CRU China Conference Now Scheduled for Sept 08

Independent business analysis and consultancy group CRU is postponing until September 21-24, 2008 a conference in China originally scheduled for June 9-12, the company announced May 29.

CRU said the May 12 earthquake in the Sichuan province of China has caused the postponement. The human cost has been horrendous and the true significance of this event has become increasingly apparent with every day that has passed. Estimates that started with an expected loss of life of 10,000 have increased to over 80,000; in excess of 5.4 million are now homeless and there are now material risks of flooding with attendant problems in sanitation and health. Finally, this weekend saw an aftershock that in perspective would have been a major disaster in its own right.

Over the past weeks CRU has been in constant contact with Chalco and through them the Chongqing City municipal government in regard to the upcoming aluminum Conference. "It had been our best collective intent to continue with this event in order to signal locally and internationally the resolve to continue in the face of apparent adversity."

It is now clear that this is not possible. Chongqing City is being used as the staging post for humanitarian aid and logistics into the affected region. Furthermore, Chalco, as a government entity and the major employer in the region, is throwing all its energies behind the recovery operations. The municipality and Chalco have jointly expressed the sentiment that given the unexpected deterioration in the situation, continuing with the conference would represent an unacceptable strain on the resources of the city and, furthermore, it would be insensitive to the distress being experienced. At CRU we acknowledge and deeply empathise with this request.

In deciding to postpone, CRU said "...keeping the conference in Chongqing City would be an important signal of support to Chalco and the municipality of Chongqing City who up to now have expended considerable energy into preparations, underlying how important they see the event."