The words “growth” and “employment” were still present only in Jose Manuel Barroso’s lexicon. In the beginning of this year, however, on the eve of the first for the year European Council on January 30, the “Merkozy” tandem came up with a surprising proposal for the creation of a growth pact, consisting of 6 measures, among which very important are two elements: the demand for tax coordination and some delays for some of the rules under the new global framework for capital requirements of banks, known as Basel III, in order not to hamper the lending capacity of the banks and therefore to harm economic growth. Please pay attention to the latter because it will be mentioned again in a while. The other measures in the Franco-German proposal are related to facilitating credit access for small and medium-sized enterprises, harnessing the EU structural funds to boost growth, modernising public administration.

The conclusions from the January council were more than general and wishful and created the impression that they were just aimed at taking the steam off to the whistle, because the criticism against budget discipline under the lead of Germany mainly had started to reach threatening scale.

The letter of the Twelve

As a preemptive move, before any new Franco-German summits for the Spring European Council on March 1-2, 12 EU member states signed a letter, calling for a plan for growth for Europe. Who are the countries is of special importance for the essence of the letter: Britain, the Netherlands, Italy, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Poland. What unites these countries since not all of them are part of the eurozone? Unites them the fact that the 12 have contributions of their own for boosting their economies, for the successful overcoming of the grave consequences of the crisis and it could also be said that in general these are countries with opinion. Especially impressing is the participation of David Cameron, Britain’s PM, in the initiative, as well that of his Italian colleague Mario Monti.

It would probably not be too much to suggest that it is the two men actually that have initiated the letter, given that they met on January 18 in London and spoke predominantly about Europe’s economic situation, the lack of measures for economic growth and about Italy’s efforts to put its finances back on track. And Mario Monti, for his part, is emerging as the third pillar of European governance with a focus on growth measures and the single market. It is the single market that is the common ground between him and Cameron, who experienced severe blows since December onwards, when he refused to put his signature below the fiscal compact and thus was pushed aside by the Franco-German tandem to the periphery of Europe’s governance. Something, which he refuses to accept but he obviously needs strong allies to help him return on European stage, precisely with what is closest to his heart – the single market.

The letter contains 8 points, but none of them is new in essence. The very text of the letter is an appeal for returning where the deepening of integration actually started from – the single market – more than 20 years ago. In the eight points are practically outlined those elements of the internal market which are still not entirely liberalised and are victims of national protectionism. This is why it is quite natural among the first points to be the call for a full implementation of the services directive, which yet with its adoption caused division in Europe but was a serious breakthrough, although its real application remained voluntary. As with many other European policies. The signatories of the letter recall that the services sector already takes four fifths of the European economy but the market of services is not sufficiently open.

“We must act with urgency, nationally and at the European level, to remove the restrictions that hinder access and competition and to raise standards of implementation and enforcement to achieve mutual recognition across the single market“, the letter says. As next the 12 premiers put the creation of a real digital market by 2015, as is the ambition of the European institutions. The idea is a fully fledged online trade to be developed, which requires the appropriate relief of trans border trade and unification of the copy rights regimes. Their third proposal is quite surprising given the current state of play and the only way it can be explained is with indeed the building up of a front of EU member states who are fed up with the adoption of EU solutions, which then the big and influential countries find reasons not to apply.

Such is the case with the third proposal of the Twelve, which is in fact an appeal for the building of a “genuine, efficient and effective internal market in energy by 2014“. It is called all member states to apply entirely the Third Energy Package in the agreed deadlines. Obviously this call is a reaction to the attempts of some countries, Berlusconi’s Italy among them, for a selective application of the package because of agreed concessions with Russia, which calls at every EU-Russia summit for mitigation of the conditions in the Third Energy Package, a major element of which is breaking up of ownership. In other words – separation of sales and production from transition grids.

Germany too maintains warm energy relations with Russia, symbolised by their joint project Nord Stream. And Ms Merkel even said that Germany had never maintained the philosophy, imposed by the European Commission, for a separation of ownership over the transport infrastructure from the product being transported. The package was proposed in 2007 and approved by the European Parliament and the Council in 2009. It is in force as of 3rd of September 2009 – the year when half of Europe remained without natural gas because of a conflict between Russia, the supplier, and Ukraine, a transiting country.

The presence of the prime ministers of Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland under the letter inclines to thinking that these countries insisted the most for the inclusion of this appeal.

Among the other proposals are also assisting innovative start-ups, creating venture capital funds, signing trade agreements with the main strategic partners of the EU – a proposal where we can recognise Britain’s interests. London’s handwriting can be recognised also in the calls for reducing European regulation. And here there is a very specific demand, which is probably a result of the lobbying of the new member states for additional opening of the labour market: the Commission to convene “without delay” a new forum for a mutual assessment of national practises, the purpose of which would be to identify the barriers and to undertake common standards for mutual recognition of professional qualifications.

This demand is very timely, given that there are still member states who left up to the very last moment in force their restrictions for workers of the new member states, in order to protect their labour markets. The issue is extremely sensitive at the moment, because in many member states there is high and growing unemployment, especially among the young people. According to the authors of the letter, however, the problem would not be solved via closing national labour markets. It is evident that this would be a very difficult mission, taking into account that already it is leading to extremes in some countries as is the case with the nationalist Freedom Party in the Netherlands, which has launched a hotline, calling the Dutch to report cases of taken from them jobs to the benefit of citizens of Central and Eastern Europe.

In the end of the letter is formulated the demand that most clearly described the letter as a growing anti Franco-German front. “While pursuing a level playing field globally, we should commit irrevocably to international binding standards for capital, liquidity and leverage with no dilution, ensuring that EU legislation adheres to Basel 3 standards to ensure financial stability and meet the financing needs of our economies“. This paragraph is a direct response to the quite vague articulation in the proposal of France and Germany from end-January, mentioned above.

The letter of the Twelve is addressed to the EU leaders – Herman Van Rompuy and Jose Manuel Barroso - but it is explicitly mentioned that copies had been sent to the other member states. The challenge comes only days before the Spring European Council on March 1-2 and promises to make it a very interesting one.

Article source: http://www.euinside.eu/en/news/anti-merkozy-front-is-gaining-speed-in-eu

http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=85380

TYSONS CORNER, Va., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –
Lightbridge Corporation


/quotes/zigman/114550/quotes/nls/ltbr LTBR
-5.15%



, a leading innovator of next generation nuclear fuel designs and provider of nuclear energy consulting services to commercial and governmental organizations, today provided a business update on the progress of its nuclear fuel technology and consulting operations and reported financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2011.

“We are encouraged by the steady advances during the quarter and throughout 2011 in the development of Lightbridge’s fuel technology,” said Seth Grae, Lightbridge President and Chief Executive Officer. “Moreover, nuclear utility industry interest continues to grow in the benefits of our patented advanced fuel designs. Ongoing demonstrations remain on track and continue to support the indicated benefits of meaningful power uprates, longer fuel cycles and increased safety. In 2012, we expect to complete fabrication of semi-scale fuel samples for irradiation testing. We believe we can complete a demonstration of full-scale, metallic fuel rod fabrication in 2013 and begin lead test assembly operation in a full-size commercial light water reactor by the end of 2017.”

2011 Business Update

“Measureable progress continues at Lightbridge,” Mr. Grae said. Here are summaries of key developments during the fourth quarter and full year 2011:

Negotiations began with a U.S. fuel fabrication partner relating to metal fuel fabrication process development and demonstration work in the United States. Negotiations are expected to conclude later in 2012.

During the quarter, detailed experiment design began for irradiation testing of Lightbridge-designed metallic fuel samples in the Advanced Test Reactor at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the U.S. Department of Energy’s lead nuclear energy research and development facility. This detailed analysis is expected to provide input into a 2012 safety analysis report necessary for the irradiation experiments. Earlier in 2011, INL concluded that skipping capsule irradiation testing and going directly to irradiation testing with direct fuel-coolant contact is feasible.

A Nuclear Utility Fuel Advisory Board (NUFAB) was established to further strengthen the Company’s dialogue with global nuclear utilities, consistent with U.S. export control laws, and provide their input into Lightbridge nuclear fuel development and commercialization efforts. Initial NUFAB members include top nuclear fuel managers from Exelon, Duke Energy, Dominion, and Southern Company.

Planning and preparation began for loop irradiation testing of Lightbridge-designed fuel samples in the MIR research reactor at the Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (RIAR) in Dimitrovgrad, Russia. During the first half of 2012, negotiations of a specific agreement for the testing are expected to begin.

A technical paper on Lightbridge metallic fuel technology and its application in pressurized water reactors was prepared and submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The article, which is expected to be published at about the end of the third quarter of 2012, discusses how the Company’s fuel technology could improve fuel performance.

The Company’s portfolio of patented intellectual property continues to expand. In the quarter, Lightbridge received a notice of allowance from the Ukrainian patent office for a patent application covering a thorium-based seed and blanket fuel assembly design for Russian-type VVER reactors. The patent is expected to be issued in several months and will provide protection in Ukraine from its issuance until December 2027. In addition to the Ukrainian patent, Lightbridge received patents during 2011 in the U.S. and from the nine-nation Eurasian Patent Convention for a specific locking mechanism for seed and blanket fuel assemblies.

