newsitems

(Updated) * EU President Herman van Rompoy's deputy Spokesman, Jesus Carmona, replying to "EuroFora"'s Questions on the forthcoming EU - USA Summit in Lisbon (Nov. 20), said that, in principle, it wasn't expected to be influenced by this week's Mid-Term Elections' results in the USA, but didn't exclude a special "mood" concerning US President Barak Obama, (as the American Press had already noted).

    However, since the recent Brussels' Summit, (October 28-29), concrete details for EU's position appeared still unclear (See infra), while Turkey was reportedly attempting to use an adjacent NATO Summit in order to provoke some pressure on EU Countries mainly to push aside Ankara's obligations on Cyprus' issue, which was due to be examined, meanwhile, by UNO's Secretary General Ban Ki Moon at another meeting organized at New York on the eve of NATO and EU-USA Summits (Nov. 18).
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    -  "Do you think that the recent Elections in the USA might have any impact on the (forthcoming) EU - USA Summit, or it doesn't have absolutely anything to do" with that ?", "EuroFora" asked van Rompoy's d. Spokesman.

     - "I don't think that the current (U.S.) Elections will have an influence on the Trans-Atlantic Agenda", we are talking about "differend" things, stressed EU President's d. Spokesman, Carmona, in reply.

    - This being said, however, "obviously, I also don't know the Mood of (U.S. President) Obama", but "that's something differend", he added, in what might be a reference to Obama's recent notorious statements about his reaction to the results of the US Congress' Elections, largely won by the Republican Party, but also of his call and promise to try to work for "Bi-Partisan" cooperation, as well as to make some "Midcourse Corrections" on certain Policies.

    - Usually, "when we are dealing with TransAtlantic relations, (National) Elections have nothing to do with that", Carmona added in conclusion. - "We are not dealing (in Lisbon) with TransAtlantic Elections  : Nothing to do with that", he estimated.

    This seems close to U.S. State Secretary, former 1st Lady, Hillary Clinton's reported reaction that National "Politics stop at the Borders"....

    But U.S. President Obama himself has acknowledged that 2010 Mid-term Elections necessitated certain "corrections" and "adjustments" of US Policy, on which he intends to discuss with the elected Republican leadership. This might iclude, among others, also efforts to make visible "progress" trying to follow  the example of Rev. Martin Luther King  on upholding Human Dignity and Rights "everywhere", as he added shortly afterwards, i.e. Foreign Policy-related issues.

    At any case, inside EU Parliament, whose forthcoming mini-plenary sesssion is due to discuss Next Week the up-coming EU-US Summit's main "Priorities for Cooperation" between the two partners, many MEPs clearly felt that it's important to note that this debate "takes place at an ac­tual political moment after candidates for the US Congress and Senate stood for Mid-Term Elections", as, f.ex., the largest Group, that of the European People's Party, observed.
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    But if Obama really wants to start "cooperating" with the 2010 winner GOP, it seems difficult, this time, to satisfy all Turkey's desiderata, after a systematic, virulent slandering attacked personaly Republican candidates with an unprecedented blatant Interference by a Turkish Media called "The young Turks" inside USA's National politics, which constantly tried to ridiculize the American "Republican Party", the "so-called Christians", (as they named American People's values movement), even "the Bible",  harassing them with Personal Attacks, gross insults, etc.... There is no other Foreign Country or Ethnic Group, not even the biggest ; f.ex. Russia, China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, Canada, etc, or the E.U. , which ever dared interfere so shamefully and systematically in the internal affairs of the U.S., spending money in R-TV studios, staff, etc,  to launch attacks against American Politicians under a Foreign Ethnic Banner.     

    Turkish Media's personal attacks against USA politicians, particularly Republicans, and mainly against  American values' popular movements, extended even to the detriment of the topical issue of "BiPartisan Cooperation" between GOP and Obama after the 2010 Mid-Term Election, (which inevitably touches also upon Foreign Policy, including EU - USA relations), by slandering a leader of GOP's new Majority in the House of Representatives, John Boehner, taxing him as an "Hypocrit" (sic !). This came in addition to Moral Values, Cultural Identity, immigrants' Integration, a.o. issues that the Turkish lobby also ferociously attacked during the latest Elections, (apparently not only failing to convince, but also ...stimulating People to vote against its gross propaganda, as results showed)...
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    Despite Republicans' win of a Majority in the US House of Representatives and at least 6 Senators more, as well as most States' Governors, etc.  in the 2010 Mid-Term Elections, however, Polls reportedly showed that Obama remains largely popular inside his Democratic Party followers, and could even be re-elected on 2012 if he faced McCain-chosen former GOP vice-Presidential candidate Shara Palin, with 52% against 44%.

    But if the Republicans' 2012 Presidential nominate was former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, the 2007-2008 revelation of GOP's Primaries who ended 2nd after succeeding to lead a hard race at the 1st place even without any Money to spend, then, he would clearly win with the same large margin of 52% against only 44% for Obama, the same CNN Poll revealed. No 3 of the 2008 race, Millionaire Mite Romney might also win v. Obama, but with - 3% less (only 50 to 45 %), the poll found. Another possible 2012 contenter is former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

    Huckabee, (who cultivates a "Charismatic" personality, as Obama did, and is also a former Priest), has insisted much more on "Soft Power" than on Military alone, and on "how to win Hearts and Minds" of the People, both inside America and Worldwide. In his biggest text on Foreign Policy, he had focused also on the need to fight against threats to expand violent Islamist extremism.  Most important : He has notoriously close links with the 2010 Mid-Term Elections' winner popular movement composed of "Tea party", "Citizens United", "Families for Values," a.o. grassroots Citizens' groups, which mushroomed and developped further mainly after 2008, and he is also traditionally open for National and General Interest compromises and selective cooperation with current U.S. President Obama, as he has already declared.           

                        
    Sometimes, concrete "details" might be important : - "A Pew Research Center/National Journal poll released Oct. 25 found majority approval of .... GOP agenda item.. (on) allowing more Oil and Gas Drilling off US Shores", CSM reported. This obviously could mean a lesser U.S. need to insist on far away Oil/Gas issues, located f.ex. in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, etc, and related Foreign Policy matters, (including, f.ex. a controversial, too costly, too dangerous, and rather ...empty gas pipeline zig-zaguing through Turkey), diminishing, in Future, Washington D.C.'s Past pressure on European and other allies to swallow, at any price (be it Financial, Political and/or Moral : i.e. on Human Rights, etc) the desiderata f.ex. of an eventually transit State as Turkey, etc...         

