newsitems

    "Coordinated", parallel moves by Financial Institutions all over the World, from EU and USA to China and Japan, etc, starting to apply Decisions recently taken by the "G-20" Heads of State/Government 2011 Summit at Cannes, (comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the spot), apparently succeeded to create a strong Positive U-turn to Stock Markets Worldwide, including Europe, USA, etc., by using a similar method of action as that which had been initially adopted with Success by another exceptionally important Summit : That of "€uroZone"'s 1st, pioneer and voluntarist Heads of State/Governments' Summit at Elysee palace in Paris, back on October 2008, first part of a largely succesful fight against the Global Economic Crisis then, which evolved in the form of many, coordinated and parallel "Recovery" Plans in all €urozone Countries, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReport from Elysee, 10/2008+), leading to a positive Economic Revival result then.

    Both these "G20" 2011 and "€urozone" 2008 succesful Moves, respectively on Monetary issues and on Economic Recovery, occured while the relevant Organizations were chaired by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in agreement with German Chancellor Angie Merkel, etc., and his main International Partners (this time including US President Obama, Chinese President Hu Jintao, etc), as he will probably remind in a forthcoming important Speech tomorrow, December 1st, scheduled at Toulon, near Cannes'2011 "G20" Summit's superb location, where Sarkozy is expected to unveal also the main lines of a Franco-German Plan to boost €urozone, just one day before German Chancellor Angie Merkel's awaited speech, at the Bundestag in Berlin, on the €uro and EU's December 8-9 Summit in Brussels, (See previous "EuroFora"s NewsReports, particularly from the recent Tripartite Strasbourg Summit between France, Germany and Italy, with Sarkozy, Merkel and Monti).

    The present "coordinated Central Bank action", which brought together the Banks of Canada, Japan, England, and the Swiss National Bank, as wel as the U.S. Federal Reserve, joined by the European Central Bank, is aimed "to address pressures in Global Money Markets", titles a Headline an ECB's Press Release sent this Morning under "Embargo" to Journalists including "EuroFora".     

    + To this was reportedly added "un unexpected cut in Bank Reserve requirements in China", due to boost its economy by stimulating domestic demand (See also infra) .    

 

    - "The joint action has shown extreme Efficiency and has been well received by the Markets", reportedly observed IMF's chief, Christine Lagarde. Stock Markts were, indeed, sky-rocketing already at the eve of the Global move, both in the EU and in the USA, etc., often with daily increases of more than +4%or even +5% in several hares. The operation aims to make easier access mainly to USA $, "easing strains in Financial Markets,  and thereby mitigate the effects of such strains on the Supply of Credit to Households and Businesses, and so help foster Economic Activity", according to ECB's anouncement.

    The Time Duration of the measures, which "lower the pricing on the existing temporary US dollar liquidity swap arrangements by 50 basis points", is extended to "all operations conducted from 5 December 2011" up to the beginning of "2013".

    + In addition, Non-USA Central Banks; (i.e. mainly European and Japanese) "agreed" to prepare and be ready also for supplementary "arrangements" for "liquidity .. in any of their currencies", if and whenever "market conditions should warrant so", even if, "at present, there is No need to offer liquidity in ...currencies other than the US $", but because they "judge it Prudent to make ..necessary arrangements so that liquidity support operations could be put into place quickly, should the need arise", eventually, sooner or later, before 2013.

    Finally, "the European Central Bank (ECB) decided, in co-operation with other central banks, the establishment of a temporary Network of reciprocal Swap Lines", which "will enable the Eurosystem to provide €uro ..., when required, as well as enabling the Eurosystem to provide liquidity operations, should they be needed, in Japanese yen, sterling, Swiss francs and Canadian dollars", (i.e. in addition to the above-mentioned US $ operation).

"Some specialists" were cited by certain Media saying that this was, partly, a "Similar" action to   previous attempts "to stabilize Global markets at the peak of the (USA-born) financial crisis in 2008", around the Lehman Brothers bancruptcy.

- But IMF chief Christine Lagarde stressed, on the contrary, that IMF ""will welcome the idea of attacking the crisis from its root and bring the necessary adjustments needed to restore confidence.". "We are prepared for this crisis not only for the benefit of the €uro area but also outside the European crisis, to help all members of the IMF," i.e. 187 Countries, she reportedly said.

Already, "IMF announced that it will collaborate in the joint action with the central banks as a tradition of the international body "to complement the measures they take in order to have a comprehensive plan."

+ But, moreover, as part of more Recent plans, "the IMF has designed a Line of credit or Liquidity Precaution, to help countries", Lagarde reportedly observed.
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Indeed, the latest, 2011 "G20" Summit's Official Communiqué's conclusions, already issued back on November 4 in Cannes, (Comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the spot), stresses from the outset that the Heads of State/Government of some 35 big Countries and many International Organizations, (including also ECB, IMF, World Bank, etc), "have agreed on an ACTION PLAN for Growth and Jobs, to address (both) Short term vulnerabilities, and strengthen Medium term Foundations for Growth".

According to its Differentiated approach, "taking into account" the specific situation or stage of each Country, this G20 Action Plan also calls "Countries with Current Accounts Surpluses (f.ex. as China, etc), to ... Increase Domestic Demand, coupled with greater exchange rate flexibility", (i.e. f.ex. almost as Beijing has just decided to start doing : See supra).  While "Advanced Economies commit to adopt policies to Build Confidence and support Growth and implement clear, credible and specific Measures to achieve Fiscal Consolidation", as the same "G20" Action Plan adds, citting this time as example the "European leaders" decisions of "October 26", calling for their "implementation".

+ Moreover, the Cannes' G20 Summit decided also on "Common Principles for Cooperation between the IMF and Regional Financial Arrangements", including, f.ex. the European FSF, the ECB, etc., and "agreed" to "support the IMF in putting forward the New Precautionary and Liquidity Line (-PLL) to provide .... increased and more flexible Short-term Liquidity to Countries with Strong Policies and Fundamentals, facing Exogenous Shocks", as well as "in putting forward a Single Facility to fulfil the Emergency Assistance Needs of its members", "calling on the IMF to Expeditiously discuss and finalize both proposals".

>>> All G20's Heads of State/Government also decided to "Ensure the IMF continues to have (enough) Resources to play its Systemic Role to the benefit of its Whole Membership", and announced that they all "Stand Ready to ensure Additional Resources could be Mobilized in a Timely manner".

- However, despite describing several Positive moves in that direction, IMF's head Christine Lagarde had also joked,  by cautiously stressing that : - "I want to see my Money !", as she said then, in order to be sure, Smiling to Journalists present at her Press Conference in Cannes including "EuroFora", (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the spot).

For that purpose, the G20 Summit "ask(ed) ... Finance Ministers ... to work on deploying a Range of various Options, including Bilateral Contributions to the IMF, SDRs, and Voluntary Contributions to an IMF Special Structure, such as an Administered Account".

Such moves aim also "to allow the Financing of Regional Financial Arrangements" (including f.ex. European, etc) by "the IMF", which "did not have his capacity with its current instruments", official G20 Summit Explanatory Notes add here as comment.

This relates also to the above-mentioned "agreement" between "G20 Countries" "on principles of Cooperation between the IMF and Regional Financial Arrangements", with "Greater Coherence", able to "profit fully"  from both RFA's "Regional Focus" and IMF's "Global Vision". As well as to the "G20 Countries' ... "Support (to) the IMF Proposal for a "New Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL)", which will improve the Response to the Short-term Liquidity Needs of States which have Healthy Policies and Fundamentals, but which are hit by External shocks", reiterate the G20 Summit's official Explanatory Notes, under the Headings : - "Enhancing the Collective Capacity to Respond to Crises", and, in particular, "Strengthening Global Financial Safety Nets".

