USNewswire 5/15/2006 7:00:00 AM

KEALAKEKUA, Hawaii, May 15 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A meeting of international experts will be discussing whether extraterrestrial civilizations are visiting the Earth, how diplomacy might be conducted with them and the impact on world peace. The convener of the conference, scheduled to take place on the Big Island of Hawaii from June 9 to 11, describes it as "the first in the world to focus on the nuances of international diplomacy with extraterrestrial civilizations that may be now or may soon be visiting the Earth." Dr. Michael Salla, a former professor in International Peace and Conflict Resolution at American University, Washington D.C., has participated in international diplomacy initiatives in conflict zones such as East Timor, Kosovo and Sri Lanka. Fascinated by the possibility of visiting extraterrestrial life, he decided to convene a meeting of international experts to discuss the significance of extraterrestrials for diplomacy and world peace. The conference features an impressive list of experts in international diplomacy, international law, public policy, and researchers into the extraterrestrial phenomenon.

The keynote speaker is the former Defense Minister of Canada, the Honorable Paul Hellyer, who will be discussing whether humanity is up to the diplomatic task of achieving peace with extraterrestrials. In his presentation, he will contrast his vision of diplomatic cooperation with ETs, "Star Dreams", with a shooting war that might arise out of the current U.S. policy promoting the weaponization of space, "Star Wars". Another expert in international diplomacy willing to discuss how humanity might negotiate with visiting extraterrestrials is a respected international diplomat. Ambassador John McDonald was appointed by Presidents Carter and Reagan to represent the U.S. at four United Nations Conferences. He is currently Director of the Institute for Multitrack Diplomacy and specializes in citizens' diplomacy in international conflicts. He will be discussing how diplomatic initiatives, some involving private citizens, might be conducted when and if extraterrestrials visit the Earth.

Also addressing the conference will be an expert in international law who is behind a current initative to have the United Nations pass a resolution establishing a Decade of Contact preparing the global population for eventual contact with extraterrestrial civilizations. A graduate of Yale Law School, Alfred Webre served in a Stanford Research Institute project authorized by the Carter Administration to establish communication protocols with possible extraterrestrial civilizations until the project was shut down by the Pentagon in 1977. Another international expert, Dr Scott Jones, is a former U.S. Navy Commander, who now specializes in the establishment of world peace centers in conflict regions. He will examine the possibility that extraterrestrial civilizations are visiting and how this impacts on diplomacy and world peace.

A retired U.S. Air Force Captain, Robert Salas, will be discussing a 1967 incident where UFOs shut down a Strategic Air Command facility with Minuteman ICBM Nuclear Missiles in Montana. He will discuss the significance of nuclear weapons for visiting extraterrestrial civilizations, and the implications for world peace. Dr. Thomas Hansen, another international expert, was the founder and president of the Peace Exchange Foundation, which coordinated citizen exchanges between the Soviet Union and the U.S. in the 1980s. He will discuss how humanity can cooperate with extraterrestrial visitors through citizen diplomacy and other peaceful initiatives.

A total of 16 conference presenters will present their research on the possibility of visiting extraterrestrial civilizations and how diplomacy can be conducted to promote world peace.

Conference Web site: http://www.etworldpeace.com

Sponsored by the Exopolitics Institute: http://www.exopoliticsinstitute.org

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