Financial Results

Revenue for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2011 was $0.8 million, compared to $1.2 million for the same period of 2010. Operating loss for the three months ended December 31, 2011 was $2.1 million, versus an operating loss of $2.2 million in the comparable period a year ago. For the year ended December 31, 2011, operating loss was $6.3 million, compared to an operating loss of $7.6 million in 2010. Revenue for the year was $6.4 million, versus $7.6 million in 2010. Lightbridge’s revenue is derived primarily from consulting and strategic advisory services for foreign governments planning to create or expand electricity generation capabilities using nuclear power plants, and are used to help fund the continuing development of the Company’s nuclear fuel technologies. Revenues are primarily generated from contracts in place with government entities in the United Arab Emirates, the State of Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The GCC is a political and economic union that comprises the Gulf States of the Kingdom of Bahrain, State of Kuwait, Sultanate of Oman, State of Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

Balance Sheet Overview

At December 31, 2011, the Company had approximately $9.3 million in cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and marketable securities, and approximately $8.1 million of working capital, with no long term debt. Stockholders’ equity was approximately $8.8 million at December 31, 2011 compared with $13.1 million on December 31, 2010. Common shares outstanding at December 31, 2011 totaled 12,427,220.

2011 Fourth Quarter Conference Call

Lightbridge will host a conference call on Wednesday, February 22, at 11 a.m. EST to discuss the Company’s 2011 fourth quarter results and provide an update on recent corporate developments. Seth Grae, President and Chief Executive Officer, will lead the call and additional members of the senior management team will be available to answer questions.

        Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2012
        Time: 11 a.m. EST
        Domestic Call-In: 1-800-860-2442
        International Call-In: 1-412-858-4600
        Canada Call-In:  866-605-3852

http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=85380            Audio Replay:  Available one hour after the conference through 9 a.m. February 29, 2012.  Domestic call-in:  877-344-7529; international call-in:  412-317-0088.  Conference # 10010449.

About Lightbridge Corporation

Lightbridge is a US nuclear energy company based in Tysons Corner, Virginia with operations in Abu Dhabi, Moscow and London. The Company develops proprietary, proliferation resistant, next generation nuclear fuel technologies for current and future nuclear reactor systems. The Company also provides comprehensive advisory services for established and emerging nuclear programs based on a philosophy of transparency, non-proliferation, safety and operational excellence. Lightbridge’s breakthrough fuel technology is establishing new global standards for safe and clean nuclear power and leading the way to a sustainable energy future. Lightbridge consultants provide integrated strategic advice and expertise across a range of disciplines including regulatory affairs, nuclear reactor procurement and deployment, reactor and fuel technology and international relations. The Company leverages those broad and integrated capabilities by offering its services to commercial entities and governments with a need to establish or expand nuclear industry capabilities and infrastructure.

Lightbridge is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @LightbridgeCorp at
http://twitter.com/lightbridgecorp .

Forward Looking Statement

This news release contains statements that are forward-looking in nature, including statements regarding the Company’s competitive position and product and service offerings. These statements are based on current expectations on the date of this news release and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ significantly from such estimates. The risks include, but are not limited to, the degree of market adoption of the Company’s product and service offerings; market competition; dependence on strategic partners; and the Company’s ability to manage its business effectively in a rapidly evolving market. Certain of these and other risks are set forth in more detail in Lightbridge’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Lightbridge does not assume any obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as the result of new developments or otherwise.

CONTACT: Gary Sharpe Investor Relations Lightbridge Corporation 571-730-1213

        Lightbridge Corporation
        Consolidated Balance Sheets
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 December 31,   December 31,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 2011           2010
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ------------   ------------
        ASSETS
        Current Assets
        Cash and cash equivalents                                                                                                                                                                                                              $ 3,569,098    $ 2,373,421
        Marketable securities                                                                                                                                                                                                                    5,146,823      10,461,357
        Restricted cash                                                                                                                                                                                                                          551,883        550,283
        Accounts receivable - project revenue and reimbursable project costs                                                                                                                                                                     277,211        990,563
        Prepaid expenses and other current assets                                                                                                                                                                                                269,697        365,261
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ------------   ------------
        Total Current Assets                                                                                                                                                                                                                     9,814,712      14,740,885
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ------------   ------------
        Property, Plant and Equipment -net                                                                                                                                                                                                       46,514         72,179
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ------------   ------------
        Other Assets
        Patent costs - net                                                                                                                                                                                                                       537,075        377,262
        Security deposits                                                                                                                                                                                                                        120,486        120,486
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ------------   ------------
        Total Other Assets                                                                                                                                                                                                                       657,561        497,748
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ------------   ------------
        Total Assets                                                                                                                                                                                                                           $ 10,518,787   $ 15,310,812
        LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
        Current Liabilities
        Accounts payable and accrued liabilities                                                                                                                                                                                               $ 1,680,433    $ 2,088,362
        Deferred revenue                                                                                                                                                                                                                         -              98,110
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ------------   ------------
        Total Current Liabilities                                                                                                                                                                                                                1,680,433      2,186,472
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ------------   ------------
        Commitments and contingencies
        Stockholders' Equity
        Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 50,000,000 authorized shares, no shares issued and outstanding                                                                                                                                        -              -
        Common stock, $0.001 par value, 500,000,000 authorized, 12,476,414 shares issued, 12,427,220 shares outstanding and 12,430,058 shares issued, 12,345,840 shares outstanding  at  December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively   12,427         12,346
        Additional paid in capital - stock and stock equivalents                                                                                                                                                                                 70,946,951     69,370,261
        Deficit                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  (62,155,774)   (56,286,767)
        Common stock reserved for issuance, 17,120 shares and 6,451 shares at December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively                                                                                                              34,750         28,500
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ------------   ------------
        Total Stockholders' Equity                                                                                                                                                                                                               8,838,354      13,124,340
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ------------   ------------
        Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity                                                                                                                                                                                             $ 10,518,787   $ 15,310,812

        Lightbridge Corporation
        Consolidated Statements of Operations
                                                        Years Ended
                                                        December 31,
                                                        -------------------------
                                                        2011          2010
                                                        -----------   -----------
        Revenue:
        Consulting Revenue                            $ 6,356,424   $ 7,586,708
        Cost of  Consulting Services Provided           3,992,153     4,941,030
                                                        -----------   -----------
        Gross Margin                                    2,364,271     2,645,678
                                                        -----------   -----------
        Operating Expenses
        General and administrative                      6,342,673     8,677,504
        Research and development expenses               2,349,749     1,607,886
                                                        -----------   -----------
        Total Operating Expenses                        8,692,422     10,285,390
                                                        -----------   -----------
                                                        (6,328,151)   (7,639,712)
                                                        -----------   -----------
        Other Income and (Expenses)
        Investment income                               465,162       193,208
        Other income (expenses)                         (6,018)       (116,977)
                                                        -----------   -----------
        Total Other Income and Expenses                 459,144       76,231
                                                        -----------   -----------
        Net  loss before income taxes                   (5,869,007)   (7,563,481)
        Income taxes                                    -             -
                                                        -----------   -----------
        Net  loss                                     $ (5,869,007) $ (7,563,481)
        Net Loss Per Common Share, Basic and diluted  $ (0.47)      $ (0.68)
        Weighted Average Number of shares outstanding   12,376,548    11,133,927

        Lightbridge Corporation
        Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
                                                                                                      Years Ended
                                                                                                      December 31,
                                                                                                      --------------------------
                                                                                                      2011          2010
                                                                                                      -----------   ------------
        Operating Activities:
        Net Loss                                                                                    $ (5,869,007) $ (7,563,481)
        Adjustments to reconcile net loss from operations to net cash used in operating activities:
        Stock based compensation                                                                      1,513,021     2,691,509
        Depreciation and amortization                                                                 26,962        27,000
        (Gains) losses on marketable securities                                                       (93,951)      116,487
        Changes in non-cash operating working capital items:
        Accounts receivable - fees and reimbursable project costs                                     713,352       1,430,525
        Prepaid expenses and other  assets                                                            95,564        208,834
        Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other current liabilities                           (337,929)     629,878
        Deferred revenue                                                                              (98,110)      98,110
        Net Cash Used In Operating Activities                                                         (4,050,098)   (2,361,138)
                                                                                                      -----------   ------------
        Investing Activities:
        Proceeds from sale of marketable securities                                                   10,408,785    -
        Purchase of marketable securities                                                             (5,000,300)   (10,577,844)
        Property and equipment                                                                        (1,297)       (1,620)
        Patent costs                                                                                  (159,813)     (135,417)
        Net Cash Provided By (Used In) Investing Activities                                           5,247,375     (10,714,881)
                                                                                                      -----------   ------------
        Financing Activities:
        Proceeds from the issuance of common stock - net of offering costs                            -             12,562,310
        Redemption of common stock into treasury stock                                                -             (243,552)
        Restricted cash                                                                               (1,600)       101,891
        Net Cash Provided by (Used In) Financing Activities                                           (1,600)       12,420,649
                                                                                                      -----------   ------------
        Net Increase (Decrease) In Cash and Cash Equivalents                                          1,195,677     (655,370)
        Cash and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of Year                                                  2,373,421     3,028,791
                                                                                                      -----------   ------------
        Cash and Cash Equivalents, End of Year                                                      $ 3,569,098   $ 2,373,421
        Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information:
        Cash paid during the year:
        Interest paid                                                                               $ -           $ -
        Income taxes paid                                                                           $ -           $ -
        Non-Cash Financing Activity:
        Retirement of Treasury Stock                                                                $ -           $ 243,552
        Grant of Common Stock for Payment of Accrued Liabilities                                    $ 70,000      $ 703,737

SOURCE Lightbridge Corporation

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

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Article source: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/lightbridge-announces-fourth-quarter-and-2011-business-update-and-financial-results-2012-02-22

The shareholders in Swedbank AB (STO:SWEDA)(LSE:SWK) are hereby given
notice to the Annual General Meeting at Dansens Hus, Barnhusgatan 14, SE
111 24 Stockholm, on Tuesday 27 March, 2012 at 11:00 am (CET).