         
    Meanwhile, according to the Turkish Press, "Secret" bargaining was allegedly pushed via EU Commissioner on Enlargment Fule, in order to press for more Chapters to be opened in EU - Turkey negotiations, despite Ankara's persisting refusal to comply with its obligation to stop discriminating EU Member Cyprus' related Ships and Airplanes, contrary to EU Summits' repeated, crystal-clear calls all these years (2005 - 2010), as well as to prevent pre-existing and/or new EU Countries' Governments from raising any problematic issue which might affect EU - Turkey negotiations' already slowed pace, (or the huge sum approaching 1 Billion € that EU Taxpayers, including Poor People via VAT, are paying to Turkey each year, instead of investing in EU High-Tech RST and other EU Productivity enhancing assets, even during the present times of hard Financial "Cuts" in all EU Countries).

    The reported Turkish lobby's concern might go, in particular, not only for France, Germany, Cyprus, maybe Greece and/or Austria, etc., particularly after the June 2009 EU Parliament Elections' issues, but also for New, center-right Majority Governments which have recently won National Elections in several EU Countries during 2009-2010 with a more Critical Agenda, apparently more conscious of the Economic, Education, Cultural/Historic Identity, Human Rights, GeoPolitical, a.o.  issues notoriously raised by Turkey's controversial and impopular EU bid, (f.ex. Hungary : 1/2011 EU Chair, Belgium : current EU chair, Holland, Slovakia, Latvia, Bulgaria, etc., while also critical political oppositions were growing even in the UK, Greece, Austria, Sweden, etc).

    - According to Brittish "Socialist" Newspaper "The Guardian", Turkish "Deep State"'s usual mouthpiece, Hurriyet, reportedly revealed that Ankara would attempt to exploit the Missile Defense plans "to its advantage" by opposing them unless USA "increased American pressure on France and Germany to unfreeze Turkey's E.U. membership bid". "Washington thought about that too, and that's why one of the Top Agenda items in the U.S.-E.U. summit, ...right after the NATO summit, is going to be Turkey's E.U. Membership" impopular demand, it warned.

    Turkey had notoriously blocked for more than a day NATO's 60th Anniversary Summit, on April 2009 in Strasbourg (See "EuroFora"'s Newsreports from the event), refusing the election of its new Secretary General, former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, by demands against the Press Freedom of a Kurdish R-TV accused by Ankara to support Violent Separatism, asking a job for a Turkish Official, and other NATO concessions...
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    A usually interlinked issue notoriously is Turkey's Veto against almost any kind of EU - NATO cooperation involving all EU Member Countries, including Cyprus, that Ankara still refuses to recognize, despite a long-standing and crystal-clear, official call by EU Heads of State and Government to normalize its relations with the Cypriot Government, officially launched as early as since September 2005 already, confirmed and reiterated several times by EU Summits since then, and expected (according to reported leakages the Turkish Press itself) to be anew stressed in the forthcoming EU Commission's 2010 Annual Report on Turkey's efforts to meet the European Standards, due to be published next week on Tuesday, November 9.

     - "Cyprus' issue is one of the most important priorities because it has a wide impact also on EU - NATO relations, from Kosovo up to Afghanistan", characteristically claimed the experienced Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, in reply to an "EuroFora" co-founder's question when he had the responsibility to chair CoE and EU successively during the same year (2008), speaking at a CoE Committee of Ministers' Press Conference in Strasbourg.

    German Chancellor Angie Merkel has also pointed out that a solution needs to be found in this issue, long before she anounced, recently, (after UNO's vote, on October, for Germany to become a Security Council's new Member for 2011 and 2012), her intention to "visit Cyprus from January 2011".

    Merkel's 2011 official visit to Cyprus is naturally important, because of Germany's obvious influence on EU issues, particularly augmented thanks to the recently confirmed close personal and political links with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in the famous Franco-German EU "motor", (France being already present at UNO's SC as one of the 5 permanent members, so that during 2011 - 2012 Paris and Berlin will be able to work together also inside the New York - based International

Organization), and considering UNO's recent vote for Germany's entry inside the S.C.
     The last Merkel's visit in Cyprus was focused only on another, differend aspect of the Strategic EU Member island : that of Germany's leading role on the EU's Maritime force destinated to Monitor Libanon's SeaCoasts vis a vis Israel, (which was hosted in Cyprus' Pafos Seaport, etc), after a UNO's 2006 Decision, taken in order to avoid any more Libano - Israeli border conflicts, gave a Monitoring mandate including to an International Terrestrial Peace-keeping mission initially headed by France.

    But, even before Merkel's forthcoming 2011 visit to Cyprus, UNO's Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, reportedly invited both Cyprus' President Demetres Christofias, and the Leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community (living in the Northern Territories of Cyprus' Occupied by Ankara's Military), Dervis Eroglu, currently engaged in on-going inter-communal talks) to come and meet him at New York on the 18th of November 2010, shortly after UN Chief's relevant statements made in reply to "EuroFora"s questions at his October Press Conference in EU Parliament in Strasbourg (See : .... ).

    Turkey, in a Contradictory move, reportedly claimed to be anxious for a kind of settlement, after notoriously draging its feet for Decades on Cyprus' Political and/or Human Rights' issues since the 1974 invasion/occupation of the island's Northern part, to the point that Ankara had even backed a Turkish Cypriot leader's blunt  ...refusal to participate in a High Level New York meeting, droping  invitations by  f. UNO's Secretary General Koffi Annan to start Talks for Cyprus' ReUnification on the basis of UNO Security Council Resolutions, on September 12, 2001 : It's only by exploiting the coincidence of the blockade of Airplane flights, provoked by the 9/11 Barbaric Terrorist Attacks' mass killings, that Turkey avoided EU reactions then... During more than 35 Years since the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion and Occupation of Cyprus' northern part, Ankara didn't ever accept any UN proposal, with the only exception of a Controversial 5th version of a Draft Plan for a Cyprus' Deal which had been prepared (without EU presence, except briefly at the end) mainly by a "Socialist" Brittish UN Official, speaking Turkish but not Greek, with some strange personal links on GeoPolitics and Economy, who was dismissed by Annan after this Draft's failure, on 2005, (and replaced by a UN Official which had monitored Appartheid's End in South Africa :  Ismail Gabari, that he appointed UN undersecretary general for Political affairs : See his statements to "EuroFora"'s co-founder, September 2005 at New York). But, on mid-2010, the Turkish side reportedly provoked  a "Deadlock", by asking Excessive Derogations against< Greek Cypriot Refugees' Human Right to return to their Family Homes and Ancestral Land, and to restore or compensate their Private Properties, as well as for a long foreign Military presence, a Separation of the Country's Natural Resources, etc., stressing a "2 States" Agenda instead of the Official UNO' aim to focus on Cyprus' ReUnification.

