Horst D. Deckert

Alfred de Zayas: A new social contract for the new millennium

Interview with Professor Dr. iur. et phil. Alfred de Zayas:

„… introduction of a world parliamentary assembly is worth considering …“

The new millennium is going to confront mankind with new and complex challenges: When the United Nations had been established in 1945 the world population amounted to only 2.5 billion people and had been politically divided into two blocs. 78 years later 8 billion plus people inhabit the globe with the former bi-polar world order seemingly gone. Additional state actors have joined the concert of global powers and a paradigm shift seems the order of the day.

Alfred de Zayas is Professor of International Law at the Geneva School of Diplomacy. He has held senior positions with the United Nations and Secretariat of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. We asked Professor Alfred de Zayas about the current state of global affairs, envisaged shifts as well as future challenges:

Question: After World War II the UN had been set-up, whereby its statutes has reflected the power structure based on the former victor-states: A total of five World War II winner-states seem still in control of the five permanent member‚s seats of the 15-nation UN Security Council. International organizations are poised for an increase of future importance and after 75 years a reorganization of the UN seems overdue: Where do you see the greatest demands respectively which plans of reform do you consider most pressing?

AdZ: A reorganization of the UN and especially the Security Council has become overdue. A UN commission has been studying options for more than 10 years. At his time, Secretary General Kofi Annan proposed an expansion of the membership of the Council from 15 to 25 in order to achieve a better participation of all regions and countries: With more influence and representation for states like India, Indonesia, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico as well as Japan and Germany. In my report to the General Assembly in the year 2013 I have introduced a number of constructive reforms5 with some of them executed:

In 2013 the book ‚Transforming the United Nation‚s System: Designs for a Workable World‚ by Joseph Schwartzberg was published by the UN. The book conveys the need for electoral reforms of the General Assembly, the possibility of a weighted electoral system, proposals for a World Parliamentary Assembly with representatives of civil society elected by the people as well as options for reforming the Security Council like increasing membership and abolishing the veto. Further, converting the Economic and Social Council into a new structure of regional assemblies, a strengthened Human Rights Council as well as the coordination of specialized agencies, fonds and commissions with an increased participation of NGOs and other none government actors.

Question: What you suggest had to be kept in mind first and foremost? 

AdZ: The priority for the United Nations and our world is peace. That is why peace must be recognized as a human right1. As early as November 1984 the United Nations passed a resolution Res. 39/112 on the right of all peoples to live in peace, but it has not progressed: Instead hundreds of new wars had occurred since World War II. In 2014 UNESCO has passed a declaration on the Culture of Peace3 as well as the Consultative Committee of the Human Rights Council. However, the last resolution of the Human Rights Council for the right to peace has turned out weaker than the old resolution 39/11. The illegitimate refusal to have the right of self-determination exercised has become one of the most common causes of wars. The United Nations would consistently have to ensure, that referenda were enforced by preventing disputes over self-determination to turn into local, regional or international wars. As stated in paragraph 80 as the opinion of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo, one should finally accept that the principle of territorial integrity cannot undermine the peoples‘ right of self-determination4. Enforcing the peoples‘ right of self-determination, as stipulated in Article I of the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, represents an eminently peace-promoting – and conflict avoiding strategy.

Question: In case those overdue reforms by the UN were not attended, could this eventually lead to the establishment of parallel organizations? 

AdZ: Unfortunately yes, since the fate of the world has been too much influenced by the World Economic Forum and other globalist‚s actors. A World Parliamentary Assembly would be better and more democratic. In my report from the year 2013, addressed to the General Assmebly5, I stated:

Among other initiatives of civil society the introduction of a World Parliamentary Assembly 6 or a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly were worth to consider. The former Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali declared: „A United Nations Parliamentary Assembly – a global body of elected representatives – could entrust our institutions of global governance with unprecedented democratic legitimacy, transparency and accountability.„7

It would be the stated goal to eliminate democratic deficits and provide a voice to the global public opinion of all citizens regarding global decisions by elected officials. Such an assembly could be established either by a vote of the General Assembly under Article 22 of the UN Charter or on the basis of a new international treaty between governments to be flanked by an agreement linking them with the United Nations. None of the mechanisms require a change or reform of the UN Charter. Contributions from citizens by participating in an independent World-Assembly or Parliamentary Assembly of the United Nations in an advisory capacity, representing both people and states, would confer increased legitimacy on global decisions.

