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08.17.01. Lawyers Without Borders. A-Letter
THE SOVEREIGN SOCIETY OFFSHORE A-LETTER
Your Link to Freedom, Prosperity & Privacy in the Offshore World
Friday, August 17, 2001 - Vol. 3 No. 65
In This Issue:
* COMMENT: 'Universal Jurisdiction' Threat. Adam Smith a Socialist?
* OFFSHORE: Swiss Tax Evaders. Liechtenstein Prosecutor Talks. Sealand Audio. World's Smallest Nations. Latvian Transparency. Hong Kong Slips. Pacific Havens Meet. Panama High Tech. Canada Tax Free. Globalization Needs Good Defense. St. Vincent Reforms.
* WEALTH: German Border Arrests. Canada Kills Freedom. Emerging Markets Fade. Mexico Rises. Aspiring Rich Folks. Tenor Tax Trouble. Euro Nerves. Insurance Tax Savings. When Nixon Killed the Gold Standard.
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COMMENT: Lawyers & Judges Without Borders
by Bob Bauman, Editor
Leftist "human rights" groups call it the "Pinochet Precedent."
In 1999 Chilean ex-president Augusto PINOCHET was arrested in England under a bogus warrant issued by a Spanish judge. Then came the indictment of Yugoslav ex-dictator Slobodan MILOSEVIC. And now lawyer for Israel's PM Ariel SHARON are trying to block Belgian courts from charging him with an alleged massacre of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon 20 years ago. Ex-US Sec. of State Henry KISSINGER is reportedly wary about travel abroad because of demands he testify in court.
LINK: Click Here.
All this because left wing judges abuse an invented principle of "law" they call "universal jurisdiction." In effect this means whatever these activist judges want it to mean. Using fabricated legal concepts, they presume to sit in judgment on anyone whose conduct displeases them. Mr. Kissinger attacks this radical idea, saying legal principles should not be used as weapons to settle old political scores.
These expanding cross border judicial excursions must be stopped. It's especially important for the US to take action because, shortly before leaving office, Bill CLINTON had the US sign on to a treaty creating an International Criminal Court (ICC) under the UN.
LINKS (scroll down): http://antiwar.com/justin/j010301.html
http://www.thelibertycommittee.org/iccbolton1.4.01.htm
This court gives no protection against double jeopardy, allows secret trials, and restricts rights of an accused to confront accusers. It threatens to diminish US sovereignty and produce arbitrary, highly politicized 'justice.'
LINKS: http://www.cato.org/dailys/12-27-00.html
http://www.cato.org//pubs/pas/pa-311es.html
Fortunately, US House of Representatives Republican leaders have told Pres. BUSH they wont authorize more US payments to the United Nations unless legislation designed to curb the ICC's power becomes US law.
LINK: http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16817-2001Aug15.html
If 'universal jurisdiction' and/or the ICC are accepted it will be the end of offshore financial freedom and privacy. Government tax collectors will pursue expatriate citizens worldwide, with activist judges chasing down the accused quarry, regardless of where they are. Contact your legislators in Washington, DC and let them know you support restricting the ICC.
Email to LINKS @: http://www.senate.gov or http://www.house.gov
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ADAM SMITH'S SOCIALIST INVISIBLE HAND?
Was the patron saint of laissez-faire economics really a bleeding heart socialist? (We doubt it). But check it out at
LINK (free reg): http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/16/business/16SCEN.html
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JOIN US IN MIAMI ON AUGUST 30!
The Sovereign Society holds our Miami Freedom Forum, August 30, 2001, at the Sheraton Biscayne Bay Hotel! Speakers include: Peter Zipper of Anglo Irish Bank; Eric Naimer Roseman of ENR Asset Management, Inc.; Bob Bauman, Editor, The Sovereign Offshore A-Letter. It's your chance to get expert answers to your offshore, privacy & investment questions. To register or learn more, contact The Sovereign Society at +1.888.358.8125 (toll free) or +1.410.895.7921. Hope to see you there!
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* OFFSHORE *
SWISS BASED TAX EVADERS DECLINE
GENEVA. The number of offshore tax evaders using Switzerland's private banks reportedly is in decline. How do they really know?
LINK: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/010814/80/c16b2.html
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LIECHTENSTEIN CHIEF PROSECUTOR TALKS
VADUZ. Robert WALLNER says they're cleaning out the dirty money.
LINKS: http://www.news.li/news/meld7.htm
http://www.tax-news.com/asp/story/story.asp?storyname=4923
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PRINCIPALITY OF SEALAND
Sealand has citizens, currency, and a government. It issues passports and postage stamps. It enforces its own laws and defends its own borders. Does all that make Sealand a country?
LINK: Click Here.