Shareholders are welcome from 9:00 am (CET). Before the Meeting it will
be possible for shareholders to ask questions to the management of
Swedbank. Refreshments will also be served before the Meeting.

As a service to participating non-Swedish speaking shareholders, the
Meeting will be simultaneously interpreted into English.

Notification etc

Shareholders who wish to attend the Meeting must be recorded in the
share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB (“Euroclear”, the
Swedish Central Securities Depository) on 21 March, 2012 (the “Record
Date”), and must give notice of their attendance to Swedbank’s head
office no later than 21 March, 2012 preferably before 3 pm (CET).

Notification may be submitted

• by letter to Swedbank, Box 7839, SE-103 98 Stockholm, Sweden, or
• by telephone +46 8 402 90 60, or
• at www.swedbank.se/ir
  under the heading “Årsstämma” (AGM).

The notification shall state the name and in addition thereto, the
personal/company registration number (for Swedish citizens or
companies), address, telephone number and the number of any advisors
(not more than two).

Entrance cards, which shall be presented at the entrance to the meeting
venue, will be sent around 22 March, 2012.

Nominee-registered shares

Shareholders whose shares are nominee-registered must – in addition to
giving notice of their attendance – request that the shares be
temporarily re-registered in their own name at Euroclear. Such
registration should be requested at the nominee well before the Record
Date.

Proxies etc

Shareholders represented by proxy or a representative should submit a
power of attorney, registration certificate or other documents of
authority to Swedbank at the address above well before the Meeting,
preferably no later than 21 March, 2012. Power of attorney forms are
available on the bank’s web site at www.swedbank.se/ir
under the heading “Årsstämma” (AGM).

Personal data

Personal data obtained from the share register, notices of attendance at
the Meeting and information on proxies and advisors will be used for
registration, preparation of the voting list for the Meeting and, where
applicable, the minutes of the Meeting.

Proposed agenda

1. Opening of the Meeting and address by the Chair of the Board of
Directors

2. Election of the Meeting Chair

3. Preparation and approval of the voting list

4. Approval of the agenda

5. Election of two persons to verify the minutes

6. Decision whether the Meeting has been duly convened

7. a) Presentation of the annual report and the consolidated accounts
for the financial year 2011

b) Presentation of the auditor’s reports for the bank and the group for
the financial year 2011

c) Address by the CEO

8. Adoption of the profit and loss account and balance sheet of the bank
and the consolidated profit and loss account and consolidated balance
sheet for the financial year 2011

9. Approval of the allocation of the bank’s profit in accordance with
the adopted balance sheet as well as decision on the record date for
dividends

10. Decision whether to discharge the members of the Board of Directors
and the CEO from liability

11. Determination of the number of Board members

12. Determination of the fees to the Board members and the Auditor

13. Election of the Board members and the Chair

14. Decision on the Nomination Committee

15. Decision on the guidelines for remuneration to top executives

16. Decision on amendments of the Articles of Association

17. a) Decision on reduction of the share capital and

b) Decision on bonus issue

18. Decision to acquire own shares in accordance with the Securities
Market Act

19. Decision on authorization for the Board of Directors to decide on
acquisitions of own shares in addition to what is stated in item 18

20. Decision on authorization for the Board of Directors to decide on
issuance of convertibles

21. Approval of performance and share based remuneration program for 2012

a) Proposal to approval for the Board of Directors’ resolution regarding
a common program for 2012

b) Proposal to approval of the Board of Directors’ resolution regarding
deferred variable remuneration in the form of shares under an individual
program 2012

c) The Board of Directors’ proposal for resolution regarding transfer of
ordinary shares

22. Matter submitted by the shareholder Christer Dupuis on suggested
proposal to remove the signpost ”Swedbank Arena” on the arena in Solna,
Stockholm alternatively change the name of the arena.

23. Closing of the meeting

The addresses by the Chair of the Board of Directors and the CEO will be
available online following the closing of the Meeting at www.swedbank.se/ir.

Nomination Committee

The Nomination Committee consists of Lennart Anderberg, Chair, appointed
by the owner group Föreningen Sparbanksintressenter, Tommy Hjalmarsson
appointed the owner group Sparbanksstiftelser, Lars Idermark, Chair of
the Board of Directors of Swedbank AB, Tomas Norderheim, appointed by
the owner group Folksam and Rose Marie Westman, appointed by Alecta.

Proposals of the Board of Directors and the Nomination Committee etc

Item 2; Election of the Meeting Chair

The Nomination Committee proposes that Counsel Claes Beyer is elected
Chair at the Meeting.

Item 9; Approval of the allocation of the bank’s profit or loss in
accordance with the adopted balance sheet as well as decision on record
date for dividends

The Board of Directors proposes that of the amount at the disposal of
the Meeting, SEK 31 897m, SEK 1 012m is distributed as dividends to
holders of preference shares and SEK 4 813m is distributed as dividends
to holders of ordinary shares and the balance, SEK 26 054m, is carried
forward. Hence, a dividend of SEK 5.30 for each preference share and SEK
5.30 for each ordinary share is proposed. The proposed record date is 30
March, 2012.

With this record date, the dividend is expected to be paid through
Euroclear on 4 April, 2012.

Item 10; Decision whether to discharge the members of the Board of
Directors and the CEO from liability

The Auditor recommends discharge from liability.

Item 11; Determination of the number of Board members

The Nomination Committee proposes that the number of Board members,
which shall be appointed by the Meeting, shall be unchanged at ten.

Item 12; Determination of the fees to the Board members and the Auditor

The Nomination Committee proposes unchanged fees, meaning that the
following fees are proposed for the period until the close of the next
AGM: SEK 1 350 000 to the Chair, SEK 675 000 to the Deputy Chair and SEK
400 000 to each of the other Board members. As fee for committee work it
is proposed for each Board member of the Risk and Capital Committee SEK
250 000, member who is also the Chair of the Audit and Compliance
Committee SEK 175 000 and each of the other Board members who is also a
member of the Audit and Compliance Committee SEK 125 000, and each Board
member of the Remuneration Committee SEK 100 000.

The Nomination Committee proposes that the Auditor’s fees shall be
payable as invoiced.

Item 13; Election of the Board members and the Chair

The Nomination Committee proposes, for the period until the close of the
next AGM, that Olav Fjell, Ulrika Francke, Göran Hedman, Lars Idermark,
Anders Igel, Pia Rudengren, Anders Sundström, Karl-Henrik Sundström and
Siv Svensson are re-elected as Board members and that Charlotte
Strömberg be elected as a new Board member. Helle Kruse Nielsen has
declined re-election.

The Nomination Committee proposes that Lars Idermark be re-elected as
Chair of the Board of Directors.

Charlotte Strömberg, (born 1959) has broad experience with background in
the Swedish financial sector most recent as CEO of Jones Lang LaSalle in
the Nordic region during 6 years. She has had various executive
positions in, inter alia, Carnegie Investment Bank and Alfred Berg ABN
AMRO. Charlotte Strömberg has a master from the Stockholm School of
Economics.

All proposed members, except Göran Hedman, are, in the opinion of the
Nomination Committee, considered as independent in relation to the bank,
the management of the bank and the major shareholders of the bank. All
aspects considered, Göran Hedman is not considered to be independent in
relation to the bank, it being understood that the co-operation
agreement between the bank and Sparbanken in Enköping has been taken
into account when making the assessment. However, Göran Hedman is
considered to be independent in relation to the management of the bank
and the major shareholders of the bank.

Item 14; Decision on the Nomination Committee The Nomination Committee
proposes a nomination process in accordance with the following
principles:

• The Nomination Committee shall consist of five members. The members
  shall consist of the Chair of the Board of Directors and in addition
  thereto the four shareholders who wish to appoint a member and who
  have the largest holdings in the bank based on shareholdings known on
  the last banking day in August 2012.
• When applying these principles, a group of shareholders shall be
  considered to be one owner if they have been organised as an owner
  group in the Euroclear system or have made public and simultaneously
  notified the bank via the Chair of the Board of Directors, that they
  have made an agreement to take – through co-ordinated exercise of
  their voting rights – a common long term view with respect to the
  management of the bank.
• When appointing the Nomination Committee a shareholder who wishes to
  appoint a member shall confirm to the Chair of the Board of Directors
  that the above mentioned conditions that give right to appoint a
  member are still correct.
• The Nomination Committee has a right to co-opt an additional member
  appointed by a shareholder who has become one of the four largest
  shareholders after the Nomination Committee has been constituted,
  provided that such shareholder has not already appointed a member to
  the Nomination Committee. The co-opted member shall not participate in
  the Nomination Committee’s decisions.
• The Nomination Committee’s mandate shall be for the period until a new
  Nomination Committee has been constituted.
• The Nomination Committee shall appoint the Chair from amongst its
  members. The Chair of the Board of Directors shall not be Chair of the
  Nomination Committee.
• A member who leaves the Nomination Committee before its work is
  completed shall be replaced, if the Nomination Committee so decides,
  by another person representing the same shareholder or by a person
  representing the next shareholder in turn due to holdings, and who has
  not already appointed a member to the Nomination Committee.
• Members of the Nomination Committee shall not be remunerated for their
  work or costs incurred.
• The Nomination Committee has the right, at the expense of the bank, to
  engage a headhunter or other external consultants which the Nomination
  Committee deems necessary to fulfil its assignment.
• The duties of the Nomination Committee shall, where applicable, before
  a coming General Meeting, be to submit proposals for decisions
  regarding:

– the election of a Chair of the General Meeting

– fees for the Board members elected by the General Meeting, including
fees for committee work

– fees for the Auditor

– the election of the members of the Board of Directors and Chair of the
Board of Directors

– the election of Auditor

– principles for appointing the Nomination Committee.

