Page 499 - 100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International_V-Petrovsky_private special edition

Vision for the Future of Geneva International

(BWC), since the Special Conference to adopt a verification protocol to the
BWC as well as the Fifth Review Conference of States Parties to this Conven-
tion will take place. These efforts should culminate in the establishment of a
new compliance-monitoring body that will build confidence in the effective-
ness of prohibiting “germ warfare.” Other negotiations in 2001 will focus on
restricting the use of certain conventional weapons (CCW), or so-called inhu-
mane weapons. The CCW review will also consider outlawing excessively
injurious weapons from being deployed in war.

Geneva must now forge closer links with the new actors in international re-
lations. Diplomacy is carried out in a number of ways: conference diplomacy,
for example, by the CD; by the Director-General himself; and by his increasing
initiatives to expand links with regional entities. UNOG is collaborating more
closely with regional intergovernmental organizations, such as the Organiza-
tion for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council for
Europe within the context of the process of informal tripartite consultations.
UNOG has also bolstered cooperation with the Commonwealth of Independ-
ent States and the Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation. A
substantive dialogue is also developing with the League of Arab States, the Or-
ganization of the Islamic Conference and the Organization of African Unity.

Since the UN is actively strengthening ties with civil society, UNOG is
interacting with important sectors, such as parliamentarians, in particular the
Geneva-based Inter-Parliamentary Union; academics; and the business
community. Almost 2000 non-governmental organizations have established
offices here or accredited representatives to UNOG. Human rights NGOs, for
example, can lobby before the human rights machinery at Geneva. One such
group is the world's indigenous people.

Geneva is also a data-gathering and knowledge center in areas such as good
governance. It offers a consultation machinery for Governments, a veritable
tool for development at their disposal. Three research institutes and five of the
17 specialized agencies of the UN system are located in Geneva. In future, the
United Nations University (UNU) in Tokyo will draw on this pool of expertise
for its research projects. June 2000 saw the launching at the Palais des Nations
of the first “Research and Policy Dialogue,” which was co-chaired by the
Director-General and the Rector of UNU. Henceforth this will be an annual
event.

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