Bilderberg Group

Secret Societies

The Bilderberg Group - part 2 of 2

- The Invisible Power House -

CHAIRMAN:

"The first [Bilderberg] meeting was convened under the chairmanship of H. R. H. Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, who served as chairman for twenty-two years. He was succeeded by Lord Home of the Hirsel, former Prime Minister for the United Kingdom, who chaired the meetings for four years. At the 1980 meeting, Lord Home turned over the chairmanship to Walter Scheel, former President of the Federal Republic of Germany. In 1985, Mr. Scheel resigned, and was succeeded by Lord Roll of Ipsden, President of S. G. Warburg Group plc. At 1989 meeting, Lord Roll turned over the chairmanship to Lord Carrington,"(10) who still chairs the meetings.

CHARACTER OF BILDERBERG MEETINGS:

"What is unique about Bilderberg as a forum is (1) the broad cross-section of leading citizens, in and out of government, that are assembled for nearly three days of informal discussion about topics of current concern especially in the fields of foreign affairs and the international economy; (2) the strong feeling among participants that, in view of the differing attitudes and experiences of the Western nations, there is a clear need to develop an understanding in which these concerns can be accommodated; and (3) the privacy of these meetings, which has no purpose other than to allow leading citizens to speak their minds openly and freely.

"In short, Bilderberg is a recognised, flexible and informal international leadership forum in which different viewpoints can be expressed and mutual understanding enhanced."(11)

In further recognition of this aspect, Paddy Ashdown, the Leader of the Liberal Party and a participant in the 1989 Bilderberg meeting, wrote to me:

"In view of the recent events right across Europe, this has turned out to have been an exceptionally useful opportunity to meet and discuss with many of the most expert people in the world on international relations. I found it a very stimulating and informative gathering."(12)

But others, such as Prince Charles, Lord Callaghan and Sir Edward Heath, were rather shy in their responses.(13)

PARTICIPANTS:

There are usually 115 participants in each annual meeting. Eighty are from Western Europe and the remainder from North America. From this mixture, one-third are from government and politics, and the remaining two-thirds from industry, finance, education and communications. All the participants claim to attend the meeting in their private capacity and not as officials-though this claim, in the wake of the outcome of subsequent meetings, has proven to be highly questionable.

Participants are invited to the Bilderberg meeting by the Chairman, following his consultations and recommendations by the Steering Committee membership, the Advisory Group and the Honorary Secretaries-General. This approach ensures a full, informed and balanced discussion of the agenda items. The individuals are chosen based on their knowledge, standing and experience. The previous participants maintain that, at the meetings, no resolutions are proposed, no votes are taken and no policy statements are made.

FUNDING:

The costs of the annual meetings are usually the responsibility of the Steering Committee members of the host country. But, the expenses of maintaining the Bilderberg meetings are covered entirely by private subscriptions. Although the meeting reports are published, nevertheless they are strictly for the participating members only. No reports are made available to the media.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

Members' Steering Committee:

•Chairman: Peter, Lord Carrington-Chairman of the Board, Christie's International plc; Former Secretary-General NATO.

•Secretary-General for Europe and Canada: Victor Halberstadt-Professor of Public Economics, Leiden University, the Netherlands.

•Secretary General for USA: Theodore L. Elliot, Jr-Dean Emeritus, TheFletcher School of Law & Diplomacy; Former US Ambassador.

•Treasurer: Pieter Korteweg-President and Chief Executive Officer, RobecoGroup.

•Austria: Peter Jankowitsch-Member of Parliament, Former Foreign Minister.

•Belgium: Etienne Davignon-Chairman, Société Générale de Belgique; Former Vice Chairman of the Commission of the European Communities.

•Finland: Jaakko Iloniemi-Managing Director, Centre for Finnish Business and Policy Studies; Former Ambassador to the USA.