Item 15; Decision on the guidelines for remuneration to top executives

The Board of Directors proposes mainly the following guidelines for
remuneration to top executives:

In this context, top executives refer to the CEO of the bank and the
executives who at each time reports to the CEO and who also are members
of the Group Executive Committee. Remuneration to and other terms of
employment for top executives shall be designed so that they i) are
consistent with and promote effective risk management and counteract
excessive risk-taking and ii) ensures access to executives with the
competence that the bank needs. The guidelines shall be applied in
relation to every commitment on and every change in remuneration. The
guidelines shall apply until the next AGM. Based on the guidelines the
Board of Directors shall decide on the remuneration terms. The Board of
Directors may deviate from the guidelines, if there exist special
reasons in a specific case. Remuneration can consist of the components:
fixed compensation in the form of base salary, benefits and pension and
variable compensation. The Board shall ensure that there is an
appropriate balance between fixed and variable components. Each top
executive shall receive a base salary and may be entitled to both
general benefits that are offered to all staff and special extra
benefits. Pension benefits shall generally be granted in accordance with
rules, collective agreements and practice in the country where the
executive is permanently resident. Pension benefits may be defined
benefit according to collective agreements or defined contribution and
are vested once they have accrued. The income shall have a cap annually
decided by the Board of Directors. If the bank terminates the
employment, salary may be paid during a notice period of 6–12 months. In
addition, severance pay can be paid during 6–12 months. Variable
compensation shall be linked to relevant, predetermined and measurable
criteria, designed with the purpose of supporting the bank’s long-term
value creation. Variable compensation may be paid in shares and limits
for the maximum outcome shall be determined. To make room for risk
adjustment of variable remuneration, payment of such compensation shall,
be deferred and be conditional upon the criteria fulfilment on which the
remuneration is based being proved long-term sustainable and on the
group’s position not having materially deteriorated. If the conditions
for payment are not satisfied, the remuneration shall be reduced in
whole or in part. Each material terms of incentive program shall be
resolved by a General Meeting of Shareholders. The Board of Directors
has, subject to the AGM’s 2012 approval, decided to implement a
performance and share based remuneration program for 2012, the common
part of which shall comprise the top executives, according to what is
set out in item 21 a) below. None of the five highest paid top
executives participates in any incentive program as was the case also
for the corresponding programs 2011.

Item 16; Decision on amendments to the Articles of Association

With reference to the new proposed capital adequacy requirements for
Swedish systemically important banks, compare item 19 below, it would be
preferable if the mandatory conversion of preference shares can be made
in the same month as the month the AGM is held. Against that backdrop
the Board of Directors proposes that section 3 (“Share capital etc”)
item 2. “Mandatory conversion” first paragraph of the Articles of
Association is changed to the following:

Current wording:

2. Mandatory conversion

The Board of Directors is obliged to, during the calendar month
immediately following the month in which the Annual General Meeting 2013
is held, however, if applicable, not earlier than the day after the
record day for the right to receive dividends resolved at such Annual
General Meeting, resolve to convert all preference shares into ordinary
shares. At such time, the Board of Directors shall also establish and
announce the record day for conversion.

Proposed wording:

2. Mandatory conversion

The Board of Directors is obliged to resolve to convert all preference
shares into ordinary shares as soon as possible after the Annual General
Meeting 2013, however, if applicable, not earlier than the day after the
record day for the right to receive dividend, as resolved at said Annual
General Meeting. At such time, the Board of Directors shall also
establish and announce the record day for conversion.

Item 17; Decision on a) reduction of the share capital and b) bonus issue

The bank holds as of the date of this notice 57 168 814 ordinary shares,
3 415 641 preference shares and 1 500 000 C-shares corresponding to 5.35
percent of total number of issued shares and 5.24 percent of total
number of votes. The shares are repurchased during the period April up
to September 2011 inclusive. The Board of Directors’ opinion is that 33
000 000 ordinary shares are needed to secure the bank’s commitment to
deliver ordinary shares in the performance and share based remuneration
programs for 2010, 2011 and 2012, in the latter case if the 2012 program
will be approved. The Board of Directors considers that there is no
reason for the bank to continue to hold the remaining 29 084 455 shares
which have been repurchased. Consequently, the Board of Directors
considers that these shares should be cancelled by reducing the share
capital without repayment in combination with a bonus issue.

a) Reduction of the share capital

The Board of Directors proposes that the bank’s share capital is reduced
by SEK 610 773 555. The reduction shall be done by cancelling 24 168 814
repurchased ordinary shares and all repurchased preference shares and
C-shares held by the bank without repayment. The amount of the reduction
will be allocated to funds to be utilised pursuant to the resolution by
the AGM in accordance with the proposal under b) below. After the
cancellation the share capital of the bank will amount to SEK 23 772 120
162 distributed on 1 132 005 722 ordinary shares and preference shares,
each with a quota value of SEK 21. There will be no C-shares in the bank
following the cancellation.

b) Bonus issue

The Board of Directors further proposes that the bank’s share capital be
increased by SEK 1 132 005 722 of which a sum equivalent to the
reduction in share capital in accordance with a) above, i.e. SEK
610 773 555 be transferred from non-restricted equity, and
SEK 521 232 167 be transferred from the bank’s statutory reserve as
shown in the balance sheet adopted for the financial year 2011. The
bonus issue will be carried out without any new shares being issued.
After carrying out the bonus issue, the share’s quota value will be SEK
22 (SEK 21 before the bonus issue). Subsequent to the issue, the bank’s
share capital will amount to SEK 24 904 125 884.

The AGM’s resolution on the reduction of share capital is conditional of
the resolution of the bonus issue and vice versa and shall further be
conditional on the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority’s accepting
that the reduction takes place without the consent of the court in
accordance with Chapter 10, Section 13 of the Banking and Financing
Operational Act (2004:297).

Item 18; Decision to acquire own shares in accordance with the
Securities Market Act

The Board of Directors proposes that the bank, to facilitate its
securities operations, during the period until the AGM in 2013, in its
securities operations shall be permitted to continuously acquire its own
shares – preference shares as well as ordinary shares – in accordance
with the Securities Market Act to the extent that the total holding of
such shares at any given time does not exceed one (1) per cent of the
total number of shares in the bank. The price for such acquired shares
shall at each time correspond to the prevailing market price.

Item 19; Decision regarding authorization for the Board of Directors to
decide on acquisitions of own shares in addition to what has been stated
in item 18

The Board of Directors proposes that the AGM authorizes the Board of
Directors, for the period until the AGM 2013, to resolve on
acquisitions, in addition to what is stated in connection with item 18
in the proposed agenda, of the bank’s own shares – preference shares as
well as ordinary shares – on one or more occasions. The total holding of
own shares may not exceed one tenth of the total numbers of shares in
the bank at each time. Acquisitions may only be made through purchase on
NASDAQ OMX Stockholm. An acquisition may only be made at a price within
the prevailing spread between the highest bid price and the lowest ask
price.

In November 2011 the Swedish government, jointly with the Riksbank and
the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, announced new capital
requirement for the systemically important Swedish banks. The new
capital requirements, assumed to become effective 1 January 2013, means
that Swedbank’s core Tier I capital ratio according to Basel 3 must be
at least 10 per cent 2013 and at least 12 per cent 2015, and that total
capital must be at least 3.5 percentage points higher. Given current
revenue ability and knowledge on upcoming regulatory regime, the bank is
of the opinion that the proposed capital requirements for both 2013 and
2015 will be met without further capital injection. It may become
desirable to increase or decrease the capital base or change the
composition between core Tier I capital and other capital, for example
by repurchase of the bank’s own shares.

Against that backdrop, the proposal is justified as one of several
measures to give the Board of Directors the possibility to continuously
adapt the bank’s capital structure to existing capital needs. Decision
to acquire the bank’s own shares will only be made if the Board of
Directors is of the opinion that the bank long term has a core Tier I
ratio that exceeds desirable levels and after the new capital
requirements have become clear.

