This is the weekly electronic information service of the International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility

Editor: Tobias Damjanov, e-mail:   
INES homepages: http://inesglobal.org       http://www.inesglobal.com/
INES International Office   
INES Chair: Prof. Armin Tenner    [Please note that the first "1" in q18 is the number one, while the last "l" is a "L"]

CONTENTS of WNII No. 22/2001

• Membership and Projects' News:
  • 2001 INES Council Feedback
    • INES Berlin Declaration on Ballistic Missile Defence and the ABM Treaty
    • Keep in Touch ! Mentoring Programme
    • Perspectives for INES
  • INESPE: New spokesperson
• Special Section: On the US Missile Defence Policy
  • Recent publications
  • NATO refuses to endorse Bush missile defense plan
• Briefings:
  • "openDemocracy"   New forum launched in Britain
• Conferences, Meetings, Seminars:
  • WTO NGO Symposium on issues confronting the world trading system
  • First Global International Waters Assessment (GIWA) General Assembly
  • International Student Conference Against Landmines "Students for a Mine Free World"
• INES Web- and Email Service

MEMBERSHIP AND PROJECTS' NEWS"

2001 INES Council Feedback

INES Berlin Declaration on Ballistic Missile Defence and the ABM Treaty

The Council of the International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility, meeting in Berlin, May 25-27, 2001, expresses its strong opposition to U.S. plans to deploy ballistic missile defences that would violate or abrogate the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty.

Such deployment would be highly destabilizing, leading to renewed nuclear arms races, to the weaponization of space and to the increased danger of nuclear war.

We urge scientists and engineers throughout the world to raise their voices in opposition to the deployment of ballistic missile defences and in support of efforts to eliminate nuclear arsenals.

We believe that work on ballistic missile defences, as on improvement of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, is misguided and unethical. We urge scientists and engineers to withhold their skills from such efforts and to contribute to the verified elimination of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.

We further urge people and governments to actively support the preservation of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and the elimination of nuclear weapons and to actively oppose deployment of ballistic missile defences and the weaponization of space.

Keep in Touch ! Mentoring Programme By Sandra Striewski < >

During the last couple of years the gap between the numbers of older and younger members in INES gave raise to concern, leading to an intense debate on measures as how to increase the number of junior engineers and scientists. Beyond the sheer numbers, this also includes promoting younger engineers and scientists to actively take responsibility within INES (juvenalisation). Continuing this process without losing the experience and knowledge of the senior members who in the process give up part of their responsibilities will be one of the further challenges in INES. In order to initiate the transfer of this knowledge I suggest a Mentoring (or Tutor) Programme. In this Mentoring Programme the senior members of INES are asked to offer some time to exchange not only knowledge but also wisdom and experiences with one of the junior members. The person volunteering to do so should have time to discuss, to answer questions (mutually, accepting being called into question) and for story telling or any other way of sharing experience by using a wide variety of communication ways and about any topic they want to.

Regarding the implementation of the Mentoring Programme I suggest that the people who want to take part in the Programme send an email to Tobias Damjanov, Armin Tenner or me and we will send this list to all the Juniors who expressed their interest to participate. These will then contact the person they want to become their mentor. Such a Mentorship Programme within INES could strengthen and further develop the communication Within INES. Therefore I ask all the members of INES, junior and senior, to participate in this Mentoring Programme !

Perspectives for INES

Prior to this year's Council Meeting, Prof. Hartwig Spitzer had been asked by the INES Executive Committee to give a food-for-thought contribution at the Council meeting on the perspectives for INES. To do so, Prof. Spitzer mailed to all Council members the following questions as of mid-April this year:

1. In which areas and through which projects has INES really made a difference in the last years?

2. What are the strengths of the network? On which potential can be build?

3. Which are the weak points?

4. What can we do to strengthen the network internally? How can we expand its resource base? How can we attract more people who put expertise, time and commitment into INES projects?

5. How should and how can INES redirect its resources and priorities in order to have an impact as an NGO and as a network in the future?

As far as answers were forwarded by Mr. Spitzer, I as WNII editor have received responses from the following Council members: D. Krieger; L. Masperi; R. Braun; G. Harigel; G. Emde; H. El-Mously; O. Greene; A. Kuzmenko; A. Slater; Ch. Webb.

Upon request, I can make available the compilation of these responses as an rtf-formatted email attachment.

