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1st Protestant feast in Strasbourg: Bible,Freedom,Merkel,Music+Ecumenism: EU Christian roots Future?

Written by ACM
Sunday, 01 November 2009
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Can Christians be re-united today and/or overcome a threat to become a Minority in Europe itself, safeguarding and developing further Europe's largely christian historic roots, in mutual respect and useful dialogue with other Religions and "free" believers, particularly in front of crucial Moral, Social, Technologic and Political Challenges faced by EU Citizens and all Humankind today ? 

These questions, explicitly or de facto, were at the heart of this week's gatherings in Strasbourg between Religious people and simple Citizens, at the eve of an exceptional CoE's Conference on the only legally binding instrument in the World on BioEthics : The "Oviedo" International Convention on Medicine, Biology and Human Rights, which faces perhaps the most crucial challenges raised by galoping technologic developments.

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During all these days, the Holy Bible was omnipresent in Gutenberg's city :From an Ecumenic Exhibition, to the 1st open Protestant popular Convention, including also Bible lectures, University library's historic items on Calvin's stay and work in Strasbourg, and an open air Mass where the gospel was read by a blind Woman using Braille, up to tragic Human Rights violations fex. by evoking the search of those responsible for the atrocious killing after torture of 3 workers at a Bible editor on 2007 in Turkey, denounced earlier by EU Parliament, etc.

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Spreading allover from Politics and Human Rights issues, to Gospel Music and even fresh election winner German Chancellor Merkel (a Christian Protestant lady raised at Eastern area of Germany), Artistic, Religious and other events attracted more People than expected to an open air Protestant Mass, after Music concerts in "Zenith-Europe" (about 9.000 people) and elsewhere, during more than 3 busy Days plenty of parallel events (Conferences, Debates, Stands, Theater plays, Concerts, Exhibitions, Poetry, etc), for the 1st Protestant Convention "open" to Politicians, Experts and all interested People, at public areas in the heart of the city.

- "Welcoming our Protestant Friends", Strasbourg's Catholic Bishop Mgr Gralet opened, earlier this week an Ecumenic Exhibition on the Bible, with the participation also of an Orthodox polyphonic choir from Greece and other Christian Communities, as well as Jewish and Muslim religious representatives, because "the Bible is the heritage of all Humanity", as he stressed.

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A first reply was the relative success of the event, which has gathered some 10 or 11.000 or more people, according to organisators' estimates, filling up twice Strasbourg's biggest space : the Zenith, with more participants coming for the Sunday Mass than for the Saturday Music Concerts, obliging to extend the event by TV cable also at the PMC Conference area. This made them announce their intention to repeat such experiences from now on "each 4 Years", the next being in 2013, "unless unexpected positive developments invite us to do it earlier", as they carefully said, while also pointing at the need to fill a larger gap than expected in the needed funding..

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Meanwhile, the Catholic Christians, (a Majority in France and other EU countries), adding to an apparently renewed enthousiasm and/or will to act, had already anounced a 2011 Mega-Event in Strasbourg for the European Youth gathering, as Mgr Christian Kratz confirmed to "EuroFora".

But numbers and rumours look hard : F.ex. French Protestants revendicate only about 2 or 3% throughout France and some 17% in Alsace region around Strasbourg, close to Switzerland and Germany. While rumours about all Christians taken together (i.e. Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, Armenian and others) threatened to become a "Minority" in Europe were, rightfully or wrongfully reminiscent this week, added to persecutions of Christians evoked even in neighbouring countries.

Thus, after all this week's events commenced by the prelude of an Ecumenic Exhibition on the Bible, efforts to rapproach or even re-unite most or all Christians together were discussed during a Debate on the "European Ecumenic Charter", signed by representatives of all Christians on 2001 in Strasbourg,

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Among various other participants, "EuroFora" raised the question if the best way to bring Christians together, (as in the Historic times of the first Christians who were persecuted, sometimes burned alive, and hidden under the Catacombes, instead of nowadays Cathedrals, without having any luxury to be divided), would be to focus into joining their forces in order to succesfuly face some Crucial Challenges which affect People's lives, (as, fex. Moral and Financial Crisis, proverty and exclusion, Europe's Identity, BioEthics, etc) in order to help meet the current need for Christianism's "Renaissance".

Protestant Jean-Arnold de Clermont, experienced former President of the European Churches Conference, strongly pleaded in favor of leaving institutional issues aside, at least for a while, in order to focus on issues of substance.

Catholic deputy Bishop, Mgr Christian Kratz, replied to "EuroFora" that, despite practical difficulties, "we have recently started to cooperate, all Christians together, mainly on Society issues".

The President of the Federation of Protestans in France, Claude Baty, speaking to "EuroFora", said that "Strasbourg was chosen for this exceptional event also for its role as a European and Religious cross-roads".

Socialist MEP Catherine Trautmann, a former Protestant University professor, speaking to "EuroFora", agreed that, Christian and Religious Peuple should be united today to act together mainly on "Social issues".

But, Florian Rochat, an Evangelist, head of a Strasbourg-based "European Committee to protect Human Dignity", revealed that on certain issues, such as f.ex. BioEthics, many Evangelists feel closer to Catholics, and work closer together than with the rest of Protestants" (Reformed and Lutherians).

A "Diversity that is not Division", observed, speaking in general on such issues, several Christian Protestant leaders, adding that it was already an achievement to succeed to bring together all Protestants to celebrate one Mass for all...