Item 20; Decision on authorization for the Board of Directors to decide
on the issuance of convertibles

The Board of Directors proposes that the AGM authorizes the Board of
Directors, for the period until the AGM 2013, to resolve on issue of
convertibles, with deviation from shareholders preferential rights on
one or more occasions. The debt instruments shall only convert mandatory
into ordinary shares on certain conditions. The number of ordinary
shares as a result of conversion may not exceed 100 000 000 or the
corresponding number due to bonus issue, rights issue, conversion of
convertibles, split or reversed share split or similar corporate events.
The Board of Directors resolves on all other terms and conditions for
issues of convertible debt instruments.

According to the up-coming regulation a loan must, in order for it to be
eligible for inclusion in the capital base, contain conditions to the
effect that the loan will be converted to shares if a predetermined
circumstance occur, for example that the bank’s core Tier I capital
ratio drops below a certain level, or conditions to the effect that the
loan will be written down applying corresponding conditions.

The purpose of this proposal is for the bank, without convening a
General Meeting of Shareholders, after decision by the Board of
Directors, to be able to issue convertibles if considered necessary in
order to effectively handle the capital base. Convertible loans may be
used to strengthen the bank’s capital situation in the event of future
actual or anticipated financial difficulties. This should be
advantageous also to current shareholders. Since such debt instruments
would mainly be demanded by debt investors of the Swedish and
international capital markets, they must be able to be offered with
deviation from shareholders preferential rights.

Item 21 Approval of performance and share based remuneration program for
2012

The Board of Directors has decided as the previous year on a performance
and share based remuneration program for 2012 comprising a common
program with deferred variably remuneration in the form of shares (Eken
2012) see item 21 a) below and an individual program with variable pay
in two parts, one in the form of cash and one in the form of deferred
shares (”IP 2012”) see item 21 b) below. Eken 2012 and IP 2012 are
designed in all material respects on the same terms and conditions and
the programs previous year. The Board of Directors of Swedbank ‘s
decision on ”Eken 2012” and IP 2012 as far as it relates to deferred
variable pay in the form of shares has been made subject to the AGM’s
subsequent approval.

21 a); Proposal to approve the resolution of the Board of Directors on a
common program Eken 2012 Eken 2012 includes approximately 15 100 of a
total of approximately 16 300 employees within the Swedbank Group
(Group). Also, top executives are included, i.e. the executives of the
Group Executive Committee (GEC) who at each time report to the bank’s
CEO. However neither the CEO himself nor the additional four members of
GEC who are subject to the bank’s undertakings according to the
guarantee agreement with the state are included. Russia and Ukraine are
not included, neither is the joint venture company Entercard.

In essence, Eken 2012 means that to the extent certain performance
targets are achieved during the financial year 2012 the participants are
awarded a variable remuneration in the beginning of 2013 (Share Amount)
in the form of conditional, non-transferable performance rights. Each
performance right carries a right in year 2016 to receive automatically
and at no cost one ordinary share in the bank provided certain
conditions are fulfilled at the time of delivery. The Board of Directors
or its Remuneration Committee shall in proximity to every transfer of
shares assess if and to which extent the conditions have been met. The
allotment of performance rights and the outcome are dependent on the
extent to which the performance targets are achieved. The performance
targets are based on the profit, adjusted for capital costs and risks,
of the Group and the individual outcome under the bank’s performance
development process which also comprises assessing a number of behaviors
linked to the Group’s values – open, simple and caring.

The maximum Share Amount is normally limited to 1.5 month salary for
participants employed in Sweden and 3 month salary for participants
employed outside Sweden. Depending on the assessment re-allocation
between participants may occur resulting in the maximum Share Amount
being three times the above mentioned limitations. The base salary is
defined as the agreed fixed salary for December 2012.

The total Share Amount for participants is limited to approximately SEK
783m excluding social security costs and ancillary salary costs.

Conversion of the allotted Share Amount into performance rights is made
by dividing such amount by the average daily volume weighted price paid
per ordinary share in Swedbank at NASDAQ OMX Stockholm during the last
ten trading days in January 2013 (the Translation Rate), however, not
lower than SEK 50 per share (the Floor Price).

The total number of performance rights that may be allotted to the
participants amounts to a maximum of approximately 15.7m, excluding
anticipated dividend compensation and adjustment for forfeited
performance rights, which equals the quotient of (a) the highest
aggregate Share Amount for all participants divided by (b) the Floor
Price. If the Translation Rate is hypothetically assumed to be SEK 100,
the total number of Performance Rights which may be allotted to the
Participants amounts to a maximum of approximately 7.8m, excluding
anticipated dividend compensation and adjustment for forfeited
performance rights.

In the Group’s financial accounting the total Share Amount will be
recognized as staff costs in the income statement during the accrual
period which is considered to correspond to the duration.

The maximum cost for the Share Amount amounts to approximately SEK 783m,
which corresponds to 0.7 percent of the bank’s market value as of 31
January 2012. The estimated value of the Share Amount amounts to
approximately SEK 365m, which corresponds to 0.3 percent of the bank’s
market value as of 31 January 2012.

The maximum annual cost in the income statement is expected to be
approximately SEK 188m. The estimated annual cost in the income
statement amounts to approximately SEK 88m.

The estimates above are standardized and based upon an achievement of
the performance targets corresponding to almost 50 percent of the total
Share Amount.

If the bank’s estimated maximum commitment exclusive of anticipated
dividend compensation and forfeited performance rights is hedged by way
of transfer of held own shares acquired by virtue of authorization from
the AGM this would result in a total dilution of approximately 1.4
percent in relation to the outstanding number of shares and votes as of
31 December 2011. The dilution is expected to have a marginal impact on
the Group’s key ratios, also when taken together with the proposed
individual program for 2012 (according to Item 21 b) below).

Item 21 b); Proposal to approve the resolution of the Board of Directors
of Swedbank regarding deferred variable remuneration in the form of
shares under IP 2012

IP 2012 comprises approximately 800 employees in the Swedbank Group
(Group) in positions of direct importance for creating revenues and
sustainable shareholder value. Top executives (see item 21 a)) are not
included. Russia and Ukraine are not included nor is the joint venture
company Entercard.

IP 2012 gives a possibility to receive variable remuneration partly in
the form of cash remuneration, partly in the form of deferred
remuneration consisting of shares. In essence, the program means that to
the extent certain performance targets are achieved during the financial
year 2012 the participants are allotted a variable remuneration in the
beginning of 2013 of which a part (Share Amount) is allotted in the form
of conditional, non-transferable performance rights. Each performance
right carries a right in year 2016 to receive automatically and at no
cost one ordinary share in the bank provided certain conditions are
fulfilled at the time of delivery. The Board of Directors or its
Remuneration Committee shall in proximity to every transfer of shares
assess if and to which extent the conditions have been met. The Share
Amount for each participant is 40 percent of the determined variable
remuneration. The Board of Directors however reserves the right to
resolve that for certain categories of participants the Share Amount
will be a higher portion of the variable remuneration than 40 percent
and also to in any other manner make adjustments.

The allotment and the outcome of IP 2012 are dependent on the extent to
which the performance targets have been achieved. The performance
targets are, for the majority of the participants, determined on the
following three evaluation levels (1) the profit after tax, adjusted for
capital costs and risks, for the Group (2) the profit, adjusted for
capital costs and risks, for the respective business area and whether
this has been achieved in accordance with the business area’s strategic
plan and a sound risk attitude (3) the risk adjusted results on an
individual level and team level. When assessing the targets at this
level the outcome under the bank’s performance development process which
also comprises both financial and operational factors are evaluated.
Further, a number of behaviors linked to the Group’s values – open,
simple and caring are assessed.

Conversion of the allotted Share Amount into performance rights is made
in the same way as in Eken 2012 on the basis of a translation rate (the
Translation Rate) based on the average daily volume weighted price paid
per ordinary share in Swedbank at NASDAQ OMX Stockholm during the last
ten trading days in January 2013, however, not lower than SEK 50 per
share (the Floor Price).

The total Share Amount for all Participants is limited to a maximum of
approximately SEK 227m.

The total number of performance rights which may be allotted to the
participants amounts to a maximum of approximately 4.5m excluding
anticipated dividend compensation and adjustment for forfeited
performance rights which equals the quotient of (a) the highest
aggregate Share Amount for all participants divided by (b) the Floor
Price. If the Translation Rate is hypothetically assumed to be SEK 100,
the total number of performance rights which may be allotted to the
Participants amounts to a maximum of approximately 2.3m, excluding
anticipated dividend compensation and adjustment for forfeited
performance rights.

In the Group’s financial accounting the total Share Amount will be
recognized as staff costs in the income statement during the accrual
period which is considered to correspond to the duration.

The maximum costs for the Share Amount amounts to approximately SEK
227m, which corresponds to 0.2 percent of the bank’s market value as of
31 January 2012.

The estimated value of the Share Amount amounts to approximately SEK
76m, which corresponds to 0.1 percent of the bank’s market value as of
31 January 2012.

The maximum annual cost in the income statement is expected to be
approximately SEK 54m. The estimated annual cost in the income statement
amounts to approximately SEK 18m.

The estimates above are standardized and based upon an achievement of
the performance targets corresponding to almost 35 percent of the total
Share Amount.

If the bank’s estimated maximum commitment exclusive of anticipated
dividend compensation and forfeited performance rights is hedged by way
of transfer of held own shares acquired by virtue of authorization from
the AGM this would result in a total dilution of approximately 0.4
percent in relation to the outstanding number of shares and votes as of
31 December 2011. The dilution is expected to have a marginal impact on
the Group’s key ratios, also when taken together with the proposal of
Eken 2012 (according to item 21 a)).

