[Gipfelsoli Newsletter] Strasbourg/ Baden-Baden -- Maddalena -- Huntsville

[International Newsletter]

- NATO: A Zeppelin at Strasbourg ?
- DHL - Olive underneath a yellow camouflage
- NATO defense ministers to meet in Poland in February
- International Activists Conference Strasbourg, February 14 and 15th
- Telephone conversation with the British Minister for Development, Douglas
Alexander
- The moored G8 Ship
- Details on G8 security may come next month: mayor

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NATO: A Zeppelin at Strasbourg ?


The safety device promises to be particularly dense early April in Strasbourg to
the summit marking the 60th anniversary of NATO, which runs from both sides of
the Rhine. According to the specialist weekly Air & Cosmos, the monitoring will
be strengthened on this occasion by the presence of a Zeppelin NT airship in the
sky of the Alsacian capital. This solution would have preferred to face “the
helicopter option, though more expensive at the time of flight,” wrote the
weekly depeche, while the drones of the Air Force would be unavailable at this
time due to deployment in Afghanistan.

See: http://www.zeppelinflug.de/seiten/D/zeppnt_sonder.htm

Source:
http://libestrasbourg.blogs.liberation.fr/actu/2009/01/otan-un-zeppeli.html


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DHL - Olive underneath a yellow camouflage

This text introduces a proposal for an action related mobilization towards the
NATO-festivities in Strasbourg and Baden-Baden in the beginning of April 2008.
The idea is to turn into practice the critique on NATO and the new NATO
doctrine (with its core “comprehensive approach”) by focusing on the postal
service and war logistics company DHL. This 100% subsidiary of the Deutsche
Post today shows its true colour, which is best expressed in its new name
“Deutsche Heeres Logistic” (German Army Logistics).

This idea sides with the proposals to organize days of action against armament
companies and the Commerzbank (as this bank is in the front line of producing
acceptance for the German army Bundeswehr in the economic sphere). Like the
Commerzbank DHL, post offices and post boxes can be found in nearly every city.
These are inviting places for local mobilization activities and more. They
provide several possibilities to visibly confront the support work for the
military performed by a predominately civil service company with a widespread
service area, which heavily depends on its reputation.

Civil-military public private partnership

We are talking about the biggest contract ever in the German transport sector
and the most comprehensive project of privatization and transformation of the
German army Bundeswehr so far. Within the framework of this Public Private
Partnership the Bundeswehr will hand over huge parts of their basic lo-gistics
to a private company. Put in concrete terms this is storage and management of
Bundeswehr materials (except medical materials, ammunition and fuels) and the
global transport of war equipment, soldiers, ammunition, fuels. This means that
the Bundes-wehr is looking for a logistics partner to en-sure the quick
deployment capability of the troops and therefore to become an active
warmonger.

Several companies applied for the contract: DHL, the German railway company DB
with its transport company Schenker, the service company Arvato of the
Bertelsmann group as well as a syndicate consisting of Hellmann Logistics (a
company situated in Bremen), the aviation and armament company EADS and the
consulting company Accenture. Foreign logistics companies do not have a chance
for reasons of national security. The deadline for application ended on
September 8th 2008. The decision of the Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und
Beschaffung (subdivision of the Ministry of Defense responsible for procurement
and management of military equipment).

DHL is said to have by far the best chances to get the million Euro contract,
not at least because of the comprehensive cooperation that already exists with
the Bundeswehr and the logistic expertise that the company accumulated in
active participation in war at the side of the US armed forces in the war in
Iraq since 2003.

Olive freight – nothing new for German postal services Deutsche Post

Already in 2002 the Deutsche Post signed a contract with the Bundeswehr to
nationally and internationally transport urgent military documents, as well as
military equipment and consumer goods up to 50 kg. In early 2002 the Deutsche
Post World Net became the main shareholder of DHL. By the end of 2002 DHL was
100% owned by Deutsche Post World Net. Since 2003 all freight and express goods
of the Deutsche Post are transported under the name DHL. DHL is global market
leader in international express delivery, long distance transport and
international shipping of air and sea freight.

