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OSCE Chairman Swiss President Burkhalter to EuroFora on calls to face Islamic Terrorists of ISIS+

*Basel/OSCE Annual Ministerial Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- While OSCE's 57 Foreign Ministers appear Divided on Ukraine, mainly as far as it concerns the Roots, the Cause of the current Conflict, on the contrary, they were all United in their joint Will to Fight against ISIS's atrocious BeHeaders/Throat Cutters' Islamic Terrorists, as the Adoption of 2 Resolutions on this issue, clearly showed, while not even one wasn't adopted on Ukraine, because of the above mentioned Difference of Views on a key point, as it results in substance from what Replied to an "EuroFora" Question the current Head of the OSCE, Swiss President Didier Burkhalter, and from other Statements in a Press Conference held on Thursday, as well as from the Results of Basel's Annual OSCE Ministerial Summit, adopted Friday Noon.
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- "As far as the Medium and Long term prospects of PanEuropean Security and the OSCE are concerned, Ukraine and others also, on which you shall speak Tomorrow, as you said, there were already some voices, mainly from Central Asian and other Countries while there was also an Incident in Grozny (Tchechnya, in Russia) recently, saying that there were also Other Risks, coming at the Same Time, as Ukraine, not as Hard yet as Ukraine, but may be Dangerous later-on, either from Afghanistan, if things don't go well, or from ISIS, in the well known regions (of Iraq-Syria, etc), which are arriving Close to Europe. Do you think that, in the foreseable Future, the OSCE should also adress this kind of Issues, (at least) in the context of the Middle/Long Term ?", "EuroFora" asked OSCE's Chairman.

