[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__R[email protected].

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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