and gentlemen,

“Memory is like water: it is essential to life and it finds its own way to new spaces and to different people. Memory is always concrete: it is alive with faces, and places, odours and sounds. It has no expiry date and it cannot be proclaimed […] completed by decree.”

It is probably impossible to describe the situation more poignantly than Auschwitz survivor Noah Flug did with these words. He passed away in 2011 at the age of 86. His words read like a manifesto for the contemporary witness project looking at Germany's occupation of Greece that we are presenting today here in Athens.

This project gives the victims of the Nazi tyranny a name, a face, a voice. Abstract figures of those who lost their lives are transformed into the fates of individuals and their stories. At long last!

Ms Asser‑Pardo and Ms Papatheodorou, it is wonderful to be able to welcome you both as survivors of the horrors that unfolded during the period of German occupation. I would like to thank you and all the other courageous people who were prepared to help with this project.

I can barely imagine how painful the memory of these dreadful events in your lives must be. Here you are making an inestimable contribution to help shed light on one of the darkest chapters in German‑Greek history.

The memories of contemporary witnesses are a precious but also a transient treasure. Anyone who has listened to the words of a Holocaust survivor and been aghast, horrified and deeply moved will surely agree with me when I say this is not something that a book, a film or a play can achieve. We can be thankful that the survivors tell us their very personal tales as long as they can and remind us of the horrific reality that was the Holocaust.

We must never forget that at the time of the German occupation, Germans and their accomplices brought so much suffering upon Greece and its people. We cannot undo the crimes committed then. But we can help ensure that the injustice that was perpetrated is never repeated. We want to uphold the memory of the insane destruction, rampant violence, pure hatred and murder – not as an end in itself but first and foremost to learn lessons for a brighter future. The future needs us to remember the past – I see these two things as intrinsically linked.

It is long overdue that we systematically collate and look at the experiences of contemporary witnesses so that these can be made available to a wider audience. I firmly believe that this project can provide important momentum for a shared German‑Greek culture of remembrance which does not bracket anything out and gives the victims back their dignity.

Particularly we Germans shoulder a special responsibility here. To this, I firmly commit. We Germans know that there has to be shared remembrance and commemoration for there to be reconciliation. That is precisely why in his speech in March 2014 in the martyred village of Lyngiades, Federal President Joachim Gauck asked for forgiveness for the horrific deeds of the Wehrmacht.

“When we take the path of remembrance, we are not doing so because we are fixated on the past. […] Rather we are looking to the past to take on its message for the present and the future: never forget that you can choose between good and evil. […] Grant all people their dignity and their rights. And finally, respect and seek out the truth. [Truth] is a sister of reconciliation”.

It is true, the paths leading to reconciliation are long and arduous. We need both determination and strength. But reconciliation also inspires trust and hope. However, we do not stop at such appeals. We now have a Future Fund with an annual budget of one million euros to fund numerous reconciliation and education projects between Greece and Germany.

We are supporting remembrance projects in martyred villages and the Jewish communities – for example in Kommeno and Thessaloniki. Similarly, my Ministry is funding research and study projects to create a shared culture of remembrance.

In December 2016, our Foreign Ministers together opened the exhibition “Divided Memories 1940 – 1950 – the distance between history and experience” in Thessaloniki. This exhibition was also funded by the German‑Greek Future Fund. I am delighted, Minister Gavroglou, that you are with us here today.

The excellent cooperation between the Freie Universität Berlin and the University of Athens is exemplary. Working like this, our cooperation will be successful. I would also like to thank other bodies who have lent support, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the Freie Universität Berlin and the “Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future”. Without their important financial contribution, this project would not have been possible.

Shared remembrance and commemoration remain an urgent necessity as demonstrated by recent events in Germany and in Greece. Representatives of extreme right‑wing parties in Germany describe Holocaust memorials as a “disgrace”. Neo‑Nazis tried to force their way into Greek schools where refugees were to be taught.

In both our countries, the vast majority of the people reject such actions. But we need this silent majority to become a vocal one, one that stands up to be counted, making a clear commitment to reject hatred and forgetting what happened. We owe this to the victims. Remembering makes us strong and perceptive at a time when we urgently need genuine democrats, friends of freedom and valiant defenders of human rights.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Reden/2017/170202-StM_R_GRC.html?nn=479796

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Foreign Minister Gabriel on the latest developments in the case of Deniz Yücel

Zusatzinformationen

Federal Foreign Office comments on the killing of a German hostage in the Philippines

Zusatzinformationen

Monday, February 27, 2017

Human Rights Commissioner welcomes release of Ildar Dadin

Zusatzinformationen

Human Rights Commissioner welcomes release of Ildar Dadin

Zusatzinformationen

Foreign Minister Gabriel on his first official visits to Italy and Austria

Zusatzinformationen

In Oslo, Foreign Minister Gabriel pledges humanitarian assistance for Nigeria and the Lake Chad region

Zusatzinformationen

Friday, February 24, 2017

Speech by Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel at the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region

Foreign Minister Gabriel on the Syria peace talks in Geneva

Zusatzinformationen

Thursday, February 23, 2017

The Introduction of the Immigration Skills Charge 6th April 2017 – Subject to Parliamentary Approval

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Foreign Minister Gabriel on the current situation in eastern Ukraine

Zusatzinformationen

Foreign Minister Gabriel on the current situation in eastern Ukraine

Zusatzinformationen

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Speech by Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel at the 53rd Munich Security Conference

Monday, February 20, 2017

Speech by Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel to bid farewell to State Secretary Steinlein and welcome State Secretaries Lindner and Sontowski

Foreign Minister Gabriel after his meeting today with the Foreign Ministers of France, Russia and Ukraine on the fringes of the Munich Security Conference

Zusatzinformationen

Friday, February 17, 2017

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Foreign Minister Gabriel after his meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister

Zusatzinformationen

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Statement by Foreign Minister Gabriel today (15 February) on the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting

Zusatzinformationen

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Foreign Minister Gabriel on the signing of the framework agreement on an untied loan to support Iraq

Zusatzinformationen

Monday, February 13, 2017

Federal Government condemns North Korean missile test

Zusatzinformationen

Friday, February 10, 2017

Human Rights Commissioner Kofler on the closure of the Nadeem Center in Cairo

Zusatzinformationen

Foreign Minister Gabriel condemns rocket attack on Israeli city of Eilat

Zusatzinformationen

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Federal Foreign Office condemns attack in Afghanistan

Zusatzinformationen

A Federal Foreign Office spokesperson on the conviction of Alexei Navalny

Zusatzinformationen

Statement by the Federal Foreign Office on the implementation of the National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights and on the situation in Bangladesh

Zusatzinformationen

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

The German Government on the bill legalising outposts which was passed in the Knesset yesterday

Zusatzinformationen

Twenty‑fifth anniversary of the friendship treaty between Germany and Hungary: Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers

Monday, February 6, 2017

Human Rights Commissioner Kofler on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation

Zusatzinformationen

Friday, February 3, 2017

Speech by Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth on presenting the contemporary witness project “Remembering the occupation of Greece” at the University of Athens