 

The pioneer and Voluntarist, 1st €urozone Heads of State/Government Summit of October 2008 (see Supra), had notoriously succeeded to immediately incite a Positive Welcome from Stock Markets then, (already Starting from the Next day : Monday morning), and was the First Strong Decision by Political Leaders to resolutely react  to Markets' spontaneous zig-zags. It triggered, moreover, a series of EU Decisions towards the same Direction, which resulted, later-on, by succeeding to bring soon an Economic Recovery in Europe, out of the brutal Recession whch had been provoked earlier by the US-born Glocal Economic Crisis. Meanwhile, given also the valuable Experience accumulated in various relevant issues since then, today, particularly shortly after the recent "G20" Heads of State/Government Summit of Cannes, at the beginning of this Month, (comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from both exceptional European and Global political events), the chances for succes should normally be greater now.

€uroarea Growth (in GDP)

 * By taking the initiative to officially declare, in the middle of an exceptional Tripartite Summit France-Germany-Italy focused on Causes and Solutions for €urozone's problems,  that, as a matter of Principle,  -"We must avoid Political Dealings about Rules, ... particularly when they have been adopted for the (Financial) Stability", which is of "fundamental" importance for the EU, and by referring for that to "an Error, which had been committed in the Past", namely before "2003", experienced twice EU Commissioner (1994-2004) , new Italian Prime Minister, Mario Monti, (See other "EuroFora's" NewsReports from yesterday), who is notoriously supported in Rome both by the "Right" and by the "Left" of the political spectrum,

indirectly but certainly, smashes, or , at least, puts under serious Question, any Credibility of the "Socialist" candidate for the May 2012 French Presidential Election, Hollande, given the disturbing fact that his campaign's recently nominated Director, former EU affairs' Minister, Moscovici, has been reported to declare exactly ...the opposite :

- I.e. that in decisions on €uroZone issues+ "Politics will speak" at the end, as he had said to "EuroFora"s founder, in a Ministerial statement given and published on 1998, i.e. precisely when Greece's too early €ruroZone accession, even before it makes necessary reforms to stop and reverse PASOK's clientelism/nepotism which had provoked a growing Debt since the 1980ies, in exchange to Turkey's controversial and unpopular "Candidature" to the EU, both notoriously decided by the EU between 1999's end and the beginning of 2000.

This concerns a potentialy explosive politico-financial Deal, brokered in the Past (around 1998-2002+) by mainly "Socialist" Politicians in various EU countries, most of whom are no more in power, and which obviousy is at the source of both grave Institutional and Financial Crisis faced by the EU between 2005 - 2010, starting with 3 "No" to EuroReferenda, Majoriy Abstentions to EU Elections, etc., and contiuing with the current €urozone Debt crisis, whose revelation was triggered by the Global Financial Crisis  after 2009.

After "EuroFora" repeatedly denounced that Catastrophic Deal since December 2009, (see NewsReport from Bonn, Germany, at EPP's Congress, onChancellor Merkel's 1st statement on Greece), on the occasion of the 2009-2011 Greece Debt Crisis, which rocked all EU Summits since then, and had been, precisely, provoked by a 1999-2001 Deal to "close the eyes" then on a growing Debt stemming mainly from a notorious Clientelism and/or Nepotism of former "PASOK"s Governments during the 1980ies, which massively recruited counter-productive cushy-job holders and/or abusive  political lackeys in the State controlled sector,

 a growing series of mainstream EU Political Leaders have recently started to strongly criticize such Errors done in the Past, more or less Responsible for today's problems unveiled during the current Global Financial Crisis (2009-2011), including, f.ex., the Historic "father" of Europe's Reunification, former long-time Chancellor of Germany, Helmut KOHL, (in statements to the German Press, SDZ 8/2011), the former EU Commission's President, and Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Jacques SANTER, (in statements to "EuroFora", 10/2011), current German Chancellor Angie MERKEL (CDU), EU Commissioner on Finances Oli REHN (3/2001), former German Chancellor Herhard SCHROEDER (SDP), former German Foreign Minister Joschka FISCHER("Greens"), current French President Nicolas SARKOZY (EPP, 6/2011 in Brussels and 11/2011 in Strasbourg), (former Greece's Prime Minister Costas SIMITIS (PASOK, in "Le Monde", 11/20111), etc.

Even if "EuroFora"s initial revelations were mainly motivated by, and focused on the urgent search for an efficient Solution to the growing problem of the huge Debt provoked to the detriment of Greece by the 1998-2002 Politico-Financial Deal on Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid in exchange of Greece's too early and unprepared €urozone entry (See supra), since, as also recent Results have just proved, it's not just by excessive restrictions agains Production and/or Poor People's economies, (which provoke Recession, limiting Tax Revenues, i.e. worsening Deficit, and/or Popular Revolts, etc), but mainly by drastically cutting the disproportioante number of counter-productive cushy-job holders and abusive political lackeys apointed to the State-controlled sector mainly by former PASOK's Governments' clientelism and Nepotism, provoking even unpopular Bureaucracy, Corruption and other Crimes, that a Healthy Solution to the Debt problem might be found, joining Popular Support against Corruption and for Justice, together with Efficient Reforms (including adequate Privatizations, etc., and, eventually, the valorisation of Greece's Oil/Gas resources at the Aegean Sea, etc),

nevertheless, the Debate which started more recently among EU Top Political Leaders (see Supra), about such "Errors of the Past", committed during that same period of 1998-2002, inevitably got a Wider and even more Important, Political dimension, some havin started to even think that it might, eventually, become ful part, or even dominate, indirectly or directly, also the forthcoming French 2012, German 2013 and EU Parliament's 2014 Elections, etc..

Among various others, f.ex., Commissioner Rehn criticized a German "Green" MEP for the Financial "Laxism" of his Party's former Coalition with the "Socialists", back on 1998-2004, affecting "Eurozone", while, on the contrary, Shroeder claimed that he "didn't know" anything about the Greece/Turkey deal etc. (See supra), but Fischer preferred only to criticize current ChristianDemocrat/EPP Governments, avoiding analysis of the Past events, and Simitis simply denied everything about any wrong that might have been done in the Past, accusing only the recent and current EPP Governments for all problems, (and that was reportedly repeated also by Giorgos Papandreou this week in Brussels, etc).

Professor Mario Monti obviously is, however, an exceptional personality, very difficult to suspect for any aleged "partisan" aims : Endorsed on 2011 as new Italy's Prime Minister until 2013 included, by 18 various Political Parties, both of the "Right" and of the "Left", "Cener", etc, with the only exception of "Ligua Nord" secesionists and Mussolini's grand-daughter, succeeding to get 556 votes against only 61, i.e. with an unprecedented Majority in Italy's History, Monti is also founder of the prestigious "Bruegel" Economic Think Tank in Brussels, (named after the Historic Flamish painters and created in 2005 after a Franco-German initiative), and President of the famous Bocconi University at Milan, as well a long-time former EU Commissioner initially for Market/Trade and afterwards of Competition, between 1994 and 2004, (i.e. for more than a Decade), and was asked later by EU Commission's President Barroso to prepare a Report on EU's common Market's Future (2009/2010 : See Monti's statements to "EuroFora" on this occasion)., etc.

In his surprisingly Critical declaration during this exceptional Tripartite Summit, which brough together the Leaders of the 3 Biggest €urozone Countries : France-Germany-Italy, in Strasbourg, Monti initially started by denouncing the fact that " Italy has also to make great efforts in he Future, because of an important Public Debt, which is an Heritage of the Past".

+ Later-on, Monti considerably enlarged the scope of his sayings, by observing that "my collegues (French President Sarkozy and German Chancellor Merkel)  have just reminded, ...that a part of the Credibility vis a vis the Stability Pact, that had been lost in the Past, was due" to various events which had occured until 2003.  

- There were, indeed, such "Errors which had been committed in the Past", Monti went on to denounce, pointing, f.ex. to a Cover-up operation, where some "Governments, with the Complicity of Italy" (i.e. his own country), "had taken care so that No divergence appears" in Eurozone's accounts.  

