March 2015

■ INSIDE:

A World of News and Perspective

LUXURY LIVING SPECIAL SECTION

LIVING L U X U R Y

■ A Special Section of The Washington Diplomat

■ March 2015

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■ VOLUME 22, NUMBER 3

■ WWW.WASHDIPLOMAT.COM

■ MARCH 2015 LEEDING TH E WAY

POLITICS

Former Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren is hoping to become the only U.S.-born member of Israel’s parliament, while his replacement in Washington, political operative Ron Dermer, is trying to keep his head above water after making waves for his confrontational style. PAGE 6

ENERGY

Oil Volatility Forces Countries to Brace For Wild Ride U.S. motorists are reveling in $2-a-gallon gasoline for the first time in years, but the sudden collapse of petroleum prices has been a nightmare for some of the world’s biggest oil exporters — worrying politicians and budget planners from Baku to Baghdad. PAGE 8

culture

Iberian Culture Takes Over Kennedy Center More than 600 artists from the Portuguese- and Spanishspeaking world converge on the Kennedy Center this month for “Iberian Suite: global arts remix.” PAGE 28

by Molly McCluskey

/

he decision for the Finnish Embassy to go green originated less in eco-friendly idealism than it did in hard-nosed pragmatism, when in 2000, a maintenance manager sought ways to cut down on the embassy’s high energy costs.

“We already had a very good building, but we had very high bills for energy and water consumption,” said Finnish Ambassador Ritva Koukku-Ronde.

“And as our manager

March 2015

LUXURY LIVING

started replacing old bulbs with more energy-efficient ones, he was starting to look at our cooling system and especially our warming systems, but also water faucets, etc., to see how we could be more energy efficient.”

In the end, the sleek architectural landmark along Observatory Circle not only become more energy efficient, but also stood out as a model of sustainable design among Washington’s embassies.

Continued on next page

The Washington Diplomat

Page 21

EURASIA

TURKEY BESIEGED With his country’s two southern neighbors threatened by a barbaric terrorist group, ethnic unrest at home and a president who faces growing criticism for amassing political power at the expense of his opponents, Turkey’s envoy in Washington certainly has plenty on his plate these days.

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PEOPLE OF WORLD INFLUENCE

DIPLOMATIC SPOUSES

IRI Head Pushes For Democracy

Racing to Finish Line

As president of the International Republican Institute, Mark Green’s goal is to make IRI more “aggressive” in promoting democracy. But he also has to deal with an impatient Congress back home and critics abroad who say Washington’s democracy-engineering programs are simply regime-change schemes. PAGE 4

Gunta Razāne and Latvian Ambassador Andris Razāns met as university track athletes and then watched as their Baltic nation raced to rejoin the West after the fall of communism, a journey that culminated in their U.S. posting. PAGE 29

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March 2015

CONTENTS tHE WasHINGtON DIPLOMat

11 Photo: uNhcR / a. SeN

Syrian refugees

[ news ] 4

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Finnish Embassy

Woolly Mammoth’s “Cherokee”

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Pressing global crises from Syria to ukraine seem to have conspired to relegate asia to the sidelines, but President obama insists that his pivot is still very much on course.

COVER: Ambassador’s photo taken at the Turkish Residence

by Lawrence Ruggeri.

DIPLOMATIC SPOUSES latvia’s Gunta Razāne, a former track star and banking expert, is proud of the many hurdles her small but proud baltic nation has overcome.

STILL PIVOTING 30

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SUBURBANITE ANGST In Woolly Mammoth’s “cherokee,” two suburban texas couples go camping in search of inner peace only to find their lives turned upside down.

DINING Summer house Santa Monica opened just in time to give area diners an inviting respite from arctic blasts and winter doldrums.

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FILM REVIEWS “Girlhood” is a powerful and timely coming-of-age story about teenage girls of african descent growing up in the impoverished suburbs of Paris.

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FILM FESTIVALS the 23rd annual environmental film festival takes over d.C. this month with over 160 films from 31 countries, with a particular focus on climate change.

IBERIAN INFLUX More than 600 artists take the Kennedy Center stage for “Iberian Suite: global arts remix,” a festival spotlighting culture from Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking countries.

COVER PROFILE: TURKEY With chaos on its borders, unrest at home and growing criticism from abroad, turkey’s envoy in Washington has been besieged by problems on all sides.

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[ culture ]

ELIZABETHAN CATFIGHT Queen elizabeth I of england and her cousin the Queen of Scots duke it out in the tragically compelling historical drama “Mary Stuart.”

GREEN WITH ENVY The eco-friendly Finnish embassy has become a model of going green — and has earned platinum for its sustainability ethos.

UNWELCOME REFUGEES Syria’s civil war has sparked one of the worst migration crises in recent memory, but millions of refugees are discovering that certain doors are more open than others.

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[ luxury living ]

the plunge in oil prices has been a boon for some countries, a calamity for others — and an unpredictable roller-coaster ride for everyone.

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MEDICAL

CLEVER CRAFTS Necessity is the mother of invention — as Spain’s craftsmen and designers learned after the country’s economic crash.

because the side effects of chemotherapy are so debilitating, there’s a whole field of cancer research devoted just to developing treatments for the treatments.

ISRAEL’S AMBASSADORS

THE OIL RIDE

DIGITAL DIPLOMACY andreas Sandre of the Italian embassy has written a new book to help foreign policy practitioners navigate the perils of digital diplomacy.

as one former Israeli ambassador runs for political office back home, another is making waves in Washington for his unorthodox diplomatic style.

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PEOPLE OF WORLD INFLUENCE Mark Green’s goal is to make the International Republican Institute more “aggressive” in laying the painstaking groundwork for promoting democracy abroad.

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March 2015

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PEOPLE OF WORLD INFLUENCE

Mark Green

IRI President Lays Painstaking Groundwork of Democracy Promotion

by Michael Coleman

N

early 33 years ago, President Ronald Reagan stood before the British Parliament and urged America’s closest allies to join in a global “crusade for freedom that will engage the faith and fortitude of the next generation.”

As British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher listened from the front row, Reagan quoted the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“We must be staunch in our convic­ tion that freedom is not the sole preroga­ tive of a lucky few, but the inalienable and universal right of all human beings,” the American president said.

The 1982 speech to the British Parliament — a first for a sitting U.S. president — was the catalyst for Con­ gress’s creation of the National En­dow­ ment for Democracy a year later. The nonprofit established four organizations to carry out this work: the International Republican Institute, the National Demo­ cratic Institute, the Center for Interna­ tional Private Enterprise and theAmerican Center for International Labor Solidarity.

Today, all four are still going strong, with the International Republican Institute (IRI) and its sister organization NDI working overseas to fulfill their mis­ sions. For the past year, IRI has operated under the leadership of Mark Green, a former U.S. congressman and ambassa­ dor to Tanzania, who is working to expand the organization’s reach using 21st-century tools. “[The goal] is to make the organiza­

“

disarray than it is today,” Green said. “For a guy who spent six years in a prisoner of war camp, it’s a remarkable thing to say. I think he looks to IRI and the community of democracies to help provide some semblance of a path forward for freedom and liberty. We know that our tools are modest. Our funding is modest, but we plant seeds because we help provide training and assistance to young demo­ crats — small D democrats — who will, knock on wood, some day lead their country.”

The son of a British mother and a South African father, Green was born in Boston and moved frequently as a child.

After graduating from law school at the University of Wisconsin, Green moved to Kenya with his wife to teach school. He returned home and won election to Congress in 1999 as a Republican repre­ senting Wisconsin’s 8th congressional district.

As a four-term member of Congress, Green stayed busy in international affairs, helping to craft key policy initiatives including the Millennium Challenge Act and President George W. Bush’s historymaking AIDS program. In 2007, Bush appointed Green as the U.S. ambassador to Tanzania, a position he held from

We very much believe in the grassroots, and in this idea of a rising tide of people demanding the right to craft their own future. So much of what takes place in democracy occurs a long way from the capitols; it’s in the local communities.

”

— Mark Green, president of the International Republican Institute tion aggressive in the promotion of democracy and citizen-responsive gov­ ernment,” Green said during a Diplomat interview in his downtown office. “The challenges we face today require new skills, new ideas and new energy.”

IRI’s board of directors is chaired by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and includes former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft. Green said McCain and the rest of the board view IRI as one of the world’s best hopes for seed­ ing democracy.

“Every time I see him [McCain], he says the world has never been in greater

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August 2007 until January 2009. Before arriving at IRI, Green was president and CEO of the Initiative for Global Development and senior director at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition.

Green said his work in Congress and as an ambassador was rewarding but leading an on-the-ground democracybuilding organization such as IRI pro­ vides a more visceral, hands-on degree of satisfaction.

“The reason I moved into the democ­ racy and government space is that you can’t get over the finish line on any of the broad goals we have on poverty relief,

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tackling hunger or tackling the great afflictions of our time if you don’t have responsible, citizen-oriented and respon­ sive government,” he said. “That’s what was enticing to me, to be able to work with the team here at IRI. Victory in our programming is victory for a lot of peo­ ple on a lot of levels.”

IRI’s annual budget totals about $61 million, with the U.S. Agency for International Development, National Endowment for Democracy and State Department contributing more than 90 percent of that amount. Slightly less than 10 percent comes from foreign govern­ ments and private donations. Although the word “Republican” figures promi­ nently in IRI’s name, Green said it is not a partisan organization and that IRI and NDI work very closely together.

“We talk to our counterparts every day, all the time,” he said. “It’s a constant information sharing. We go to the Hill together, we talk to members together and we share experiences.

“It’s a conflict-free zone,” he added with a laugh.“I think there is something particularly persuasive in the countries where we work when they see that this

is not a Republican thing or a Democratic thing. This is actually an American thing or a Western thing or a democracy thing.”

But critics of America’s democracypromotion endeavors call them a regimechange thing, or at the very least foreign meddling. IRI and its brethren have become the subject of conspiracy theo­ ries that their real intent is to destabilize governments unfriendly to Washington’s interests.

IRI felt this backlash acutely in Egypt.

In 2013, shortly before the ouster of the country’s democratically elected Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi, an Egyptian criminal court found more than a dozen Americans guilty of receiving illegal funds from abroad without a license.

Foreign NGOs had long been harassed under the former autocratic regime of Hosni Mubarak, but the case against the U.S.-based nonprofits, which Secretary of State John Kerry called politically moti­ vated, marked a new low in already-tense U.S.-Egypt relations. The convictions were largely moot because most of the American workers had already fled the country, while the Egyptian staff mem­ March 2015

bers were given suspended sentences.

Among those singled out was the Egypt coun­ try director of NDI, a top official with Freedom House and IRIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sam LaHood, son of former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The U.S. reportedly paid nearly $5 million in â&#x20AC;&#x153;forfeited bailâ&#x20AC;? to get its workers out. Some even had to hide in the U.S. Embassy for weeks until they could be ferreted out of Egypt.

In House testimony last summer, Sam LaHood said that even though he was able to escape, the conviction continues to haunt him: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Under Egyptian law, I am a felon; it is unclear whether that applies in the United States, so I need to read the fine print when I apply for a loan or sign a rental agreement, visa or job application,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know that my personal hardship pales in comparison to the hardship of others,â&#x20AC;? LaHood added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I never faced the full humiliation of standing in a cage as is the custom for defen­ dants in an Egyptian courtroom, nor did I spend even one day in an overcrowded Egyptian jail cellâ&#x20AC;Ś. It seems ludicrous to think that for work­ ing to advance democracy in Egypt, I would be rewarded with a jail term, but look no further than the three journalists from Al Jazeera who are currently serving seven- and 10-year jail terms for doing their jobs.â&#x20AC;?

Thousands of Morsiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Muslim Brotherhood supporters have also been rounded up, and hundreds killed, by a military regime that has fought to eradicate all traces of the Islamist political group from power. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has signaled that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll continue to make life difficult for outside groups by appoint­ ing a national security advisor who led the crackdown on NGOs and was a top official under Mubarak.

Green disputes the notion that IRI is playing favorites in Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing power struggles. He said IRI is selective in who it works with and does not associate itself with extremes on either end of the political spectrum. Instead, it works with political parties that are committed to a peaceful, inclusive, democratic process, includ­ ing both secular and some Islamist political par­ ties in the Middle East.

In fact, even though some Egyptians accused IRI of siding with Morsi, the former president often accused foreign NGOs of trying to stir domestic unrest. Greenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s predecessor at IRI, Lorne Craner, didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have kind words for Morsiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government either. In June 2013 congressional testimony, he called the democratic transition in Egypt a â&#x20AC;&#x153;mess.â&#x20AC;? He accused the now-jailed Muslim Brotherhood leader of â&#x20AC;&#x153;taking the same narrow, restrictive approach to civil society as the former regimeâ&#x20AC;? and said it was headed in the wrong direction, contrary to the path taken by Tunisia, which â&#x20AC;&#x153;we should be modestly optimis­ tic about.â&#x20AC;?

Indeed, Tunisia stands out as one of the rare, if fragile, successes of the Arab Spring. IRI was directly involved in monitoring Tunisiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s elec­ tions late last year and found them legitimate, although lacking in youth participation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A country like Tunisia wants its elections to be recognized as credible,â&#x20AC;? Green told us. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very important to the people but also because they are seeking assistance from the global com­ munity.They know if we say the elections are, in the case of Tunisia, credible and genuinely com­ petitive it enhances their credibility.â&#x20AC;?

It also enhances a countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to attract foreign direct investment, which will be critical to addressing the bread-and-butter issues that drove many Arab protesters to overthrow their sclerotic governments in the first place. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Almost every country in the world is looking for investment; theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for investment from the West,â&#x20AC;? Green said.â&#x20AC;&#x153;People say entrepre­ neurs are risk-takers; well, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not.They want to know that certain things are there before they are willing to go in. For American investors part of it is elections that meet the smell test â&#x20AC;&#x201D; some sense of responsible, transparent gov­ ernment. It is part of what they see as the fruits of a relationship with the West.â&#x20AC;?

Green said he was gratified to see Tunisiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s March 2015

Photo: International Republican Institute

Mark Green, a former U.S. congressman from Wisconsin and ambassador to Tanzania, took over as president of the International Republican Institute in January 2014.

smooth transition of power. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the things that was rewarding about the Tunisian elections was how the principal Islamist party congratulated the victors and conceded defeat fairly quickly, and the winning party, the secular party, was gracious in defeat.â&#x20AC;?

With a staff of about 300 people, roughly half of whom work in far-flung corners of the globe and the other half working stateside (mostly in Washington), IRI has conducted its democracy support operations in more than 100 countries â&#x20AC;&#x201D; many of them outside the headline-grabbing realm of the Arab Spring.

For example, IRI is one of the only nongov­ ernmental organizations to have worked in Mongolia since the country embarked on its transition to democracy in 1989. IRI has provid­ ed parliamentary development assistance, sup­ ported the creation of a multiparty political system and helped strengthen the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s election infrastructure. The institute is now working alongside Mongoliaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leaders and civil society groups to combat corruption, a top pri­ ority for Ulaanbaatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mayor.

In Syria, IRIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Democracy Network is teaching women skills that will hopefully help them win a seat at the bargaining table to end that countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s four-year civil war. IRI has recruit­ ed women from around the world who have played a leading role in their countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s peace efforts, most notably Monica McWilliams, who was a top peace negotiator during the conflict in Northern Ireland. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We do a lot of work in helping marginalized communities be a part of democracy,â&#x20AC;? Green said.â&#x20AC;&#x153;In a lot of places women are left out; many times they are not given the legal right to par­ ticipate, but in other cases they just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what to do. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the experience or the training. Through our Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Democracy Network we link up aspiring democracy partici­ pants who are women with their counterparts from other parts of the world.â&#x20AC;?

Sonia Rivera, the dynamic young mayor of San Benito PetĂŠn, Guatemala, recently traveled with IRI to Tunisia, where she met young, politically interested women and taught them what she had learned from IRI about hosting town hall meetings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When Sonia says, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think I could be involved in politics, but this is what I learned and this is what I did,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; that means a lot and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part of the network we create,â&#x20AC;? Green explained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;An American white guy can stand up and go all over the world telling women they need to par­ ticipate in government. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Yeah, yeah,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; then wait until heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gone and laugh at him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t impose anything,â&#x20AC;? he added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essential that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not preaching.â&#x20AC;?

To accomplish its objectives, IRI recruits people from a wide range of backgrounds to travel to various countries and carry out training missions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Depending on what we think is called for, we will take trainers from countries that we think have a democratic experience that may

be most applicable,â&#x20AC;? Green said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Westminster model may be more applicable depending on where we are working, or in the case of Canada â&#x20AC;&#x201D; very much a case of a coun­ try that has a federal model â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that may be more applicable. We use whatever we think is needed and helpful to advance the causes where we are working.â&#x20AC;?

Another part of what IRI does for emerging democracies is put leaders in touch with rankand-file citizens through the use of polling. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We do a lot of polling to help parties and leaders understand what their citizens want,â&#x20AC;?

Green explained.â&#x20AC;&#x153;We try to help them go from parties that may be ethnic-based, or religiousbased or geographic-based to being issue-based and in the marketplace of ideas. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We really do help foster the next generation of democracy leaders,â&#x20AC;? he added.â&#x20AC;&#x153;We very much believe in the grassroots, and in this idea of a rising tide of people demanding the right to craft their own future. So much of what takes

place in democracy occurs a long way from the capitols; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the local communities.â&#x20AC;?

Green is very familiar with a common refrain from leaders in emerging democracies â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that establishing a democracy takes time. And he sympathizes with it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes people forget where a country is coming from,â&#x20AC;? Green said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We work in difficult environments. The idea that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have Jeffersonian democracies popping up in a week is unrealistic.â&#x20AC;?

Much of that impatience emanates from Capitol Hill. Green said he constantly has to remind his former colleagues that the process of establishing democracies with strong roots doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen in one election, or even two. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All too often, my brothers and sisters on the Hill will get to an election and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;OK, democracy is taken care of,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? Green lamented. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Of course, democracy is more than just elec­ tions. An election is a signpost on the path to democracy,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I do worry that we some­ times see a premature cessation of support.You see training support stop too early. The really tough thing â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and it happens every week here â&#x20AC;&#x201D; countries say,â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Why are you leaving? Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just getting going,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and I have to say Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sorry. As Americans we are very impatient. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always been impatient and it is unfortunate.â&#x20AC;?

But sometimes the patience pays off.

Democratic successes in Tunisia or Mongolia or Sri Lanka or wherever IRI has established a foot­ print are â&#x20AC;&#x153;baby stepsâ&#x20AC;? but rewarding nonethe­ less. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s halting but we really do try to plant seeds and try to watch them sprout to help foster a generation that will participate when, knock on wood, the day after comes and there are open­ ings for true democracy,â&#x20AC;? Green said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we can do that and give people a stake in their future then I think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve really accomplished some­ thing.â&#x20AC;?

Michael Coleman (@michaelcoleman) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

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The Washington Diplomat Page 5

Politics

Middle East

Two Israeli Ambassadors Embark On Very Different Political Paths

by Larry Luxner

M

ichael Oren grew up in New Jersey and immigrated to Israel in 1979. Ron Dermer was raised in Miami Beach and relocated to the Jewish state in 1996. Both men gave up their American citizenship to represent the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel’s top diplomat in the United States.

Beyond that, Dermer has little in common — politically, ideologically or academically — with Oren, the man he replaced at the fortress-like Israeli Embassy in Washington a year and a half ago.

Now, with national elections set for March 17, Oren, a Princeton-educated academic and respected former diplo­ mat, hopes voters will make him the only U.S.-born member of Israel’s par­ liament. On the other hand, Dermer, a former Republican political operative and close Netanyahu advisor, is busy fending off a rising tide of angry criti­ cism from Democratic leaders, the White House and Secretary of State John Kerry — not to mention some Israelis — that his undiplomatic style is hurting U.S.-Israel ties.

The 60-year-old Oren, a former paratrooper with the Israel Defense Forces, is campaigning for a seat in the 120-member Knesset as part of Kulanu (Hebrew for “all of us”), a new centrist party formed by veteran politician Moshe Kahlon.

“I’ve always served Israel in one capacity or another, whether on the diplomatic front, or the battlefield, or on the TV screen, and this seemed like a natural progression,” Oren told The Washington Diplomat in a phone interview from Tel Aviv. “With Kulanu,

from Ohio, was apparently orches­ trated by none other than Dermer — without the consent of the White House. That breach of protocol unleashed a crisis that quickly back­ fired against Netanyahu when President Obama made it clear that neither he nor Vice President Joe Biden would make themselves avail­ able to meet with Israel’s leader.

While the speech may help Netanyahu shore up his security bona fides back home ahead of the March vote, his critics call it a cynical bit of political showmanship that threatens the bipartisan tradition of support for Israel on Capitol Hill.

“The prime minister is right in doing everything in his power to pre­ vent Iran from acquiring nuclear capa­ bility. But I don’t think Congress is the right forum for that. The best forum for achieving that goal is the AIPAC conference,” Oren told us, referring to the annual policy meeting of the American Israel Public Affairs Commi­ ttee, set for March 1 to 3 (Netanyahu is scheduled to address the confer­ ence as well).

Dermer couldn’t be reached for comment, and Oren declined to openly criticize the man who replaced him in Washington; indeed, even as ambassador, he kept his feelings about

“

I’ve always served Israel in one capacity or another, whether on the diplomatic front, or the battlefield, or on the TV screen, and this seemed like a natural progression.

”

— Michael Oren

former ambassador of Israel to the U.S. and Kulanu candidate for the Knesset

I have exclusive control of developing our diplomatic approach, which is very unique in Israeli politics. It was a great opportunity, and I very much believe in our platform.”

In late January, Oren joined other Israeli politicians in urging Netanyahu to cancel his planned March 3 speech to Congress about Iran’s nuclear pro­ gram. The invitation from House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican

6

the Netanyahu government mostly to himself. But many lawmakers on Capitol Hill are furious with Israel’s top envoy here, and the number of Democrats who say they won’t attend the speech continues to grow. The latest to give Bibi the snub:Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida.

“The whole thing is just so sad. It’s not like the United States has too

The Washington Diplomat

Photo: Anne Mandlebaum / CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Former Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, an academic and author, is hoping to become the only U.S.-born member of the Knesset when Israel holds its elections on March 17.

many allies,” opined Tucker Carlson, editor-in-chief of the Daily Caller.“Our relationship with Israel is not being well-served by the ambassador to the United States from Israel. And that’s just a shame.”

Columnist Bradley Burston of Israel’s left-leaning newspaper Haaretz went even further. “Israel can no lon­ ger afford to keep Ron Dermer in Washington,” he wrote in early February. “The danger in leaving him at his post is much too great. He has become a liability even to the Republican Party he once served.

Israel needs to fire Dermer now. Israel cannot afford for its most crucial ambassador to dig the country an even deeper hole.”

Dermer, speaking in Boca Raton, Fla., defended Netanyahu’s speech as a “sacred duty” to keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

“There may be some people who believe that the prime minister of Israel should have declined an invita­ tion to speak before the most power­ ful parliament in the world on an issue that concerns the future and

survival of Israel. But we have learned from our history that the world becomes a more dangerous place for the Jewish people when the Jewish people are silent,” he said.

But Dermer’s critics aren’t buying it. Sarah Jones, writing in the PoliticusUSA blog, said the stunt could anger the very man who’ll be deter­ mining the fate of those nuclear talks.

“The thing to do isn’t to run an end game around the fellow who runs the country and has provided huge sup­ port, upon which you are relying,” she wrote. “And while it wasn’t partisan before, Netanyahu just made it parti­ san.He just cut out all of the Democrats who support Israel and spit in their face by trying to use Speaker John Boehner’s bad judgment as a weapon against the president.”

Netanyahu didn’t exactly endear himself to Obama when he openly supported Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential campaign — a move Dermer reportedly backed as well.

That made Dermer an unlikely choice to serve as ambassador after Obama won, with some seeing it as a diplo­ March 2015

matic snub that needlessly politicized the posting. Dermer, a protégé of Republican pollster Frank Luntz, seems to be having a hard time letting go of his political roots. In January, he was reprimanded for campaigning on behalf of Netanyahu in viola­ tion of Israeli Civil Service Commission rules.

John Judis, writing in the New Republic, said Dermer “epito­ mized the Netanyahu government’s hostility to Barack Obama and his administration” long before his appointment as ambas­ sador.

In our interview, Oren passed up the chance to criticize the man famously nicknamed “Bibi’s brain.” He also declined to get into the specifics of his party’s approach to resolving the ArabIsraeli conflict, though Oren is on record as supporting a freeze in Jewish settlement building in the West Bank outside major existing settlement blocs.

That way, Israel would keep the idea of a two-state solution viable, though Oren no longer advocates — as he did as recently as late last year — a unilateral Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian population centers if ongoing peace talks were to collapse.

“The idea is that right now, there’s no Palestinian leader who is able and willing to negotiate with us,” he told us. “We have to always keep the door open to final-status negotiations, but until that happens, we’re not going to remain passive. We’re going to take actions in the West Bank which on the one hand will enhance our security, while on the other convince the world that we’re very serious about a peace agreement.”