Adding to the diversity, Muslim representative Veysel Filiz, said to "EuroFora" that Muslim Communities generally are not so much interested on issues as BioEthics and "prefer to leave it for the State" to settle them, except, perhaps of some controversial questions on "blood donations", "abortion" etc. But they don't react on any Genetic manipulation of Human Embryos, etc. he added. (A point on which, however, another, Arab-origin Muslim representative at the CoE had earlier told as a diifferend story, according to which there were contrasting trends between various components of the Muslim world on BioEthics, and "those who are closer to the People" do care about these issues too, as he had said).
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"Minority" you said ?  Better read anew Diderot's "Jack the Fatalist"...
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Contrary to those who diffuse a rather artificial pessimism, claiming that christians would have become a "Minority" in Europe in a kind of "Fatalistic" way, Sociologist Jean-Paul Willaime, seemed both realist and optimist  : All Christian and other Religions appeared, some years ago, threatened to become an issue of Minorities, but recently, another trend seems to emerge, inciting People to re-discover religion and Christianism. And this has a Future, he noted.

What may attract and motivate People, old and young, to find anew an interest in Christian Religion ?

Politics are a contradiction, or an opportunity ?

During a discussion between Christian Protestant Politicians, from the Right and the Left, Philippe Richert, vice-president of the French Senate, from the Governing Cebnter-Right majoriy, said that, instead of a challenge, he found a precious "Chance" in the fact that he was Christian in order to "get involved in Politics". F. ex. "soon we'll have to decide on many important BioEthical issues during the revision of the 2004 Law", he observed.

An issue that the Senate of France has "already prepared a Committee" to deal with "in 2010", as its President, Gerard Larcher, told "EuroFora".

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    At any case, German Chancellor Angie Merkel, winner of 3 Elections in a row, (after September 2005, also on June and September 2009 EU and National votes), served as one of the ways to try to attract peope : Proof is a 1st Page addition to the French Protestant Magazine "Christianism Today", which made an interesting offer to subsrcibe for a year, placed under a smiling Photo of Merkel saying in the Headlines : - "Without Faith, I wouldn't have done it !"..  

    Moreover, it's shortly after German Chancellor Merkel just congratulated on 29 October "the 1st Woman elected at the head of Germany's Evangelic Christian Church" (Protestant), Bishop Margot Kaessmann, that a Journalist raised critical Questions in Strasbourg on "why wasn't there any Woman yet among France's Protestant Church leadership ?" Embarassed smiles and vague promisses welcomed the move among 4 protestant leaders, all men ..

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    More serious, pastor Geoffroy Goetz, President of Alsace-Lorraine's Synodic Council, speaking to "EuroFora" on German Chancellor Merkel, admitted that "the fact that she is woman who comes from the Eastern area of Germany, at this moment that we are celebrating Germany's and Europe's re-unification, might give a larger visibility to protestant  christians".
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But Human Rights issues naturally entered Strasbourg's debates, even before Sunday''s Mass, where People were welcomed from the start by a Song on "God sees those who are oppressed"
 
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Meanwhile, the President of the Senate in France, Gerard Larcher, had strongly pleaded for the principle of "Laicity", which generally obliges the State to remain out of Religious issues and to respect Religious Freedom, as well as neutrality, treating "all Citizens equally", whatever their religion might be.

But, from one side, a representative of a Turkish group, among the much larger and pluralist Muslim community, speaking in front of "EuroFora", asked for more "Mosquees, with Minarets, Ottoman-style, as in Istanbul", to be built in European Cities "with EU Money", (citting as example Duisbourg, a delcate City where riots burst out a day later between gangs for the control of prostitution and drug traffic, according to the German Press)..

However, from the other side, French Christian Protestants.. protested to Journalists in Strasbourg that "some extreme laicists" recently blocked even Local/Regional funds due to support a European Christian event organized at nearby Lyon !

At the same moment, Historic Christian Churches are barred from religious activities and changed to ..Tourist attractions, -as f.ex. Sainte-Sophie at former Constantinople (330-1920), currently Istanbul (1922-2009)-  to warehouses, etc. or notoriously degraded, while their faithful people are often hindered to access, use or even restore them; (as fex. in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus), etc.

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On core Human Rights issues, (without naming Tukey at all), "EuroFora" asked in a Press Conference of the Protestant leaders, if it was known whether justice was done until now (2009), in the famous case of the atrocious Murders of 3 Christian Protestants working for a Bible Editor abroad, who were viciously tortured before being killed in 2007, as it was was strongly denounced in an EU Parliament's Resolution adopted earlier in Strasbourg

- "It was in Turkey", observed the President of France's Protestants, pastor Claude Baty, in reply to "EuroFora". "It's a very complicated affair. The difficulties are the following  : How could we speak about it without adding oil to the fire ? The Federation of Protestants, in such kind of situations, (and we could speak also for Algeria, or elsewhere), doesn't make declarations without being authorized by those who are directly concerned And, in this case, those who were murdered in Turkey, belonged to a Protestant Association, which didn't wish for us to make very much noise about it. Let's not cite its name. Because, they told us that if we speak about that, then, it's all of our partners and communities there (i.e. in Turkey) who risk even their lives... It's really frustrating !', he denounced.

 - "But I think that, here, the Politicians take over on what will follow", President Baty optimistically added.  F.ex. "Recently,  the (French) Senate's President, Gerard Larcher, visited Turkey. Before he goes, he asked me to tell him what was the situation of Protestants out there, and I gave him some documentation, and I have no doubt that, during his talks, he was able to raise these issues".

- "As you see, on matters concerning the persecution of Christians in some countries, it's difficult to make declarations and take very strong action, because there is a risk, at the end of the day, to worsen, instead of ameliorating things". That's why, at least as far as the Christian Protestants are concerned as such, he felt sometimes obliged to adopt "more diplomatic" ways to defend the victims.

It remains to be seen what will be the stance of MEPs when EU Parliament will soon review in Strasbourg the results of Ankara Government's duty to fight efficiently against Impunity of torturers, murderers and their instigators, since its latest Resolution on Turkey, where these 3 Murders of Bible workers are denounced in a crystal-clear manner.