Indeed, several Countries, such as Mongolia, Kyrgystan, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, etc., had just expressed, earlier this day, their concern mainly for various "Religious Extremists Armed Groups" practicing Terrorist Attacks, during the OSCE Summit's Plenary Session, as "EuroFora" had observed.
- After carefuly hearing the full Question, and Nodding Positively, the experienced Swiss President and Chairman of the 2014 Annual OSCE Ministerial Summit, observed from the outset that, "actually, already, the OSCE has a series of Mandates which are Linked (at least) to some of the Issues that you have mentioned".
- "For instance : Borders' Control, and Borders' Management, between Central Asian Countries and Afghanistan", etc
+ "But we (OSCE) must have Clear Mandates, Clear Missions, and Clear Decisions comming from the 57 Member States", he added.
- "Therefore, we (OSCE) cannot do something else : We have to implement (and) to work in the Framework of the Decisions of the 57 " Member States.
- "And, I remind, once more, that this Organisation is based on the Consensus of FIFTY Seven", Burkhalter noted carefuly...
- "Which is More Difficult than the Federal Council in Switzerland, that is based on the Consensus of (just) SEVEN Members.... But, (already) it's a Good Exercice in order to be Ready for the OSCE", the experienced Swiss President concluded his reply to "EuroFora" Smiling at the level of the Difficulties notoriously needed to be overcome in order to obtain a New Decision by the OSCE...
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=> However, Next Morning, at the Concluding Day of the 2014 OSCE Annual Ministerial Summit, Burkhalter succeeded to astonishingly bypass all such obstacles and obtain not only one, but 2 or even more, relevant Decisions in the field eyed by "EuroFora", in a series of moves which obviously underlined the Great Importance that most Member States already give now to the Topical and fast-growing Issues that we had evoked supra :
- Indeed, by adopting, for the First Time, two official "Declarations" on "OSCE's role in Countering" (A) "the phenomenon of Foreign Terrorism Fighters", (as, notoriously, those Traveling mainly through Turkey in order to join ISIS' atrocious BeHeaders/Throat Cutters in Syria or Iraq, etc), and (B) "Kidnapping and Hostage-taking committed by Terrorist Groups", the 57 Foreign Ministers of the Trans-Atlantic PanEuropean Organisation for Security and Cooperation obviously eyed particularly the ISIS' threat :
- "Expressing Deep Concerrn over the Acute and Growing Threat posed by Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs), ...namely Individuals who Travel to a State other than their State of Residence or Nationality, for the Purpose of the perpetration, planning, or preparation of, or participation in Terrorist acts, or the provision or receiving of terroristt Training, including in connection with Armed Conflict", OSCE's 57 Member Countries are "Concerned that Foreign Terrorist Fighters Increase the Intensity, Duration and Intractability of Conflicts, and also may pose a Serious Threat to their States of Origin", i.e., in this case EU, Russia and even USA, etc., as wall as "the States theu Transit and the States to which they Travel", in addition to the "States Neighbourinh Zones of Armed Conflict", "and Note", moreover, that "the Threat of FTFs may Affect All Regions and States, even those Far Away from Conflict Zones".
=> In consequence, OSCE's 57 Member Countries declared officially in Basel's 2014 Summit their "Intention to take Resolute Action to Counter Foreign Terrorist Fighters, in Full Implementation of UN Security Council's Resolutions 2170 and 2178", as well as "in Compliance with (their) OSCE Commitments". Naturaly a Key-point, since those UNO's Security Council's recent Decisions have clearly mentioned, even Explicitly, that they Target mainly Gross and WideSpread Abuses of Human Rights by Violence exerted by Islamic Extremist Armed Groups in Iraq and Syria, such as "condemnation of "Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL), and Al Nusrah Front" (ANF), and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with "Al-Qaida" for ongoing and multiple Criminal Terrorist acts aimed at causing the Deaths of Civilians and other victims, Destruction of property and of Cultural and Religious sites, and greatly Undermining Stability", (according to the Official UNO Security Council's text).
>>> Therefore, OSCE "call(s) upon the participating States", mainly, to "cooperate fully in order to Find, Deny Safe Haven to, and Bring to Justice FTFs", on the basis of the Principle of "Extradite or Prosecute" ; "To Prevent the Movement of FTFs, through Effective Border Controls, and Controls on the issuance of Identity Papers and Travel Documents" ; and "to further Promote Public - Private Partnerships with Civil Society, the Media, the Business Community and Industry in Countering Terrorism, ... in order to Counter the Incitement, Recruitment, and Travel of FTFs, as well as to Prepare for, and Mitigate the Threat posed by their Return".
+ For this purpose, the 57 Foreign Ministers "Call upon the OSCE Executive Structures" "To facilitate thematic Discusssions in the OSCE, ... focused on ...FTFs, in order to Improve the Understanding of that phenomenon"; "to offer Assistance in Capacity Buiding activities to the Requesting Participating States" ; "to Assist (them) with the Practical Implementation" "of the UN Counter Terrorism Legal and Policy framework", and "to Facilitate Technical Assistance in this Field", (etc).
- Interestingly, most of such action should evolve in a Wider Context of large International Cooperation, including by "Inviting the OSCE Partners (f.ex. from Asia or Africa, etc)....to Actively Engage with us in these efforts", and by "Close Co-Ordination with Partner Organizations, (such as, F.Ex., the Shanghai Organisation for Security and Cooperation where China is a key Member, CoE's CODEXTER Experts who prepare for 2015 a Protocol making "a Criminal Offense" of "the Recruitment, Training, Preparation and Financing of Travel for the purpose of committing Terrorist Acts", and a "Recommendation on .. Measures applicable to Returning Terrorist Fighters", etc), "and Other relevant Actors".
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+ Moreover, another relevant OSCE "Declaration" adopted Today, "underscores that the Payment of Ransoms to Terrorists, Funds Future Kidnapping and Hostage-Taking, committed by Terrorist Groups, creating more Victims, and Perpetrating the Problem". In consequence, OSCE's Foreign Ministers "express (their) Determination .. to assure the Safe Release of Hostages, without Ransom Payments or Political Consessions".
That's why it "Calls upon the Participating States", in particular, "to Prevent Terrorists from Benefiting, directly or Indirectly, from Ransom Payments or from Political Concessions, and to secure the Safe Release of Hostages" ; to Inform relevan,t Employers and Employees about the Risks of Kidnapping and Hostage Taking committed by Terrorist Groups in certain Geographical Areas" ; "to strengthen Public-Private Partnesrhips" and "Develop Assistance to Victims", as well as "Capacity-Building Initiatives", ... "to Ensure that Terrorists are Brought to Justice and Held Accountable". (etc).
"OSCE Executive Structures" are "called", inter alia, "to take into account" also of a "Set of Good Practices" established in this field at a Global level ; "to promote .. an International Legal Framework" against such practices by Terrorist Groups ; "To .. Exchange Experiences, Best Practices, Initiatives, Information", etc.; to promote .. Capacity Building for Practitioners, .. and support Networking Opportunities for Experts, with a view of Preven ting, Managing, Investigating and Prosecuting cases of Kidnapping and Hostage-Taking committed by Terrorist Groups".
For that purpose too, "a Coherent approach" should be facilitated "in Close Coordination with Partner Organisations, such as the UN and Other relevant Actors", (f.ex. the Shanghai SCO", etc), as well as "Capacity Building" and "Networking" in "Cooperation with Other relevant International and Regional Organisations", in a Wider Context.
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* All this obviousy meets even Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent call to Strengthen International and/or Regional Cooperation on combatting "Religious-invoved Terrorism", as well as Russian and others' proposels to focus on Fighting against the Islamic Extremists of ISIL's BeHeaders/Throat Cutters Terrorists, just before Moscow takes over the rotating Presidency of Shanghai's Security and Cooperation Organisation, (See f.ex. : ......).
+ Meanwhile, in a Timely Wider move also involving Future Perspectives, Today was launched the High Level Panel to reflect on OSCE's Future, which will focus, particularly, on "How to reconsilidate European Security as a Common Project", i.e. OSCE's "raison d'être", Burkhalter also announced.
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OSCE Head, Swiss President Burkhalter to Eurofora on Ukraine + PanEuropean Security