(+ 20 minute AUDIO LINK broadcast interview with Sealand's rulers).
• Sealand's site, history, pictures,
LINK: http://www.sealandgov.com
• HavenCo, the Sealand Internet server,
LINK: http://www.havenco.com/
• "Welcome to Sealand, Now Bugger Off"
LINK: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.07/haven.html
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THE WORLD'S SMALLEST 'NATIONS'
Sealand claims it is the world's tiniest sovereign state, but it doesn't make the lists of the world's smallest countries.
LINK: http://www.novaroma.org/cursus_honorum/small_micronations.html
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LATVIA TO CURB OFFSHORE DEALS
RIGA, Latvia. Trying to clean up their offshore financial sector, this Baltic government drafts proposals for more transparency. Interesting facts and figures on a 'could be' offshore haven.
LINK: http://www.baltictimes.com/business.htm#1
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HONG KONG SLIPS
The Economist says Hong Kong is expected to slip from third to 10th place as a business center over the next five years.
LINK: Click Here.
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PACIFIC HAVEN NATIONS MEET
OECD pressure on Pacific Island tax havens is discussed this week during the Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru.
LINKS: http://www.newsroom.co.nz/story/60202-99999.html
http://www.tax-news.com/asp/story/story.asp?storyname=4941
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LIVE TAX FREE IN CANADA
Sovereign Society board of advisors member David LESPERANCE explains how new immigrants to Canada can save big on taxes.
LINK: http://www.escapeartist.com/efam27/Canadian_Sunrise.html
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PANAMA HIGH TECH WORLD CROSSROADS
A new information technology center is dedicated where five international broad band fiber optic cables pass through this leading Central American nation.
LINK: Click Here.
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U.K. DIRTY MONEY LAW IN HIGH COURT
LONDON. Attempts to trace money stolen by the Nigerian dictator, Gen. Sani ABACHA, seriously tests UK money laundering laws.
LINK: http://futurevantage.com/en/charlie/getitemz.mv?nrec=u20178&sd=
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THERE IS A GOOD CASE FOR GLOBALIZATION
World's leaders fail to address legitimate questions raised by protesters about the effects of global capitalism.
LINK: Click Here.
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ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES REFORMS
KINGSTOWN. The government plans major changes in financial secrecy and beneificial ownership laws, under pressure from FATF.
LINK: http://www.tax-news.com/asp/story/story.asp?storyname=4965
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* WEALTH *
GERMAN BORDER ARRESTS SOAR
DÜSSELDORF. Fighting 'tax evasion,' German 'mobile customs controllers' arrest thousands at borders with Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg.
LINKS: http://www.tax-news.com/asp/story/story.asp?storyname=4940
Click Here.
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CANADA KILLS FREEDOM
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan. The Minister of what passes for 'Justice' in Canada says her version of the 'public interest' takes precedence over lawyer-client confidentiality. Lawyers will not be exempt from a draconian new anti-money laundering bill.
LINKS: Click Here
Click Here.
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EMERGING MARKETS INVESTMENT FADES
Volatile foreign markets have scared off some investors.
LINKS: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/16/business/16EMER.html
Click Here.
Analysts think MEXICO may no longer be 'emerging,' but has entered an asset class of top quality world investments.
LINK: http://www.viewswire.com/index.asp?layout=display_article&doc_id=156406
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INSATIABLE ASPIRATIONS OF THE RICH
The mental link between income growth and happiness has big implications for economists -- and for the wealthy.
LINK: Click Here.
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TENOR'S TAX TROUBLES
Italian tax hounds are still fighting over Luciano PAVAROTTI's tax residence. Is it Modena or Monaco? $20 million at stake.
LINK: http://www.tax-news.com/asp/story/story.asp?storyname=4942
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NEW E.U. CASH CAUSES NERVES
BRUSSELS. As the European Central Bank gets set to change over to euro coins and notes on Jan. 1, "E-day", disaster looms.
LINK: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/15/international/europe/15EURO.html
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OFFSHORE VARIABLE LIFE INSURANCE
How it might offer legal relief from some US taxes.
LINK: Click Here.
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WHEN NIXON KILLED THE U.S. GOLD STANDARD
Thirty years ago the late US president cut loose the dollar from its gold peg. The rest is downhill monetary history.
LINK: Click Here.
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THE SOVEREIGN SOCIETY OFFSHORE A-LETTER. E-mail to: info@sovereignsociety.com. * SUBSCRIBE FREE or send to a friend at LINK: http://www.sovereignsociety.com
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THE SOVEREIGN SOCIETY Ltd., 5 Catherine St., Waterford, Ireland. TEL: 353-51 844 068 FAX: 353-51 304 561. Copyright (C) 2001. All domestic & international rights reserved.
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