SINCLAS - BORRADOR 
NATO UNCLASSIFIED - FIRST DRAFT

ASUNTO

Ejercicio resumen OSINT sobre el Cáucaso. Periodo: 15 SEP – 27 OCT 09. Análisis INTEL de implicaciones para el CIFAS y la Infantería de Marina.

DESARROLLO

15 SEP 09 La Iglesia Ortodoxa de Abjazia se separa oficialmente de la Iglesia Ortodoxa de Georgia.

17 SEP 09 Se discute un acuerdo potencial sobre la renuncia al empleo de la fuerza durante la séptima ronda de conversaciones en Ginebra (Suiza).

20 SEP 09 La república separatista de Osetia del Sur celebra el XIX Aniversario de su independencia con un desfile militar en su capital, Tsjinval.

23 SEP 09 La misión de observación de la UE (EUMM) en Georgia intensifica sus patrullas a lo largo de la frontera administrativa con Osetia del Sur y Abjazia, en previsión de que se publique el informe de la UE sobre la guerra de AGO 08.

24 SEP 09 El Presidente georgiano, Mijeil Saakashvili, aboga por la elección directa de los alcaldes en Georgia, durante su discurso ante la Asamblea General de la ONU.

28 SEP 09 El jefe de la EUMM, Hansjörg Haber, se reúne en Moscú con el Viceministro de Asuntos Exteriores ruso, Grigory Karasin.

30 SEP 09 Se publica un informe independiente encargado por la UE sobre los orígenes de la guerra entre Georgia y Rusia.

30 SEP 09 Los habitantes de Osetia cuyas casas fueron destruidas durante la guerra de AGO 08 protestan en Tsjinval contra los retrasos que se están produciendo para ofrecerles un nuevo hogar.

06 OCT 09 Once partidos políticos de Armenia emiten un comunicado en contra del acercamiento entre Armenia y Turquía.

07 OCT 09 La Agencia Estadounidense para el Desarrollo Internacional (USAID) informa que EE.UU. va a destinar otros 50 millones de dólares como parte de los mil millones de dólares de ayuda prometida a Georgia tras la guerra de AGO 08.

08 OCT 09 Robert Simmons, el Representante Especial para el Cáucaso y Asia Central del Secretario General de la OTAN, se reúne en Tbilisi con el Ministro de Defensa de Georgia, Bacho Ajalaia [24 OCT 80].

10 OCT 09 Turquía y Armenia firman dos protocolos para restaurar los lazos diplomáticos y abrir sus fronteras durante una ceremonia oficial en Zurich (Suiza).

11 OCT 09 El Primer Ministro turco, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, declara que Armenia debería retirarse del territorio de Nagorno-Karabaj, con el objeto de lograr la aprobación por parte del Parlamento turco para la adopción de los protocolos firmados entre Ankara y Ereván.

14 OCT 09 La alianza opositora del Congreso Nacional Armenio (HAK) exige la dimisión del Presidente Serzh Sarkisian por el acuerdo firmado entre Armenia y Turquía.

14 OCT 09 El Presidente del Congreso Azerí en BENELUX, Elsevar Mammadov, afirma que las organizaciones de la diáspora azerbaiyana están negociando con la diáspora turca para evitar la apertura de la frontera turco-armenia.

15 OCT 09 La empresa de gas natural de Armenia declara que la rusa GAZPROM va a reducir el precio por la importación de gas a Armenia.

15 OCT 09 Georgia rechaza las acusaciones del jefe del Servicio de Seguridad Federal Ruso (FSB), Alexander Bortnikov, de que el  Servicio de Inteligencia de Georgia está colaborando con Al-Qaeda, facilitando el tránsito de mercenarios y armas a través de Georgia hacia el Cáucaso Norte.

16 OCT 09 El Presidente de Azerbaiyán, Ilham Aliyev, declara que Turquía está pagando demasiado poco por el gas azerí y que Azerbaiyán va a buscar otras rutas energéticas hacia Europa.

16 OCT 09 El líder de la Iglesia Ortodoxa de Georgia, Ilia II, critica al Presidente Mijeil Saakashvili por la guerra de AGO 08.

18 OCT 09 El Primer Ministro de Armenia, Tigran Sarkisian, acusa de corrupción al Ministro de Transportes por su empleo de los fondos destinados a reparar carreteras.