    Thus, Ankara's alleged sudden hurry, might just be a reaction probably made under EU indirect pressure and repeated calls for Ankara to fullfil, at last, the Commitments it has undertaken to stop Discrimination against Cyprus since 2005, (when it started Negotiations with the EU), but notoriously failed to meet until the December 2009 initial Deadline, and still refuses to honor even towards 2010's end, while in 2012 Cyprus is due to take over EU's rotating Chairmanship...
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    - Questioned by "EuroFora" about details on "EU's position in the forthcoming Summit with the USA", van Rompoy's d. Spokesman Jesus Carmona acknowledged that it had not been made "known" in public "exactly", and offered to "call back" later on, after checking carefully, so that he "might be able to help" with some concrete info.                               

                                                                               
    According to the tight-lipped official "Conclusions" of the October 28 - 29 Brussels' European Council,  the 27 Heads of State/Government simply "exchanged views" and "discussed" the "key political messages" that Van Rompoy, together with Barroso, "will promote" in the EU - USA Summit, as the text says.

    But it wasn't clear after Brussels' Summit what "exactly" would do the Heads of State/Government of the biggest EU Countries, considering also that the forthcoming NATO and EU - USA Summits, following eachother in just a few Hours' short distance on November 19 and 20 in Lisbon, (Portugal), are notoriously due to focus largely also on Security - Defense and Politically related issues, which are mainly at the hands of sovereign States, (as f.ex. U.K. - France Summit between Brittish Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy highlighted, particularly on Defense Industry and High-Tech matters, in their joint Press Conference in London).
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    + Another issue which might, eventually, be evoked at the EU - USA Summit could be the EU - US Data Protection Agreement, that EU Parliament will discuss next week, while EU is reportedly prearing negotiations on airplanes' Passenger Name Reports with the US, Canada and Australia, where MEPs, starting to use new powers given by Lisbon Treaty, reportedly want to "remind .. the Principles ..to keep in mind during the Talks" and to "be fully informed on ..developments".

 

Both  CoE's and EU's watchdogs on Local and Regional Democracy, CLRAE and COR's Presidents, Keith Whitmore and Mercedes Bresso, speaking to "EuroFora", stressed the importance for a  European Monitoring of Sunday's Elections in Ukraine on the spot, and pointed at its aftermath, in the middle of a fast-moving EU/CoE reform of legal structures, political interests and leaders' choices, whose real stakes will appear only with the results of today's activities in the forthoming few Months, even before Ukraine takes over CoE's rotating Chairmanship from May 2011.

Ukraine is currently involved in Trade and other negotiations with the EU, keeping the aim to progressively advance towards a closer, strategic partnership and/or an EU accession strategy, while also welcoming Russian Prime Minister Putin this week for important deals, and promissing to be a "trustworthy" and "stable" strategic transit country for gas Energy links between Russia and the EU, in the run up to a forthcoming EU - Ukraine Summit later this year.

It's so more important for this EU/CoE check of 2010 Ukranian Local Elections to be efficient, serious; balanced, just and fair, that extremely contrasting Press reports currently go from claims with gross insults against the Ukranian Government, condeming the vote as rigged and undemocratic even before it takes place, up to lenient assurances that almost all will be clean and proper...

Complicating things for Objective Observers, a Turkish lobby's notorious anxiety to find pretexts for a Controversial, too Expensive, too Long, (uselessly zig-zaging far away from Europe), and too Risky (exposed to Conflicts, Kurdish a.o., Earthquakes, Political Blackmails,  lack of sufficient Gas, etc), old Pipeline project pompously titled "Nabucco", has an obvious interest for Ukraine's EU - Russia Gas link to be seen as untrustworthy and couldn't really dislike some trouble up there...
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    It's in the middle of all those "hot" GeoPolitical factors, largely cited by numerous mainstream Media all over the World, from Europe up to the USA and even Australia, etc., that CLRAE's new President, Keith Whitmore, an experienced Brittish Liberal representative from Manchester, gave to "EuroFora" an Interview on several Topical issues, including the forthcoming Ukranian Elections :

    - "It's a very Important" Mission for  "for the Congress" of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE), stressed from the outset its new President.

    - "Ukraine has gone through much Changes, for Democracy, during the recent Years", observed Whitmore.

    - "Most were for Progress, but there have been some Backward Steps as well", the experienced Head of CoE's watchdog for Local/Regional Democracy  carefully warned.

    - "We (CLRAE) have a very distinct Role to make sure that we teach the New Democracies on the track of Democracy : That is very important. "Sometimes we don't give sufficient help to some of the new democracies, to get their democracy to flourish", he added, referring mainly to the former Central-Eastern European Countries, many of whom have become, meanwhile, also EU Members.

    - But, keeping for the moment away from directly Political  issues, Whitmore prefered to cite an example in needs for "Training" :  - "F.ex., in my own country, (the UK), with Local Politicians,  we have Local Improvement Agencies,  to assist Counsellors in the way they work. But, we don't do that effectively, I think, in some of the New Democracies. I always felt very strongly that we need that kind of Training" : F.ex. - "We need counsellors to speak, to actually put forward what their needs are, and I've seen situations where Counsellors have spoken to Government Ministers, and haven't been able to put forward the case themselves that they need to put. And that kind of training, f.ex. when you have to speak to Ministers, to focus on what you want, particularly when these things are on Negotiation, and the talents (skills) of negotiation, are very important". Therefore, "Yes, I agree", that we (CLRAE) could develop something accross these lines in cooperation with the EU, as "EuroFora" suggested, Whitmore concluded as a matter of a general orientation.
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    Keith Whitmore personally has an extensive, recent Experience on Politically "delicate" issues, as former President of CLRAE's "Institutional" Committee, and was  the man chosen in 2010 in order to start Monitoring also the obscure but obviously important issue of a large Number of Kurdish elected Mayors and Regional Counsellors (including 2 former CLRAE Members) who were arrested shortly after winning the 2009 Local/Regional Elections in Turkey, closed to Prison since then, and currently prosecuted to Turkish Courts under accusations to allegedly have spoken in favor of "terrorist" organizations, according to some Turkish Officials.