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Strasbourg's ECHR case-law on Refugees topped Brussels EU Summit after Czech claims on Lisbon Treaty

Written by ACM
Wednesday, 28 October 2009

 

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    Strasbourg's ECHR's case-law on Refugees and displaced persons unexpectedly topped the European Agenda, from the current Cyprus' talks up to ..Brussels' EU Summit, as decisions on EU's top jobs were suspended on finding a solution to Czech President Klaus' claim for exceptions to the European Human Rights' principles on victims' right to return, restitution or compensation of usurpated homes and private properties, afraid that they might be applied to German-culture populations expulsed at the aftermath of the 2nd World War..

A surprise visit of ECHR's President, Jean-Paul Costa, to the Czech Republic, a few days ago, coincided with Klaus' anouncement welcoming a Swedish EU Presidency's proposal and accepting to "start working" on it, the same day that Costa, after meeting him in Prague, was visiting also the Czech Constitutional Court, (where a complaint against Lisbon Treaty is pending), at Brno on October 23, 2009.

Adding to a surprising series of converging "coincidences", the move was made the same day that, after denouncing earlier strong disagreements with Turkey on Refugees' Human Rights, now Cyprus' Media reported an agreement between Cyprus' President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Talat for a "Formula" on Refugees' homes and properties with "exceptions" and special "categories" for plots of land where, meanwhile, the Turkish Occupation regime may have built "roads, public utility buildings,.. or houses and collective buildings". Something which was exceptionally hailed by T/C leader Talat as "a very good development, because with that method we overcame the deadlock on (Refugees') properties".

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    But, meanwhile, ECHR reminded both to Klaus and Turkey the "Loizidou" and "Cyprus v. Turkey" case-law against "Continuing"" violations of Greek Cypriot Refugees' Family life and Property Rights by condemning Ankara at another landmark case (Olymbiou)  this week.

    And Christofias reportedly said that he'd ask at EU Summit assurances that any concession to Klaus for 2ndWW issues should not affect the differend situation which still exists in Cyprus since the 1974 Turkish Military invasion, nor ECHR's case-law on Greek Cypriot Refugees, elaborated between 1996 and 2001.

- "I don't know why this visit (to Klaus and to the Czech Constitutional Court) was made now, nor what was said by President Costa", simply declined to answer ECHR's experienced Head of Communication, Rodrick Liddell, to "EuroFora"'s questions, without, however, denying that it might have been related with on-going attempts to convince Czechs to ratify the Lisbon Treaty speaking

    Liddell was asked by "EuroFora" why Klaus claimed that he was afraid of Lisbon Treaty's "Human Rights' Charter", if a similar result on displaced persons' properties might be eventually obtained also through the exisiting ECHR's mecanism, that the Czech Republic has already ratified

    - It's true that "ECHR already has competence to consider complaints lodged against the Czech Republic",  However, "in principle it couldn't go as far as to cover 2nd World War cases" (dating from 1945), But "I don't know" "if it might be considered a continuous" violation of Displaced persons' rights, as in Cyprus' cases (dating from 1974), the ECHR Official carefully replied..

    -  "As you know yourself, the events which are at the origin of a case must occur after the ratification of the ECHR. That's the principle. But, there are, as you know, situations where the link between the events and the complaint is considered to be sufficient", he reminded.

    Smiling at "EuroFora""s question on the astonishing "coincidence" that Klaus "positive" statement for a possible deal with the EU on his claim on German Displaced persons came "the same day" that ECHR's President Costa visited him, the ECHR's Senior Official, simply replied that he had "no information on whether the President's visit might have contributed to influence that", and promissed "to ask him about that", without denying.

    Meanwhile, Karel Jungwiert, the judge elected at the ECHR in respect of the Czech Republic, who had accompagnied President Costa in his visit to Prague and Brno, was still out of Strasbourg exceptionally "until next week", apparently following constantly and consulted on the on-going dealings on Displaced persons' Rights between the Swedish EU Presidency and Czech President Klaus in the run up to Brussels' EU Summit this week-end, as well as to the preparation of Czech Constitutional Court's verdict, due to be published at Brno early next week, "EuroFora" learned from other ECHR Officials.

    ECHR's President Costa was "aware" of the recent moves by Czech President Klaus' and a group of Senators to oppose Lisbon Treaty by refusing ratification as long as the 2nd WW's issue of German culture displaced People's properties wasn't definitively settled, and by lodging a collective complaint to the Czech Constitutional Court, respectively, and all that "had initially incited him to consider postponing his visit", another ECHR Official said to "EuroFora". 

 But she wasn't in a position to explain what made Costa, finally, change stance and decide to visit the Czech Republic, its President Klaus, and its Constitutional Court, at Prague and Brno the 22 and 23 of October, nor what was really said the day Lisbon Treaty's ratification was apparently unblocked...     

All these converging but unusual Facts inevitably provoked on-going Speculations in Strasbourg on how ECHR's President Costa might have helped to convince Czech President Klaus to start moving on Lisbon Treaty, despite his proclaimed fear that 2nd WW German culture people might ask ECHR to extend "Loizidou" and "Cyprus v. Turkey" case-law, initially concerning "continuing" violations of Greek Cypriot Refugees' Homes and properties     

Logically, this could be done either by ... giving up to Klaus' demand, i.e. by restricting (in one way or another) the practical functioning and the impact of ECHR's case-law, by imposing, fex. more strict temporary and/or restitution limits, etc., or, on the contrary, by reminding him that ECHR already existed, independently of Lisbon Treaty. and Human Rights could not be modified for political expediences.

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    But the first option woud be obviously percieved as a serious setback on Human Rights' protection for Political expediencies , which could also provoke a dangerous precedent for other claims, by other States too in future..     

