When we met, Gilbert was a member of the
Delegation of the European Commission to the United States
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"Recognizing the importance of American support for European integration,
the Union's founders opened an information office in Washington in 1954.
In 1971, it became a delegation with full diplomatic privileges and immunities.
The Head of Delegation was accorded full ambassadorial status in 1990.
The Delegation represents the Commission in its dealings with the
US government for all matters within EU competence.
It reports on US developments to headquarters in Brussels and
acts as a liaison with other international institutions in Washington, DC.
The Delegation functions like an embassy.
These Delegation officials represent the Commission at government, business, press, academic
and other meetings throughout the United States."
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On September 8 2004,
Former Prime Minister of Ireland,
John Bruton, was chosen
Head, EC Delegation to US in Washington, DC.
This decision reflects the joint wish of the Commission and Member States to
raise the profile of the European Union in the United States.
As is the custom with such appointments, Members States will be consulted on the choice of Mr. Bruton
and his confirmation is subject to standard diplomatic procedures of accreditation with the United States.
Mr. Bruton is expected to join the Commission in November.
Delegation of the European Commission to the United States
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
For additional information about the activities of the Delegation...
Click here
I have compiled a bit of information about the
European Union and European Commission...
Click here
The four of us left Washington around 1991.
Tom and I came to the New York area, while
Marie-Paule and Gilbert were transferred to Moscow....
Mission to Moscow!
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Marie Paule and Gilbert remained in Moscow for the following 10 years,
while Gilbert was Deputy and Acting Head of the
European Commission Delegation to Russia
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Gilbert
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For information about its work
Click here
Small World!
While we were still living in Washington, I'd had the opportunity "in absentia" to introduce Gilbert
to my German friend, Dierk, on one of Gilbert's business trips to
the European Commission in Brussels, where Dierk also worked.
To meet Dierk
Click here
Years later, while Dierk and Annemarie were on EC business in Moscow,
Marie-Paule and Gilbert had them to dinner.
One of our favorite mementos is this post card, which they all signed that night
and mailed to us from Moscow.
As a symbol of the rare opportunity of introducing my friends to each other,
the post card sits under glass on a table in our bedroom to this day.
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For some quotes of Gilbert on BBC News,
while he was the EC envoy in Russia ...
Click here
Home to Brussels!
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Marie-Paule and Gilbert are now, once again, in Brussels,
where they have long had their home.
They are very happy to be back home and near their family again!
Gilbert works at the European Commission in the
Directorate General for External Relations, in
Multilateral Relations and Human Rights
where he serves as Head of Unit for
Relations with the OSCE and the Council of Europe,
In this role, Gilbert has been very involved in
human rights and democracy efforts in the countries
which were formerly a part of the Soviet Union. More on that below.
Following is some information about
each of the international organizations with which Gilbert works.
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For some brief information about
the EC and
news of its latest goings-on...
Click
here
The
Organization for Security and Co-operation
in Europe (OSCE)
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The OSCE is the largest regional security organization in the world
with 55 participating nations from Europe, Central Asia and North America.
It is active in early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation.
The OSCE approach to security is comprehensive and co-operative:
comprehensive in dealing with a wide range of security-related issues including
arms control,
preventive diplomacy, confidence- and security-building measures,
human rights, democratization, election monitoring
and economic and environmental security;
co-operative in the sense that all OSCE participating States
have equal status, and decisions are based on consensus.
Following an invitation transmitted by Ambassador Stephen Minikes,
the Head of the U.S. Delegation to the OSCE,
and in accordance with its mandate, the ODIHR deployed an
Election Observation Mission
of a targeted nature
for the 2 November 2004 elections in the
United States of America.
Read more about it!
Click here
More recently, the OSCE was involved in
Overseeing the elections in the Ukraine
including the re-match there,
which resulted from the fraudulent election initially held by the
Ukrainian government.
