-Caveat Lector-
The Bilderberg Group - The Invisible Power House
With its membership selected from the power elite of Europe
and North America, many wonder if the Bilderbergers are
conspiring to establish a 'new world order'.
by Armen Victorian
from Nexus Magazine, Volume 3, #1 (Dec '95-Jan '96).
The conspiracy theory writers have repeatedly linked one
powerful global elite, the Bilderberg Group, with the ultimate
take-over of the world. Members of the Bilderberg together with
their 'sister' organisations -- the Trilateral Commission (known
also as the "Child of Bilderberg")(1) and the Council on Foreign
Relations(2) -- are charged with the post-war take-over of the
democratic process. The measures implemented by this group so far
prove the control of the world economy through indirect political
means.
The constitution of several democratic monarchies of the
Western Europe bans members of their royal families from playing
an active role in the political process. However, the Bilderberg
meetings provide this exact forum and platform for them.
"This unprecedented period of European cooperation is more
than a product of simple nation-state diplomacy. One of the key
institutions that has fostered unity and cooperation with the
Atlantic Community beyond the old concepts has been the
Bilderberg Group." (3)
"I tell you frankly that I am deeply alarmed today over the
possibility that a right-wing reaction may draw some sections of
capital so far away from our traditions as to imperil the entire
structure of American life as we know it."(4)
These comments by Pasymowski and Gilbert(3) two decades ago
may seem out of phase with the current events in former
Yugoslavia, but, in terms of the continued stability of the
"European State", they have proven to be largely accurate.
Warfare has been removed from the intra-European systems as a
means of controlling and directing nationalistic goals and ideas.
Even in the case of former Yugoslavia, one observes that the
current state of war has resulted from Tito's and the Soviet
Union's demise. Consequently, the lid has been lifted on rivals
and racial memories which had been artificially kept in place for
previous decades. The several proto-states which make up the
former Yugoslavia were not part of the economic and social
development programs which evolved in Western Europe. As we would
see, the way in which the rest of Europe evolved and developed
was very different, and for very particular reasons.
Whether co-incidence or not, it is equally ironic that the
current Chairman of the Bilderberg, Lord Carrington, was the
first UN-appointed representative to try to bring "peace" to the
war-torn Yugoslavia.
ORIGINS
The single most important personality connected with the
birth and creation of the Bilderberg Group is Joseph H. Retinger
(also known as L'Eminence - His Grey Eminence). Retinger had a
colourful, lifelong career that raised him to the top of the
world power elites. At his funeral in 1960, Sir Edward
Bedington-Behrens said:
"I remember Retinger in the United States picking up the
telephone and immediately making an appointment with the
President, and in Europe he had complete entree in every
political circle as a kind of right acquired through trust,
devotion and loyalty he inspired."
Retinger, as a Catholic, was viewed by many as an agent of
the Vatican, acting in liaison between the Pope and the
Father-General of the Jesuit order.
One of Retinger's renowned achievements in European politics
was the founding of the European Movement, leading to the
establishment of the Council of Europe on 5th May 1949. With its
headquarters in Strasbourg, the Council Executive Committee
provided Retinger his first major platform for his expansive
ideology. From his earlier days at the Sorbonne, Retinger
believed in greater European unity, both in military and economic
terms. It was also at the same time when his interest in the
guidance of the Jesuit order manifested itself. He spent a great
deal of his time fulfilling these ambitions. He suggested to
Premier Georges Clemenceau a plan to unite Eastern Europe --
involving the merging of Austria, Hungary and Poland as a
tripartite monarchy under the guidance of the Jesuit order.
Clemenceau, doubtful of the Vatican-inspired plan, rejected
Retinger's proposal outright. This plan labelled Retinger,
thereafter, as a Vatican agent.
Retinger's activities were not limited to uniting Europe.
Through his several trips to Mexico he played a key role in the
creation of a trade union movement in the 1920s. Due to his
unprecedented success, and by gaining the Mexican Government's
trust, Retinger convinced them to nationalise the US oil interest
in Mexico. In the process, Retinger conducted the secret
negotiations with Washington for the Mexican Government.
Retinger also had an active war career. He was the political
aide to (OSS asset) General Sikorski, and served for the
London-based Polish Government-in-exile. In addition, at the age
of 58, he parachuted into German-occupied territory outside
Warsaw for some sabotage missions.
Due to his high-profile career, in the 1950s he was able to
create contacts with numerous high-ranking military officials and
political leaders. His main aim was to unite the world in peace.
His peace dividend was to be under the control of supernational,
powerful organisations. He believed that such organisations would
be immune from short-term ideological conflicts erupting between
governments.