On the contrary, mainstream French Newspaper "Figaro" strongly criticized, in this regard, the Czech measures of 1945, known as "Benes' regulations", "forgotten in comparison to the Shoa" by the NAZI, about "the eviction of Sudetes  : .A measure of "Ethnic Cleansing", which "confiscated the properties and expulsed more than 2,5 million Germans, Men, Women and Children", in revenge of Hitler's acts in the name of a controversial "collective responsibility".
     - But, "nobody didn't ever recognize the Benes' regulations, since 1945, neither in the West, nor in the European Union", the mainstream French Newspaper stressed, criticizing Klaus for "asking now the EU to indirectly legitimize the "infernal" Benes' regulations about past "Ethnic Cleansings"..

    However, Klaus' move seems "absurd" since Lisbon Treaty's "Fundamental Rights' Charter" "cannot be applied, at any case, on what happened back in 1945", "Figaro" said.

    Thus, another possibility is that, perhaps, on the contrary, Costa contributed to convince Klaus by simply reminding him that ECHR already existed and might eventually consider applications also by German-culture people expulsed from the Czech Republic after the 2nd WW (if certain conditions were fullfilled) asking to get back their properties, independently of the Lisbon Treaty and its "Fundamental Rights"' Charter.

    This would obviously be more in line with Human Rights' general principles, regardless of whether ECHR might accept or reject such applications as inadmissible, or unfounded.

    ECHR's Judgement condemning Turkey on Greek Cypriot Refugee Olymbiou's case for violating her Family life and Property Rights (Articles 8, and 1 Protocol 1 ECHR), by confirming the "Loizidou" and "Cyprus v. Turkey" case-law, denouncing a "Continuous Denial of Access", and a "Continuing and Total Denial of Access to their Property (as) a clear interference with the Right of the Displaced Greek Cypriots to the peaceful enjoyment of (their) posessions" (respectively), topically reminded both to Ankara and Klaus the European Human Rights' principles.

    - "But no case ever declared admissible by the European Court on the evictions of that period" of 2nd World War from the Czech Republic, "Figaro" also noted.

    Is this, perhaps, Klaus' real demand also for the present and the future ?  In that case, could such a demand be acceptable by Europe, without endangering the entire European mecanism for the protection of Human Rights ?

    For Cyprus, the only "advantage" from Klaus' manoeuvers could be that Nicosia might take on its side, at least symbolically, Berlin, (and in extension, Germany's closest partner : France), vis a vis Turkey's partitionist claims against Refugees' human rights.

    But it's also true, that Lisbon Treaty provides for EU's accession to the ECHR, expected to submit, for the 1st time, all acts of EU institutions themselves to the control of Strasbourg's Court on complaints for Human Rights violations.

However, many had said earlier that, regardless of what anyone might think of him, Klaus' critical view on the EU might be useful at least in order to help EU Citizens fight against Bureaucracy. This leaves it an even deeper Mystery to know what or who convinced him to change orientation and focus, on the contrary, on restricting Citizens' Human Rights...

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ECHR: Persisting Impunity for shooting to kill at Cyprus buffer zone 20 years after Berlin Wall fall

Written by ACM
Tuesday, 27 October 2009


 
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    Impunity for shooting to kill at Cyprus' Bufer Zone persists until now (2009), even for  killing an unarmed youngster aged 19 who saluted Turkish soldiers as "Brothers", or gravely wounding a 60 years old Woman, etc, ECHR denounced condemning Ankara twice in Strasbourg, the same week that new German Government anounced an EU-Russia-USA Summit for Berlin Wall's fall 20th Anniversary, and adopted a 2009-2014 program stressing Turkey's obligation to "strictly fullfil all EU Criteria" if it wants to continue lucrative EU Negotiations.  

    The move came while the old formula that EU - Turkey "Negotiations will continue", whatever might happen during the next Years,  as in the previous coalition with SPD's "Socialists" (for 2005-2009), was now (for the 2009-2014 new period), skipped, on the contrary, by the new German Government coalition of ChristianDemocrats and Liberals..

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    All 3 tragic Cyprus' cases judged by ECHR this week obviously point at Berlin Wall's fall, in one way or another :

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 In the 1st case, an "unarmed" Youngster (aged only 19), "Stelios", was walking "alone" , in broad Daylight, waving his hat to his Turkish Cypriot compatriots and "shouting : -"Come Brother !", ECHR notes.

    But he was shot and killed "by Turkish or Turkish Cypriot Soldiers", without any previous warning, as ECHR found, based on UNO's data which report that only "a single shot was heard".  

    - "At that moment", the "isolated man" "was outnumbered by the (Turkish) Security forces", who were "in complete control of the area, and it would have been possible for them to stop Mr Panayi without jeopardising his life", EuroJudges found.


    Moreover, ECHR "regrets that the Turkish or Turkish-Cypriot forces hampered the Humanitarian intervention of UNFICYP soldiers", "preventing immediate Medical care from being administered to the victim of the shooting". "Thus acting in a manner which is incompatible with the obligation to protect Life", even while "a seriously injured man lying on the ground in Mr Panayi's circumstances would hardly have been capable of posing any threat whatsoever to armed ..soldiers".

    - "UN Secretary-General reported that UNFICYP soldiers had been prevented from reaching Stelios Kalli Panayi “by Turkish-Cypriot soldiers who fired shots in the direction of the UNFICYP soldiers each time the latter tried to move forward”. This was described by the UNO as “Hostile action, including live Fire against UNFICYP", EuroJudges noted.

     Thus, ECHR concluded "that Stelios Kalli Panayi was killed by agents of the respondent State (of Turkey), and that the use of force was not justified by any ..exception"

    But the total Impunity of those responsible for the illegal Killing persists until now (2009), also denounced ECHR :

    - "As regards Criminal-law remedies, the Court observes that the (Turkish) Government have not provided any information concerning an Investigation into the circumstances of the shooting". "Moreover, even assuming that an independent body had started an Investigation, ...it would have been pending since ..1996 without achieving any substantial results" until 2009 : i.e. for more than 13 Years !...

