Preamble
Recent developments in the area of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, cause great concern. To the continuous struggle in Iraq, war cries and threats for a nuclear strike are added, because of the Iranian government’s insistence to develop a nuclear program. The publicly confessed possession of nuclear weapons by Israel creates the conditions of a nuclear weapons spread in the wider area.
Furthermore, an effort for the return of nuclear energy takes place, under the pretext of countermeasures for global warming and climatic changes phenomena. Many countries of the region express, more or less openly, the will to choose the way of installation of nuclear stations in order to solve their energy problems. Definitely a wrong way, a way of high risks, a dead-end.
The most effective confrontation to the nuclear threat is, above all, a matter of the citizens’ will and reaction.
One of the basic conclusions of the International Symposium – held in Rhodes, on May 12-13, 2006, with the subject “We have the right to live in a Nuclear-Free world”, with the participation of lecturers from 8 European countries and USA – was that the Anti-Nuclear Movement has the obligation to organize its reaction to the nuclear threat and direct its actions to make that cause efficient.
Taking the aforementioned into account, the following protocol is signed:
Article 1
An International Network of Unions and Organizations (following referred as “the Network”) is founded, consisting of unions or organizations, located and acting in countries around/of the Mediterranean, the Balkans, the Black Sea and Middle East, under the general title “……………………..”.
The Network’s headquarters are located in Rhodes, Greece
The official language of the Network is English, in which the Network publishes its positions and in which all official procedures take place.
Article 2
Purposes of the Network are:
- The communication, cooperation and coordination of all the participating organizations, in order to make the undertaken action against nuclear threat stronger and more effective.
- The monitoring and publishing of all recent developments on the ground of nuclear weapons, nuclear power reactors and generally any sector of industrial nuclear activity.
- The information, sensitization and motivation of citizens towards the substantive cause of the abolition of the nuclear threat against Life, Peace and the Environment.
- The promotion of the Renewable and Environment-friendly Sources of Energy and the institution of measures for energy preservation, along with the forming of new consuming standards, matters strongly connected to the future of the planet and humanity.
Specifically:
The transformation of the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Balkans and the Middle East into a Nuclear-free Zone of Peace
And generally:
The conservation of the high ideals of Life and Peace, the protection of the Environment and the Ecological Balance of the Planet, as necessary requirements for the quality of life for the current generation and the generations to come.
Article 3
Means for the accomplishment of the Network’s purposes:
- The creation of a website, under the responsibility of the Secretariat of the Network, as a place of opinion exchange, policy configuration and continuous contact among the members of the Network and the world community.
- The interventions, announcements, protests, signed petitions, information campaigns, publications, etc.
- The organization and realization of events, lectures, seminars, educational programs, meetings, conferences, festivals, etc.
- Any other mean judged necessary for the accomplishment of the Network’s purposes, always within the frameworks of Transparency, Democracy and according to International Law and Practice, principles governing the nature of the Network.
Article 4
Members of the Network
Member of the Network can be any local, regional or national organization, movement, union, or network fulfilling the following conditions:
- Acts within the borders of any country of the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Balkans or the Middle East and agrees with the aforementioned purposes and means, and generally all those described within this Protocol.
- Includes in its constitutional causes and/or demonstrates through its actions opposition to the use of any form of nuclear energy.
For an NGO to become a member of the Network, except the constituting members, the NGO has to apply for membership to the Secretariat, the application being accompanied by its constitution and a description of its actions over the last years. The Secretariat rules on the application with a 2/3 majority.
Article 5
Network Organs
The Organs of the Network are:
- the Plenary Session
- the Secretariat
- the Executive Secretariat
Plenary Session:
The Network’s Plenary Session takes place once a year, in a different country each time, with the participation of delegates from all its member-organizations. The Agenda of the Plenary Session is set by the Secretariat. Additional topics to the Agenda may be added by the delegates.
During the Plenary Session, workgroups are formed, with the participation of certain groups of delegates, as set by the Secretariat, after debate with the member-organizations. Special guests of the Network may attend the workgroups.
Finally, the last day of the Session, the conclusions of each workgroup are introduced to the Plenary participants for approval.
In any case and in order a workgroup resolution to be included to the final conclusions of the Plenary Session, the resolution must be approved by the Plenary by 2/3 majority.
At the end of each Plenary Session, the next Plenary host is selected by the members with simple majority.
The hosting member-organization, with the cooperation of other members and with the support of the Secretariat, ensures the best possible outcome of the Plenary Session procedures and the facilitation of the accommodation for all participants. The expenses for the transportation and accommodation of the delegates are provided by the member-organizations they represent.
Secretariat:
It is constituted by a delegate and a substitute delegate from each country with NGOs participating to the Network. The delegates of each country are recommended to the plenary by this country’s member-organizations.
The Secretariat operates between two Plenary Sessions. It has the responsibility of informing and coordinating the member-organizations of the Network, maintaining the website of the Network and the responsibility of the practice of the Plenary’s decisions. The Secretariat rules with a 2/3 majority on matters arising between two Plenary sessions.
Executive Secretariat:
The Executive Secretariat is the coordinating and introductory organ of the Secretariat and is constituted of the delegate of the country to host the next Plenary and the two delegates of the countries that hosted the last two. In case the Plenary is hosted in the same country as one of the previous two, the third member of the Executive Secretariat is elected among the delegates of the Secretariat. The Executive Secretariat rules and release announcements, in emergency, under consensus.
Article 6
Network’s funds
The Network’s funds originate from member-organizations. The funds cover the cost of the design and maintenance of the Network’s website, along with the costs of the secretarial support of its organs. The funds are managed by the Secretariat, which also defines the amount of each of the member-organizations contribution.
Momentary Provisions for the First Plenary
The first Session of the Plenary will take place in Rhodes, September 27th to 29th, during the 2nd International Anti-Nuclear Festival of Rhodes (September 24-30, 2007).
The Protocol of Cooperation will be ratified and signed during this First Session, as concluded after cooperation among the NGOs that have already expressed their will to found the Network and are considered as its constituting members. The constituting members are:
– Mediterranean Anti Nuclear Watch, Greece
– Greek Medical Society against Nuclear War, Greek Affiliate of IPPNW, Greece
– ECOTOPIA – Environmental Research and Awareness Society, Greece
– Eco – Corfu, Greece
– Foundation for Environment and Agriculture, Bulgaria
– Ecologists – Environmentalists Movement of Cyprus, Cyprus
– Ecoclub, Ukraine
– Réseau Sortir du Nucléaire, France
– Israeli Committee for a Middle East Free from Atomic Biological and Chemical Weapons, Israel
– EUROSOLAR, Turkey
– ATTAC-Hellas, Greece
– Anti Nuclear Platform of Izmir, Turkey
– Turkish Greens, Turkey
– Italian Humanist Party
The Mediterranean Anti Nuclear Watch in cooperation with the constituting members of the Network will undertake the organization of the First Session of the Plenary.
The Executive Secretariat will not convene before the First Session of the Plenary
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URL: http://www.manw.org – E-mail: info@manw.org