newsitems

 

The bigest University in France, Strasbourg's new, Unified University "Unistra", with more than 42.000 Students and 5.000 Educational, Research and Administration staff, to which  the State  invested in 2009 some 379,5 Millions € producing 15 Millions € yearly in interests to be invested in about 30 projects, in addition to its huge Buildings and Land immovable property throughout Strasbourg,  if it succeeds to join together its prestigious History of a long series among the best French and German Scientists, when it served as brillant Showcase for each neighbouring Nation's spirit successively, with its Modern Geopolitical situation at EU's Franco-German core and along the famous "Blue banana" central  curve, linking London to Brussels, Strasbourg, Geneva, Rome, etc, added to the Paris - Berlin axe, extended to Central Europe ("Mittel-Europa")'s Munich, Wien, Prague, Bratislava, Budapest, etc., can and must win Today's challenge of becoming one of the Best in the World, together with nearby German Fribourg, Karlrshue, and Stuttgart, as well as Swiss Bale Universities, said in substance to "EuroFora" French Minister for Scientific Research, Valerie Pecresse, speaking earlier here, before she inaugurated today, together with Unistra's President Beretz, and other officials, a new Central Building and reviewed an ambitious, Multi-Annual "Campus Plan", while also anouncing new, important developments for 2011.

- "My wish really is for Strasbourg's new, Unified University to succeed to ripe the best benefit from the that it's so close to some among the Best German and Swiss Universities", particularly accross the Rhine river, Valerie Pecresse pointed out before the 2010 events, where it also pointed at Unistra's 87 Research Units and 10 Doctoral Colleges, (together with a European one, dedicated to Ph.D thesis which can be jointly co-directed by Professors of differend universities in the EU).

The move goes straight in the larger, mainsteam direction of an ambitious "Franco-German 2020 Agenda", which includes the "creation of European Poles of Excellence" by "French and German Universities", "joining Capacities for Innovative programs",  agreed on earlier this year at the conclusion of a Summit between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German President Angie Merkel, at Elysee Palace in Paris, on February 2010, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from that event, on the spot).

Already earlier, from December 2009, Sarkozy significantly chose Strasbourg in order to anounce the main targets for a voluntarist State "Great Loan" of more than 35 Billions €, to be invested, first for the creation of "Universities' poles of Excellence", but also for "Vehicles of the Future" and "Energy efficiency", "BioTechnologies"  and "Digital Economy", the same day that, in a synchronised, parallel move, Merkel anounced her f Information and Internet Technologies' strategy at an IT Summit at nearby Stutgart. (See "EuroFora"s relevant NewsReport from the spot, at the eve of Bonn's, Brussels and Copenhagen EPP, EU + UNO Heads of State/Government Summits).

- "On an EU level, we are, indeed, currently working to develop strategic partnerships mainly with the nearby Universities of Karlsruhe and Fribourg, (Germany) etc", said to "EuroFora" also Unistra's President Alain Beretz, earlier this September 2010 in Strasbourg, agreeing with new EU Commissioner for Energy, Gunter Oettering's ambitious remark, during his Hearing by EU Parliament's MEPs, that, in fact, Karlsruhe's recently created High-Tech. Institute could become soon "Europe's M.I.T. !", (similar to USA's prestigious, equivalent High-Tech conglomerate)...

- "Now, Strasbourg (University) has everything it needs to enter in the playground of the Biggest at a World-wide level", ambitiously stressed Valerie Pecresse, who also revealed that Unistra "wishes to present Future Projects, for an Innovation package , and, maybe get an "Excellence" prize which will be attributed on 2011's Spring".
- In general,  "5 Billions € will be invested, as the (French) President  (Sarkozy) decided, to the creation of Big University World-class Campuses"

Speaking after a "Round Table" discussion with all the representatives of Strasbourg's unified University's Governing board, Valerie Pecresse observed, that, even if some persons had, indeed, presented their views criticizing and/or asking for ameliorations in one or another point, a welcome development was, nevertheless, that the number of opposed demonstrators spectacularly droped ...- 100% less, descending from some 1.500 last year, when Unistra was created (2009) to only about 150 now (2010), probably because people saw, in real practice, that not any Education or Research jobs were suppressed at all, but, on the contrary, the French State took up the Challenge of Universities with substantial Financial investments, and "we shall continue next year (2011), when some 3.5 Billions € will be directly given to Universities", she anounced.

Meanwhile, she signed, together with Strasbourg's Alsace Region new President Philippe Richert and Lower Rhine Department's President Joseph Kennel, etc., (who support, together with the City's Mayor Roland Ries, Unistra's Campus Plan by adding some +70 Millions € more), a contract for the creation of a big, unique University's Administrative "Patio",  for a central staff and all Students' Gateway Orientation hub, that everybody wishes to see open in 2011.

Among various other ambitious Projects are included also an Hotel for Scientific Researchers visiting Strasbourg from Europe and allover the World, an all-together Learning Center, adequate Housing for University's Educational and Research staff, a long awaited, big Renovation of Strasbourg's historic National University Library (BNU), and other facilities aimed at making Student's free access to books and all scientific documents easier and larger, in a "Green" Campus "open to the City", where "it will feel good to work and innovate", boosting Unistra's "International attractivity".