    - Thus, the European "Court finds that the (Turkish) authorities failed to carry out an effective Criminal Investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Stelios Kalli Panayi. ...Accordingly ...there has been a violation of (the Human Right to Life) in this respect also"

    The victim's Family, his Father and Mother, who "had been Refugees since the 1974 Turkish military intervention", and "had raised their son at a considerable cost until the age of 19", risked also to be abandoned now alone in their old age, after their unique son's killing. Contrary to their legitimate "expectation" that "as in other Mediterranean Member States of the European Union, children were supposed to take responsibility for their parents' care and social welfare in old age", EuroJudges noted.

    Thus, even if ECHR found no proof to "establish that the(y) were in any way dependent on Stelios ..future earnings", nevertheless, it awarded to the victims' Family, because of "the seriousness of the damage", the same amount of Financial compensation (35.000 €) that their lawyer had asked for their elementary livelihood "between the age of 63 (at which people ...began to have problems and support needs associated with old age) and the age of 78 (average life expectancy..)".

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     But it is astonishing that ECHR's previous leadership left another case, of even more atrocious brutality, concerning a Woman shot and gravely wounded by Turkish Soldiers close to the Buffer Zone, without taking any action in Strasbourg for .. 12 Years : 1996 - 2008, until the victim ...died meanwhile in 2005, vainly waiting during 9 Years from the European Court any elementary Justice !


    It's only ...12 Years after the victim lodged its application to Strasbourg, while still suffering from grave Health consequences from wounds provoked by Turkish soldiers' gunshots, that ECHR decided to simply .. transmit her case file to the respondent Turkish Authorities, in 2008" ! If any other, national court, had delayed so much, it would have been certainly condemned by .. ECHR for excessive delay into providing justice, (Article 6 ECHR).

    Georgia Andreou, a 59 years old  Poor Woman, refugee obiged to work as "Hotel Cleaner" for just "414 Cyprus £ as Monthly Salary", was "hit in the abdomen by a Bullet" fired by "Turkish or Turkish Cypriot soldiers", and "collapsed", "was taken to (a) Hospital" and "operated on, but lost one of her Kidneys", became "Unable to work" after "3 Surgical Operations", and was still suffering, many years afterwards, from "Pleuritis", "post-Traumatic Stress and Depression", ECHR noted.

    It's easy to imagine what the gravely wounded, helpless old woman felt all these painful years :

    Her story starts when, in 1996 "over one hundred Cypriot and other European motorcyclists set off from Berlin, and made their way through EU to Cyprus" for "a demonstration aimed at protesting against the Turkish occupation".  "One of the Greek-Cypriot demonstrators, Anastasios Isaak, was beaten to death" by more than 10 Turkish extremists imported from mainland Turkey at the Buffer Zone, who persisted to hit their victim with sticks and to throw stones to his head, even when he fell down, lying at the feet of his aggressors, until he was atrociously killed by a mob, as well known Films revealed. ECHR condemned Turkey on 2008 for "the killing of ..Isaak, and (for) the failure to conduct any effective investigation" in order to find and punish those responsible for the killing, EuroJudges remind now.

    Isaak "was a Friend of her Son", and Georgia "attended (his) Funeral", after which, another unarmed Greek Cypriot demonstrator,; "Solomos Solomou, crossed the ...Ceasefire Line and started to climb a flagpole. He was shot and later died from his injuries". ECHR condemned Turkey in 2008 for "the killing of ..Solomou, and (for) the failure to conduct an efficient Investigation".

    After "Solomou was ..shot by a Turkish or Turkish-Cypriot soldier (he) fell to the ground with blood flowing profusely from his neck (the autopsy later revealed that Solomou was hit by 5 Bullets),  

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    Then, "Turkish or Turkish-Cypriot soldiers ..proceeded to fire some 25 to 50 rounds indiscriminately into the Crowd" .."UNFICYP ...Commanders ...observed uniformed Turkish or Turkish-Cypriot military personnel kneeling down and firing in the direction of the (unarmed) Demonstrators. As a result of the indiscriminate shooting by Turkish or Turkish-Cypriot soldiers, 2 British UNFICYP soldiers were shot from behind, and 2 Greek-Cypriot Civilians were also hit by Gunfire". Georgia Andreou, "one of the civilians, who sustained a serious gunshot wound to the abdomen, was standing outside the UN buffer zone close to the ..checkpoint", UNO's Report denounces, as ECHR observed.

    UNO "strongly protest(ed) the totally unwarranted use of force by Turkish or Turkish-Cypriot military personnel which resulted in the killing of Solomou and in injuries to 2 Peacekeepers and 2 Civilians", EuroJudges note.

    "The Court attaches ..weight to the fact that, according to the eyewitnesses, the opening of fire was totally Unwarranted and Not even preceded by a Warning shot". And Georgia even "had not crossed the ceasefire line, (but) had been hit by the bullet while standing outside the UN buffer zone", ECHR's judgement denounces.

    The gravely wounded Woman, died later by "Brain Strokes" provoked by "high blood Pressure", following "post-traumatic Stress and Depression", after she experienced these tragic events. While vainly waiting 9 years for Justice to be done by the European Court, (1996-2005), among several related sufferings, even "a ..Metallic element was detected on the right side of her Liver, possibly due to the Bullet from the Gun". The Doctor who examined her all these years observed that "she seemed  frightened from the events that occurred and very troubled by the Surgery and the side Effects....there was an Intense Stressful reaction as well as indication of Anxiety and Depression. ...with indication of Phobias. Her sleep was disturbed and she developed Panic Attacks that were very hard to deal with and treat. The events of the Shooting were being revisited in her mind and her narration of the Stressful, Scary and Painful events stigmatized her until her death, .. without significant improvement until the end of her life.”
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    Compared to the Gravity of the Andreou case, there is no need to describe in detail also the 3rd Cyprus' "Buffer Zone" case, judged by ECHR this week, on Greek Cypriot Refugee Woman Mrs Andri Olymbiou, aged 60, who, in addition to the "continuing total denial of acces" to her Family Home and Property in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, was also harshly-streated by Turkish Security forces when they brutally dispersed a Demonstration of more than 100 Women, throwing several of them, ( including Olymbiou), in Prison for more than three days.

