Diplomatic handbook

CARICOM  The Caribbean Community (q.v.)

CBM   Confidence-building measures 

CCCN   Customs Cooperation Council Nomenclature

CCD   Conference of the Committee on Disarmament

CCEET   Centre for Cooperation with European Economics in

Transition

CD    Committee on Disarmanent

CEEAC   Economic Community of Central African States

CEFTA   Central European Free Trade Area

CEI    Central European Initiative

CEPT   Common Effective Preferential Tariff

CERN   European Council for Nuclear Research

CFCs   Chlorofluorocarbons (q.v.)

CGCED   Caribbean Group for Cooperation in Economic

Development

CIPEC   Intergovernmental Committee of Copper-Exporting

Countries

CIS    Commonwealth of Independent States 

CITES   Convention on International Trade in Endangered

Species

CNAD   Conference of National Armaments Directors

COMESA  Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

CONDECA  Central American Defence Council

COREPER  Council of Permanent Representatives (EU) (q.v.)

CPISA   Convention on the privileges and immunities of

Specialised Agencies

CPIUN    Convention on the privileges and immunities of the

UN

CPLP   Lusophone Community 

CRSIO   Convention on the representation of states in their

relations with international organisations

CSM   Convention on Special Missions

CUSRPG  Canada-US Regional Planning Group 

 

 

DAC   Development Assistance Committee (OECD) (q.v.)

DCM   Deputy Chief of Mission

 

 

EAEC    European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM)

EACC    Euro-Atlantic Cooperation Council

EBRD    European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

ECA    Economic Commission for Africa (UN)

ECE    Economic Commission for Europe (UN)

ECLAC   Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN)

ECOBANK   Economic Community Bank

ECOMOG   ECOWAS Monitoring Group

ECOSOC   Economic and Social Council (UN)

ECOWAS   Economic Community of West African States (q.v.)

ECSC    European Coal and Steel Community

EDF    European Development Fund (EC)

EEA    European Economic Area

EEC    European Economic Community

EEZ    Exclusive Economic Zone (q.v.)

EFTA   European Free Trade Association (q.v.)

EIB    European Investment Bank (EU) (q.v.)

ELDO    European Launcher Development Organisation (EC)

EMI    European Monetary Institute (EC)

EMS    European Monetary System (q.v.)

EMU    Economic and monetary union (EU)

ENEA    European Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD)

ERM    European Exchange Rate Mechanism (EU)

ESCAP    Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the

Pacific (UN)

ESCWA   Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

(UN)

ESRO    European Space Research Organisation

 

 

FAD    Food and Agriculture Organisation (q.v.)

FCO    Foreign and Commonwealth Office (UK)

 

 

GAB    General agreement to borrow (IBRD) (q.v.)

GATT    General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (q.v.)

GDP    Gross Domestic Product (q.v.)

GEF    Global environment facility (IBRD)

 

 

HABITAT   United Nations Centre for Human Settlements

(Nairobi)

HDTV    High-definition television

 

 

IADB    Inter-American Development Bank

IAEA    International Atomic Energy Agency (q.v.)

IATA    International Air Transport Association

IBRD    International Bank for Reconstruction and

Development (q.v.)

ICAO    International Civil Aviation Organisation (q.v.)

ICBM    Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile

ICFTU    International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

(Brussels)

ICJ     International Court of Justice (q.v.)

ICO    Islamic Conference Organisation (q.v.)

ICSID    The International Center for the Settlement of

Investment Disputes

IDA    International Development Association (IBRD)

(q.v.)

IDB    Inter-American Development Bank (q.v.)

IEA    International Energy Agency

IFAD   International Fund for Agricultural Development

(q.v.)

IFC    International Finance Corporation (IBRD) (q.v.)

ILC    International Law Commission (q.v.)

ILO    International Labour Organisation (q.v.)

IMF    International Monetary Fund (q.v.)

IMO    International Maritime Organisation (q.v.)

INF    Intermediate Nuclear Forces 

INIS    International Nuclear Information System (q.v.)

INSTRAW   International Research and Training Institute for the

Advancement of Women (q.v.)

INTERPOL   International Criminal Police Organisation

IONARC   Indian Ocean Association for Regional Cooperation

ITU    International Telecommunications Union (q.v.)

 

 

LAFTA   Latin American Free Trade Area

LAIA    Latin American Integration Association (q.v.)

LDC    Less-developed country

LLDC    Least-developed country

 

 

MBFR   Mutual and Balanced Force Reductions

MCCA    Central American Common Market (q.v.)

MERCOSUR  Southern common market (q.v.) 

MFA    Multi-fibre arrangement

MFN    Most-favoured nation (q.v.)

MIGA    Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency

(IBRD) (q.v.)

MRU    Mano River Union

 

 

NAB   New Arrangements to Borrow

NACC    North Atlantic Cooperation Council

NAFTA   North American Free Trade Agreement (q.v.)