May 2003, immediately after the UN lifted the economic sanctions against Iraq
DHL was the first company to offer logistic services there. Main customer in
Iraq is the US military. From a pure profiteer of the war in Iraq DHL advanced
to the position of a direct assistant of war and occupation. The Deutsche Post
AG tries to be discreet about it, playing down the freight to be just letters
for US soldiers. This caused discussion on the Deutsche Post AG shareholders´
meeting in April this year. Critical share-holders accused CEO Frank Appel of
veiling the participation of the company in the war in Iraq. Besides forces´
mail various good are shipped for the US military as well as for companies
under their contract. For reasons of the difficult security situation DHL uses
armoured vehicles without any marking. Only in a few safe places they deliver
in yellow DHL-vehicles. Paul Gillett, a former military, is coordinating the
logistics busi-ness there. Mercenaries becoming logistics experts – like him
most of the “foreign experts” of the DHL team in Iraq come from a military
background. Former British soldiers were hired to protect the transports.

Civil-military production of acceptance

As the Bundeswehr right now faces a fairly slack period in recruiting new
soldiers and bad press resulting from the killing of three civilians at a
Bunderwehr checkpoint in Afghanistan, the Deutsche Post decided to start a PR
campaign for the Bundeswehr. To better “the acceptance of the Bundeswehr in
public”, they printed 8000 large-format posters, displaying a soldier in the
Afghanistan expedition corps who can feel oh so close to home, thanks to the
forces´ mail service. Udo Eschenbach, “Company Representative Military Affairs
Bundeswehr/ NATO” of the Deutsche Post says about the poster: “It is meant to
make present the profession of the soldier in society”.

Yellow militarization – far advanced at the airport in Leipzig

By establishing a “technical base” for military wide-bodied transport aircrafts
the military extension of the airport Leipzig/Halle reached a new level. The
heavily subsidized airport (more than 300 million Euro of taxes went into it)
had been declared civil, while the same time it was chosen for shipment of
military supplies and reinforcements. Since the Federal Administrative Court
declared the military transports at the airport Leipzig/Halle legal a blatant
increase of US troop transportation has been observed. Leipzig turned into an
important stopover of US military flights to and from Iraq and Afghanistan. The
Bundeswehr as well uses the airport as a stopover flying soldiers to their
foreign areas of deployment. Following information of the Ministry of Defense
it is from here that the two wide-bodied Antonov aircrafts stationed at the
airport regularly take off. Freight consists of lorries and helicopters, but
also food, drinking water and tents, a spokesperson said. And “of course”
wea-pons, too. The military extension is closely linked to DHL, as they run one
out of three global aviation-turnstiles in Leipzig through DHL Hub Leipzig GmbH.

To attack the increasing militarization in the civil seems to be a rewarding
“com-prehensive approach” for a antimilitarist counter strategy.

Source: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/01/420572.html


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NATO defense ministers to meet in Poland in February

NATO defense ministers will meet in Cracow of Poland in February to discuss the
mission in Afghanistan and NATO's future, local media reported on Friday.

On February 19, representatives of all ISAF mission participants will discuss
Afghan police and army training as well as moves designed to liquidate drug
production in Afghanistan, Poland's ambassador at NATO Boguslaw Winid said.

On the following day, talks will focus on future NATO transformation. Planned
are also meetings of NATO-Ukraine and NATO-Georgia commissions.

During the meeting, ministers are to discuss a draft declaration on Atlantic
security which is to be adopted during the April summit in Strasbourg and Kehl.

According to Ambassador Winid several, countries attending the meeting are to
declare the enlargement of their contingents in Afghanistan, "in some case we
should expect significant increases," said Winid.

Ambassador Winid also said that most likely the meeting will be attended by
Afghan Defense Minister Adbul Rahim Wardak.