Oren is ranked fourth on the slate for Kulanu, which, accord­ ing to a Feb. 9 opinion poll, is likely to garner 11 seats in the Knesset — far less than Israel’s two main parties: Likud, led by Netanyahu, which would win 23 seats if the election were held now, and the center-left Labor Party of Isaac Herzog, which would win 27.

Eytan Gilboa, director of the Center for International Communication at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University, said Dermer’s short-lived career as ambassador is over — regardless of who wins the election later this month.

“I think Dermer is finished,” he told us.“He will not be able to deal with the White House or the State Department. If Netanyahu is able to form the next coalition and continue as prime minister, Dermer will have to be replaced. I think perhaps Netanyahu will learn his lesson and appoint someone who will have much bet­ ter relations with the White House.”

And if Herzog wins the elections and is asked to establish a government, “he will immediately replace Ron Dermer,” said

Photo: Larry Luxner

Photo: Shahar Azran / Embassy of Israel

Ron Dermer, a veteran Republican political operative, was widely seen as a provocative pick to serve as Israel’s ambassador in Washington.

Longstanding tensions between Dermer’s boss, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and President Obama recently spilled out into the open when Netanyahu sidestepped the White House to speak before Congress. The friction, however, has not significantly altered America’s longstanding partnership with Israel. At right, activists hold up placards during a Washington demonstration in support of Israel.

Gilboa, who spoke out against Dermer’s nomination as Israel’s envoy in Washington from the get-go.

“In my judgment, it was a huge mistake to appoint Dermer because of his close association with the Republicans,” said the professor. “He was behind the failed strategy of supporting Mitt

Romney, even though the prime minister denies it.”

Meanwhile, Gilboa speculated that Oren joined forces with Kulanu because “it was probably the only party that would have accepted” the former ambassador.

“Labor would not accept him, and neither would Yair Lapid [chairman of Yesh Atid, the second-largest party in the Knesset].

He was looking for a party at the center,” said the Bar-Ilan pro­ fessor. “Like Michael Oren, Kahlon is in favor of a two-state solution, and in terms of ideology, Kahlon’s model is Menachem Begin, who negotiated, implemented and achieved the peace agreement with Egypt. He says the status quo is not good, so in that respect, the leader of the party and Oren are the same.”

Gilboa suggested that Kahlon is “using Oren quite extensively” because of Oren’s international experience, eloquence and excellent command of English.

Oren, who attends three or four town-hall meetings and plan­ ning sessions a day, said he hopes his expertise in international issues will help earn him a seat in the Knesset — and more prominence for Kulanu, which is better-known for its views on bread-and-butter issues like pensions, social reforms and Israel’s rising cost of living.

But as the former ambassador — who was running late for a meeting — pointed out as he rushed to get off the phone,“with­ out a robust and compelling foreign policy, we cannot fully ensure the health of the Israeli economy and its social future.”

Larry Luxner is news editor of The Washington Diplomat.

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March 2015

The Washington Diplomat Page 7

International Affairs

Energy

Falling Oil Prices Are Boon to Some, Bane to World’s Petroleum Exporters

by Larry Luxner

U

.S. motorists are reveling in $2-a-gallon gasoline for the first time in years, but the sudden collapse of petroleum prices has been a nightmare for some of the world’s biggest oil exporters — worrying politicians and budget planners from Baku to Baghdad.

It’s also having repercussions closer to home, with some observers predict­ ing the price plunge could cost Texas and other oil-producing states thou­ sands of jobs. Conversely, cheaper gas has given American consumers more pocket money, boosted corporate prof­ its and strengthened the economic recovery.

The crash in global energy markets — and their continued volatility — has also given Washington pundits a lot to talk about. In the past month alone, half a dozen Washington think tanks includ­ ing the Brookings Institution, Council on Foreign Relations, Wilson Center, Atlantic Council, Hudson Institute and the Center for Strategic and International Studies all hosted discussions on this very subject.

But behind the dire predictions and opportunistic punditry, what’s really going on with oil?

Prices have rebounded in recent weeks after trading at a low of $46 a barrel earlier this January — a more than 50 percent drop from the previous year. And as one recent Brookings panel pointed out, the global oil market is cyclical, and what comes down will eventually go back up.

The centrist think tank noted that global demand for oil has increased 11 percent in the past decade. At the same time, supply and demand is dictating this current slump, says veteran oil and gas industry consultant Charles K. Ebinger.

Brookings.“There’s no growth in Japan and falling demand in China and other major energy-importing countries like Brazil and India.”

At the same time, U.S. production has skyrocketed in places like Texas and North Dakota, thanks to hydraulic frac­ turing and other technologies that have made it more economical than ever to extract petroleum from shale rock. The result: a world oil glut that has turned the United States into the world’s larg­ est oil producer — surpassing even Saudi Arabia and Russia — with U.S. output now exceeding 11 million bar­ rels a day.

U.S. crude supply is now at its highest levels in 80 years. But so far, OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Export­ ing Countries) has refused to offset the added supply with a cut in production.

In fact, some observers speculate that Saudi Arabia, which has spearheaded the decision to maintain production levels, is conspiring to keep prices low to gain market share over rival produc­ ers, including the Americans. Shale frack­ ing is more expensive than traditional pumping, and the Saudis have plenty of wriggle room to wait out competitors.

Home to a fifth of the world’s oil reserves, Saudi Arabia has hundreds of billions of dollars in reserves that it can tap to pull it through the lean years.

Despite this fiscal cushion, the Sunni monarchy will still face a budget deficit of nearly $40 billion in 2015 as a result of plummeting oil prices.

“

The fact is we have falling energy demand in almost the entire world. Europe is dealing with its euro crisis and teetering on recession…. There’s no growth in Japan and falling demand in China and other major energy-importing countries like Brazil and India.

— Charles K. EbingeR

”

director of the Energy Security and Climate Initiative at the Brookings Institution

“The fact is we have falling energy demand in almost the entire world.

Europe is dealing with its euro crisis and teetering on recession,” said Ebinger, who directs the Energy Security and Climate Initiative at

8

Pain of Decline Other countries are also feeling the pinch. In December, the Bank of Canada warned that lower oil prices would slice 0.3 percentage points off Canada’s

The Washington Diplomat

Photo: Larry Luxner

Oil derricks rise from the petroleum-rich Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela, one of the countries hit hard by the recent nosedive in oil prices.

growth rate for 2015. Likewise, Mexico has been forced to trim $8.3 billion from the budget and cancel various infrastruc­ ture projects because of declining oil revenue.

Losses from lower oil exports could cost the Middle East and Central Asia hundreds of billions of dollars this year, said the International Monetary Fund in a report issued Jan. 21. The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council alone will see its combined GDP fall 21 percentage points, or about $300 billion, said the IMF, while non-GCC countries in the Mideast will see losses of $90 billion.

Central Asia, meanwhile — led by oil exporters Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan — could see losses of $35 billion.

In Libya, which faces a drop in oil revenue but is also battling internal vio­ lence that has drastically slashed produc­ tion, the budget crisis has led that coun­

try to close several embassies and reduce diplomatic staff at Libyan missions around the world.The continuing blood­ shed among rival ethnic and tribal groups has cut oil output there to less than 400,000 barrels a day — a quarter of what Libya was producing before 2011.

Things are also quite difficult for countries like Angola, Iraq and Venezuela, which like Libya are almost completely dependent on oil exports for foreign exchange.

Iraq is now pumping a record 4 mil­ lion barrels a day, adding more new oil to already saturated global markets than any other supplier in OPEC, just to com­ pensate for falling prices. An accord signed in January between Iraq’s federal government and the semi-autonomous Kurdish region will boost those exports by another 550,000 barrels a day, accord­ March 2015

When Welcoming the Diplomatic Community The Choices Are Clear

Photo: Larry Luxner

A petroleum worker inspects a drill site near Aktau, Kazakhstan, a Central Asian nation whose prosperity is built on oil and gas exports.

ing to Bloomberg News.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi warned that national revenue lost to the nose­ dive in global oil prices may hinder Baghdadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s military campaign to battle Islamic State insurgents, warning that the drop has been â&#x20AC;&#x153;disastrousâ&#x20AC;? for the war-torn nation. For this reason, his government is considering the possibility of buying necessary weapons and munitions while deferring payment until petroleum prices recover. Even if Iraq is able to meet its military needs, it may have to sac­ rifice other areas of government spending â&#x20AC;&#x201D; money it needs to build its weak economy and keep sectarian tensions from spiraling out of control. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Overdependence on oil is not the way out of this,â&#x20AC;? said Lukman Faily, Iraqâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambas­ sador to the United States. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Historically, Iraq was the breadbasket of the region. We need to get out of our comfort zone and develop our country.â&#x20AC;?

In Africa, falling oil prices are playing havoc with the national budgets of Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea and other coun­ tries that depend on oil to balance their books.

In Nigeria, Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most populous country, crude petroleum exports account for about 14 percent of GDP and 70 percent of fiscal revenue, though Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambassador to the United States, Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, told The Washington Diplomat recently that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not particularly worried. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Measures have been put in place to assure that this doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t affect the smooth running of our economy,â&#x20AC;? Adefuye said.â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are trying to minimize the effect [of dramatically lower oil prices]. It would not be realistic to say it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have an impact, but the government is embarking on some austerity measures and honoring our obligations to the people.â&#x20AC;?

Geopolitical Manuevering Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even worse for two oil-exporting countries now facing global economic sanc­ tions for very different reasons: Iran, for its nuclear program, and Russia, for its meddling in Ukraine. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a blessing for the countries hoping to change both nationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; calculus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iran is the biggest loser from this sharp decline in oil prices,â&#x20AC;? said Suzanne Maloney, senior fellow at the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings.â&#x20AC;&#x153;It comes at a time when the Iranian economy has been battered by years of sanctions. These sanctions targeting the Iranian financial sector have had an enor­ mous impact on exports and the government budget. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forcing them to engage in price discounting, trying to match the Saudis as theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re dealing with the drop in prices.â&#x20AC;?

Maloney pointed out that Iranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s profit mar­ gin is a lot lower than it is for fellow OPEC March 2015

members Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which enjoy huge production and relatively low populations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard a lot of rhetoric from Iran that this is, in fact, a blessing that plays into Iranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategy to wean itself off of oil,â&#x20AC;? she said.â&#x20AC;&#x153;But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unlikely to be achieved except under pressure. The question for many in Washington is, will the drop in oil prices force Iran to capitulate on the nuclear issue?â&#x20AC;?

The answer is maybe. On the one hand, Iran has become skilled at adapting to eco­ nomic isolation. Its leaders would pin the failure of nuclear talks squarely on the West, using the us-versus-them narrative to rally support at home. On the other hand, Tehran is no doubt aware that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only so much economic pain Iranians are willing to toler­ ate before they turn their anger on the gov­ ernment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Today, the president of Iran is willing to say publicly that the country needs to alter its foreign policy in order to address this eco­ nomic crisis,â&#x20AC;? Maloney said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see a framework by the July dead­ line, there is a set of individuals who are pre­ pared to end this crisis, and sanctions will play a major role in that.â&#x20AC;?

Russia, which faces U.S. and European sanctions over its continuing military aggres­ sion against Ukraine, is also in dire straits as world oil prices could bottom out at around $36 to $38 a barrel and stay there for some time, said Ebinger of the Energy Security and Climate Initiative. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very stark possibility that OPEC will continue its policies.Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nobody else on the horizon who can challenge the Saudis,â&#x20AC;? he said.â&#x20AC;&#x153;Russia will produce as much as pos­ sible, exporting 4 million barrels a day. With the decline in the value of the ruble, Russians are now actively stepping up coal exports.â&#x20AC;?

The energy squeeze may also be altering the geopolitical machinations of large oil pro­ ducers like Russia and Saudi Arabia. The New York Times wrote that Riyadh may be trying to use low oil prices to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into abandoning his support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is unclear how explicitly Saudi officials have linked oil to the issue of Syria during the talks, but Saudi officials say â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and they have told the United States â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that they think they have some leverage over Mr. Putin because of their ability to reduce the supply of oil and possibly drive up prices,â&#x20AC;? the Feb. 3 article said.

At the same time, any move to ratchet up prices would inadvertently benefit Saudi Arabiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regional rival, Iran â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a reflection of the messy, interdependent web of competing interests that mark todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global crises.

Continued on next page

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Continued from previous page Russia would also be loathe to relinquish its influence in the Middle East.

But Clifford G. Gaddy, an economist specializing in the former Soviet Union, says the tumbling oil prices are hitting Russia hard. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For the current term, this is real crisis mode in Russia,â&#x20AC;? said Gaddy, co-founder of the Russian-American Center for Research on International Financial and Energy Security, based at Penn State University. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The budget is being revised almost daily, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the plan: donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make any commitments at this point because we have no idea. The uncertainty has never been this great.â&#x20AC;?

The problem for Putin, who admits that a â&#x20AC;&#x153;catastrophicâ&#x20AC;? fur­ ther slump is â&#x20AC;&#x153;entirely possible,â&#x20AC;? is that Russia was hit by a dou­ ble whammy at pretty much the same time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At this point, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very difficult to separate the effects of lower oil prices and the effects of sanctions â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and yet, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not really important to do that. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been together from the beginning,â&#x20AC;? said Gaddy, a senior fellow at Brookings.â&#x20AC;&#x153;The sanc­ tions targeted Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gas sector, banning all Western invest­ ment in Russian Arctic and offshore production so they would feel the economic pressure. Even more significant in the broad­ er picture is the financial sanctions, and not just because of the letter of the law, but because of the climate it has created for all investors.â&#x20AC;?

The government in Moscow was smart enough to salt away $600 billion in reserves (an amount thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now down to $400 billion), said Gaddy, though he suggested that â&#x20AC;&#x153;they should have saved even moreâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; perhaps establishing a sovereign wealth fund of $1 trillion to tide the country over until prices recover.

In the meantime, he said, Russia is â&#x20AC;&#x153;radioactiveâ&#x20AC;? for potential foreign investors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know exactly how the rules will be enforced, so to play it safe, you stay away from Russia.You just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t touch it,â&#x20AC;? said Gaddy, projecting Russian GDP to fall by up to 8 percent in 2015 and eventually level off at 1 percent to 2 percent growth per year for the foreseeable future.

Free-Fall in Venezuela Such lackluster performance would be a dream come true for Venezuela, which boasts the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest proven oil reserves yet suffers from its highest inflation rate â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 64 percent last year.

Venezuela, which depends on oil for more than 95 percent of its hard-currency income, is now in an economic free-fall. The

thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not much of a cushion,â&#x20AC;? warned Harold Trinkunas, senior fellow at Brookings and director of its Latin America Initiative. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Venezuelaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s credit rating has just been downgraded again. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practically junk, and the likelihood of Venezuela defaulting on its international bonds is near 100 percent next year,â&#x20AC;? he added.â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Chinese have not been particularly forthcoming. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already loaned Venezuela $40 billion, which is being repaid by shipments of Venezuelan oil, though theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve refused to confirm any figures.â&#x20AC;?

Even before the current dip in petroleum prices, the Venezuelan economy was tanking as foreign investors fled the country and Maduro imposed protectionist policies that only made things worse.Yet there doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to be an easy way out for this coun­ try, which for years subsidized oil exports to Cuba and 17 Caribbean and Central American nations through its Petrocaribe program.

One Washington-based Latin American ambassador, speaking off the record, said he feared an â&#x20AC;&#x153;implosionâ&#x20AC;? in Venezuela as the situation worsens.

Last month, Maduro embarked on a global tour, meeting with key OPEC and non-OPEC producers in a bid to raise oil prices back to around the $100-a-barrel mark and help plug a growing budget gap that has so far cost Venezuela untold billions of dol­ lars. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But despite visiting China, Russia, Qatar, Iran and Algeria, he failed on both counts,â&#x20AC;?Trinkunas said.â&#x20AC;&#x153;At best, he got promises of future investments by these countries, and the $20 billion he announced in China looks like a re-announcement of deals that had been promised in 2010 but not fulfilled.â&#x20AC;?

Upside of Low Prices Photo: Larry Luxner

A picture of better days: Chinese oil workers repair a valve at a rig near Faregh, deep in Libyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sahara desert region. Libya is now battling internal violence that has drastically slashed oil production and strained the economy.

countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy shrank by an estimated 4 percent last year and its populist president, NicolĂĄs Maduro, faces considerable political turmoil as shortages of everything from milk and soap to diapers and even condoms force average Venezuelans to stand in line for hours. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For every dollar the price of oil drops, Venezuela loses $775 million of earnings per year. It also has very low cash reserves, so

Despite the havoc itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wreaking in global markets, oil price volatility may have some positive repercussions in the long term, said energy consultant Ebinger. Namely, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forcing governments to tackle the toxic issue of fuel subsidies, which make energy dirt-cheap for people in places like Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, but also drain government coffers and encourage wasteful con­ sumption. By some estimates, fuel subsidies cost nearly $540 bil­ lion a year, money that could instead go to much-needed social services. But some nations such as Kuwait, Egypt, India and Angola are capitalizing on the low price of oil to gradually peal back fuel subsidies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Indonesia bit the bullet after a long, hard fight and signifi­ cantly raised oil prices,â&#x20AC;? Ebinger said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;India has taken the very

See Oil, page 12

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March 2015

Humanitarian Affairs

Middle East

Countries Show Varying Degrees Of Generosity for Syrian Refugees

by Martin Austermuhle

L

avinia Limón, the executive director of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, has been working with refugees for four decades, and she doesn’t hesitate when asked how serious the flood of refugees leaving war-torn Syria is.

“It’s the most serious [migration of people] and it is the largest since World War II. It’s bigger than Iraq; it’s bigger than Southeast Asia. This is the biggest refugee situation we’ve seen in 40 years. What are we going to do with these people?” she asks.

Countries all over the world are asking the same ques­ tion, but most of them aren’t doing much about it.

Through the end of 2014, 3.8 million Syrians have fled the country since its civil war — or revolution, depend­ ing on whom you ask — started four years ago (another 7.6 million have been internally displaced). According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), of the 13 million refugees it was responsible for in 2014, fully one-quarter were Syrians.

Amnesty International notes that 95 percent of Syria’s refugees have converged on just five neighboring states: Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt, straining the social fabric of nations like Lebanon, which alone is host­ ing roughly 1.2 million refugees. That’s the equivalent of Britain absorbing an extra 16 million people.

Amnesty also points out that the rest of the world has taken in a mere 2 percent of Syria’s refugees. A few gov­ ernments stand out for their generosity — among them, Germany, Sweden and Brazil — while others stand out for entirely different reasons. Some wealthy nations, like the six Gulf states, Japan and Russia, haven’t accepted a single refugee. The United States has so far only taken in a few hundred Syrian refugees, though it is planning to accept several thousand in the coming years and it remains the single largest financial contributor to humanitarian relief efforts.

But human rights activists and international agencies are sounding the alarm that the world is not doing nearly enough to stem one of the worst migration crises in recent memory.

As the conflict continues and the human outpouring shows no sign of abating, advocates like Limón are stress­ ing that not enough is being done to address the plight of Syrian refugees. In financial terms alone, of the $3.7 bil­ lion UNHCR requested in 2014 to deal with Syrian refu­ gees, it received just over $2 billion — a little more than half of what it needs.

Limón says that a combination of factors have shaped the international community’s lagging response to the Syrian refugee crisis — economics and the expectation, call it hope, that the conflict would resolve itself quickly and that refugees could return to their homes once the fighting died down.

“The usual dollars for assistance that might go toward this type of crisis were really just not there,” she said, pointing to the lingering effects of the 2008 global eco­ nomic recession. “And I think every government was hoping there would be a resolution and everyone would go back to Syria quick, and of course they were still deal­ ing with Iraqi refugees that hadn’t returned to Iraq [after

March 2015

Syrian refugee children take shelter against the cold and fog shortly after arriving at the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan in November 2012. The journey is a perilous one, often taking place at night and in temperatures that hover close to freezing. The camp now holds over 80,000 refugees, a fraction of the 3.8 million Syrians who have fled the country since its civil war began.

“

Photo: UNHCR / B. Sokol

This is the biggest refugee situation we’ve seen in 40 years.

What are we going to do with these people?

”

— Lavinia Limón

executive director of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants

the Iraq War].”

But now that Syria’s war has dragged on and refugees keep streaming out, the international community is strug­ gling to play catch-up — a process itself that will be slow.

“The international community had done a credible job throughout the years — I’ve been doing this for 40 years — in assisting refugees. I think the magnitude of this is really quite overwhelming for the systems,” said Limón.

Two countries that have been praised by advocates are Germany and Sweden, which have accounted for roughly half of the 134,585 asylum applications filed in 2014 alone. Germany has also pledged to take in 30,000 Syrians since 2013 — nearly half of the 79,000 resettlement slots that have been offered globally by wealthier countries.

Other European Union member states such as France and Britain have been far more reluctant to welcome Syrian refugees, even though the problem is landing on their doorsteps as well. Tens of thousands of Syrian migrants have attempted the treacherous journey by sea to start a new life in Europe, with thousands dying along the way and border countries like Italy struggling to handle the influx.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the United States has been criticized for keeping its doors closed.

“The U.S. has been slow in resettlement efforts. We’re now several years into the war, and many refugees have been displaced for years now,” said Eleanor Acer, the director of refugee protection for Human Rights First.

“The United States was also very slow to start up its resettlement program for Iraqi refugees, and that was a situation where the U.S. bore special responsibility to help those refugees.”

To be fair, the United States accepts roughly 70,000 displaced people a year, the most of any nation in the world (many refugees now come from Iraq). It is also the world leader in providing humanitarian assistance to Syria — $3 billion so far.

U.S. officials also point out that UNHCR hadn’t even begun making recommendations on who should be resettled until late 2013.All refugees must undergo exten­ sive security and medical vetting, a process that can take two years or longer. Moreover, security concerns have prevented the U.S. from conducting in-person interviews at its embassy in Lebanon, where a large bulk of Syria’s refugees reside.

Still, the numbers are paltry: Only about 350 Syrians have resettled in the United States.

In December, Anne C. Richard, assistant secretary of state for population, refugees and migration, pledged at a conference in Geneva that the United States would dra­ matically ramp up its resettlement of Syrian refugees.

“We plan to lead in resettling Syrians as well. We are reviewing some 9,000 recent UNHCR referrals from Syria. We are receiving roughly 1,000 new ones each month, and we expect admissions from Syria to surge in 2015 and beyond,” she said.

The increased resettlement of Syrian refugees is not only a humanitarian gesture, but also a pre-emptive strat­ egy to keep Syria’s violence from destabilizing the entire region. Turkey alone is playing host to 1.6 million Syrian refugees, while Lebanon is buckling under the weight of

Continued on next page The Washington Diplomat Page 11

Photo: UNHCR / A. McConnell

A Syrian family huddles around a stove inside its shelter as snow falls at the Terbol tented settlement in Lebanonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bekaa Valley in December 2013. Lebanon has taken in 1.2 million refugees from Syria.

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The Washington Diplomat

1.2 million refugees who have boosted the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population by 26 percent.That means one out of every four people in Lebanon is now a refugee.

These beleaguered masses â&#x20AC;&#x201D; many of whom lost homes and loved ones to nearly four years of fighting that has claimed at least 200,000 lives â&#x20AC;&#x201D; were initially welcomed by their neigh­ bors. But as their numbers exploded, resent­ ment grew that Syrians were taking jobs and social services in countries already grappling with unemployment and poverty. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Humanitarian needs remain enormous.

Government services and local communal ser­ vices are under strain due to the increased demand, impacting service quality for both ref­ ugees and nationals, and threatening social cohesion. Lebanon and Jordan currently rank first and second in the world in refugees per capita,â&#x20AC;? said UNHCR in January.

This unprecedented influx has also exacer­ bated sectarian tensions between the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shiites (who are generally aligned with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad) and Sunnis (who largely make up the rebel ranks). Infiltration by hard-line Sunni Islamists is also a major concern for nations like Turkey and Jordan.

Acer says this is also a vital consideration for the United States, whose key allies in the region are being threatened by the spillover effects of Syriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meltdown. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just in the humanitarian interest of the United States to do this, but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a strategic imperative because the stability of

from page 10

Oil difficult decision to eliminate diesel fuel subsi­ dies. Pakistan has done the same. As the subsi­ dies get removed, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be less demand in those countries.â&#x20AC;?

But governments also fear that removing these popular subsidies could spark a fierce public backlash and even social unrest. In Venezuela â&#x20AC;&#x201D; where gasoline still costs the equivalent of 5 cents a gallon, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cheapest â&#x20AC;&#x201D; subsides are a touchy subject, and Maduro has so far resisted any substantial move to end them. The countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current woes may have, at least indirectly, pushed its strongest ally, Cuba, into the arms of the United States as the Castro regime worries about long-term depen­ dence on shaky Venezuelan supplies.

The possible collapse of Petrocaribe could have serious consequences for the region, the Atlantic Council cautioned in a report last month. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As Caracas deploys the army to police gro­

states surrounding Syria, like Jordan, is very crucial to the United States. By stepping up and resettling, it will help support the stability of some of those states,â&#x20AC;? she said.

LimĂłn says she is happy that the United States is increasing its focus on Syrian refugees, but she doubts that it can take as many refu­ gees as it claims â&#x20AC;&#x201D; much less as quickly as it has said it wants to. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The average processing time for a refugee to come to the United States is three years.You add the security checks on top of that,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can the U.S. get to 10,000 refugees this year?

No. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not logistically possible at this point, given the system.â&#x20AC;?

Richard seemed to concede as much when she spoke in December, though she said that resettlement â&#x20AC;&#x201D; no matter how slow â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is an important start for Syrian refugees. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But warâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true cost is measured in human suffering.

Resettlement can help, one person at a time, to bring that suffering to an end,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Looking forward, Acer says there are impor­ tant lessons to be learned from the Syrian crisis, primarily that Washington has to be quicker to respond. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The United States needs to be much more proactive more quickly to start the resettlement initiative,â&#x20AC;? she told us. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The United States is a global leader on resettlement, and if the United States does not exercise a leadership role in this area, other countries will lag behind.â&#x20AC;?

Martin Austermuhle (@maustermuhle) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

cery stores lacking basic goods, the govern­ mentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s financial problems spell trouble for neighboring countries that rely on Petrocaribe to meet energy demands. Despite Maduroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promises, the possible reduction in Petrocaribe transfers in 2015 may precipitate a fiscal crisis in the Caribbean and Central America, as coun­ tries will be forced to roll over decreasing shares of high energy costs into long-term debt to Venezuela,â&#x20AC;? the report said.

The potential domino effect illustrates the double-edged sword of falling oil prices, as the slump threatens to provoke instability in some parts of the world, while benefiting others.

The Atlantic Council report urges the United States to keep the larger picture in mind and work together with the IMF, the World Bank and other financial institutions to offset Petrocaribeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decline, warning that â&#x20AC;&#x153;without a sustained focus on the next chapter for the Caribbean, the United States could soon face a crisis off its shores.â&#x20AC;?

Larry Luxner is news editor of The Washington Diplomat.

March 2015

COVER PROFILE

Ambassador Serdar Kiliç

Turkey Confronts Threats Close to Home, Critics Abroad

by Larry Luxner

W

ith his country’s two southern neighbors threatened by a horrific terrorist group, deepening ethnic unrest at home and a president who faces growing criticism for amassing political power at the expense of his opponents, Turkey’s envoy in Washington certainly has a lot on his plate these days.

On Jan. 26, Serdar Kiliç spoke to The Washington Diplomat at his elegant offi­ cial residence off Massachusetts Avenue.

It was the ambassador’s first interview with an American media outlet since presenting his credentials at the White House one year ago.

During our hour-long meeting, Kiliç (pronounced Kilich) said the Obama administration needs to get its priorities straight — namely by stepping up efforts to get rid of Syrian President Bashar alAssad even as U.S. fighter jets bomb the strongholds of Islamic State extremists who already control sizeable chunks of Iraq and Syria.

“Are we going to fight only Daesh?” asked Kiliç, calling the group by its Arabic acronym because, he said, the terms Islamic State and ISIS offend the vast majority of Muslims who oppose its cult of bloodshed.“They are the end product of the current instability in Syria and Iraq. And as long as you don’t take care of this instability, you are going to have, in the long run, yet another terrorist organization with a different acronym. We had al-Qaeda, then al-Nusra, now Daesh. Tomorrow we’ll have another.”

“

lion Syrians and Iraqis have fled across the border to Turkey; about 400,000 of them are living in camps. To date, said Kiliç, Erdoğan’s government has spent more than $5 billion to house and feed these refugees, with scant help from the international community.

To help alleviate the refugee crisis, Kiliç says the Erdoğan government sup­ ports the declaration of a no-fly zone in Syria and safe haven for refugees. But such buffer zones are always easier said than done and would certainly pull the U.S. into another full-scale Mideast war.

Moreover, Turkey has faced criticism from the international community for allowing thousands of foreign fighters to stream across its porous border, essen­ tially siding with the Islamic State in its single-minded quest to oust Assad.

Kiliç bristles at suggestions that Ankara is “turning a blind eye” to the flow of foreign fighters into Syria — thousands of whom have arrived from Western Europe to Turkey, then crossed overland into areas controlled by the Islamic State.

“More than 30 million tourists visit Turkey on a yearly basis. We cannot stop anyone with a valid U.S. or EU passport

We asked the international community to stand against the atrocities [in Syria], but they turned a deaf ear to all our calls. Unfortunately, we had a similar problem in Iraq…. We have to take concerted action and an integrated strategy in order to fight Daesh.

”

— Serdar Kiliç, ambassador of Turkey to the United States But the White House has set its sights, and airstrikes, on Islamic State fighters rather than the regime in Damascus, infuriating Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who says the real target should be Assad.

The revolt against the Syrian presi­ dent has killed more than 200,000 peo­ ple since it began four years ago this month. It has also sent a mass exodus of refugees into Turkey, straining social ser­ vices and threatening to stir sectarian tensions. Between that civil war and the Islamic State uprising in Iraq, some 2 mil­ March 2015

who declares he’s there for tourism,” the ambassador said, insisting that immigra­ tion officials need specific information that such people are either affiliated with terrorists or that they intend to continue on to Syria.“Without that intel­ ligence, you cannot stop them.”

Kiliç added: “The United States, with all its capabilities, cannot control its bor­ der with Mexico. So how do you expect Turkey to control 100 percent of its 1,000-kilometer border with Syria? It’s rough terrain and almost impossible to monitor. If you want to kill the mosquito,

Photo: Lawrence Ruggeri / ruggeriphoto.com

you must first drain the swamp that gen­ erates the mosquitoes.”

And that swamp, suggests the ambas­ sador, is the putrid leadership of Assad, who has been accused of widespread human rights abuses — including drop­ ping cylinders full of chlorine gas on civilians — since trying to quash what had initially been a peaceful Arab Spring uprising against his dictatorship.

“When the crisis started, we had excellent relations with the Assad regime at all levels. The Syrian people made some democratic demands, and instead of meeting their legitimate demands as we advised him — so that the country would not be dragged into a civil war — he oppressed them, opting to use military force against his population.”

Kiliç,Turkey’s ambassador to Lebanon from 2008 to 2010, said his Ottoman predecessors were all too familiar with the Syrian ethnic powder keg, having ruled the Levant for centuries before Britain and France divvied up the region after World War I. “We knew things were going to get out of control, because Syria’s demo­ graphic composition was fertile for a

crisis — a Sunni majority oppressed by an Alawite minority. All the top govern­ ment positions were occupied by Alawites,” he told us.

Yet ever since Islamic State’s ascen­ dance, the White House has stopped explicitly calling for Assad’s removal; in fact, some foreign governments are no longer insisting that the president step down as a precondition for talks, which they say offer the only hope out of Syria’s military stalemate. On the con­ trary, many U.S. officials privately view Assad as the lesser of two evils in a murky conflict where moderate rebels are in short supply, the opposition is in disarray, hard-line Islamists are brutally effective and no one’s hands are entirely clean.

Assad has capitalized on this chaos to present himself as a bulwark against Islamist jihadists who’d fill the power vacuum if his government were top­ pled.

In a Jan. 20 interview with Jonathan Tepperman of Foreign Affairs, Assad said the bulk of the so-called “moderate” reb­

Continued on next page The Washington Diplomat Page 13

Continued from previous page els is actually made up of terrorists belonging to al-Qaeda, al-Nusra and the Islamic State.And in a Feb. 9 interview with the BBC, Syria’s indefati­ gable — and perhaps somewhat delusional — president dismissed U.S. efforts to train and equip a moderate rebel force to fight Islamic State militants as a “pipe dream” that has no chance of success.

That program, which aims to train 5,000 rebels per year, has struggled to get off the ground. In fact, the day we interviewed him, Kiliç had just attended a Pentagon briefing by retired Gen. John Allen on how the United States is training anti-Islamic State rebels in Syria.

“I listened very carefully and saw an excel­ lent entry strategy to take care of Daesh,” he said,“but I did not see an exit strategy, which is most important for any military operation.”

What the region really needs, he insisted, is a “comprehensive strategy” that encompasses Iraq and Syria, with the objective being Assad’s removal as well as the preservation of Iraq’s ter­ ritorial integrity.

He noted that the Islamic State — which rejoices in beheading its foreign hostages and most recently burned alive a captured Jordanian pilot — “emerged in Iraq, got its strength in Syria and returned to Iraq” in all its bloodthirsty fury.

“We have to take concerted action and an integrated strategy in order to fight Daesh. I’ve talked to some key senators. I feel we’re on the same page,” Kiliç said, declining to name those lawmakers. The envoy did say much of his job consists of “explaining to our American friends that Daesh is a symptom” of the root causes of the current violence rocking the Middle East.

“I will be very frank with you. Afghanistan was a remote country in the middle of Asia, but

Photo: Brian Sokol / UNCHR

A Syrian child stands amid tents provided by the Turkish Red Crescent Society to the Adiyaman refugee camp in Turkey on Dec. 5, 2012. Adiyaman is one a many refugee camps built and run by the Turkish government to handle the 1.6 million refugees from Syria that have flooded the country.

what started in Afghanistan ended up in the Twin Towers of Manhattan — and Boston, Frankfurt, Paris, Ottawa and the attack on a synagogue in Brussels,” he warned. “America is not safe. No country is safe anymore. If we are not going to coordinate and eradicate terrorism in all its forms, you are never going to be safe.”

Kiliç, who turns 57 this month, knows both Turkey and the U.S. well. Born and raised in Samsun — a Black Sea port city of 600,000 in north-central Turkey — he graduated from Ankara University’s political sciences depart­ ment in 1980 and joined the Turkish Foreign Ministry four years later. Kiliç’s first overseas posting was to Kuwait, and in 1989 he was

named assistant consul-general in Los Angeles.

After serving as first secretary in the minis­ try’s Gulf and Muslim Countries Department, Kiliç occupied several important positions deal­ ing with NATO, eventually ending up as the ministry’s deputy director-general of NATO and Euro-Atlantic security and defense affairs in 2006. He also previously served as Turkey’s ambassador to Japan from 2012 to 2014 and, prior to that, as secretary-general of the coun­ try’s National Security Council.

Kiliç told us that as Turkey’s envoy in Washington, he aims to “emphasize the points that bring us together, not what pulls us apart.”

“We have fought for the same values for

almost 60 years now, in Korea, in the Middle East, and in Kosovo and Macedonia. We fought hard to bring peace and stability to areas in turmoil. Before the 1990s, it was difficult to find ordinary Americans who knew where Turkey is.

After what happened in Iraq, that changed a lot.”

The Iraq War, in fact, marked a serious rup­ ture in U.S.-Turkey relations, as Erdoğan began charting an assertive foreign policy that at times diverged from Washington’s agenda. To this day, the Turkish leader sees the war as a mistake that unleashed sectarian strife in the region.Likewise, Kiliç disparaged Iraq’s former prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, who was forced to resign last August after tenaciously holding onto power for years in the face of increasing resentment among both Sunni and Kurdish Iraqis.

“We asked the international community to stand against the atrocities [in Syria], but they turned a deaf ear to all our calls. Unfortunately, we had a similar problem in Iraq,” the ambassa­ dor said. “We tried to explain to our Western allies that Maliki’s sectarian policies would end up dividing the country into three parts. We were not listened to.”

Iraq’s territorial integrity is a key concern of Turkey, which fears the partition of its troubled neighbor into Kurdish, Sunni and Shiite fief­ doms. That fear isn’t surprising, given that Turkey itself is home to a large Kurdish minori­ ty, most of which lives in southeastern and eastern Anatolia.

Ultimately, what most of Turkey’s 14 million Kurds want, and what they’ve wanted for more than a century, is their own nation — an unac­ ceptable option for the Erdoğan regime. While Turkey has significantly improved ties with its Kurdish minority and maintains good relations with the autonomous Kurdish region of north­ ern Iraq, independence would be a non-starter for Ankara.

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The Washington Diplomat

March 2015

“Once you start to divide countries, you don’t know where it will end up,” Kiliç warned.

In addition to worrying about its restive Kurdish population and the threat of home­ grown radicalization spread by Islamic State extremists, Turkey is struggling to absorb the masses of people that have flocked to the coun­ try in recent years, many of whom have settled in cities like Istanbul.

“We have around 2 million refugees in Turkey, and the majority of them — 80 percent — escaped Syria not because of Daesh but because of the atrocities of the Assad regime,” the ambassador claimed. “Even if you eliminate Daesh, the majority of them will not go back as long as Assad is in power.”

Interestingly, Assad claims that he would win the war if Turkey, along with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, dropped their support of Islamic State fighters. In his Foreign Affairs interview, he pinned the blame for the Islamic State’s rise squarely on Erdoğan.

“Because he belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood ideology, which is the base of al­ Qaeda; it was the first political Islamic organiza­ tion that promoted violent political Islam in the early 20th century. He belongs strongly and is a staunch believer in these values. He’s very fanatical, and that’s why he still supports ISIS. He is personally responsible for what hap­ pened,”Assad charged.

While the argument that Erdoğan is respon­ sible for the atrocities in Syria is a tad far­ fetched, the Turkish president is no longer as immune to criticism as he was when he first took power in 2003. Back then, the former Istanbul mayor was widely praised for ushering in a model of Islamic democracy after years of military coups.

Much of the praise was well earned. Erdoğan presided over a dramatic economic transforma­

Turkey at a Glance independence: oct. 29, 1923 (successor state to the ottoman empire) location: Southeastern europe and Southwestern asia (portion of turkey west of the bosporus is geographically part of europe), bordering the black Sea, the aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea Capital: ankara Population: 81.6 million (July 2014 estimate) life expectancy: 73 years religions: Muslim 99.8 percent (mostly Sunni), other 0.2 percent (mostly christians and Jews) GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.16 trillion (2013 estimate) GDP per-capita: $15,300 (2013 estimate) GDP growth: 3.8 percent (2013 estimate) Unemployment: 9.3 percent (2013 estimate)

Source: CIA World Factbook

Population below poverty line: 16.9 percent (2010 estimate) exports: Apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment imports: Machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport equipment

tion and turned Turkey into a major global player. He granted greater religious freedom to the country’s conservative Muslims, ended the military’s interference in civilian affairs, launched a building boom in Istanbul and retains a strong base of support throughout the country.

After serving three terms as prime minister and handily winning another election last sum­ mer to become president, however, the Erdoğan glow has begun to fade. Opponents of the president say his rule has become increasingly authoritarian, and that his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is trampling on the

rights of citizens via a crackdown on media freedom, a weakening of the rule of law and the erosion of the secularism on which the country was founded. New York­based Human Rights Watch, in a report issued last September, said Erdoğan has responded to dissent by “tearing up the rule book,” among other things.

“For the sake of Turkey’s future and the rights of its citizens, the government needs to change course and protect rights instead of attacking them,” said the report’s author, Emma Sinclair­Webb.

One of Erdoğan’s loudest detractors, and big­ gest headaches, is a man who once supported

his party’s agenda. Fethullah Gülen, founder of the Gülen movement (Hizmet in Turkish), says things began going sour a few years ago, after he began speaking out against corruption by senior government officials. The enigmatic Muslim cleric boasts millions of devoted follow­ ers, including many from Turkey’s pious capital­ ist class, although his critics accuse him of run­ ning a shadowy cult whose members have infiltrated the ranks of the Turkish media, judi­ ciary and police.

But Gülen claims that he and thousands of other Hizmet followers have become victims of a “witch hunt” by Turkey’s rulers, who have not only alienated the West but are also now losing credibility in the Middle East as well.

In mid­December, an Istanbul court issued an arrest warrant for the 73­year­old Gülen, who lives in self­imposed exile in Pennsylvania, accusing him of plotting to bring down the government by launching a series of corruption probes.The warrant, a symbolic move, did little to help the already strained U.S.­Turkish rela­ tionship.

Criticism of the Erdoğan government is also coming from the 28­member European Union, which Turkey has long sought to join. Following condemnation from Brussels over the recent Gülen crackdown, Erdoğan called the arrests a domestic security issue and said he didn’t care if the raids affect Turkey’s quixotic EU member­ ship bid.

Asked to comment, Kiliç said he hears from critics on a daily basis.

“I ask them to bring me concrete evidence that the present Turkish government is authori­ tarian and trying to establish a dictatorship, or ban freedom of speech. I need concrete evi­ dence, not hearsay,” he told The Diplomat, not­ ing that only 10 journalists are in prison.“Seven

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March 2015

The Washington Diplomat Page 15

International Relations

Asia

Despite Bumps, Obama Steers Course for Asia-Pacific Pivot

by Larry Luxner

W

ith Republicans now firmly in control of both houses of Congress, President Obama faces potentially bruising battles this year over everything from immigration policy to lifting the embargo against Cuba to battling the Islamic State.

But on one issue — Obama’s goal of a “rebalancing” to the Asia-Pacific region — most Americans see eye to eye with the president, according to polls.

In fact, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) says the so-called “Asia pivot” is perhaps the most bipartisan foreign policy issue in Washington.

That may be the case, but from its outset in 2010, the pivot has been consistently derided and dismissed by critics who’ve questioned the president’s commit­ ment to the region. Pressing global crises from Syria to Ukraine to Iran also seem to have conspired to rele­ gate Asia to the sidelines.

But according to Obama, the pivot is still on course, as evidenced by his fiscal 2016 budget, which includes $585 billion for the Pentagon and $53 billion for the State Department. The president’s federal spending proposal calls the rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific region a priority, alongside “degrading and defeating” the Islamic State; countering Russian aggression; ensur­ ing a smooth transition in Afghanistan; boosting cyber­ security; combating terrorism and extremism; and other security challenges.

The budget makes specific funding requests for immediate challenges such as training Iraqi and Syrian forces ($1.3 billion) and bolstering Ukraine’s weak government ($275 million). In contrast, the Asia-Pacific pivot is designed to be a long-term military, political and economic strategy, one that capitalizes on Beijing’s increasing assertiveness to improve ties with regional allies who are wary of Chinese hegemony.

The pivot is already boosting America’s military presence in the region, with a particular focus on maritime security, although any redeployment of resources is subject to potential budget cuts.

Economically, it aligns the U.S. with one of the fastestgrowing regions in the world, one that will continue to play an important role in the U.S. foreign policy agenda, whether it’s combating climate change or curbing North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

For this reason, the White House and GOP lawmak­ ers must work together to “chart a common course” on U.S. policy toward Asia over the next two years, urges a new report by CSIS called “Pivot 2.0: How the Administration and Congress Can Work Together to Sustain American Engagement in Asia to 2016.” That engagement, it says, should start with passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) by this summer. The trade pact would tear down tariffs and regulations to boost trade with a region that accounts for 40 percent of the world’s GDP and 26 percent of global trade.

“Most of us would agree that the most important thing the U.S. can do to cement our long-term engage­ ment in the Asia-Pacific region is to complete negotia­ tions for the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” said Michael J. Green, senior vice president of the Asia program at

16

The Washington Diplomat

“

Credit: U.S. Navy Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Katarzyna Kobiljak

Most of us would agree that the most important thing the U.S. can do to cement our long-term engagement in the Asia-Pacific region is to complete negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

— Michael J. Green

”

senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies

CSIS. “Our report recommends that the president fol­ low up on statements he made in December that he was ready to move forward in spite of opposition from some of his own political base.”

According to Green, “TPP will be the defining ele­ ment of the Obama administration’s Asia policy if we can get it done. [Senate Majority Leader Mitch] McConnell (R-Ky.) said this is one area where the White House and Congress can work together well.”

Green, speaking Jan. 5 at a CSIS event attended by about 200 people, outlined six key recommendations for the president to consider as he faces off against the GOP-dominated 114th Congress in the final two years of his administration. Besides trade, the report urges Obama to: • Implement recently concluded U.S.-China confi­ dence-building measures and move toward a “win-win approach to regional institution-building” such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, with a clearer demonstration of costs when Beijing uses coercion or doesn’t play by the rules.

• Produce an East Asia Strategy Report clarifying the objectives of the rebalance; fund military construction necessary to realign U.S. forces in the Pacific; and pass

Aircraft from the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group fly in formation during a demonstration above the USS John C. Stennis in the Pacific Ocean in 2013.

a nonbinding budget resolution that sets spending above the sequestration caps and lays the groundwork for increased spending in the reconciliation process.

• Enhance U.S.-South Korea capabilities to deter and defend South Korea against ballistic missile and cyber attacks from North Korea, work to improve relations between Tokyo and Seoul, and include human rights in the overall approach to North Korea.

• Ensure that the new defense framework agree­ ment with India provides new vision and clarity on the future of defense ties and push congressional leaders to devote more attention to the U.S. relationship with India.

• Expand democracy-building support ahead of elections later this year in Myanmar; further institution­ alize the U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership; arrange a presidential visit to Vietnam; and rally inter­ national support for the Philippines’s case against Chinese territorial ambitions in the South China Sea. Green said a completed TPP, with 12 countries, would create the largest free-trade area in which the United States participates — far larger than the North American Free Trade Agreement encompassing the United States, Canada and Mexico — and that without the TPP, regional actors will view Obama’s pivot with skepticism.

“Unless you have a high-level, sustained case being made to the American public and Congress, you can’t get these things done.The window is narrow.An agree­ ment has to be reached primarily with Japan,” he said, noting that the differences that remain involve rela­ tively insignificantly areas. “On 95 percent of the TPP chapters with Japan, we have a common view.”

But the differences between Japan and the U.S., the two largest participants in the talks, are hardly trivial.

Japan is reluctant to open up its heavily protected March 2015

agricultural and automotive sectors (tariff on imported rice is nearly 800 percent), a key demand by Washington. Meanwhile, Democrats don’t see eye to eye with the president on the sweeping trade deal, arguing that it’s been hammered out in secret and would erode American jobs along with critical consumer and environmental protections.

Green pointed out that trade policy is an issue that divides Democrats but unites Republicans. For this reason, he says Obama must actively manage his party’s politics while cooperating with GOP majorities in Congress who will provide most of the votes. A realistic estimate is that it would take six months to get “fast-track authority” with a bill presented to Congress in late 2015.

Noticeably absent from the TPP talks is China, which is pushing its own competing trade pact and views the pivot in general as a thinly veiled attempt to contain its ascension — in its own backyard. Indeed, some critics say the beefed-up U.S. military presence in Asia is a disproportionate and provocative maneuver that will needlessly ratchet up tensions in the region. Despite the friction, experts on the CSIS panel said the U.S.-China relationship can be managed.

Green told his audience that “the prospects for a major breakthrough in U.S.-China rela­ tions are small, but there are some stabilizing elements in the relationship.”

“The deep economic interdependence between the United States and China has long served as an important shock absorber to keep the competitive elements in the relation­ ship from tipping it over into conflict,” the CSIS report says. But it also warned that “both sides seem reluctant to truly embrace the avoidance of zero-sum approaches or the bent toward dividing Asia into discrete spheres of

Credit: U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jacob D. Moore

U.S. Capt. Daniel Grieco, executive officer of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, speaks to South Korean Minister of National Defense Tae Young Kim, second from right, during the combined alliance maritime and air readiness exercise “Invincible Spirit” in the seas east of the Korean Peninsula in 2010.

influence.”

Bonnie S. Glaser, who holds the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS, said that while the symbiotic economic dependence between the two countries tends to define the relation­ ship, Obama should continue to raise human rights concerns with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Yet furthering the implementation of “con­ flict-avoidance mechanisms” must remain a priority in the military-to-military arena, she added. The Pentagon should also offer China

LogicMarket_WashingtonDiplomat_BW.qxp_Layout 1 2/11/15 12:03 PM Page 1

incentives to engage in cooperative behaviors in the East and South China Seas — where six countries have overlapping territorial claims — while imposing costs for destablizing, coer­ cive actions.

“The jury is still out as to whether we’ll see a reduction in some of China’s more provoca­ tive policies, with regard to territorial disputes,” Glaser said.“That’s what the U.S. is particularly concerned about. We don’t want to see China intimidate its neighbors.”

That intimidation, however, has left an open­

ing for the U.S. to cozy up to neglected and nervous allies such as the Philippines and Vietnam. On that note, CSIS urges Obama to visit Vietnam following his September 2014 decision to partially lift the ban on the sale of U.S. weapons to Vietnam. The ideal time for such a trip, it suggests, would be November, when Obama is scheduled to attend the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation summit in the Philippines as well as the East Asia Summit in Malaysia.

“It’s time for President Obama to go to Vietnam, where we have an increasingly impor­ tant relationship. This is not easy because of human rights violations,” Green said, noting that “we need to support countries like the Philippines that are pursuing legal means to address China’s claim of territorial rights in the South China Sea.” The region’s biggest flashpoint is, of course, North Korea. Pyongyang’s alleged involvement in the recent cyberattacks against Sony Pictures in response to the entertainment conglomer­ ate’s release of “The Interview” grabbed head­ lines worldwide — and once again raised ten­ sions on the Korean Peninsula. It also obscured the larger picture: Pyongyang’s determination to build a nuclear weapons arsenal.

CSIS says the Obama administration must be prepared to meet a range of provocations “with concrete measures that acknowledge the necessity of deterring a nuclear North Korea.”This includes deploying more advanced missile defense systems on the peninsula, as well as encouraging South Korea to enhance its joint operational capabilities with existing U.S. missile defense assets and intelligence in the region.