T. Damjanov WNII Editor

INESPE: New spokesperson

After the recent resignation of Daniel Dahm, Dr Hans-Jürgen Fischbeck is now the spokesperson of the International Network of Engineers and Scientists to Protect and Encourage Ethical Engagement (INESPE). Dr Fischbeck can be contacted by email via: < >

SPECIAL SECTION
ON THE US MISSILE DEFENCE POLICY

Recent publications

• Bahig Nassar: In Search for New Strategies To Prevent Ballistic Missile Defense - Egyptian INESAP member Bahig Nassar has produced this paper based on his oral contribution to the recently held No Star Wars conferences at Leeds, UK: to this point, Nassar dealt with the difficulties current campaigns on BMD are facing, as well as new strategies to overcome these difficulties.  The paper is available either from the author: < > or from the WNII Editor as an rtf-formatted email attachment.
• USA: Democrat Party and Star Wars - In connection with the discussion about the Democratic Party and Star Wars, Karl Grossman has recently disseminated this passage from "Weapons In Space" (which Seven Stories Press will have out in mid-June) that might be helpful. This extract is available from the WNII Editor as an rtf-formatted email attachment.  As a background, I have added:
  • the article "Democrats Plot Strategy On Missile Defense: Lawmakers to Take Aim at Technological, Financial Aspects of Global Shield Plan" (Washington Post, 20 May 2001)
  • a short letter by Senator Tom Daschle (Democrat-South Dakota) who will become the leader of the Senate in the days ahead. Among other things, Daschle states in this letter, he would " oppose the deployment of space-based weapons". Most interesting, however, is the revealing comment on this letter by Bruce Gagnon, the coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space.
• Dr Jürgen Scheffran: Moving Beyond Missile Defence: The Search for Alternatives to the Missile Race (Disarmament Diplomacy, Issue No 55) This paper can be found through the website of The Acronym Institute: http://www.acronym.org.uk  Upon request, it is also available from the WNII Editor as an rtf-formatted email attachment
• Theatre Missile Defence. First steps towards global missile defence - This is the title of a paper by Martin Broek and Frank Slijper from the Project on European Nuclear Non-Proliferation (PENN) in the Netherlands which has been issued just now. Including a short comment by INESAP member Bahig Nassar, it is available from the WNII Editor as an rtf-formatted email attachment.
• A Maginot Line in the Sky: International Perspectives on Ballistic Missile Defense - Edited by David Krieger and Carah Ong, this book brings together the views of eighteen contributors of different nationalities, including Americans, on the proposed US Ballistic Missile Defense plans. These perspectives should be included in any intelligent discussion of whether or not the US should proceed with development and deployment of missile defense systems.  To order copies, contact: < >

NATO refuses to endorse Bush missile defense plan

NATO refused to endorse the Bush administration's missile defense plans during the recently held Ministerial Meeting of the North Atlantic Council, NATO's top policy-making unit, in Budapest, Associated Press reported. France and Germany led resistance among NATO leaders to strong language on missile defense. NATO leaders promised only to maintain consultations with Washington as President Bush moves forward on his proposed missile shield.

Any missile defense plan "must add to our security and stability. It must not lead to another arms race, " was German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer quoted as saying, urging more study. On missile defense, the final statement said NATO allies "welcome the consultations initiated by President Bush on the U.S. strategic review, including missile defense."  In the statement, the allies pledged to "continue substantive consultations in the alliance on these issues." "We intend to pursue these consultations vigorously," it added.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell was quoted as stating he was pleased that the NATO statement excluded any reference to the ABM treaty. On the same omission, however, Stephen Young of the Union of Concerned Scientists, an arms-control advocacy group, said: "The failure of NATO to even mention the ABM treaty indicates a major split remains in the alliance over missile defense." "The United States pushed hard to get the allies to agree they face a common threat from missile attack. The allies refused, undermining the Bush call for missile defenses," he said.

On the same occasion, Reuters reported that the United States weakened the NATO position on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), for which the Bush administration does not plan to seek ratification. The compromise language says that the answer to reducing the danger from weapons of mass destruction is a mixture of unspecified political and defense measures.

The communique adds: "We continue to place great importance on non-proliferation and export control regimes, international arms control and disarmament as means to prevent proliferation.'' In Florence last year the alliance said it was committed to an early entry into force of the CTBT, Reuters said.

For more, see for example: http://www.cdi.org/hotspots/issuebrief/ch8/index.html#update  

BRIEFINGS

"openDemocracy"   New forum launched in Britain (Source: "openDemocracy" press releases of 25 and 30 May 2001) http://www.opendemocracy.net  

"openDemocracy" is a positive response to the decline of traditional politics. It is an experiment with form and content. The Pilot aims to start a global network for high quality participation.

