Paris, 9 November 2005

The Réseau Voltaire is organising an international conference in Brussels on 17 and 18 November 2005, “Axis for Peace”. The aim is to bring together opinion leaders of all countries to elaborate common arguments in favour of peace. Well-known participants, among which MEPs, writers, journalists, politicians and intellectuals, will jointly assess contemporary forms of conflict and interference, and shape a relevant and effective discourse in favour of peace. The conference will take place at the International Press Centre at the Résidence Palace in Brussels.

Organised at the initiative of the Réseau Voltaire, this conference is being held as the international community is faced with new challenges: the development of a logic of war, the denial of nations’ sovereignty and the perversion of the spirit of the UN Charter. To defend peace, the conference intends to reaffirm the principles of international law and appeal to the permanent members of the UN Security Council to assume their responsibilities. Far from advocating naïve pacifism, the conference’s programme includes several important themes intended to stimulate public debate on international law: preventive wars and the bypassing of the UN’s role, modern forms of interference, the practice and the utilisation of terrorism, sovereignty and the resistance to oppression. Over 140 leaders from 30 countries representing all continents will contribute to the working groups; their up-to-date and comprehensive viewpoints will reinforce the arguments presented. These groups will work in a spirit of impartiality and justice.

A milestone event for peace in the world, the conference will result in a recommendation which will be addressed to the permanent members of the UN Security Council, encouraging them to take specific action to ensure the respect of international law. The conference’s results are expected to be extended through the creation of a permanent “think tank”. This structure will publish and promote the studies written by contributing intellectuals and politicians. The “Axis for Peace” conference is to be repeated each year with the intention of proposing an anti-imperialist alternative to the Davos Forum.

Financed by Latin American, Middle-Eastern and Russian patrons, the “Axis for Peace” conference will benefit from the joint support of a number of television networks.

A press conference will take place at 12 o’clock on Thursday 17 November at the International Press Centre (Résidence Palace) in Brussels.

In order to register for the press conference, please send your request along with a copy of your press card to Réseau Voltaire:

Fax number: +33 (0)1 45 26 55 82

Press contact: info@axisforpeace.net

Who is organising the conference ?

The “Réseau Voltaire for the freedom of expression” is an international association founded by Thierry Meyssan in 1994. Established under French law, it is based in Paris. Réseau Voltaire is active in a number of social and political domains. It publishes a daily magazine offering political analysis as well as Internet sites in four languages (English, Arabic, French, Spanish, and Russian), and develops non-governmental diplomacy promoting the respect of international law. Réseau Voltaire defends individual liberties and is religiously neutral. The association’s Internet sites receive an average of 900 000 visits per month (voltairenet.org).