Bilderberg Meetings
Telfs-Buchen, Austria 11 - 14 June 2015
steering committee member, said:
"To say we were striving for a one-world government is exaggerated, but not wholly unfair
"To say we were striving for a one-world government is exaggerated, but not wholly unfair
New World Order
One World Order
Branded a liar, Barack Obama has hatched many desperate and fool hardy plans to secure his place in the history books as the very first Negro president of the United States. Failing to inspire any citizen Barack Obama has become the most disgraced President of the United States history and has shamed the office and the people of America. In his desperate radical rage he has taken the law into his own hands and has ignored the voices of all the people of all the states which has created a national divide that cannot stand.
Branded a liar, Barack Obama has hatched many desperate and fool hardy plans to secure his place in the history books as the very first Negro president of the United States. Failing to inspire any citizen Barack Obama has become the most disgraced President of the United States history and has shamed the office and the people of America. In his desperate radical rage he has taken the law into his own hands and has ignored the voices of all the people of all the states which has created a national divide that cannot stand.
agenda for the meeting in Austria:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Cybersecurity
- Chemical Weapons Threats
- Current Economic Issues
- European Strategy
- Globalisation
- Greece
- Iran
- Middle East
- NATO
- Russia
- Terrorism
- United Kingdom
- USA
- US Elections
Final list of Participants
Chairman
Castries, Henri de Chairman
and CEO, AXA Group FRA
Achleitner, Paul M. Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Deutsche Bank AG DEU
Agius, Marcus Non-Executive
Chairman, PA Consulting Group GBR
Ahrenkiel, Thomas Director,
Danish Intelligence Service (DDIS) DNK
Allen, John R. Special
Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, US Department of
State USA
Altman, Roger C. Executive
Chairman, Evercore USA
Applebaum, Anne Director
of Transitions Forum, Legatum Institute USA
Apunen, Matti Director,
Finnish Business and Policy Forum EVA FIN
Baird, Zoë CEO
and President, Markle Foundation USA
Balls, Edward M. Former
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer GBR
Balsemão, Francisco Pinto Chairman, Impresa SGPS PRT
Barroso, José M. Durão Former President of the European Commission PRT
Baverez, Nicolas Partner,
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP FRA
Benko, René Founder,
SIGNA Holding GmbH AUT
Bernabè, Franco Chairman,
FB Group SRL ITA
Beurden, Ben van CEO,
Royal Dutch Shell plc NLD
Bigorgne, Laurent Director,
Institut Montaigne FRA
Boone, Laurence Special
Adviser on Financial and Economic Affairs to the President FRA
Botín, Ana P. Chairman,
Banco Santander ESP
Brandtzæg, Svein Richard President and CEO, Norsk Hydro ASA NOR
Bronner, Oscar Publisher,
Standard Verlagsgesellschaft AUT
Burns, William President,
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace USA
Calvar, Patrick Director
General, DGSI FRA
Castries, Henri de Chairman,
Bilderberg Meetings; Chairman and CEO, AXA Group FRA
Cebrián, Juan Luis Executive
Chairman, Grupo PRISA ESP
Clark, W. Edmund Retired
Executive, TD Bank Group CAN
Coeuré, Benoît Member
of the Executive Board, European Central Bank INT
Coyne, Andrew Editor,
Editorials and Comment, National Post CAN
Damberg, Mikael L. Minister
for Enterprise and Innovation SWE
De Gucht, Karel Former
EU Trade Commissioner, State Minister BEL
Donilon, Thomas E. Former
U.S. National Security Advisor; Partner and Vice Chair, O'Melveny & Myers
LLP USA
Döpfner, Mathias CEO,
Axel Springer SE DEU
Dowling, Ann President,
Royal Academy of Engineering GBR
Dugan, Regina Vice
President for Engineering, Advanced Technology and Projects, Google USA
