Putin in Vienna:
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Austria on Wednesday (May 23) for a visit expected to focus on energy issues and to show the Kremlin can rub along with individual European Union members, even if its relationship with the bloc is rocky.
His Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who arrived a day earlier, discussed European security on Wednesday at a meeting of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Putin arrived came less than a week after an EU-Russia summit ended in disagreement over Russian democracy, and Moscow's tetchy relations with Estonia, Lithuania and Poland. Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer told a Russian newspaper that energy issues would be high on the agenda of Putin's talks with Austrian leaders.
Austria is a leading participant in the proposed Nabucco pipeline, which would bring gas from the Caspian Sea region to central Europe via Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, a route that would bypass Russia. The project is part of EU efforts to diversify energy supplies and supply routes away from Russia. Moscow is keen to hang on to its control and earlier this month signed a deal to lock in Central Asian gas to its own pipeline network. Speaking to journalist during a break in talks at the OSCE headquarters, Lavrov said: "And it is obvious that issues which are very topical these days, the future of the conventional forces in Europe treaty and the future of the missile defence, those issues have direct relevance to the European security, to the security of the entire Euro-Atlantic region. "I think that the comments of my colleagues in the permanent council and in the security forum indicated that they are interested in more presentations, in more analysis and I hope that today's meeting will certainly contribute to the efforts we are undertaking on this score."
Clinton and Stone in Vienna:
Life Ball is Europe's largest AIDS charity event. Begun in 1993, it takes place annually at the city hall in Vienna, Austria. The event is organized by Gery Keszler and it is the only AIDS charity event that takes place in a political building.
Life Ball consists of two parts: a grand opening ceremony including a fashion show performed on a giant catwalk at Rathausplatz, the square in front of the city hall, which is free for everyone, and a fancy dress party inside the city hall hosted by Vienna's mayor, Michael Häupl, for which a limited number of tickets (c. 4,000) is available.
Already in its first year, donations reached € 79,940; in 2006, they peaked at € 1,111,162. Part of the money goes to the Elton John AIDS Foundation; Sir Elton himself is a regular guest at the ball.
At Life Ball 2006, prominent guests included Sharon Stone (in her capacity as chairwoman of the American Foundation for AIDS Research), Catherine Deneuve, Naomi Campbell, Anastacia, and Nina Hagen.
Each year the fashion show highlights the work of a well-known designer, with professional models as well as celebrities on the catwalk. In the past, the latter group has included Til Schweiger, Kylie Minogue and Cyndi Lauper.
upcoming event:
"Women Leaders - Networking for Peace and Security in the Middle East"
At the invitation of Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik a highranking international conference on the Middle East under the title "Women Leaders - Networking for Peace and Security in the Middle East" will be held on 30-31 May in Vienna, which will bring together women holding leading positions in politics, the media, business and civil society.At the centre of the Conference is a Round Table discussion at the Hofburg Palace on 31 May, which will be attended, among others, by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Hanan Ashrawi, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, President of the UN-General Assembly, as well as other committed women from the region.Three workshops to be held on 30 May in the afternoon will provide the necessary input for the Round Table discussion. At the workshops, participants from Europe, the USA, and the Middle East will discuss the role of the media, economic development and the networking of politics and civil society in the Middle East peace process.Within the framework of the Conference, there will also be a meeting of the "Women’s Empowerment Network" on 31 May at the same venue. This network unites female foreign ministers and presidents from all regions, throughout the world.
And who has to organise all this??? ;-) It's me...
greetings to all
Chris
No need ever to fix a meeting point - Place Lux!!! (And don't worry, you end up drinking there with total strangers)