Question: The work of the political scientist Arjun Chowdhury revealed, that two thirds of all countries world-wide seem unable to secure their own basic needs. Without help from the outside they would either collapse or been taken over. How could such potential of conflicts be defused or contained best?

AdZ: International aid does not mean charity. It’s about helping developing countries to feed themselves. So far, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have largely failed.8    The prevention of conflicts remains the most urgent task of the United Nations. There are enough special commissions and committees. What is missing is the political will of the rich countries. Of course, our planet can feed everyone, but with the right priorities in place. The world is wasting billions of money  in armed conflicts, the arms race or production of even more deadly weapons. In the United States, at least 40% of the budget is wasted on military spending. That must have an end and our mantra should state: Disarmament for development. A human right for development corresponding to Article 1 of the UN Charter and UN Declaration on the Right to Development does exist indeed. Meanwhile the SDG – Sustainable Development Goals – are supposed to be met by 2030. This is absolutely possible, but will require continuous activities.

Question: The global conditions today reflect extreme disparities. Agenda 21 – an UN action plan from 1992 – was intended to counteract the looming threat of future upheavals. What has been achieved so far? What went wrong against this plan? Where do you see today’s priorities and most important need of actions?

AdZ: Agenda 21 was a noble idea. It was caused by the euphoria after the implosion of the Soviet Union as reflected in the book by Francis Fukuyama “The end of history”. But the problems persist and have grown bigger since then. Deforestation, as we know it from studies by the WWF, has steadily been progressing in Brazil, Africa and Asia. Biden allows the US to return to the Paris Climate Agreement again and the climate change – and biodiversity conventions might get strengthened. Furthermore, the existing mechanisms regarding the UN Environmental Program (UNEP) will require a much better financing. Unfortunately, too much money has been wasted on wars and the arms race. My report to the Human Rights Council from 2014 refers to that issues10.

Question: Might a Security Council of global alliances with a more balanced power structure form a suitable alternative and able to break the given blockades?

AdZ: I view this sceptical. In any case, China and India should be more closely engaged. They entail 2.8 billion people, who must not be neglected. Both states should be increasingly involved in peacekeeping measures. Peacekeeping by the United States and NATO has not worked. In addition, the United States has committed the greatest crime against peace since the Nuremberg Trials, namely the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which Kofi Annan had branded an „illegal war“. Worse still, the US had corrupted the system into a “coalition of the willing”, whereas a total of 43 states had participated in this revolt against the UN Charter and international law. All those have been UN member states supposed to be bound by the UN Charter – in particular by Art. 2 (4). Instead it turned into a grotesque violation of international law and mega-crime against peace and stability.

I would like to see the powers of the UN Secretary General expanded for exercising his right of initiative, e.g. with the authority to refer legal questions for assessment directly to the International Court of Justice. There are many mechanisms in the UN existing, which have been underutilized. The UN should act proactively and show much more initiative.

Question: The Asian states are rated only second within the structures of the World Bank and IMF, but are about to exert decisive influence on economic growth globally: Do you see a need of reform for these international organizations, as their statutes seem outdated by dating back to the 1945 as well?

AdZ: The Bretton Woods institutions should be reformed or abolished. In principle, they primarily serve the interests of the United States, but not the world community. Other multilateral agreements could be created. Unfortunately World Bank and IMF have acted too often against the UN Charter. The policy of so-called ‚austerity measures‘ or ‚cost cuts ‘ in the social domain should finally be discontinued. However, ‚austerity drives‘ should find their way into the sector military. It means: No arms race, no wars and no ‚regime change‚ activities any more, like with Ukraine in 2014 & 2022 respectively or Bolivia in 2019. Further, the terms of lending by the IMF should undergo radical reforms9.

Question: In their report – “The Crises of Democracy” – on the ‚governability of democracies‘ to the Trilateral Commission (Source: Crozier, Michel / Huntington, Samuel P./Watanuki, Joji: The Crisis of Democracy. Report on the Governability of Democracies to the Trilateral Commission. New York: New York University Press 1975) the three authors conclude, that the democratic process in the USA is not influenced by external factors … but rather threatened by the „internal dynamics of democracy itself, through a highly educated, mobile participatory society”. Has this very conclusion in 1975 in that report addressed to its principals triggered the subsequent assault by transnational forces against the ‚middle class‚ as still existing pillar of our industrial society by attempting to get rid of them as a supposed unwelcome competition?