*Basel/OSCE Annual Ministerial Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- Since Basel Nights are long and facilitate Contacts, as he said, and hoping that the need to settle the Tragic Ukranian Crisis, would rather Stimulate the more than 50 Foreign Ministers who started Tonight to be gathered here for the Annual Ministerial Summit of the PanEuropean Organisation for Security and Cooperation, than provoke Sterile Divisions which would risk to Weaken it instead,the determined OSCE's 2014 Chairman and Swiss President, Didier Burkhalter, would like both to help Advance further on the resolution and the Cease-Fire consolidation in Ukraine, and take Wider Decisions to develop in the foreseable Future a Stronger OSCE role in the PanEuropean Security system, which emerged since the End of the Cold War, as it results from the Replies that he gave to "EuroFora" and other Journalists' Questions at the Eve of the Political event which starts in an exceptional overall context.
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Meanwhile, President Burkhalter appeared to agree with "EuroFora"'s observation, that, on 2014, even if OSCE has not yet built an official PanEuropean Security Mechanism, (a Central Issue on which "EuroFora" had already questioned him earlier at the CoE in Strasbourg, finding in him both genuine Interest, and Realistic attitude ; See :http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/swissoscepresidency.html ), at least, under his Chairmanchip, OSCE has almost started to Do so, in real Practice, "De Facto"....
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Thus, Questioned by "EuroFora" on what he would advise to do for Ukraine also in the foreseable Future, he appeared as always both Ambitious and Realisticaly Practical :
- "I would Advise to Work to have a Close Relationship in the Peace process and the JCCC (Joint Center for Control and Coordination), where we are consolidating the Basis of European Security", as he said.
- "This is something that, may be, it would have been a Good advise, if we had done that Before.... ", he regrettted. "But it's very important to do, at least now".
=> - "Therefore, the Swiss Chair will Push Strongly in order to Launch this consensus Dialogue" for now on, he promissed.
0ne of the most Positive aspects in JCCC's work is that we (OSCE) succeeded to establish a Direct Contact of cooperation between the main actors in the Conflict, in this case in order to implement the Minsk Agreement and consolidate the Cease-Fire, as he explained earlier.
And, in this regard, a recent Agreement between the involved parties, to jointly act in order to help ensure, Together, a Better Respect of the Cease-Fire these same Days, is obviously "Good News", later-on Burkhalter added
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Indeed, OSCE started to prove, this year, particularly with his irremplacable role in helping to face the Eastern Ukranian Crisis, that it can and should be developed further in fully-fledged and unique "Platform for Dialogue and Mediation" throughout the PanEuropean area, and President Burkhalter firmly believes that this should Boost the Organization's Capacity to Act and Effectiveness, in view also of its possible Reform at its forthcoming 40th Anniversary next year, on 2015, under the Chairmanship of Serbia, which participated in Today's Press Conference by the Head of the 2015 Serbian OSCE Chairmanship'"s "Task Force", Ambassador Dejan Šahović.

Serbia is both traditionaly close to Russia, and also Candidate to EU Accession Today, so that it would rather keep an "Equal Distance" between the two, and that Fits the role of an OSCE Mediator, estimated Burkhalter, while also reminding the fact that Switzerland and Serbia have already prepared Together a 2 Years-long joint Plan for their successive OSCE Presidencies' work, into which the Swiss President is Committed to continue its active Conntribution also via the "Troika" of OSCE Chairmen, as he observed, speaking to Journalists in Basel, including "EuroFora", later-on.
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+ In addition, OSCE's work needs a useful Complement in the input to be added also by the Strasbourg-based PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, i.e. the CoE, which "is, definitively, a very Important Part in that regard", and particularly "for Ukraine", President Buckhalter stressed in reply to anOther Question by "EuroFora".
- "Yes, it can surely be very Positive for Ukraine if we (OSCE) can Associate the CoE", he stressed.
- In fact, "the CoE is already Active (on Ukraine), F.ex. everything which is Constitutional Reform, or things like that, etc, it's there where we have the (Legal) Expertise", the experienced OSCE Head observed, pointing, indirectly but surely, f.ex. to CoE's "Venice" Commission, which recently checked, last October in Rome, a package of Draft Constitutional Reforms presented by Ukranian President Poroshenko, as promised, for a Crucial "DeCentralisation of Power", a notoriously Key issue towards a Political Solution of the Eastern Ukraine Crisis.
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+ Meanwhile, as far as it concerns key parts of the "Human Dimension", an NGO's parallel gathering in Basel, according to the Swiss 2014 Chairmanship's wish to boost Civil Society, in its Human Rights-related Conclusions, reveals, inter alia, that, even Today, "Freedom of Expression" issues continue to Topple the Agenda, closely followed by - and related with - also the Need to "Protect Human Rights Defenders". While, astonishingly, it's not only the current need to Safegueard "Personal Data" and "Privacy", particularly in the New Commmunications' Technology sector, but even "Enforced Disappearances", which emerge among the "New" areas of concern inside the OSCE's PanEuropean area, said OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights' (ODIHR) Director, Michael Georg Link,.the Journalists present in Basel Tonight, including "Eurofora".
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COE Spokesman/Communication Director Holtgen to EuroFora on ICRC Head Maurer visit: Ukraine+MISSING

