Student visit: Embassy of Japan, H.E Mr. Kamiyama the Ambassador of Japan

As the regular part of ILAW/IST teaching program (under the auspices of Chair for Intl. Law and Global Political Studies) of the IMC Export Department, the students of V semester have paid a study-visit to Japan’s embassy in Vienna last Friday (05 XII 2003).

This is the third such a visit (Malaysian embassy and NAFTA-states presentation) prepared for students and the second one focusing on Asia/ASEAN. Japanese hosts: Minister Mr. Kamiyama (Deputy Ambassador), Advisor Mr. Suzuki, First Secretary Mr. Iguchi and Director of Japan’s Info-Cultural Center Mr. Toda very diligently and broadly briefed students on actual economic, political and security issues of Japan.

Very valuable and content-intensive discussion, that followed the presentations, was extended opportunity to get more insights on both currents of Japan as well as Japan’s views on pacific and EU/European affairs. In addition to handouts of presentations and the MFA magazine (Japan’s Echo journal), each student got very useful book: “Japan: Profile of a nation”, which serves as a solid basis to closer Japanese studies.

The volume and spectrum of interest of our students well exceeded the primary expectations, as demonstrated by so many questions and discussion that kept students beyond the closure of event. Having this in mind, the follow up to this meeting will be a visit of our Japanese counterparts to IMC, most probably by early next semester.

Text: Anis H. Bajrektarevic

Guest speech: Ambassador of Ireland, H.E Ronan Murphy

At the occasion of forthcoming EU Presidency that is due to shift from Italy (by 31 XII) to Ireland (by 01 I), Export Department (under the auspices of Chair for Intl. Law and Global Political Studies) invited the Irish Ambassador accredited to Austria.

H.E. Ronan Murphy, Irish Ambassador to Austria and IOs in Vienna paid the visit to IMC and delivered a lecture yesterday 3rh of December, followed by one hour talks with students and small reception.

The IMC fellow professors and students had the opportunity to learn about the priorities of forthcoming Irish presidency (enlargement, convention of future Europe, EU institutional reform, security issues as well as to hear thoughtful answers on series of their question talking issues like: neutrality, transit-question, national representation in the EU commission, etc.) at the time when the Union is passing its most dramatic horizontal and vertical expansion unrecorded in Europe’s history.

Extraordinarily eloquent diplomat of impressive career, Mr. Murphy was serving his respective country Republic of Ireland at many key destinations like, US/Chicago, Paris, Brussels, Bonn and Moscow (as Ambassador) and as the Assistant Foreign Minister.

Prior to his appointment to Austria, he served as a special advisor to former Irish president Ms. Mary Robinson when she was nominated as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at this Geneva-based UN entity.

Summing up at the end of this content-intensive and extremely valuable event, excellency Murphy stated that he was impressed by interest, commitment and knowledge of our students as demonstrated throughout the questions and discussion with him, and promised to return to our University for lecturing in a due time again.