SESAME COUNCIL Interim Council Meeting 2nd Meeting

Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Application in the Middle East - SESAME

2nd Meeting of the International (Interim) Council 13th-14th December 1999, UNESCO, Room XIII 1 rue Miollis, 75352 Paris Cedex 15, France

The SESAME Interim Council (IC) adopted at its meeting on 13th-14th December 1999 at UNESCO Headquarters the following decisions and recommendations:

1. Armenia and Oman are accepted, as Members of the IC and note is taken of their proposals for membership in the SESAME advisory committees. Dr Mohamed Nasef COMSAN is appointed Co-Chairman of the Finance Committee and Dr Reza MANSOURI Co-Chairman of the Training Committee.
2. In view of the technical and scientific preparation and of the strong interest expressed by many governments, the IC agrees unanimously to continue with the preparations of the SESAME project. The IC encourages other Members, Associates, Observers and Sponsors to join the project.
3. The report "A proposal for a Synchrotron Radiation Source in the Middle East" prepared by the Technical and Scientific Advisory Committees is adopted as the basis for future technical and scientific considerations.
4. The IC elected Professor Khaled TOUKAN and Professor Namik Kamal PAK Vice-Presidents of the Interim Council.
5. A first discussion of the draft of the future Statutes of the international SESAME laboratory has led to the recommendation that the Statutes should be based on the principles outlined in the draft and contain in particular the following points:
   1. The SESAME centre should be established as a body with autonomy within the frame of UNESCO.
   2. States, International Organizations, Territorial Authorities and other interested organizations may be admitted as Members, Associates or Observers, whose rights and obligations should be defined along the lines pointed out in the draft. Admission will require a two-third majority of the Council.
   3. The SESAME laboratory will be directed by a Director and several Assistant-Directors to be appointed by the Director-General of UNESCO on the nomination of the SESAME Council taken by a two-third majority. These appointments are made for a definite period.
   4. Funds for the SESAME laboratory should come from direct contributions of Members, Associates, Observers and sponsors as well as from UNESCO. The budget will be prepared by the Directorate, submitted to the Finance Committee and approved by the Council.
   5. A Seat Agreement will have to be established with the host country clarifying the privileges and immunities, which are necessary for the mission of SESAME. In addition, tax exemptions and import and export rules for equipment owned by SESAME or its user groups will have to be clarified.
   6. Members and Associates may withdraw by giving notice in writing to the President of the Council. The withdrawal shall take effect 12 months after the notice has been received by the President.
      Termination of a membership will require an unanimous decision by all other Members. Such a decision should only be taken if a Member does not fulfil its obligations over an extended period or in case of other serious reasons.
   7. It is agreed that the IC shall be in charge of preparing the implementation of SESAME, applying by analogy on a provisional basis the modalities proposed in the Draft Statutes. The IC is also charged with the selection of the SESAME site, a decision that will require a majority of two-thirds of the Members. A Drafting Committee consisting of Professors ـLKـ/PAK, Professor ARAJ, Prof MCBRIERTY, Prof RABINOVICI and Prof SALMAN, will prepare a new version of the Statutes for the next meeting of IC.
   8. A Site Selection Committee composed of one delegate per Member, is charged with preparing a recommendation for the IC. It will meet in early 2000.
6. The Director-General is requested to initiate the necessary steps for the implementation of SESAME within the framework of UNESCO.
7. In order to demonstrate the international involvement in the SESAME project and to provide a contribution for preparatory activities, each Member of the IC provides a minimum sum of US$20,000. This contribution will be transferred to UNESCO on or before 31 January 2000 and will be used exclusively towards the cost of dismantling, packing and transporting the components of BESSY I for the SESAME project. The Secretary of the IC will report periodically, as well as on request of Members, to the IC on the use of these funds.
   The following Members agreed to provide $20,000 each: Iran, Jordan, Oman and Turkey. The other Members will confirm after consultation with national authorities and notify the Secretary of the IC by 24 December 1999. Among the Observers, the USA agreed to provide $20,000 and Sweden $5,000.
8. The deliberations of the Technical Committee have shown that several sites exist which fulfil all the requirements for the successful establishment and operation of SESAME. The final site decision requires additional criteria, in particular financial and political considerations will have to be taken into account. In order to prepare the decision of the IC, a restricted meeting will be called in early 2000 bringing together one representative of each Member of the IC. The final site decision will be taken before summer 2000.
9. The IC requests the Director-General of UNESCO to provide the necessary funds which are needed in addition to the funds indicated in paragraph 7 above for the dismantling, packing and transporting of BESSY I and other preparatory activities. Since the German Government needs an immediate decision, the IC sees no other way of finding the required funds within the available short time.