Eilertsen, Trine Political
Editor, Aftenposten NOR
Eldrup, Merete CEO,
TV 2 Danmark A/S DNK
Elkann, John Chairman
and CEO, EXOR; Chairman, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles ITA
Enders, Thomas CEO,
Airbus Group DEU
Erdoes, Mary CEO,
JP Morgan Asset Management USA
Fairhead, Rona Chairman,
BBC Trust GBR
Federspiel, Ulrik Executive
Vice President, Haldor Topsøe A/S DNK
Feldstein, Martin S. President Emeritus, NBER;
Professor of Economics, Harvard University USA
Ferguson, Niall Professor
of History, Harvard University, Gunzberg Center for European Studies USA
Fischer, Heinz Federal
President AUT
Flint, Douglas J. Group
Chairman, HSBC Holdings plc GBR
Franz, Christoph Chairman
of the Board, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd CHE
Fresco, Louise O. President
and Chairman Executive Board, Wageningen University and Research Centre NLD
Griffin, Kenneth Founder
and CEO, Citadel Investment Group, LLC USA
Gruber, Lilli Executive
Editor and Anchor “Otto e mezzo”, La7 TV ITA
Guriev, Sergei Professor
of Economics, Sciences Po RUS
Gürkaynak, Gönenç Managing
Partner, ELIG Law Firm TUR
Gusenbauer, Alfred Former
Chancellor of the Republic of Austria AUT
Halberstadt, Victor Professor of Economics, Leiden University NLD
Hampel, Erich Chairman,
UniCredit Bank Austria AG AUT
Hassabis, Demis Vice
President of Engineering, Google DeepMind GBR
Hesoun, Wolfgang CEO,
Siemens Austria AUT
Hildebrand, Philipp Vice Chairman, BlackRock Inc. CHE
Hoffman, Reid Co-Founder
and Executive Chairman, LinkedIn USA
Ischinger, Wolfgang Chairman, Munich Security Conference INT
Jacobs, Kenneth M. Chairman
and CEO, Lazard USA
Jäkel, Julia CEO,
Gruner + Jahr DEU
Johnson, James A. Chairman,
Johnson Capital Partners USA
Juppé, Alain Mayor
of Bordeaux, Former Prime Minister FRA
Kaeser, Joe President
and CEO, Siemens AG DEU
Karp, Alex CEO,
Palantir Technologies USA
Kepel, Gilles University
Professor, Sciences Po FRA
Kerr, John Deputy
Chairman, Scottish Power GBR
Kesici, Ilhan MP,
Turkish Parliament TUR
Kissinger, Henry A. Chairman, Kissinger Associates, Inc. USA
Kleinfeld, Klaus Chairman
and CEO, Alcoa USA
Knot, Klaas H.W. President,
De Nederlandsche Bank NLD
Koç, Mustafa V. Chairman,
Koç Holding A.S. TUR
Kravis, Henry R. Co-Chairman
and Co-CEO, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. USA
Kravis, Marie-Josée Senior Fellow and Vice Chair, Hudson Institute USA
Kudelski, André Chairman
and CEO, Kudelski Group CHE
Lauk, Kurt President,
Globe Capital Partners DEU
Lemne, Carola CEO,
The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise SWE
Levey, Stuart Chief
Legal Officer, HSBC Holdings plc USA
Leyen, Ursula von der Minister of Defence DEU
Leysen, Thomas Chairman
of the Board of Directors, KBC Group BEL
Maher, Shiraz Senior
Research Fellow, ICSR, King's College London GBR
Markus Lassen, Christina Head of Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Security Policy
and Stabilisation DNK
Mathews, Jessica T. Distinguished Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International
Peace USA
Mattis, James Distinguished
Visiting Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University USA
Maudet, Pierre Vice-President
of the State Council, Department of Security, Police and the Economy of Geneva CHE
McKay, David I. President
and CEO, Royal Bank of Canada CAN
Mert, Nuray Columnist,
Professor of Political Science, Istanbul University TUR
Messina, Jim CEO,
The Messina Group USA
Michel, Charles Prime
Minister BEL
Micklethwait, John Editor-in-Chief,
Bloomberg LP USA
Minton Beddoes, Zanny Editor-in-Chief, The Economist GBR
Monti, Mario Senator-for-life;
President, Bocconi University ITA
Mörttinen, Leena Executive
Director, The Finnish Family Firms Association FIN
Mundie, Craig J. Principal,
Mundie & Associates USA
Munroe-Blum, Heather Chairperson, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board CAN
Netherlands, H.R.H. Princess Beatrix of the NLD