- "I had struggled, then, inside the EU Comission, in order for it to denounce the Council (of Ministers) before the (EU) Court of Justice (in Luxembourg), for the Violation of the (EU) Stability Pact which had been commited in 2003", Monti even revealed now.

- Because, as a matter of General Principle,  "I think that, once that Rules based on an Economic consensus have been fixed, they must be respected, .....Respect of Rules is fundamental, particularly when they have been adopted for the (Financial) Stability", Monti stressed.  

 

>>> But, the problem now is, that, astonishingly, this crystal-clear, landmark Statement made this week by Monti, as a matter of principle on €urozone's Credibility , almost in Conclusion of the exceptional Tripartite Summit France-Germany-Italy, is in ...blatant Contradiction with another, also ostensible Statement, made previously by the French "Socialist" party candidate to the May 2012 Presidential Election,  Hollande's campaign Director, Moscovici, who was just apointed last week (Nov. 17) :

- "POLITICS WILL SPEAK !", claimed pompously, on the contrary, Jean-Pierre Moscovici, on €uroZone, and particularly "on ECB's Monetary Policy", in statements given to, and published by, "EuroFora"s founder, already as early as since ..November 1998, i.e. precisely when the above mentioned Greece/Turkey Politico-Financial Deal, linking €uroZone's and EU's Enlargements processes, was starting to unfold, (before main Decisions taken at the End of 1999, and applied from 2000-2001/2002+ : See supra).

+ Significantly, Moscovici, who was then EU affairs' Minister of France during all the Period of the "Errors of the Past" 1998-2002+, denounced recently by a growing number of Top EU Leaders as responsible for most of €urozone's current problems in the middle of the Global Financial Crisis, (See supra), said that in reply to an "EuroFora" founder's Question which referred, precisely, to the new, then, German Government, headed by "Socialist" Party's chief Gerhard Schroeder, in coalition with Joschka Fischer's "Greens", whose EU Parliament Group then President, Belgian former MEP (and later-on Minister)  Magda Elvoet, had just presented as much more favorable than their predecessor, former Chancellor Helmut Kohl, into "easing" ECB's and in general €urozone's policies...

In addition, Moscovici also spoke, at this same occasion, in favor of a "Politically controlled" EU Enlargement process, in parallel with that of €urozone's.

++ Moreover, those Moscovici's brief but clear Statements, made then in Strasbourg in reply  to "EuroFora" founder's question, were published on the 4rth of November 1998, at the MPA Press Agency of ...Greece, (who has, meanwhile, fusioned together with the Country's main National Press Agency, becoming ANA-MPA, until today), with the very .. Suggestive Heading : - "Moscovici for €urozone and EU Enlargement: Politics will speak !"Giving such a Message precisely at the same moment (1999-2000+) that the above-mentioned Politico-Financial "Deal" on Greece's too early, unprepared €urozone entry, in exchange of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, (See supra), was concluded, inevitably provoking later-on the growing Debt problems which surfaced in Greece and €urozone since the 2009 Global Financial Crisis, was obviously too tendancious, and almost irresponsibly risky....

Particularly when Hollande himself, speaking to other French Media recently, acknowledged that the controversial former "Socialist" Prime Minister Jospin, (that French People voted out of the 2002 Presidential Election's 2nd round, in an unprecedented Electoral "Earthquake"...), had personally "associated" him to practically "all his Decisions" during the 1998-2002 period, i.e. necessarily including also Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU "Candidate" status, (which costs to EU Taxpayers more than 800 Millions €, almost a Billion € each year on full Grants for Ankara),  in exchange of Greece's too early and unprepared €urozone entry, which were both decided from December 1999...

=> At any case, even speaking as a matter of general Principle, Moscovici's statement that, at the end, "POLITICS WILL SPEAK" ON crucial €UROZONE Economic/Monetary issues, runs obviously ..counter to Monti's opposite statement that, on the contrary, "we MUST AVOID (any) POLITICAL DEALINGS ABOUT RULES which have to be respected", "particularly" those affecting €UROZONE's Financial "STABILITY", as he declared now, denouncing "Errors of the Past" made, precisely, during the 1998-2002+ period recently accused by many EU leaders to be responsible for most of today's problems, (See supra).

>>> In consequence, Mr. François Hollande's credibility on the crucial €urozone issues today is seriously Challenged, and at least Questioned by that blatant discrepancy between the New Italian Prime Minister, twice former EU Commissioner, Professor Monti's exclusion of any "Political deal" about €urozone Stability's rules, and his own, French "Socialist" Electoral campaign Director, former EU affairs Minister, Moscovici's opposite claims that, on the contrary, at the end, "Politics will speak" on crucial €urozone matters (See supra)...

Obviously, nobody can leave in impunity such grave Doubts nowadays, on whether €urozone rules' will be really respected, far away from any shady and dangerous "'Political" deals behind closed doors, particularly when Global Financial Markets closely follow any particular sign which might indicate a risk of Laxism, or, on the contrary, of an efficient, intelligent management according to the rules...

*Strasbourg/Tripartite Summit France-Germany-Italy/Angelo Marcopolo/- The exceptional Tripartite Summit of the 3 Biggest €urozone Countries, revealed, today in Strasbourg, a Strong Will to resolutely advance towards the creation of a both Economic and Political core in EU's Eurozone, with important Changes, able to boost Financial Discipline and Solidarity, by much more Integration and Convergence, Sooner than expected, but without enslaving the move to ephemeral, sometimes superficial and/or speculative Markets' upside-downs, on the contrary decided to definitively rectify Errors committed in the Past by some of their predecessors so that Europe never again faces such crucial challenges, since the leaders appeared conscious of the fact that they are called to build something New and sustainable "for the Long-term", and of "Historic" importance, for which they took a Rendez-vous with the Public Opinion in the following days/weeks, apparently well-decided to give together "a New Dynamics in EU's Integration", (according to Monti's landmark reply to an "EuroFora" founder's question earlier at EU Parliament, at another occasion : Comp. : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/merkelsarkozymontitripartitesummitinstrasbourg.html )    
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- "We are, all three of us, the 3 Biggest Economies of €uroZone, determined to work in the same direction in order to support €uro". A main "reason for this (Tripartite) Summit is to mark the Determination of the 3 Biggest €uroZone Economies, to do anything in order to support and guarantee €uro's sustainability", declared from the outset French President Nicolas Sarkozy.  

- Speaking to German chancellor Merkel, he stressed that, "in this complicated period, the Strength of our Alliance is an essential element for the Stability of Europe and of the €uro".

- "We are all three fully Aware of the Seriousness of the situation., and we consider the Same Remedies", Sarkozy revealed, but without going now into concrete details. -------------

"Traditionally, Italy was one of the European Integration's Motors, and it intends to be even more in this Stage, which is anounced as very problematic for all, and particularly for €urozone, but which is also a situation Full of Promisses", Mario Monti surprised his audience.

- "As you know, during its (Millenary) History, Europe has often reacted in a Positive way to Crisis", the new Italian Prime Minister reminded with ambitious optimism.

- "We had a very Intense dialogue between us three, we discussed Possible Solutions for the crisis in €urozone, we shared our concern and we expressed, all three, with a great Convergence of views, the importance that our 3 Countries attach to the Priority Aim of a Good Health for €urozone", Monti observed, (See also infra).
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-- This "is an important discussion between the 3 Biggest Economies in €uroarea, here in Strasbourg", stressed from he outset German Chancellor Angie Merkel.

- "SInce it's a serious situation" (for everybody involved), "we must clearly confirm, all  of us three Biggest Economies of the area, that we Want to keep a stable and Strong €uro : Inside the International Community of Currencies, €uro must be respected", Merkel anounced firmly.

-  "It's not simple, because we've lost so much Trust. Confidence is something that we have to find anew and restore, both for our Countries and among us, by emmitting a Signal of Closer Cooperation inside €urozone in the Future", according to the German Chancellor.