18 OCT 09 La UE anuncia sus planes de aprobar un préstamo de 65 millones de euros y conceder otros 35 millones de euros de ayuda a Armenia para que haga frente a su crisis económica.

18 OCT 09 El Presidente de Azerbaiyán, Ilham Aliyev, visita Suiza.

19 OCT 09 El presidente de la Compañía Estatal Petrolera de la República de Azerbaiyán (SOCAR), Rovnag Abdullayev, declara que su compañía energética está negociando con Irán para comenzar las exportaciones de gas a partir de este próximo invierno.

19 OCT 09 Habitantes de la región georgiana de Lagodeji cortan el tráfico de la autopista Georgia-Azerbaiyán para protestar contra los problemas relacionados con el suministro de agua en la localidad de Mitsimi.

20 OCT 09 El Parlamento de Georgia vota a favor deestablecer una Comisión que investigue la muerte del primer Presidente post-soviético, Zviad Gamsajurdia.

20 OCT 09 El Presidente kazajo, Nursultan Nazarbayev, declara que Kazajstán va a realizar esfuerzos para solucionar el conflicto de Nagorno-Karabaj.

20 OCT 09 Los Ministros de Asuntos Interiores de Azerbaiyán y Rusia firman un acuerdo de cooperación contra el terrorismo internacional y el crimen organizado.

20 OCT 09 Un juzgado de Tbilisi inicia el caso de Vajtang Maisaia, acusado de espiar para Rusia.

20 OCT 09 El Banco Mundial le dice a Armenia que termine con la estructura “oligopolística” de su economía.

22 OCT 09 El Presidente de Armenia, Serzh Sarkisian, inicia una visita de dos días a Nagorno-Karabaj.

22 OCT 09 El Viceministro de Asuntos Exteriores de Armenia, Arman Kirakosian, declara que el acercamiento turco-armenio constituye una cuestión aparte del conflicto de Nagorno-Karabaj.

24 OCT 09 EE.UU. y Georgia inician unas maniobras militares bilaterales como parte del adiestramiento que EE.UU. está llevando a cabo de las tropas georgianas que se están preparando para ser desplegadas en Afganistán.

27 OCT 09 16 ciudadanos georgianos son detenidos cerca de la región separatista de Osetia del Sur.

27 OCT 09 El Presidente de Georgia, Mijeil Saakashvili, visita Polonia.

CONCLUSIONES

[Estimaciones INTEL y posibles Cursos de Acción. Vulnerabilidades: no publicar]

One of the most reliable Belgian sources, www.deredactie.be, has confirmed that Herman Van Rompuy will be announced today as the first European President. This incredible news for a man who, altough he is it now, didn’t want to become the Belgian prime minister at all. He accepted the job to provide Belgium with political stability. After 2 years of political show and with no breaktroughs he managed to lead Belgium out of it’s misery. Perhaps for Belgium as a nation this could have severe consequences.

A few months ago it became clear that Europe was searching for men of great power to take on the job as first European President. Tony Blair was the top favourite candidate for a long time and then, suddenly, the prime ministers of the Benelux countries came into the picture. Why? Because the Benelux is a strong union between Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg that formed the basis of the European Union. You can call them the founders of the European Union we know today, as you like. Jan Peter Balkenende from the Netherlands and Jean-Claude Juncke from Luxemburg were in the running too but they didn’t make it against Herman Van Rompuy.

Why Herman Van Rompuy? Probably because he can lead Belgium. A country with 3 official languages, a complex political landscape and many conflicts between it’s citizens. That’s probably why lot’s of people say that “If you can lead Belgium, then leading Europe is not that difficult at all”. Herman Van Rompuy is known for his ability to solve conflicts, something that will be needed when 27 countries must get along. And a second reason why he probably got the job is, perhaps surprising, that he tries to stay on the background as much as he can. Oh, and the fact that both France and Germany like him helped too, of course. Wanna hear the first speech of a European President ever? Click here.

De Standaard has launched its own mobile application for the iPhone. This app was developed by MobileWeb.be, Belgian specialist in SMS and mobile internet solutions. MobileWeb.be was previously also responsible for the creation of the successful mobile site m.standaard.be.

The app of De Standaard, now available in the Apple App Store, is the first paying iPhone news application in the Benelux. After only 1 day, the app already ranks first of the paying apps in the App Store.