O'Leary, Michael CEO,
Ryanair Plc IRL
Osborne, George First
Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Exchequer GBR
Özel, Soli Columnist,
Haberturk Newspaper; Senior Lecturer, Kadir Has University TUR
Papalexopoulos, Dimitri Group CEO, Titan Cement Co. GRC
Pégard, Catherine President,
Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles FRA
Perle, Richard N. Resident
Fellow, American Enterprise Institute USA
Petraeus, David H. Chairman,
KKR Global Institute USA
Pikrammenos, Panagiotis Honorary President of The Hellenic Council of State GRC
Reisman, Heather M. Chair and CEO, Indigo Books & Music Inc. CAN
Rocca, Gianfelice Chairman,
Techint Group ITA
Roiss, Gerhard CEO,
OMV Austria AUT
Rubin, Robert E. Co
Chair, Council on Foreign Relations; Former Secretary of the Treasury USA
Rutte, Mark Prime
Minister NLD
Sadjadpour, Karim Senior
Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace USA
Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, Pedro Leader, Partido Socialista Obrero Español
PSOE ESP
Sawers, John Chairman
and Partner, Macro Advisory Partners GBR
Sayek Böke, Selin Vice
President, Republican People’s Party TUR
Schmidt, Eric E. Executive
Chairman, Google Inc. USA
Scholten, Rudolf CEO,
Oesterreichische Kontrollbank AG AUT
Senard, Jean-Dominique CEO, Michelin Group FRA
Sevelda, Karl CEO,
Raiffeisen Bank International AG AUT
Stoltenberg, Jens Secretary
General, NATO INT
Stubb, Alexander Minister
of Finance FIN
Suder, Katrin Deputy
Minister of Defense DEU
Sutherland, Peter D. UN Special Representative; Chairman, Goldman Sachs
International IRL
Svanberg, Carl-Henric Chairman, BP plc; Chairman, AB Volvo SWE
Svarva, Olaug CEO,
The Government Pension Fund Norway NOR
Thiel, Peter A. President,
Thiel Capital USA
Tsoukalis, Loukas President,
Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy GRC
Üzümcü, Ahmet Director-General,
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons INT
Vitorino, António M. Partner, Cuetrecasas, Concalves Pereira, RL PRT
Wallenberg, Jacob Chairman,
Investor AB SWE
Weber, Vin Partner,
Mercury LLC USA
Wolf, Martin H. Chief
Economics Commentator, The Financial Times GBR
Wolfensohn, James D. Chairman and CEO, Wolfensohn and Company USA
Zoellick, Robert B. Chairman, Board of International Advisors, The Goldman
Sachs Group USA
The original conference was held at the Hotel de
Bilderberg in Oosterbeek, Netherlands, from 29 to 31 May 1954. It was initiated
by several people, including Polish politician-in-exile Józef Retinger,
concerned about the growth of anti-Americanism in Western Europe, who proposed
an international conference at which leaders from European countries and the
United States would be brought together with the aim of promoting
Atlanticism—better understanding between the cultures of the United States and
Western Europe to foster co-operation on political, economic and defense
issues.[5]
Retinger approached Prince Bernhard of the
Netherlands who agreed to promote the idea, together with former Belgian Prime
Minister Paul Van Zeeland, and the head of Unilever at that time, Dutchman Paul
Rijkens. Bernhard in turn contacted Walter Bedell Smith, then head of the CIA,
who asked Eisenhower adviser Charles Douglas Jackson to deal with the
suggestion.[6] The guest list was to be drawn up by inviting two attendees from
each nation, one of each to represent conservative and liberal points of
view.[5] Fifty delegates from 11 countries in Western Europe attended the first
conference, along with 11 Americans.[7]
The success of the meeting led the organizers to
arrange an annual conference. A permanent steering committee was established
with Retinger appointed as permanent secretary. As well as organizing the
conference the steering committee also maintained a register of attendee names
and contact details with the aim of creating an informal network of individuals