The Hermit Kingdom’s record of systematic

See Asia-Pacific, page 44

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The Washington Diplomat Page 17

Digital Diplomacy Forum

New Book on Digital Diplomacy Offers Cautionary Tech Tales

by Molly McCluskey Editor’s Note: Digital Diplomacy Forum is a new monthly series on how high-tech tools are changing the face of 21st-century statecraft.

A

re social media platforms an essential way for governments to engage their citizens, or are they merely a high-tech pro­ paganda tool? Are thousands of people rioting in the streets of a foreign nation — brought together under the umbrella of social media — practicing citizen diplomacy?

And has the art of statecraft truly under­ gone a digital revolution, or does it sim­ ply have a different microphone?

In “Digital Diplomacy: Conversations on Innovation in Foreign Policy,”Andreas Sandre poses these questions to journal­ ists, diplomats, public policy wonks and anyone trying to navigate the intersec­ tion of technology and international affairs. Sandre, press and public affairs officer at the Embassy of Italy, is also the author of “Twitter for Diplomats” and an active member of the Digital Diplomacy Coalition, a volunteer-based group that brings together the international and tech communities.

Spanning 16 chapters, each a “conver­ sation” on different aspects of digital trends, Sandre’s book touches on pivotal moments in the social media revolution, including the live-tweeting of the cap­ ture of Osama bin Laden and the 140character exchange between Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Iran’s bar­ riers to internet access.

“

“skeptic.” Ross’s chapter is perhaps the most intriguing for its contrarian approach to the supposedly transforma­ tive wonders of digital diplomacy.

Whereas Sandre clearly leads many of the other chapters along his own path, Ross doesn’t merely accept Sandre’s loaded questions as fact and often ques­ tions the widely accepted belief that social media is helping non-state actors upend the world of traditional diplo­ macy.

For example, Sandre asks Ross to explain what diplomacy is in the 21st century, to which Ross replies: “I am a bit wary of all this kind of semantic dis­ cussion of what diplomacy is. As I said before, to me it is still what it always was: government-to-government rela­ tions and negotiations about their pri­ orities. I don’t think that practice has changed.

“You can argue that Bono talking about poverty or Burma is a form of diplomacy — I personally don’t regard that as that,” Ross continues. “I believe it’s just a different form of engagement, and calling it diplomacy is really to con­ fuse matters. I don’t want to be snob­ bish and say,‘Oh that’s not diplomacy.’ It has certainly got its own value, but that’s not diplomacy. Likewise, individu­ als tweeting from Tahrir Square is a very interesting, and perhaps positive, devel­ opment, though it’s not diplomacy. It is

Power today is about connectedness….

The more connected you are, the more central you are, the more information you have, the more contacts you have to mobilize.

”

— Anne-Marie Slaughter, president and CEO of the New America Foundation Despite its title, the book is more of a communications primer than a diplo­ matic treatise — a crash course on why tools such as Twitter and Facebook mat­ ter, their challenges, how to craft cam­ paigns and measure their impact, guided by the loose framework of statecraft.

The “conversations” are between people who already for the most part agree with one another, and as such, deprive the reader of the element of surprise.

The only exception is Carne Ross, founder and executive director of the advisory group Independent Diplomat, who is identified as the book’s sole

18

a way of getting news that is more disag­ gregated. Certainly, what you are seeing with global communications is a more direct contact between people. Again, I don’t see that as diplomacy.”

Ross’s assertion stands out in a book that spends over 330 pages arguing just the opposite — that governments, busi­ nesses and citizens on the street engage in a new form of diplomacy each time they tweet, post, like or share.

Ross is equally skeptical about the prevailing assumption that social media is a benevolent force for good. “Twitter and Facebook can basically be consid

The Washington Diplomat

ered new forms, new tools of propaganda for govern­ ments; it is not a two-way conversation between governments, nor a dialogue with their audiences. It is another form of one-way communication, propagan­ da, where governments say exactly the same things they used to say; instead of doing it the old way, they do it with a tweet.”

Readers seeking a comprehensive thread or logical order to the book won’t find it. Instead, the chapters are stand-alones, with each containing a nugget about a digital challenge and a brief example of how it might be over­ come.

Charles Firestone, executive director of the Aspen Institute’s Communications and Society Program, said that the deaf­ ening digital noise has made it more difficult to identify the true voices of leadership, government or otherwise.

“There are so many voices out there.

There’s not one single leader. It’s harder for one leader to step forward and be seen and recog­ nized and followed. In the attention economy — if that’s what we have — the ability to get attention is a real asset, as attention is the real scarcity with the over-abundance of information.”

Firestone also said that, despite all of these new communications networks, statecraft remains essentially unchanged.

“First of all, ambassadors of the future should be the ambassadors of the past, in that they have to be smart, open people who learn the country in which they are posted — all the traditional diplomatic skills needed to be success­ ful in the job. Technology hasn’t mini­

See digital, page 20 March 2015

Medical

Cancer

Chemotherapy: When the Cure Seems Worse than the Disease

by Gina Shaw

W

hen I was diagnosed with breast cancer, the first thing I freaked out about — after, “Am I going to die?” — was the fact that I would have to have chemotherapy. I don’t care if you’re an American Ninja Warrior who fears no zombie apocalypse, the prospect of having poison dripped into your veins for a few hours every couple of weeks or so is going to leave you weak in the knees.

“Chemo” comes with a host of famous side effects, particularly hair loss, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. And by fatigue, I don’t mean feeling a little run-down and draggy. I mean feeling like the very essence of yourself has been drained out of you, leaving you a gray shell that barely has the energy to get out of bed (and sometimes not even that much).

Besides these, chemotherapy also leaves behind a grab bag of other excit­ ing parting gifts with every dose.And to add to the fun, you don’t know for sure which ones you’ll get! Will it be mouth sores? Bone pain? Cognitive problems, also known as “chemobrain?” The side effects vary by drug and by person.

Because they’re so debilitating, there’s a whole field of cancer research devoted just to developing treatments for the treatments — medications that can help ease the punch of chemo­ therapy side effects.

A New Year’s gift from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was the approv­ al of Akynzeo, a new treatment for nau­

sea and vomiting during the acute phase; 90.4 percent experienced none during the delayed phase; and 89.6 per­ cent were puke-free throughout the whole thing. That’s compared with patients who got palonosetron alone — 89.7 percent were free of nausea and vomiting during the acute phase; 80.1 percent during the delayed phase; and just 76.5 percent overall.

I’ll definitely take those improved odds! But the goal of these management drugs would ideally be to find some­ thing that could wipe out all or most of the side effects at a time, rather than having to take aim at each individually.

(Don’t forget that drugs to manage side effects are drugs themselves and have side effects of their own.)

Well, it’s early days yet, but a new study from researchers at Johns Hopkins hints that such a possibility may be on the horizon.They’ve developed a sugarbased molecular microcapsule that eliminates the toxicity of an anti-cancer drug called 3-bromopyruvate, or 3BrPA, in a mouse model.

Because chemotherapy drugs are so debilitating, there’s a whole field of cancer research devoted just to developing treatments for the treatments — medications that can help ease the punch of chemotherapy side effects. sea and vomiting related to chemothera­ py. This two-drug capsule combines an older drug (palonosetron), approved in 2008 to prevent vomiting during the first 24 hours after receiving chemo­ therapy, and netupitant, a new drug that prevents side effects during both the acute and delayed phases of chemo­ therapy (from 25 hours to 120 hours after). Because, yes, just because you make it through the first day after your chemo dose without tossing up the entire contents of your stomach doesn’t mean that you’re out of the woods.

In two large randomized clinical tri­ als involving more than 1,700 chemo patients, 98.5 percent of patients treat­ ed with Akynzeo experienced no nau­ March 2015

That drug has been so toxic to healthy tissues that, although it is pow­ erfully effective against cancer in mice, it hasn’t moved further in clinical trials (un-encapsulated, it killed almost 75 percent of mice given the drug). It also becomes inactivated as it moves through the bloodstream.

The “microshell” is made of a sugarbased polymer that both prevents the drug from disintegrating too soon and guards the body’s healthy tissues from its toxic effects.

“We developed 3BrPA to target a hallmark of cancer cells, namely their increased dependency on glucose com­ pared with normal cells. But the nonencapsulated drug is toxic to healthy

Photo: Kasia Bialasiewicz / bigstock

tissues and inactivated as it navigates through the blood, so finding a way to encapsulate the drug and protect nor­ mal tissues extends its promise in many cancers as it homes in on tumor cells,” said Dr. Jean-Francois Geschwind, chief of the Division of Interventional Radiology at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Mice who received the microcapsule all survived the treatment, with mini­ mal or no tumor progression.Geschwind calls the study’s results “extremely promising” and suggests that the encap­ sulated drug could potentially be a good candidate for clinical trials, par­ ticularly for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, which is the fourth most common cause of cancerrelated deaths worldwide and has a five-year survival rate of less than 5 per­ cent. In the mouse studies, the encapsu­ lated medication also reduced the met­ astatic spread of pancreatic cancer cells.

But these results also raise the ques­ tion: Could this be done with other types of cancer drugs? 3BrPA pretty much had to be put in a capsule like

Johns Hopkins is developing a sugar-based molecular microcapsule, at left, that eliminates the toxicity of an anti-cancer drug.

Photo: Jean-Francois Geschwind / Johns Hopkins Medicine

this, because a drug that kills three out of four of its patients — even if it kills the cancer cells too — isn’t exactly a success. But what if other, less overtly dangerous medications could also be encapsulated in this way, or some other way, to help them reach the cancer cells they’re targeting without wreak­ ing unpleasant havoc on other parts of the body in the meantime?

It’s a tantalizing prospect, and as the countless cancer survivors who have experienced their own smorgasbord of chemo side effects can attest, one that would be very welcome.

Gina Shaw is the medical writer for The Washington Diplomat.

The Washington Diplomat Page 19

Photo: Embassy of Italy

Andreas Sandre, public affairs officer at the Italian Embassy and author of “Twitter for Diplomats,” posts instant updates to the online attendees of the Italian Embassy discussion “Digital Diplomacy in the Participatory Age” on Jan. 29.

from page 18

Digital mized the traditional skills of a diplomat: influence, ability to persuade, attractive­ ness in their country.”

Likewise, Anne-Marie Slaughter, presi­ dent and CEO of the New America Foundation, offered insights on the perils of hyper-connectivity and how the digital age has compressed everyone’s time. She told Sandre that there simply is not enough time nowadays to make a mistake, discover it and correct it before it goes viral. That luxury is one citizens of the non-digital age enjoyed. Now, errors ricochet around the world before they can be recalled.

“People have always made mistakes, but they weren’t visible immediately. There were ways of checking them, and they, themselves, were frankly a little more well rested and well balanced. When you look at people who are working at the White House or the top of the State Department, these people are exhausted much of the time.”

Despite the digital grind, Slaughter says, “Power today is about connectedness. I argue that power in a networked world is how centrally positioned you are. The more connected you are, the more central you are, the more information you have, the more contacts you have to mobilize.”

Power, of course, can be abused, wheth­ er it’s by governments censoring the inter­ net or spying on each other. Concerns about online privacy and surveillance exploded after Edward Snowden revealed the NSA’s extensive spying programs, including those that snooped on America’s close European Union allies.

Marietje Schaake, known as the most wired member of the European Parliament,

spoke about how the Snowden leaks impacted Europe. “The revelations have meant a wake-up call for those who need­ ed that. I believe it has helped the develop­ ment of a broad political coalition that seeks to strengthen EU laws to protect people’s fundamental rights, and that looks more critically at the consequences of unchecked power by either governments or companies in the context of the digital environment. Still, there has not been enough of a response to truly make sure the overreach by secret services is curbed, and that judicial and democratic oversight is in place.”

No conversation on digital diplomacy would be complete without digital darling Petrit Selimi, Kosovo’s deputy minister of foreign affairs and a regular speaker on the Washington foreign policy circuit. His con­ versation in the book is essentially a reprint of his regular speeches but is a worthwhile read for anyone who hasn’t heard him speak. Kosovo’s attempts to gain recognition on the global stage via its internet campaigns epitomize the power of digital diplomacy to give smaller actors an outsize voice and illustrate perhaps the truest example of this revolutionary tech­ nology in the book.

Despite Sandre’s core premise — that using the digital spectrum is an effective avenue for conveying important messages — the book overall at times feels disjoint­ ed. It’s neither a how-to guide nor a foreign affairs treatise nor a series of case studies.

It is no more and no less what it claims to be, a collection of conversations, and like many interesting conversations, the oppor­ tunity to eavesdrop is worth a listen.

Molly McCluskey (@MollyEMcCluskey) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

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The Washington Diplomat

March 2015

LIVING L U X U R Y

■ A Special Section of The Washington Diplomat

■ March 2015

caption

LEEDING THE WAY Eco-Friendly Finnish Embassy Goes Green — and Platinum

by Molly McCluskey

T

Photo: EmbaSSy oF Finland

he decision for the Finnish Embassy to go green

started replacing old bulbs with more energy-efficient

originated less in eco-friendly idealism than it did

ones, he was starting to look at our cooling system and

in hard-nosed pragmatism, when in 2000, a main-

especially our warming systems, but also water faucets,

tenance manager sought ways to cut down on the embassy’s high energy costs.

etc., to see how we could be more energy efficient.” in the end, the sleek architectural landmark along

“We already had a very good building, but we had very

observatory Circle not only become more energy efficient,

high bills for energy and water consumption,” said Finnish

but also stood out as a model of sustainable design among

ambassador Ritva Koukku-Ronde. “and as our manager

Washington’s embassies.

Continued on next page

March 2015

LUXURY LIVING

The Washington Diplomat Page 21

Continued from previous page In 2008, Finland became the first embassy in the United States to receive the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star for superior energy efficiency.

In 2010, the building became the first embassy in the U.S. to be awarded the U.S. Green Building Council’s prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certificate, then on a gold level. And in December 2014, it became the first embassy in the U.S. to earn platinum status, and only the second in the world.

The first?The U.S.Embassy in Helsinki.

“This [LEED certification] is not a certification you can keep forever,”Koukku-Ronde pointed out. “So when we were working with maintaining the gold, when I came here I thought we should not only keep the gold, but get the platinum.

“I would say we wanted to be a forerunner,” she said, “and show that you can have a modern building with energy efficiency, and bring our community here in D.C. a more sustainable solution.”

The Finnish Embassy already had a reputation as the “Jewel of Embassy Row” and recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with a big jubilee last November.

The striking modern structure, located across from Vice President Joe Biden’s residence, is framed by a canopy of trees and vines from the surrounding park to reflect Finland’s love of nature, while the expansive glass walls mirror the country’s commitment to transparency.

That aesthetic translated into a pioneering eco-friendly design. KoukkuRonde said the process of greening the embassy — that is, making it more environmentally responsible — was made easier by the fact that it had been

Photos: Embassy of Finland

The modern Finnish Embassy, located across from the U.S. vice president’s house, is framed by a canopy of trees and vines from the surrounding park to reflect Finland’s love of nature.

built well at the outset. Although the standards of green building were not as widespread as they are now, certain Finnish standards still applied.

“When the embassy was built 20 years ago, the environmental aspects were not as widely considered as they are today, but the architects designed a building that not only met all the requirements in D.C. and the U.S., but were also using the normal sustainable way of building, the Finnish way of building,” Koukku-Ronde explained. “They were using local materials and designed the building so we could use natural daylight.”

Today, that commitment to going green impacts all day-to-day functions of the embassy. The toilets and faucets are fitted with water-saving devices, for example, and recycling is a top priority. Koukku-Ronde says that many of the changes are minor, and most people don’t even notice them. Perhaps the faucets have less water coming out of them or the rooms aren’t as brightly lit, but

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LUXURY LIVING

March 2015

“It’s not only a nice thing to do, it’s the smart thing….

With relatively simple things, you can make a difference.”

with natural lighting spilling in from the glass walls, the ambassador said that most of the staff never give it a second thought.

To attain the platinum certification, the embassy invested roughly $150,000, money that Koukku-Ronde says the embassy recouped in the first year. The embassy’s gas consumption is down 65 percent, and it — Ritva Koukku-Ronde now spends 50 percent less on elecambassador of Finland to the United States tricity and 30 percent less water compared to the mid-2000s.

Renewable energy credits offset 100 house down. percent of the building’s total energy There were speeches, of course, along with consumption. accolades, delicious food, green trivia and even But more than those savings, a rock band. U.S. Ambassador to Finland Bruce which can seem abstract to anyone Oreck sent a video message congratulating the not on the maintenance or account“second” embassy in the world to receive the Photo: Embassy of Finland ing end of the business, Koukkuplatinum certification.

Ronde said the responsibility of hav- Expansive glass walls let natural daylight flood into the Finnish Embassy, symbolizing the U.S. Green Building Council President Roger ing a lighter environmental footprint country’s commitment to transparency.

Platt praised the Finns’ dedication to sustainabilis one shared by the entire staff. ity.“This is the first embassy to achieve an ener“The whole embassy staff has been doing incredible work, in that everybody has gy star from the EPA in the United States, the first LEED-certified embassy in the United been more conscious about the recycling, or not demanding it too cool when it’s very States, the first embassy to earn LEED Gold for an existing building,” Platt said. “And, hot outside, or the other way around,” Koukku-Ronde said.“We have the assumption that because the Finns are not happy with just getting one really good review, they believe people are leaving here for the night, so we’re not heating or cooling particularly high their green building has to be alive and remain green, and they’re the first embassy in on the evenings and weekends. But at the same time, you don’t notice it so much.” the U.S. to achieve the LEED platinum.”

She said the staff wasn’t content to stop at the building itself. They replaced the U.S. Undersecretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy added: “In these days ambassador’s car with a hybrid model and encourage people to come to work by walk- of climate change and the hardships and natural disasters and conflict that will coning, bicycling or mass transit.They even purchased three bicycles for staff use. tinue to require leadership and diplomacy, this building is a physical manifestation of “People are very motivated,” Koukku-Ronde said.“Everybody has been working very Finland’s commitment to a better world, to preserve and conserve natural resources, hard on the platinum status. It’s been giving a good feeling that you are participating in their commitment to human health, well-being and happiness.” something that is a very good goal.”

Finnish Secretary of State Peter Stenlund said the impetus behind the embassy’s And on Jan. 28, they shared that good feeling with the community in a green-themed See finland, page 26 platinum party that nearly brought the entire, environmentally friendly, LEED-certified

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LUXURY LIVING

March 2015

ARLINGTON, VA $2,749,000

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March 2015

LUXURY LIVING

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from page 23

Finland design was not only lofty, but also practical. “Sustainability always calls for balance, between the social, economic and ecological goals. What is important to understand is that sustainability is also good for business and for productivity.

Smart solutions are not only ecologically excellent, they make sense also economically.”

That balance is something that Koukku-Ronde focuses on as well.“It’s not only a nice thing to do, it’s the smart thing,” she told us.“We are saving something like $150,000 per year, just on maintenance costs.”

The achievements of the Finnish Embassy are so impressive — and a relatively minor investment compared to the savings — that you’d assume other diplomatic properties in Washington would adopt similar measures. However, the city’s diplomatic missions vary so greatly, from new buildings to repurposed and historical ones, that the challenges are different for each.

“The accomplishments of the Finland Embassy are certainly impressive and inspiring,” said Maria Belovas, press and cultural affairs officer at the Embassy of Estonia. “[W]e are also always looking for ways to minimize our energy consumption and to have a lighter impact on the environment, and have taken a number of steps over the years to be more ecologically conscious.”

Unlike the Finnish Embassy, which was purposely built for the mission, the Estonian Embassy is a classic 1905 building, originally constructed as a private home. However, both have found that implementing changes, however small, can have a large impact.

Photos: Embassy of Finland

Finnish sustainability standards were built into the design of Finland’s embassy in Washington when it was constructed 20 years ago.

When asked if other embassies should make similar eco-friendly improvements, Koukku-Ronde didn’t hesitate.“I definitely recommend it,” she said.“With relatively simple things, you can make a difference.”

Molly McCluskey (@MollyEMcCluskey) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

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March 2015

culture & arts

DIPLOMATIC SPOUSES

Overcoming Hurdles Gunta Razāne, a former track star, banking expert and wife of the Latvian ambassador, is proud of the many hurdles her small but resilient Baltic nation has overcome. PAGE 29

ART

Economic Craftsmanship

■ MARCH 2015

IBERIAN

SPOTLIGHT FESTIVALS

■ WWW.WASHDIPLOMAT.COM

entertainment

This spring, the Kennedy Center will open its stages to showcase the full repertoire of culture from Portugueseand Spanish-speaking countries around the world in “Iberian Suite: global arts remix,” an international festival featuring more than 600 artists and dozens of events. PAGE 28

Spain’s crafts industry took advantage of the country’s economic crash to reinvent itself and find new markets by teaming up with innovative designers. PAGE 32

THEATER

Royal Battle

PHOTO: SANTIAGO RELANZÓN

An emotionally charged political and familial drama unfolds between two iconic rival queens in the Folger Theatre’s brilliant staging of “Mary Stuart.” PAGE 33

Portugal’s Rodrigo Leão performs on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage March 20.

PHOTO: AUGUSTO BRAÜZIO

DINING

FILM REVIEWS

Summer House Santa Monica is a refreshing antidote to gray skies and winter blues. PAGE 34

“Girlhood” tackles the lack of assimilation in Paris’s immigrant communities. PAGE 36

[ festivals ]

Iberian Influx Kennedy Center Spotlights Spanish- and Portuguese-Speaking Worlds

by Molly McCluskey

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his spring, the Kennedy Center will open its stages to a full range of performances highlighting culture from Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking countries from around the world.

More than 600 artists will participate in “Iberian Suite: global arts remix,” an international festival running from March 3 to 24.

The festival’s opening performance will be held on March 3 in the Eisenhower Theatre and will include singers Carminho (Portugal) and Eugenia León (Mexico); dance company Grupo Corpo (Brazil); Arakaendar Choir and Orchestra (Bolivia); jazz saxophonist Moreira Chonguiça (Mozambique); D.C.’s own experimental orchestra PostClassical Ensemble; and ballet dancers Ángel and Carmen Corella (Spain) in their only festival appearance.

The festival is presented in cooperation with the PHOTO: SHAREN BRADFORD / THE DANCING IMAGE governments of Portugal and Spain.

Among the dozens of perforpany Teatro Meridional, which on March 4 “Iberian Suite will offer an extensive and mances at the Kennedy Center’s presents “Contos em Viagem – Cabo Verde vibrant panorama of contemporary cultural tradi“Iberian Suite: global arts remix” (Stories on a Journey – Cape Verde),” a onetions whose roots trace back to more than a milfestival are, from clockwise top: woman play based on texts that, despite havlennium,” said festival curator Alicia Adams, the Brazilian dance troupe Grupo ing a particular context and geography, speak Kennedy Center’s vice president of international Corpo; Cape Verde’s Carmen of the universality of emotions. programming and dance.“The intersections of arts Souza; Compañía María Pagés’s On March 6 and 7, the internationally across continents show the movement and metamodern flamenco piece “Utopia”; renowned Brazilian dance troupe Grupo phor, the quality, plurality and creativeness of the Mozambique jazz saxophonist PHOTOS: KENNEDY CENTER Corpo returns to the Kennedy Center for various genres and trends that have emerged from Moreira Chonguiça; and the first time in more than a decade for contact and encounters between artists that share Eugenia León, known as the the cutting-edge piece “Sem Mim & the Spanish and Portuguese languages.” “voice of Mexico.”

Onqotô.” Now in its 40th year, the conIn addition to concerts, dance and theatrical temporary dance group fuses Afroperformances, the festival will include installaBrazilian dance, ballet, jazz and other tions, literature panels and culinary events. A styles. highlight will be the “Picasso Ceramist and the On March 9, famed flamenco dancer Mediterranean” exhibition, a selection of more Sara Baras of Spain will make her debut than 140 ceramic pieces from the iconic artist on at the Kennedy Center as part of a worlddisplay in the Atrium and Atrium Foyers. Reflecting wide tour exhibiting a new Picasso’s attraction to Mediterranean colors, work that premiered in shapes and mythological creatures, the exhibition Paris late last year. On March is the first of its kind to be shown in the United Iberian Suite: global arts remix 11 and 12, Spanish-based States. from March 3 to 24 dancer and choreographer Pablo Picasso, along with two other luminaries Kennedy Center María Pagés, dubbed the of the Spanish-speaking world, Pablo Casals and “leading innovator of modPablo Neruda, receive a multimedia tribute in 2700 F St., NW ern flamenco” by the New “Tres Pablos” on March 13, which will include For more information, please call (202) 467-4600 York Times, also has a videos of all three late artists as well as live music or visit www.kennedy-center.org/festivals/iberia.

Kennedy Center debut with and interviews with several special guests. her work “Utopía.”

Visitors to the Kennedy Center can also take a stroll From March 5 to 7, Spain’s Jesús López-Cobos conducts two programs with the through “A Journey of Imagination” in the Hall of Nations, National Symphony Orchestra, while on March 10 and 11, PostClassical Ensemble where the work of four contemporary artists will honor presents the U.S. premiere of a multimedia program the blends music, flamenco the enduring legacy of influential Spanish- and Portuguesedance, poetry and visual art inspired by a confluence of Islamic, Catholic and Jewish language authors. Fashion inspired by Iberian artists and influences. cultures will be displayed in the Hall of States.