NATO    North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (q.v.)

NBC    Nuclear, Biological, Chemical

NEA    Nuclear Energy Agency

NGO    Non-governmental Organisation (q.v.)

NIC    Newly industrialising country

NIEO    New International Economic Order

NORDEK   Nordic Union

NPT    Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear

Weapons (q.v.)

 

 

OAPEC   Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

OAS    Organisation of American States (q.v.)

OAU    Organisation of African Unity (q.v.)

OCAS    Organisation of Central American States

ODA    Official Development Assistance (UNCTAD)

ODECA   Organisation of Central American States

ODIHR   Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

(OSCE)

OECD    Organisation for Economic Cooperation and

Development (q.v.)

OECS   Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (q.v.)

OPEC   Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries

(q.v.)

OSCE    Organisation for Security and Cooperation in

Europe (q.v.)

 

 

p.a.    per annum: yearly

PALOP   Organisation of Lusophone African States

p.c.    per capita: per person

PECC    Pacific Economic Cooperation Council

PfP     Partnership for Peace (NATO)

PLO    Palestine Liberation Organisation

PPP    Purchasing power parity

PTA    Preferential Trade Area

 

 

q.v.    Quod vide: the immediately preceding word or

phrase appears elsewhere in the text

 

 

R and D   Research and Development

RCDC    Regional Cooperation among Developing Countries

RDF    Rapid Deployment Force

RNC    River Niger Commission or the River Niger Basin

Authority

 

 

SAARC   South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

(q.v.)

SACLANT  Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic

SACEUR   Supreme Allied Commander Europe

SACU    Southern Africa Customs Union

SADC    Southern African Development Community (q.v.)

SALT    Strategic Arms Limitation Talks

SAM    Surface-to-air missile

SATCOM   Satellite Communication

SDI    Strategic Defence Initiative

SDR    Special drawing rights (IMP) (q.v.)

SEANWFZ   South-East Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone

SELA    Latin American Economic System (q.v.)

SPC    South Pacific Commission (q.v.)

SPF    South Pacific Forum (q.v.)

SPOCC   South Pacific Organisations Coordinating Committee

      (q.v.)

STABEX   System of Stabilisation of Export Earnings (Lomé

Convention) (q.v.)

START   Strategic Arms Reduction Talks

SYSMIN   System of Stabilisation of Mining Exports (Lomé

Convention) (q.v.)

 

 

 

TAC    Treaty of Amity and Cooperation

TNC    Transnational Corporation

 

 

 

UAM    Union Africaine et Malagache

UN     United Nations

UNAMIR   UN Assistance Mission to Rwanda

UNCDF   United Nations Capital Development Fund

UNCITRAL  UN Commission on International Trade Law

UNCTAD  United Nations Conference on Trade and

  Development (q.v.)

UNDC    UN Disarmament Commission (q.v.)

UNDOF  UN Disengagement Observer Force

UNDP   United Nations Development Programme (q.v.)

UNDRO  United Nations Disaster Relief Office

UNEP    United Nations Environment Programme (q.v.)

UNESCO   United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural

Organisation (q.v.)

UNFPA   United Nations Fund for Population Activities (q.v.)   

UNHCR  United Nations High Commission for Refugees

     (q.v.)

UNICEF  United Nations Children's Fund (q.v.)   

UNIDO   United Nations Industrial Development Organisation

     (q.v.)

UNIFIL   United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon   

UNITAR  United Nations Institute for Training and Research

     (q.v.)

UNMOT   UN Mission of Observers in Tajikistan

UNRISD   United Nations Research Institute for

Social Development

UNRWA   United Nations Relief and Works Agency for

Palestine Refugees and the Near East (q.v.)

UNSSD   UN Special Session on Disarmament (q.v.)

UNTSO   United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation

UNU    United Nations University

UPU    Universal Postal Union (q.v.)

 

 

VER    Voluntary Export Restriction (EU)

VRA    Voluntary Restraint Arrangement (GATT)

VNR    Video News Release

 

 

 

WEU    Western European Union (q.v.)

WFC    World Food Council

WFP    World Food Programme (UN/FAO)

WHO    World Health Organisation (q.v.)

WIPO    World Intellectual Property Organisation (q.v.)

WMO    World Intellectual Property Organisation (q.v.)

WTO    World Trade Organisation

 

 

 

ZOPFAN   Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality

 

 

 

 

Appendix C

ISLAMIC FESTIVALS

 

 

 

 

 

The two major festivals in the Islamic calendar, apart from the Prophet's birthday, the Ascension of the Prophet and the Islamic and Christian New Years, are: (a) the īd al fitr or Little Festival which marks the end of the month Ramadān and is held during the first days of the following month, Shawwāl; and (b) the id al adha al mubārak or Great Festival which lasts for four days and is associated with the sacrifice at Minā made by the pilgrims who are undertaking the Hajj to Mecca.