Item 21 c); The Board of Directors proposal for a resolution regarding
transfer of ordinary shares

The Board of Directors is of the opinion that the most efficient and
flexible method to secure Swedbank’s commitment to deliver ordinary
shares under i) the common and the individual performance and share
based remuneration program for 2012 (“Eken 2012” and “IP 2012”
respectively, and together referred to as “Program 2012”), and ii)
previous common and individual performance and share based remuneration
programs within the Swedbank Group – provided that such performance and
share based remuneration programs, in whole or in part, have been
resolved by or adopted subject to subsequent approval by a General
Meeting of Shareholders’ of Swedbank (“Previous Programs”) – is to, with
deviation from the shareholders’ preferential rights, at no cost,
transfer ordinary shares held by Swedbank and acquired by virtue of
authorization of repurchase of own shares resolved by a AGM.

The Board of Directors proposal consists of transfer of ordinary shares
at no cost partly to entitled participants under Program 2012 and
Previous Programs, directly or where applicable through the bank’s
subsidiaries or to an external party engaged for this purpose and partly
at NASDAQ OMX Stockholm if the Board of Directors deems necessary, to
cover certain costs in connection with IP 2012, in particular social
security costs and ancillary salary costs.

Transfer of shares according to above may not exceed 33 000 000 ordinary
shares (or such adjusted higher number of ordinary shares which may be a
result of a bonus issue, share split, dividend compensation or
corresponding corporate events). If transfer of the maximum amount of
ordinary shares 33 000 000 occurs, this would result in a total dilution
of approximately 3 percent in relation to the outstanding number of
shares and votes as of 31 December 2011.

The Board of Directors’ proposals as per above are conditional upon the
resolution of the Board of Directors regarding Eken 2012 and/or deferred
variable remuneration in the form of shares under IP 2012 having been
approved by the AGM.

If the AGM does not approve of the proposals as per above, the Board of
Directors intends to hedge the bank’s commitment to deliver ordinary
shares, in whole or in part, for Program 2012 by way of an agreement
(equity swap agreement, certificate or similar) with a financial
institution engaged for this particular purpose, which according to such
agreement will in its own name acquire and transfer to the Participants
ordinary shares in Swedbank.

Total number of shares and votes in Swedbank

At the time of issuance of this notice the total number of shares in
Swedbank amounts to 1 161 090 177 of which 965 190 117 are ordinary
shares, 194 400 060 are preference shares and 1 500 000 are C-shares. If
shareholders elects to convert its preference shares into ordinary
shares during the month of February 2012, the distribution between the
number of ordinary shares and preference shares will change. Of the
total number of shares, 57 168 814 ordinary shares, 3 415 641 preference
shares and 1 500 000 C-shares, are held by the bank itself.

Majority requirements

Approval of the Board of Directors’ proposal according to items 16-20
requires that the AGM’s resolution is supported by shareholders
representing at least two thirds of the votes cast and shares
represented at the Meeting. Approval of the Board of Director’s proposal
according to item 21 c) requires that the AGM’s resolution is supported
by shareholders representing at least nine tenths of the votes cast and
shares represented at the Meeting.

Complete proposals etc.

The accounts and auditor’s reports, the complete proposals of the Board
of Directors in respect of items 9 and 15–21, the Board of Director’s
statement pursuant to items 9, 18 and 19, statement from the bank’s
Auditor according to Chapter 8, Section 54 and Chapter 20 Section 14 of
the Companies Act, the complete proposals of the Nomination Committee
and the submitted matter in respect of item 22 will be made available at
Swedbank, the Company Secretary, Brunkebergstorg 8, Stockholm, no later
than from and including 6 March, 2012. The documents will be sent to
shareholders who so request and provide their postal address. The
documents, together with the annual report, will also be made available
no later than the above mentioned date at www.swedbank.se/ir.

Information at the Annual General Meeting

At the AGM, the Board of Directors and the CEO are under a duty to, if
any shareholder so requests and the Board of Directors deems that it can
be made without material damage to the bank and without any appreciable
inconvenience for any person, provide information, regarding
circumstances which may affect the assessment of a matter on the agenda
or of the bank’s economic situation. Such duty to provide information
also comprises the bank’s relation to other group companies, the
consolidated accounts and such circumstances regarding subsidiaries
which are set out in the foregoing sentence.

The shareholders are warmly welcomed to the AGM.

Stockholm in February 2012 Swedbank AB (publ) The Board of Directors

English-speaking shareholders

This notice to attend the AGM of Swedbank AB, to be held at 11:00 am
(CET) on 27 March, 2012 at Dansens Hus, Barnhusgatan 14, Stockholm,
Sweden, can also be obtained in the English language at www.swedbank.com/ir.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://www.cisionwire.com

Article source: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120220005878/en/Swedbank-Swedbank%E2%80%99s-Annual-General-Meeting-27-March

Security Council Resolution 2008 of 16 September 20011 extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) to 30 September 2012.

Strength

The Strength of the Mission has grown over the years since the adoption of its first mandate. The Mission initial mandate gives room for up to 15,000 military personnel, 250 military observers, 160 staff and 1,115 police officers, including formed units; and the appropriate civilian component. This was from September 19 2003 – 13 July 2006.The Security Council Resolution 1696 of 2006 provided that the strength of the Mission be up to 14,875 military personnel and 1, 240 police officers, including formed units; and the appropriate civilian components. Up to the 31st of December, the strength of UNMIL stood at 9,206 uniformed personnel, 7,700 troops, 131 military observers, 1,297 police (including formed units), 477 international civilian personnel, 991 local staff and 255 UN Volunteers.

Country contributors

Many of the members’ nations of the United Nations contributed to the total personnel in UNMIL. For military personnel we have the following countries: Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mali, Moldova, Montenegro, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Serbia, Togo, Ukraine, United States, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe. For police personnel, we have contribution from the following countries: Argentina, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United States, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Fatalities

As the saying goes, for every intervention, there has to be some form of fatalities. UNMIL has had her share of fatalities since the mission started back in 2003. Up to present, there have been a total of 164 fatalities which includes 118 troops, 18 police, 1 military observer, 7 international observer and 20 local civilians.

Major Achievements

Disarms and reintegrates ex-combatants. UNMIL was able to demilitarize armed forces and disarm over 100,000 ex-combatants. In its first year, UNMIL oversaw the disarmament of over 95,000 ex-combatants. Further, in 2009, UNMIL was actively involved in Liberia’s Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration and Rehabilitation (DDRR) program, which disarmed 103,000 and demobilized 101,000 ex-combatants. The UN and its partners provide rehabilitation services such as education and vocational training, with more than 98,000 ex-combatants benefited from these programs.

Provides stability in supports of the democratic elections. In the wake of November 8, 2011 run-off elections, UN peacekeepers were instrumental in helping to prevent an escalation of violence as tensions run high due to the opposition candidate’s call for a boycott of the election. In addition, UNMIL was critical in assisting in the growth and reform of the Liberia National Police (LNP) is critical to secure the peaceful and democratic elections character on the October 11, 2011 elections. UNMIL provided logistical support for the delivery of voter registration materials to locations around the country, helping to successfully register 1.8 million people, representing 89 percent of eligible voters, of which 49 percent were women. UNMIL and partner groups, in combination with the National Election Commission, have followed through on their commitment to strengthen and encourage women’s participation in the electoral process, holding educational and training seminars for over 400 aspiring women political participants. UNMIL Radio continues to promote a free and fair election by providing balanced airtime to all political parties and providing human rights checklist to national observer groups to use during the electoral process. The mission also continues to assist the LNP by training personnel and devising security and contingency plans to promote stability and ensure peaceful elections.

Ongoing Challenges

Insufficient support and role of the police force. The Liberia National Police have made many strides but are still lacking in efficient management, adequate equipment, and community support. They continue to rely on the international community to fund communications equipment, transportation, and facilities for headquarters. The government needs to strengthen the relationship and build trust between police officers and civilians in the wake of incidents of ill-discipline such as harassment of civilians and criminal activity. In addition, the LNP remains understaffed, with a ratio to population of just 1:850, 65-75% of which are stationed in montserrado County.

Prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence. Liberia’s 14 year civil war left 40 percent of women affected by gender based violence (GBV). While Liberia is on the path to national recovery, rates of GBV, in particular domestic violence and rape, remain high. Rape still remains the number one crime reported to the Liberian National Police, with most of the victims between the ages of 10 and 19. In 2009, the Liberian government and the UN formed a joint plan to reduce GBV by 30 percent by the end of 2011. Thus far, special courts have been established to hear the backlog of GBV cases, expediting the legal process and encouraging victims to report GBV incidents. Despite improvements in the legal system though, a study conducted by the UN in Liberia tracking cases of sexual violence found that it would take nearly ten years at the current speed the criminal justice system operates to clear the back log of sexual violence cases alone.

Protection of children. An estimated 20,000 child soldiers, a majority of which were between the ages of 8 and 15, were recruited by multiple armed groups during the course of the 14 years of conflict in Liberia. UNICEF and various partners are providing these children with rehabilitation programs, psychological support, general education, and vocational training. Helping former child soldiers remains a challenge because of neighboring countries’ continuous efforts to recruit children into armed conflict. Child labor is also a problem in Liberia. Children are often paid to carry illegal goods across borders and are trafficked for sex.