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- The critical Humanitarian Situation in Eastern Ukraine (where Winter-time has already started to arrive with Snow), and "MISSING" People particularly in "Frozen Conflicts", were among the main issues discussed by the President of the International Committee of Red Cross, Peter Maurer, during his exceptional Visits, Today, to CoE's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland, and to the European Court of Human Rights, (the same Day that the PanEuropean Organisations' Committee of Ministers deals, here in Strasbourg, with a Crucial U-Turn in the long-standing cases of Massive Violations of Human Rights by Turkey against Cyprus' Refugees/Displaced Persons and "MISSING" People, after a landmark ECHR Grand Chamber new Jugdement which slamed blatant Lacunas and Failures to really Press Ankara to Execute ECHR's case-law which has repeatedly Condemned the Turkish Authorities for Serious Violations of the Right to Life, ill-Treatments, Usurpation of Private Properties and/or Interferences against Family Lives, etc of Thousands of People - Comp. : ...), as it results from what CoE's Communications Director and Spokesman, Daniel Holtgen, as well as other CoE's sources, revealed to "EuroFora" :

Due from the outset to deal with ICRC - CoE cooperation, the Humanitarian Crisis in Eastern Ukraine, as well as some other areas not included inside CoE's jurisdiction, (such as Syria, Iraq, etc), but also on certain General Questions about "MISSING" persons and relevant Humanitarian issues in "Frozen Conflcts", according to its Agenda, finally, Today Afternoon's meeting between the Heads of the two Organisations took Longer than expected, but appeared more Focused on main issues of common and Topical interest for Strasbourg's and Geneva's bodies' respective activities :
After "visiting also the ECHR (See Infra) and the rest of the CoE", (Comp. f.ex. Supra : ICRC chairs, indeed, the controversial "Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus", composed by a Greek Cypriot and a Turkish Cypriot Members, whose notoriously Insufficient and often obstructed but useful work was reviewd these Days by CoE's Committee of Ministers), Meyer heard Jagland "commend ICRC's activities accross the World and in Europe, and the rest of the encounter reportedly Focused on the Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine, (even if Mayer mentioned ICRC''s activities also at Nagorno-Karabach", etc).

In this regard, "Jagland welcomed ICRC activities in Eastern Ukraine, as well as in Crimea, and the meeting concluded with an Agreement to Intensify the Cooperation between the two Organisaations, including the Dialogue between COE's Secretary General and ICRC's President in the foreseable future".
Significantly, the move comes at the same time that also OSCE, CoE, and EU are reportedly Coordinating their Activities, particularly on Ukraine, especially since the recent beginning of the Belgian CoE Presidency in Strasbourg : November 2014 - May 2015, and in view of the forthcoming OSCE Annual Summit at Basel, later this week, etc, clearly pointing at an Intensification of the European, PanEuropean and/or International action apparently on Ukraine.
- In concreto, ICRC's President announced that the Geneva-based International NGO has managed to have "Access" at the Eastern Ukraine areas", including even those of the Autonomist Regions of Donetsk/Luhansk, where CoE's Secretary General had recently joined his voice to those who called for a "Humanitarian Aid" to be delivered.

- And "the ICRC is actually able to deliver" it now, "Not in Easy Circonstances, but in circonstances which allow it, nevertheless, to operate", as CoE's Spokesm, Daniel Holtgen, (who was present at that meeting, as well as during Jagland's recent visit to Moscow), carefully told "EuroFora".
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Meanwhile, a Draft Report of CoE's Parliamentary Assembly on the Humanitarian situation in Ukraine, denounces the fact that, in the Autonomist Regions of Lugansk/Luhansk, "Weeks of fighting" during the Attacks of Kiev's Military, "have left the area Damaged, with Demolished Houses and Infrastructure".
- In particular, there is still "No Electricity and Water; the latter being supplied by Trucks Irregularly. The Population (of some 4 Millions People before the Clashes) is very much Dependent on Humanitarian Aid". Moreover,"Health remains a primary Concern, as there is a Lack of essential Medicines, and many Hospitals and clinics are Closed because of the Damage" provoked during Kiev's Military attacks..
+ Moreover, ". On 5 November 2014, Ukraine’s Prime Minister (Yantsenuk) announced that the government would Freeze payments, mostly for public sector Wages and .... to parts of eastern Ukraine under separatists’ control. This move ... is likely to Worsen the already Dire conditions in which the Population is living",PACE's Draft Resoluition notes, while Luhansk Region's leadership has Denounced an Attempt from Kiev to "commit a Genocide" agains the Russian-speaking Autonomist regiions' Population.