 

 

ECHR denounced that Turkey had persecuted the Murdered Journalist, indirectly but surely, because he dared Criticize the Turkish State's Negationism on the 1915 Armenian Genocide, condemning Ankara's Authorities not only for blatant failures to protect his Life, even if they knew that he was seriously threatened, and by whom, before the Killing, but also for violating his Freedom of Speech.

Moreover, Turkish State's Agents knew the Plan to Murder the dissident Journalist, but did nothing to prevent the killing, (on the contrary, they even cooperated with would-be Killers into jointly Persecuting and slandeing the Victim to the Courtts !), and Turkish State Agents are also among several individuals involved in the affair of the cold-blood killing, both before and afterwards, in one way or another, but the Turkish State still persists until Today (2006-2010) to scandalously cover up all their Crimes and/or wrong-doings with a continuing total Impunity, as ECHR's judgement, rendered after 2 successive applications lodged to Strasbourg by the victims' Family, in fact revealed today :  

That's why  ECHR condemned Turkey for multiple Violations of the Right to Life and to Freedom of Expression, ordering it to pay more than 133.000 € to the Victim's Family for various damages and expenses.

Turkish Government's failure to clearly promise that it willl, at least now, really investigate the cold-blood Murder of dissident Armenian Journalist Hrant Dink, to find and punish all those involved, and stop harassing or intimidating critical Journalists, after a stunning Condamnation of Ankara by ECHR, which denounced that Turkey had grossly failed to protect the Journalist, even if it knew that he was threatened, and didn't properly investigate his Murder, even resticting and hindering enquiries asked by the Victims' Families and Friends", that,  "Turkey now has an unambiguous duty to reopen the investigation and cast the net Wider than those currently on trial", because "both legal obligations and Justice require addressing (Turkish) State ...possible Collusion in the Killing", and, in addition,  "If Ankara is serious about implementing the ruling, it needs to End Restrictions on Free Speech by repealing restrictive laws and protect the Right to Speak out."

But Turkish Foreign Ministry reacted only by merely claiming that 'efforts"(sic !) to implement the ruling and ...measures to prevent Future violations, would be decided, without saying nothing about efficient investigations to find and punish all those involved in the cold-blood Murder, nor on stopping harassing and prosecuting critical Journalists, as ECHR found that Ankara did also on Hrant Dink's and many other cases.

-  "Successive Turkish Governments have responded to judgments by the European Court holding Turkey in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights by paying (a) ..compensation to victims, but without taking further steps to implement rulings. In cases where the European Court has held Turkey responsible for violating the right to life, Turkish authorities have repeatedly failed to reopen investigations or to take concrete steps to identify those responsible for killings", Human Rights Watch's officer, Emma Sinclair-Webb, denounced.

Moreover, ECHR found that Turkey is frequently condemned by ECHR for scandalous Journalists' Murders, totalling, alone, almost a similar level of the Number of such Condamnations for Press Killings, as.... all other CoE's 46 Member States : More than 60 compared to about 80 cases, even parts of Turkish Press reportedly denounced.
-----------------------

The murdered Journalist had been earlier condemned by Turkish Courts for "insulting Turkiness", as they claimed.

But the applications to ECHR, lodged by the Victim's Wife and 2 Children, as well as his Brother, didn't protect not even them : After Hrant Dink's Murder, his Son was notoriously threatened to be prosecuted by similar Turkish Authorities' methods as his killed Father..

In one of his Articles, the Victim had "mentioned the Armenian origins of the adoptive Daughter of Ataturk", the founder of Turkey, born in Greece, "provoking Teactions, such as Demonstrations, Threatening Letters, etc, of which the Authorities were informed, by Extremist Nationalistc groups, who saw .. an attempt to turnish Attaturk's reputation".

But, instead of taking measures, on the contrary,  "Istanbul's deputy Prefect had warned him that the Security Forces couldn't guarantee his Safety, if his Newspaper continued to publish Articles provoking such reactions" ! I.e. instead of protecting the threatened Journalist, he had, on the contrary, even aggravated the threats against him, obviously pushing to muzzle...

Worse : Those who demonstrated and threatened Hrant Dink, from an Ultra Nationalist Turkish Group, instead of being arrested, on the contrary, were even ... allowed to intervene in Turkish Courts' prosecution against their own victim !
The Turkish Court's prosecution against the Journalist didn't stop but only after he was Murdered, on January 2007...

Scandalously, Turkish Authorities had been even officially informed that some supects were preparing to kill the Journalist, and that this was "probable", but they abstained from taking any measure whatever to try to protect the victim.

But all procedures against those Turkish Policement who knew that the Armenian Journalist was threatened by Death, and did nothing, between 2006 and 2007, were suspended or rejected in 2007-2008, ECHR denounced..

Scandalous Turkish Police's complicity with the Murderers went so far that, even after the bloody Killing, "some Turkish Security Agents ..... took their Photos in the company of the Killer, holding a Turkish Flag, in front of an inscription saying that "Motherland (Turkey) is sacred, and its fate cannot be left to chance", ECHR's judhemennt denounces.