On March 14 and 15, Eugenia León, known as the “voice of Mexico,” pays tribute Meanwhile, the Kennedy Center café and restaurant to the greatest Ibero-American female singers in a special multimedia performance will showcase regional-specific menus and offer tastings, featuring composers from 14 countries. recipes and games designed for families. In the Nations On March 16, Carmen Souza of Cape Verde returns to the Kennedy Center with Gallery, “The Transatlantic Table: 500 Years of Global her signature mix of West African rhythms and contemporary jazz.

Gastronomy” will explore how many of the foods and And on March 21 and 22, Spain’s Ron Lalá Theater Company presents “Somewhere animals we know so well were in fact brought to the Americas, or discovered here and spread around the globe, thanks to Portuguese and in Quixote,” a play in which Cervantes, while writing his comic misadventures of a “not quite right” knight, begs his friends to act out and help finish his story.

Spanish exploration.

In addition, free Millennium Stage performances will be available nearly every night of the festival. Other highlights include: Portugal’s award-winning theater com- Molly McCluskey (@MollyEMcCluskey) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

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March 2015

[ diplomatic spouses ]

Victory Lap Athlete-MBA Wife and Latvian Ambassador Run Toward Same Goal

by Gail Scott

“W

e met in the sandbox” — not as toddlers, but as university track athletes. “I was doing the triple jump and the long jump,” recalled Gunta Razāne, wife of Latvian Ambassador Andris Razāns, himself a former competitive runner.

“I won first place in the Baltic Winter Games for 400 meters — we had no hurdles since it was winter — and I came in third in the whole Soviet Union when Latvia was still Soviet,” said the personable diplomatic wife.“I did the hurdles because they were more fun.

“I ran from the time I was 10 until I was about 20, my second year at university,” she said.“My ribbons and trophies are at home in Riga; I can’t bring all that heavy stuff with me.”

Instead, they have each brought their memories and lessons from growing up in a small but proud Baltic nation that chafed under Soviet control for nearly 50 years and now worries about a resurgent Russia on its border.As a result, Latvia has been using its 2015 presidency of the European Union to sound the alarm about Russian meddling in Ukraine (also see “Latvia Takes Over EU Presidency Amid Fears of Russian Aggression” in the January 2015 issue of The Washington Diplomat). Later this May, Riga is also hosting a summit for the Eastern Partnership, an initiative governing the EU’s relationship with the former Soviet republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and, notably, Ukraine.

Since regaining its independence in 1991, Latvia has steadily aligned itself with the West, joining the EU and NATO in 2004 and adopting the euro in 2014.The country of 2 million people is also proud to have survived an economic crash in 2008 that dumped cold water on its red-hot growth, which was fueled by risky borrowing and excessive spending. Painful austerity measures have begun to turn Latvia’s finances around, and of all the 15 former Soviet republics, only Estonia exceeds Latvia in per-capita GDP — a stunning turnaround for a nation occupied by both the Soviets and Nazis.

“I never even dreamed of working abroad, traveling, studying and living in different countries,” Razāne told us. “In 1989 I was 23 and I remember feeling movement in the air.Two years later in 1991, when I was 25, Latvia got its freedom. We are the lucky generation. It’s very natural for us to remember Soviet times and now again see Latvia belong to Europe.”

Her husband, speaking to The Diplomat for our January issue, also touts his country’s impressive transformation. “I’m old enough and fortunate enough to remember when Latvia was part of the Soviet Union. I spent my childhood and early years in a very different society from what we have today,” said Razāns, who studied engiGunta Razāne, wife of Latvian Ambassador Andris Razāns, was a former neering and holds a master’s degree in I never even dreamed of competitive runner in college who worked in banking and for the Latvian history.

Chamber of Commerce before her husband’s posting in Washington.

After joining his country’s Foreign working abroad, traveling, studying on her master’s degree in digital communication at Johns Hopkins Ministry in 1992, Razāns embarked on and living in different countries….

University. Previously, she went to Lund University in Sweden and then busihis first overseas assignment to the ness school in Denmark.

Latvian Embassy in Denmark. He went We are the lucky generation. It’s Their son Herman is in eighth grade at the British School of Washington, on to become deputy chief of mission which Razāne praised as “demanding not only for the students, but for the in Sweden (2000-03); diplomatic advivery natural for us to remember parents who help with the homework.” sor to the Latvian prime minister “Things are easier now that Zane is here. She helps Herman with his (2004); ambassador to Denmark (2004Soviet times and now again see homework and everything else.They are very close.”

09); ambassador to Morocco (2008In the meantime, Razāne also keeps busy by helping to showcase Latvia 10); and political director and underLatvia belong to Europe. through the embassy’s packed arts calendar. To celebrate the country’s EU secretary of state at the Foreign presidency and Riga’s designation as the 2014 European Capital of Culture, Ministry (2010-12).

— GUNTA RAZĀNE the embassy has held a variety of art exhibits, lectures and concerts in recent His wife works to promote Latvia wife of Latvian Ambassador Andris Razāns months. Among them there was: a joint show with the Swedish Embassy but otherwise is not working while in highlighting amber textile art; a display of urban landscape paintings at the Washington, which is unusual for her.

“As a student, I was supposed to study law but it was Soviet times. I chose business Ronald Reagan Building; a conference on transatlantic strategy in Eastern Europe on Capitol Hill; and a chamber music concert at the Phillips Collection. Other programs will instead,” she said.

With a master’s in business administration, Razāne worked in finance during most of be planned throughout the year.

“Just before the first snowstorm in January, there was an art exhibit in New York,” her husband’s career, whether they were living in Riga or abroad. She has taken banking business-related training programs in Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark and Britain. Razāne said.“The Latvian National Choir will be at the Lincoln Center on April 9 and on When he was posted to Sweden as deputy chief of mission and to Denmark as ambas- April 29, there is a jazz concert at the Kennedy Center. In May, there is another Latvian sador, she worked with large banks in both countries, sometimes continuing to repre- art exhibit. We also have a glass exhibit going to Mexico.”

Razāne is keen to show Americans the many talents of her homeland.“I am a straightsent those banks in their Latvian branches when the family returned to Riga. Over the years, she has also worked with the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and served as its forward, friendly person who is open to new things,” she told us.“I have so many ideas representative to the United States.

See DIPLOMATIC SPOUSES, page 35 The couple has two children: Their daughter Zane is now 28 years old and working

“

”

March 2015

The Washington Diplomat Page 29

[ theater ]

Lost in Life In ‘Cherokee,’ Escape from Suburbia Leads to Existentialist Trek

by Michael Coleman

W

[ 30

oolly Mammoth Theatre Company’s 35th season is off to an energetic and intriguing start with “Cherokee,” Obie Award-winning playwright Lisa D’Amour’s portrayal of two suburban Texas couples who go camping in search of inner peace only to find their lives turned upside down.

Cherokee marks the second collaboration for playwright Lisa D’Amour and director John Vreeke, who teamed up on last season’s Woolly Mammoth hit “Detroit.” In “Detroit,” two couples struggled against a banal suburban existence, their lives representing the problem of the modern American condition. In “Cherokee,” two couples from Houston head for the woods of North Carolina seeking solutions to that same problem.Their vacation takes an epic turn when one member of the group mysteriously vanishes and the others are visited by a Native American local who challenges assumptions about their lives and relationships.

Vreeke’s direction in “Cherokee” is assured and brisk, and his evenly matched, talented cast make us care from the outset. Meanwhile, state-of-the art production helps a staged campsite feel as visceral and pulse-pounding as a trip to a trendy nightclub. Daniel Ettinger’s snappy sets, swathed in warm orange and amber hues, are a marvel.A locker room morphs into a campground before it transforms into a casino, and the audience barely notices the transitions. But Ettinger reaches too far outside the box, literally, with intermittent use of an overhead projection screen.

He laudably aims to accentuate the action on stage, but the video images are distracting and superfluous, and the effect falls flat.

All the while, sound designer Palmer Hefferan’s auditory cues — creaking crickets, hooting owls screeching sirens — are consistently on point and greatly enhance the production.

The Woolly Mammoth Theatre itself, with its stellar sound, clear sight lines and sturdy, inviting dimensions, contributes to the first-rate feel of the production.

The play’s publicity materials trumpet the fact that one of Cherokee’s couples is white and the other is black, but race is scarcely an issue in this talky, meditative play.Traci and Mike, played by Erica Chamblee and Thomas W. Jones II, Cherokee are the black half of the foursome, a bit less educated and affluent than through March 8 their white friends, Janine and John, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company but also less uptight. Their displays 641 D St., NW of affection are a little corny, but Tickets start at $35. believable.

Meanwhile, Janine, played by For more information, please call (202) 393-3939 Jennifer Mendenhall, is convincing or visit www.woollymammoth.net. as a self-possessed, whiny and slightly ditsy soccer mom. After arriving at the camp, Janine gawks up at the pine trees and babbles about the beauty of it all, and immediately begins to question her life choices.

“How is it that our world here is so much smaller than Houston but it feels so much bigger?” Janine asks.

John, Janine’s husband, is a mid-level Houston oil executive played by Paul

The Washington Diplomat

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PHOTOS: STAN BAROUH

Bottom photo from left, Jennifer Mendenhall, Paul Morella, Thomas W. Jones II (also seen above), Erica Chamblee and Jason Grasl sit around the campfire in a wilderness trip that becomes an existential journey in Woolly Mammoth’s production of “Cherokee.”

Morella. Morella makes John likable, but prone to neurosis, frustration and self-doubt.

The couples pair well with each other, and as a foursome, they boast an easy rapport and intimate expressions of affection, sympathy and even irritation. John’s career makes for a subplot about energy policy that is a bit diverting but may be appreciated by a policy-centric Washington audience.

While the two middle-age couples are well-cast and effective in their roles, Jason Grasl shines as John, a Native American (of sorts) who encounters the group after one of them goes missing. Grasl’s easy way with a line belies the discipline and study he obviously brings to the role. Grasl switches back and forth between accents convincingly and propels the plot as he challenges these suburbanites’ view of the world.

Their conversations about the meaning of modern life and these people’s places in it always seem genuine, and at times even veer toward the profound.They project the self-doubts we all have.

“Sometimes I say things and I don’t even know if I believe what is coming out of my mouth,” Janine exclaims at one point.

“I do too — and no one is listening,”Traci replies, sadly.

The play’s second act veers toward the outlandish and the audience is asked to suspend disbelief (what is the likelihood that the camping crew would remain in the woods for days after one of them goes missing?) — but somehow it works.

“Cherokee” is at times absurd, but that’s the point. Sometimes our lives and priorities are absurd, as are the lengths to which we’ll consider going to escape a mundane existence. The play doesn’t offer easy answers, but it raises some important questions and validates the notion that sometimes we need to temporarily lose ourselves to find what really matters.

Michael Coleman (@michaelcoleman) is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

March 2015

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March 2015

The Washington Diplomat Page 31

[ art ]

Spain Innovates Craftsmen, Designers Team Up to Bounce Back

by Sarah Alaoui

T

PHOTO: LLADRÓ

Among the 90 handmade items in “Cutting-Edge Spanish Crafts” are, from top: a Parrot Parade vase created by Atelier Lladró and Jaime Hayon and sculpted by Alfredo Llorens; Chupacharcos with renaissance decoration, a piece traditionally used to skim water from the surface of ponds or small streams in dry zones of Andalucía; Ukelele bags

by Peseta for Marc Jacobs; and wooden candleholders Etna Mini by Woodendot.

he eurozone’s fourth-largest economy saw a sputter of life in 2014 with the first fullyear growth since the 2008 recession.

As Spain begins to see happier days in its road to economic recovery — or at least less gloomy days only be achieved if made by — its crafts industry is also hand,” said exhibition curaseeing a bounce-back. tor and journalist Tachy Mora, After a successful stint in Madrid whose book, “Cutting-Edge and Elche, “Cutting-Edge Spanish Spanish Crafts,” forms the Crafts, Innovation and Design,” an basis of the exhibit. exhibition showcasing the conTo set themselves apart and vergence of craft and design in stay afloat in a saturated marthe country, opened Feb. 5 at the ket, artisans in Spain specializformer residence of the Spanish ing in everything from wooden ambassador in D.C., which now furniture to leather products have serves as a cultural center. had to think outside of the box and “Spain has a unique first-quality innovate in terms of product, procraft industry tradition. Many of cess and markets they aim to reach. these brands have been, until now, a This is where the talent of designers has well-preserved secret, only known by come in handy for many. locals,” said Spanish Ambassador Ramón Designers are also benefiting from Gil-Casares. “In recent years we have seen these partnerships. Many have found it an increase in the demand for the excellency difficult to succeed in their own comof these designed artisanal products. Spanish petitive industry, but teaming up with craftsman offers an firms and designer-makers have now started to opportunity to participate in high-quality production by hand explore new markets making these products availor pave their own ways as artisans. This kind of collaboration able worldwide.” has also successfully trickled over into other areas such as archiThe exhibition features 90 handmade items reflect- PHOTO: TITO tecture and even gastronomy. ing the artists’ latest and most memorable “We must bring design, craftsmanship and research into new materiwork, including lamps, candles, purses, als together with manual or industrial production systems to achieve jewelry and glassware. Objects range beauty without sacrificing functionality,” said Enrique Loewe from hand-painted tiles that appear as Lynch of the Loewe Foundation, one of the exhibiting orgaif they came off a spaceship to nizations, in the foreword to Mora’s book. strikingly simple drinking glasses.

The book, written in 2011, features artisans, Featured exhibitors include designers and companies who are at the foreCeramica Cumella, a ceramics front of Spanish crafts today, many of whom family workshop founded in make an appearance in the D.C. exhibition.They 1880 that eventually began supare recognized for their collaboration with plying ceramics for construction designers and careful attention to aesthetics and stoneware for architecture. while maintaining a certain caliber of excellence Another part of the exhibition features that has helped propel Spanish craftsmanship the Barcelona company Cerabella, an old onto the world stage. handmade candle factory that began to collaborate with prominent designers in the Sarah Alaoui ((@musingsdiffused) 1980s to explore different ways to play with is a contributing writer for PHOTO: PESETA wax. Last but not least, King Philip V’s very own The Washington Diplomat.

Real Fábrica de Cristales de La Granja is showcased in the Cutting-Edge Spanish Crafts exhibit — one of the main glass production centers in through March 29 Europe that still uses the same Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain techniques of blowing and 2801 16th St., NW carving glass that it had in the For more information, please call (202) 728-2334 18th century, but now combined with contemporary or visit www.spainculture.us. design, of course.

Despite the far-from-perfect economic context in Spain and the rest of the continent, consumers remain fickle as ever and still seek originality and quality in their purchases. In times where authenticity more often than not takes a backseat to mass production and efficiency, the competition is fierce.

“Crafts can’t compete on price with industrial series, but it can win the design and quality battle, since there are some touches, finishes or fancy details that can PHOTO: WOODENDOT

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March 2015

[ theater ]

Elizabethan Cat Fight ‘Mary Stuart’ Is Volatile Mix of Political Intrigue and Personal Torment

by Lisa Troshinsky

B

urmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi once said, “It is not power that corrupts but fear.

Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.”

Such is the crux of the emotionally charged political and familial drama that unfolds between two iconic rival queens in the Folger Theatre’s brilliant staging of “Mary Stuart.”

Peter Oswald’s highly accessible modern translation of Friedrich Schiller’s play has been seen on London’s West End and Broadway to critical acclaim, receiving seven Tony nominations including Best Revival of a Play. The script eloquently delivers the tragic historical tale of how Queen Elizabeth I of England, a Protestant, imprisoned her Catholic cousin, the ousted Queen of Scots Mary Stuart, and proceeded to toy with Mary’s fate as she vacillated over whether to sentence Mary to death on charges of attempted murder.

The script is not an easy one. The expressive dialogue is fast-paced and word-heavy and the plot line is circuitous, fueled by both women’s jealousy, vanity, religious rivalry, pride and dread of losing control.

Luckily, director Richard Clifford cast two of Washington’s most accomplished veteran thespians — Kate Eastwood Norris as Mary Stuart and Holly Twyford as Queen Elizabeth — against each other in this nuanced battle for royal dominance. The production flows as seamlessly as if the actresses were born to embody these roles.

The fervor with which Norris and Twyford play these headstrong divas is nothing less than exhilarating to watch. The two have a long history of playing opposite each other at the Folger — as servants in“TheTwo Gentlemen of Verona” in 2004 and as Katherine and Tranio, respectively, in 2012’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” for example — and their acting chops here mesh in harmony and are equally matched in force and distinction. The result is a nail-biting showdown that, although it chronicles events in the 16th century, seems as current as if it was just now unfolding, causing the show’s two and a half hours to fly by in a prolonged bated breath.

The beauty and depth of this play stem from the fact that both queens are at once sympathetic and corrupt. Although Elizabeth clearly calls the shots from the safety of her luxurious throne, she is tortured by her inevitable decision to end a life and save her crown, while fearing backlash from Catholic zealots if she does.

Meanwhile, defenseless Mary, from the confines of a desolate dungeon, tries to turn England’s closest advisors against their queen, hoping to usurp the royal reins from her cousin.

Schiller’s script strays a bit from actual history, but in doing so, adds depth to the characters and plot intrigue. For example, he adds a face-to-face meeting between

March 2015

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Mary Stuart through March 8 Folger Theatre 201 East Capitol St., SE Tickets are $40 to $75.

For more information, please call (202) 544-7077 or visit www.folger.edu.

]

Mary and Elizabeth that never happened and creates a love triangle between the two women and the Earl of Leicester.

Another of Schiller’s embellishments, according to Folger dramaturg Michele Osherow, is a more sympathetic Mary “who admits to and suffers from remembrance of crimes past; if the actual Mary Stuart confessed to felony, the record’s been expunged.”

Although Mary’s sordid history contains failed marriages and an accusation that she killed a husband and married his murderer, Norris’s portrayal successfully paints her as the zealous and righteous Catholic begging for her life and believing that love can save her. Meanwhile, Twyford’s interpretation of Elizabeth is a luxurious study in dichotomies. She deftly walks the thin line between icy virgin monarch who toys with men’s devotions and is contemptuous of the younger Mary’s charms, and the self-doubting, non-committal ruler unwittingly thrown into an authority she doesn’t want.

PHOTO: TERESA WOOD Twyford is especially delightful when delivering witty lines while procrastinating and Holly Twyford offering honest asides: “She must be stunning if stars as Queen she can stir up the old ones,” Elizabeth quips with both sarcasm and true envy about Mary’s effect on Elizabeth I, above, her older subjects. while Kate Rounding out the strong cast is Nancy Robinette Eastwood Norris, as Mary’s devoted and distraught servant; Cody left, plays her Nickell as the Earl of Leicester; Rajesh Bose as the imprisoned cousin callous English advisor Lord Burleigh; and Paulthe Queen of Scots Emile Cendron as the naïve Mortimer, who tries in Friedrich and fails to free Mary from prison.

Schiller’s historical This production revels in contradictions. While epic “Mary Stuart.” it is packed with legalese and heady arguments moving a mile a minute, its underlying emotional intensity gradually overtakes academic logic, finally exploding in a surprising upsurge of pure passion. This is perhaps most felt when the Earl of Leicester, heartlessly cunning throughout his attempt to survive the ordeal unscathed, finally breaks down in a surprising exhibit of vulnerability.

The Folger’s high-ceilinged, intimate space allows the closeness an audience needs to feel the brunt of emotions on stage.Tony Cisek’s set that transitions from spine-chilling dungeon to over-stated, extravagant castle highlights the separate plight of the women. Meanwhile, Mariah Hale’s brilliant costumes, especially Elizabeth’s gown, are mesmerizing.

There’s no need to be a history buff to thoroughly enjoy the personal intrigue and political machinations of two legendary women whose battles resonate to this day.

Lisa Troshinsky is the theater reviewer for The Washington Diplomat.

The Washington Diplomat Page 33

[ dining ]

Life’s a Beach Summer House Santa Monica Brings West Coast Warmth to D.C.

by Rachel G. Hunt

O

n a cold and dreary February day, when it seems like winter might go on forever, who hasn’t fantasized about escaping to the tropics? Last month, chefs and partners Jeff Mahin and Francis Brennan tapped into the fantasy, brilliantly exploiting the winter doldrums by opening a California beach-inspired restaurant, Summer House Santa Monica, in the Pike & Rose development complex on Rockville Pike in Maryland.

It is a delightful antidote to gray skies and winter blues.The restaurant is light and airy with high ceilings and wide-open spaces. Lots of white paint, pale and golden woods, wicker furniture, bright lights, hanging plants and living walls of potted herbs (that will be spectacular when the plants get bigger) create an atmosphere that will transport you, if only for a few hours, to an oasis free of muddy boots, road salt and Arctic blasts of cold air.

Summer House is the brainchild of two displaced California natives.

After working in notable kitchens in the United States and oversees, both Mahin and Brennan ended up in Chicago at L20, an acclaimed seafood restaurant of the Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (LEYE) restaurant conglomerate. Discovering shared interests, the two first teamed up to open an artisanal donut shop, Do-Rite Donuts, in Chicago’s theater district.

While building the donut business, the two partners realized there was no restaurant in Chicago delivering the kind of food they had come to love as children growing up on the Pacific Coast, so they decided to develop one of their own. They opened the first Summer House in Chicago late last fall. It’s fitting that Summer House grew up in the Windy City, where residents really do have a reason to complain about the frigid weather.

The partners have built a refreshing, eclectic menu for Summer House, with slight variations between the two locations to accommodate regional availability of ingredients and local tastes. The menu, packed with California favorites, ranges from simply prepared starters, salads, sandwiches and sushi, to seasonally inspired entrées of meats, fish and pastas — with many of the dishes prepared on a wood-fire grill.

Summer House Two types of fish tacos, the wood-grilled mahi mahi Pike & Rose and spice-rubbed seared 11825 Grand Park Ave., tuna (or a land-based verNorth Bethesda, Md. sion of ancho-marinated (301) 881-2381 Amish chicken), are served deconstructed with savory www.summerhousesm.com black beans, cumin-scented Dinner: Mon.-Fri. and Sun., 5-10 p.m.; rice, guacamole, charred tomato, tomatillo salsas and Sat., 5-11 p.m. fresh soft corn tortillas.

Other coastal standouts include Starters: $7.95 to $16.95 three kinds of sushi; a yellowtail Entrées: $16.95 to $35.95 “beach bum” ceviche; the ahi tuna tostadas; and fried calamari in a Desserts: $7.95 to $8.95 thin spicy tempura crust with Reservations: Accepted spicy mayo and lime.

Dress: Casual One of the seafood dishes developed specifically for the East Coast menu features local rockfish. Grilled and served in a ginger dashi broth over a bed of tatsoi greens, buckwheat and shitake mushrooms, it’s a light dish with subtle but complex flavors. The wood-grilled Atlantic salmon, served with melted fennel, arugula pesto and espelette pepper, is classic California at its best.

Given the West Coast concept, it’s not surprising that Summer House does excellent

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The Washington Diplomat

PHOTOS: LETTUCE ENTERTAIN YOU ENTERPRISES

Beach house-inspired décor and retractable glass walls, along with simple, fresh dishes, evoke the California backgrounds of Jeff Mahin and Francis Brennan, the chefs behind Summer House Santa Monica.

salads. Most are light but heavy on the greens. The super greens salad is a simple combination of baby kale, mizuna, shaved celery, parmesan cheese and watercress, tossed with roasted garlic breadcrumbs and parmesan vinaigrette. For the shaved vegetable salad, small bits of romaine and iceberg lettuce are mixed with shaved seasonal vegetables, red quinoa, ricotta salata and sunflower seeds, all very lightly dressed in a light Italian vinaigrette.

The locally sourced produce concept, a natural for restaurants in California but a bit more difficult to adhere to in this area during the winter months, is central to Summer House’s menu. It currently sources its greens from TrueFarms in Haymarket, Va., which uses an indoor hydroponic growing system to produce greens throughout the year. In a bid for absolute freshness, Summer House’s living greens salad is made with greens that are cut to order from the living plants. Barely kissed with olive oil and fresh-squeezed lemon juice, the salad is topped off with crunchy-salty toasted pumpkin seeds.The salad is perfect in its simplicity (but may be less appealing to diners who like more than a hint of dressing).

In addition to the salads, Summer House offers a number of other meatless choices.An unusual roasted cauliflower features jalapeno pesto, parmesan cheese, candied lemon and breadcrumbs. Roasted baby beets are equally inventive, paired with a tangy grapeMarch 2015

The Washington Diplomat

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DINING GUIDE

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT

March 2015

THE DIPLOMAT DINING GUIDE YOUR RESTAURANT HERE 123 Dining Way www.web.com • (123) 555-1234

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fruit aioli, pomelo citrus fruit, avocado slices and gorgonzola crumbles. On the sweeter side, a thick slice of butternut squash is caramelized with sherry-maple brown butter and topped with roasted pecans. Caramelized Brussels sprouts with pancetta and modena vinegar are tasty but a bit watery on occasion.