    ECHR condemned anew Turkey for persisting to violate Greek Cypriot Refugees and displaced persons' Human Right to return to their Family Homes and/or use their private Properties in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus held by Ankara's Army.

    - "As a refugee, I have an inextinguishable desire to return. I want to return there where I lived my Childhood. I think that both the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots should have this right. I believe that no one has the right and the authority to throw us out of our Houses. As long as I am living, I will want to return to my house. For me there is no Green Line. There is a United Cyprus", had simply stated Olymbiou before being thrown to Prison, ECHR notes.

    Olymbiou, together with other 100 Greek Cypriot Women, had demonstrated at a School located in the Buffer Zone, (against Turkish Military Occupation, for the truth to be found on "MISSING" persons, and to support Refugees), the same Year that in Germany the infamous Berlin Wall had fallen : 1989.
 
             This makes it even more clear that what is common in all these 3 Cyprus' cases chosen this week by ECHR is that they all refer to Turkish brutal atrocities repeatedly committed at the "Buffer Zone" which still divides Cyprus, and where a scandalously total Impunity of killers persists until now (2009), while, on the contrary, the new German Government prepares a PanEuropean and Trans-Atlantic Summit to celebrate 20 Years since Berlin Wall's fall...

***

Merkel chose Strasbourg's neighbour, Oettinger, as new EU Commissioner 2009-2014

Written by ACM
Saturday, 24 October 2009

oettinger_merkel_zeller_400

German Chancellor Angie Merkel chose on Saturday to nominate as new EU Commissioner for 2009-2014 Strasbourg's neighbour, the Prime Minister of nearby Regional State (Länder) of Baden-Wurttemberg, Gunther Oettinger from Stuttgart, who is also a specialist on Media policy, with an interest for On-line NewsMedia as "EuroFora".

The move came shortly after Merkel confirmed that her new Foreign Minister will also come from Strasbourg-linked city, via Rhine river, Koeln, thanks to Liberal Party FPD's leader, her partner in the new-coalition, Guido Westerwelle. 

merkel_sheehofer_westerwelle_400 

Westerwelle has started his career at FDP's leadership initially as Secretary General when Germany's foreign minister was Klaus Kinkel, who often made Press Conferences at Strasbourg's European Press Center in : As, fex. in 1997, when he had already stressed, in reply to Strasbourg Journalists' question including "EuroFora"'s founder, that "Europe needs an Industrial response" to Boeing-Lokheed a.o. US High-Tech conglomerates, also in order to develop its Defence and Security policy in the World.

Merkel reportedly "surprised" Oettinger by proposing him the Top EU job just before the conclusion of the new Coalistion talks, and she was "happy" that he accepted, expressing her belief that "he will become a heavy-weight" in the New EU Commission.

Speaking afterwards, Oettinger stresed that he sees himself not only as a a defender of Germany's interests "in Brussels and Strasbourg", but also "as serving the European Idea".

If he's confirmed by EU Parliament, he would like to serve in the new EU Commission at "a task related to Economy", he said.

Oettinger has often visited Strasbourg and its surroundings, particularly on common Franco-German projects, such as the creation of a tri-national Metropolitan Region at "Ober-rhein" area, the development of Renewable Energy sources, etc.

Pointing at the importance of Research, Education and Innovation, Oettinger had recently stressed that if Europe "networked its Institutes and Labos", it could "become as strong as" the USA. (F.ex. the Ober-rhein Metropolitan region, "from Karlsruhe to Bale", could "become as strong as Boston").

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Oettinger allies a Legal and Economic University background together with a long Political career, both at the top of the strategic German Länder of Baden-Wurttemberg neighbouring Strasbourg-located CoE, EU Parliament, Shengen system, EuroCorps and other European Organizations, as well as at a National level for all Germany, particularly in the field of Financial relations between the Federal State and federated entities, as well as on Media policy.

Resuming in 2009 more than 8 Years of experience as head of CDU's policy on Media (1999-2007), Oettinger stressed, on issues of  interest for "EuroFora" and other projects that, today, "Internet Media" are in the process of "winning an increasing influence on the (public) opinion".

But he warned also against the risk for some "Search Engines" to "threaten Pluralism" "in the area of Electronic Media" : "F.ex.", "they don't reflect an objective search result, if it depends on factors which don't guarantee the visibility of certain contents, or allows exclusions".

"However", visibility and "detectableness ...is ..an essential prerequisite for Pluralism in a Digitalized World", he observed.

Oettinger also pleaded for "more transparent" and "foreseeable" decisions of Public bodies taking decisions which affect Medias' freedoms, in order to help "emege a higher level of investment security".

***

MEPs, Sarkozy and Berlusconi ask EU Borders action on illegal migration : Turkey worse than Libya ?

Written by ACM
Friday, 23 October 2009
frontex

The need for imminent EU Council's decisions to protect Europe from massive illegal immigration traffickers mainly accross EU's Southern Maritime Borders, guarded by FRONTEX, and in particular to convince 3rd Countries as Turkey to respect their obligations, was strongly stressed, after EU Parliament's debates this week in Strasbourg, also by French President Sarkozy and Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi, in a joint move on Friday.                                   

Astonishingly, facts debated by MEPs, EU Council and Commission, and cited by the Italian and French leaders, reveal that the EU-candidate and EU- funded Turkey behaves worse than ..Libya !