The OSCE continues in its role, currently working with the new government toward
the integration and protection of persons belonging to national minorities.
Latest information - OSCE's Ukraine efforts...
Click here
BBC News Profile of the OSCE
Click here
Official web site OSCE ...
Click here
The Council of Europe
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The Council of Europe is the continent's oldest political organisation, founded in 1949. It:
• groups together 46 countries, including 21 countries from Central and Eastern Europe,
• has application from 1 more country (Bélarus),
• has granted observer status to 5 more countries
(the Holy See, the United States, Canada, Japan and Mexico),
• is distinct from the 25-nation European Union,
but no country has ever joined the Union without first belonging to the Council of Europe,
• has its headquarters in Strasbourg, in north-eastern France.
The Council was set up to:
• defend human rights, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law,
• develop continent-wide agreements to standardise member countries' social and legal practices,
• promote awareness of a European identity based on shared values and cutting across different cultures.
Since 1989, its main job has become:
• acting as a political anchor and human rights watchdog
for Europe's post-communist democracies,
• assisting the countries of central and eastern Europe
in carrying out and consolidating
political, legal and constitutional reform in parallel with economic reform,
• providing know-how in areas such as
human rights, local democracy, education, culture and the environment.
An urgent debate on the challenge of terrorism
in Council of Europe member states,
as well as, a joint debate on the
political, human rights and humanitarian
situation in the Chechen Republic
were among highlights of the session of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE),
which took place in Strasbourg from 4 to 8 October 2004.
Protection of the diversity and independence of media in Europe
was proclaimed as a vital goal at the seventh ministerial conference on mass media policy
organised by the Council of Europe (COE) in Kiev, Ukraine, in March 2005.
A Round Table for the organisation of an exchange of views involving
political parties and local politicians from
the Chechen Republic and the Russian federal authorities
is to take place in Strasbourg, France, on Monday 21 March 2005,
organised by PACE's Political Affairs Committee.
Latest News from the Council of Europe
Click here
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Council of Europe Parliamentary
Assembly (PACE)
Autumn Session- Strasbourg
4 to
8 October 2004
Winter session - Strasbourg
24
to 28 January, 2005
16-
17 May 2005
Third Summit of the Council of Europe
At the summit, which takes place in Warsaw,
the heads of state and government of the Organisation's 46 member states
were due to take stock of its role as the
guarantor of human rights across the continent
and map out a plan of action for the years ahead.
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For
more information about
The Council of Europe ...
Click here
Palais
des Nations,
the
main Office of the United Nations outside New York, was built in 1936
as the Headquarters of the League of Nations.
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UN
Geneva operates in several major fields, including:
Promotion of human
rights and humanitarian assistance
Risk and disaster reduction
Disarmament negotiations
Economic, trade and development activities
Science and technology development
Research and training
Cultural activities to promote dialogue among civilizations
and a culture of peace
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For
the text of a presentation by Gilbert,
"The Economic Dimension of Security in Europe:
Facing New Challenges in a Changing Environment",
March 8 2004, Palais des Nations, Geneva
Click
here
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For
more information about the UN in Geneva...
Click here
Probably
few know that my father's one-time dream for me was
that I become an interpretor for the UN some day...
or, how much his internationalist philosophy influenced me:
" World Peace will come one, international friendship at a time,"
he said.
But, those of you who know us well will doubtlessly appreciate
the value we place on our friendships with Marie-Paule and Gilbert...
and you will see some consistent trends in the lifetime of
international friendships that have always been at the core of me.
Marie-Paule
et Gilbert, votre amitié a été une très agréable
et l'un de gratification personnelle.
Félicitations
les vies exemplaires de bons travaux!
Il était merveilleux pour
vous revoir !
(Comme d'habitude, le temps était trop court.)
Nous
espérons que vous nous rendrez visite ici en Perry Parc encore, un jour
bientôt!
(pardonnez svp mon français!)
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