- But, COE Assembly's Rapporteur, Jim Sheridan from the UK, after a 3-Day fact-finding visit to Kyiv and Kharkiv, stressed that the Ukranian "Government should Continue to fulfil its essential Responsibilities towards those still living in the rebel-held territories, who remain Ukrainian Citizens entitled to full enjoyment of their Rights. This will require increased assistance from the international community, all the more important as the first Snows of winter began to fall during my visit”, Sheridan added.
=> A Draft Resolution of CoE Assembly's Social affairs Committee for Social affairs, Migration and Refugees/IDPs, "Calls on the International Community to: ... provide Immediate and long-term Support for essential ReConstruction efforts, projects to Restore Water and Other essential Services", as well as it "invites the CoE's Development Bank ...to Assist.... the ReConstruction process in the Devastated Areas".
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During his visit at the ECHR, Maurer, who met particularly with the PanEuropean Court's President Spielmann, apparently discussed also several "Humanitarian Issues", in an additional fact which indicates that EuroJudges trend to take them more and more seriously into account recently.
ECHR has already decided earlier to take Urgent "Interim Measures" (Rule 39 of Court's Rules) calling upon both Russia and Ukraine to refrain from taking any action, in particular Military, which might bring about Violations of the Rights of the Civilian population, notably under Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention, about Human Life and Torture or Inhuman/Degrading Treatments, respectively. At 104 individual applications, interim measures have been applied inviting the respective Government/s – of Russia and/or Ukraine – to ensure respect for the Rights of people deprived of Liberty (Article 5 of the Convention), or people whose whereabouts are Unknown, ("MISSING" Persons). But, meanwhile, it's only in 14 cases that Victims were Released from Detention, so that the respective interim measure was subsequently Lifted.
Until recently, there are More than 160 Individual Applications pending before the Court of Strasbourg, lodged against the Ukranian or Russian Government, or Both, in addition to 2 InterState Applications lodged by Kiev Authorities against Moscow, as ECHR anounced.
Most Eastern Ukraine cases were lodged against Both Ukraine AND Russia,and involve complaints about various forms of ill-Treatment and unlawful Deprivation of Liberty. They also include cases of alleged violations of Article 2 (right to Life), involving alleged Wounding, and Disappearances.
In addition, a comparatively smaller Group of cases concerns the Destruction of property, (including Family Homes, etc), and the impact of the Hostilities on the applicants Rights under Article 8 (right to respect for private and Family life).
ECHR anounced at the End of Noivember 2014, that it communicated to the Russian Government 2 Inter-State applications lodged against it by the Ukranian Government of Kiev, asking for its comments, according to the established procedure, which was apparently Accelerated in these cases.
One of them, the InterState application lodged by Kiev on June 2014, concerned only an alleged "abduction" of Orphan Children, and Children withOut Parental care, who were included among a notoriously Massive Flow of Refugees seeking Help in Russia after Kiev's Deadly and/or Destructive Military Attacks against the Autonomist Regions of Lugansk/Luhansk, but were, finally, Returned back in Ukraine in only 3 of 5 Days, making the ECHR to Lift any "Interim Measures" it had taken previously.
The other InterState complaint lodged by Ukranian as early as since March 2014, i.e. long Before Kiev's systematic Military Attacks against Lugansk/luhansk Autonomists, (which notoriously started at Easter's Night, with the Killing of 3 Young Militants at Sloyansk, just after a Geneva Agreement between Russian and USA, as well as Ukrain's Foreign MInistiers urging, on the Contrary ; "Dialogue"), arguing that Moscow would "exercice Control over" Eastern Ukrain's Autonomists, which would, reportedly, be equivalent to Ankara's Military Invasion and Occupation, by the Turkish Army, of Cyprus' Nortern Territories for more than 40 Years, chassing away the Majority of the Lawful Inhabitants : Greek Cypriots until Today ; 1974-2014), so that it would "exercise Jurisdiction over" an area in which "numerous Violations" would have been committed :
+ Adding later-on, (until September 2014), subsequent data, this Kiev's complaint reportedly argues that not only "Ukranian Military" and "Law Enforcement Officers", but even "Civilians" would have been "Systematically" Killed during the 5 to 8 Months of Kiev's notorious Military Attacks against Lugansk/Luhansk Autonomists, and, reportedly, they "also refer to alleged ill-treatment or "Harassment" particularly against Tatar-Turks in Crimea, (where, however, both the OSCE and UNO's regular, Monthly Reports, haven't cited but only a few, comparatively lenient complaints, without any relation of magnitude to the obviously much more Grave, Massive, Deadly and Destructive Military Attacks which killed more than a Thousand of Civilian People among the Autonomist Populations of Lugansk/Luhansk Regions)...
However, despite several Russian Journalists Killed, and more allegedly Arrested, Kidnaped and/or Ill-Treated, 22 Russian Media Muzzled in Ukraine, and at least 2 Russian People reportedly killed even inside their own Country, (etc), Moscow didn't yet lodge any Inter-State complain against Ukraine yet, (while, ECHR's Secretariat has not yet revealed if the Autonomist Regions of Lugansk/Luhansk have, eventually, lodged, or not, any kind of Collective Complaint against Kiev's Authorities, for More than a Thousand of Civilians People Killed there during Kiev's Military Attacks, including by Airplanes' Bombings and/or massive Shelling even of Family Homes, Civil Administrations, Schools, Hospitals, etc,, nor for Systematic Destructions of Vital Infrastructures Cutting Electricity, TeleCommunications and even Water Networks, which persist to provoke everyday Ill-Treatements against the Local Populations, Threatening it with a "Humanitarian Catastrophe", as several OSCE, UNO and/or CoE Reports and Officials have repeatedly Denounced recently. ---------------------------------------------
+ Moreover, other CoE's sources, have just Confirmed that, in the case of the Malaysian Airlines' Deadly Crash at Eastern Ukraine, ECHR has received and currently examines a Complaint by the Mother of one of the Victims, which reportedly accuses Kiev's Authorities to have irresponsibly led that Civilian Airplane to cross an area notoriously submitted to Armed Clashes between Kiev's Military and local Autonomists.
After a long-awaited Preliminary Report, the Dutch Investigators leading a controversial International Enquiry have just recently arrived to the Autonomist Regions of Lugansk/Luhansk in order to Transfert a lot of remaining Debris from the crashed Airplane, before Winter time Destroys Evidence, after many Delaying Hesitations, despite reported persistent invitations by the Autonomists to come and take them earlier, (allegedly due to "Security" and/or other pretexts).
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EUCommission President Juncker to EuroFora on East Ukraine Crisis : Best Investments are for Peace !