AdZ: We are not aware of any democracy in the United States – it looks like an empty bowl, a label, a farce. In Switzerland we enjoy a semi-democracy, whereas Swiss citizens may enact their right for an initiative by proposing new legislation. In Switzerland the right of referendums have continuously been exercised. The United States are ruled by lobbies, the military-industrial complex and the Wall Street of course. With the option to vote every two and four years, the right to vote is not democratic – it represents not a real choice: A progressive candidate has absolutely no chance – like e.g. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who had been finished by the press. The US elections resemble sporting events by betting on team A or B. Likewise “representative democracy” will fail, because its representatives do not represent citizens, but lobbies. The middle class remains more or less powerless. In addition, there rule fake news with crucial information missing, which will expose the crowd to manipulation and indoctrination.

 Question: After 1975 and that signal against the middle class, the growth of the middle class in Western countries has actually been reversed. Likewise, the current ‚lockdowns‘ seem to target the middle again. Who are the ultimate beneficiaries of such tendencies?

AdZ: The large transnational corporations – they grow and support themselves. It was audacious how banks and their responsible ‚banksters‚, who had caused the great economic crisis over the years 2007 – 2008, had been bailed out instead of being brought to justice.

Question: Prior to hot wars, so-called “sanctions” are often applied. How do you see such precursors – just short of war?

AdZ: From my point of view sanctions are considered methods of non-targeted – or indiscriminate weapons, which kill indiscriminately and result in ‚collective punishment‘. Both offenses are prohibited under international – and humanitarian law. The economic sanctions by the US imposed on Cuba, Venezuela, Syria and Iran constitute violations of the UN human rights treaties and Geneva Conventions. They violate the right of life of the poorest and have caused thousands of victims, like 40,000 casualties in Venezuela in 201810 without counting the ones over the following years. Sanctions sanctions fall under the crimes against humanity in violation of Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. These offenses may also be labelled as ’state terrorism‘ by exposing people to innumerable sufferings and arbitrariness.

With regard to Interventions, I have made clear in numerous of my reports to the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council and stated: The criminal doctrine R2P – Responsibility to Protect or duty to intervene – according to Orwellian newspeak, represents a pure hoax in order to undermine the prohibition of violence as per Article 2 ( 4) of the UN Charter. Instead it represents only a resolution (Res. 60/1) from the year 2015 and fails to weaken the ius cogensthe mandatory law – as an overriding prohibition of violence according to the UN Charter.

Further, interventions without Security Council authorization, like in the wake of the conflicts in Yugoslavia (1999), Iraq (2003), or in Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan with Turkey (2020), constitute a crime of aggression under the Rome Statute, which falls under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in The Hague: It can open investigations in due process, which may end with convictions.

Question: Mounting global problems and an increase of the world population have posed immense challenges. What role and contributions for solving that situation do you expect from world religions?

AdZ:  The world‚s religions bear a share of responsibility for the misery we are experiencing. Religion is not just a rite – not just believing in Jehovah, Christ or Allah. But religion means commitment, means not only worship but also pro-active charity. I am a Catholic myself and regret that the Catholic Church has done too little in their fight against disaster capitalism – according to Naomi Klein – and not fought more strongly and have it declared in total contradiction with the New Testament. I am very concerned about the radicalization of Islam, a religion that seems very much in need of reform. There are of course good priests, bishops and popes. There are good Protestant pastors, rabbis, and good imans. But I don’t think the majority of them live up to their responsibilities. I am concerned that religions could be misused once again to not promote peace, but incite crusades or jihads against people of other faith.

Question : Are the world religions still sufficiently placed at the centre or being pushed further and further aside to the fringe by secular or overwhelming political forces?

