Vienna, 2 January 1996/P/K/15030c
NEW PUBLICATIONS
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, the I.P.O. published selected papers written by President Koechler on the issue of the democratization of international relations: "Democracy and the International Rule of Law. Propositions for an Alternative World Order". Springer: Vienna/New York, 1995, ISBN 3-211-82764-1. I.P.O's research paper on the issue of sanctions has now been published in English language under the title "The United Nations Sanctions Policy and International Law" by Just World Trust: Penang/Malaysia, 1995 (with a preface by Dr. Chandra Muzaffar). The paper has subsequently been published in the Turkish Yearbook of International Relations (vol. XXII). A part of the research was published under the title "Ethical Aspects of Sanctions in International Law" by the Review of International Affairs (vol. XLVI). An Arabic version of the research paper will be published in 1996. The proceedings of the 1994-Roundtable on the United Nations (which was co-sponsored by I.P.O.) have now been published under the title "The United Nations and International Democracy" . Jamahir Society: Vienna, 1995, ISBN 3- 901318-00-3 (edited by Hans Koechler).
SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
The regular session of the Executive Board was held in Dhaka (Bangladesh) on 11 March 1995. In connection with the Board meeting the President of I.P.O. held consultations with members of the government of Bangladesh, among them H.14. Mirza Gholam Hafiz, Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, member of the Board of I.P.O. On 15 April President Koechler gave a lecture on the aims and activities of the International Progress Organization. The lecture was followed by a reception for the representatives of the public life of Bangladesh. Among the guests were the Ministers of Justice, of Education, of Public Works, the State Minister for Disaster Relief, the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, and the Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University. The delegation of I.P.O. further made an information visit to the Northern region of Bangladesh.
ADMISSION OF NEW MEMBERS/
APPOINTMENT OF NEW REPRESENTATIVES
The Executive Board has admitted new members from Guinea, Luxembourg, Pakistan, USA and Zaire. As from 1 January 1996 Mr. Syed Shahid has been appointed as Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Vienna.
THE CONFLICT IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
In connection with the work of the International War Crimes Tribunal for former Yugoslavia, the I.P.O. issued on 19 July 1995 a "Memorandum on the Applicability of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of December 9, 1948". The Memorandum was conveyed to the competent United Nations authorities. As a follow-up to I.P.O.'s earlier roundtable on the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the President of I.P.O. traveled on a fact-finding mission to Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina in August 1995. He visited the divided city of Mostar on 10 August. The I.P.O. also joined the Humanitarian Initiative for Bosnia-Herzegovina and endorsed its Appeal of 11 August 1995.
ISLAM AND THE WEST
The I.P.O. participated in the international workshop on "Images of Islam: Terrorizing the Truth" which was organized by Just World Trust in Penang (Malaysia) (7-9 October 1995). The President of I.P.O. made a statement on the European image of Islam. He also gave an interview to Malaysian television on the crisis between Islam and the West and the present international constellation. The workshop was attended by 50 journalists, University professors and political analysts from 15 countries. A programme of action was adopted for the fields of information and education. In October 1995 the I.P.O. launched an international campaign of solidarity with Professor Annemarie Schimmel, the renowned German expert on Islamic civilization. An appeal was issued on 3 October which was joined by eminent personalities from Europe, the United States and Asia. The appeal was also conveyed to German President Roman Herzog.
RESEARCH PROJECT ON TRANSNATIONAL DEMOCRACY
The first working session of the research project on "The Political Theory of Transnational Democracy" was held in Rome (30 March - 1 April 1995). The I.P.O. presented a working paper on "The United Nations and International Democracy". The project is implemented within the framework of the Human Capital and Mobility Programme of the European Union. The next working session will be held in March 1996 in Cambridge (UK).
UNITED NATIONS/INTERNATIONAL LAW ISSUES
On 16 January and 24 February 1995 the International Progress Organization issued statements on the question of the extension of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). The International Progress Organization participated in the United Nations Review Conference of the States ' Parties to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (Vienna, 25 September - 13 October 1995). The delegation of the I.P.O. launched a call for a total international ban of landmines which was presented at the plenary session of the Conference on 28 September by Dr.: Alam Mokhdum, member of the delegation of the I.P.O. (see enclosure). The l.P.O. further declared its support to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.