These 2009-2010 exceptional incidents since the latest Turkish Local/Regional Elections coincided with a strange "disappearance" until now from Strasbourg of the then CLRAE President, Yavuz Mildon, (a Turkish politician himself, with firm positions in Political issues, but kind and smiling in personal contacts here, who had succeeded to win a human sympathy from many, including "EuroFora"), after he reportedly faced a sudden problem of "Blood Pressure" in Turkey which apparently left him seriously handicaped.

Meanwhile, under the acting CLRAE Chairmanship by the experienced Chamber of Local Authorities' President, Dr. Jan Micallef from Malta (ChristianDemocrat/EPP), CLRAE had organized 2 Public Hearings in Strasbourg on the on-going Problems for Local/Regional Democracy in Turkey, (but not yet a full Plenary Debate and Vote on a Report with a Resolution, unlike to what is usually done also for all other CoE Member Countries, such as Ukraine, Russia, and many EU States), while Ankara has yet to apply a landmark CoE Resolution adopted by the CLRAE as early as since 1997, and vainly confirmed in a 2007 Strasbourg debate...

Questioned on his 2010 findings after a recent Monitoring Visit in Turkey and a CLRAE Committee Debate held in Belgrade during the Summer behind closed doors, (see relevant "EuroFora"s Publication with the statements Whitmore had given us just before that),  Whitmore appeared unusually tight-lipped, at least for the moment : - "I have to speak first with the Turkish Delegation this week in Strasbourg", during CLRAE's Autumn Session. - "I know that there have been many frustrations about this, and there is also the long-standing Kurdish issue, etc., but I think that we'd better Wait and see" what may happen, at least for the moment, he simply told us this time.
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    Apparently reflecting somehow a GeoPolitical coalition behind Whitmore's election with a large majority as new President of CoE's PanEuropean watchdog for Local and Regional Democracy, after a particularly "hot" competition (See separate DraftNews, already send to "EuroFora"'s Subscribers/Donors), the CLRAE Delegation sent to monitor the Ukrainian Elections this Sunday, is headed by Austrian Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Socialist), with Rapporteur Nigel Mermagen, from  the Chamber of Local authorities, and Speaker for the Regions Doreen Huddart, (both Brittish Liberals). By a coincidence, it's also Brittish Liberal Christopher Newburry, a serious CLRAE Member (See Newburry's earlier statements to "EuroFora" on Citizens' participation and other issues, already sent to Subscribers/Donors), who is reporting this week in CLRAE's Plenary Debates on Russia too.

    After holding several High-level meetings scheduled with Ukranian Officials since 29-30/10/2010, the CLRAE Team, (composed of 19 Elected Representatives, cooperating together with 4 Members of EU's Committee of Regions, who had already visited Ukraine earlier this Month for a Pre-electoral check), plans to form 10 separate groups to be deployed in various Cities, meeting with Elected representatives, candidates and NGOs, before observing the Elections on Sunday 31/10/2010, and anouncing its main conclusions in a Press Conference at Kiev on Monday, November 1st.

    A Report with a draft Resolution on CLRAE Teams' conclusions is due to be prepared in the following Months in view of a final Public Debate and Vote at CLRAE's next Plenary Session "on March 2011", said to "EuroFora" CLRAE's Head of Communication and International relations/Elections observation, Renate Zikmund from Austria.
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     Recent developments seem to have, meanwhile, augmented CLRAE's relevance in relation to the EU, as indicated to "EuroFora" the new CLRAE's Secretary General, the EU-experienced Andreas Kieffer from Austria :

- "We (CLRAE) have agreed with EU's Committe of Regions to have regular contacts and, in particular, provide them with all our Monitoring Reports on Local and Regional Democracy, f.ex. Election monitoring on the spot, etc", in all CoE Member Countries, including on EU Candidate and/or EU Neighbouring Countries, CLRAE's new Chief Executive Officer told us earlier in Strasbourg.

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    EU's Committee of Regions' President, Mercedes Bresso, speaking later to "EuroFora" in Strasbourg, confirmed her interest "to cooperate with CoE's CLRAE" and to use, indeed, "CLRAE's Reports on Elections' Monitoring" - "Yes, it is an objective Field of work of the CLRAE, because they have a clear mandate and large experience, she observed.

    - "But, often, it's useful that our (EU's COR's) Members participate also directly on the spot",  as, f.ex., this time in Ukraine, where EU is sending its own Observers, together with CLRAE's team, the Committe of Region's Chairwoman pointed out to "EuroFora".                                          

    The issue might even affect EU's Strategy, since COR's President said to "EuroFora" that Local/Regional Elections' Monitoring, would be included also in a "Forum" she is currently preparing with the incoming Hungarian EU 2011 Chairmanship on EU's "Eastern Strategy in general", including Western Balkans, Ukraine, and other neighbouring countries, scheduled in Budapest before "Spring 2011", (i.e. almost at the same time that CLRAE's is due to hold a public debate and vote on its Report on the Ukranian Elections : See supra).

    The Budapest event could also pave the way to the creation of an Eastern Partnership "Assembly, similar to ARLEM" (for the Union for the Mediterranean's area), due to have both a Parliamentarian and a Local/Regional representatives' section,  for which already exists an EU Council's official "Mandate", "EuroFora" was told by Bresso.
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    - In the foreseable Future, "we (CLRAE) intend to focus more on CoE's core business, which is Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law", and, therefore, "Monitoring", f.ex. of Elections, and checking "Good Governance" will come at the forefront of CoE's watchdog on Local and Regional Authorities, its new President, Keith Whitmore stressed from the outset, speaking one day later in front of Strasbourg's permanent journalists, including "EuroFora", (Comp. other Whitmore's statements in reply to "EuroFora"'s questions on different issues at this occasion, sent earlier to Subscribers/Donors).

    - CLRAE "has a unique role in Monitoring" Local and Regional Democracy, and this should be the "No 1 Priority" of CoE's PanEuropean watchdog. Moreover, a 2009 CLRAE Resolution made it clear that "the Human Rights situation will be examined during the Monitoring of Local/Regional Democracy in any CoE Member Country", stressed during this week's debates CLRAE's Rapporteur on the 2011-2012 Priorities, experienced Dr. Jan Micaleff, former acting CLRAE President, and unfortunate candidate for a fully-fledged Presidential mandate, won by Whitmore after a particularly "hot" competition.