Anti-corruption efforts. The ongoing corruption in Liberia has undermined public confidence in the government and in the rule of law. In 2007, in an effort to prevent corruption, the parliament began prosecuting officials accused of financial impropriety through the adoption of the President’s Code of Conduct for Public Officials legislation. However, Liberian legislators still delay in disclosing their personal assets. Additionally, the General Audit Commission’s audit report recommendations are consistently ignored. However, its investigations have resulted in the dismissal of several high-profile officials, including the commissioners of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority and the Minister of Information. In December 2009, the President enacted a Whistleblower Act to protect those who report acts of corruption. Despite efforts to reform the government, legal bottlenecks in the prosecution of corruption cases continue to hamper the proper implementation of the President’s anti-corruption policy. UN Peace building Commission has suggested that a special court be created to fast track corruption cases, however their recommendation have yet to be implemented.

Côte d’Ivoire. Fallout from the presidential election in Cote d’Ivoire continues to pose a serious threat to Liberia’s security, as dispute and conflict in the former country has led to thousands of refugees into the latter—there are currently over 160,000 Ivorian refugees in Liberia. Their displacement in Liberia continues to strain the resource limited border towns where they reside, with conflicts emerging over land usage between Ivoirians and Liberians. UNMIL and the Liberian Government have increased their patrolling along the Ivorian border to ensure that Cote d’Ivoire does not draw further combatants from Liberia. The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees cooperates with groups in Liberia, including the Government, UNOCI and UNMIL to monitor refugee numbers and activities, and for general managerial support. UNMIL helps maintain security in areas hosting refugees.

Human and Drug Trafficking. Liberia continues to be vulnerable to drug trafficking. Hard drugs, including heroin and cocaine, transit through Liberia in limited amounts. Domestic production of marijuana is flourishing and in many areas is thought to be replacing other agricultural activities, with large amounts crossing into neighboring countries. There are also reports of human trafficking using similar routes. In May, the Government joined the West Africa Coast Initiative, a multi-stakeholder framework regional action plan to address the growing problem of illicit drug trafficking and organized crime in West Africa and in July the Liberia National Police Transnational Crime Unit began operations. However, porous borders, inadequate training and equipment, and corruption continue to aid and abet the illicit sail of narcotics.

Financial aspects

The method of financing is assessment in respect of a special account and the approved budget of UNMIL form the period (July 1st 2011 – June 30th 2012) is put at US$525,612,730.00

About the author: Mardea M.Dekai is a second year student at the Koffi Annan School for Conflict transformation. She can be reached on cell # 0886-612368 and 0776-512368 or at

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Article source: http://www.liberianobserver.com/index.php/opinioneditorial/item/539-topic-the-united-nations-mission-in-liberia-facts-and-figures

Kyiv region should be a regional leader, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said.

“Kyiv region, with its capabilities and resources, as well as a management team that acts in a resolute way, should go ahead in introducing new mechanisms for regional and local government,” the presidential press service quoted Yanukovych as saying on Tuesday.

While speaking at a ceremony at the Ukraine Art Palace in Kyiv to mark the 80th anniversary of Kyiv region, Yanukovych called for the drafting and adoption of a regional development strategy.

“I see three main objectives for the implementation of such a strategy – ensuring the basic rights of citizens, addressing the socio-economic problems of local communities and laying the foundation for the stable development of the whole region,” he said.

In addition, Yanukovych said that financial support for innovative programs in Kyiv region would be provided this year, including from the State Regional Development Fund.

Article source: http://www.kyivpost.com/news/city/detail/122886/

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Article source: http://english.cri.cn/6966/2012/02/20/3124s682211.htm

of solidarity” worldwide for Azerbaijanis. “On that day, everyone will be like a single fist in commemoration of the victims of the tragedy,

demanding international justice for every life lost during the Khojaly massacre,” Akbarov said.

He added that Feb. 26, 2012 will make history, as he thinks this event will become a symbol of solidarity not only in the history of Turkic countries but in the history of the international community.

Feb. 26, 1992 is one of the most traumatic dates for Azerbaijanis, as this date is a reminder for the South Caucasus’ Muslim nation of one of the most tragic chapters in its history. In the early hours of Feb. 26, 1992, Armenian Armed Forces, directed by current Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan, along with Russia’s 366th armored battalion, literally wiped Khojaly, a town in Nagorno-Karabakh, off the map.

At least 613 completely unarmed and defenseless people — the majority of who were children, women, elderly, sick and disabled — were killed in cold blood. Thousands were left disabled and hundreds are still missing. The Nagorno-Karabakh war took place over a predominantly ethnic-Armenian enclave located inside Azerbaijan and started in 1988, ending with a fragile Russian-brokered truce in 1994. The war left 30,000 dead and nearly a million displaced. Since then, talks to resolve one of the most worrisome “frozen conflicts” in the former Soviet Union have dragged on, with the enclave controlled by Armenian and separatist forces.

Noting that Azerbaijanis will always remember the Khojaly massacre, Akbarov said the aim of the rally is to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the massacre, and to make clear to the international community the extent of the savageness and brutality of the acts Armenians committed against helpless Azerbaijani civilians just two decades ago. He underlined that Armenians did not even refrain from ridiculing the bodies of the dead. He added that such actions should be noted as a threat to all of humanity.

The organizers of the rally are Azerbaijani youth studying and working in Turkey. Dozens of Turkish and Azerbaijani associations, non-governmental organizations, political parties and businesses have already extended their support for the rally. More than thousands of people from 11 different cities in Turkey will join in rally in Taksim. In a show of support for their compatriots in Taksim, thousands of Azerbaijani youth are also expected to arrive in İstanbul from France, Russia, Ukraine, England and other countries.

“We are expecting at least 10,000 demonstrators,” said one of the organizers, who wished to remain anonymous. Everyone, regardless of their political views, social status or class, will be able to participate, says Akbarov, adding that no exact number for how many people are expected to participate is available at the moment. However, he did say he thinks millions of people will join in the “Justice for Khojaly” rally.

Akbarov also stated that the adoption of a French bill by the French Parliament criminalizing the denial of Armenian genocide last month has forced their hand. Approval of the French bill was not only an injustice against Turks, but one more factor that made them feel a need to stage the rally. “Azerbaijani youth think that the adoption of the French bill once more proves that the international community has kept silent when it comes to the pain of Turks and Azerbaijanis. “France recognizes the so-called Armenian genocide in the early 20th century; however, it does not see the Khojaly massacre committed by Armenians that left thousands of innocent people dead just two decades ago,” says Akbarov, adding that with this rally Azerbaijanis want the international community to hear them and recognize their pain.

Directly after the French National Assembly adopted the bill penalizing those who refuse to recognize the 1915 killings of Armenians as genocide, senior Azerbaijani officials harshly criticized the move in a show of solidarity with Turkey. The Azerbaijani president stated during a meeting with French parliamentarians held in Baku last week that officials in Baku hope a French bill criminalizing denial of the so-called Armenian genocide will not come into force. The issue has caused outrage in Turkey and drawn condemnation from both Turkish authorities and opposition parties.

Article source: http://www.todayszaman.com/news-271825-thousands-to-stage-rally-in-istanbul-commemorating-khojaly-massacre.html

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By LILLIAN ALUANGA

Introduction of nuclear power plants will require a wide range of infrastructure that will provide Government, legal, regulatory, human and industrial support for effective operation.

Among concerns raised over the country’s desire to adopt nuclear power as a source of electricity is that it may fall short of internationally accepted nuclear safety standards and security guidelines.

In his presentation during the Second Conference of the International Year of Chemistry, Engineer Collins Juma of the Nuclear Electricity Development Project alluded to the fact that Kenya was aware of safety issues related to nuclear power plant operations.

Juma says the authorisation to build a nuclear power plant requires detailed analysis of suggested accident scenarios according to the plant design.

“These form the design basis of accidents for a given design. Safety systems are designed to cope with these accidents and the analyses must demonstrate, given conservative assumptions, that exposure to the public will not exceed the established safety limits,” he said.

Unep Executive Director Achim Steiner has urged Kenya to first explore other sources of renewable energy such as solar, wind and geothermal before embracing nuclear technology.

Those against the adoption of nuclear power generation argue that it has the potential for disastrous consequences in cases of accidents as witnessed during the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

The incident, which involved an explosion at a nuclear power plant, in what is today Ukraine, was blamed on a flawed nuclear reactor design coupled with mistakes of plant operators within a system where training was minimal.

Besides the 30 people who died as an immediate consequence of the accident, at least 1,000 other on-site reactor staff suffered high radiation doses.

Radiation doses can be controlled in several ways, including physical shielding; protective clothing and apparatus, limiting the time workers spend in areas with significant radiation levels, and using remote handling techniques.

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Article source: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/sports/InsidePage.php?id=2000052404&cid=456

Like the Snow Revolution, the Orange Revolution was a broad middle-class reaction against corruption and the absence of the rule of law. In contrast to the Arab Spring, the Orange Revolution was entirely peaceful, as the Snow Revolution has been, and neither was triggered by economic or social crisis. In 2004, the Ukrainian economy grew faster than ever, by 12 percent, and Russia’s GDP increased last year by a respectable 4.3 percent.