The Murdered Journalist's Family accused Turkey in front of the ECHR, to have "exposed" him  ton Death risks, despite knowing the threats, and stressed that this was "part of a Series of Aggressions, organized by Turcs Extremists against members of Religious Minorities".

ECHR observed that the Turkish Authorities "were informed of an Intense Hostility, by UltraNationalist Turkish Groups, during the period of Time before he was murdered", mainly "because they found in his articles an attempt to turnish Attaturk's image", and they had even joined the Turkish Courts' prosecution accusing the Journalist to "insult Turkiness"...

But, Turkish Police, long before the tragic events, "knew that a Murder was probable, and even the Identity of its suspected instigators", ECHR found out.

- Astonishingly, "the instigators of Hrant Dink's murder ... had even spoken about their Plans in Public (!) to many People around them, had shown the Photograph" of the Journalist, clearly "designating him as the man to kill, had Tested in open air the Gun of the Crime, and had Planified the attack in a CyberCafé", ECHR denounces !..

- "Therefore, (Turkish) Authorities knew, or should know, that ..Dink was particularly exposed to become victim of a Deadly Attack", and that "this Risk was Real and Imminent", ECHR observed.

- But "Noone, among the 3 (Turkish) Authorities", who "knew" (See supra) and "were concerned by the Protection of the victim's Life", "did Not react in order to Prevent the Murder, ... despite the fact that they had been Informed of his Planification and Imminent execution", ECHR denounced.

+ Moreover, even after the Murder, (i.e. during the 2008-2010 period), ECHR found that ... "ALL procedures", raising the Responsibility of the Turkish Authorities which had so blatantly failed to do their duty to protect the threatened Journalist (See supra), had been either "Stopped", "Rejected", or Time-barred !

In addition, those empowered to decide on possible Sanctions for such blatant Failures to protect Human Life, were "not independent" from the Turkish Police, and "the Victim's Family weren't associated in the procedures against those Turkish Officers", while even "Suspicisions that a Turkish Police's Chief would have revealed his own UltraNationalistic views and supported the suspected Killers", "were not seriously investigated", ECHR also found.      

Therefore, ECHR concludes that, by droping all the Penal Law procedures against those Responsible, among Turkish Authorities, for blatantly failing to protect Hrant Dink's Life, is another Violation of the Human Right to Life, which implies, on the contrary, that an Efficient Investigation must be done to Identify and.. Punish those responsible for such grave failures

+ As a matter of General Principle, "ECHR reminds that Freedom of Expression is an Essential CornerStone for a Democratic Society", and that "this goes not only for Inoffensive or Indifferent "Informations", received favorably, but also for those who Oppose, Shock or create Concern in a State or in a part of the Population", while "the Press plays an Eminent Role in a Democatic Society : While it mustn't go beyond certain limits, mainly for the protection of (individual Person's) Reputation, it has, nevertheless, to communicate .... Informations and Ideas on all Issues of General Interest", "even with a dose of exageration or provocation".

>>> ECHR found that Hrant Dink's publications on the 1915 Genocide and Armenian Identity, were not a "Hate-speach" against the Turks, and therefore, by declaring the Journalist "Guilty for his words, the (Turkish) Courts punished him, indirectly, for having criticized the fact that the (Turkish) State ...denies the 1915 Genocide".
But, on such Political or General Interest issues, Admissible Criticism is much Larger, than in the cases of Individual persons, ECHR clearly confirmed also regarding the Armenian Genocide.

- Hrant "Dink was speaking as a Journalist", "dealing with Issues related to the Armenian Minority", and, "when he expressed his Contempt against some behaviors that he considered as a Negation of the 1915 Incidents, he simply communicated his Ideas and Views on an Issue of undeniable General Interest in a Democratic Society", in which, "it is of paramount Importance for the Debate engaged on particularly Grave Historic Facts,  to unfold in Freedom", also because "the Search of the Historic Truth, is an integral part of the Freedom of Expression", ECHR clearly stressed.

Moreover, ECHR concluded that the Persecution and Condemnation of the Journalist by the Turkish Authorities, taken in conjuction with the total Absence of any Measure to Protect him against dangerous Aggressions of Turkish Extremists, was a supplementary Violations of his Right to Freedom of Speech.

After such blatant ECHR's 2010 findings, it will obviously become even more Difficult for the EU to contine to pay such Turkish Authorities by wasting, each Year, many Hundreds of Millions € from EU Taxpayers' Money, (including from Poor People, obliged to pay VAT+), particularly during this Hard period of Global Financial and Economic Crisis, when, on the contrary, urgent Investments to Innovative High Tech. are EU's Top Priority among the growing Global Competition, while, in Turkey, even softly Critical Journalists as Hrant Dink are so abusively Persecuted and Murdered, with a Scandalous Impunity of all those Responsible for the cold-blood Killing, all along 2006-2010 !...

Interesting and timely (and, above all : obviously Justified, if not Necessary) .."Food for Thought" for EU Parliament's forthcoming Debates and Votes f.ex. on the 2011 EU Budget...