One of our favorite dishes has been the vegetarian option from the “Things We Love” section of the menu. It’s a Thai-like vegan green curry made with very thinly sliced seasonal vegetables and served with quinoa and forbidden black rice. An unusual salad of fresh greens, mint and cilantro enhances the Asian character of the dish.

The entrée pairs particularly well with the fresh burrata starter, which is served with slow-cooked tomato jam, olive oil, arugula and house-made bread.

Mahin and Brennan’s donut-making days have come in handy on the sweet side of things.Though brief, the dessert menu runs the gamut from a heavy trifecta fudge cake to fresh fruit and yogurt. A sophisticated coconut panna cotta, not too sweet but very rich, is served with diced tropical fruits, chili lime granita and mint. Perhaps the most interesting choice is the glutenfree short bread served with Meyer lemon curd, orange marmalade and toasted almond ice cream. It’s a delightful taste of warmer climes.

Summer House boasts a long bar, behind which a creative beverage program churns out house cocktails, a collection of craft beers and a California-heavy wine list with a nice group available by the glass. The “chef-crafted” cocktails are interesting and quite simple, ranging from the bracingly strong Monte Cali —bourbon, Benedictine March 2015

and angostura bitters — to the sweet and easy Jalisco Smash made of blanco tequila, lime, cassis and mint.

The partners tapped chef Martin Ticar, formerly at Mon Ami Gabi in Bethesda and Reston (both LEYE restaurants), to run the kitchen on a day-by-day basis. Under his experienced guidance, the high-production kitchen, which opens out to the dining room, is an exercise in efficiency. It turns out dishes sometimes so quickly that it can be a challenge to keep up, especially if you are having a multi-stage meal.

Otherwise, there are remarkably few issues that you’d expect to see at newly opened restaurants.

Since its opening, Summer House has been busy. Even on off-peak nights, there have been sizable crowds. One byproduct of this success has been that popular menu items are occasionally unavailable. Despite the crowds (the restaurant seats 200 inside), the noise level has been surprisingly tolerable, even on the busiest evenings, thanks in part to the high ceilings and divisions between sections — there is a more formal dining room on one side, and a casual bar and high-top tables on the other.

Summer House is a welcome addition to Pike & Rose. Like other restaurants in the complex, it is large, high volume and part of a large corporate group, but it is distinct and done well. The food is interesting, appealing and well executed.The service is good and the atmosphere uplifting. This time of year, the respite it offers is a warm, welcome break from reality.

Rachel G. Hunt is the restaurant reviewer for The Washington Diplomat.

Call (301) 933-3552 to Advertise Your Restaurant in the New Diplomat Dining Guide.

from page 29

Diplomatic Spouses of things I’d like to do but there are only 24 hours in a day. I have to prioritize and fulfill some of my ideas later.”

In particular, Razāne said she is proud by the artistry of Latvians, whose capital, Riga, is considered a landmark of art nouveau architecture. She also noted that the conductor and music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons, is Latvian and his wife, Kristine Opolais, sings with the Metropolitan Opera, as do several other Latvians.

“Latvians sing more than people from other countries,” she said. “Almost all of us sing in a chorus…. We sing all night for our midsummer celebration. We are singing songs when the sun goes down and singing a special song for the sunrise.”

The country also holds one of the largest amateur choral events in the world, the Latvian Song and Dance Festival, in which some 30,000 people participate. “A song fest is traditional for us with singers and dancers. We walk through the city, singing, like a parade, and people line the sidewalks,” Razāne explained. “Some families sing more than others and even have singing books that they have saved down through the generations.

“We have talented, hardworking people who have a wonderful nature. Latvia is one of the greenest countries in the world with 50 percent forest and we have 300 miles of sandy beaches that are very clean,” she added.

Latvians are also renowned for their crafts, a tradition that the embassy often showcases in its exhibits. During our interview, Razāne displayed intricately crocheted white snowflakes she made to hang on a Christmas tree.“I made these for the

Gunta Razāne bakes traditional Latvian dessert with her daughter, Zane, left, and son Herman.

Latvian Christmas bazaar and the embassy’s Christmas tree,” she said. “I like to do my part. I make them all year long.”

In fact, Latvia’s Foxhall Crescent residence is filled with stunning Latvian glass bowls and features a striking red kitchen punctuated by three hanging paper lights. One is cut in the shape of a furry dog; another looks more like a big white ball made out of bicycle pedals, and the third is a cream-colored confection reminiscent of Latvian braided bread.

When they’re not busy promoting Latvia, the athletic couple run in Battery Kemble Park, near their residence. “I’m trying to run each day but usually I run twice a week,” said Razāne, who also enjoys swimming, ice skating and skiing.

“We usually go skiing in Europe each year as a family, some time in February or March,” she said.

“When I was pregnant I couldn’t ski; I just looked on. Our daughter and my husband just said, ‘You should wait.’ That didn’t feel really fair,” she laughed.

Gail Scott is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.

The Washington Diplomat Page 35

[ film reviews ]

Alienation in Paris Coming-of-Age Troubles of ‘Girlhood’ Are Current Yet Universal

by Ky N. Nguyen

A

Language Film Academy t the 2015 Sundance Award. Its odds of taking Film Festival, French home the Oscar are bolstered writer-director Céline by having won the National Sciamma (“Tomboy,” Board of Review award for “Water Lilies”) and Best Foreign Language Film. her third film The anthology presents “Girlhood” made a multiple chapters that deftly striking impression in the festival’s demonstrate how some peoSpotlight section, which showcasple reach a point where they es Sundance programmers’ favorare no longer capable of adeite films — mostly foreign — that quately dealing with the preshave played in other festivals. sures of the modern world, The film is a powerful comingparticularly inequity in socioof-age story about teenage girls of economic status and justice.

African descent growing up in the When pushed beyond their banlieues, the impoverished sublimits, they go off the deep urbs northeast of Paris where the end, an insanity that can honfamilies of low-income African estly be a cathartic stress and Arab immigrants — mostly relief and perhaps even enjoyPhoto: stRand ReleasIng Muslim — are largely segregated. able. The triggers include the In French cinema, black women, from left, mariétou touré, lindsay Karamoh, Karidja touré and assa sylla star as troubled teens in Céline accumulating effects from and especially black teenage girls, sciamma’s “Girlhood.” experiencing regular acts of are significantly underrepresentforce, an unfaithful romantic ed compared to their population, partner and an upsetting blast from the past. so “Girlhood” offers a rarely heard, distinctive perspective.

In one sense, the Sundance screenings Wild Tales were highly topical, taking place just a (Relatos Salvajes) couple of weeks after the January terrorist (Spanish with subtitles; 122 min.; scope) attacks that started with the shootings at Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Landmark’s E Street Cinema Hebdo in Paris. The shocking attacks brought massive media coverage that ★★★★✩ raised global awareness of the significantly Legendary maverick Spanish filmmaker non-assimilated, tense existence of black, Photo: JavIeR JulIÁ / sonY PICtuRes ClassICs Pedro Almodóvar is a producer of the ArgentineArab and Muslim people within French Spanish co-production, which was also nomisociety. The terrorists came from neigh- dario grandinetti, left, and maría marull join an ensemble cast in argentinian nated for nine Spanish Goya Awards. As might borhoods like the banlieues, where vast writer-director damián szifrón’s anthology “Wild Tales.” be expected for a film produced by Almodóvar, swaths of people, especially youth, are disaffected by their lack of economic prospects and marginalization from main- “Wild Tales” runs on heavy doses of dark humor, macabre situations, crazy characters and high energy.The film delightfully skewers the ingrained class structures of stream French culture.

Sciamma’s well-crafted original screenplay astutely lays out the parameters of contemporary Argentinian society.

Szifron definitely earned his multiple credits for writing the clever original this disillusionment.Yet the rites of passage faced by the main character(s) are also universal in nature, to a substantial degree. Sciamma’s perceptive direction creates screenplay, adroitly helming the production and the actors, and crisply co-editing a feeling of truth without ramming the issues down the throats of the audience or the footage. The solid ensemble cast of Ricardo Darín, Oscar Martínez, Érica Rivas, being overly melodramatic.The young primary cast members are very believable in Germán de Silva, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Rita Cortese, Julieta Zylberberg and Darío their roles, especially newcomer Karidja Touré, who delivers a fierce, tour-de-force Grandinetti delivers vivid acting that helps to develop the characters more fully. performance as the protagonist, Marieme.

Marieme is an intelligent, timid adolescent Girlhood Tedeschi Anchors ‘Human Capital’ girl who seeks to make a change. She’s frus(Bande de Filles) At the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival, Italian actress Valeria Bruni Tedeschi deservtrated by circumstances that restrain her from (French with subtitles; 113 min.; scope) getting ahead. She’s abused by her brother, edly won Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film for her sensitive portrayal of Carla Angelika Mosaic intimidated by the “boys’ law” that rules the in “Human Capital,” directed by Paolo Virzì (“Caterina in the Big City”). Tedeschi’s Angelika Pop-Up neighborhood and forlorn about her lack of nuanced performance, as an affluent Human Capital West End Cinema future prospects despite being a decent stu- woman uneasy with her position in society, dent. She begins to hang out with three more provides the emotional center of the film.

(Il Capitale Umano) ★★★★✩ carefree, experienced and street-smart girls Virzì’s assured direction draws solid perfor(Italian and English with subtitles; (Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré).The path she takes to fit in with the mances from the talented ensemble cast 110 min.; scope) gang leads her to commit theft, drop out of school and other major life decisions. and keeps the proceedings moving along at Landmark’s E Street Cinema a deliberate pace.

Virzì, Francesco Bruni and Francesco ★★★★✩ ‘Wild Tales’: Exciting Ride Piccolo co-wrote the thoughtful screenplay, Argentinian writer-director-editor Damián Szifrón (“On Probation,”“The Bottom an adroit adaptation of Stephen Amidon’s novel of the same name. The elegant of the Sea,”TV’s “Pretenders”) presented the anthology “Wild Tales” to a warm wel- structure relates the story in three segments overlapping in time, told from the come at the most recent Sundance Film Festival, where the hilarious black comedy perspective of a different character, in a manner somewhat reminiscent of Japanese was a highlight of the Spotlight section. In Park City, Utah, the anticipation for “Wild Tales” was boosted by its recent nomination for the 2015 Best Foreign see FILM REVIEWS, page 37

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March 2015

[ film festivals ]

Planet’s Problems Climate Change is Focus of 23rd Environmental Film Festival

by Ky N. Nguyen

R

eturning March 17 to 29, the 23rd annual Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital boasts over 160 films from 31 countries, with a special focus on climate change this year. The sweeping showcase will touch on an impressive array of issues affecting the planet, from the importance of annual rains in India; to the consequences of hydraulic fracking; to the appalling waste in our food system.

The festival has long enjoyed participation from myriad partners across the metropolitan area, including helping hands from a good number of diplomats at embassies in D.C. On Feb. 11, the Embassy of Singapore hosted a benefit reception for the festival, the longest-running and largest environmental film festival in the United States, as well as the largest film festival in the D.C. area.Ambassador Ashok Mirpuri and his wife honored Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Dr. Sandra T. Whitehouse as “Champions of the Earth’s Oceans and Climate.”

On Tue., March 17, the opening-night film “Charlie’s Country” makes its D.C. premiere at the Embassy of Australia, introduced by Teresa Keleher, director of embassy cultural relations.The film follows a warrior living in a remote Aboriginal community in northern Australia who is caught between two cultures and ways of life.

On Wed., March 18, the U.S. premiere of “Bye Bye Car,” a film about the future of mobility, takes place at the Royal Netherlands Embassy and will be introduced by Janneke de Vries, counselor for infrastructure and the environment.

Various other embassy features happen March 18 as well: In “My Stuff,” a young man who runs up his credit card debt starts an existentialist experiment when he puts all of his belongings in a storage container and only allows himself to retrieve one item per day. The film screens at the Embassy of Finland, where it will be introduced by cultural counselor Keijo Karjalainen and followed by a talk with filmmaker Petri Luukkainen and a reception.

“Sharks of Mexico” unspools at the Mexican Cultural Institute, introduced by minister Laura Ramírez-Rasgado followed by a discussion with filmmaker Gerardo del Villar, an underwater photographer who led an extraordinary and dangerous expedition to study and document Mexico’s more than 100 shark species.

Meanwhile, at Singapore’s Embassy, Gouri Mirpuri, wife of the ambassador, introduces the D.C. premiere of “No Word for Worry,” preceded by the short “City Made from the Sky.” On Thu., March 19, “Journey to the Safest Place on Earth” at the Swiss Embassy examines the challenges of finding a final repository for the most dangerous waste man has ever produced: highly radioactive nuclear waste.

Later that night,“H2OMX” about Mexico City’s water crisis plays at the Inter-American Development Bank.

On Fri., March 20, at the Carnegie Institution for Science, Luc Jacquet’s work-in-progress “Ice & Sky,” part of the Luc Jacquet Retrospective, is co-presented by the Embassy of France. The Oscar-winning director presents clips from his new film about glaciologist Claude Lorius’s groundbreaking study of Antarctic glaciers that first alerted the world to the effects of climate change.

On Sat., March 21, at the Avalon Theatre, the Embassy of France co-presents another film in the Luc Jacquet Retrospective,“March of the Penguins,” boasting introduction and post-film talk by filmmaker Jacquet.

On Sun., March 22, at the West End Cinema, the Embassy of France co-presents the continuation of the Luc Jacquet Retrospective,“The Fox and the Child,” about

On March 18, the Embassy of Singapore screens “No Word for Worry,” about a sea nomad trying to preserve the remains of his culture off the coast of Myanmar.

Photo: Ten Thousand Images / Dept of Hallum & Jensen AS

how a young girl’s adventures with a fox teach her to appreciate the beauty of the natural world. The Italian Cultural Institute teams up with AFI Silver Theatre for “Sacro Gra,” which documents a tumultuous ring road that encircles Rome.

On Mon., March 23, the Embassy of Spain co-presents the D.C. premiere of “Costa da Morte” at AFI Silver, while the D.C. premiere of “Thule Tuvalu” plays at the Embassy of France.

On Tue., March 24, the Goethe-Institut hosts the U.S. premiere of “Gambling on Extinction,” which investigates the players in the poaching business, from organized cartels, to terrorist groups funding political conflicts, to investors and consumers. Also that day, “See No Evil,” a

to learn

more

For more information and a complete schedule, please visit www.dcenvironmentalfilmfest.org.

poetic, painful documentary about the relationship between humans and apes, makes its U.S. premiere at the Embassy of France.

On Wed., March 25, the Embassy of Spain co-presents the D.C. premiere of “E-Waste Tragedy” at the GoetheInstitut, followed by a talk with filmmaker Cosima Dannoritzer. Also that night, the Embassy of France hosts the D.C. premiere of “Just Eat It:A Food Waste Story,” while “Population Boom” screens at the Embassy of Austria, introduced by cultural counselor Andreas Pawlitschek.

On Fri., March 27, the Japan Information and Culture Center screens “Sunshine Ahead” about a man who attempts to revive the coral reefs in his hometown of Okinawa.

On Sat., March 28, the Royal Netherlands Embassy copresents the U.S. premiere of “The New Wilderness” at AFI Silver, which also screens the D.C. premiere of “My Name Is Salt” in conjunction with the Embassy of Switzerland.

Ky N. Nguyen is the film reviewer for The Washington Diplomat.

from page 36

Film Reviews auteur Akira Kurosawa’s groundbreaking “Rashomon.”

The script makes pointed but restrained social commentary about a key tenent: that the rich live by different rules, even when they are under severe duress, turning regular people into mere pawns in their highstakes chess games.

Typically moody teenager Serena (Matilde Gioli) gets a new boyfriend, Massimiliano (Guglielmo Pinelli), who turns out to be from a dazzlingly wealthy family.

Serena’s father Dino (Fabrizio Bentivoglio), a small potatoes real estate broker who’s desperate to climb the social ladder, schemes to meet the master of the universe, Giovanni (Fabrizio Gifuni), when dropping off Massimiliano at his family’s villa. Giovanni is cordial but not truly impressed by Dino’s lack of true sophistication and repeated advances.

To throw him a bone and somewhat brush him off, Giovanni invites Dino to invest in his hedge find. Dino seizes the opportunity to get a piece of the huge investment returns that have made Giovanni rich. Without consulting his wife Roberta (Valeria Golino), who’s

Photo: Film Movement

“Human Capital” makes pointed but restrained social commentary that the rich live by different rules, turning regular people into mere pawns in their high-stakes chess games.

expecting their new child, Dino takes out a mortage to invest the borrowed money on top of their entire life savings, money they cannot afford to lose. When economic conditions suddenly change drastically, that “sure thing” turns out to be not so certain.

Ky N. Nguyen is the film reviewer for The Washington Diplomat.

March 2015

The Washington Diplomat Page 37

[ film ]

CINEMA LISTING *Unless specific times are listed, please check the theater for times. Theater locations are subject to change.

Amharic Beti and Amare Directed by Andy Siege (Ethiopia/Germany/Canada, 2014, 94 min.)

In 1936 Ethiopia, Beti, a young woman, has escaped Mussolini’s invading troops and found refuge in the peaceful south of Ethiopia with her uncle. But as the Italians march ever closer, Beti has to battle hunger, thirst and the unwelcome sexual advances of the local militia.

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., March 14, 9:15 p.m., Mon., March 16, 9:20 p.m.

Triangle – Going to America Directed by Theodros Teshome (Ethiopia, 2014, 90 min.)

Kaleab and Jemal, like many of their fellow countrymen, are willing to risk everything in hopes of finding a better life in America. On the arduous journey, they meet the beautiful Winta, a fellow migrant from neighboring Eritrea.

Kaleab and Winta fall in love and endure tragedy as they make their way from East Africa through Libya, Italy, Mexico and finally to America (opening night of the New African Film Festival).

AFI Silver Theatre Thu., March 12, 7:15 p.m., Sat., March 14, 6:30 p.m.

Azerbaijani Ashik Kerib Directed by Sergei Paradjanov (U.S.S.R., 1988, 78 min.)

When Ashik Kerib, a poor singer and saz (Turkish guitar) player, is denied the hand of the woman he loves, he sets out on a 10-year journey (screens with “The Legend of Suram Fortress”).

Freer Gallery of Art Sun., March 15, 3:45 p.m.

Directed by Jeta Amata (Nigeria/U.S., 2015, 96 min.)

A volatile, oil-rich Nigerian community wages war against their corrupt government and a multi-national oil corporation to protect their land from being destroyed by excessive drilling and spills.

AFI Silver Theatre Fri., March 13, 9:30 p.m., Tue., March 17, 9:45 p.m.

Bye Bye Car Directed by Martijn Kieft

38

Riverblue Directed by David McIlvride (Canada, 2015, 83 min.)

Through harsh chemical manufacturing processes and the irresponsible disposal of toxic chemical waste, blue jean manufacturing has destroyed rivers and distressed the lives of people who count on these waterways for their survival (Environmental Film Festival).

Charlie’s Country Directed by Rolf de Heer (Australia, 2014, 108 min.)

Living in a remote Aboriginal community in northern Australia, Charlie is a warrior lost between two cultures and ways of life. Modern society offers survival but the government’s stranglehold restricts all his power and independence (Environmental Film Festival).

Embassy of Australia Tue., March 17, 6:45 p.m.

A Dangerous Game Directed by Anthony Baxter (U.K., 2014, 98 min.)

Our ability to protect what’s left of our vanishing and fragile world is threatened when rapacious developers build golf courses on fragile and historically significant lands, often in cahoots with local officials (Environmental Film Festival).

Landmark’s E Street Cinema Wed., March 18, 7 p.m.

E-Waste Tragedy Directed by Cosima Dannoritzer (Spain, 2014, 86 min.)

Every year millions of tons of discarded electronic waste — computers, television sets, mobile phones, household appliances _ are shipped illegally to India, China or Africa (Environmental Film Festival).

Goethe-Institut Wed., March 25, 6:30 p.m.

Four Corners Thirteen-year-old chess prodigy Ricardo, fatherless and raised by his grandmother, finds himself at a crossroads, lured in equal measure by the thrill of the chessboard and the seductive prestige of joining a powerful street gang (English and Afrikaans).

Black November

Landmark’s E Street Cinema Opens Fri., March 13

Royal Netherlands Embassy Wed., March 18, 6 p.m.

B’ella

AFI Silver Theatre Sun., March 15, 2:30 p.m., Tue., March 17, 5:15 p.m.

by a trouble-making army mate, but they never get near Korea, instead engaging in a constant battle of wits.

Investigating the first spectacular signs of the future of mobility, director Martijn Kieft speaks with a variety of users, experts, business representatives and engineers to find out what they think the future of transportation has in store for us (Environmental Film Festival).

Directed by Ian Gabriel (South Africa, 2013, 114 min.)

In the small Malawi village that 17-year-old B’ella calls home, AIDS is an ever-present danger. She goes to school and struggles with teenage life and all its problems: stormy relationships with friends, jealousy and the yearning for love and intimacy.

March 2015

(Netherlands, 2014, 50 min.)

English Directed by Tawonga Taddja Nkhonjera (Malawi, 2014, 111 min.)

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT

Photo: Peg Leg Films

Director and film subject Grant Baldwin checks out a dumpster of excess, but edible, food in “Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story,” part of the Environmental Film Festival.

Lethal, highly radioactive nuclear waste from decades of nuclear power use will remain toxic for centuries. Locating a final repository for the most dangerous waste man has ever produced is one of the great challenges facing the world today (Environmental Film Festival).

Embassy of Switzerland Thu., March 19, 6 p.m.

Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story

National Museum of Natural History Sat., March 28, 12 p.m.

Directed by Grant Baldwin and Jen Rustemeyer (Canada, 2014, 75 min.)

Merchants of Doubt

Nearly 50 percent of food, worth billions of dollars, is discarded in North America each year. The film explores our nation’s systemic and ruinous obsession with expiration dates and perfect produce, ultimately revealing the devastating consequences of our habits across the globe (Environmental Film Festival).

Embassy of France Wed., March 25, 7 p.m.

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter

Landmark’s E Street Cinema Opens Fri., March 13

Directed by David Zellner and Nathan Zellner (U.S., 2015, 105 min.)

Monsoon

A Japanese woman discovers a VHS copy of “Fargo” and, believing it to be a treasure map of a hidden stash of money, escapes her life in Tokyo for the frozen tundra of North Dakota in search of fortune (English and Japanese).

Landmark’s E Street Cinema Opens Fri., March 27

An Honest Liar

Flora, fauna and legends are overshadowed by the effects of climate change in the largest lake in the Antilles (Environmental Film Festival).

Landmark’s E Street Cinema Opens Fri., March 20

Directed by Robert Kenner (U.S., 2014, 96 min.)

This documentary lifts the curtain on a secretive group of highly charismatic, silver-tongued pundits-for-hire who present themselves in the media as scientific authorities, yet have the contrary aim of spreading maximum confusion about well-studied public threats ranging from toxic chemicals to pharmaceuticals to climate change.

Lago Enriquillo …

A Prelude to Climate Change

A story of cons and deceptions enacted for both good and evil, “An Honest Liar” follows the life of James “The Amazing” Randi, a world-renowned magician, escape artist and master skeptic who has entertained and educated the world for over 50 years.

Directed by Mark Grieco (Colombia, 2014, 87 min.)

The small Colombian mining town of Marmato sits on $20 billion dollars in gold and the new global gold rush miners have taken notice (English and Spanish; Environmental Film Festival).

AFI Silver Theatre Fri., March 13, 7 p.m., Thu., March 19, 9:05 p.m.

Directed by Tyler Measom and Justin Weinstein (U.S./Spain/Italy/Canada, 2014, 92 min.)

Marmato

Directed by Fernando Báez (Dominican Republic, 2014, 73 min.)

GALA Hispanic Theatre Wed., March 20, 8 p.m.

Love Hunter Directed by Branislav Bala and Nemanja Bala (U.S., 2014, 86 min.)

Journey to the Safest Place on Earth

Manhattan cab driver, who is an idolized rock ‘n’ roll icon and political activist back home in Serbia, spends nights behind the wheel to finance his faltering dream of achieving musical stardom.

Directed by Edgar Hagen (Switzerland, 2013, 100 min.)

West End Cinema Thu., March 5, 7:30 p.m.

Directed by Sturla Gunnarsson (Canada/France, 2014, 106 min.)

The annual rains that descend upon India alternately result in disastrous and beneficial impacts on Indian society, economy, agriculture and individual lives (Environmental Film Festival).

National Museum of Natural History Fri., March 27, 7:15 p.m.

Population Boom Directed by Werner Boote (Austria, 2013, 87 min.)

The world’s current total of 7 billion residents might double in 61 years. The production of food and consumer goods would have to increase considerably to satisfy the new demand, and the amount of refuse and pollution would grow as well (English and German; Environmental Film Festival).

Embassy of Austria Wed., March 25, 7:30 p.m.

Queen and Country Directed by John Boorman (U.K./France/Romania, 2015, 115 min.)

A decade after a young Bill Rohan rejoiced in the destruction of his school by an errant Luftwaffe bomb, he begins basic training in the early 1950s, during the Korean War. He is joined

National Museum of Women in the Arts Sun., March 22, 3 p.m.

Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Directed by John Madden (U.S./U.K., 2015, 122 min.)