    - This is "New", because it implies to "move beyond Standard-setting" only, contrary to the Past, since "our intention is to pay more attention to Human Rights" : Indeed, - "We (CLRAE) have become increasingly aware of the fact that we cannot have real Democracy without Human Rights' respect", because "Human Rights are the sine qua non of Democracy", Micaleff concluded.

 Without contesting the overall result of a CLRAE vote largely in favor of Whitmore,  backed by the heads of 3 Groups, Micaleff (who got some 35% of votes) and the Heads of the Italian, French and Dutch EPP delegations etc. appeared upset on the alleged circumstances in which he was denied backing from the leadership of his own Group, the largest inside CoE : that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, (which, despite its name,  has 18 Turkish, i.e. ..Muslim Members, compared to only 14 for the Biggest EU Country : the 90 Millions-strong Germany, and only ..4 for France, while an exceptionaly high proportion of CLRAE Members : 33%,  are Independents), reportedly because of a previous "Agreement" between Groups on  rotation and post sharing, according to a usual practice inside CoE's various bodies, (f.ex. its Parliamentary Assembly, etc), which, however, is not always absolute, (as the election of new CoE's SG, Jagland, proved).

While it might, eventually, have some relevance to CLRAE Monitoring in Countries as f.ex. Turkey, (some Officials of which, had, in the Past, reportedly argued that CLRAE's mandate was limited only into checking Elections and/or Laws, contrary to this "new" 2009 CLRAE development, which explicitly stresses also CoE's general concerns for Human Rights, f.ex. to check if any Local/Regional elected representative faced arbitrary arrest, torture and/or inhuman/degrading treatments, unfair trial, violation of his/her freedom of expression, etc), however, it wasn't yet obvious if that exceptional moment of competition between 2 long-standing CLRAE mainstream politicians, who, as both said, were "Friends" and used to "work together" since 1996, might, eventually have anything to do with the imminent Ukranian Election and its aftermath, or not.
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At any case, it's a fact that the most Critical of all vis a vis Ukraine this week in Strasbourg obviously was CoE Assembly's Chair, Mevut Cavusoglu (2010-2011) from Turkey :

- "Ukraine must fulfill is commitments to the CoE", the PanEuropean Organization for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, stressed from the outset Cavusoglu, who knows wery well what it really means, considering Turkey's notorious grave violations of Human Rights, International Law, etc...

- "There is no pretext for Ukraine not to go on with more Reforms", since, after the Internationaly Community acknowledged that "the Presidential Elections were fair", "he has a clear Majority in Parliament", he argued.

- Therefore, "the country should take advise of Venice Commission", CoE's watchdog on Constitutional Law and Elections, (which has recently issued also an important Report on what must change in the Turkish Constitution in order to bring it in line with Democratic standards, that Ankara notoriously refuses to follow)...
- Nevertheless, Cavusoglu went on to criticize Ukraine stressing that "Corruption is a Problem", while "there are also other issues", and  the "Opposition must be involved", as he asked.

- It's for all those reasons that, "of course, (31 October 2010) Local Elections are a Test for Democracy in Ukraine", he concluded, speaking at CLRAE's Plenary session in Strasbourg, which is currently supposed to be checking the accordance with Democratic principles of the exceptional fact that, in Turkey, most ethnic Kurds elected Mayors and Regional Counsellors were arrested immediately after the 2009 Elections, jailed for 1,5 Year, and currently prosecuted...

PACE's 2010-2011 Chair also condemned "Islamophobia", found "Unacceptable Speaches" in "France" on some issues, stigmatising what he called "Hate Speech", (a pretext often, abused by Turkish and other oppressive Officials in order to muzzle and harass various Political Dissidents, as, f.ex., the Armenian Journalist Hrant Dink murdered on 2007);  and called to "implement CoE's Resolutions", (that Ankara notoriously neglects for more than a Decade, particularly on grave Human Rights' violations found by ECHR)...

Cavusoglu went on to denounce  "Problems in the Western Balkans", including "in Albania and Bosnia", etc., but found ..."Progress in Turkey", mainly because of a controversial recent Reform on nomination of Judges, strongly denounced by the Opposition, despite a persisting refusal to drop the Highest Threshhold in CoE's 47 Member Countries for representation in Ankara's Parliament, (more than 10 % throughout all Turkey !), regardless of the notoriously persisting (some International NGOs even say : "aggravating") practice of Torture and/or Inhuman/Degrading Treatments, and despite ECHR's September 2010 landmark Judgement's findings, in the famous case of Armenian Journalist Hrant Dink's Murder, that Turkish State Officials "knew" about the Plans to kill, but didn't warn nor protect the Victim, .. prosecuting him, on the contrary, in a joint move together with his future Murderers, who, later-on, appeared (even in Photos) to benefit from scandalous sympathies or complicities amidst some Turkish Officials still persisting until today (2007-2010) to cover up all those who planned and incited the cold-blood brutal killing, (according to ECHR's judgement) ..
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Ukraine's forthcoming 2011 CoE Presidency "crucial" also for the EU and all Europe, because it will negotiate EU's Accession to the ECHR, avoiding Differend Human Rights' standards in an otherwise separated European continent with a "2 Speeds" Apartheid on Citizens' freedoms...
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However, Ukraine seems particularly important today for the CoE and the EU, not only because of its unique Geopolitical location, its EU - Russia Oil-Gas transit links, its unquestionably European History and Culture, its Airplane and Rocket High-Tech know-how, its Mineral resources (Uranium, etc), its abudant and complementary Agricultural products (wheat, etc. : The real cause of the famous Troye War in Ancient Greek History, because of the control of the Ship routes between Ukraine and the rest of Europe, through the International Straights of Dardanelles),  the Ukranian channel to Danube's delta, additional to Romania's Seaport, able to ling Central Asia's Energy Sources, through the Black Sea, to EU's Rhine river Industrial Franco-German a.o. Heartland, etc.

But even more because Ukraine will take over, for the 1st time in History, CoE's Presidency from May to November 2011, and it's precisely during that period, i.e. under Ukranian CoE Chairmanship, that EU is expected to make an Historic Agreement with the CoE on the concrete mecanism which will allow the EU to accede to the PanEuropean Convention of Human Rights, scheduled by EU's Lisbon Treaty which entered into force since December 2009, as CoE's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland revealed  :

- Indeed, speaking at CLRAE's Plenary, Jagland anounced that he expects for such a landmark EU - CoE Agreement (on the concrete terms under which EU will accede to the ECHR) to be concluded "before the Summer of Next Year : 2011", (i.e. during Ukraine's forthcoming CoE's Presidency), so that the Ratification process should be completed asap.