***

(NDLR : Fast Translation from the Original ECHR Judgement, which is exclusively in French)

 

 

In the 1st EU Parliament's Plenary Session after the unprecedented Summer 2010, Deadly, Destructive and Theatening Extreme Weather Events, (EWE, which hit the EurAsian area, surrounding a Russian Heatwave by EU and mainly Asian Floods, showing that EU itself is not guaranteed to avoid even worst remakes of the 2003 Record Heatwave which hit mainly France), a series of various, but converging EU moves to build Europe's capacities to face such Historic Challenges, started during this week in Strasbourg :

- The "gong" was given from Monday Evening, by an unusually well-attended meeting of EU Parliament's Environment/Health Committee, chaired by German MEP Jo Leinen (SD), where an exceptionally large Majority of MEPs, astonishingly spreading Wide, even from EuroLeft to British Conservatives (with Shadow Rapporteur Brittish MEP Marina Yanakoudakis), etc., voted to restore 2.100.000 € that an earlier EU Council decision had substracted from an 18,3 millions € strong EU Civil Protection's Budget for the Year 2011.

Concerning mainly "Civil Protection within the EU", as well as it "administrative Management", this was part of various Environment Protection activities funded by EU's 2011 Draft Budget, among others, f. ex., also New 2011-2015 Projects such as for the "establishment or improvement of Climate Forestry monitoring", including by "soil, aerial and Satellite levels", more "Financial Support for Measures and Projects" included in "LIFE's Financial Instrument for the Environment", in the context of a clear will to stress even more than ever that "Adaptation to Climate Change" (that some Experts consider as a cause of more frequent EWE, as the World Meteorological Organisation recently noted), "is Now a pending Priority", with "Special Attention .. to relevant Pilot Projects".

Significantly, MEPs did so while also acknowledging, on the occasion a Motion for Resolution tabled by 5 MEPs, (including German ChristianDemocrat/EPP Karl-Heinz Florenz, and French Liberal MEP Corine Lepage, former Minister, etc),  that UNO's process to fight Global Warming appeared rather stahled, after the December 2009 Climate Change Copenhagen Summit COP 15, (see "EuroFora"s  NewsReports on the event from the spot), in view of the on-going preparation of the December 2010 Cancun CCC summit (COP16), which might probably be limited only to some "Concrete" Measures, f..ex. on Forestry, "Green" Technology trasnfert, Funding of Developing Countries' CO2 emissions' reduction, etc, leaving more "Comprehenive" Solutions for later-on, during Next Year 2011.

At any case, the necessary Targets for CO2 Emissions reduction to fight against Global Warming, eye "Long-term" Time Deoadlines, located far away in the Future, such as 2020 and even 2050, so that it would obviously be unthinkable to limit, practically, only into ..."Waiting for 2050", the Action Urgently needed in order to ensure Today that People can be protected from any Extreme Weather Events as such which hit the EurAsian area on Summer 2010, (record deadly Heatwaves, Floods, Landslides, etc), EU Parliament's 1st vice-President, experienced MEP Mrs Rodi Kratsa (ChristianDemocrat/EPP) agreed with "EuroFora", smiling...

- After what happened with the 2003 record Heatwave, mainly in France, and now, on 2010, in Russia, Pakistan/India and China, etc., "it's obviously necessary, Today, to considerably strengthen EU's Scientific Research, Technologic Innovation, Monitoring and Crisis' response capacity in order to try to protect People" by exploring new possibilities to predict, prevent, reduce, and/or reconstruct after "such Extreme Environment Events", told "EuroFora" EU Parliament's 1st vice-President.

Even if at least part of such Disasters might, eventually, be induced by Criminal activities, f.ex. in some Forest Fires, relevant EU Projects such as, f.ex., the Space High-Tech program "GMES" : i.e. "Global Monitoring for Environment and Security", "could, probably, help also to establish the Facts and, eventually, locate those responsible", she added. Moreover, - "it would be also interesting and useful to ask and gather the "best practice" Experience of those countries which really faced, already, such EWE, or successfully managed to prevent them", Top MEP Rodi Kratsa observed to "EuroFora".

Next Day, on Tuesday, Kratsa chaired EU Parliament's debate on EU Humanitarian Aid to Flood-stricken Pakistan, where EU Commissioner responsible for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid & Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva, denounced the  fact that the Summer 2010 Record Floods provoked such a "Mass-Destruction" in the Country, that its GDP, which was Last Year + 4,5%, will probably Fall Down to only 1,5%, (i.e. marking a - 3% GDP Drop), or even be Negative, and revealed that all the 71 Millions-strong € EU Aid package had been already "committed", so that, addressing only afterwards such an exceptionaly big Natural Catastrophe would need even more Money, while even "Safety" of "Humanitarian Workers" was an issue, there and elsewhere in the World, since, in overall, "last year "109 Humanitarian Workers had died", i.e. even "more than Peace Keepers" soldiers !..

- That's one among the reasons for which EU Commissioner Georgieva just anounced, at the conclusion of that EU Parliament's debate in Strasbourg on Pakistan, her intention to present soon an official, overall Plan in order to meet the current Need to "strengthen EU's Disaster Response, by better organizing and coordinating" actions, while also noting that several MEPs stressed (as "EuroFora" advocated earlier) that "we (EU) can do more", as she said...