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+"POLITICAL" dimension in Future ?!
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+ At any case, "it is Fundamental that €uro stands firm, (because) It's a fundamental element for the Economic and Political integration of Europe !", went on to add the experienced, twice EU Commisioner Monti.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        - "€uro is also a Political project, and we are going to defend it with all our forces", agreed Merkel.

=> Thus, "we are also going to make Proposals for a closer Political cooperation, since the Political trust in Europe backtracked, and it's in order to re-build this confidence that we had a very Hamonious discussion, ...as the (French) President Sarkozy also said", she observed, pointing to Sarkozy, (whose personal commitment for a "Political" Europe is well known and expressed in a cystal-clear way, repeatedly, since at least 2007).
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On Concrete Measures examined :
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=> That's why, "during the forthcoming Days, France and Germany will make joint Proposals to Modify the EU Treaties, in order to (A) ameliorate €uroZone's Management, and to (B) have more Integration and Convergence of Economic Policies. We'll naturally inform Mario Monti, hoping that Italy would like to be associated to that", Sarkozy anounced from the outset.

"Indeed, France and Germany work on Proposals to Modify the EU Treaty, because (A) we must advance in the direction of a Fiscal Union, and we are here also in order to say that (B) we must further Coordinate Together our Policies, if we want to have a Single, Common and Stable Currency", the German Chancellor explained.

- "We also discussed today the fact that the Decisions taken (by €urozone) on October 26 must be fully applied : ReCapitalisation of Banks, Negotiations with Greece,  with the Banks, and the (EU) Directive for the Lever effect and for the FSF. So, Ministers of Finance in EuroGroup and EcoFin must take the required Decisions, and during the December (EU) Summit, the Italian Prime Minister will naturally be informed about the advancement of our work", Merkel briefly sumed up for the rest.
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 - "Responsible Governments, .. try to do a Serious Work, to set up Policies, Strategies, and to keep on track, until we find anew the road to Growth, as the (German) Chancellor (Merkel) said, and of the Trust, as the (Italian) President (Monti) said", observed, indeed, Sarkozy.

- "And not to run to look, from one Minute to another, what some say, what others reply, Markets' variations, Market's vibrations", etc..

- Because, "we (responsible and serious Governments) have a Duty to Protect our Citizens, in the long-term, and not only at the end of a Day, or just during half an Hour, which comes and goes : A much more difficult job", he concluded.

The French President was also replying to a Journalist who claimed that a Rating Agency, Fitch, would have threatened France's excellent, AAA current rating : -  "Perhaps, some of our friends didn't get an accurate Translation of what Finch (Rating Agency) said. In that case, I'd be glad to offer a translation : - "Finch said : The France's AAA Rating (that even USA lost recently) has a "Stable Perspective".

- "Naturally, if the Crisis of Sovereign Debts in €uroZone continued to be aggravated, this could pose a Problem for Everybody, and not simply for France", as Sarkozy said just one Day after Financial Markets astonishingly started even to attack ... Germany's own Bonds'emmissions, the latest one remaining partly uncovered, as it was reported even from the Economically most Performant big Country in the World).. . And that's why we are, precisely, in the process of currently working on that", he reminded, noding towards the German Chancellor Merkel and their on-going cooperation to modify the (EU) Treaties, (comp. Supra).
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Questions by journalists focused mainly on continuing debates about whether ECB should, or not, intervene in order to help some €uroZone Countries, and, if yes, under which conditions, as well as about the so-called "EuroBonds" or "Stability Bonds", as those recently proposed also by EU Commission, etc.

On both these points, Sarkozy didn't reveal the current state of Negotiations between France, Germany and others, confirming, simply, that it still goes on, even if they are approaching to conclude an agreement soon.

+ For the time being, "we indicated, all three of us, in a common Agreement, our trust to the ECB and to its leaders. And, all three of us, indicated that, in order to respect the independence of this essential Instritution, all should abstain from making any demands, positifs or negatifs", the French President declared from the start, as fas as speculations and recent debates about the role of €urozone's Central Bank, headquartered at nearby Frankfurt, is concerned.

- "It's a position that we adopted all together, which is adapted to the situation", and "has its Meaning", Sarkozy later underlined :

- "When we say that we Trust the ECB, and that we'll abstain from any Remark, positive or negative, this has a Meaning  : It's called a "Positive Compromise, where everyone tries to understand eachother's situation", he significantly said, evoking a Main Points that he had presented from the start among the outcomes of Strasbourg's Tripartite Summit, Germany - France - Italy, (See supra).

For the rest, the French President just stressed that, in view of the importance of what is at stake, serious and far-looking decisions have to be taken in order to definitively settle these issues :

- "in order to find an agreement, and, mainly, in order to arrive to  the conclusions of a very Serious Crisis, we doN't want to experience again this kind of events that Europe is currently facing !".  - "It's in this spirit that we are working", he simply indicated.  
But for the rest, he stayed rather Tight-lipped, at least for the moment, only revealing that some "Proposals have Advanced" :

-  As  "I told you ...we are working on some Proposals, which have advanced a lot, (and) that we'll present before Brussels' meeting of December 9. I've nothing more to add on ECB to what I said from the start, and on which there is an agreement between President Monti, Chancellor Merkel, and myself", French President Sarkozy replied.

"As for the Details of those proposals, well, when we'll present them, we'll give them to you", he promissed. "It wasn't the aim of this meeting, today", he explained. "Concerning the (EU) Treaty Modifications, it's a work on which we are working almost everyday together, our teams (of Experts), the (German) Chancellor and myself. It's practically all the days that we exchange views", he revealed carefully.

-----
- "The French President is absolutely Right for what he said. He explained that the ECB is Independent....So, the eventual Modifications of the (EU)Treaty do not concern the ECB, which deals with Monetary Policy and the Monetary Stability. In the Modifications of the Treaty, as we'll show later-on, we are dealing with the Fiscal policy and, so, with a Deeper Cooperation on Political issues", the German Chancellor clarified.

- "So, it's a differend issue, on which there will be Proposals, but this has Nothing to do with the ECB", she said, replying a priori negatively to a Journalist's question whether ECB's role will be included among the desired EU Treaty Modifications on December 9.

- It's true that "f.ex., on Institutions such as the ECB, we (France and Germany) don't have the same History. It's a Reality. It's worthless to deny it", Sarkozy honestly admitted, But, we must try to understand, and find a Common Point", the French President wisely stressed.

"F.ex., Germany has a Tradition, a History, a Culture. France has another one. And we try to understand eachother, and Converge towards the Same Point. In order to find anew the Trust that €uroZone must  inspire" to People. And "we have now, thanks to President Monti, the Chance to have together with as (even) EU's 3rd Economy, in order to create the more Stable Pole" of all, Sarkozy pointed, realistically but positively, towards €urozone's huge Potential.

-----------------
+ On another Journalist's Question, if Germany's current redusal of €uroBonds might change, or not, when Berlin would have obtained satisfaction as far as the EU Treaty Modifications are concerned (See supra), so that "a knd of Compromise" between these two issues might be made, Merkel initially refused such a deal as inadequate :

-  "No, it's not about giving something, and taking something else in exchange. When we have Weaknesses in the Construction of €uroZone, we must (all) try to overcome them"
- "And these weaknesses (on €uroZone) might be due, precisely, to the lack of a Political Deepening" of €urozone's integration, the German Chancellor pointed out.

- "So, my position, compared to yesterday (at the Bundestag), hasn't changed", she said.

+ "If we make certain steps towards a Fiscal Union, mainly to Strengthen the Stability and Growth Pact, this might be another Stage, but it isn't a precondition for me to change the position that I explained yesterday to the Bundestag. So, I think that we are far away from looking at all the Revenue and Expenditure Policies, in order to have them together : No, each country has its own Budget", Merkel concluded on that point.

+ "But we can make legally Accountable, in the Future, those who do not respect the Stability and Growth Pact, because we have experienced many Violations of the Stability and Growth Pact, even from the side of Germany, and there wasn't any way to lodge a Complaint, to impose a Sanction, so that Today we pay a Heavy Price", for some Errors of the Past. - "So, we must prevent such kind of situations from being repeated again" in the Future.