 

AdZ: The world religions have been pushed aside since long. In fact, there is a new “secular-Religion“ respectively „substitute-Religion“ in place known as „human rights“. Those kind of “human rights” have been abused dogmatically. In my reports to the General Assembly and to the Human Rights Council, I have often referred to the “weaponization of  human rights” and have it proven. The idea of “human dignity”- the source of all human rights – seems lost. It can be seen how human rights are applied selectively: one time this way – next time the other way around. One sees how violations of human rights committed by our “allies” are ignored or tolerated, and only acts of our “enemies” or “geopolitical opponents” would be denounced. I call this “human rights à la carte”. It can be observed everywhere how certain human rights are abused in order to marginalize or abolish human rights in the real sense. In the West, the right to private property rules above all. However, there remains precious little concern for the right to food, water or shelter. Further, human rights in line with the Zeitgeist enjoy enormous ‚popularity‚. I feel it similar to “ fashion trends”,  such as those “new” LGBT rights . Why such a thing – aren’t we all the same? Don’t we all have the same rights or is there a desire to create special rights or privileges? Anyone who does not comply unconditionally will be immediately put in the corner. What has remained of the right to freedom of expression today? Do we all have to hold a uniform opinion or suffer discrimination with social exclusion after having infringed on it?

Question: Even before the epoch of great secularization, Jean-Jack Rousseau assumed that Christianity, with its claim to authority and its focus on the afterlife, had been undermining the unity of the state. In his work “The Social Contract (1760)”, Rousseau urged a kind of “republican state religion” or “civil religion” to counteract those perceived weaknesses of the state. Have excessively strong secular-industrial developments since then eventually led to a reversed situation? 

AdZ:  Exactly – Christianity is the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew V, 1–9). Christianity matches the seven works of mercy (Matthew XXV, 36–37). Rousseau’s “social contract” is based on a certain idealization of the human being, which does reflect a certain morality and ethics. Rousseau believed in human dignity and the good in people. Today people pay lip service to human dignity – but nothing more. It’s shocking how good ideas and motivations have turned into terrible dystopias. Think of „La Terreur“  – the Reign of Terror under the French Revolution and  the Comité de Salut Public – the Welfare Committe  by then –  or its “Master of Virtue” Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre. Think of Pol Pot in Cambodia. Fanatics will always exist, unfortunately.

Question: In 2011, a scientific study by the ETH Zurich has shown: 147 super-connected transnational corporations control more than 40% of the global economy. Does this minority of transnational monopolists seek to extend similar control over the political sphere on top of their economic interests?

AdZ: They have been doing that for a long time and with success. It’s unbelievable how they act against the social policy of many states. I have analysed the infamous “free trade agreements” and the investor protection chapters in two reports to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly, and I have been able to point out horrific cases. The so-called investor-state dispute settlement Arbitrations – for the settlement of disputes between investors and states – violate contra bonos mores – all good manners– and are an aberration. This arbitration has prevented many states, for example, from raising minimum wages or from closing environmentally hazardous industrial plants like certain mines12.

Question: The scientific magazine ‚New Scientist‘ called those global cartel structures a ‚capitalist network‘. It is difficult to speak about something that holds so far only to an unspecific name. Could you think of a better designation for those supposed global rulers of the world?

AdZ: Naomi Klein in her book ‚The Shock Doctrine‘ speaks of ‚disaster capitalism‘. I would use terms like financial mafia or vulture capitalists.

They behave quite like racketeers, gangsters, crooks or cutthroats.  Anti-trust criminal legislation should be brought into effect against them, because they engage in schemes and frauds that are against the good of people. Their latest hoax is called ‚Great Reset‚ – ‚The Great Turnaround‚: An attack of epic dimensions.

Question: What control elements do these globalists have to use due to their (too) small numbers or “ staff shortage”, if compared with the world population?

AdZ: The number of actors is indeed limited, but they have their ’secret societies ‘ – de facto secret societies respectively not-so-secret circles. The outwardly visible organizations are known as the World Economic Forum, Atlantic Council, Council on Foreign Relations, Club of Rome, „World Government Summit“, Trilateral Commission and of course the Bilderberger. In addition there are foundations, such as the Bertelsmann Foundation from Germany, the German Marshall Fund of the United States, the Aspen Institute, the Heritage Foundation or the American Enterprise Institute in the US and others.

Question: Are the remaining six U.S. media cartels and three (last) authoritative press agencies controlled by governmental or supranational circles?