who could call upon one another in a private capacity.[8] Conferences were held
in France, Germany, and Denmark over the following three years. In 1957 the
first US conference was held on St. Simons Island, Georgia, with $30,000 from
the Ford Foundation. The foundation supplied further funding for the 1959 and
1963 conferences.[6]
Organizational structure
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld in 1942
Meetings are organized by a steering committee
with two members from each of approximately 18 nations.[9] Official posts, in
addition to a chairman, include an Honorary Secretary General.[10] There is no
such category in the group's rules as a "member of the group" but
former participants receive the annual conference reports.[11] The only
category that exists is "member of the Steering Committee".[12] In
addition to the committee, there also exists a separate advisory group, though
membership overlaps.[13]
Dutch economist Ernst van der Beugel became
permanent secretary in 1960, upon Retinger's death. Prince Bernhard continued
to serve as the meeting's chairman until 1976, the year of his involvement in
the Lockheed affair. The position of Honorary American Secretary General has
been held successively by Joseph E. Johnson of the Carnegie Endowment, William
Bundy of Princeton, Theodore L. Eliot, Jr., former US Ambassador to
Afghanistan, and Casimir A. Yost of Georgetown University's Institute for the
Study of Diplomacy.[14]
A 2008 press release from the "American
Friends of Bilderberg" stated that "Bilderberg's only activity is its
annual Conference. At the meetings, no resolutions are proposed, no votes
taken, and no policy statements issued" and noted that the names of
attendees were available to the press.[15]
According to James A. Bill the « steering
committee usually met twice a year to plan programs and to discuss the
participant list ».[16]
Chairmen of the Steering Committee
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
(1954–1975)[17]
Alec Douglas-Home (1977–1980)[17]
Walter Scheel (1981-1985)[18][19]
Eric Roll, Baron Roll of Ipsden (1986–1989)[20]
Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington
(1990–1998)[7][21]
Étienne Davignon (1999–2011)[9][22][23]
Henri de Castries (since 2012)[24]
Participants
Historically, attendee lists have been weighted
towards bankers, politicians, and directors of large businesses.[25]
Heads of state, including King Juan Carlos I of
Spain and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, have attended meetings.[10][26]
Prominent politicians from North America and Europe are past attendees. In past
years, board members from many large publicly traded corporations have
attended, including IBM, Xerox, Royal Dutch Shell, Nokia and Daimler.[10]
The 2009 meeting participants in Greece included
Greek prime minister Kostas Karamanlis, Finnish prime minister Matti
Vanhanen,[27] Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt, US Deputy Secretary of State
James Steinberg, US Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner, World Bank
president Robert Zoellick, President of the European Commission José Manuel
Barroso, Queen Sofia of Spain, and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.[28]
In 2009 the group hosted a dinner meeting at the
Château of Val-Duchesse in Brussels on 12 November to promote the candidacy of
Herman Van Rompuy for President of the European Council.[29]
In 2013, a source involved in the planning for the
group's meeting that year in Watford, UK, was reported to have said that people
whose names are not publicly issued may sometimes turn up "just for the
day".[30]
Recent meetings
2005 (5–8 May) at the Dorint Sofitel Seehotel
Überfahrt in Rottach-Egern, Germany[31]
2006 (8–11 June) at the Brookstreet Hotel in Kanata,
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada[32]
2007 (31 May – 3 June) at the Ritz-Carlton
Hotel,[33] in Şişli, Istanbul, Turkey.