EU Commissioner Georgieva's Plan focuses on 4 main points, starting by necessary efforts to "Anticipate" Major Hazards, by a kind of early warning, predicting and/or preventive measures, etc., while also systematically preparing a "Predictable" overview of EU's capacities, interlocutors, availabilities and "assets", but also guaranteing EU's "Independance and Neutrality", as an indispensable condition for Humanitarian work's efficiency, and dressing a comprehensive, "Holistic approach" for each Crisis, able to understand and deal with all its aspects and perspectives, before, during and after the events.

Meanwhile, the obvious need for the EU to become really able to protect EU Citizens, Economy and Member Countries, from such Extreme Environment Events, as well as to Help other, hardly hit, Countries all over the World, was also felt in the larger framework of a landmark Speech on "the State of the (European) Union", by the President of EU Commission, Jose Barroso, to EU Parliament in Strasbourg, (See specific "EuroFora"s NewsReports, drafts of which were already sent to Subscribers/Donors), where he stressed the "Need, now, .. to create a real European Crisis Response Capacity" :

- EU "Member States (already) have the Helicopters : they have the Civil Protection Teams. We (EU) now need to Pool them", Barroso pointed out. "That's what (EU) Commission will propose in October", he anounced. That's why EU Commission's President "urged the Member States to show that they are Serious about the (European) Union punching its Weight in this area", particularly when most EU Leaders agree that they "impatient to see the Union play the Role in Global affairs that matches its Economic Weight", as well as that "being a Global Player also means standing up for our Values", as "Human Rights" and Human Solidarity, which "also mean that we (EU) must come to the Aid of those facing a Crisis situation anywhere around the World".

- "We (EU) can no more satisfy ourselves by just being the 1st (Aid) Donor in the World, (but) without being able to guarantee that the Aid that we send will arrive to its destinators with Mr Putin's and Mr Obama's Helicopters !.... Here, also, we must be Serious", as, in general, EU must "show more seriousness in our common Foreign Policy and become a more respected player in the World", chacteristically replied the President of EU Parliament's largest political group (ChristianDemocrats/EPP), Joseph Daul.

Daul explained later to "EuroFora", that he was well aware of the current need to boost EU's Scientific Research, Technologic Innovation and Administrative Organisation, in order to become able to protect People from Extreme Weather Events, particularly after the the Summer 2010 Record Heatwave and Floods  in the Eur-Asian region, following also the 2003 Record Hearwave mainly on France) :

- "Certainly, Yes  ! This (point) is included in my Speech"'s larger, relevant call, observed Daul in reply to "EuroFora"'s question, referring to his calls, earlier today, to "keep our (EU's) Ambitions", despite the "Bitter taste" that 12/2009 UNO's Climate Change Summit at "Copenhagen", as well as "to pool our resources, in order to obtain scale economies and boost Efficiency" in "Innovation and Research", "Education and Training", "for Security and Defence", "for our Energy policy"          

"Europe played a Pioneer role in the fight  against Global Warming", and "our Ambitions remain fully intact", while "the Direction has been, now, irrevocably fixed, and we can be Proud" for that, as he reminded about the so-called "Copenhagen Agreement". - "Are we (EU) going to  continue witnessing that USA, China, India, etc. are able to advance in Fundamental or Applied Research", instead of "Investing on Innovation" inside the EU  ?, Daul questioned in concliusion.                                                                      

Among abudant, relevant, concrete cases, f.ex., 51 Millions € were recently asked  by private Aviation Companies only to the French Government alone, (and the overall Number would obviously be much Bigger for all the EU, figuring in Billions € !),  in order to reimburse at least several Technical "Tests" that they were obliged to do in order to find ways to send Safe Airplanes to bring back Home People blocked in foreign countries by huge Clouds of Ashes thrown all over Europe's skies, after a British AntiCyclone provoked a deviation of an initially banal and expected Icelandic Volcano eruption, spreading Cloud Ashes against Germany, Holland and France, etc.

 It would certainly COST LESS Money to fund Scientific and Technological Research f.ex. on Atmospheric Dynamics, in order to become able to predict, partly or totally prevent, alleviate and/or easily redress such kind of disruptions by Extreme Weather Events, instead of doing nothing, and waiting be obliged, later-on, to foot the bill by paying much more, afterwards, only to repair part of heavy damages, (which might have been, at least partly, avoided)...

Meanwhile, one of the Biggest and Strategic African Countries' Head of State, Mali's President Touré, speaking at EU Parliament to MEPs and Strasbourg's Journalists, including "EuroFora", at the eve of UNO's Summit on the "Millenium Goals" on Development, in a few days at New York, stressed the need for many Countries bordering Sahara to struggle against rapidly advancing "Desertification", and scarcity of Water, which hampers Economic Development, and is exploited even by Terrorist Groups mainly imported from elsewhere in order to provoke Dangerous Threats against Security, while also pushing more and more People towards Mass Immigration : It's not only Africa's, but also Europe's well-being and Security which is at stake, President Touré warned.