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- Replying to an "EuroFora"s Question on Pope Francis' call for Peace-making, in and around Europe - i.e. particularly Ukraine- especially during his 2nd Speech Today in Strasbourg, when he addressed the PanEuropean CoE, (Comp. : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/pacepresidentbrasseuronpopeukraineandpeace.html etc), New EU Commission's President, experienced long-time Prime Minister of Luxembourg and €uroGroup Chairman, positiverly stressed that Investments for Peace are the Best.
This was said at an exceptionaly Timely moment, just after Juncker presented to the Press his long-awaited EU Investments' Plan aiming to provide more than 300 Billions €, during 2015-2017, to interesting and adequately Selected Projects of Structural importance for Europe's present and Future, less than a Decade since his landmark Report on EU - CoE cooperation prospects, mandated by CoE's Heads of State/Governments' PanEuropean Summit in Varsaw, (4/2005), that Juncker had unveiled in Strasbourg, back on 2008-9.
Meanwhile, even OECD's Secretary General, the experienced Angel Guria himself, speaking to "EuroFora" earlier at the CoE in Strasbourg, has already confirmed the Fact that Europe's Growth prospects had been Negatively affected by the still on-going Ukranian Crisis, launching a Call to Urgently Lower the Tension there, until a Political Solution is found, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/oecdheadaskssolutionforukraine.html ).

- "Tragically, Peace continues all too often to be Violated. This is the case in so many parts of the World, where Conflicts of various sorts Continue to fester" - But, still Today, "It is also the case here in Europe, where Tensions continue to exist. How great a toll of Suffering and Death is still being exacted on This Continent (Europe), which ....so easily Falls Back into the temptations of the Past ! That is why ....to seek a Political Solution to current Crises are so Significant", Pope Francis pointed out inter alia, obviously making a reference to the Eastern Ukraine Crisis), and calling for "Constant Vigilence".
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- "The Pope spoke very much about Peace, particularly in his speech at the COE, that you know well, while the Ukraine Crisis still persists, and has already affected EU's Growth, as OECD confirmed too. Don't you think that, for your (2015-2017) EU Investments' Plan to succeed, something should be also done also for Peace in Ukraine ?", "EuroFora" asked the New EU Commission's President, in the way out of his collective Press Conference.

After carefuly asking "EuroFora" to clearly repeat the Question in full, Jean-Claude Juncker immediately replied Positively :
- As a matter of general Principle, "the Best Investments that we (EU) can make, are the Investments which are made for Peace !", the New EU Commission's President told us, looking convinced on the importance of the issue...
This was the only Statement made by Juncker Today in Strasbourg on other matters than those strictly concerning the Financial and Economic aspects of his long-awaited EU Investments' Plan, since he had just droped another collegue's Question about Pope Francis' yesterday Call to meet the need also for "Spiritual Investments in Europe", (Comp.: ....), by replying that he didn't think that EU Commission should determine "Moral Issues", preferring that to be done much more "by the Civil Society", i.e. Religious Leaders, Intellectuals, Philosophers, the Media, etc, with the only Exception, may be, of that of "Workers' Dignity", as Francis had said, which concerns "Working Conditions", that EU might soon address, as he promised.