The gang of British retirees reunites as hotel owner Sonny pursues his expansionist dreams in India, making more claims on his time than he has available while romance blooms for his tenants.

Angelika Mosaic Opens Fri., March 6

See No Evil Directed by Jos de Putter (Netherlands, 2014, 70 min.)

Three retired apes: a film star, a scientist and a cripple look back at their lives and the intriguing relationship between humans and apes in this poetic, painful documentary (Environmental Film Festival).

Embassy of France Tue., March 24, 7 p.m.

Thule Tuvalu Directed by Matthias von Gunten (Switzerland, 2013, 98 min.)

With Thule’s glacial ice melting at record levels and Tuvalu’s landmass sinking below the rising sea, the inhabitants must respond to climate change or perish (Environmental Film Festival).

Embassy of France Mon., March 23, 7 p.m.

Veve Directed by Simon Mukali (Kenya/Germany, 2014, 95 min.)

This film follows the lives of multiple characters trying to find themselves in a world of political intrigue, revenge, love and longing for success — set against the backdrop of the thriving yet unregulated veve business (veve, or chat, is a mildly narcotic East African crop).

AFI Silver Theatre Sun., March 15, 9 p.m., Thu., March 19, 7:10 p.m.

What We Do in the Shadows Directed by Jemaine Clement and T aika Waititi (New Zealand, 2014, 96 min.)

In this hilarious comedy, an endearingly unhip quartet of flatmates — and vampires — squabble over household chores, struggle to keep up with the latest trends, antagonize the local werewolves and deal with the rigors of living on a very, very strict diet.

Landmark’s E Street Cinema

The Washington Diplomat

March 2015

Where the Road Runs Out Directed by Rudolf Buitendach (Equatorial Guinea/South Africa/ Netherlands, 2014, 91 min.)

from an illustrious scientific career in the lecture halls of europe, professor george mensa finds himself back in africa when a friend unexpectedly passes away. Inheriting a field station in the mosquito-infested jungle, george soon learns that challenges come in all sizes — especially when a local orphan boy shows up at his doorstep.

AFI Silver Theatre Sun., March 15, 4:45 p.m., Wed., March 18, 8:30 p.m.

Finnish My Stuff (Tavarataivas) Directed by Petri Luukkainen (Finland, 2013, 80 min.)

Petri is in the middle of an existential crisis when he decides to start an experiment on himself: he puts all his belongings in a storage container and for one year, allows himself to retrieve only one item per day (environmental film festival).

Embassy of Finland Wed., March 18, 6:30 p.m.

Flemish The New Wilderness Directed by Mark Verkerk and Ruben Smit (Netherlands, 2013, 94 min.)

In one of the most densely populated and manipulated countries of europe lies the oostvaardersplassen, a unique experiment in letting nature run wild. this documentary charts the cycle of life through the course of four seasons in this thriving, verdant wetland (flemish and dutch; environmental film festival).

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., March 28, 3:10 p.m.

French The Fox and the Child (Le renard et l’enfant) Directed by Luc Jacquet (France, 2007, 92 min.)

a 10-year-old girl sees a fox up close on the way to school. he sits as she watches. over the summer, while following the fox, the girl lives through many adventures and learns to appreciate the beauty of the natural world (environmental film festival).

West End Cinema Sun., March 22, 12 p.m.

Goodbye to Language 3D (Adieu au langage) Directed by Jean-Luc Godard (Switzerland/France, 2014, 70 min.)

Jean-luc godard’s sensorially immersive experience employs verbal and visual poetry via 3d technology to mind-expanding effect, as a married woman and a single man meet. they love, they argue, fists fly, a dog strays between town and country, the seasons pass and then a second film begins — the same as the first, and yet not.

Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema Opens Fri., March 20

Left Foot, Right Foot Directed by Germinal Roaux (Switzerland/France, 2013, 105 min.)

marie, 19, is attracted to easy money and, without realizing it, becomes involved in prostitution. she doesn’t tell

March 2015

her friend vincent, a nonchalant 21-year-old skater who owes everyone money and just can’t seem to grow up — both of them caught up in a society where money, appearance and perpetual self-delusion are everything.

West End Cinema Tue., March 10, 7 p.m.

March of the Penguins Directed by Luc Jacquet (France/U.S., 2005, 80 min.)

emperor penguins overcome formidable obstacles to return to their breeding grounds for mating season in this oscar-winning film by luc Jacquet (french and english; environmental film festival).

Avalon Theatre Sat., March 21, 10:30 a.m.

National Diploma Directed by Dieudo Hamadi (Congo/France, 2014, 92 min.)

filmmaker dieudo hamadi follows a group of young Congolese high school students struggling to graduate and pass their exam in this captivating documentary (french and lingala).

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., March 14, 12:45 p.m., Wed., March 18, 5:15 p.m.

Run Directed by Philippe Lacôte (Côte d’Ivoire/France, 2014, 102 min.)

In his ambitious narrative feature debut, director Philippe lacôte balances fantasy with vérité to illuminate the frayed world of a fatherless young man growing up in the Ivory Coast.

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., March 14, 2:45 p.m., Mon., March 16, 7:15 p.m.

Soleils Directed by Dani Kouyaté (Burkina Faso/France, 2014, 96 min.)

Part road trip through time, part heroine’s journey through memory, this film is a beautifully rendered meditation on the wisdom of africa, as a young woman is initiated into the roots and legacy of her heritage.

AFI Silver Theatre Sun., March 15, 6:45 p.m., Mon., March 16, 5:15 p.m.

Timbuktu Directed by Abderrahmane Sissako (France/Mauritania, 2014, 97 min.)

mauritania’s first-ever official entry for Best foreign language film academy award consideration looks at the brief occupation of timbuktu by militant religious fundamentalists. not far from timbuktu, Kidane lives peacefully in the dunes with his family, but their destiny changes when Kidane accidentally kills the fisherman who slaughtered his beloved cow and he has to face the new laws of the foreign occupants (french, arabic, Bambara, english and songhay).

Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema

Gallegan Costa da Morte Directed by Lois Patiño (Spain, 2015, 81 min.)

In this stunningly photographed documentary, craftsmen wage an intimate battle while fishermen and loggers dig into the mystery of the landscape interwoven with the region’s history and legends (environmental film festival).

AFI Silver Theatre Mon., March 23, 7:10 p.m.

Georgian Blind Dates Directed by Levan Koguashvili (Georgia, 2013, 95 min.)

a shining example of contemporary georgian cinema, this romantic tragicomedy tells the story of forty-something sandro, who lives with his parents and has no luck finding love while his best friend meets and dates various women.

Freer Gallery of Art Fri., March 20, 7 p.m.

The Legend of Suram Fortress Directed by Sergei Paradjanov and Dodo Abashidze (U.S.S.R., 1985, 82 min.)

Based on a Caucasus mountains legend that tells of the georgian people’s efforts to construct a fortress against invaders, a fortune-teller recalls a prophecy that a handsome young man must be walled inside alive their fortress in order for the building to stand. the son of her own lover is the sacrificial lamb (screens with “ashik Kerib”).

Freer Gallery of Art Sun., March 15, 2 p.m.

The Way Home

marriage laws, in this powerhouse courtroom drama (hebrew, french and arabic).

a community of magical, shape-shifting raccoon dogs desperately struggles to prevent their forest home from being destroyed by urban development (environmental film festival).

Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema

Japanese

AFI Silver Theatre Sun., March 22, 1 p.m.

Appleseed: Alpha

Sunshine Ahead

Directed by Shinji Aramaki (Japan, 2013, 93 min.)

In this prequel to the “appleseed” anime films, female soldier deunan and her hulking cyborg partner Briareos roam a World War III-ravaged new York in search of the legendary city of olympus, mankind’s last hope (screens with “harlock: space Pirate”).

Directed by Toshio Lee (Japan, 2010, 120 min.)

Kenji quits his job to grow and transplant coral in his hometown of okinawa, attempting to revive the reefs, protect this resource for his children and change people’s view of the ocean (environmental film festival).

Freer Gallery of Art Sat., March 28, 3 p.m.

Japan Information and Culture Center Fri., March 27, 6:30 p.m.

Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no haka)

Russian Tangerines

Directed by Isao Takahata (Japan, 1988, 89 min.)

With their mother killed and father missing during World War II, two siblings fight for survival in an abandoned shelter and find respite and entertainment from fireflies lighting the sky overhead in this animated film (environmental film festival).

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., March 21, 7 p.m.

Directed by Zaza Urushadze (Georgia, 2013, 83 min.)

an elderly civilian finds himself caring for two wounded soldiers on opposite sides of battle in this oscar-nominated antiwar parable, set during the notorious 1992 georgian-abkhazian conflict (Russian and estonian).

Freer Gallery of Art Sun., March 22, 2 p.m.

NOTE: Although every effort is made to assure your ad is free of mistakes in spelling and the way home for director aleksandr Harlock:content Spaceit Pirate is ultimately up to the customer Swahilito make the final proof.

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Directed by Aleksandr Rekhviashvili (U.S.S.R., 1981, 83 min.)

wrapped in an allusive, stylized allegory gaia Coalition, which is bent on ruling alias, a young albino boy on the run from beginning to end.

If the ad correct (screens sign andwith fax to: (301) 949-0065 needs theisuniverse “appleseed: after witnessing hischanges father’s murder, is Freer Gallery of Art alpha”). sent to find refuge in the city, far from Fri., March 13, 7 p.m.

The Washington Diplomat (301) 933-3552 Freer Gallery of Art the witch doctors who offer thousands Sat., March 28, 11 a.m. of dollars for albino body parts (swahili Approved __________________________________________________________ The Wishing Tree and english).

Changes ___________________________________________________________ Pom Poko AFI Silver Theatre ___________________________________________________________________ Directed by Isao Takahata Tue., March 17, 7:25 p.m., folklore and legend shape this pastoral Thu., March 19, 5:15 p.m.

(Japan, 1994, 119 min.)

Directed by Tengiz Abuladze (U.S.S.R., 1977, 107 min.)

film set in a picturesque, pre-Revolution georgia. spanning four seasons in the lives of an assortment of village characters, more than twenty moral tales are folded into the narrative, centering on a beautiful young woman forced to marry a man she does not love.

Embassy of France Tue., March 31, 7 p.m.

Gujarati My Name Is Salt

Washington, D.C.’s

flagship

diplomatic publication for

20 years.

Directed by Farida Pacha (Switzerland, 2013, 92 min.)

for eight months of the year in India’s saline desert, Chhanabhai and his family live here without water, electricity or provisions, tirelessly working the salt fields. after months of rhythmic labor, they must harvest the salt before heavy monsoon rains wash their industry away (environmental film festival).

AFI Silver Theatre Sat., March 28, 5:15 p.m.

Hebrew Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem Directed by Ronit Elkabetz and Shlomi Elkabetz (Israel/Germany/France, 2014, 115 min.)

Advertise in The Washington Diplomat

301.933.3552 Make sure the publication you spend your advertising dollars in is audited.

an Israeli woman seeking to finalize a divorce (gett) from her estranged husband finds herself effectively put on trial by her country’s religious The Washington Diplomat Page 39

[ around town ]

EVENTS LISTING **Admission is free unless otherwise noted.

All information on event venues can be found on The Diplomat Web site at www.washdiplomat.com. Times and locations are subject to change. Unless listed, please call venue for specific event times and hours of operation.

ART Through March 1

Trees are Poems

Four renowned Finnish photo artists, Kristoffer Albrecht, Taneli Eskola, Pentti Sammallahti and Ritva Kovalainen, present their perspectives on trees, key elements in landscape art. The exhibition is not actually a cross section of trees as a motif in art, but the photo artists have approached the theme by the stories and mood behind them. Trees can be seen not only as an element of the landscape but also as a symbol of life and human existence. Exhibit is open on Saturdays and Sundays.

Embassy of Finland March 5 to May 1

gute aussichten: new german photography 2014/2015

In its eleventh year, the eight “gute aussichten 2014/2015” award winners are hot on life’s heels. This young generation of photographers is after the most basic and existential questions of life: the banality of death and what remains — or follows the deceased and vanishes without a trace — migration, discrimination, loneliness, isolation and desperation, all of which are put face to face with happiness, cognizance, diversity and creative energy.

Goethe-Institut Through March 6

Primal Connections: Paintings

by Deanna Schwartzberg

Deanna Schwartzberg’s passionate concern for the environment and keen awareness of the destructive forces that threaten our ability to live in harmony with nature has been the impetus of her work for many years. In her paintings, we enter a world of color and light that inspires us to contemplate the shared presence of humanity and the natural world.

Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo.

The grandmothers led a campaign to reunite missing grandchildren with their families following the Dirty War, a dark chapter in the country’s history.

American University Museum Katzen Arts Center March 19 to Aug. 23

Ships, Clocks & Stars: The Quest for Longitude

To mark the 300th anniversary of the passing of the Longitude Act in 1714, this landmark exhibition tells the extraordinary story of the race to determine longitude (east-west position) at sea, helping to solve the problem of navigation and saving seafarers from terrible fates including shipwreck and starvation.

Folger Shakespeare Library Through March 22

Nasta’liq: The Genius of Persian Calligraphy

More than 20 works ranging in date from 1400 to 1600 form the first exhibition of its kind to focus on nasta‛liq, a calligraphic script that developed in the 14th century in Iran and remains one of the most expressive forms of aesthetic refinement in Persian culture to this day.

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Through March 29

Cutting-Edge Spanish Crafts

Curated by Tachy Mora, and based in her book “Cutting-Edge Spanish Crafts,” this exhibition invites you to discover the contemporary crafts from Spain through a selection of objects by individual crafters and designers, industrial innovators and large firms, including Loewe, Lladró, Cerabella, Apparatu and Peseta.

Spanish Cultural Center Through April 12

Days of Endless Time

This exhibit presents 14 installations that offer prismatic vantage points into the suspension and attenuation of time or that create a sense of timelessness, with themes such as escape, solitude, enchantment and the thrall of nature.

Art Museum of the Americas

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

March 11 to May 1

Through April 12

Fordlandia: The Lost City of Henry Ford

This series of photographs, completed in 2012, reveals what has become of Fordlandia, the American town built in the Brazilian rainforest by tycoon Henry Ford. Today, the town is a post-industrial wasteland, complete with prefabricated industrial sheds from Michigan and American clapperboard houses. More curious still is that, in spite of no new economy or employer in the area, Fordlandia is coming back to life.

Art Museum of the Americas Through March 15

Identidad

“Identidad” showcases the work of Argentinean glassmaker Silvia Levenson, featuring 116 intricate pieces of cast glass baby clothing, an homage to the social movement of the

40

Picturing Mary: Woman, Mother, Idea

For millennia, Mary has been one of the most popular subjects in the history of Western art. This landmark exhibition of more than 60 beautiful depictions of the Virgin Mary explores the concept of womanhood represented by Mary and the power her image has exerted through time.

National Museum of Women in the Arts Through May 3

Piero di Cosimo: The Poetry of Painting in Renaissance Florence

The first major retrospective exhibition of paintings by the imaginative Italian Renaissance master Piero di Cosimo features 44 of the artist’s most compelling paintings, including fanciful mythologies, powerful religious works (one on loan for the first time from the church in

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT Italy for which it was created 500 years ago), and sensitive portraits.

National Gallery of Art Through May 10

Man Ray—Human Equations: A Journey from Mathematics to Shakespeare Highlighting the multimedia work of the legendary Surrealist artist, “Man Ray— Human Equations” explores the intersection of art and science that defined a significant component of modern art on both sides of the Atlantic at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Phillips Collection Through May 10

Hiroshi Sugimoto: Conceptual Forms and Mathematical Models This exhibition features approximately five photographic works and three sculptures by Hiroshi Sugimoto — one of Japan’s most important contemporary artists — inspired by Man Ray’s 1930s photographs.

The Phillips Collection Through May 15

Francesco Nonino: Selected Works

Francesco Nonino is one of few Italian photographers whose work has been acquired by both the Library of Congress and the Phillips Collection.

The exhibit at the Embassy of Italy will include some recent works from two series: “Come La Vergogna” and “Atmospheres.” As an homage to his mother, Italian traditions and to introduce the theme of the upcoming EXPO 2015, some photos of his mother’s hands making pasta will also be on display. Viewings are by appointment only; for information visit www.iicwashington.esteri.it.

Embassy of Italy Through May 15

Hands-On Urbanism.

The Right to Green The research-based exhibition is dedicated to the history of the idea of appropriating land in urban space. Since the shockwave of modernization that accompanied industrialization, towns and cities worldwide have had to face some very significant challenges. Citydwellers, who have always found a number of solutions in crisis situations, are involved in bottom-up urban development, as fruit and vegetable gardens led to other forms of collective cohesion, neighborliness and fair distribution.

Embassy of Austria Through May 30

25 Years / 25 Artists This visual arts exhibition celebrating the Mexican Cultural Institute’s first 25 years presents works from several generations and artistic movements. From the contemporaries of the third stage of Mexican muralism, to the members of the “Ruptura” in the 1960s, this exhibit explores art that proposed new forms of expression and changed the way art was seen in Mexico.

Mexican Cultural Institute

March 2015

Through May 31

Style in Chinese Landscape Painting: The Yuan Legacy

Landscape painting is one of the most outstanding achievements of Chinese culture. Key styles in this genre emerged during the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368) and are still followed today.

Freer Gallery of Art Through May 31

The Traveler’s Eye: Scenes of Asia

Featuring more than 100 works created over the past five centuries, “The Traveler’s Eye: Scenes of Asia” provides glimpses of travels across the Asian continent, from pilgrimages and research trips to expeditions for trade and tourism.

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Through June 7

Libertad de Expresión: The Art Museum of the Americas and Cold War Politics Following the creation of the Organization of American States in 1948, its Visual Arts Section, under the direction of Cuban José Gómez Sicre, began an ambitious exhibition program that would further awareness of the art of the Caribbean and Central and South America in the United States. Sicre’s support for international modernism also allied him with U.S. Cold War Warriors, who used freedom of expression as a tool in the cultural and intellectual struggle against the Soviets.

Art Museum of the Americas Through June 7

Perspectives: Chiharu Shiota

Performance and installation artist Chiharu Shiota, Japan’s representative at the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015, will recreate a monumental yet intimate work in the Sackler pavilion that amasses personal memories through an accumulation of nearly 400 individual shoes, each with a note from the donor describing lost individuals and past moments.

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Through June 7

Unearthing Arabia: The Archaeological Adventures of Wendell Phillips

Wendell Phillips, a young paleontologist and geologist, headed one of the largest archaeological expeditions to remote South Arabia (present-day Yemen) from 1949 to 1951. Through a selection of unearthed objects as well as film and photography shot by the expedition team, the exhibition highlights Phillips’s key finds, recreates his adventures (and misadventures), and conveys the thrill of discovery on this important great archaeological frontier.

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Through June 14

Zen, Tea, and Chinese Art in Medieval Japan

Zen Buddhism, tea and ink painting — well-known expressions of Japanese

culture — have their roots in Chinese arts and ideas brought to medieval Japan from the late 12th to the 16th century. Chinese and Japanese paintings, lacquer ware and ceramics illuminate this remarkable period of cultural contact and synthesis.

Freer Gallery of Art Through Aug. 2

From the Library: Florentine Publishing in the Renaissance

This exhibition presents a variety of books from the late 15th through the early 17th century and explores the development of publishing related to the artistic and scholarly community in Florence.

National Gallery of Art Through Aug. 9

Jacob Lawrence: Struggle … From the History of the American People

Produced between 1954 and 1956, Jacob Lawrence’s “Struggle … From the History of the American People” portrays scenes from American history, chronicling events from the Revolutionary War through the great westward expansion of 1817.

The Phillips Collection Through Sept. 13

Chief S.O. Alonge: Photographer to the Royal Court of Benin, Nigeria

This retrospective showcases the work of noted Nigerian photographer Chief S.O. Alonge, the first indigenous photographer of the Royal Court of Benin, in conjunction with royal arts from the Benin kingdom. The collection of historic photographs was captured on Kodak glass-plate negatives and documents more than 50 years of the ritual, pageantry and regalia of the obas (kings), their wives and retainers.

National Museum of African Art

DANCE Sat., March 7, 8 p.m.

Tango Buenos Aires: Song of Eva Perón

The renowned Tango Buenos Aires uses the art of tango to journey through the life of Argentina’s larger-than-life former first lady, Eva Perón, from her impoverished childhood in the slums to her position as one of the country’s most powerful and influential figures. Tickets are $29 to $48.

George Mason University Center for the Arts

DISCUSSIONS Thu., March 5, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Connecting the Gems of the Indian Ocean: Eastern Africa’s ‘Swahili’ Civilization, Oman and the Gulf

The symposium, in collaboration with the National Museum of African Art, will focus on the historic, commercial and cultural links that existed between the lands of the East African “Swahili” coast, Oman and other countries of the

The Washington Diplomat

March 2015

Middle Eastern Gulf region.

Library of Congress James Madison Building Thu., March 5, 7:30 p.m.

Cecelia Porter: Women Composers and Performers in Vienna, 1918-1945

In this lecture and concert, Dr. Cecelia Porter is joined by Rosa Lamoreaux, resident soprano at the National Gallery of Art, and pianist Stan Engebretson to shed light on three relatively unknown but important female composers in Vienna: Mathilde von Kralik (18571944), Johanna Müller-Hermann (18781941) and Frida Kern (1891-1988).

Admission is free but registration is required; for information visit acfdc.org.

MUSIC

Tue., March 17, 8 p.m.

Mon., March 2, 6:30 p.m.

Tabla master Zakir Hussain has long explored other cultures, and his newest project, “Celtic Connections,” makes its U.S. tour debut, pairing the beautiful and flowing melodies of Celtic instruments including bodhran, violin, pipes, flutes and whistles with tabla, bamboo flute and Carnatic (south Indian) violin.

Tickets are $22 to $39.

The Arakaendar Choir and Orchestra

A great legacy of 7,000 musical scores was preserved for centuries by native musicians in the Jesuit missions of Chiquitos in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Polish musicologist Father Piotr Nawrot brought them to light and founded the International Festival of Renaissance and Baroque Music of Bolivia, beginning a collaborative partnership that led to the Arakaendar Choir’s debut in 2006 (pre-concert talk at 6 p.m.).

Inter-American Development Bank Cultural Center

Embassy of Austria

Fri., March 6, 8 p.m.

Sat., March 7, 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

To celebrate 20 years of spirited music-making, Danú, an award-winning band hailing from Ireland’s historic County Waterford, performs an unforgettable night of lively Celtic music.

Tickets are $28 to $46.

The Legacy of Andrea Palladio

Renaissance Italian architect Andrea Palladio (1508-80) is arguably the most influential architect in the Western world. In this richly illustrated seminar, art historian Bonita Billman traces the hallmarks and features of Palladio’s architecture, from the magnificent villas he created in his homeland to the country houses and mansions that were built by great British architects in the era of the European Grand Tour.

Tickets are $130; for information visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.

Location TBA Sat., March 14, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Empires of the Adriatic

Over the centuries, the people along the coast of the Adriatic Sea have known many rulers, but none as disparate as those of the Venetian, Ottoman and Habsburg empires. In this all-day seminar, explore the history and legacy of each of these centers of power with Charles Ingrao, a professor of history at Purdue University. Tickets are $130; for information visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.

S. Dillon Ripley Center Thu., March 19, 6:45 p.m.

Ancient Peru’s Mysterious Moche The origins and collapse of the Moche, an enigmatic Andean civilization that ruled the northern coast of Peru for hundreds of years beginning in the first century A.D., remains a tantalizing puzzle. Haagen Klaus of George Mason University offers insights into the life of this ancient culture, dozens of whose massive pyramids and cities remain to this day. Tickets are $42; for information visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.

S. Dillon Ripley Center Tue., March 31, 6:45 p.m.

Looking West: Ataturk and the Creation of Modern Turkey

In the first half of his lecture, Bulent Atalay describes the conditions prevailing in Europe 500 years ago that led to the extraordinary ascent of the West over the great empires of the East, specifically the Ottoman and Chinese.

In the second half, he discusses the revolution that Kemal Ataturk launched in Turkey following World War I that changed the face of the Ottoman Empire. Tickets are $42; for information visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.

S. Dillon Ripley Center

Danú: 20th Anniversary Tour

George Mason University Center for the Arts Fri., March 6, 7:30 p.m.

Till Fellner, Piano

The international career and collaborations of Till Fellner, who first garnered attention in 1993 by winning first prize at the Clara Haskil International Piano Competition, reads like a “who’s who” of classical music; he has appeared as guest soloist with many of the world’s foremost orchestras and has worked with such conductors as Claudio Abbado, Leonard Slatkin and Lothar Zagrosek. Tickets are $70 and include light reception; for information visit www.embassyseries.org.

Embassy of Austria Fri., March 13, 7:30 p.m.

The Minetti Quartet

The Minetti Quartett has collected more important prizes than any ensemble since 2003, when it received the Haydn Award at the International Joseph Haydn Competition in Vienna. It performs a program of Mozart, Shostakovich and Mendelssohn.

Tickets are $70 and include light reception; for information visit www.embassyseries.org.

Embassy of Austria Sat., March 14, 8 p.m.