And another, even more crucial link, between Extreme Weather Events and EU Citizens' everyday lives, as well as Developing Countries, was spoted by EU Rapporteur on Agriculture and Food prices, famous "Green" MEP Jose Bové, who, speaking today to "EuroFora", observed that the "most important" factor for "Agricultural Production's Costs", are the "Prices of Raw Materials", which have "recently grew", partly "because of Speculation", particularly after the Record Heatwave and Fires which destroyed 1/3 of Russia's Wheat production, affectiing also other neighbouring, Wheat producing Countries, such as Kazakstan and Ukraine, to which was added meanwhile even Pakistan; hit by Record Floods focused on its large wheat fields..

- Such new Facts are added to an already long list of reasons to combat "scandalous Speculation on Raw Materials for Agriculture", threatening to adveresely affect People's "Food Prices", by exploiting even Extreme Weather Events, (as Russian President Medvedev recently denounced), so that we'd really like to see whether (French) President Sarkozy will keep his promise to raise the issue during his forthcoming Chairmanship of the G8 - G20 Global Governance, as Bové declared in a Press Conference at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, together wieth "Green" MEPs' leaders Cohn Bendit and Rebeca Harms.

Speaking to "EuroFora" after meeting with Mali's President Touré, EU Rapporteur Bové, who has just obtained a Majority of MEPs' Votes in favor of his Report on Agriculture and Food Prices, added that he was "certainly in favour" of "Scientific Research and Technologic Innovation" needed in order to find ways to efficiently fight against Extreme Climatic Phenomena, such as excessive Drought provoking Desertification, and/or Record Heatwaves destroying Wheat Production (See supra), f.ex. to "invent much Cheaper, innovative ways to find Water, f.ex. from Underground sources, because, "currently, even if this possibility already exists, it's Too Expensive", and this must change, as the famous MEP told us.

However, "we (EU) should also use the Technological Possibilities which are already available" in order to help protect the Agricultural production's Natural Environment from adverse Extreme Events, including by helping Developing Countries, and, therefore EU Citizens' well-being and Food prices, Bové added to "EuroFora" : - "Peasants generally need Simple, working and efficient solutions, without useless technical complications", and, "sometimes, it was proven that it's enough to interpose, f.ex. just some Peasants cultivating Fields in the middle of Forests, in order to protect them from being destroyed by Forest Fires, which, would, otherwise, spread too easily throughout a landscape "desertified" and "emptied" from any Agricultural Field, Bové advised.

All such Strasbourg's moves Timely come on the eve of UNO's forthcoming New York World Summit on  "Millenium Goals", where "Aid to Development and Technology transfert for the protection of Environment against Climate Change, might, indeed, be somehow linked, and combined together", at least in Future, as the competent EU Commissioner responsible for Development Aid, the experiences Anders Piebalgs, just confirmed to "EuroFora".

The urgency for the EU to advance and take a lead  in such, innovative and faster practical result-producing directions, was, meanwhile, even more highlighted by EU's Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard's replies, tonight at MEPs' Question time in EU Parliament in Strasbourg, where she observed, among others, that EU's "Strategy" in front of UNO's process for 12/2010 Cancun Climate Change Summit in Mexico is "not to neglect Long-term obsectives", and, given the current circumstances at the on-going International Negotiations, rather to "agree on a Framework" which can be used in order to make concrete advance on certain points "afterwards"....

(NDLR : See more complete DraftNews altready sent to "EuroFora"s Subsrcibers/Donors).
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Meanwhile, CoE timely prepares an important Ministerial PanEuropean conference on the fight against Major Natural or Man-made Hazards (known as "Eur-OPA") in... Russia (at Saint Petersbourg) before the End of September :

Going well beyond "Climate Change", it aims to urgently "Improve"' not only "Disaster .. Reponse", but also "Prevention".

 

The World needs a "Metamorphosis", particularly of its Global Governance", stressed after Summer 2010 unprecedented Extreme Weather Events in EU, Russia and Asian Countries, the French super-Minister of Environment, Energy and "Green Technologies", responsible for International Negotiations on Climate, Jean-Louis Borloo, opening Strasbourg's 2010 European/International Fair, shortly before France takes over the  G8 - G20 Annual Presidency (11/2010 - 11/2011), speaking in front of EU Parliament at the eve of an important MEP's Debate on EU's Future and "State of the Union",  but considering thoughtfuly the question of EU's best reply to the recent events, because "I take some Time to have a look at" the real situation before "I'll come back to you" on that point, as  he carefully promised to "EuroFora"..., after crossing a South - Eastern Asian "Dragon" from this year's Guest Country Thailand.. 

However, already, the Strategic decision, anounced earlier this year by a Chancelor Merkel - President Sarkozy Summit at Elysee Palace in Paris (See "EuroFora"'s NewsReport from the spot), to create an International showcase for EU's High-Tech on "Eco-Mobility" linking Alsace Region's Strasboug to Bad-Wurtenberg's Stuttgart, at EU's core, as a key-part of an overall Franco-German "Agenda 2010-2020", apparently starts to emerge from September 2010's Anouncements by Minister Borloo, where "Eco-Mobility" High Tech figured High :

- Part of voluntaristic Decisions taken to "change everything" in Production methods, with "breakthroughs" based on "Green New Technologies", is also the fact that, f.ex., French Car production has recently become "the Less Polluting in the World", while CO2 Emissions are reduced 130 % Times Faster in France than in EU's average,  diminishing - 20 gr. each Month, while in all 27 EU Countries this takes more than .. a whole Year : 13 Months, he observed.

