[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 218 (Thursday, November 12, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63294-63295]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30186]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Technology Administration
[Docket No. 9805-29138-8138-01]
The United States-Greek Initiative for Technology Cooperation
With the Balkans; Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Council
AGENCY: Technology Administration, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; request for nominations for joint council.
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[[Page 63295]]
SUMMARY: The Technology Administration invites nominations of
individuals to appointment to the Joint Council on Technology
Cooperation established under a Memorandum on Understanding between the
United States Department of Commerce and the Greek Ministry of National
Economy concerning technology cooperation with the Balkans. The
Technology Administration will consider all nominations received in
response to this notice of appointment to the Joint Council.
DATES: Please submit nominations on or before January 8, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Please submit nominations to Lucy H. Richards, Office of
Technology Policy, Technology Administration, Department of Commerce,
Room 4411, Washington, D.C. 20230. Nominations may also be submitted by
fax to 202-482-4826.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lucy H. Richards, telephone 202-482-
6804; fax 202-482-4826, e-mail Lucy__Richards@ta.doc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Goals of the Memorandum of Understanding
On January 17, 1998, the United States Department of Commerce and
the Greek Ministry of National Economy (hereinafter known as the
``Participants'') entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
concerning technology cooperation with the Balkans, to be known as
``The United States-Greek Initiative for Technology Cooperation with
the Balkans'' (ITCB). A Joint Science and Technology Cooperation
Advisory Council (hereinafter ``the Joint Council'') is to be
established under the MOU.
The Participants recognize that working together to foster
collaborative and mutually beneficial technology cooperation with
countries in the Balkan region will provide economic benefits to the
Balkan region and to the United States and Greece. The goal of the
Participants is to foster collaboration among public and private
entities in the Participants'countries, and public and private entities
in the Balkan region in order to enhance technological capabilities in
the Balkan region, enhance the relationship between U.S. and Greek
private sector firms and entities in the Balkan region, and promote the
development of stable, free market economies in the Balkan region. For
the purposes of the MOU, the Balkan region is to encompass Albania,
Bulgaria, Romania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and any
other countries in the region that the Participants may later mutually
agree to include.
Cooperative Activities
Cooperative activities under this MOU may include, among others,
coordinated and joint research and technology projects, studies, and
investigations; joint technological courses, workshops, conferences,
and symposia; exchanges of science and technology information and
documentation in the context of cooperative activities; exchanges of
scientists, specialists, and researchers; exchanges or sharing of
equipment or materials; and other forms of scientific and technological
cooperation as may be deemed appropriate. Cooperative activities should
reflect technological strengths in the United States and Greece, and
should be structured to provide an appropriate role for U.S. and Greek
private sector and academic organizations. Cooperative activities
should also seek to include public and private science and technology
establishments in the Balkan region and encourage the application and
adoption of technology in their relevant entities.
Information on the Joint Council
For the purposes of implementing this MOU, the Participants intend
to jointly establish a Joint Science and Technology Cooperation
Advisory Council, to consist of six members, three to be designated by,
and serve at the pleasure of the Greek Ministry of National Economy,
and three to be designated by, and serve at the pleasure of, the U.S.
Department of Commerce. Each participant may also designate alternate
members.
The members of the Joint Council will be expected to carry out the
following functions:
1. Recommend to the Participants overall policies under the MOU;
2. Identify fields and forms of cooperation in accordance with the
goals and objectives of the MOU;
3. Review, assess, and make specific recommendations concerning
cooperative activities;
4. Prepare periodic reports concerning the activities of the Joint
Council and cooperative activities undertaken under the MOU for
submission to the Participants; and
5. Undertake such further functions as may appropriately be
approved by the Participants.
Meetings of the Joint Council
The Joint Council may meet annually, or at other regular intervals
as deemed appropriate, alternately in Greece and the United States, and
additionally as may be determined by the Participants.
Length of Service
A member's length of service on the Joint Council is not stipulated
in the MOU and is discretionary with the Department of Commerce.
Individuals chosen for membership will serve a term that best fits the
needs and objectives of the Joint Council. Members will serve a two or
three-year term with staggered term ends. Upon the completion of a
member's term, the Department will either repeat this recruitment and
selection process or extend the member's term as long as the member
proves to work effectively on the Joint Council and his/her expertise
is still needed.
Membership Criteria and Requirements
The U.S. members of the Joint Council shall be eminent leaders,
broadly representative of industry, academia, or government, who have
experience in technology development, technology diffusion, or
international technology collaboration. They shall be U.S. citizens.
They shall be familiar with the business climate and the status of
technology and economic development in Greece and the Balkans, with
Greek and Balkan industry, or with Greek and Balkan academic
institutions. Members of the Joint Council shall serve without
compensation.
The Department of Commerce is committed to equal opportunity in the
workplace, and seeks a broad-based and diverse Joint Council
membership.
Conflict of Interest
Nominees will be evaluated for their ability to contribute to the
goals and objectives of the MOU. Nominees will be vetted in accordance
with processes established by the Department of Commerce in February
1997, as soon as possible following tentative selection. The vetting
system has three components: (1) an internal review for possible
appearance of conflict problems; (2) an external review for possible
appearance of problems; and (3) a recusal/ethics agreement review.
Dated: November 4, 1998.
Kelly H. Carnes,
Deputy Assistant Secretary For Technology Policy.
[FR Doc. 98-30186 Filed 11-10-98; 8:45 am]
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