•France: Marc Lardreit de Lacharrère-Chairman, Fimalac. Thierry de Montbrial-Director, French Institute of International Relations; Professor of Economics, Ecole Polytechnique.

•Germany: Christoph Bertram- Diplomatic Correspondent, Die Zeit.

•Hilmar Kopper-Spokesman of the Board of Managing Directors, Deutsche Bank AG.

•Greece: Costa Carras-Director of companies.

•Ireland: Peter D. Sutherland-Chairman, Allied Irish Bank plc; Former Member, Commission of the European Communities.

•Italy: Mario Monti-Rector and Professor of Economics, Bocconi University, Milan.

•Renato Ruggiero-Member of the Board, Fiat SpA; former Minister of Foreign Trade.

•Norway: Westye Hoegh, Ship Owner, Leif Hoegh & Co AS.

•Portugal: Francisco Pinto Balsemao-Professor of Mass Communication, New University of Lisbon; Chairman, Sojornal sarl; Former Prime Minister.

•Spain: Jamie Carvajal Urquijo-Chairman and General Manager, Iberfomento.

•Sweden: Percy Barnevik-President and CEO, ABB Asea Brown Boveri Ltd.

•Switzerland: David de Pury-Chairman, BBC Brown Boveri Ltd; Co-Chairman, ABB Asea Brown Boveri Group.

•Turkey: Selahattin Beyazit-Director of companies.

•United Kingdom: Andrew Knight-Executive Chairman, News International plc.

•United States of America: Kenneth W. Dam-Max Pam Professor of American and Foreign Law, University of Chicago Law School; Former Deputy Secretary of State.

•Vernon E. Jordan, Jr-Partner, Akin, Gump, Hauer & Field, Attorneys-at-Law; Former President, National Urban League.

•Henry A. Kissinger-Former Secretary of State; Chairman, Kissinger Associates, Inc.

•Charles McC. Mathias-Partner, Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue; Former US Senator (Republican, Maryland).

•Rozanne C. Whitehead-Former Deputy Secretary of State.

•Lynn R. Williams-International President, United Steel- Workers of America.

•Cassimir A. Yost-Executive Director, The Asia Foundation's Center for Asian-Pacific Affairs.

•United States of America/International: James D. Wolfensohn-President, World Bank; President, James D. Wolfensohn, Inc.

Members of Advisory Group:

•Canada: Anthony G. S. Griffin-Director of companies.

•Germany: Otto Wolff von Amerongen-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Otto Wolff Industrieberatung und Beteiligungen GmbH.

•International: Max Kohnstamm-Former Secretary-General, Action Committee for Europe; Former President, European University Institute.

•Italy: Giovanni Agnelli-Chairman, Fiat SpA.

•Netherlands: Ernst H. van der Beugel-Emeritus Professor of International Relations, Leiden University; Former Honorary Secretary-General of Bilderberg Meetings for Europe and Canada.

•United Kingdom: Lord Roll of Ipsden-President, S. G. Warburg Group plc.

•United States of America: George W. Ball-Former Under-Secretary of State.

•William P. Bundy-Former Editor, Foreign Affairs.

•David Rockefeller-Chairman, Chase Manhattan Bank International Advisory Committee.

CONFERENCES, 1954-1992

29-31 May 1954: Oosterbeek, Netherlands.

18-20 March 1955: Barbizon, France.

23-25 September 1955: Garmisch-Partenkirchen,W. Germany.

11-13 May 1956: Fredensborg, Denmark.

15-17 February 1957: St Simons Island, Georgia, USA.

4-6 October 1957: Fiuggi, Italy.

13-15 September 1958: Buxton, England.

18-20 September 1959: Yesilköy, Turkey.

28-29 May 1960: Bürgenstock, Switzerland.

21-23 April 1961: St Castin, Canada.

18-20 May 1962: Saltsjöbaden, Sweden.

29-31 May 1963: Cannes, France.

20-22 March 1964: Williamsburg, Virginia, USA.