To Retinger, it was insignificant what dominated the
economic ideology of a country. He believed these differences
could be brought into line by powerful multinational
organisations dictating and applying powerful economic and
military policies, thereby creating a union and a bond between
the nations.
Retinger's personal 'left-wing' views from his heady days
convinced him that many leaders of newly born socialist and
communist nations would be prepared to talk to him. Additionally,
his Church background gave him an arena for dialogue with people
from the middle-ground connections in international relations.
Nevertheless, Retinger knew that control of the world affairs
cannot be achieved without US participation. In pursuit of this
ideology, he began a campaign for the creation of an Atlantic
Community. This would make the development of Europe an important
political aim for the American politicians, thereby preventing
their retreat into political isolation.
Retinger, with this in mind, set out his carefully
calculated move by involving one of his close and powerful
friends, Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. Prince Bernhard, at
the time, was an important figure in the oil industry and held a
major position in Royal Dutch Petroleum (Shell Oil), as well as
Societe Generale de Belgique -- a powerful global corporation.
In 1952 Retinger approached Bernhard with a proposal for a
secret conference to involve the NATO leaders in an open and
frank discussion on international affairs behind closed doors.
The meeting would allow each participant to speak his mind freely
because no media representative would be permitted inside; nor
would there be any news bulletin about the meeting or the topics
discussed. Furthermore, if any leaks occurred, the journalists
would be discouraged from writing about it.
Prince Bernhard fully supported Retinger's proposal for an
international meeting. Consequently, they formed a committee to
organise a plan. In 1952, Bernhard approached the Truman
administration and briefed them about the meeting. Despite a
positive reception, it was not until the Eisenhower
administration when the first American counterpart group was
formed. The two key role-players in the US group were General
Walter Bedell Smith (Director of the CIA) and C. D. Jackson. Both
(European-American) groups working interactively set out to
fulfil Retinger's initial plan.
From the outset, the American group was heavily influenced
by the Rockefeller family, the owners of Standard Oil-competitors
of Bernhard's Royal Dutch Petroleum. From then on, the
Bilderberg business reflected the concerns of the oil industry in
its meetings.
According to Bilderberg's draft document of 1989:
"Bilderberg takes its name from the Bilderberg Hotel in
Oosterbeek, Holland, where the first meeting took place in May
1954. That pioneering meeting grew out of the concern expressed
by many leading citizens on both sides of the Atlantic that
Western Europe and North America were not working together as
closely as they should on matters of critical importance. It was
felt that regular, off-the-record discussions would help create a
better understanding of the complex forces and major trends
affecting Western nations in the difficult post-war period."(5)
Retinger's main aim in creating Bilderberg had other more
important, inherent aspects than an informal gathering of a group
of the world's elite. It has been suggested that Bilderberg
meetings ultimately would have implemented group dynamics
techniques in the shape of a low-key international thinking group
with the purpose of sensitising the less enlightened of its
membership towards the new transitional diplomacy of the post-
Cold War.
The first meeting witnessed the gathering of ideologies,
poles apart. The issue of McCarthyism was reaching its peak in
the United States. European participants, exasperated with the
McCarthy propaganda, saw in their American counterparts a clear
political shift towards an ultra-right-wing fascist state.
Memories of World War II still fresh in their minds, the
Europeans found the concept rather repulsive.
C. D. Jackson (a member of the CFR), in an attempt to regain
the international delegates' confidence, stated:
"Whether McCarthy dies by an assassin's bullet or is
eliminated in the normal American way of getting rid of boils on
body politics, I prophesy that by the time we hold our next
meeting he will be gone from the American scene." (6)
Nevertheless, McCarthyism proved to be a source of
embarrassment for the US delegate.
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 --
Prof. of Public Economics, Leiden University, Netherlands.
Secretary General for USA: Theodore L. Elliot, Jr -- Dean
Emeritus, The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy; Former US
Ambassador.
Treasurer: Pieter Korteweg -- President and Chief Executive
Officer, Robeco Group.
Austria: Peter Jankowitsch -- Member of Parliament, Former
Foreign Minister.
Belgium: Etienne Davignon -- Chairman, Societe Generale 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 Lacharre -- Chairman, Fimalac. Thierry
de Montbrial-Director, French Institute of International
Relations; Professor of Economics, Ecole Polytechnique.
Germany:
(1) Christoph Bertram -- Diplomatic Correspondent,
"Die Zeit."
(2) 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: (1) Mario Monti -- Rector and Professor of Economics,
Bocconi University, Milan.
(2) 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 UnderSecretary of State.
William P. Bundy -- Former Editor, (CFR's) "Foreign Affairs."
David Rockefeller -- Chairman, Chase Manhattan Bank International
Advisory Committee.
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic
screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters
and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright
frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects
spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL
gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers;
be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and
nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html
http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