De Standaard, pioneer in the European mobile media landscape
Corelio strongly believes in the mobile platform. After launching specific mobile sites for De Standaard and Het Nieuwsblad in 2008, this media group now also launches an iPhone app.

The iPhone app of De Standaard has the advantage that one can download the many news articles onto the mobile device and then read them in offline mode. An Internet connection is only required to update with new news items. The app also offers lifestyle news, opinions, photo wall browsing and a TV guide. The app can be personalized, resulting in more possibilities and a better user experience.

The app of De Standaard can now be bought in the Apple App Store for € 3,99. This makes it the first paying iPhone news app in the Benelux. The paying aspect of the iPhone app means a new source of revenues for a media company like Corelio. This makes the company one of the pioneers in the European media landscape.

MobileWeb.be, specialist in innovative mobile solutions
MobileWeb.be is a Belgian specialist in innovative Mobile Internet, Mobile Marketing and SMS solutions. MobileWeb.be previously developed the successful mobile sites m.standaard.be, m.nieuwsblad.be and m.jobat.be for Corelio.

Danny Lein, CEO of MobileWeb.be: “The development of this first premium iPhone news app is an important milestone both for De Standaard and for MobileWeb. In a short period of time, we have extended our technical platform with an iPhone app development environment. This in-house technology allows our clients to further build their leadership position in a fast evolving mobile market.”

Want to know more about mobile apps and mobile sites? Subscribe now for the Web Goes Mobile seminar, which takes place on November 19, on www.WebGoesMobile.be.

Press release in Dutch – French

Gurdwaras
192 pictures

Pictures are being added regularly, the bulk of the pictures are from West Midlands and Greater London.  

Click on the link below

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157611278213681/

Trains, Trams, Metro, Underground, buses and more

230 pictures

Pictures are being added regularly, now including pictures of three of the UK tram systems !

Click on the link below

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157611244941713/

Other Sets :
Benelux August 09.1 St Truiden
115 pictures
Benelux August 09.2 Ieper
61 pictures
Benelux August 09.3 Netherlands
106 pictures
Benelux August 09.4 Netherlands
115 pictures
Chhattri
35 pictures
Bristol Nagar Kirtan
48 pictures
Gatka & other martial arts
72 pictures
London Overground
118 pictures

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/

Gurfateh,

Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

the cathedral at Antwerp

Last thursday I was watching Woody Allen’s Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona on the train to Antwerp, Belgium, and in one of scenes a character named Juan Antonio (who is just crazy in that movie, if I may add) said, “only an unfulfilled love can be romantic.” Apparently, it must have made some kind of connection with something deep inside of me for me to remember it after four days of city-hopping in Belgium. What could Juan Antonio mean by that? For some time I was thinking about it in the shower, since that’s the place, setting the toilet aside, where my thoughts, among other things, drift the most. I couldn’t write a whole paper on romantic love, but maybe I could start with a dictionary definition of “romantic” and attempt to deconstruct the mystery, as how science is so accustomed to.

romantic |rōˈmantik; rə-|
adjective
1 inclined toward or suggestive of the feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love : a romantic candlelit dinner.

So if we satisfy ourselves with this little chunk of wisdom from our dictionary, what could Juan Antonio be telling me, and how the hell can this have any connection with me going to Belgium and Amsterdam? Well, if we just plug in the definition to what J.A. said, we get an one interesting sentence – only an unfulfilled love can be inclined toward or suggestive of the feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love. Oh! So is marriage romantic? Is my relationship with God (while I’m on earth) romantic? So many questions, so little answers! Bah, pfft. Nevertheless, J.A might give us a little glimpse of a side to romantic love – that it’s temporary, fleeting. It doesn’t stay, or if it does, it’s not the same. And with that I think you can see the connection with that and my experience with Belgium, Amsterdam, and Europe in general. I only have four months, and there’s no way in hell I could suck in everything. I guess in that way you could say my love for the culture and architecture of Europe goes unfulfilled, and maybe that’s what makes it a little bit romantic.

It all started at half past three on a thursday morning, there I was looking at myself in the mirror all groggy and yawning and thinking, get your ass moving, son. You have a train to catch! My train was to leave at 6:05 and I had to be at the station at around 5:30 just to be sure something doesn’t screw me up. So after eating a burger from the night before, I, along with Nicki, left our flat at five in the morning and arrived at the station at half past five. Perfect. Super. So far so good!