2-4 April 1965: Villa d'Este, Italy.

25-27 March 1966: Wiesbaden, W. Germany.

31 March 2 April 1967: Cambridge, England.

26-28 April 1968: Mont Tremblant, Canada.

9-11 May 1969: Marienlyst, Denmark.

17-19 April 1970: Bad Ragaz, Switzerland.

23-25 April 1971: Woodstock, Vermont, USA.

21-23 April 1972: Knokke, Belgium.

11-13 May 1973: Saltsjöbaden, Sweden.

19-21 April 1974: Megìve, France.

25-27 April 1975: Çesme, Turkey. 1976: No conference was held.

22-24 April 1977: Torquay, England.

21-23 April 1978: Princeton, New Jersey, USA.

27-29 April 1979: Baden, Austria.

18-20 April 1980: Aachen, W. Germany.

15-17 May 1981: Bürgenstock, Switzerland.

14-16 May 1982: Sandefjord, Norway.

13-15 May 1983: Montebello, Canada.

11-13 May 1984: Saltsjöbaden, Sweden.

10-12 May 1985: Rye Brook, New York USA.

25-27 April 1986: Gleneagles, Scotland.

24-26 April 1987: Villa d'Este, Italy.

3-5 June 1988: Telfs-Buchen, Austria.

12-14 May 1989: La Toja, Spain.

11-13 May 1990: Glen Cove, New York, USA.

6-9 June 1991: Baden-Baden, Germany.

21-24 May 1992: Evian-les-Bains, France.

Though the entire topics of the Bilderberg meetings since its establishment are known to me, listing these topics would occupy several pages, which is not within the scope of this writing. However, I should perhaps include herewith the topics of the first meeting (1954) and the 1992 meeting which, in themselves, provide an insight into the evolution of this group, the Bilderberg.

29-31 May 1954: Oosterbeek, Netherlands

A. The attitude towards communism and the Soviet Union.

B. The attitude towards dependent areas and people overseas.

C. The attitude towards economic policies and problems.

D. The attitude towards European integration and the European Defence Community.

21-24 May 1992: Evian-les-Bains, France

A. Prospects for the former Soviet republics.

B. What should be done for Eastern Europe?

C. Whither the United States?

D. The world economy.

E. Whither Europe?

F. Soviet Union: the view from Moscow.

G. The migration issue.

H. The evolving west/west relationship.

Footnotes:

1. The issue concerning the history and the activities of the Trilateral Commission is a separate one to be dealt with in another paper.

2. The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) requires separate attention which I would discuss in another paper. However, I should add that the CFR does not accept non-US members.

3. Pasymowski, Eugene and Carl Gilbert, Bilderberg: The Cold War Internationale, 1971.

4. Charles E. Wilson, addressing the National Association of Manufacturers in 1946.

5. Extract from a Bilderberg document. This document was given to the author, prior to its official publication, by one of the members of the Bilderberg Group. Later on, an official format was also provided to the author by another member, which proved the authenticity of the record in point.

6. Hatch, Alden, H. R. H. Bernhard, Prince of the Netherlands, 1962.

7. "Our Good Conference Guide", The Economist, December 1987.

8. The issue concerning the Ditchley Foundation requires a separate paper. For many years I have been studying this Foundation and have had the opportunity of discussing its achievements, goals and missions with several of its members and invited participants.

9. Op. cit., 7.

10. Bilderberg Meetings, 1989, p. 1 (Bilderberg record).

11. Op. cit. 5, p. 1.

12. Letter from Paddy Ashdown, Leader of the Liberal Party, dated 3 January 1990, to the author.

13. Former Prime Minister Lord Callaghan's letter of 19 October 1989, to the author. Former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath's letter of 1 November 1989, to the author. Letter of 30 October 1989 from St James's Palace, to the author. Prince Charles participated in the 1986 Bilderberg annual meeting held in Scotland.