-"This has Nothing to do with my position on EuroBonds or EuroObligations. I don't think that the are necessary, (and) the preconditions are not yet there, so I don't change my position", she sharply distinguished, without going into details.

+ Later on, the German Chancellor added that, in her view, even if EU Commission's recent "Proposals for Budget Discipline.... are all Welcome", nevertheless, concerning "the Stability Bonds, or EuroBonds, whatever name one might give them, (they) will do just one thing : Rates' Difference would be probably Nivelled. And, in my opinion, this wouldn't be the right signal. Because we mustn't put between brackets the Rates' Differences, since they clearly indicate where we must act and/or contiue to act", she criticized.

- "So, we must win back Trust, in order to find anew the situation which existed before the Crisis : I.e. when the Rates were all the same for whatever Country in Europe, according to Markets' appreciation. To speak roughly, I don't think that it's the good solution. That's why I expressed that  position yesterday at the Bundestag", Merkel explained.

But, apparently, this wasn't her last word on this matter, since she later added something interesting after a relevant observation made, meanwhile by Monti :
-------------------------------------------------
+ However, new Italian Prime Minister, and twice EU Commissioner, Professor Mario Monti, replying later to a similar question, preferred to place it in another Context, from a somehow differend point of view, particularly on recurrent and limited on Time, Economic Production "Cycles"  :  

- "I think that this Question also raised a more General Issue, which goes for all the Economy of the World, and not only for the European Economy :

- "You ask me what might happen, whether we  might have a more Serious Recession than initially scheduled, (and) whether the Financial Aims should be revised in order to take into account the effects of the (production's) cycle".

- "It's a very well known Question, that the entire EU may raise to itself", Monti observed ! - "How could we adjust the Economic Policy Programs of European Countries by taking into account this (Economic) Cycle ?".

- "It's In this regard, that "you ask me my (current) position on EuroBonds or EuroObligations (See supra) :  

- "I want to underline what has been said by Mrs Merkel : We (€urozone Countries) must orientate ourselves towards a Fiscal Union, if we want to give a greater Stability to "€urozone". For that purpose, we must have reliant Mechanisms for the implementation of Rules that we'll adopt. In this framework, there is also the issue of Treaties' Modification, etc.", he reminded (See supra).

=>  But, what is important is that, according to Professor Monti's opinion, "In this context, ... there are several matters which can be un-dramatized  : F.ex., the "Stability Bonds", as EU Commission names them, could, indeed, bring a contribution, in the framework of a Fiscal Union", he declared.

- However, "we must be careful, because several things which coud be useful, wouldn't work if we [€urozone Countries) don't arrive into a REAL Fiscal Union", warned Monti, apparently suggesting that Merkel's wish for Fiscal convergence, Sanctions against violations of the Stability Pact, etc., advance deeply enough (comp. supra).

+ In this regard, Monti also chose to reply to an adjacent question on "Automatic Sanctions" against those who violate €urozone's Stability Pact, by expressing his ardent wish to establish such a Mechanism, in order to efficiently convince all Member States' Governments to respect the Rules, by placing them under a threat to be, otherwise, attacked by a complaint to EU's Court of Justice, (See other "EuroFora"s NewStory from this Trilateral Summit, attached hereby).

Nevertheless, Monti, who is also founder of the prestigious "Bruegel" Economic Think Tank in Brussels, (named after the Historic Flamish painters and created in 2005 after a Franco-German initiative), and President of the famous Bocconi University at Milan, and had made various statements to "EuroFora"s founder in the Past, when he was EU Commissioner initially for Market/Trade and afterwards of Competition, between 1994 and 2004, (i.e. with a precious 10 Years EU Commission experience), didn't explain further this apparently interesting point, through which a compromise might be eventually possible.
----
=> Reacting on this point made by Monti, who added an "Automaticity of Sanctions", German Chancellor Angie Merkel, observed that "we are not already there with the Stability and Growth Pact", as it currently stands, but "I think that we must work through a Modification of the (EU) Treaty, in order to achieve that".

- "Mario Monti was earlier (EU) Commissioner on Competition. And Competition (EU) Rules are much more strict than those of the Stability and Growth Pact. Everybody knows, that; concerning Competition you'd better keep the rules, otherwise there is a Complaint (to EU Court of Justice), without any "Mercy" in this case. When Monti was (EU) Commissioner, we had spoken about that, and it's something which applied also to Germany : We weren't always satisfied about the decisions taken by EU Commission on Competition, but we knew that we were going to most probably loose before the (EU) Court (of Justice), and  we immediately respected the Rules", she reminded.

>>> Therefore, in order to obtain a similar Mechanism of Sanctions also for violations of €urozone's Stability Pact, we "need a Group of (€urozone Member) Countries .... to work in that direction, first, with utmost Determination in order to reach that stage", probably "via such Treaty modifications", and/or in any other way legally possible, the German Chancellor concluded, while significantly leaving open, in that case, the related question about whether she might accept some kind of "EuroBonds" or ECB action, etc. in exchange.... (See infra and supra).
----------------
=> - "All such Proposals are part of an overall Synthesis : It isn't useful, it might even be dangerous, if someone proposes EuroBonds without speaking about Governance. Or, speak about Governance and Sanctions, without speaking about the other side. This is a coherent whole, that we shall present in the following Days, and it's this entire entity,  which will povide Trust", Sarkozy concluded, at this crucial point, by giving a Rendez-vous...
----------------------------

However, it's worth noting that Merkel, while clearly refusing any link between a scheduled EU Treaty Modification in order to strengthen Discipline for €urozone's Stability, from one side, and ECB's interventions, on the other side, on the contrary, even if she reiterated her refusal also for EuroBonds in exchange of EU Commission's welcome but limited Proposals to strengthen the Stability Pact, nevertheless, the German Chancellor, speaking in conclusion, didn't say anything at all on the possibility to establish, or not, some kind of link between €urozone Governance which could achieve "a Real Fiscal Union", (as Monti stressed), including even "Automaticity of Sanctions", etc. (See supra), and/or other Integration advances, eventually with an adequate formula close to EuroBonds or equivalent.

The fact that, unlike ECB's eventual role in exchange of more Discipline with the Treaty Modification measures currently drafted, and EU Commision's welcome but insufficient proposals to stregthen the Stability Pact, in exchange of EuroBonds, where she explicitly rejected it, on the contrary, here, Merkel didn't say anything of that sort, (See supra), apparentlly leaves an open window for on-going negotiations to find the horizon of a breakthrough.

Monti earlier, had carefully warned that f.ex. EuroBonds might even be dangerous, unless if, at the same time, €urozone succeeded to reach a kind of what he called as "Real Fiscal Union".

Sarkozy also, speaking at the very end of the Tripartite Summit's Press Conference conclusion, significantly focused into possibe linking the Discipline/Integration issues to some kind of more Financial solidarity or union between €urozone Member Countries in the context of an "overall Synthesis", where could be crafted a winning formula.

+ Moreover, an important point in practice obviously is the factor Time : Any formula requiring EU Treaty's Modification may take too much time in order to be concluded, ratifications included, while Financial Markets move fast. Moreover, it might not have the agreement of all 27 EU Countries, (even with a UK etc. opt-out, f.ex.).

Probably that's why both Sarkozy and Merkel, at differend moments, but during this same Strasbourg's Tripartite Summit between the 3 Biggest €uroZone Counties, apparently evoked an Alternative possibility for a Pioneer "Group" of €urozone Members to resolutely advance ahead towards considerably more Integration, including more Discipline and Solidarity :

=> F.ex. by starting to use Lisbon Treaty's potential for "Reinforced Cooperations" between a certain number of Countries, which have the practical advantage not to oblige to wait necessarily until a full modification of the Treaty might be concluded, at least for certain Urgent issues :

- "in order to Change, we must propose (certain) Modifications to the Treaties, so that eveybody (among the currently  17 €urozone Member States+) can be associated. But, "if there were any Refusals, then, we migh have anOther Strategy to (EU) Treaties' Modifications, which could, then, be, an InterGovernemental Treaty. We are working on that", Sarkozy revealed.