Two hours later I arrived in Paris Montparnasse and lined up for some Metro tickets to Gare du Nord – the station for trains to Belgium. This might be a side comment but I just adore the train stations, Antwerpen Centraal and Gare du Nord are just heavenly to admire. But anyway, I hopped on the train along with Nicki since we were leaving ahead of the other guys. She was getting off at Brussels while I would switch trains at Brussels Midi and head on along to Antwerpen Centraal where I would meet my most generous hosts. I braced myself for another two hour train ride, but thankfully I had Dawn of the Dead ’78 and Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona in my laptop to watch on the way. Nicki also had an episode of How I Met Your Mother which was hilarious as usual. I spent the first half hour on the TGV watching scenes from Dawn of the Dead then switched to Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona, but half an hour before arriving at Brussels I noticed Nicki was watching How I Met Your Mother, and that’s how I ended up seeing an episode from season five before arriving in Antwerp.

***

It was noontime when I set my eyes on the beautiful Antwerpen Centraal Station and met my hosts. For lunch I surprisingly had rice at a fastfood place which had a Filipino service crew! I told the cashier lady salamat but she started speaking to me in Dutch, and that just confused me. And after that huge lunch I spent the afternoon seeing the beautiful architecture around Antwerp and smelling the chocolate and coffee from the stores, and for some reason it reminded me of smelling sikwati (cebuano hot chocolate) in the morning when my mom makes some. It reminded me of home, and how far away it is from here.

I spent the next three days seeing the sights in Bruges and Brussels, two more stunning Belgian cities. In those days I spent my time tasting chocolates, having cups of espresso, and finally eating a Belgian waffle! On saturday, my hosts decided to treat me to a moules et frites lunch at Chez Leon and place that with some Belgian beer, I could almost fall asleep right after that last mussel. Ten out of ten. It was quite a coincidence too that I met my friends at a restaurant in Brussels by chance. I was supposed to meet them the next day at Amsterdam but it was really a lucky break that I passed by the restaurant they were eating in. But they were in a rush to catch their train, so after a few hi’s and bye’s they were off while I remained in Brussels. And for a few hours I spent going around the city listening to the legends and folklore that my tito told me. At three in the afternoon though, disaster struck. I had a major sugar rush from a waffle I had eaten too fast and now my head felt like it was going to split open. With that I had to take a timeout and relax at a cafe, and maybe to think about another exciting day – tomorrow, Amsterdam.

I spent the night packing and preparing some extra snacks since I heard some of my friends were going to skip lunch and might want some extra energy on the road. I packed my jacket, my tickets, and a full bottle of water. And at roughly eleven in the evening I fell asleep, dreaming about all kinds of things I would be doing in Amsterdam.

The night wouldn’t be the only thing the sun shattered on Sunday, as I would soon find out. It was a cold morning that time since it had just rained in the night. After some freshening up, I took off to the train station and had one last cup of coffee with my hosts. I wasn’t blood related to my hosts but after we had only spent four days together, they already called me family, and I honestly felt like they were mine too as we gave each other goodbye hugs before I went on the train. And while the train was moving, speeding out of the platform, I waved to them from behind my window.

Now, a love story is hardly a love story without any drama. Feelings, whether positive or negative ones, are always intensified with drama, and that even helps us remember things. And probably by now you’re wondering whether this “Belgium/Amsterdam love story” I’m talking about will really end well, all hollywood style. See, it’s so predictable. A stereotypical hollywood ending can only lead to one thing – in the case of a guy and a girl, they get together and maybe fly off into the rainbow and make love in front of their unicorn. But ending it the other way, now that’s something that might be harder to see into. So there. So far I’ve been telling you the beginning and the middle of the story, now let me start telling you the ending.

