Korshied Samad on Sounds Like Canada

… I caught most of an interview of Khorshied Samad.

I have to say up front that when she was introduced as "Khorshied Samad, the wife of Afghan ambassador to Canada Omar Samad", it made me feel a little odd. I knew nothing of this woman, but surely if she is being interviewed on the radio then she has done something more important than just being "husband to" somebody. At least I hope so.
http://bradgagne.blogspot.com/2007/06/korshied-samad-on-sounds-like-canada.html

And then after a lengthy interview detailing the struggles of women in Afghanistan, how they are mistreated, belittled, and marginalized... wait for it.. Kevin Sylvester goes on to conclude the interview just as he started it: summarizing this woman's life experience and accomplishments as "Khorshied Samad, wife of Omar Samad, Afghan ambassador to Canada."

Great work there CBC.

Pak-Afghan Jirga: Draft Declaration

At the ongoing grand peace jirga in Kabul, Pakistan has proposed formation of a joint tribal council to open negotiations with Afghan resistance groups and work for a ceasefire to create necessary conditions for peaceful resolution of the conflict, an official document made available to Dawn reveals.

The six-page document — titled “Pak-Afghan Jirga: Draft Declaration” — says that Pakistan would call for durable institutions to guarantee the unity and stability of Afghanistan and underline the need for peace as a ‘critical prerequisite’ for the prosperity of the Afghan people.

The document, which was distributed among the delegates of the jirga, said there was no military solution to the current conflict in Afghanistan.

It calls for the creation of a tribal council or a peace and reconciliation jirga, comprising 25 representatives each from Pakistan and Afghanistan, authorised by the grand jirga and also by the government of Afghanistan, “to immediately undertake to open negotiations with the resistance on how best and how soon to end violence in the country.”

The tribal council, it says, shall comprise only tribesmen and will not include any government representatives from the two sides.

The council, says the document, would solicit the response of the resistance and engage with the government in Kabul on how best to find common ground between the positions held by the two sides, keeping in mind the imperatives of the unity of Afghanistan, its territorial integrity, sovereignty and its fundamental character as an Islamic, democratic country.

It says that the tribal council would address all issues which impact on the impasse as far as negotiations between the government and resistance are concerned and seek a comprehensive resolution to the conflict within the framework of a united Afghanistan free of militancy and extremism and address the root cause of the conflict and violence including the question of the presence of coalition forces in that country.

The document says that as soon as the peace and conciliation jirga begins its consultations with the resistance, including the Taliban and the Hezb-i-Islami (Hekmatyar), a ceasefire should come into effect between the resistance and Afghan/coalition forces for a period to be mutually agreed upon.

“This would give a respite to both the resistance and the (Afghan) government to consider coolly and dispassionately the grave situation confronting the nation and the likely options on how best to resolve the conflict,” it says.

According to the draft declaration, Pakistan would also seek the Grand Jirga to call upon the resistance to show vision and maturity and respond positively in order to achieve a breakthrough in ending violence and creating an environment in which they too can join the mainstream Afghan institutions.

Pakistan would also seek the Grand Jirga to resolve that a key component for peace in Afghanistan is the security and stability of the Pak-Afghan border.

“All possible measures, therefore, must be adopted to ensure that this becomes a border of peace and friendship bringing the two countries closer together” and those crossing the border with ulterior motives must be confronted by institutions and systems rooted in the culture of the area.

Pakistan will be seeking the establishment of border peace monitoring committees, on both sides of the border, comprising tribesmen living across the Durand Line to be assisted by officials concerned from both sides to undertake to monitor movement of people across the border, identify the main routes and bring tribal pressure to bear on people involved in sabotage.

The draft declaration also seeks to call upon the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan to draw up a comprehensive Border Infrastructure Development Project in cooperation with the international community for speedy uplift of the tribes along the borders.

According to the draft declaration, Pakistan would also be seeking the creation of a Pak-Afghan Peace and Friendship Commission, as a permanent institution mandated to not only implement the decisions of the Grand Jirga but also carry forward the task of building bridges of trust and cordiality, accommodation and tolerance.

From DAWN

EMBASSY SURVEY

Afghan Ambassador Omar Samad and Panamanian envoy Romy Vasqez de Gonzales have been voted the sexiest heads of mission among the diplomatic corps in Ottawa, according to the results of Embassy's first ever Sexy and Savvy survey.

When reached for comment, Mr. Samad said he was thrilled by the results and the "flattering votes."

"This honour will surely make my heavy workload a bit lighter," he said. "Even though diplomacy requires thinking twice before saying anything, I will use a Charles Dickens quote to express my appreciation: 'Humble we are, humble we have been, humble we shall ever be.'"

In addition to being the hottest male envoy, Mr. Samad was also voted as the hardest working ambassador in the city.

His wife, Khorshied Samad, was also voted sexiest spouse of an ambassador–impressive considering it's only been a year since she had her first child. Mrs. Samad was also voted the most high-profile spouse of an ambassador and came in second as the best-dressed spouse of an ambassador.

"I don't think there are any secrets associated with being nominated or
winning, but I do believe in living one's life with passion, enthusiasm and
a sense of humour," she said in response to her nominations.