- Speaking later on the "automaticity of Sanctions" for serious violations of the "Stability and Growth Pact", Merkel also stressed that  : - "We (€urozone) are not already there ...

=> - "This needs a Group of Countries, which have a Common Currency, to work in that direction first, with utmost Determination, in order to reach that Stage via such modifications of the agreements", as she said, just before Sarkozy concludes the Press Conference by speaking about "an overall Synthesis" of Proposals due to be made Soon, (Comp. supra).

 
-----------------------------------------------
+ Franco-German support  to Mario Monti's ITALY :
---------------------------------------------------

+ Meanwhile, concerning in particular Italy itself, French President Nicolas Sarkozy stressed from the outset that "the 1st aim of this (Trilateral, Franco-Germano-Italian Summit of the 3 biggest €urozone Countries in Strasbourg) is to mark and underline our will to support and help the New Italian Government, chaired by President Mario Monti. Both France and Germany, we want to mark our Trust to the Italian Government", as he clearly said.

- "We (France and Germany) were happy to meet anew with Mario Monti, after having worked together some years ago, whom we fully trust in front of the important task that he assumed, and that we feel as a personal Friend", Sarkozy added.

- "For all of us it was, naturally, interesting to know, at first hand, what is the Agenda of the New Italian Government. Of course it's about Financial Stablisaton, but also about Structural Reforms, which, I'm convinced, will bring back Growth, that is necessary for Jobs and for fighting against Unemployment. President Monti has all our support for his work, which is not easy, and we thank him also for his invitation  to Rome", added German Chancellor Angie Merkel.

-  "We had very intensive discussions", where "I stressed Italy's interest for strict Financial Stabilisation in the shortest term, and I confirmed the aim of a balanced Budget for 2013. This must be made in a Sustainable way. I had also a profound and interesting Discussion with the Chancellor and the President. This also implies an Economic Growth, ensuring a good Sustainability of the (current) Budget's imbalances, a growth which mustn't be Inflationist, and that requires Structural Reforms. So, I presented to my two interlocutors the pathway of Reforms I intend to adopt, and I indicated the scheduled Dates for their realization, for which we (the New Italian Government) will associate all Political and Social partners, as we already started to do", the new Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti Monti revealed, (but without entering into concrete details yet).

+ "As you know, Italy (currently) has a considerable Budget Surplus, due to be almost + 5,7% in 2014", Monti surprised by revealing such a Positive, but widely ignored, interesting fact...

 - However, Italy has also to make great efforts in he Future, because of an important Public Debt, which is a "Heritage of the Past", he denounced.

- "There are Targets which have been fixed for each (€urozone Member) Country. In the case of Italy, it's about returning back to a Budgetary Equilibrium on 2013". Thus, "in order for that aim to Return to a balanced Budget on 2014 not to be droped", "Italy has to determine certain Ambitious Targets", Monti confirmed.

--------------------------------------

Finally, to put it in a nutshell, in €uroZone, the problem is not the "€uro" itself, but the .. "Zone" !

I.e., if we had more of a well-integrated Down-Town residential, administrative and/or business sector, with well-designed public areas, and a coherent, overall structure, able to bring real Cohesion to inhabitants etc., instead of a lot of neglected and/or more or less isolated, sometimes chaotic or turbulant suburbs, with some kind of "Ghettos" often dangerously abandoned even to foreign interferences, manipulation, pressures, etc., then, €urozone's great potential could be really developed !.. 

Anyway, it's a fact that this exceptional Tripartite Summit of the 3 Biggest €urozone Countries attracted much more Journalists, particularly among those regularly following EU issues, than the organizers had initially thought, so that even Strasbourg Opera's superbe 3rd Floor reception room appeared too "small" for the event..

Was it, perhaps, for such reasons, related to €urozone's potential, that Journalists, including "EuroFora", were surprised to hear German chancellor Angie Merkel to denounce to Sarkozy a kind of technical Sabotage of her Airplane to Strasbourg because something or someone had "broken" its machine at a Berlin's maintenance hangar ?... - "We sat and waited, but nothing happened, until someone found that the Plane's machine had been broken, and had to be repaired in order to work well, she was heard to (symbolically) explain...

A busy-looking Sarkozy had arrived a little-bit earlier than scheduled, welcomed Monti, and patiently waited for Merkel, who succeeded to overcome that unprecedented incident  just a few minutes later.

However, the Joint Tripartite session, with a working Lunch, etc, took longer than expected, postponing the meeting with Journalists, including "EuroFora", for quite later in the afternoon. 

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- UK's Home Office Minister for Crime and Security, current CoE's Chairman in office (11/2011-5/2012), James Brokenshire, speaking to "EuroFora" at the conclusion of a 3 Days-long International Conference on the 10th Anniversary of CoE's "CyberCrime" convention (2001-2011), which had started to apply at the Internet the post-9/11 urgent need to Fight Crime Worldwide, strongly supported this already existing tool's potential also for the foreseeable Future, while also leaving open a currently unfolding possibility to soon develop a comprehensive, overall CoE Internet Strategy, which might cover all main, topical issues, from Freedom of Expression and the Fight against Digital Divide up to Cyber Security and Protection against Cyber Attacks, etc., due to be debated at the end of this week in another CoE Conference in Vienna (Austria) and expected to be eventually adopted by the CoE's Committee of Ministers, under Brittish Chairmanship, probably on January 2012, as a 1st response to the call launched recently by the "G-8" Summit at Deauville (France) to establish at least the General Principles of a Global "Internet Governance", (See relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReports on that "G-20" move from Paris, Deauville and earlier CoE events).

Such moves might succeed to bypass an old opposition between a mainly UK-USA preference, backed by several other Countries in Europe and throughout the World, to continue building on the 2001 "CyberCrime" CoE's International Treaty opened to signature on 2001 in Budapest, and a rather Russian and Chinese, etc. critical stance, more or less backed also by various European and other Countries, which, while acknowledging the importance of having efficient Legal tools to Fight Criminals abusing of the Internet, nevertheless, has already made known its reluctance to accept mainly some reportedly "Extra-Territorial" Jurisdiction aspects of the Budapest 2001 Treaty, preferring rather to build another, New Legal Instrument, (as, f.ex. a Russian Senior Officer had earlier told "EuroFora" in a previous CoE's "CyberCrrime" conference).

In this regard, the position of some other key European Countries appeared rather reserved, as f.ex. Germany, who sent to the 2011 "CyberCrime" Conference only one Expert, contrary to other Countries who had sent more than 4 or 5 Experts, and/or a Political, f.ex. Ministerial representative or Attorney, (f.ex. even .. Nigeria or Benin, etc), as well as Italy, (among the entirely "Absents", even if it has ratified the 2001 Budapest Treaty, as also France, present with 4 Experts but without Political level representative, contrary, f.ex. to Hungary, etc) and several other EU Countries which abstained from participating this time, (while also Poland and others have signed but not ratified, similarly to South Africa, Turkey, etc), unlike to an exceptionaly High proportion of International guests from many other Countries throughout the World, (including f.ex. Australia, Japan, but also several African Countries, etc), which underlined the obviously Global dimension of what is at stake.

As for Citizens and NGOs, European Civil Society will certainly look with interest, to CoE chair i.o., British Conservative Home Minister James Brokenshire's concluding reply to "EuroFora"s questions that, as a matter of general Principle, "Liberty and Fighting against Criminality go hand by hand" (See infra) : An obviously very interesting, Strategic remark, for which ..."the proof of the pudding is in the eating", according to the well known moto of traditional British People...
--------------------------

- "We (the UK Chairmanship of the CoE) strongly believe that the CyberCrime (CoE) Convention provides an Effective Mechanism to promote Cooperation, Practical Assistance to help Countries, and also to set a Legal Framework, which is really important, with all its Benchmarks, in order to ensure that we are always working within a Common Approach dealing with the Threats of CyberCrime that strech the on-line environment when we want to Harnest the Benefits which should come from it, while also ensuring that we have processes and procedures in place to Guard against the Criminals who are starting, increasingly, to prey upon People who are trying to use if for their Business and for their Daily lives", stressed to "EuroFora" from the outset  Brittish Minister James Brokenshire, who, as CoE's Chairman-in-office, was the Key-note Speaker at the concluding ceremony of the 1Oth Anniversary of the Budapest treaty.