Europe, contrary to the US, being surrounded by other 2 nearby larger Contintents, Africa and Asia, often with easy to cross Maritime External Borders, particularly from the South/East, the main focus is on the Mediterranean :

Thus, the heads of the 2 bigger Mediterranean countries, French President Sarkozy and Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi, in a joint Letter to EU Council's chair Swedish Prime Minister Reinfeldt, and EU Commission's President Barroso, stressed the need for "the next EU Council... to decide immediately" on the matter.

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- "A considerable challenge for EU and all its member states, on Humanitarian, Political and Social grounds, is Illegal Immigration", which "exerts an unprecedented pressure on EU's Exiernal Borders, in particularly in the Mediterranean", they stress from the outset

- That's why, "Mediterranean is an important Test for the credibility of the European activities", as well as "for the application of the EU pact on immigration and asylum" already decided in 2008.

- "Solidarity among EU Member States should not remain only words, but should go towards a real burden-sharing", they note.

The "clear political message to revitalise Europe's commitment against illegal migration in the Mediterranean", launched by "EU Council of June" 2009, "must now have a concrete and ambitious follow up", they observe.

Paradoxicaly, while one of the "clear and detailed Political Orientations" which "must be decided without delay", is the obligation of "3rd countries of origin to cooperate" in order to "struggle against illegal immigration at the Sea", nevertheless, a non-candidate, and non EU - funded 3rd Country as Libya had its illegal migration flow "recently reduced", while, on the contrary, EU candidate and EU-funded Turkey "has still to make similar efforts" !

Thus, Libya only needs to "consolidate" its recent moves by concluding an agreement with the EU, (with the help also of International organizations providing protection whenever due)? But, on the contrary, "Turkey is 1st to have to assume its Responsibilities, mainly on Borders control and on Readmission", the French and Italian leaders stress.


What is needed is "a real mobilization of Countries of origin, transit and destination, ..across the main migration roads, focusing on prevention and struggling against illegal migration networks" or trafficking of human beings.

The other key points are : - "Maritime operations in the Mediterranean" with "a clear commitment" to "intercept and return back", while"respecting International obligations".  "Specialized Offices for Frontex" "created wherever needed", for "monitoring and checks" to act "on the spot". "Common operations of Airflights for return at an EU level". The creation of an "Erasmus" program for "Border Guards", "in order to help emerge .. a real professional community Europe-wide".

malmstrom_hoodes_400

    The French and Italian concerns are largely shared also in Greece and Cyprus, while EU Council and Commission are already "aware", showed EU Parliament's debates, earlier this week in Strasbourg :

    Even .. "harassment by Turkey of Aircraft operated by the EU Agency for External Border Security (FRONTEX), was denounced by MEP Nicolaos Houdis, in a written question to the Swedish EU Presidency, debated during EU Parliament's plenary in Strasbourg.

- "Since May 2009, 6 incidents have been recorded in which aircraft operated by the EU agency for External Border security (Frontex) have been subjected to harassment, either by Turkish Aircraft or through Radio communications", observed the MEP.

 F.ex.  "on .. September ..a Frontex Helicopter flown by ..Latvian pilots ..en route from the island of Kos to Samos, ..received radio interference from a Turkish radar ..demanding that it withdraw from the area !", he noted, asking the EU "what measures it will it take vis a vis Turkey ?".
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    - "EU Councll is aware of these incidents", replied EU Chaiwoman in office, Swedish EU Minister Cecilia Malmstrom, and "says to Turkey that as a candidate country, they have to share Europe's values".

    - "Frontex's turbo Airplanes" are part of its "common operations" which "are important contributions to the protection of EU's External air Borders", she observed.

    - "Borders depend from International Legal Treaties", and "EU has urged Turkey to strive for better neighborhood relations".

    Fex. "Poseidon 2009 operations" by Frontex, taking place in Greece", "focus on preventing illegal crossing of borders by individuals who come from, or transit through Turkey and North-African countries, trying to reach the Greek coasts". This "includes, of course, also the use or technical means in EU's Airspace along the Greek islands' Border", and "Turkey was informed", EU Chairwoman noted.  

    - Thus, "EU urged Turkey to avoid all kinds of Threats, provocation of Conflicts, or measures which can damage the positive climate and the possibilities that conflicts find a peaceful solution", while "we (EU) systematically remind Turkey that it must have Good Neighborhoud Relations", fex. on May and July 2009, Malmstrom stressed.

    Currently, Turkey is negotiating about "methods for working" eventually with Frontex, she added, but without elucidating what kind of "methods" Ankara asks..
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    Moreover, "EU Commission is aware" of "a particularly grave problem" of "illegal immigration in Cyprus" where "a large number of 3rd countries' citizens illegaly cross the "Green Line"" from the territories occupied by Ankara's Army, a reply given to a written MEP question stressed this week.

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    But controversial EU Commisioner on Enlargement, Oli Rehn, was criticized by Cyprus' MEP Antigoni Pericleus-Papadopulu, for "not even intending to exert pressure on Turkey" (fex. by "threatening an eventual suspension, even partial, of accession negotiations, if Ankara still fails to comply with its obligations", as she said), but, on the contrary, limiting himself only into .. "studying" ways to "help Turkey's efforts" (sic) "by augmenting EU Funds to Turkey, via pre-Accession Aid" even more !

    Rehn appeared satisfied merely by the fact that "EU Commission's envoys visited Turkey on September 2009" in order to "incite the Turkish authorities to make greater efforts to face illegal migration", resulting only in Ankara's acceptance to "re-start again negotiations on re-admission", and to promisse to "accelerate negotiations for an agreement on cooperation with Frontex"...