AdZ: The media cartels are Orwellian constructs, enemies of freedom of expression, enemies of pluralism, enemies of human dignity. They manipulate us all. It is almost impossible to escape them, as the Internet has also been controlled and censored, as quickly demonstrated by dealing with ’search engines‘ e.g. from Google, Bing or Ecosia: Politically correct results are given priority. It takes great persistence to find the information you are looking for on the last pages with luck. The algorithms are the weapons of the curators over the Internet to hide information harmlessly behind all data garbage.

Question: Do you see conflicts of interest in the fact that 193+2 UN member states allow parts of their UN organization to be alimented by financial means of transnational sources?

AdZ: The United Nations needs money: It is a great pity that CERN – the European Council for Nuclear Research – after their development of the World-Wide-Web, had not donated the enormous income potential from that source to the world for free. If every user of the Internet had just given away one cent to the UN, the funding of the UN would have been secured for decades and there would not have been a need for any other questionable cross-finance.

Question: What measures do you propose to effectively limit and push back the political and monopolistic ambitions of transnational entities?

AdZ : You would have to start with education. During three years of my law studies at Harvard,  the word ‚ethics‘ had never surfaced. One is conditioned to make money only and use all means to be a winner: ‚The Winner takes it all‘ – that is the mentality of most lawyers and Wall Street representatives. No one sees himself as a member of a society. It’s all about ‚individualism‘ – the so-called ‚adversary system‘ according to Anglican common law.  Not even most of all judges seem inspired by the idea of ‚justice‘.  It’s all about pure ‚positivism‘, and applying unjust laws in a way to preserve the status quo.

Of course, anti-trust criminal laws against monopolies could put some limits on economic criminality. In addition to fines, however, management bodies, such as boards of directors, should face jail sentences, if convicted. That, they would remember quite well.

Question: What do you understand under the new formula, known as “The Great Reset”?

AdZ: A great hoax to ensure that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. We don’t need a top-down economic order that conforms to the ideas of only self-appointed elites. The World Economic Forum should be dissolved. A properly funded World Social Forum, which has been organized from the bottom up would be preferable to the WEF. It is necessary to remain vigilant against corruption based on known human weakness and nature, and to counteract with creativity the undermining of human rights and economic exploitation.

Question: Mr. Schwab from the WEF said: “Now is the historic moment not only for the survival of the system, but also to fight for its transformation: For the post-Corona era.” What could Mr. Schwab possibly have understood under “system”?

AdZ: Now is indeed the opportunity to make the global economy more people-friendly, to change priorities and focus on the right to education, health and better working conditions, as well as on human rights.  Fine words and lip service have been paid to this by the WEF. But I doubt that Klaus Schwab actually wants a system that makes it harder for the elites to get hold of everything.  A system of laws that strives for the good of the people, puts people above profit, abolishes tax havens and wants to limit speculation – that’s what I want to see!

Question: Who created the existing „system“, operated it worldwide or has been responsible for it until today?

AdZ: These are the banks and the military-industrial complex as well as transnational business structures, in association with the consulting and auditing firms, such as Price Waterhouse Deloitte, Ernst & Young or KPM . My reports to the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council examined the role of the large law firms, which, together with banks on behalf of large corporations such as Google or Apple, created sophisticated legal constructs that harm and defraud society.

In my 2016 report to the General Assembly A / 71/286 5, I suggested the following measures on the topic of tax and military spending, among others: “… A draft bill in the UK seeks to recognize the right of individuals to opt out of wars for moral reasons and not pay taxes for wars considered immoral. If governments recognized this right and used the taxes of conscientious objectors of war services for conflict prevention measures, it would be a significant step for civilization.”13

Tax avoidance, tax evasion and tax havens deprive countries of the income necessary to fulfil human rights treaty obligations, fight poverty, improve the administration of justice, guarantee legal assistance for victims of human rights violations, build infrastructure, create jobs and provide employment along with social security, quality health services and free education …

To this end,  Dwight D. Eisenhower remarked aptly13: „Every weapon made, every warship launched, every missile fired is ultimately a theft from all those who are hungry and not fed, who are cold and not clothed. This world in arms not only needs money. It also consumes the sweat of its workers, the genius of its scientists, and the hopes of its children.“

Question: The Executive Director of the WFP, D. Beasley, has warned of the worst humanitarian crisis in 75 years that the world could face in 2021: “135 million people are already on the verge of starvation due to military conflicts – but because of Covid-19 the number of victims would double to 270 million. Does this ‚golden opportunity‘ (Prince Charles) or ‚great opportunity‘ (K. Geogiewa – Chairman of  IMF) for the so-called Great Reset justify 135 million deaths from starvation?”