Cristina Pato in Concert

A pop star of the gaita (Spanish bagpipes) in her native Spain and dubbed by the Wall Street Journal as “one of the living masters of the gaita,” Cristina Pato’s musical influences of jazz and Latin sounds represent a portion of her commitment to cultural exchange.

Tickets are $25.

Sixth and I Tue., March 17, 8 p.m.

Carlos Núñez with the Sean Culkin Dancers

Phenomenal multi-instrumentalist Carloz Núñez grew up in Galicia in northern Spain—home to ancient civilizations whose Celtic traditions predated those of Scotland and Ireland, and to the Galician bagpipe, of which Núñez is the acknowledged world master.

Please call for ticket information.

Music Center at Strathmore

Zakir Hussain: Celtic Connections

GW Lisner Auditorium Thu., March 19, 7:30 p.m.

EUNIC Concert Series: Yumeto Suenaga

The EUNIC Concert Series and American University present French classical pianist, Yumeto Suenaga. who was born in Paris in 1981 to painters and is of French-Japanese origin. The EUNIC Concert Series gives young emerging artists from Europe a platform to perform in Washington, D.C. Ticket are $15; for information visit acfdc.org.

Embassy of Austria Tue., March 31, 7:30 p.m.

Florian Feilmair, Piano

“Sensitivity and a wealth of nuances,” “pearly ease and aplomb” — these are a few of the traits critics have attributed to the young pianist Florian Feilmair, who has already captured a considerable number of important prizes.

Admission is free but registration is required; for information visit acfdc.org.

Embassy of Austria Tue., March 31, 7:30 p.m.

Nikolay Khozyainov, Piano

Born in Blagoveshchensk, a city in Russian Far East in 1992, Nikolay Khozyainov began to play the piano at the age of 5 and went on to study at the Central Musical School of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. He performs a repertoire of Haydn, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov. Tickets are $175 and include Russian buffet and free valet; for information visit www.embassyseries.org.

Russian Residence

THEATER March 6 to April 26

The Originalist

Four-time Helen Hayes Award winner Edward Gero stars as Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in a daring world premiere about the brilliant, but polarizing justice, his bright, new, liberal clerk, and their clash over one of the most incendiary cases ever to reach the nation’s highest court. Tickets are $55 to $90.

haunting him, King has a chance to lock away his past and achieve an entrepreneurial dream, but Pittsburgh’s Hill District is an unforgiving place.

Tickets are $45 to $90.

Arena Stage

Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland, has been imprisoned under charges of attempted regicide. Her captor and cousin Queen Elizabeth I cannot bring herself to sign the death decree. In a society where women are considered inferior, these two queens charged with ruling as kings battle sexism, greed, lust and each other in Peter Oswald’s bold new translation of Friedrich Schiller’s “Mary Stuart.” Tickets are $40 to $75.

Don Giovanni

Folger Shakespeare Library

Through March 15

King Hedley II

With an angry scar down the length of his face and seven years of prison

The In Series’s opera season continues with Mozart and DaPonte’s masterpiece, “Don Giovanni,” a dramma giocoso (comedic tragedy) based on the legend of the infamous libertine and his supernatural stone guest, which is universally listed among the most perfect opera in the repertory. Please call for ticket information.

GALA Hispanic Theatre

The Metromaniacs

Through March 8

No Hay Que Llorar (No Need to Cry)

Teatro de la Luna’s hilarious comedy, in Argentina’s Grotesque genre, unfolds as a family comes together at a reunion to celebrate their matriarch’s birthday. The mother’s greed and the non-conformance, selfishness and deceit at the gathering reveal the true and gritty feel of this middle-class family, with alarming hints at decay. Tickets are $20 to $35.

Gunston Arts Center Through March 10

Dialogues of the Carmelites

Faith is put to the ultimate test in Poulenc’s powerful opera about an order of Carmelite nuns who refuse to renounce their beliefs during the French Revolution. Washington National Opera Artistic Director Francesca Zambello directs this company premiere, sung in English. Tickets are $25 to $300.

Kennedy Center March 11 to April 19

Laugh

Out West in the 1920s, a dynamite accident at a gold mine leaves young Mabel wealthy but orphaned. She’s shipped off to a calculating aunt whose nephew is charged with seducing her to control Mabel’s fortune — a hapless courtship reveals a shared love of silent movies and a plan for greater things.

Tickets are $44 to $88.

Studio Theatre March 13 to May 20

Freedom’s Song

This epic musical features the words of

Mistaken identity, misplaced ardor and a fight for true love ensues in Alexis Piron’s classic 1738 French farce, in which would-be poet Damis has fallen for the works of the mysterious Breton poetess, not knowing she is really middle-age gentleman Francalou.

Tickets are $20 to $110.

Shakespeare Lansburgh Theatre March 17 to April 26

Man of La Mancha

As Miguel de Cervantes presents his tale of knight errant Don Quixote, his journey comes alive in a playwithin-the-play, featuring loyal friends, troubled maidens, giant monsters and brave knights. Please call for ticket information.

Shakespeare Theatre Sidney Harman Hall Through March 22

Kid Victory

Seventeen-year-old Luke returns home after vanishing a year ago.

Profoundly changed, Luke and his parents struggle to adjust to life following his disappearance. Please call for ticket information.

Signature Theatre Through March 22

Much Ado About Nothing

Confirmed bachelor Benedick and the equally spirited and unwed Beatrice will spar, court and conspire in Synetic’s 11th “Wordless Shakespeare” adaptation — a flirtatious and fiercely funny show set in 1950s Las Vegas. Tickets start at $35.

Synetic Theater

CULTURE GUIDE

The Flying Dutchman

Through March 8

March 14 to 23

Mary Stuart

March 7 to 21

Kennedy Center Opera House

Ford’s Theatre

Through March 8

Arena Stage

In this Washington National Opera revival, formidable bass-baritone and Grammy winner Eric Owens makes his staged role debut in Wagner’s retelling of the nautical legend, about a captain condemned to wander the seas in search of unconditional love.

Tickets are $25 to $300.

Abraham Lincoln and music inspired by the letters of those who lived through the Civil War, evoking the soaring hopes and tragic losses of real people through a series of highly theatrical vignettes.

Tickets are $20 to $69.

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March 2015

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The Washington Diplomat Page 41

DIPLOMATIC SPOTLIGHT

The Washington Diplomat

March 2015

Laura Denise Bisogniero, wife of the Italian ambassador, left, and Nicole Chedid, wife of the Lebanese ambassador, attend a Japanese tea in honor of the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s annual Spring Gala.

Dr. Naoko Takebe of the National Cancer Institute, left, and hostess Nobuko Sasae, wife of the Japanese ambassador, attend a Japanese tea to celebrate the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s annual Spring Gala.

Japanese Tea

From left, Carolyn “Bo” Aldigé, president and founder of the Prevent Cancer Foundation; Ambassador of Ireland Anne Anderson; and hostess Nobuko Sasae, wife of the Japanese ambassador, attend a Japanese tea at the ambassador’s residence to celebrate the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s annual Spring Gala on March 6. Japan served as last year’s diplomatic host while Ireland will host this year’s gala at the National Building Museum.

Former U.S. Protocol Chief Capricia Marshall, left, and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Ann Stock attend a Japanese tea in honor of the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s annual Spring Gala on March 6.

photos: gail scott

Hostess Nobuko Sasae, wife of the Japanese ambassador, left, welcomes Gouri Mirpuri, wife of the Singaporean ambassador, to a Japanese tea to celebrate the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s annual Spring Gala on March 6.

Ina Ginsburg Tribute

From left, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, filmmaker Aviva Kempner and Rear Adm. Susan J. Blumenthal attend a celebration of the life of Ina Ginsburg at the Kennedy Center.

The prominent arts patron and Washington hostess died last November at the age of 98.

Laura Denise Bisogniero, wife of the Italian ambassador, left, and Ambassador of Liechtenstein Claudia Fritsche attend a Kennedy Center tribute to Ina Ginsburg, whose long list of friends included Andy Warhol and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Ina Ginsburg fled Vienna in World War II and came to America, where she married lawyer David Ginsburg, had three children and made a name for herself in political circles.

Throughout her life, the athletic, fashionable woman and one-time magazine editor was also an avid supporter of the arts, raising funds for the Kennedy Center, Washington National Opera and American Film Institute. photo: mark ginsburg

Finnish Platinum

From left, former Ambassador of Mexico Arturo Sarukhan, now with the Podesta Group, Veronica Valencia Sarukhan and finance executive Arturo Brillembourg attend a Kennedy Center tribute to Ina Ginsburg.

photos: Gail scott

Ambassador of Finland Ritva Koukku-Ronde, left, accepts the LEED (Lead­er­­ship in Energy and Environmental De­sign) Platinum plaque from U.S. Green Build­ ing Council Presi­dent Roger Platt at a green party celebrating Finland as the first em­­ bassy in the U.S. and only the second in the world to receive Plati­ num LEED certification.

From left, Finnish Secretary of State Peter Stenlund, the embassy’s LEED consultant Richard Anderson from CQI Associates and Ambassador of Finland Ritva KoukkuRonde attend a party celebrating the embassy’s Platinum LEED certification.

From left, Ambassador of Portugal Nuno Brito, Senior White House Advisor for Internet, Innovation and Privacy Policy R. David Edelman and Joanne Ke of the International Finance Corp. attend a Kennedy Center tribute to Ina Ginsburg.

Former Ambassador of Hungary András Simonyi, now with the Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, left, and British Embassy Social Secretary Amanda Downes attend a Kennedy Center tribute to arts patron Ina Ginsburg.

Ambassador of Finland Ritva Koukku-Ronde, left, and Inuuteq Holm Olsen, minister of Greenland in the Dutch Embassy, attend a party celebrating the embassy’s Platinum LEED certification.

From left, coach Kathy Kemper, founder and CEO of the Institute for Education; John Paul Farmer of Microsoft; Ricardo Ernst of Georgetown University; Isabel Ernst; Kelsey Kemper; and Institute for Education Fellow Quenton Horton attend a Kennedy Center tribute to Ina Ginsburg.

Italian Visit

From left, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Paolo Gentiloni and Ambassador of Italy Claudio Bisogniero attend a reception in honor of Gentiloni’s visit to Washington.

42

From left, Democratic political strategist Stan Greenberg, Director of the Center for Transatlantic Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies Daniel Hamilton, Laura Denise Bisogniero, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Ambassador of Italy Claudio Bisogniero and former Ambassador of Italy to the Czech Republic and Croatia Francesco Olivieri attend a reception in honor of Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

Eni Group Senior Vice President Enzo Viscusi, left, talks with Amos J. Hochstein, the U.S. special envoy and coordinator for international energy affairs, at a reception in honor of Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

photos: Embassy of italy

Ambassador of Italy Claudio Bisogniero, right, welcomes Karen Donfried, president of the German Marshall Fund, to the Italian Residence for a reception celebrating the visit of Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

Guests mingle at Villa Firenze, the Italian ambassador’s residence, to celebrate the visit of Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

The Washington Diplomat

March 2015

Phillips Openings Institute for Education

Coach Kathy Kemper, CEO and founder of the Institute for Education (IFE), welcomes guests to the IFE 24th Season Kick-Off reception hosted by IFE Steward Judge William Webster, former FBI and CIA director, at the Alibi Club.

Judge William Webster, former FBI and CIA director, right, dishes out lunch for Ambassador of Austria Hans Peter Manz and Ambassador of Luxembourg Jean-Louis Wolzfeld at the Institute for Education’s 24th Season KickOff reception at the Alibi Club.

From right, Hud Batmanglich of Xanthus Design, Ambassador of Bulgaria Elena Poptodorova, Ambassador of Portugal Nuno Brito, Ambassador of Kazakhstan Kairat Umarov and Ambassador of Singapore Ashok Mirpuri attend the Institute for Education’s 24th Season Kick-Off reception at the Alibi Club.

From left, Phillips Collection Board Chairman George Vradenburg, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, Phillips Director Dorothy Kosinski and Director of Education Suzanne Wright attend a preview for 300 guests of two new exhibits at the Phillips Collection: “Man Ray-Human Equations: A Journey from Mathematics to Shakes­ peare” and “Hiroshi Sugimoto: Conceptual Forms and Mathematical Models.”

3From left, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Ajit Pai, White House Presidential Innovation Fellow Julia Winn, Dr. Tyrone Grandison, Madeleine Lyrvall, Institute for Education (IFE) founder and CEO Kathy Kemper, Ambassador of Sweden Björn Lyrvall and White House Presidential Innovation Fellow Gajen Sunthara attend an IFE Media and Technology Roundtable (MTR) at the Swedish Residence.

Photos: Pepe Gomez

From left, Barry Cipra of American Scientist Online, Florence Fasanelli of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Museum of Mathematics’s Cindy Lawrence and Glen Whitney, and Dick Hart attend the Phillips Collection openings of “Man Ray-Human Equations” and “Hiroshi Sugimoto.” photos: institute for education

Senior Vice President of Business Development at Verve Mobile Aimee Irwin, left, and Deputy Chief Technology Officer at the White House Thomas Power attend an Institute for Education Media and Technology Roundtable (MTR) at the Swedish Residence.

From left, Institute for Education (IFE) Steward Chris Caine of Mercator XXI, Scott Wu of USAID, Kimberly Twombly of UBS and Alok Bhardwaj of Epic Browser attend an IFE Media and Technology Roundtable (MTR) at the Belgian Residence.

Liechtenstein New Year 3From left, Shamim Jawad, wife of the former Afghan ambassador who is now with Sotheby’s International Realty; Margery Kraus, executive chairman of APCO Worldwide; Ambassador of Liechtenstein Claudia Fritsche; and Gouri Mirpuri, wife of the Singaporean ambassador, attend a New Year celebration at the Embassy of Liechtenstein.

4Recently appointed Ambassador of Iceland Geir H. Haarde, a former prime minister, and his wife Inga Jona Thordardottir attend a New Year celebration at the Embassy of Liechtenstein.

From left, Ambassador of Belgium Johan C. Verbeke.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Commissioner Terrell McSweeny, Michelle Lee of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, coach Kathy Kemper and White House Senior Advisor R. David Edelman attend an Institute for Education Media and Technology Roundtable (MTR) featuring Commissioner McSweeny at the Belgian Residence.

Cartier at France

photos: embassy of france

3Mercedes Abramo, president and CEO of Cartier North America, left, and Olivier SerotAlmeras, French consul-general in Washing­ ton, attend the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards celebrating “Women Entrepreneurs: The Changing Face of Innovation” at the Embassy of France. Winners of the award receive a year of coaching, $20,000 in funding, valuable networking opportunities as well as media exposure.

4From left, Birame Sock, founder of Third­ Solutions and 2010 Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards (CWIA) North American Laureate; Ting Shih, founder of ClickMedix and 2012 CWIA North American Laureate; and Shelly Porges, cochair of the National Finance Council and jury president of the CWIA Awards North America, attend the CWIA event at the French Embassy.

Commissioner MaryAnn Miller of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, left, and D.C. Counci­lmember David Grosso attend the Phillips Collection openings of “Man Ray-Human Equations” and “Hiroshi Sugimoto.”

Marie Keller, fine art specialist Francis Naumann, and exhibition curator Wendy Grossman attend the Phillips Collection openings of “Man Ray-Human Equations” and “Hiroshi Sugimoto.”

The International Patient Program at the George Washington University Hospital A boutique concierge program offering care for our diplomats and international community:

• Language interpretation • Appointment scheduling

• Medical cost estimates • Insurance settlements

For more information, call 202-715-5100 or email helen.salazar@gwu-hospital.com

www.gwhospital.com/international Photo: Shiv Vachhani Physicians are not employees or agents of this hospital. 150079

March 2015

The Washington Diplomat Page 43

from page 15

Turkey of them do not have any credentials proving they’re journalists.The majority of them were engaged in armed attacks against police stations or supporting terrorist organizations.

None are in prison because of their activities as journalists.”

Kiliç also emphatically rejects suggestions that Erdoğan is trying to move Turkey toward an Islamic fundamentalist state patterned after Iran.

“Nobody’s forcing you to pray, or practice Islamic rituals, or not to drink. The government took the decision that after 10 p.m. or midnight, there will be a ban on alcohol sales.

But you cannot sell alcohol after 1 a.m. in Los Angeles either,” he pointed out. “People should be able to practice or not practice, without interference from the government.

My wife does not wear a headscarf, but if she wants to, she should be able to. That was not the case before. You could not go to university if you wore a headscarf.”

Erdoğan’s vocal support of Muslim rights has endeared him to many in the Islamic world, but also alienated him from an old friend: Israel. That relationship — which spawned military cooperation, multimilliondollar business deals and planeloads of Israeli tourists visiting Turkish beach resorts — came to a screeching halt on May 31, 2010.

On that day, Israeli commandos fired on the so-called Gaza Freedom Flotilla in the Mediterranean Sea, killing nine Gaza-bound activists aboard the Turkish vessel MV Mavi Marmara.

“Before the attack on the Marmara, we had very good relations with Israel, but after that attack on the high seas took place, relations gravely deteriorated,” Kiliç said. “Thanks to the good offices of President Obama, [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu apologized to Turkey and we were hoping things would get better.”

But then the war in Gaza broke out, infuriating Erdoğan, who openly supports Hamas and was also a key backer of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi until the Muslim Brotherhood leader was overthrown in July 2013 and replaced by a military regime.

Kiliç complained that Turkey’s rupture with Israel was “portrayed in a very negative

Photo: Ben Morlok / CC 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Syrian refugee sisters Tamara, left, and Eliada, right, fled their home village of Idlib in Syria and came to the Adiyaman refugee camp in Turkey, where they will be able to pursue their undergraduate studies. Many of Syria’s refugees have melded into Turkish cities such as Istanbul, whose expansive skyline is seen above.

“

Afghanistan was a remote country in the middle of Asia, but what started in Afghanistan ended up in the Twin Towers of Manhattan…. America is not safe. No country is safe anymore.

The G-word is sure to come up in the halls of American legislatures. To date, 43 states have recognized April 24, 2015, as the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide; an effort is now underway to have Congress commemorate the centenary as well. Yet Kiliç says the so-called genocide is a myth peddled by “single-agenda lobbies” seeking to perpetuate Turkey’s negative image in the media.

“They are asking one of the parties to accept that they have committed genocide, but this was a war. An equal number of Turks suffered,” he insisted. “This is an issue to be decided by historians, not the U.S. Congress.”

Despite the Armenian lobby’s influence on Capitol Hill and the drumbeat of criticism at Erdoğan’s heavy-handed rule, Kiliç remains focused on other areas of cooperation that have received far less media attention.To that end, he hopes the United States and Turkey

from page 17

Asia-Pacific brutality should also be part of the equation. “Given the movement on condemning North Korean human rights violations, human rights should be a more central part of U.S. policy toward North Korea,” said Green.

In addition, the think tank urges the White House to work behind the scenes to mend relations between South Korea and Japan, Asia’s two most important advanced industrialized democracies. After all, 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of normalization of those ties. But while South Korea and Japan are America’s strongest allies in the region, the two share a troubled wartime history.

“It is also strategically imperative for the U.S. to work on improving Japan-Korea relations,” Green said.

“This creates foreign policy complications. Korea has information-sharing agreements with 25 countries,

44

”

Photo: Brian Sokol / UNCHR

sense” by the mainstream U.S. media and said he’s carefully following the current Israeli election campaign, in which Netanyahu is vying to keep his job.

“I hope that at the end of those elections [later this month], there will be a sensible leadership which will take into account the long-term benefits of the Israeli people — and not short-sighted, counterproductive policies,” he said. “Unfortunately, whenever you criticize the Israeli government, you are immediately labeled anti-Semitic. So if you’re talking about free speech, it should be valid across the spectrum. You have freedom of speech to criticize everybody but Israel.”

A month after the Israeli elections, another emotionally charged issue will resurface and most likely strain U.S. ties: Turkey’s refusal to acknowledge the killing of up to 1.5 million ethnic Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

Credit: DOD Photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, right, and South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin, second from right, stand at the Ouellette Observation Post at the demilitarized zone separating North Korea and South Korea on Sept. 30, 2013.

but not with Japan.”

In the midst of uncertainty, a few Asia-Pacific success stories do shine through. One is Indonesia, where the election of Joko Widodo as president prompted The Economist to recently name Indonesia its run-

ner-up “country of the year” (the top award went to Tunisia).

In recognition of Jakarta’s growing strategic importance, CSIS recently announced that it is renewing the Derwin Pereira Indonesia Initiative, which studies the emerg-

— Serdar Kiliç

ambassador of Turkey to the United States

will become better business partners and says the two countries must sign a free trade agreement — sooner rather than later.

“U.S. companies should see Turkey not only as the end target of their activities, but also as a springboard to Central Asia and the Middle East,” he said. “I’m trying to convince our friends on the Hill that we should have an FTA between Turkey and the United States, and that we should be a part of TTIP [Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union]. Both of these would be to the benefit of the American business community, so why put it on the back burner?”

Larry Luxner is news editor of The Washington Diplomat.

ing powerhouse of 250 million people. Ernest Bower, Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies at CSIS, will lead the one-year initiative, named after the award-winning journalist who is now with Harvard Univer­ sity’s School of Government.

“Indonesia’s rising power will be felt more tangibly in time. This project will capture the essence of its rise in the economic, political and strategic fields,” said Pereira, who has followed developments in the world’s largest predominantly Muslim nation since 1995.“Jokowi’s presidency marks a transition from Suharto’s authoritarian-led growth to a more sustainable, democratically based growth model, founded on transparency and accountability but also characterized by a laser-like focus on competence and effective governance.”

Another potential bright spot is Myanmar (Burma), whose military junta opened up to the West in 2012. The pace of political and economic reforms was dramatic, although human rights advocates

The Washington Diplomat

have criticized the administration for easing up on sanctions too soon, before Myanmar’s transition to democracy could be completed.

Longtime democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi is widely expected to sweep elections scheuled for later this year, giving her National League for Democracy party control of Parlia­ ment for the first time ever, although she is still constitutionally barred from running for president and the military retains control of the quasicivilian government.

“The administration has played a very responsible role in Myanmar.

Our ambassador in Rangoon [Derek Mitchell] is a former CSIS staffer,” said Bower. “I think the administration really needs to work hard on the Hill to make sure there are no unrealistic expectations, but that we do have a very nuanced and effective advocacy for human rights in Myanmar. If we don’t lead with those points, we’ll lose a lot of ground in Asia.”

Larry Luxner is news editor of The Washington Diplomat.

March 2015

AROUNDTHEWORLD

THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT

march 2015

HOLIDAYS ANDORRA march 14: Constitution day

BURMA (MYANMAR) march 27: armed forces day

ETHIOPIA march 2: victory of adwa day

ANGOLA march 8: International Women’s day

CAMBODIA march 8: International Women’s day

GABON march 12: Renovation day

ARMENIA march 8: International Women’s day

CAMEROON march 3: national day

GEORGIA march 13: mother’s day

AZERBAIJAN march 8: International Women’s day BANGLADESH march 26: Independence and national day BELARUS march 8: International Women’s day BELIZE march 9: Baron Bliss day BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA march 1: Independence day

CANADA march 3: national day CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC march 29: anniversary of the death of President B. Boganda CHILE march 3: national day COLOMBIA march 19: san José day CYPRUS march 25: greek national day

BULGARIA march 3: national day

ERITREA march 8: International Women’s day

BURKINA FASO march 8: International Women’s day

ESTONIA march 14: native language day

GHANA march 6: Independence day GREECE march 25: greek Independence day GUINEA-BISSAU march 8: International Women’s day HUNGARY march 15: national day IRAN march 20: nowruz IRELAND march 17: st. Patrick’s day ISRAEL march 4-5: Purim

Send Us Your Holidays and Appointments Fax to: the Washington diplomat at: (301) 949-0065 E-mail to: news@washdiplomat.com Mail to: P.o. Box 1345, silver spring, md 20915-1345

vasko naumovski became ambassador of the Republic of macedonia to the united states on nov.

18, 2014, having previously served as macedonia’s deputy prime minister respon- Ambassador sible for the country’s Vasko Naumovski european integration from 2009 to 2011. during his tenure, macedonia received the european Commission’s first recommendation to start membership negotiations with the european union. ambassador naumovski spearheaded efforts to harmonize macedonia’s legislation with that of the eu, its accreditation to manage european pre-accession funds, as well as the realization of numerous reforms, culminating in macedonia gaining visa liberalization for eu travel. outside of public service, ambassador naumovski is a professor in international relations at the ss. Cyril and methodius university in skopje. he obtained his bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.d. degrees from the same university, and completed another master’s from the university of Bonn

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influential readers.* in germany. Being in academia since 2005, ambassador naumovski is the author of numerous publications in the area of international relations, european integration and international law. ambassador naumovski is married and has a daughter.

Malaysia shaiful anuar mohammad assumed the position of deputy chief of mission on Jan. 29, replacing Ikram mohammad Ibrahim, who departed the post Jan. 18.

Mauritius Kayoum safee assumed the position of second secretary on dec. 29, replacing sameem gaffar, who departed the post dec. 29, 2014.

Slovenia mateja dolenc assumed the position of administrator attaché on dec. 31, 2014, replacing eva Prsa simonovic, who departed the post dec. 30, 2014.

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