But there are also significant differences. Ukraine has a big ethnic divide between Russian speakers and Ukrainian speakers. The Ukrainian opposition was well entrenched in the parliament and media, rendering it part of the old system.

The outstanding achievement of the Orange Revolution was political and civil freedom. But its ultimate flaw was a nearly complete political stalemate, which led to even worse corruption and authoritarianism. Having been in Ukraine during and after the Orange Revolution, and having just spent time in Moscow, some pitfalls facing the Snow Revolution seem evident to me.

The Orange Revolution was peaceful because a sufficiently large number of people took to the streets. The Russian opposition has already absorbed that insight, minimizing the risk of violence.

But it might have been a mistake in 2004 to occupy the center of Kiev and pursue persistent demonstrations that forced a quick resolution of the crisis, because it prompted a flawed compromise with the old regime. The sudden relief caused dangerous euphoria and hubris among the Orange revolutionaries.

For this reason, the Russian opposition is probably being sensible by holding large demonstrations from time to time, showing the regime its strength but not forcing an instant solution. Indeed, the sudden resolution of the Orange Revolution led to the adoption of a dysfunctional constitution with a confusing and unwieldy division of powers. It looked like a trap set by the old regime’s operators.

There is no reason for anybody to repeat such a mistake. A constitution requires serious consideration. The old regime’s adherents can more easily trick the newcomers into dangerous compromises if the process is exceedingly fast.

The other major shortcoming was that the leader of the Orange Revolution, Viktor Yushchenko, turned out to be a feckless and irresponsible president. Initially, he traveled the world for months to celebrate his victory, ignoring the chaos back home. Then he began vetoing virtually all decisions by the government, causing a political stalemate, and, toward the end of his presidency, tacitly joined with the old guard (now back in power) against then-Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko (whose party, to its credit, had voted against the constitution).

But, while Yushchenko serves as a warning to Russians not to elect an accidental president with excessive powers, an underlying cause of the Orange government’s breakdown was that most of its ministers (Yushchenko appointees) were defectors from the old regime. Most had never opposed its corruption, and the prominent businessmen who funded the Orange Revolution expected to profit handsomely from their political investments. As a result, there was no cleansing of the old cadres, and corruption declined only temporarily.

By contrast, Georgia’s “Rose Revolution” of 2003 carried out a wholesale change of senior officials, bringing in young and well-educated leaders with Western educations. Russia needs to follow the example of Georgia (and Estonia) by promoting a new generation of young, skilled, and untainted professionals.

The Orange Revolution’s greatest policy mistake was its early focus on “re-privatization” — the renationalization and resale of enterprises that had been privatized at exceedingly low prices. The Orange government spent its first half-year discussing which enterprises should be reprivatized and how. Meanwhile production slowed every month, as uncertainty about property rights scared businessmen. In the end, only one big metallurgical enterprise, Krivoryzhstal, was reprivatized; by then, the Orange coalition had already fallen apart.

For Russian politicians, re-privatization is a great political temptation. Indeed, all three opposition parties in the Duma call for far-reaching renationalization, though it would be politically and economically devastating. Instead, a new democratic government could call for higher property taxation and prosecution of corrupt officials. In comparison with Ukraine, Russia has quite decent legislation, and its economic courts enjoy some respect.

The ultimate reason to expect a more successful democratic breakthrough in Russia today than in Ukraine in 2004 is that Russia is so much richer and more developed than Ukraine, with per capita GDP four times higher. As modernization theorists like Seymour Martin Lipset and Samuel Huntington would have noted, Russia is simply too wealthy, well-educated, and open to be so authoritarian. According to the NGO Freedom House, only seven small oil-exporting states and Singapore are wealthier than Russia and still authoritarian.

Russia should draw four lessons from the Orange Revolution as its own Snow Revolution proceeds. First, the new democrats must avoid being tricked into a dysfunctional compromise with the old regime. Second, leaders are critical to a sustainable democratic breakthrough, and this choice will be as vital as it is difficult. Third, Russia needs a cleansing of corrupt officials. Finally, re-privatization is a poison pill that must be avoided.

The Orange Revolution was no mistake, but a just cause is no guarantee of victory. Russia’s Snow revolutionaries must make sure that the good fight is also a smart fight.

Article source: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/eo20120216a2.html

Masha and Slava Osgood have slowly started to fall into a routine in their Eclectic home with their adoptive parents Mark and Beth Osgood. The siblings arrived from an orphanage in the Ukraine last fall and are starting a new life from scratch — learning how to say the word “bread” in English and completing daily chores such as making their beds and setting the table.

Masha, 15, and Slava, 13, were adopted after being brought to Alabama for a visit by the Millbrook-based Bridges of Faith International in December 2010. Over the past year, the ministry has flown in 38 children from the Ukraine. Ten adoptions have been finalized.

The Osgoods met Masha and Slava at the BridgeStone Prayer and Retreat Center just north of Autauga County last year. They didn’t visit the center with the intention of adopting a child, but over time, Beth Osgood said the couple “felt God was preparing us to take care of a child or two.”

“I knew enough to not say no,” Mark Osgood said, “because it might be God’s plan.”

The couple has an older son, 21-year-old Nate, and went from being empty nesters to parents with two teenagers who speak a different language.

A teacher by trade, Beth Osgood homeschools Masha and Silva, and said the children have developed an even better grasp of English in the past three months. But for more in-depth questions, the family refers to a translating program through Google, which allows them to go back and forth with the English and Ukrainian languages.

“It was hard to leave everything behind in the Ukraine,” Masha said through translation.

Asked what she likes about living in the U.S., the translation came through as: “I like the fact that rich friends fun. I think that I will learn English and train.”

Beth Osgood laughs softly, and says, “I don’t know if that means rich friendships, or … I’m not quite sure. Compared to where they came from, I’m sure we’re rich.”

It initially took three years of planning and fundraising for the first group of Ukrainian children to be flown to Alabama. Bridges of Faith, which has done mission work in the Ukraine since 1995, sponsors the trips for the orphans at a total cost of $65,000. That pays for travel, legal costs and all documentation. The money is raised door-to-door and from church to church.

Adoptions must take place in the land of the child’s citizenship. Before arriving in America, the Ukrainian children understand that they must return to their country as part of the adoption process. It takes about nine months for an adoption to be finalized.

Bridges of Faith brings international orphans to Bridgestone for periods up to three weeks. It brought four groups of children last year.

The Rev. Tom Benz of Bridges of Faith credits the central Alabama community for opening their homes and hosting the children at baseball games, farms, churches and businesses.

Hosting each group, he said, takes hundreds of volunteers, who help with laundry, meals, trips and coordinating other logistical functions. The groups currently are transported around the River Region and surrounding areas in an old van, a 15-year-old van Benz said the camp desperately needs to replace.

Benz said he has met and ministered to a lot of people through various mission work, but Bridges of Faith’s orphan ministries holds a special place in his heart.

“I have never been part of something that strikes me as more profound, more noble, more sacred as bringing these incredible Ukrainian orphans to BridgeStone to share faith and life, and to help them find adoptive homes,” he said.

Bringing the children to the River Region has doubled the need for funds at BridgeStone. That primarily comes from individuals, as well as churches and businesses.

“I will spend the next chapter in my life doing this,” Benz said. “I don’t have an exit strategy.”

Masha and Slava are adapting. Their father died a couple of years ago, and their mother gave up parental rights. They lived in a children’s home in the Ukraine for more than two years before being adopted.

The Osgoods understand that learning the English language won’t happen overnight, nor will becoming accustomed to an American way of living. Mark Osgood, pastor at Eclectic United Methodist Church, said the children understand a lot when spoken to, but communicating is hard.

It is easier for the children to speak their native language, but it somewhat hinders their progression when it comes to being fluent in English. Still, their parents understand that falling back on what they know makes them feel more comfortable.

“There’s a hump there that is sometimes hard to get over,” Mark Osgood said. “I think it’s so new, and they want to hold on to what is familiar.”

The two are immersed in the English language when they attend activities; Masha takes dance lessons and attends youth group at Eclectic UMC, and Slava plays organized basketball.

Beth Osgood, who went from working full-time to part-time as an environmental specialist with the ITT department at Maxwell Air Force Base, teaches the children in English most of the time.

“They won’t get much out of anything else if they don’t know English,” she said. “We don’t want them to forget the Ukraine, but we want them to use the language.”

Mark and Beth Osgood said the children have responded well to the transition: they follow a chore chart on the refrigerator — picture association is important — play board and card games, and although they may not understand what they are reading, they are able to read to their adoptive parents.

As they settle in, their needs and wants differ. Masha, for instance, wants more children from her orphanage to come here, specifically friends Leila and Maxim; Slava wants a dog.

“This is one of the hardest things they’ll do in their lives, making the transition from one culture to another,” Mark Osgood said. “We’ve had a lot of laughs and a lot of fun, even though it is hard at times.”

Beth Osgood describes the experience as a balancing act.

“They need some of the things that are familiar,” she said. “It certainly has enlarged our hearts and families. Our horizons have been expanded.”

Mark Osgood said it is good to have the children in the home, to “see them blossom. There have been big changes. That has been exciting. We have to have wisdom to know where to push, if they need to be pushed.

“The adoption was a choice,” Mark Osgood said. “But once you choose, there’s no turning back.”

Article source: http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120123/APN/1201230527