- Jagland made it clear that, in fact, it's "a Crucial issue that EU accedes to ECHR, because, otherwise, after EU Lisbon Treaty's Fundamental Rights Charter's recent entry into force (12/2009), this would Risk to develop a Differend case-law on Human Rights by the Luxembourg (EU) and Strasbourg (CoE) Courts, resulting in 2 Differend Levels of Human Rights' respect, Dividing CoE's Countries in 2 Different parts on Human Rights' issues" (for EU Members, and Other Countries) , as he warned.

- That's why "we hope an Agreement before Summer Next Year" ( 2011 : i.e. during the forthcoming Ukranian CoE Presidency), concluded CoE's Secretary General.
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By a coincidence, it's precisely at the moment and at the exact location where a CLRAE Member was in Dialogue with CoE's SG Jagland on whether and how could be avoided such a Risk to Divide the Continent into 2 areas with Differend Levels of Human Rights' respect, one of CoE's ECHR (threatened to become Lower, extending to Third, Non-EU Countries) and another by EU's European Court of Justice (expected to become Higher, but only for EU Countries), that the Head of Cyprus' Delegation to the CLRAE, former Minister Andreas Christou, was shown by the cameras to take his nearby seat...

This visible fact inevitably triggered a Symbolic "flash" to whoever follows EU/CoE issues, obviously warning also of a similar Risk to push for "Double Standards" among CoE and/or ECHR's practices if they differ too much (according to some Lobbies' notorious interests) between CoE Member States, pressing f.ex. some to respect some Principles, at the same time that others are allowed to grossly violate them.... (Comp. also supra).      

F.ex., strongly criticize and threaten Ukraine for this or that error (even if some might be at least partly true, eventually), while at the same time practically closing eyes on Turkey's notoriously grave violations of Human Rights, including on Cyprus' Refugees, "Missing" persons' Families, etc., would be an obvious "Double Standards" stance threatening to put CoE's credibility in danger... Thus, if CoE is really interested into avoiding a Human Rights' Apartheid separating the Continent in 2 Different parts, (as his S.G., Jagland warned : See supra), then, logically, it should also take care for its own Principles for Democracy and Human Rights' Values to be equally applied throughout all its 47 Member States, without any (silent but obvious) exceptions or deviations..

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               ***

Top Political Debates, at Heads of State/Government's level, should start now on Strategic choices involving Funds in EU's Future, and this will become permanent until discussions open on the MultiAnnual EU Financial Perspectives on New Needs seen for the 1st time at EU's 2011 Budget, after Lisbon Treaty's entry into force extended EU's Activities, stressed EU Parliament Budget Committee's President, former EU Minister, Alain Lamassoure, in reply to "EuroFora"'s questions, together with experienced German ChristianDemocrat MEP Reimer Böge, competent for relations between Annual Budgets and Financial Perspectives, confirming "EuroFora"'s earlier publication on various moves to open Debates on EU's Future.

For the 1st time in History, MEPs don't ask more Money for next year (2011) from EU Governments, but, instead, to open Democratic Debates, at Top Political Level, on Europe's Future, as it can be seen through the concrete viewpoint of EU's Multi-Annual Financial Perspectives, Lamassoure anounced and Boege developed further.

Current National Austerity Budgets, imposing sometimes impopular restrictions in order to overcome Public Debts, (as, f.ex., 500.000 civil servants' jobs suppressed in the UK, retirement age extended 2 years more in France, draconian measures in Greece and elsewhere, etc) don't allow EU to ask for more than a simply stable 2011 Budget, without any augmentation, and even with a small decrease due to the inflation.

But, on the contrary, there is a real and new need to start debatting, from now, on what will be done in the forthcoming years, throughout all the foreseable Future, without limiting things only to 2011, but going much further than that, including the post - 2013 and post - 2014 period. Because New Challenges (f.ex. the Global Economic Crisis, Global Warming, etc), and New EU Activities added by the recent entry into force of Lisbon Treaty (f.ex. Space, Defence/Security, External Service, etc), as well as New vital Infrastructures, (f.ex. innovative Energy Networks, such as Liquefied Gas Sea/River transport, Solar mega-projects, etc), obviously require more and/or new Financial resources during the forthcoming Years.
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Various interesting and "hot" issues, sometimes of outstanding Political importance, may emerge out of such Debates on EU Funds' Future : - F.ex., when new British Prime Minister Cameron takes the hard decision to cut 500.000 jobs at the Public Sector on 2010 in order to make necessary Economies sparing rarefied money from needless expenses, how could he justify to the Public Opinion, at the same time, calls for the EU to obey to USA President Obama's attempts to impose the notoriously unpopular and controversial Turkish EU bid, which would cost a fortune, an uprecedented Huge Amount of EU Taxpayer's Money wasted only for Ankara's desiderata, as some EU sources had already speculated, shortly after  2012 ?

Thus, "EuroFora" asked Lamassoure and Boege, the two Top Franco-German MEPs representing EU Parliament's Budget Committee, while also participating in the SURE Committee on Financial Perspectives,  2 "related, but Independent Questions" :

(A) - First, to make it crystal-clear "if" they really "wish for a Debate to reach up to the European Council, i.e. at the level of Heads of State/Government, in order to have an overview, "vue d'ensemble" (in French) or "uberschict" (in German), over all kinds of issues, including Political".

(B) - Moreover, "EuroFora" also asked them what Time Horizon had their move : - "Up to which (Time) limit do you wish to extend the EU Financial Perspectives' review : 1, 2, 3 Years, or more, perhaps to fully open (now) all this issue" of the next Financial Perspectives' MultiAnnial Period, (f.ex. +2014 - 2023) ?

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- "The Time has come for a Political Debate at the European Council level", i.e. among EU Heads of State/Government, stressed the President of EU Parliament's Budget Committee, Alain Lamassoure, in reply to "EuroFora"'s 1st question :

- Even if It's for EU Council to choose how and at which level it will decide, nevertheless, it's a fact that, "for the 1st time, in EU Parliament, the Negotiations for the Vote and for the Conciliation (with EU Council) on EU Budget 2011, were Politically driven by the Presidents of MEPs' Groups, which already convened 4 times in our presence, and will convene anew, Wednesday Evening, together with EU Commission's President Jose Barroso and Budget's Commissioner Levandowski, and it's also EU Parliament's President, Jerzy Buzek, who will chair MEPs' Delegation at the process of Conciliation with EU Council Next Week", Lamassoure observed in reply.