UNITED NATIONS SANCTIONS POLICY
In follow-up to its New York meeting of December 1994, I.P.O.'s Committee of Legal Experts on UN Sanctions Against Libya participated in an international consultation organized by the Union of Arab Lawyers in The Hague (28-30 March 1995). The I.P.O. Committee members present were Prof. Ataoev (Turkey), Prof. Boyle (USA), Prof. Ebert (Austria), Prof. Werner (Switzerland), Prof. Arif (UK), and the President of I.P.O., Prof. Koechler. The meeting was attended by the Arab League's Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs, H.E. Adnan Omran. On 28 March a special co-ordination meeting was held between I.P.O's Committee and a delegation of the Arab Lawyers Union concerning the issue of Libyan sanctions. On 10 June 1995 the President of I.P.O. gave a lecture on "The United Nations Sanctions Policy and Human Rights" at an international seminar on "Human Rights and International Conflicts" organized by North-South XXI in Geneva. The I.P.O. further participated in the International Conference on United Nations Sanctions against Iraq which was held in Madrid from 30 September to 1 October 1995. The President of I.P.O. gave a lecture on "United Nations Sanctions and International Law". In connection with the Conference he held consultations with H.E. Ahmed Ben Bella, former President of Algeria.
NGO COMMITTEE ON DEVELOPMENT
The International Progress Organization has been elected to the Executive Board of the NGO Committee on Development. On 27 February 1995 the President of I.P.O. delivered a lecture on problems related to North-South co-operation before the members of the NGO Committee at the United Nations Office at Vienna. On 12 June an "NGO Seminar on Development" was organized in preparation of the World Social Summit.
PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES
The I.P.O. participated in the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen (6-12 March 1995). The delegate of the I.P.O. was Prof. Bruno Amoroso. On 13 July 1995 the President of I.P.O. participated in an international roundtable on "Cultural Imperialism" in Manila (Philippines). The I.P.O. further participated in an international seminar on new methods of conflict resolution which was held in Dublin under the co-sponsorship of Unesco and under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Ireland (22-24 September 1995). Prof. Koechler acted as Chairman of the session on the Arab-Israeli conflict. The I.P.O. further participated in an international seminar on the United Nations, the New World Order and the Role of the NGOs (Geneva, 27 October 1995).
SPECIAL LECTURES
On 20 March 1995 the President of I.P.O. gave a lecture in Innsbruck/Austria on "The New World Order and Africa". In connection with the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, Prof. Koechler gave a lecture an ."The United Nations and the New World Order" at the invitation of the United Nations Association of Austria. Professor Koechler was introduced by H.E. Dr. Kurt Waldheim, former Secretary-General of the United Nations. On 1 September 1995 the President of the I.P.O. presented a special report on the background of the earlier campaign against Austrian President Dr. Kurt Waldheim at an international hearing in Washington DC. At a seminar on development issues on 25 November 1995 in Baden/Vienna the President of I.P.O. gave a lecture on the topic "A New World Order according to Western Values?." On 15 December 1995 Prof. Koechler gave a lecture at an international symposion on "New Paths of Democracy" organized by the University Center Luxembourg.
CONSULTATION MEETINGS OF THE PRESIDENT
From 11 to 13 September 1995 Prof. Koechler held consultations at United Nations Headquarters in New York. He also met with the Permanent Representative of Palestine to the United Nations, Dr. Nasser Al-Kidwa. Meetings were also held with I.P.O.-Board Members Ramsey Clark (31 August), I.P.O.-Vice President Dr. Arturo Muñoz Ledo (5 November), and with I.P.O.'s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dr. Robert Thabit (11 September). On 1 September Prof. Koechler met with the Director of the Arab League Office in Washington DC, Dr. Khaled Abdullah. On 7 December the I.P.O. arranged a meeting in Vienna between former US State Senator Theo W. Mitchell and former Austrian President Dr. Kurt Waldheim.
CO-OPERATION WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Within the framework of I.P.O.'s co-operation with Just World Trust (Malaysia) the President of the I.P.O. was appointed as representative of the foundation in Vienna. The International Progress Organization agreed to co-operate closely with North-South XXI (Geneva) on issues of development and human rights. The President of I.P.O. has been appointed as member of a "comité d'initiative" for the foundation of the University North-South XXI . The first session of the Committee will take place in March 1966 in Malta. The International Progress Organization will further co-operate with the Jamahir Society for Culture and Philosophy (Vienna) in the fields of democracy and human rights. Prof. Koechler has also been appointed as Vice-Chairman of the Jamahir Society.