AdZ: As I wrote recently in an article for the South-Center 14 not with regard to the Great Reset but referring to a new Social Contract, among others: “The post-Covid world requires a new social contract. The Secretary-General of the United Nations should convene a world conference based on multilateralism and international solidarity. This would bring a paradigm shift for the prevailing economic, trade and social models. Governments bear responsibility for unbalanced resource allocations whenever military spending takes precedence over investments in health, education and people-centered infrastructure. A new functional paradigm for human rights should address previous fault lines and enact new categories of enabling rights, inherent rights, procedural rights and terminal rights to ensure human dignity and development for all.”15

Question: Would it make sense to promote as well the sustainable industrialization of previously neglected regions in the interior of the continents in accordance with the Belt & Road Initiative as part of the expansion of the New Silk Road together with China?

AdZ: I consider this to be sensible and necessary. But that would require better suitable opinion leaders with the mass media, who instead are mostly found on the side of the exploiters.

Question: Does government interference in private and family life in the wake of the Covid-19 lockdowns, constitute violations of Article 8(2) of the ECHR – European Convention of Human Rights?

AdZ: The principle of proportionality must always be upheld. Interference in private and family life is permissible only under very specific conditions. These conditions do not exist today. Therefore, violations under Articles 17 and 23 of the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights arise, which also constitute a violation of Article 8(2) of the ECHR.

Question: High levels of government debt and urgencies due to global challenges ahead do recommend drastically reduced and limited expenditures on the military-industrial complex in favour of civil development projects worldwide. What are the obstacles standing in the way of a global disarmament initiative? 

AdZ: The military-industrial-financial complex will do anything to prevent the reduction of military spending. The behaviour of defence companies such as Lockheed Martin or Boeing should fall under the legal concept of ‚hostis humani generis‘, which derives from ancient Maritime Law, which had once had labelled pirates and slave owners ‚enemies of humanity‘ and having them declared outlaws and pariahs.

 

My 2014 report to the UN Human Rights Council includes specific proposals14 addressed to various target groups, such as states, parliaments, civil society and the UN Human Rights Council, to change the situation. My recommendations to the international community include the following reform proposals:

“States should provide the Human Rights Council with regular information on their military spending in comparison with spending on education, health care, administration of justice etc. States should ensure that their data comply with the requirements of the Human Rights Council and withstand its regular review mechanism. Governments should be persuaded to devote a larger percentage of their budget on the promotion of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights and to make concrete proposals for their shift from the military to the civilian sector. The military spending of states in conflict zones and internationally disputed areas that had led to occupation, colonization and exploitation should also be subject of regular review.

Sustainable solutions in relation to international financial crises as well as displaced economies follow the insight that excessive military budgets and armies as well as nuclear arsenals represent mere anachronisms. Civil society demands transparency, accountability and, above all, the right to effective participation in setting budget priorities, which must not remain in the hands of defence companies and their lobbyists.”

Question: The level of defence spending by individual states seems globally widely distorted: U.S. spending in this regard exceeds the cumulative annual military spending of the next ten countries following the U.S. in rank of order. What measures do you propose in the long run to have global disarmament initiatives more effectively enforced?

AdZ: It would be the task of the media for conveying this to the population. But this presumes that the mass media were not subordinated to the military-industrial-financial complex. A non-governmental organization like the International Peace Bureau tried its best, but for example had to close its office in Geneva three years ago due to lack of funding. The UN could and should be even more pro-active in this regard.

Question: Does this require the creation of possible new international bodies or organizations? If so, and taking into account useful lessons learned from your past experiences with and within the UN, how could these become organized best?

AdZ: Priority must be given to strengthening existing mechanisms. To this end, the United Nations must be better financed and the Disarmament Conference in Geneva revived. Under no circumstances must we give up: Gutta cavat lapidemsteady drops will hollow-out the stone. It is a matter of conveying the right messages: If the people knew what we know, they would vote for other politicians and enforce a different budgetary policy.

Professor de Zayas – we would like to thank for that interview!

 The interview was conducted by Unser-Mitteleuropa

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