- "And this is a Positive, Practical Message that we (CoE) are giving around the Convention (Members) and around the World, that Countries are doing, and want to continue to do, in Combatting CyberCrime and the Threats that are opposed" to a productive and safe use of Internet's potential, Minister Brokenshire went on to say while participants to CoE's CyberCrime mechanism were reportedly preparing to add 2 more Days of work in Strasbourg in order to develop further its technical possibilities to enhance TransBorder, International Investigations, find how to tackle the new issues raised by Cloud Computing, etc.

+ Moreover, "it certainly is part of our (UK's) Chairmanship (of the CoE), to seek" to promote "Internet Governance (as, f.ex. the latest "G-8" Summit asked on May 2011 at Deauville, i.e. symbolically chosen by French President and G-8/G-20 Chairman Sarkozy between France and the UK, as "EuroFora" reminded to Brokenshire), and we are looking how to promote the greater Adoption of the Budapest Convention. Indeed, we'll continue to develop the Agenda of Internet Governance, as well as to look at the Legal Frameworks that prevent from operating and detect Crime : That's what Today's event is very much about", the British Minister added more largely, but without losing sight of his main, topical target. '"And, certainly, from the (earlier) London Conference (on "Cyber-Space"), that sense of (Internatinal) Cooperation, that sense of (Global Internet) Governance, (includes also) Citizens working together, because it's their Shared Responsibility. That's why, from a UK perspective, we are very much working with Business and Industry, recognizing that, so much of the Infrastructures, so much of the Work resides Outside of Governments", he observed. "And, so, looking forward, we are very much keen to promote that Agenda, looking at ways in which should Government Internet Governance can be Improved and adopted, looking how Collectively we can work Together to Advance the Issues around Combating Crime. Probably, I would say, working in Parallel, (on the overall Internet Governance and specifically on CyberCrime, because) they are Both Important", he concluded.

- "In the (recent) London Conference (on Cyber-Space), British Foreign Secretary William Haig, had said, earlier in Strasbourg (See previous "EuroFora"s NewsReport), that the UK Government had tried to promote the idea that by combatting Cyber-Crime, States also Protect Citizens' Safety and Freedoms, which, in addition to Corporations and States, are also one among the first Victims of several Cyber-Attacks", "EuroFora" reminded to the British Home Office Minister, recalling also the fact that "the present (Conservative-Liberal) UK Government was Elected also under a banner calling to "Restore People's Liberties"", back on 2010...

- "Absolutely", replied positively, smiling, to that "EuroFora"s question, the young, British Conservative Government Official, who sits also at the National Security Council, dealing even with Strategic issues of larger Political importance  : - "We are very much on the Protection of Liberty and Security of People's Data. And, as we live our Lives increasingly On-Line, Protection of People's Private Information is, I think, a Key-element around all the work, and how Criminals very much are looking tackling to this, to be able to obtain People's Private Information, to Sell that on the Internet in a Criminal, Black Market way. So, when we look at this Agenda, it's important to also look at Both Threats : (I.e.) - Look at what the Criminals are seeking to do, but also into Advancing an Open and Free Internet, where we are able to Harnest practical Opportunities of Trading, of virtualy live all our Lives in a Digital way. How that is a Positive thing, that we certainly want to Promote, but, recognizing that there are (also) those out there, who want to use the Internet for Malign purposes. Respecting that sense of Freedom, Personal Liberties, but also being very Clear and very Firm in our Response to those who seek to prey on the Vulnerable, seek to Exploit the Internet to commit Crime, and to commit Serious Harm (even) to Individual Citizens. That is why, I think, the whole concept of Liberty and Fighting against Criminality go hand by hand", he smartly concluded.
___________________
USA State Secretary Clinton's Cyber coordinator, Christopher Painter, to "EuroFora" : - Multi-stakeholders approach, and stick to the already existing tools :  a must !
---------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, CoE's CyberCrime convention is a useful Tool manly for issues of "Law, Training, and Cooperation", stressed USA State Secretary Hillary Clinton's Cybe coordinator, the CoE-experienced Christopher Painter, speaking to "EuroFora" :

- Questioned by "EuroFora" if the U.S. position would be favorable for the call launched by the recent May 2011 "G-8" Summit at Deauville to start building a Democratic Internet Governance, to result in a kind of New, Comprehensive, overall Legal Instrument for all main Internet issues, or, rather build upon already existing tools, such as CoE's CyberCrime convention, etc., the American Official appeared adamant :

- "I think that what we have now should be strenghened. What we need to do, as (USA) vice-President Biden said (in an earlier, London Conference on "CyberSpace"), we should Strengthen those Institutions, make Sure that they have more Transparency, make sure that they are more Inclusive, etc."

+ On the contrary, " I think that what is the Wrong way to go is to have some Srructures that is (inter)Governemental, rather than Multi-StakeHolders', etc. I think that this is reflected even at the Statement from the "G-8" at the Deauville Summit, where there was an explicit reference to the need for Multi-StackeHoldfers. And in the Drafts that we have at present, (also on CoE's "Strategy for Internet Governance" ; See infra), there is a clear mention that they have  to include a Multi-Stakeholder approach.

- "Any model, even the models that we have now, need to include the Private Sector. They need to include the Governments. And they need to include Civil Society. And they all (3) have to be Driving Forces" -  "I'd tell you, even the Internet itself would not have developed to the point that it is now, without that really robust process. And that's what we need to strenghen", artfully concluded Painter.

- I.e. "our (USA's) view is that the Best way to go, is to Strengthen the Institutions that we have now, and make sure, (f.ex.) that they include that Multi-Stakeholder approach.

- F. ex., "OECD Internet Principles, adopted last June" 2011, (i.e. practically when the International Organization celebrated the Anniversary of 50 Years since its it was established, Comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from that OECD event in Paris, May 2011, at the eve of the "G-8" Summit at Deauville), on Internet's need for Transparency, etc., are a Good Example of that Multi-Stakeholders approach", while "talking about Internet, Security, all the issues, in a very Interesting way, which shows what we are trying to do", the American Official pointed out.
-------------------------
CoE Information Society Director, Jan Kleisjen : Wider, Comprehensive CoE Strategy on Internet Governance, after G8 Deauville Summit  :
__________________

+ Experienced CoE's Director of Information Society and action against Crime, Jan Kleijssen from Austria, speaking to "EuroFora", explained CoE's current moves for a "Comprehensive Strategy on Internet Governance", shortly after the relevant call launched by the latest "G-8" Summit at Deauville, (France : See "EuroFora"s relevant NewsReports from Paris and Deauville, as well as earlier from the CoE).

He spoke earlier, during CoE's "CyberCrime" treaty's 10th Anniversary events (2001-2011), about the PanEuropean Organization's intention to develop in a coherent manner a kind of Synhesis of all its various Legal tools concerning the Internet, from the Personal Data protection treaty, to CyberCrime, as well as Children protection from Sexual abuse, Freedom of Expression, easy Access and Free transborder flow, etc., all these Pieces of the Puzle accumulated by the CoE through many years, should now be brought together inside an overall, Comprehensive new instrument, before 2015.

 - F.ex. on Monday, in Monaco (where Princess Caroline is very active on that), we (CoE) discussed about Children protection at the Internet, and (Personal) Data protection, which is part of it, was debated in Strasbourg, where now we hold the CuberCrime convention's 10th Anniversary, he reminded to "EuroFora".

