F.U.E.C.H. – Board Meeting and General Assembly 2013 in Brussels

On 4th of October 2013 members of F.U.E.C.H.-Board (Managing Commitee) met at the seat of F.U.E.C.H. in Brussels, the Representative Office of the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg to the E.U., followed by the F.U.E.C.H. General Assembly (Council) 2013. President Hon. Consul General Mdme. Ann-Kathrin Bauknecht thanked the Board-Members for their valuable initiatives to support the Honorary Consuls in the member-associations resp. to strengthen the status of Honorary Consuls on european level and mentioned again the excellent cooperation with the European Institutions in Brussels.

F.U.E.C.H. as accredited organisation of Honorary Consuls Associations in Europe to the European Commission will continue its successful path working on behalf of its member-organisations as well as to meet the wishes of newly established national consular-associations for membership with F.U.E.C.H. resp. to contribute to realisation of the goals of F.U.E.C.H.. The General Assembly welcomed with standing ovations a new member, the Consular Association of Malta, represented by its President Hon. Consul Godwin E. Bencini, accompanied by his wife. In line with an unanimously decision of the Board the General Assembly voted on a new Board, since the term of office of the President and the Board had ended in 2013. The delegates voted as new President in favour of Hon. Consul General Dr. Wolfgang Breitenthaler, as Vice-Presidents for Hon. Consul General Dr. George Suha and Hon. Consul Willy Deswaef, as Secretary General for Hon. Consul Mario Bruna and as Treasurer for Hon. Consul Dr. Peter Freissler. Past-President Mdme. Hon. Consul General A.-K. Bauknecht had been appointed Honorary President and also is a member of the new F.U.E.C.H.-Board. In his closing speech the newly elected President thanked the Hon. President for her successful work within the past periods of office and was looking forward to a continuing successful cooperation of the newly elected Board-Members.

Honorary President Mdme. HCG A.-K. Bauknecht, President HCG Dr. W. Breitenthaler

In the evening the F.U.E.C.H.-Delegates on invitation of the Belgium Consular Union (BCU) attended an exclusive Dinner at Palais d’Egmont (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium), celebrating their 2o years of existence. The Belgium Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as President of the European Council Herman van Rompuy welcomed the F.U.E.C.H.-Delegates and Honorary Consuls accredited to the Kingdom of Belgium and assured them his highest appreciation as well as stressed their very valuable contribution to the foreign services of the sending and receiving states. For his outstanding merits the Founder and President of BCU Hon. Consul Willy Deswaef, Vice-President of F.U.E.C.H., had been awarded with the Royal Order of St. Leopold by the Belgium Minister of Foreign Affairs.

HC Jean-Jaques Baron Haus, Treasurer HC Dr. Peter Freissler, HC Dr. Marc Aicardi de Saint-Paul, Sec.-General HC Mario Bruna, President HCG Dr. Wolfgang Breitenthaler, Hon. President HCG Ann-Kathrin Bauknecht, Vice-President HCG Dr. George Suha and HC Godwin E. Bencini (CC-President Malta)