Those who are familiar with Panamanian Ambassador Romy Vasquez de Gonzales on the diplomatic party circuit know the stunning, dark-haired diplomat deserves the accolade of sexiest female envoy. But beauty is not the only
hing voters found appealing in the Panamanian ambassador. Those polled also thought she was one of the foreign diplomats most in the know of political gossip, an honour she tied for in first place with British High Commissioner Anthony Cary, which itself is remarkable because the Brit has only been in town for four months. Ms. Vaquez was also runner up for the coveted title of
female ambassador with the best hair, in addition to tying in third place for the best-dressed female envoy.

Still in the sexy category, this time for male heads of mission, Austrian
Ambassador Otto Ditz and

Czech Ambassador Pavel Vosalik tied for second
place.

For females, Ambassador Beatriz Valle of Honduras, a stunning single mother who loves to sing, took second place. Croatian Ambassador Vasela Mrden Korac took third place.
Vasela Mrden Korac of Croatia may be the tallest female envoy in town, at least an inch or two above everybody, but she beat everyone hands down in
the category of best-dressed female envoy; garnering 30 per cent of the vote.

British High Commissioner Anthony Cary snagged first place in the best-dressed male ambassador category. "I am very flattered as my family is incredulous that I should be considered well dressed," he said. "My success in this category can only be attributed to my high commission's savvy in manipulating the poll."

Following behind Mr. Cary's coattails were Italian Ambassador Gabriele Sardo,

Bahamian High Commissioner Philip Smith, and French Ambassador Daniel
Jouanneau.

Siguté Jakstonyté of Lithuania; Elena Stefoi of Romania; Slobodanka Kojadinovic, the Serbian chargé d'affaires; and Ingrid Iremark of Sweden tied for second place, each with 8.3 per cent of the vote.

With Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent open criticism of America's foreign policy, it ould be correct to say there's a little chill in relations between both countries. But in Ottawa, there is a warmth between the former Cold War enemies generated by their envoys' shared sense of
humour. Ambassadors Georgiy Mamedov of Russia and David Wilkins of the United States both tied for first place as ambassadors with the best sense of humour. The aforementioned Mr. Smith of the Bahamas and Stanislav Opiela of Slovakia followed the pair closely.

Interestingly, Messrs Mamedov and Wilkins also share the dubious title of ambassador with the corniest jokes, garnering a larger percentage of votes in this category than the Best Sense of Humour one.

The American ambassador scored well in a number of other categories, including most discreet ambassador, envoy with the most influence–won by a whopping 75.5 per cent– and runner up for hardest working ambassador. He also got high marks for best hair, sexiest male ambassador and knowing the best political gossip. His wife, Susan Wilkins, was voted ambassador's spouse with the most influence, and came behind Mrs. Samad as most high profile spouse of an ambassador.

Men tend not to fuss about their hair as much as women do, unless of course their hairlines are receding. But if the votes are anything to go by, one might assume that Norwegian ambassador Tor Berntin Naess spends a fair amount of time at the hairdresser. Regardless, survey respondents thought
the Nordic gentleman has a pretty impressive set of locks, and crowned him s the male ambassador with the best hair in town.

For Caucasians, women with blonde hair have always had a special allure, so it was no surprise that in the female with best hair category, Mrs. Korac of Croatia, was voted in first place. But brunettes have lots of fun, too, as Mrs. Vasquez of Panama proved, clinching second place, while Slobodanka Kojadinovic, chargé d'affaires of Serbia–another blonde from Eastern Europe–won third place.

If there is anything that defines diplomats, it's their knack for throwing parties and lunches, where a suit and tie is the formal dress code. So what is a diplomat without the cocktail parties and the lunches? In that regard, Embassy thought it would be wise to include a category called ambassador with the best business lunches.

Not withstanding the fact that Taiwan is a tiny island, whose office in Ottawa isn't in fact an embassy proper, its representative, David Lee, was voted as the ambassador who throws some of the best business lunches, according to those polled in the survey.

"I have been in the [diplomatic] business for over a quarter of a century. For me, I always do my homework," he said when told he's the best in hosting business lunches. However, the soft-spoken and modest diplomat said he's flattered as well as surprised at the honour because he's just been in Ottawa for less than four months.

Embassy intern Paul Ovens conducted the first annual survey by phone, fax and email from July 4-27. After contacting all 125 foreign missions in Ottawa, as well as dozens of members of Parliament, senators, academics, journalists, think-tanks and others familiar with the diplomatic community, he received more than 54 responses.

"Many respondents laughed out loud at the first questions [who is the sexiest male and female ambassador?]," said Mr. Ovens.

Mr. Ovens said some respondents preferred answering questions on the opposite spectrum to what he asked.

From embassy magazine, canada

afghan biz women

Several female business owners from Afghanistan will arrive in Oklahoma City next month as part of a program intended to teach 13 women about entrepreneurship.

The T. Boone Pickens Foundation, a charitable agency formed last year by Oklahoma oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens, donated $50,000 (U.S.) to the Women Impacting Public Policy Institute to help fund the program.

Beginning this month, 13 Afghan participants will go to Midland, Mich., for five weeks and then to Washington in September for an institute conference. Four of the women will travel to klahoma City in September to shadow female business owners.

"It was incredible to see the work that these 13 women have accomplished in their country," said institute president Terry Neese. "Some of them have faced tremendous obstacles to operate their businesses."