Keynote Address: The New Silk Road, a New Model for International Relations
Helga Zepp-LaRouche
Founder and President of the Schiller Institute
The opening speech of the International Schiller Institute Conference held in Germany, November 25-26, 2017.
Conference Resolutions
Resolution adopted by the Schiller Institute Conference in Bad Soden, on Nov. 26, 2017.
At this conference, with the title “Fulfilling the Dream of Mankind,” we discussed the incredible transformation of the world catalyzed by the Chinese initiative of the New Silk Road. The Belt and Road Initiative, which is creating optimism in Asia, Africa, Latin America, more and more states in Europe, and after the state visit of President Trump in China, in several states within the United States.
The Belt and Road Initiative has the concrete perspective how poverty and underdevelopment can be overcome through investment in infrastructure, industry and agriculture, based on scientific and technological progress. The Chinese government which uplifted 700 million out of poverty in the last 30 years, has now proclaimed the goal to lift the remaining 42 million people living in poverty out of their condition, and create a decent living standard for the entire Chinese population by the year 2020.
Within the European Union, there are living approximately 120 million people below the poverty line, according to our own criteria characterizing the costs of life. Given the fact that Europe is still an economic powerhouse, there is no plausible reason why Europe cannot uplift these 120 million people out of poverty by the year 2020, as well. The best way to accomplish this, is for the EU, all European nations to accept the offer by China to cooperate with China in the Belt and Road Initiative on a “win-win” basis.
We, the participants of the Schiller Institute conference, call on all elected officials to join this appeal to the European governments. Should we in Europe not be proud enough to say, if the Chinese can do this, we can do it, too? [applause]
Resolution adopted by the Schiller Institute Conference in Bad Soden, on Nov. 26, 2017.
Given the documented fact that the war on Yemen, waged by the Saudi-led coalition since March 2015 on Yemen, has caused an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in this country as a result of the bombardment of the country’s infrastructure and the total blockade imposed by air, land and sea, the attendees of the Nov. 25-26, 2017 Schiller Institute international conference in Bad Soden, Germany call for:
1. An immediate ceasefire by all parties.
2. The lifting of the blockades imposed on the country, especially the port of Hodeida port and the Sanaa International Airport, allowing in immediate humanitarian aid.
3. The return to the national reconciliation process and dialogue that was underway but was interrupted by the war. (This negotiation process needs to be conducted under the UN umbrella, by only Yemeni national factions without interference of regional or global powers, but with sponsorship of Russia, China, and the United States as guarantors of the implementation of the final outcome of the dialogue.) The purpose of such negotiations is to find a political solution to the crisis in Yemen.
4. Assisting Yemen in a rapid and large-scale reconstruction process focussed on infrastructure projects to regain the livelihood of the nation, and the integration of Yemen into the Belt and Road Initiative
All conference proceedings will be posted here in the coming days.
You can find the conference program here