- "I.e., in order to adopt this (new) Stategy, EU Parliament had to advance further and Higher than its Budget's Committee alone", he noted. Because, "if we wanted to merely stay at the traditional annual Budgetary process, then, we would have used only the Budget's Committee, as usual. But, "since we want to go Further than that, then, the Political Guidance is that of EU Parliament's Highest Authorities".

- "Now, a similar Logic goes also for our interlocutors (i.e. EU Council, representing EU Member States' Governments) : - "If the (EU) Council's Budgets Ministers thinks that it might have a Mandate to accept the Political Agreement that we (MEPs) propose, then, naturally, I'd be very Glad, because that could simplify things. But I would be very much Surprised...", he warned.

- "Therefore, we are convinced, including the Presidents of MEPs' Groups, that this issue should go up to the European Council", i.e. up to EU Heads of State/Government.  - "And the Agenda fits well" to that, given Next Week's Brussels EU Summit of 28-29 October, i.e. precisely at the beginning of the 3 Weeks-long MEPs - Governments "Reconciliation" proces on 2011 EU's Budget.
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- "Moreover, if we look at the (Historic) Precedents, each time that a Serious Budgetary  Problem", and/or "a problem of (Financial) Resources emerged, it was the European Council (i.e. Heads of States/Governments) which took over".

- F.ex., already, "the 1st grave Crisis faced by the "small" EU Community (initially composed only out) of 6 (Member Countries), the (famous) "Empty Chair" Crisis, provoked by (former French President) General De Gaulle, was, precisely, about (EU's) own (Financial) Resources : We shouldn't forget that", the experienced Lamassoure reminded.

- And, "the 1st time that European Council had real Discussions on (EU's) own Resources,  because there weren't enough resources to fund EU's Budget, it was during the Fontaineblau EU Council, back in 1984, when (former UK Prime Minister) Mrs Thatcher, had pronounced her famous Formula :  - "I want my Money back !", and she had obtained the Brittish Rebate", he also recalled.

- But, since then, "for 25 Years, there was no more Political Debate at the European Council on how to fund EU Budget", Lamassoure regretted, (while also ommitting to mention the famous June 2005 Chirac - Blair clash over EU's Financial Perspectives, when German MEP Boege was, precisely, EU Parliament's Rapporteur on Budgets, and sharply Critical vis a vis Blair's EU Chairmanship, that he had sharply denounced speaking then to "EuroFora"s co-founder).

- "And I'm convinced that, after the new EU Lisbon Treaty (which entered into force after December 2009), after all that which happened" meanwhile, "after having adopted the Europa 2020" Economic Strategy, "etc., and given also the current Deadlock in which we are in order to fund EU's Budget", in consequence, the "Time has come for the European Council (i.e. Heads of State/Government) to take over this issue", EU Parliament's Budget Committee's President concluded. "It's better that it examines this issue at a normal moment now, instead of" being obliged, later-on, to do so in a Future Emergency, "during a Hot Crisis atmosphere", Lamassoure warned.

- "However, this is not for us, MEPs, and EU Parliament to decide : It depends from EU Council to inform the European Council i.e. Heads of State/Government, if it feels the need", he added carefully.

- "But, in fact, the (current) Agenda fits well" for this kind of moves, "and it's good if we (EU) could seize the opportunity offered by the EU Agenda", the competent Top MEP pointed out, obviously indicating that  this could and should be done by EU Heads of State/Government from Next Week's 28-29 Brussels' EU Summit. --------------------------                                                                                                                                                                 

 

Reimer  Boege, who is EU Budgets' Committee's Rapporteur on Financial and also Member of SURE Committee competent to decide on EU's next 2014-2023 Financial Perspectives' period, replying to "EuroFora"s second question (See supra), stressed from the outset that EU Parliament wants a "Permanent Review" of EU's Financial Perspectives :

 - Even if "the proposals presented today, (Tuesday, October 19),  by EU Commission, do not include a Review or Revision within EU's Financial Perspectives up to the end 2013", nevertheless, "on the other hand", f.ex. "the case of ITER (EU's Pioneer Multi-Annual RST Research on Nuclear Fusion's Energy), shows clearly that, in fact, we (EU, already) are at a Permanent situation of Revision","and this already took place in the framework of Past Years'  EU Budget",  f.ex., on 2008, 2009,  "to remind you the 5 Billion (Economic) Recovery Plan, and on the Food facility, on the special case of GALILEO (Satellite Navigation System), etc.  which are projects of clear European Added Value".

 -  Now, "without a Revision (of the current EU's Financial Perspectives), and without using all Budgetary tools, we cannot resolve the case of ITER", he observed.

- "And there will be also Next Year's (2011) cases as well : F.ex. "there will be more Transparency, how to fund the (EU's recently created Diplomatic) External Service, not just by an Amending Letter or Budget, but also with a MultiAnnual approach, and Other Questions will come on the table as well, of course, to prepare New Projects, f.ex. when EU Commissioner Oettinger will come, I think on February (2011) on Energy Policy, and Energy Networks, f.ex., there will be also  a discussion on how to fund it as well" :

- "Shall we (EU) Wait until 2014, (i.e.... 3 Years Later !!!), or is there, let's say, a Starting Period, which has to be Implemented already in this (2007-2013) Financial Perspective ?", Boege wondered.

- Even if "we had not foreseen" that, simply "because Lisbon Treaty (which opens the way for such New Projects) was not foreseen within the Existing Financial Framework (2007-2013)", explained the experienced German MEP.

=>  - "So", at any case, it's inevitable that "there will be a Permanent Revision Debate, within the MultiAnnual Financial Perspectives,  whatever the outcome of the Institutions' (current) discussions might be", Reimer Boege stressed.

- "But, now, EU Parliament has a Stronger Position as far as the Financial Perspectives and the Annual Budget is concerned, and we shall use this debate, specially, as our Chairman (Lamassoure) just described, as far as the Engagement of the Groups' Presidents, and of EU Parliament's President is concerned :  

- "We (MEPs) want to strengthen a Real Political Debate with the EU Council"'s Heads of State/Government, he confirmed.

- Even if, "in the Past, the Council has always tried to avoid a Political Debate", nevertheless, "I think that, what we (EU Parliament) develop now as a New Strategy will help us to force the (EU) Council to come to a Real Political Debate about the Challenges" in EU's Future, as they can be already seen through the "EU Budget", (comp. supra).

