Intervention by Ambassador of the Sudan to the Russian Federation IN THE INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC FORUM ON THE IMAGE OF STATE IN MODERN INFORMATION AND MEDIA

Distinguished Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good Morning,
I would like to thank the organizers of this important form for the opportunity given to me to attend, participate and perhaps get oriented, enlightened or educated about the theme of this symposium on the image of the state.
The image of a state or a region is not solely created as a result of the domestic foreign policy planning. It is not enough to act upon what you think you are but also upon what others think about you. There are many factors and mechanisms that interfere in shaping the final image of a state or a region. These factors and mechanisms are both internal and external.
I assume that internal factors and mechanism are always positive and forward looking for the given state or region. The problem lies, however, with the external factors which often, especially in today's international politics, build your image against your will or desire. The external massive and powerful media tools and mechanisms have the ability to completely neutralize and disable all the good wills and objectives engineered by the domestic policy makers.
We have witnessed, in the period preceding the destruction of Iraq, how the image of that nation was distorted, coined and portrayed as a country that the mere existence of which is posing a threat to international peace and security. The lie of Iraq possession of weapons of mass destruction was the perception that was falsely created by factors and agencies external to Iraq in order to wipe out that ancient civilization from existence. The loss was so huge as nothing will help to reinstate that nation as it was before, or reclaim the millions of lives lost in the process.
Now we see a similar image or a process of construction of judgment being built against another nation based on the false perception of threat to international peace and security simply because that nation is trying to explore the benefits of nuclear technology.
We have also seen, during the Georgian war, how Georgia was portrayed as an innocent victim and the Russian Federation as an aggressor and how much cost and expense was rendered in order to correct that perception.
We are also now living the ordeal of tarnishing the image of President Omer El Bashir of the Republic of the Sudan, the guarantor of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement 2005 which ended the longest civil war in Africa, who is being viciously portrayed as a war criminal.
The main questions that should contribute in directing the discussion in this important forum could be such as:
How political leaders of the world come to the conclusion a given State presents threat to international peace and security? Why would, for example, the situation in Darfur of Sudan merits the unprecedented intervention by the UN Security Council and referral to the ICC while the situation in Gaza does not? Why would the UN Security Council issue resolutions such as resolution 1593 referring the situation in Darfur to the ICC in spite of the fact that the Sudan is not a party to the Rome Convention 1998 which created the ICC?
In today's world there are many non-governmental, media machines and informal institutions, backed by super powers and governments that are given the task of determining the image of a state or region. These include lobby groups, think tanks, International NGO's, research centers, study groups, policy making bodies and commercial media circles. They are powered by financial capabilities that outmatch, in some cases, the national budgets of many states. They issue powerful reports and classifications about matters that directly affect the image of states and regions. These reports and classifications deal with sensitive issues such as failed states, human rights abusers, development indexes. Because these mechanisms are not directly affiliated to governments, they do not care if their conclusions and reports violated the long rocking-in jus cogens of international law or the sacred principles governing relations between states. It is a chaotic situation that requires rectification through a renegade stand by the free civil society forces of the international community.
On conclusion, I wish to congratulate the organizers for the selection of this excellent theme for discussion in this important forum. I know that I looked to the matter from a totally different angel, but still I hope that the questions I have raised will find their chance of consideration during your deliberations. I wish you all fruitful discussions and deliberations,
Spacieba!
Thank you.