The more than 315 Billions € estimated EU Commission's package for Investments during the forthcoming 2015-2017 period has the Threefold aim to create a New "European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), to establish "a credible Project Pipeline" selection, and an Assistance Program "to Channel Investments where they are most Needed", as well as a "Roadmap to make Europe more Attractive for Investments", (f.ex. by removing Regulatory Bottlenecks, etc).
The forthcoming, December 18-19 EU Summit of Heads of State/Governments in Brussels is due to focus on Juncker's Investments Plan for Growth and Jobs, as well as on Foreign Policy issues, according to Developments at the International stage.
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Already Nowadays, converging sources speak f.ex. about an imminent EU Commission's deal with Ukraine for Regional Reforms and De-Centralisation, with several Tens of Millions € to invest in an area which is, notoriously, also Crucial for the prospects of a Peace Agreement to solve the Eastern Ukraine Crisis, at the Donetshk and Luhansk Autonomist Regions. I.e., precisely there where CoE's High-level Legal Experts have recently checked on October 2014 a key-Reforms' Draft submitted by President Poroshenko, in accordance with his June 2014 "Peaceful Plan" unveiled in Strasbourg, (Comp. f.ex., among others, also ...), which became also integral part of the September 2014 Minsk Agreement on a lasting Cease-Fire and Peace-process deal between representatives of Kiev's Government and Donetsk/Luhansk's Autonomist Regions, under the auspices of the Swiss Presidency of the OSCE, focusing on "Power DeCentralisation".
Meanwhile, a Draft Report of CoE's Parliamentary Assembly on the Humanitarian situation in Ukraine, denounces the fact that, in the Autonomist Regions of Lugansk/Luhansk, "Weeks of fighting" during the Attacks of Kiev's Military, "have left the area Damaged, with Demolished Houses and Infrastructure".
- In particular, there is still "No Electricity and Water; the latter being supplied by Trucks Irregularly. The Population (of some 4 Millions People before the Clashes) is very much Dependent on Humanitarian Aid". Moreover,"Health remains a primary Concern, as there is a Lack of essential Medicines, and many Hospitals and clinics are Closed because of the Damage" provoked during Kiev's Military attacks..
+ Moreover, ". On 5 November 2014, Ukraine’s Prime Minister (Yantsenuk) announced that the government would Freeze payments, mostly for public sector Wages and .... to parts of eastern Ukraine under separatists’ control. This move ... is likely to Worsen the already Dire conditions in which the Population is living",PACE's Draft Resoluition notes, while Luhansk Region's leadership has Denounced an Attempt from Kiev to "commit a Genocide" agains the Russian-speaking Autonomist regiions' Population.

- But, COE Assembly's Rapporteur, Jim Sheridan from the UK, after a 3-Day fact-finding visit to Kyiv and Kharkiv, stressed that the Ukranian "Government should Continue to fulfil its essential Responsibilities towards those still living in the rebel-held territories, who remain Ukrainian Citizens entitled to full enjoyment of their Rights. This will require increased assistance from the international community, all the more important as the first Snows of winter began to fall during my visit”, Sheridan added.
=> A Draft Resolution of CoE Assembly's Social affairs Committee for Social affairs, Migration and Refugees/IDPs, "Calls on the International Community to: ... provide Immediate and long-term Support for essential ReConstruction efforts, projects to Restore Water and Other essential Services", as well as it "invites the CoE's Development Bank ...to Assist.... the ReConstruction process in the Devastated Areas".
However, obviously, the Best for Europe would have been a Huge Infrastructural High-Tech Project interlinking EU and Russia via Ukraine's Strategic "Bridge", in Peaceful times... Will it become anew possible soon ?
(../..)
***
(NDLR : + Fast Translation from the Original in French).
***
EIB Chief Hoyer to EuroFora on EU Investments : Cyprus/Greece/Israel/Egypt Gas link to EU= Strategic