+ Speaking later to "EuroFora" after the proposed New Mechanism inserted in EU's 2011 Budget (See supra) was largely adopted by EU Parliament's Plenary on Wednesday, Boege stressed that MEPs "want a real Political Debate  with EU Council on the forthcoming Review of EU's MultiAnnual Financial Perspectives", and "the (Future) Challenges  of EU Budget".

Co-Decision's process moves Faster under the new EU Lisbon Treaty : EU Parliament votes the Budget only 1 time, instead of twice in the Past, and MEPs and Governments must agree, reaching a Compromise "in 3 Weeks", otherwise "it all starts from scrap", Lamassoure warned.

Meanwhile, in order to obtain its Political Aim to open a forwards looking Poliical Debate on EU's Future Perspectives, EU Parliament imagined a new Technical device, (consisting of adding several "New Lines" for more Funds in the 2011 Draft Budget, often citting forthcoming Years' foreseeable Needs and/or resources, but without entering any Numbers, so that EU Council's Governments would be obliged to ask MEPs to drop these new budgetary lines, thereby engaging in Discussions also on EU's Future activities...
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New EU Activities, f.ex. on Space, Defense/Security, EU's External Service, Climate and Energy policies, as well as Scientific/Technologic Research, etc., are expected soon, particularly after Lisbon Treaty's delayed entry into force (12/2009).

+ All these, and other new Challenges, should convince the EU to start debatting the creation of some New Funds and/or EU's own Resources, Top MEPs have recently stressed, (including the President of the largest Group of MEPs : That of ChristianDemocrats. Joseph Daul, (See earlier relevant NewsReports)        

        
- New EU Resources, including, f.ex. teje post-2012 Tax on CO2 Emmissions Trading,  could grow up to 30 - 50 Billions € per Year, i.e. a big Gift decided at EU level, so that there is no reason for it to be eventually totally absorbed by EU Member States, instead of funding EU Budgets, Lamassoure pointed out.

Economy and Danube are due to be at the focus of the next EU rotating Presidency,  January - June 2011, said to "EuroFora" the next EU Chairman in office, Hungarian Deputy Foreign Minister Ivan Baba, speaking on the sidelines of CoE's Summit on Roma in Strasbourg, where he highlighted some among the main EU Priorities for the next 6 Months :

From "Economic Governance", up to "SME"s, "Danube" River, Foreign Policy, etc. up to the coordination of EU/CoE Plans for the integration of Roma People, etc.,  the "Priorities of the (Hungarian 2011 EU) Presidency, in general" will also coincide with a key moment, when New EU Commissioner on Energy, Gunter Oettering, is reportedly due to present a set of Proposals, on February or March 2011, about Energy policy and Networks, (comp. relevant Oettering's statements to "EuroFora", that he gave us on 12/2009 and early 2010).

Hungary, a new EU Member since 2004, has had already a useful Experience in such matters since it chaired CoE's Committee of Ministers, as early as back on 1999, when it organized an exceptionally important PanEuropean Ministerial gathering in Budapest, (where "EuroFora"s co--founder had been invited for Press coverage), by an interesting coincidence under  the same Center-Right FIDESZ Governing party led also by the current Prime Minister Victor Orban, (who has just succeeded to win the 2010 Elections with an astonishing 2/3 "SuperMajority"), and with the same  Foreign Minister : the experienced János Martonyi.
  
Ivan Baba himself already had a long Experience at the Foreign Ministry of Hungary throughout the 1990ies, including during the 1999 Hungarian Presidency of the CoE, and  later became Head of the currently Governing Party FIDESZ' Office on Foreign Affairs, (2000-2006).

- Start to apply EU Council's forthcoming Decisions on EU's "Economic Governance", for the 1st time in Europe's History,  will also one of the key Priorities of the Hungarian 2011 EU Chairmanship, he  said to "EuroFora".

- But these are due to extend also on "Good Governance in Economy", in general, "Small and Medium Enterptrises", etc., the Hungarian Minister added.

- As far as the CoE is concerned, the "Follow-up of its Plan for the integration of Roma People", adopted by a High-Level PanEuropean Ministerial meeting in Strasbourg today, in the presence of EU Commissioner Viviane Reding, (See DraftNews already send to "EuroFora"'s Subscribers/Donors), will timely be one among the issues for action, Ivan Baba went on to observe, in the framework of the Cooperation with the EU, as well as of EU's proper strategy,

- "Danube" priority is certainly a Key point for the 2011 Hungarian EU Chairmanship, which intends to address this strategic EU asset from many points of view : on Navigation, Economy, Ecology, Culture, etc., so that it's quite a Complex" of issues,  the incoming EU Chairman in office highlighted.

 - "Yes, yes", this naturally includes using the huge Potential of Danube - Rhine Ship Transports also for Energy Transport, from the Black Sea, through EU's Industrial core and France - Germany's common borders up to the Northern Sea, particularly by boosting New Technologies for Liquefied Gas, (which can be safely and easily transported in a condensated liquid form inside containers), he agreed with "EuroFora".  

The move comes timely, at the same period during which EU Commissioner Gunter Oettering, (from nearby Stuttgart), reportedly aims to present also Plans for Energy Networks on February or March 2011, while being personally aware and interested in Danube and Rhine Rivers' recently enlarged potential to boost in particular Liquefied Gas Transports by Ships from the Caspian area, via Black Sea, through EU's Franco-German core, up to Holland and the UK at the Northern Sea, (where Gas findings are notoriously declining).

European bodies organizing Navigation through Danube and Rine Rivers are headquartered at Budapest (Hungary), and Strasbourg (France, facing the German border), respectively.

But Strasbourg is in the process of becoming an even wider European River Crossroads, potentially able to link 4 Seas (Black, Northern, Baltic and even Mediterranean), thanks also to German river Elbe and to a French channel able to link Rhone to Rhine

The "great Importance" to develop Strategic River Links able to interconnect most Europe while also  combining Sea and River Ship Transport, was timely stressed, earlier these days here also by the recently elected new President of Region Alsace's MEDEF Businessmen,   Olivier Klotz, speaking to Strasbourg's Journalists, including "EuroFora", as far as the Rhine - Rhone rivers big gabarit project link is concerned.     

                                                                                                                                    
On this occasion, MEDEF's new President in Strasbourg's region Alsace, (who was himself a CEO for a German company), in reply to an "EuroFora" question stressed his belief that EU's "motor" France and Germany (which share together the key Rhine River link), are willing to combine economic efficiency and political will in a common "desire to boost Europe". (Comp. Draft News already send to "EuroFora"'s Subscribers/Donors earlier).