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/31/content_10738675.htm


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International Activists Conference Strasbourg, February 14 and 15th

Start 1.pm February 14th end 2.p.m February 15th

Location:
Faculté de lettres Marc Bloch
22 rue Descartes
Esplanade
Strasbourg

The main goal of the conference is to discuss the preparation of the different
actions against the 60.years anniversary of NATO. We want to finalize our
strategy and prepare the different actions.

The background of all our preparations will be a political discussion about the
strategy of the NATO and there political goals.

11.00 till 12.30
Preparatory meetings of the working groups (Groups see above)

Start in the plenum
Saturday 1.00 pm. till 3.30

Plenary.
Welcome and chair Arielle Denis and Frederic Henry, Strasbourg

Actual NATO Strategy and politics and our critics (working title)
John Rees, Stop the war GB/ Arielle Denis, Mouvement de la Paix, France

Discussion

Overview about the preparation of our actions against the NATO Summit
Reiner Braun
Including information about the preparation in the different countries, the
region Strasbourg and Baden-Württemberg and the working groups

4.00 pm till 6.00
Work in groups
a.Camp
b.Demonstration
c.Civil disobedience
d.International congress

6.15 pm till 7.45
Exchange of the work in a plenary discussion with four introductions
Chair: Kate Hudson, CND, GB

8.30 p.m. voluntarily
Meeting of the German and French participants

Sunday
9.00
Short introduction: Hans Lammerant, WRI

Start 9.15 till 10.45
Working groups
a.Press work
b.Public outreach
c.Basen meeting
d.Continuation of the workings group of the first day, when necessary
e.Legal team, police observers
f.More

11.00 am till 12.00 Reports
Chairs of the morning: Petros Constantinou, Greece, Sophie Zafari, FSU France

12.00 till 13.00
Discussion about the mobilisation

13.00 till 14.00
Decisions and agreements

Chair: Reiner Braun/ Lysiane Rolet Strasbourg/ Marina from the blockade and Camp
Activists

Language will be English, German and French. Professional translation will not
be available in the working groups

When you need cheap or private accommodation please contact:
lysianerolet at voila.fr
Phone: 0033(0) 679484501

Please register: hr.braun at gmx.net
We need an overview about the number of participants for solving the
organisational questions sand problems

Source: email


Summit Meeting of NATO Heads of State and Government Strasbourg, France / Kehl,
Germany

Source: http://www.nato.int/docu/pr/2009/p09-008e.html


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Telephone conversation with the British Minister for Development, Douglas
Alexander

Rome 27 January 2009

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Franco Frattini, had a telephone conversation
this evening with the British Minister for Development, Douglas Alexander.

The two ministers discussed the relationship between the G8 and the G20, and
expressed their hope for increasingly effective coordination between the two.

Reiterating the G8’s continuing central role in addressing the major global
governance issues, Frattini emphasised the importance of strengthening dialogue
with partner countries and recipients of G8 initiatives in crucial sectors such
as the effort to achieve growth in Africa, development aid policies and the
protection of the environment.

Minister Frattini noted that the Global Partnership for Agriculture and Food
Security is a priority issue for the Italian G8 Presidency.

The two ministers also touched on the G20’s role in working towards the
necessary reform of the international financial institutions, in light of the
mandate received from the meeting in Washington last November.

Their phone conversation also gave Minister Frattini and Minister Alexander an
opportunity to exchange views on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, especially
as regards the steps taken by Italy as G8 President to coordinate the
humanitarian aid effort. They also exchanged views on the prospects for peace
and stability in the area.

Source:
http://www.esteri.it/MAE/EN/Stampa/Sala_Stampa/Comunicati/2009/01/20090127_FrattiniAlexander.htm


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The moored G8 Ship

The launching of the MSC Fantasia ship The Mediterranean Shipping Company – Msc
Cruises flagship, Fantasia, is to drop anchor off La Maddalena for the three
days of the Summit to accommodate many of the illustrious guests expected.