- A "particularly welcome Surprise" at Strasbourg's 2010 European/International Fair is, thus, the presentation of some Pioneer "Electric Cars", Borloo noted, before walking along f.ex. Peugeot-Citroen's spectacular  "Hybrid", a fast-moving low-CO2 emission New car, expected early Next year (2011), facing Pegeot's revolutionary "Zero (0) Emission" City-Car, the Smart-looking "Ion", expected before the end of 2010, (which look, in fact, complementary : For intra-City-transport, or far-away inter-City long Motorways).

- Moreover, "Strasbourg is part" of EU's project to launch an "EVS Electric vehicle for Global Mass Market", planned "in less than 6 Months", which "will completely change everything", pointed out Borloo, who is also Minister of "Green" Technologies, speaking just a few Months before also "Mobilis" November 2010 Conference in Strasbourg, which will focus on various Innovative projects for Urban and other transports, part of the "Cluster : Vehicle for the Future", based in Alsace region.

 

- A New Franco-German Bridge for High-Speed Trains crossing the Rhine River from Strasbourg to Kehl, is due to be ready between November and December 2010, Borloo officially anounced.

- The "1st Stage" of New, Rhine-Rhone, North/South High Speed Train "TGV" link (important for linking Italy, Spain and the Mediterranean, to Germany and Central Europe, up to Russia, etc),  is expected to start operating "from November 2011", he declared, while also anouncing imminent moves on the completion of the 2nd Stage in "TGV East", Paris - Strasbourg High Speed link, to help win more than 15 minutes on this part, which are crucial for a Fast and efficient Rail link with Munich (Germany), as well as Wiena and Budapest, in Austria and Hungary (next EU Chair from January 2011) respectively, as he acknowledged.

- Meanwhile, "Next Week", at the International Fair in Shanghai (China),  Strasbourg-headquartered Alsace Region will present  various "Eco-Mobility" projects, "with a Delegation headed by MP Antoine Herth, (a close collaborator of EU Parliament's  greatest Group : EPP/ChristianDemocrats' President, MEP Joseph Daul, whom he represented in various Debates  during 2009 EU Elections), confirmed Alsace Region's 1st vice-President, André Reichert to "EuroFora".

- Showing with a concrete example that "Eco-Mobility" should come closer to ordinary EU Citizens' concerns,  Borloo anounced also to a surprised Handicaped man obliged to move only to a Motorized Wheeling Chair, greeted together with Strasbourg's Senator Fabiene Keller, that, if he made the right choices, he could normally get reimbursed for Hundreds €  out of his machine's cost by State Funds in the framework of New Legislation.         

A Human touch, in addition to Environment policies, was also ambient when Borloo inaugurated an "Andrien Zeller Square", for the Memory of Strasbourg's Region Alsace's long-time President (1996-2009), earlier this day, together with his Wife and Daughters, in the presence of Strasbourg's Mayor Roland Ries, and new Alsace Region's President, Philippe Richert, who brillantly won the 2010 Election :  In addition to the Topical Reminder that Zeller was a Pioneer on Environment and Climate, to the point that he had adked Paris to introduce an Environment-friendly New Legislation at first in Alsace,  he was also known for his ealy expressed wish to Timely help Poor People, and for establishing a "Minimal Revenue for Existence", as early as since 1977, in his own home town, Saverne, Borloo reminded.  Among Zeller's "Visionary" ideas was that Regional Reform and Change was, in fact, linked with the Reform of States and even Europe, added his succesor, Richert, an equally strong advocate for Environment and Climate protection, already since he was long-time f. Chairman of Strasbourg's Department of Lower Rhine, emotionaly moved by the Symbolic events for Zeller's Memory, (who was also among the few to be send a copy of "EuroFora"'s Project, aa 2eller had suggested himself, at the same time as Richert, since Autumn 2007).    

 

Joining High-Tech to Human Skils, Borloo also greated Alsace's Craftsmen's projects, traditionaly present at Strasbourg's Euro-Fair, by observing that their own contribution to Environment and Climate protection transforms them into "Eco-Craftsmen" and will bring them "into a new Modernity", as he said.

Moving closer to Nature, Borloo crossed through a "Wood and Forestry pole" Exhibition, topically reminding French President Sarkozy's landmark Speech, at nearby Urmatt's renovated Industry, back in 2009  (See "EuroFora"'s NewsReport from the spot) on the need to protect Europe against "Environmentaml Dumping" by 3rd Countries by checking and redressing at EU Borders any eventually "Unfair Competition" by Foeign products which grossly violate elementary Environmental Legislation that EU Producers are, on the contrary, obliged to implement.

- "No Rural Natural Landscape without a healthy Agriculture !",  ("Pas de Paysage sans Paysans !"), he agreed, immediately afterwards, during a brief meeting with representatives of Peasants offering tasty Cheese and refreshing, Healthy pure Milk, particularly welcome during an exceptionally "Hot" day", in front of EU Parliament's impressive building..