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- Speaking to "EuroFora" just after new EU Commission President Juncker's 315 Billions 2015-2017 Investments Plan was presented at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, (Comp. f.ex. : ....), the experienced European Investments Bank (EIB) Head, former EU Affairs Minister, Werner Hoyer from Germany, confirmed that Cyprus-Greece-Egypt-Israel plans to transport Directly Gas Findings' Energy towards the EU correspond well to the kind of attractive, Strategic Projects for Growth which are in EU's Interest and could be Funded by that New Mega-Investments Plan of the EU in the imediately forthcoming Years, and announced his intention to Visit anew the Island on December 2014.
- "You spoke about "Attractive" Projects, particularly about key "Infrastructures", which should include "Innovation", as f.ex. in "Energy" or "Digital" areas, etc.. One such interesting project appears to be the Transport of New Gas Findings, via Liquefication, by Sea Ships, and/or by Tranforming Gas to Electricity transmissible via under Sea Cables, directly towards the EU, from the still explored recent Findings in EU Member Cyprus, as well as Egypt, Israel etc., and you have already visited recently the area, "EuroFora" reminded Hoyer. Are these included among the kind of Projects that the present New EU Investments Plan for 2015-2017 eyes ?", "EuroFora"asked the President of the EIB.
- "Yes, we (EIB) are doing a lot about such kind of things", and, in particular, the "Energy situation in Cyprus", "is a most Interesting question", President Hoyer positively reacted from the outset.
+ "And I hope that the Exploration in the area, (which continues, expands and intensifies, also with the addition of new actors among various European/International Oil/Gas Companies : F.ex. after USA's "Noble Energy", also now Italy's "ENI" and South Korea's "KOR", due to be soon followed by France's TOTAL, etc) , will be Succesful, so that a Better Supply can be guaranteed", EIB's Head went on to add.
- "Until then, many Questions are open", but "We (EIB) are Ready" to move, he confirmed.
- Already, "the President (Nicos Anasstassiades) as well as others in Cyprus, know that we are ready to Check the Investment Opportunities there".
- "Because" EU Member Country "Cyprus is a key" for EU's "Energy Security and Supplies", the experienced Hoyer stressed.
- "But", for the moment, "we don't have a (concrete and finalized) Project on the Table yet, and we are going to assess it (immediately) once we have seen it", he promised.
- Since "it is, absolutely, in the (General) Interest of Europe", and "the Strategic Location of (EU Member) Cyprus makes it very Visible", EIB's President observed, in reply to another relevant "EuroFora"s Question.
=> - That's why, "I will certainly touch upon that problem on December (2014)", when "I'll visit Cyprus, Next Month", where "I will be on my ...6th Visit !", Hoyer announced, revealing an important EU's interest in that matter.
------------------------------------

+ Meanwhile, it's also the Director of Juncker's Cabinet, Martin Selmayr, who, speaking earlier to "EuroFora", in view of a "Technical Press Point" on the New EU 2015-2017 Investments Plan at EU Commission's Offices in Strasbourg, confirmed the Fact that, indeed, Plans as that of Cyprus, Greece and Israel/Egypt to transport New Gas Findings in that area, directly towards the EU, via Liquification and Sea Ship containers, and/or via Transformation in Electricity transmissible by Under-Sea's Cable through Cyprus and Greece, etc, (as f.ex. Israeli Prime Minister Netanuahu has notoriously proposed earlier, and Greek Experts have already started to examine), was also positif, in principle :
- "Yes, that's exactly the kind of projects that we (EU Commision) are looking for", Selmayr replied to a relevant "EuroFora"s Question.
And Juncker Cabinet's Head, speaking earlier to Journalists at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, including "EuroFora", revealed that, at least some among the First such Projects could, already be examined and eventually even endorsed by EU Countries' Heads of State/Government, during the forthcoming EU Summit of December 18-19 in Brussels, even if the final proceedings might be completed in the next 1 or 2 Months, as he said.
++ It is also significant of the Topical character of that matter, just after an exceptionaly important "Trilateral" Summit of Heads of State/Government between EU Member Countries Cyprus and Greece, as well as Egypt, (respectively : President Anastassiades, Prime Minister Samaras and President Alsissi), where Energy findings and Transports options to Europe naturaly were among the Core Strategic Issues, Cyprus' President has just anounced from New York a Rendez-vous taken also with Israeli Prime Minister Netanuahu, (who had already visited earlier Nicosia and spoken about his Idea for Gas to be transformed into Electricity, in order to be Directly Transported to the EU via a sub-Sea Cable due to link Israel/Egypt - Cyprus - Greece, etc), for another Trilateral Summit expected soon after his imminent Return back Home.
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It's at a splendid Natural landscape, inside a Forest plateau with superbe view over Paris, at Saint Cloud, that the incoming French EU Presidency had the good idea to join together all EU Member Countries' Ministers of Environment and Energy, in two overlaping EU Councils in a series, from 3 to 5 July 2008.
Fresh rain happily dissipated July's heatwave, before a bright Sun shined at the conclusion of the EU gathering around a huge statue of Earth (See Photo).
French super-Minister of State for Energy, Transport and Environment, Jean-Louis Borloo, and Minister for Environment, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet chaired the first EU Ministerial meeting at Paris' area, together with EU Commissioners Demas and Pielbags, surprising Journalists with improvised Press-points, at key-moments of the discussions.

Environment and Energy are key to the development of New Technologies to boost Europe's role in the World, while also responding to Citizens' concerns, stressed Borloo, speaking to Journalists earlier in Strasbourg.
According to well-infomed sources from the French EU Presidency, the aim is to stimulate a growing trend inside EU Parliament, via various on-going Reports developping in parallel, towards achieving the necessary targets before December.
For this purpose, Top-level representatives from Borloo's super-Ministry are expected to come in Strasbourg during EU Parliament's plenary, next Wednesday, a key official told "EuroFora".