I stepped off the InterCity Train and onto Amsterdam Centraal Station at 10:06 in the morning, and thought: this was it, I’m in Amsterdam, what can’t I do. I couldn’t wait to step into those famed coffeeshops and do what the Dutch do there. But first, I had to meet my friends at the Heineken Brewery at 11:30, roughly two kilometers from Centraal. Keeping that in mind, I decided to walk over there and see the city at the same time. I planned to drop by a coffeeshop before the brewery but my bags just would not allow me, so I passed on the shop and headed straight to Heineken goodness. At around 10:45 I arrived at the Heineken Brewery and sat down at the park to eat while waiting for the others. It was only half an hour later that I got a text telling me that I will not be meeting my friends at 11:30. They were on a river cruise and wouldn’t be able to meet me at the Heineken Brewery, I had to make my way back a kilometer or so and meet them up at this place called Dam Square. I’m not sure if you believe in Fate, because I’m not sure of my stand either. But funny I should mention Fate. Fate it seems had just fucked my Sunday up its ass and gotten it pregnant, then left her for Monday, leaving Sunday to work day and night at a gasoline station just to feed the triplets left behind by the ever so sneaky hands of Fate. An hour and a few texts later, they found me waiting in front of Mcdonald’s after almost two hours of walking with my luggage. I pretty much forgot the last time I yelled out of anger but I did that time, twice. I was annoyed at the fact that they were probably buying tickets to the cruise while I was walking over to the Brewery, or maybe frustrated at how one text could have saved me all the trouble. I don’t know. I took nearly an hour to clear up my head and suck in some air at a bench nearby, just observing those stupid pigeons fighting over pieces of bread. Just observing the pigeons, stupid pigeons.

A few minutes later Aileen, Rana, and Bless came out of the Sex Museum (lol) and went looking for me. I waved to them from across the streams of people flowing down the road. We talked for a while and they offered to accompany me to their flat to drop off my things and maybe freshen up before the Anne Frank house and the Heineken Brewery. It’s funny that no matter how mad you are at someone, a simple but sincere “I’m really sorry” can take it all away. With that I took the tram to the flat and dropped off my bags, changed clothes, and freshened up. A couple of minutes later I took the tram once again and walked over to the Anne Frank house to meet the group.
It was weird. It was as if nothing happened, as if I had been with them since the morning came and maybe with them during their cruise. And what kind of self-centered asshole would remind people of how they somehow hurt one of their friends only to ask for a simple apology? It just doesn’t work that way. I was powerless, the only thing I could do was to brush it off and convince myself that I was with them since the morning, and I was with them during the cruise. But no, sadly I had failed. I remembered, but went with it anyway. What else could I have done without coming off as an self-centered asshole?

My Amsterdam experience was close to snapping if it wasn’t for two things: the Heineken Experience and Baba Souvenir shop. The former provided the alcohol necessary to flush away some harmful emotions, while the latter provided me the only souvenir from Amsterdam (if you’re curious then leave me a message lol). And after those two visits I was ready to travel ten hours back to Rennes. I’ve had enough for the time being. Ten hours was exactly the time it took me to go from Amsterdam Centraal to my bed at Villa Camilla in Rennes, France.

Benelux, you have left your mark. And even if I didn’t go to Luxembourg, I will still call you Benelux since the Eurail authorities do that as well. But anyway, she has left her mark on my back, along with giving me chocolates from Belgium and a toy from Amsterdam. And in the end I thought, so was my Benelux trip romantic? How ’bout unfulfilled? It sure seems so. I never sat down in a coffeeshop and never saw a Sex Museum and the Red Light District. And perhaps that still fills me with wonder at what could lay there, although I’m more inclined to the coffeeshops than the Sex Museum. But now, I remember Benelux with mixed emotions – extreme ups and catastrophic downs. But that was something I could remember forever, and something I could learn from. And perhaps this wasn’t the ending you were looking for, and I seriously wanted it to end like my Paris story. But hey, there’s hollywood playing with your head again. ‘Till next time. Au revoir.

end

It yürürlüğe 1975 yılında girmiştir. The Court, composed of judges from the highest courts of the three States, has to guarantee the uniform interpretation of common legal rules. Mahkeme, hakim oluşan üç Devletleri yüksek mahkemelerin, ortak hukuk kurallarının tekdüze yorumu garantisi vardır. This international judicial institution is located in Brussels. Bu uluslararası yargı kurumu Brüksel turları‘de bulunmaktadır. The Benelux turları is particularly active in the field of intellectual property . Benelux özellikle fikri mülkiyet alanında aktif. The three countries established a Benelux Trademarks Office and a Benelux Designs Office , both situated in The Hague . Üç ülke, her iki Lahey situated in bir Benelux Ticari Ofis ve Benelüks Tasarım Ofisi kuruldu. In 2005, they concluded a treaty establishing a Benelux Organisation for Intellectual Property which replaced both offices upon its entry into force on September 1, 2006. 2005 yılında, bir antlaşma Fikri Mülkiyet için olan 1 Eylül’de yürürlüğe giriş, 2006 üzerine hem ofis yerine bir Benelux Örgütü kurulması sonucuna varıldı