The Fantasia is a gem of Italian-built advanced technology and eco-design and
was launched in Naples on 18 December 2008. It is Europe’s largest cruise ship,
weighing in at 133,500 tonnes, measuring 333 m long by 37.92 m wide and towering
60 m tall for a total surface area of 450,000 sq.m. It can carry 3,959
passengers in its 1,637 cabins.

Like the rest of the infrastructure that is being put in place for the Summit,
the ship places eco-sustainability high on its list of priorities, as the G8
chaired by Italy intends to cut its harmful emissions and environmental impact
down to the minimum. The hull walls are painted in special low-impact polymer
paints. Water treatment and reuse and energy saving, meaning the optimisation
of electricity consumption in the cabins and public areas, must also be cited.
Waste will also be sorted prior to collection on the ship, which is little
short of a floating city. An agreement is to be signed with the Aluminium
Packaging Consortium on the full recycling of containers of various sizes.

The precise point at which the ship is to be moored still remains to be decided.
The area between La Maddalena and the island of Santo Stefano is currently being
surveyed for the purpose by the Civil Protection Department, Msc Cruises and
Navy experts.

Source:
http://www.g8italia2009.it/G8/Home/LaSedeDelVertice/G8-G8_Layout_locale-1199882116809_Nave_appoggio.htm


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Details on G8 security may come next month: mayor

Huntsville mayor Claude Doughty says details about the security to be in place
for the 2010 G8 Summit could come as early as the end of next month.

“We were led to believe that that would be a timeframe we could expect at the
meeting (we had) before Christmas,” he told the Forester Friday.

Just before the holidays the local area leadership group, which includes all
area mayors, met and was briefed on security details for the summit; however,
that information was not provided to the public.

Parry Sound-Muskoka MP Tony Clement told the Forester Tuesday that the meeting
in December was more of a process briefing.

“(They were saying) here’s how G8s have operated in the past in terms of
perimeters and so on and here’s the kind of things that we have to review. It
was not as if they reported to us exactly what they have found out about
Deerhurst and Muskoka, it was more general than that,” he said.

During the last summit held in Canada in 2002 in Kananaskis, Alberta, more than
$100 million was spent on security, and was described at the time as the
largest security plan during peacetime in Canadian history.

Asked if Huntsville could expect an even higher level of security, Clement
replied, “I wouldn’t make that assumption. Kananaskis was the first (summit)
after 9/11 and we’ve learned a lot since then about security and how to make
sure the security footprint is bearable.”

Although the eight world leaders are not expected in Huntsville for another 17
months, already some local residents are wondering how the security perimeters
are going to affect them.

John Krochak, who lives in the Hidden Valley area near Deerhurst Resort, where
the summit will be held, says he’s concerned about access to his house being
restricted.

In late November, Krochak received a letter from the Hidden Valley Property
Owner’s Association (HVPOA), outlining what area residents could expect during
the summit.

“The entire area will be gated. Those staying in the neighbourhood will have to
have a security pass to enter,” Krochak read. “Each member of the household
will be given a photo (identification) card for entrance and exit of the area,
including children.”

Krochak says that, due to a disability, he has two shifts of attendants coming
to his house every day.

He’s worried that if his neighbourhood is within the secured area that his
attendants won’t be able to get to him.

Geordie Heath, president of the HVPOA, told the Forester that the letter was
sent out after the association was inundated with questions from residents
about what to expect.

The board did some online research into security measures at past summits and
sent out the information in a newsletter in late November or early December.

Heath said the board has not yet been given any information on the government
about their plans for the Hidden Valley area, which has about 130 properties.

Krochak’s concerns were raised at the last Huntsville town council meeting by
councillor John Davis, who sits with Krochak on the accessibility advisory
committee.

Doughty responded that he believed it would not be a problem for the attendants
to be issued identification tags or permits to access the area.

Clement told the Forester that the RCMP and OPP are still conducting security
reviews of the area and event, and that once details are finalized and the
information becomes available, the summit management office in Ottawa will be
able to respond to residents’ questions “as accurately and as completely as
possible.”

Source: http://www.huntsvilleforester.com/article/127534