Open air "Green" areas, a beautiful 2 Rivers' cross-point, and many pittoresque small Family Houses with individual gardens, etc, surrounding EU Parliament's more than 18 Floors' High Tower, will fit particularly well the new "International Business Center, close to European Institutiona", that Strasbourg's Mayor, Roland Ries, anounced on this occasion, which "will be built exactly here", i.e. at Wacken's area, right in front of EU Parliament, as he confirmed to "EuroFora".
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This rather unusual, but symbolicaly harmonious  co-existence of High-Tech and High-Politics' structures, including at EU level,  side to side with Natural Landscapes, Family Homes, skilled Craftsmen and Agriculture able to provide Healthy Food at afordable prices, (etc), met quite well Borloo's  opening Optimistic observation that core EU Countries as f.ex. France, currently figure "No 1" among all other G-8 Countries from all over the World, in a recently published 2010 Report of independent Canadian Experts :

Borloo apparently referred to Canada's "Round Table on Environment and Economy" (established since 1998), whose 2010 Report "measures Climate Prosperity" by  comparing "Competitiveness in a Low-Carbon World", according to a relevant "Perfomance Index" establishing a "Ranking among G-8 Nations", which brings at the Top three EU Countries (France, Germany and the UK), followed by Japan, USA and Canada, and  trailed by Italy and Russia :

- "France’s low-carbon profile outperforms all (G-8) nations, primarily as a result of an Electricity generation Mix dominated by Nuclear. It performs well in the areas of R&D Investment, Low-carbon Skills and Education investment, and has directed significant Funds to low-carbon Projects through its Stimulus spending", the Canadian Experts indeed conclude.

- "Germany demonstrates the most well-Balanced low-carbon performance of all G8 nations, ranking in the top three across nine indicators. Its use of market Incentives and requirements to drive increased Renewable energy generation over the past decade has led to the second largest drop in energy-related carbon emissions within the G8. A strong commitment to Education, skills, and investment, coupled with the highest carbon price coverage in the group, puts Germany in a strong low-carbon performance position", they add.

- "The U.K. ranks just behind Germany in its emissions profile, largely due to a shift from coal to natural-Gas-fired generation, as well as an overall transition from a manufacturing to Service economy. The U.K. dominates the area of low-carbon Policy and Institutions, having established a Low-Carbon Transition Strategy and a Low-Carbon Budget and having the third most stringent carbon pricing coverage among the G8. Performance gaps include both private and public sector energy R&D investment, although the government has directed significant funding through its Low-Carbon Transition Strategy to begin financing renewable energy and carbon capture and sequestration technology development", taking a Good 3rd rank among the G-8 Nations.
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But in the much Broader scope, of a World-wide 2010 Report comparing "163 countries on 25 indicators tracked across ten policy categories covering both Environmental public Health, and EcoSystem vitality", establishing a Rank according to an "Environment Performance Index", established by the University of Yale (USA) Experts, things look quite differend, even if facts, finally, seem to point at a similar direction :

- On the overall  2010 "Environment Performance Index",  Iceland comes clearly 1st, joined also by other European Countries, such as Switzerland (2nd), Sweden (4th), Norway (5th), France (7th) and Austria (8th), as well as some Third Countries like Costa Rica, Mauritius islands, Cuba and Colombia, in the Best 10, among 163 Countries in all. They are closely followed by several other EU Countries, such as Malta, Finland, Slovakia, U.K., Germany, Italy, Portugal, Latvia, Czech Republic and Spain, as well as Third Countries such as New Zeland, Chile, Japan, Albania and Panama, among the 25 Best-ranking in the World.

Comparatively, Canada ranks 46th, Australia 51th, but USA ranks 61st, close to  Brazil (62th) and Russia : 69th, while China is pushed to a 121st place, close to India  : 123th, among 163 Countries, according to the American independent Experts.
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An Interesting Fact is also that, according to a particularly Important Indicator for Human Life : that of "Environmental Health", which focuses on Nature, Air and Water Quality for Human Health, Europe emerges clearly as the Best Integated Region in the World :

- France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Finland and Norway lead, indeed, on "Environmental Health", with a 98,8% Best Grade in the World, closely followed by nearly all other EU Countries, with a few exceptions.

Only New Zeland equals them, also with 98,8%, closely followed by Japan (98,2%). Canada, Israel and Australia come next,  (with 92,8%, 92,1% and 91,7% each), leaving behind them Singapore (89,2%), USA (88,3%), South Korea (88,1%),  Cuba (84,4%), Mauritius (83,7%), Antigua dn Barbuda (83,2%) Costa Rica (82,2%), and Chile (B1,3%). Quatar, Kuweit and Arab Emirates, as well as Malaysia, rank quite Good, between 87 and 81%. Among African Countries, 1st comes Tunisia (77,2%), close to Morocco, followed by Libya and Algeria, etc.

 All the rest among the 163 examined Countries rank with lower results at Yale's Index on Environmental Health, with the sole Exception of the pittoresque (and Historic) ... Cook Islands, safely located right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean (88,1%) !...

 

(NDLR : Brief version of Full, and more precise Text already sent to "EuroFora"'s Subscribers/Donors earlier)

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