- "In Vienna, on Thursday and Friday, we have several Ministers (from various CoE Member Countries) coming, and it will be opened by the Federal vice-Chancellor of Austria, Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger), together with our (CoE"s) Secretary General (Norwegian Thorbjorn Jagland), with representatives from Industry, as here (i.e. in Strasbourg's CyberCrime conference), as well as NGOs, etc.

- The Concluding Draft Text on CoE's 4 Years-long "Internet Governace" Strategy, 2012-2015, will be submitted to its Committee of Ministers, here in Strasboourg, for them to decide, probably from January 2012, (i.e. during the British CoE Chaimanship (November 2011-May 2012), including 2 CoE's Budgetary Cycles of two years each, he anounced.

- "It is a Comprehensive text : Personal Data, Protectiion of Children, Persecution of Crimes, Free Speech and Liberty of Expression, etc., are included, Kleijsen observed. And "this is , indeed, very Interesting : It's a Privilege to work on it". Particularlu when "you know that the 1st Page was published at the Internet, (as we see it now,  i.e. with today's layout and "www", etc.), only on August 6, 1991 ! So, You see what's happening in just 20 Years !", CoE's expeienced Top Official enthousiastically added..

+ But, obviously, there are also Threats, from Criminals, even Organized Crime, i.e. not only Individuals, because, as we heard in this (CyberCrime) Conference, there is a lot of Money to be made, and that's why, (CoE's) Internet Strategy package will deal with Freedom of Expression, but also of its counterpart. One of your Collegues (among Strasbourg Journalists) asked me : - "What has the CoE to do with Internet ?". It's simply because this Organization stands for Human Rights, Democacy and Rule of Law, while, Today, you can't even have those 3, without Intenet these days. That's clear !", I replied", Kleinsjen pedagogicaly stressed.

- "Since today, even in order to simply deal with the Administration, you need access to Internet : In some countries, f.ex. In Kenya, the Government doesn't send out any Forms : there are Cheap Mobiles, and all the Tax process goes through a Mobile (Tax declaration, Census, etc.; whatever ", as also in Greece, f.ex. today some new Taxes are collected through SMS between Citizens and the Administration, as "EuroFora" observed...

+ Access to Internet, f.ex. in Rural areas, can bring poor People into the mainstream, while in some Mountainous areas, where even the Postman doesn't come yet, thanks to the Internet and/or Mobile netwok you can communicate, etc.

- "So, we (CoE) try to bring all that together", and "we (CoE) hope that we'll have from this Vienna Conference a lot of Ideas : We hope (that) People will be critical, positively critical, i.e. by sending some Suggestions, etc. Because there will absolutely be a full participation from Civil Society, NGO's, involved individuals, etc., as all other participants, able to speak, etc. ; that's the idea", Kleinsjen agreed with an "EuroFora"s question on that obviously crucial point.

In this regard, "EuroFora" reminded Kleisjen the Fact that, contrary to the Past, when f.ex., as early as back on 1988 we had been given the responsibility by Strasbourg's University to prepare a Pioneer Legal Research on what was called then "Cabled Video-Communication Networks", and became later the "Internet", when the main concern was obviously to protect People, Businesses and even States from Risks to Violate the Privacy of their Personal, Private, Secret Data, and usurrpate them even on Sensitive issues, later-on, after the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Mass Attack against the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, the trend had notoriously changed, giving an absolute Priority into searching and finding any eventually useful infiormation which might help the fight against any suspicion of any kind of planned Terrorism, provoking, sometimes, certain well-known abuses, which might, perhaps, be overcome now, with a more "Balanced" approach.

- Thus, questioned by "EuroFora" whether CoE's pioneer work on "Personal Data protection and Privacy" was going to "Survive" in Future, CoE's experienced Director acknowledged that this a Serious issue, and observed that, "of course",  "someone at Nairobi"'s recent World Internet Forum of the UNO, observed that "Internet taxes Privacy", and "we (CoE) have that Convention", i.e. the Pioneer Internatonal Treaty on Personal Data Protection, "which we must Modernize it, bring it up to date" :

- "F.ex. we (CoE) are looking at ("New") Questions such as Social Networks, Responsibilities, etc". And, "of course we want to do it together with the Industry, since there is no point for a SIngle Country to try to impose alone anything on the Internet, because, then, People move along" various other providers of service in many other countries in the World Wide Web, etc.

- The point is "to come to a Responsible Data Protection" review today. "it's obvious, also, that Companies realize that People may go to Facebook or anoher Social Media, if there is, at least, a Minimum of Trust", (that their Personal, Private Data will have, at least, an elementary protection. On the contrary, "If there is No Trust at all", on that crucial point, then,¨People will go elsewhere and/or do otherwise. For the moment, "It's all New now". But, "if Companies want to survive", in front of growing Global Competition on the WWWeb, "then, they'd realize that they have to Earn the Trust of the People. They must have Trust : It's almost like a Bank : You go to a Bank if you trust it" enough to leave there your money...   So that, "if one or another Internet Company commits Serious Abuses, then,  sooner or later, this will become known" to the large Public, People wlll find out quickly, and it will loose its Customers, since People will go away !"  In consequence, "they (Internet Companies) have also a Business interest to build Trust" with the People, the experienced CoE Top Official warned...

He was replying to an "EuroFora" reminder of the concrete case, f.ex. of Icelandic MP Birgitta Jonsdottir, who had earlier said to "EuroFora" that she was satisfied by the fact that "Twitter" had, at least, warned he that she was reportedly targetted by a "Gag order" from an US Administration in order to reveal all her Personal Account's Data, so that she had a chance to lodge a complant at an US Court against that, on grounds both of Personal/Private Data pcotection, and of Political and other beliefs, f.ex.of the Persons who had used that Web account to communicate with her as an MP on "Sensitive issues", while, on the contrary, "Facebook" had told her nothing, until now... (See relevant "EuroFora" NewsReport dated from 4/2011)

+ Speaking also of another Topical issue, that of Hackers' "Attacks" via the Internet, Kleinsjen pointed mainly at the "obligation to cooperate in doing Investigations, research, etc., when it's a trans-border" crime, which already results from the CyberCrime CoE Treaty, but is also included in the new CoE's Internet Strategy draft.

- Concerning Citizens, (and not just States or big Corporations) who might also be Victims of Cyber Attacks, he considered that by warning People, they will become aware of the Risks and go get equiped themselves by some Software and/or Harware technical protection, while, at the same time, "they should Report" to the Police and/or any other competent Public Authority, any eventually serious attack that they might face through the Internet : - "Already there are several Specialized Police teams for that (Cyber Attacks, etc), but what happens too little, at least for the time being, is for People to go and see them : Only an estimated 21% of the Victims of Internet Attacks report it to the Police !", denouncing the facts. "But, the Police can't do anything if People don't speak about it, if they have no complaints  : They Need complaints, in order to Start Investigations",  he observed, speaking to "EuroFora" shortly after a Team of CoE's Experts had just concluded by making a strong appeal to all involved Countries to etablish "Specialized Police Units" on CyberCrime in general.
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+ However, from the Pre- 9/11 period of the CoE, "EuroFora" remembers also well that the Committee of Ministers of the PanEuropean Organization had also adopted, as early as back since 1998, at Thessaloniki (Greece), a landmark Resolution focusing on facilitating People's Access to the Internet and other modern Communications, where it had launched also a call for a network of "Public points of Access" to be established, in order both to develop Internet litteracy and capacities, but also to avoid the Risk of a Digital Divide.

Or, except from an indirect, and apparently incomplete mention in Article 8, point "C", of the current CoE's Draft "Strategy", this seems curiously forgotten or ommitted today..

=> Therefore, "EuroFora", for the moment, can't but make at least one "Critical Suggestion" to CoE's Draft "Strategy on Internet Governance" : - Restore the Spirit of the 1998 CoE's Ministerial Summit's Recommendation on Access to modern Communication technologies ! (Comp. supra).