Ne therlands ve Lux embourg (België / Belgique / Belgien – Les Pays-Bas / Nederland / Niederlande Die – Lëtzebuerg / hangi Lüksemburg / Lüksemburg), yalan Fransa  ve Almanya turları arasında kuzey batı Avrupa bölgesi. The name is formed from the beginning of each country’s name; it was possibly created for the Benelux turları Customs Union , [ 1 ] although according to The Economist it was coined somewhat earlier, in August 1946, by that newspaper’s correspondent in Belgium. [ 2 ] However, it is now used in a more generic way to refer to the cultural, economic, and geographic grouping. Adı her ülkenin adının başından itibaren oluşan, bu yüzden bu muhtemelen Benelüks Gümrük Birliği için, oluşturulan [1] rağmen Economist için biraz erken, Ağustos 1946 yılında, tarafından icat edildi göre, Belçika’nın da gazetenin muhabiri. [2] Ancak artık daha genel bir şekilde, ekonomik, kültürel ve coğrafi gruplama başvurmak için kullanılır. The Benelux region has a total population of about 27,725,734 and occupies an area of approximately 74,640 square kilometres (28,820 sq mi). Benelüks bölgesi hakkında 27.725.734 toplam nüfusa sahiptir ve yaklaşık 74.640 kilometre karelik bir alan (28.820 sq mi) kaplar. Thus, the Benelux has a population density of 371/km² (958/sq mi). Böylece, Benelux 371/km ² (958/sq mi) bir nüfus yoğunluğuna sahiptir

Echt hot is-ie nooit geweest. Tot voor kort. In menige historische binnenstad tuffen ze in groten getale rond: de van origine Franse Solexjes. Luid snerpend en onwelriekend zijn het verre van stille historische getuigen. Ze zien er wel geinig uit, deze representanten van ons collectieve geheugen. En er zijn er nog flink wat over (tja, tussen 1946 en 1988 zijn er maar liefst acht miljoen van gemaakt!). Maar om er zelf mee rond te rijden, dat voert te ver.

Wordt de E-Solex ook in Nederland een succes? (c) skrivadur.

Volledig elektrische motor
Wellicht is de E-Solex wel een optie! We kwamen een exemplaar tegen toen we onlangs in het Zuiden waren. Meesterontwerper Pininfarina ontwierp ‘m met de oude Solex van Marcel Mennesson en Maurice Goudard in gedachten. Het ‘brommertje’ heeft een volledig elektrische motor.

Veroveringstocht
Vanuit het Zuiden is het vehikel bezig met een veroveringstocht. In Frankrijk is-ie al bij ruim 250 dealers te koop. De Benelux is nu aan de beurt. Bij onze Zuiderburen kost het milieuverantwoorde apparaat net geen 1.600 euro. Maar dan heb je wel een goedkoop vervoermiddel om van A naar B(eter) te gaan!

Snerpen en knetteren doet-ie niet meer, wel stil zoemen. (c) skrivadur.

On September 5:

1839 The first Opium War  began in China.

1850 Jack Daniel, the man behind Jack Daniels whiskey, was born.

1939: Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage declared New Zealand’s support for Britain from bed where he was recovering from an oepration for colon cancer.

I am satisfied that nowhere will the issue be more clearly understood than in New Zealand – where, for almost a century, behind the sure shield of Britain, we have enjoyed and cherished freedom and self-government. Both with gratitude for the past and confidence in the future, we range ourselves without fear beside Britain. Where she goes, we go. Where she stands, we stand. We are only a small and young nation, but we are one and all a band of brothers and we march forward with union of hearts and wills to a common destiny.

1939 Australian actor George Lazenby, who played James Bond inOn Her Majesty’s Secret Service,  was born.

1940 US actor Racquel Welch was born.

1944 Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg formed Benelux.

19 45 Scottish singer Al Stewart was born.

1946 singer Freddie Mercury was born.

Sourced from Wikipedia & NZ History Online.