2008 (5–8 June) at the Westfields Marriott in
Chantilly, Virginia, USA[15][34]
2009 (14–17 May) at the Astir Palace resort in
Vouliagmeni, Greece[35][36]
2010 (3–7 June) at the Hotel Dolce in Sitges,
Spain[37]
2011 (9–12 June) at the Suvretta House in St.
Moritz, Switzerland
2012 (31 May – 3 June) at Westfields Marriott
hotel in Chantilly, Virginia, USA
2013 (8–9 June) at the Grove Hotel, Watford,
United Kingdom[38]
2014 (29 May – 3 June) at the Marriott hotel in
Copenhagen, Denmark[39]
2015 (9-14 June, 2015) at Telfs, in Tyrolia,
Austria[40]
Criticism
According to former chairman Étienne Davignon, a
major attraction of Bilderberg group meetings is that they provide an
opportunity for participants to speak and debate candidly and to find out what
major figures really think, without the risk of off-the-cuff comments becoming
fodder for controversy in the media.[41] However, partly because of its working
methods to ensure strict privacy, the Bilderberg Group has been criticised for
its lack of transparency and accountability.[42] Concerns about lobbying have
also arisen.[43][44] Due to its privacy, Bilderberg is also accused of
conspiracies.[41][1][45] This outlook has been popular on both extremes of the
political spectrum, even if they disagree about the exact nature of the group's
intentions. Some on the left accuse the Bilderberg group of conspiring to impose
capitalist domination,[46] while some on the right have accused the group of
conspiring to impose a world government and planned economy.[47]
In 2001, Denis Healey, a Bilderberg group founder
and, for 30 years, a steering committee member, said: "To say we were
striving for a one-world government is exaggerated, but not wholly unfair.
Those of us in Bilderberg felt we couldn't go on forever fighting one another
for nothing and killing people and rendering millions homeless. So we felt that
a single community throughout the world would be a good thing."[48] In
2005 Davignon discussed these accusations with the BBC: "It is unavoidable
and it doesn't matter. There will always be people who believe in conspiracies
but things happen in a much more incoherent fashion... When people say this is
a secret government of the world I say that if we were a secret government of
the world we should be bloody ashamed of ourselves."[45]
In a 1994 report Right Woos Left, published by the
Political Research Associates, investigative journalist Chip Berlet argued that
right-wing populist conspiracy theories about the Bilderberg group date back as
early as 1964 and can be found in Phyllis Schlafly's self-published book A
Choice, Not an Echo,[49] which promoted a conspiracy theory in which the
Republican Party was secretly controlled by elitist intellectuals dominated by
members of the Bilderberg group, whose internationalist policies would pave the
way for world communism.[50] Paradoxically, in August 2010 former Cuban president
Fidel Castro wrote a controversial article for the Cuban Communist Party
newspaper Granma in which he cited Daniel Estulin's 2006 book The Secrets of
the Bilderberg Club,[51] which, as quoted by Castro, describes "sinister
cliques and the Bilderberg lobbyists" manipulating the public "to
install a world government that knows no borders and is not accountable to
anyone but its own self".[46]
Proponents of Bilderberg conspiracy theories in
the United States include individuals and groups such as the John Birch
Society,[47][52] political activist Phyllis Schlafly,[52] writer Jim
Tucker,[53] political activist Lyndon LaRouche,[54] radio host Alex
Jones,[2][55][56] and politician Jesse Ventura, who made the Bilderberg group a
topic of a 2009 episode of his TruTV series Conspiracy Theory with Jesse
Ventura.[57] Non-American proponents include Russian-Canadian writer Daniel
Estulin.[58]