During the entire month of Ramadān fasting takes place from dawn to sunset, and a special festival is the Day of Decrees on the twenty-seventh of the month.

The Islamic calendar takes as its starting point the Prophet's move from Mecca to Medina (the Hijra) on 16 July AD 622 (or 'CE' for Christian era) which became the first day of the Islamic era ('AH' for Anno Hegirae). The calendar is based on the lunar month of 29½ days with twelve months in the year (the months consisting of twenty-nine and thirty days alternately) which results in a year of 354 days. The Islamic year is consequently shorter by approximately eleven days than the solar year, and Ramadān and other festivals are therefore eleven days earlier each year according to the non-Islamic (or Gregorian) calendar. It should be noted that, traditionally, a 'day' starts at sunset. Friday is the Day of Prayer when all offices are closed; and in some countries the Thursday is included in this 'week-end'.

In addition, Shī’ite Muslims celebrate the death at Kerbela of Husain, grandson of the Prophet and son of Alī the fourth Caliph. This festival begins on the first day of Muharram (the first month of the Islamic year) and comes to a climax on the tenth day, the anniversary of Husain's death in the year 61 AH (10 October AD 680). The occasion is one of deep mourning.

 

 

Appendix D

THE ENVIRONMENT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The protection of the local environment (as exemplified by the U.K. Clean Air Act of 1956) has long been a matter for national politicians, whilst the protection of the regional environment has been dealt with by diplomats, negotiating such treaties as the Rhine River Treaty and the 1991 Protocol for the Protection of the Environment in the Antarctic.

Now, as a result of man's ability to influence the world's climate through rapid advances in technology and a dramatic increase in population, it is accepted that the global environment is under threat, and it has become a matter of major international concern, of urgency and priority for the international Community as a whole. Population pressures, industrialisation, deforestation new technologies, a build-up of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other 'greenhouse' gases in the atmosphere, new pollutants, man's enhanced material expectations, changes in methods of farming the land and sea - all have combined to threaten the stability of the world's climatic system, and with it the world's existing ecosystem. It is difficult to gauge the extent of this threat to the world's climate, since change is the essence of climate as a consequence of global and universal factors outside man's knowledge and influence - such as the change in the earth's angle on its axis or the phases of sunspots, and little is known of the interrelationships between these factors. Accurate measurements have been available only for decades, whereas climatic changes are to be reckoned in millennia; nevertheless the protection of the global environment is a supreme example of the need for positive diplomacy and international cooperation, and the 'Earth Summits' of 1992 in Rio de Janeiro and of 1997 in New York and Kyoto have addressed the problem to some extent, but have not succeeded in giving practical effect to the 1992 Framework Convention on Climate Change: nor determined who shall pay for it. The destructive effect of present practices on the ecosystem - such as desertification and loss of bio-diversity - acid rain, toxic waste and marine pollution are being actively tackled, but there are four major areas of global concern, which can only be resolved by positive diplomacy on a comprehensive international basis:

 

 

 

1. THE OZONE LAYER

 

A major factor in maintaining the world's existing ecohabitat is a concentrated layer of ozone gas approximately fifteen miles above the earth's surface. This acts as a shield preventing a harmful quantity of the sun's ultra-violet rays from reaching the earth. It is only in recent years that appropriate technology has enabled the ozone layer to be measured, but during this time it has become evident that it is decreasing steadily and substantially. It is also known that chlorofluorocarbon gases (CFCs) destroy ozone molecules. These are being produced and used especially as refrigerants, in the production of foam plastics, and in aerosols. If the depletion of the ozone layer and the creation of 'ozone holes' were to continue, the increased impact of ultra-violet rays could affect not only the animal food chain, but also human health; and whereas cause and effect cannot be conclusively proved there is sufficient reason to justify a total and worldwide ban on CFCs which also have an effect on global warming.

As a result of initiatives in this direction, the Vienna Convention for the protection of the Ozone Layer was signed in 1985, followed by the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, as amended in June 1990. Incremental costs relating to the phasing out of CFCs can be funded in developing country signatories from the Montreal Fund which was established by the Montreal Protocol. The European Union and oilier major industrialised countries have agreed to forbid the manufacture and use of CFCs.

 

 

 

2. GLOBAL WARMING AND THE

GREENHOUSE EFFECT

 

 

hereas change is the essence of the earth's climate, whether in cycles of decades, centuries or millennia, it remains a fact that the rapidly increasing use of fossil fuels could result in unexpected and dangerous consequences; resulting products such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are known to trap heat and create a 'greenhouse' effect. There is always the possibility that global warming might trigger off unexpected and potentially disastrous changes, but its main impact would be to alter the regional emphasis of the world's climate and consequently the agriculture - with unknown social and political consequences - and gradually raise the level of the seas and influence ocean currents and marine life.