A Head of States meeting opens tomorrow in Libya within a background of political crisis in several countries.
The 13th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union opened last Sunday June 28, 2009 in Sirte (Libya), with a call from the African Union Chairperson, Mouammar Kadhafi for the immediate dissolution of all executive organs of the African Union and the putting in place of a United States of Africa. The current African Union leader, who arrived the ceremonial ground three hours behind scheduled, frowned at those who have been doing everything to block or retard the smooth transition. He proposed that, a vote be conducted on the issue of the African unification.
Also addressing participants at the 15th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council during the official opening ceremony, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping, who believes the United States of Africa is not an urgency, took stock of the security and political situation of the continent. While referring to the situation in Madagascar, which was suspended from the activities of the AU, in conformity with Article 30 of the Constitutive Act of the continental organization, he expressed concerns over the resurgence of coups d'état and unconstitutional changes. He stated that "the overall situation on the Continent remains alarming". Chairperson Ping referred to the assassination of the President of Guinea Bissau, Mr. Joao Bernardo Vieira, "the 31st Head of State assassinated in Africa in less than 40 years after independence". With regard to Mauritania, the AUC Chairperson expressed satisfaction at the signing of the decree on 27 June 2009 for the formation of a Transitional Government "which will lead the country to elections scheduled for 18 July, 2009".
Referring to the situation in Guinea, the Chairperson of the Commission pointed out that "the International Contact Group on Guinea expressed at its last meeting, held in Sirte, great concern about the uncertainties surrounding the conduct of the transition and the lack of progress in the implementation of the programme accepted by the parties for the restoration of constitutional order and the organization of elections before the end of 2009."
Jean Ping further pointed out, that the 13th Session of the AU Assembly would be called upon to react on the recommendations of the Executive Council on the transformation of the Commission into the Authority of the AU. The Head of States meeting will run from July 1 to 3, 2009.
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Some of our enlightened western leaders, such as the Honorable Mrs Clinton are starting to realize the importance of keeping the entire world nations engaged to advance bilateral economic and cultural exchanges to mutually benefit everybody to improve the qualities and the standards of living of people and reduce tensions, bigotry and racism.
Here is an extract of her core foreign policy, which is far-sighted and positive on the long run for the people of the world's nations. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- Clinton defends policy of engagement with all WASHINGTON 17/07/2009 7:18:00 AM US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has warned Iran it has only limited time to accept the Obama Administration's offer of engagement or face new penalties and isolation over its nuclear program. She renewed a limited United States offer to talk with Iran despite its post-election crackdown and defended the principle of engaging with anti-American regimes.
In a speech yesterday marking nearly six months on the job, Mrs Clinton rejected critics who say engagement is a sign of weakness and warned the US would not hesitate to use military force to defend itself or its allies.
But she said President Barack Obama's administration preferred to focus on diplomacy and development to advance US interests, which include fighting terror and promoting Middle East peace as well as boosting the global economy and curbing climate change.
She repeated previous calls to ''lead with diplomacy, even in the cases of adversaries or nations with whom we disagree''.
The Obama Administration has taken steps toward engaging not just Iran but other US foes such as Syria, Cuba and Venezuela, but its hopes to engage North Korea have stumbled amid a showdown over the country's missile and nuclear programs.
She rejected critics who suggest engagement is ''a sign of naivete or acquiescence to these countries' repression of their own people''.
Engagement could provide an insight into the calculations of a hostile regime and open up opportunities for change, no matter how remote, she said.
Mrs Clinton recalled the Iranian leadership's crackdown on those protesting the presidential election when she conceded that neither she nor Mr Obama held ''any illusions'' that direct talks with Iran ''will guarantee success''.
She said the Shi'ite Muslim fundamentalist leadership must be presented with a choice between further international isolation and the benefits of international integration.
On another burning issue, Mrs Clinton urged Arab states to make immediate gestures toward normalising ties with Israel in a bid to promote prospects for Arab-Israeli peace.
However, she stopped short of reiterating previous calls for Israel to freeze all settlements, saying the US wanted Israeli action on settlements but understood it faced political challenges. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------