Its first debate hints at a part of its ambition. Influential IPPR director MATTHEW TAYLOR comes together with the Deputy Editor of the Sunday Telegraph MATTHEW DANCONA, the outspoken columnist YASMIN ALIBHAI-BROWN and openDemocracy Editor ANTHONY BARNETT. They debate the future of Britain. Their exchange is sparked off by Pariah Kingdom, a withering critique of the British state by Scotlands TOM NAIRN.

"openDemocracy"'s pilot offers four major themes, which use the opportunity offered by the web for cumulative debate:

• Europa opens with an exchange between one of Chancellor Schröders speechwriters and Polands leading expert on Europe. What is it that we are trying to build in the worlds second largest economic bloc, they ask? This dialogue is provoking responses. From Foreign Ministers to novelists, this will be a forum where Euro-prose is the only taboo.
• In Worcester Women a British electoral stereotype is demolished. Hear the trenchant voices of real women from Worcester!
• In City and Country, section editors ROGER SCRUTON, philosopher and chevalier of the shires, teams up with Hackney urbanist KEN WORPOLE in a joint assault on the Labours urban and rural plans: After the White Papers: Green Dreams, Brown Sites, Blue Sky. Together they will edit and orchestrate a passionate debate on planning.
• The Media section launches an ambitious debate over global patterns of media ownership. One of the section editors DAVID ELSTEIN, founder of Channel 5 and former Head of Programming at Murdochs BskyB, takes on ANDREW GRAHAM, Master of Balliol and flagship defender of public service broadcasting, in the opening argument.

"openDemocracy" is backed and edited by a surprisingly diverse group of people. Its editorial team is led by ANTHONY BARNETT, the founding Director of Charter 88 and SUSAN RICHARDS, author and film producer. Its advisors range from businessman and Chairman of the Countryside Alliance JOHN JACKSON (who is a non-executive Director) to Nelson Mandelas biographer ANTHONY SAMPSON, the creator of BBC News Online BOB EGGINGTON and novelist MARINA WARNER, to FRANK VIBERT, Director of the European Policy Forum and award winning cartoonist STEVE BELL.

"openDemocracy"'s team believes traditional politics is too narrow to meet the challenge of change; that our conversation about the future must be global as well as local, include a wider range of voices, and be free of party manipulation and corporate interests.

For more information please contact: Bola Gibson < > or: James Hamilton < >

CONFERENCES, MEETINGS, SEMINARS

WTO NGO Symposium on issues confronting the world trading system

• Date: 6-7 July 2001
• Venue: Geneva, Switzerland
• Organized by the World Trade Organisation (WTO)
• The aim of the two-day symposium on the state of the world trading system is to provide as much time as possible for both general and specific, issues-based discussion. An opening plenary on the morning of the first day of the symposium will be followed by five separate work sessions, each with a moderator and several discussants. Specific subjects under each general heading will be addressed by the discussants and ample time will be allotted during each session for comments, questions and debate. The work sessions will start in the afternoon of the first day of the symposium and continue the next morning.
• Special work sessions during the two-day symposium will focus on trade in agriculture, food safety and sanitary and phytosantiary standards, intellectual property rights (the TRIPS Agreement), development and environment issues and trade in services (the GATS). A fifth working session will address the relationship between the WTO and civil society.
• Representatives from governments, non-governmental organizations, the media and members of the academic community are invited to participate. Given space constraints, the number of participants will be limited to the first 700 registration forms received. Individual organizations can register a maximum of three participants for the symposium.

For more details, visit: http://www.wto.org 

First Global International Waters Assessment (GIWA) General Assembly http://www.giwa.net 

• Date: 9-11 October 2001 (date changed!)
• Venue: Kalmar, Sweden
• The Assembly aims to facilitate the assessments in the sub-regions, and provide a forum for dynamic discussions on environmental problems in international waters. During the General Assembly, the results from the scoping and scaling exercise and the detailed impact assessment conducted in the sub-regions will be reported, workshops on implementation of coming phases of the GIWA methodology will be held and international water-related programmes and projects related to GIWA will be presented.

For more details, contact only: < >   See also the article "UNEP Team Maps Global Water Ecosystems" (WNII 34/00:B3), stored at: http://inesglobal.org/wn34_00.htm  

International Student Conference Against Landmines "Students for a Mine Free World"

• Date: 25-29 October 2001
• Venue: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Organized by BoHeMSA
• Completed applications are due by August 10, 2001

For more details, mailto:  

or visit: http://welcome.to/sarajevoconf  or: http://home.talkcity.com/LibertySt/sarajevoconf/  

INES WEB AND E-MAIL SERVICE

No new or changed addresses.
All INES e-mail addresses and homepages are available upon request from:  

< < < < <  end of No. 22/2001  what's new in ines < < < < <