***

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Recent developments proved that Europe can suceed to overcome challenges by aiming at great objectives, and this is needed also in 2009, said EU chairman, French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

    - "It's in the name of Great Ideas, Projects, Ambition and Ideals, that EU can overcome" challenges, stressed Sarkozy at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, in conclusion of a dense 7 months EU Chairmanship. "It's even easier for Europe to have Great projects, able to overcome national egoism, instead of limiting itself only to small projects" (unable to do alike), he observed.     

- "Europe must remain Ambitious and understand that the World needs her to take Decisions". "The World needs a Strong Europe", which "thinks on its own, has convictions, its own responses, its imagination" : "A Europe which does not limit itself into following" others, (as it did in the Past, when it followed USA, f.ex. on Bosnia). On the contrary, "Europe should undertake its own responsibilities", he said, after a series of succes in stopping the War between Russia and Georgia, and organizing the 1st EuroZone's Summit in Paris, which incited the Washington DC G-20 Summit to extend similar decisions World-wide.  


    - "When you sweep it all under the carpet, prepare yourself for hard tomorrows", he warned. "What hinders decisions is the lack of Courage and Will, the fading away of Ideals", he stressed before EU Parliament's 2008 debate on Human Rights and Sakharov prize on Freedom of thought attributed by MEPs to Chinese cyber-dissident Hu Jia, followed by an EU - Turkey meeting on Friday.

    - "I don't abandon my convictions" and "I will take initiatives" on EU level also in 2009, Sarkozy announced later. "France will not stop having convictions and taking initiatives" on Europe. + "It's an Error to wish to pass over the Heads of those who are elected in their Countries" : "It's an integrism I always fought against"', he warned.
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French EU Presidency faced 4 unexpected Crisis :

- An institutional crisis, with the Irish "No" to EU Lisbon Treaty, just before it started. A geopolitical crisis, wth the threat of War between Russia and Georgia risking to throw Europe back to Cold-war divisions, on August. A World-wide Financial and Economic crisis, arriving at a bad moment before crucial 2009 EU elections. And even a Strasbourg's mini-crisis, with EU Parliament's roof curiously falling down, from unknown reasons, in a brand new building on August, provoking an unprecedented transfert of the 2 September Plenary Sessions...

But it wasn't enough to stop Sarkozy ! On the contrary, it stimulated him...
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- "The better way to deal with the recent problems of EU institutions (as the "3 NO" by France, the Netherlands and Ireland) is to take them as a "Test" in order to find solutions closer to Citizens' concerns", said later in Strasbourg Sarkozy's new choice as Ministe for EU affairs, Bruno Le Maire.

- On the Institutional front, Sarkozy gave Time to the Irish to think about it, and stroke on December a deal including a New Referendum after the June 2009 EU Elections, in exchange of a promise to keep the rule of "one EU Commissioner for each EU Member Country", and some opt-outs on Defence and Fiscal EU policies, Abortion, etc. If the Irish get a "Yes" Majority, then the institutional package could be completed in 2010 or 2011 on the occasion of Croatia's probable EU accession.

He was accused in Strasbourg to upgrade EU Council and downgrade EU Commision, but he replied that "strong Political initiatives by EU Council reinforce also the more technical role of EU Commission, under the political-technical leadership of its President", all 3 "working together with EU Parliament".


- But, meanwhile, Sarkozy energetically spearheaded an Historic 1st Summit of EuroZone's 15 Heads of State and Government at EU's core, exceptionally enlarged to a partial participation of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on October 12 in Paris' Elysee palace, which started to tackle succesfully the growing world Financial crisis.

    It also paved the way for its endorsement by a subsequent Brussels' 27 EU Member States' gathering, before it all come to Washington's G-20 Summit. And "Europe was united, it asked for the 1st G-20 Summit, and it will also organise the next G-20 Summit on April in London", he observed.   

 But a Conference with EU, Russia, African and other Developing Countries, hosted in Strasbourg shortly after Washington G-20 Summit by the French EU Presidency, took a Resolution asking to enlarge participation to Global Economic Governance. Many found, indeed, illogic and unacceptable that f.ex. states as Turkey were given a seat at G-20 level, while all African Countries, and even the African Union itself, representing the greatest Continent on Earth, were excluded...


    Meanwhile, even USA''s "Paulson No 3" Plan, was, in fact, inspired by Europe's No 1 Plan", Sarkozy observed, largelly applauded by MEPs.

    And "Europe showed Solidarity" by mobilizing some 22 Billion credit for Hungary, 1,7 billion for Ukraine, as we do nowadays for Baltic States, etc., he added.

    The move on Economy was extended on December by an EU stimulus' plan totalling some 200 billion Euros, including 5 Billions released by EU Commission for big Projects, as well as various parallel National plans for Economic revival, (fex. 26 billions in France alone). They might appear limited, compared to USA President-elect Obama's reported plan to boost the American economy with 800 billion $, but at least succeded to overcome Europe's divisions for the first time on Economic governance, opening new horizons.

- The French President stressed even harder the unique role of an active EU Council's chairmanship, when he moved swiftly and efficiently, at the beginning of August, to succesfully stop War between Russia and Georgia, at the last minute, which threatened to bring Europe back to Cold War division.

"We (EU) also wanted to avoid a situation like in Bosnia, in the Past, when EU was absent, so that our American friends took their responsibilitues, and EU only followed", despite the fact that the conflict took place in Europe. Now, it was the EU who took its responsibilities".

A roadmap towards a new PanEuropean Security policy, before which all unilateral moves to place new Missiles (from USA or Russia) would be freezed, was proposed by Sarkozy after a meeting with Russian president Medvedev, at the eve of Washington DC's G-20 Summit.

Ukraine's "European" character was stressed at a Sarkozy - Jushenko Summit, September in Paris, while EU adopted on December an "Eastern policy", in which, "I'm convinced that our (EU's) future is to find with our Neighbours the conditions for Economic Development. Peace and Security, by explaining them that.. they must respect (Human Rights') Values, and adopt behaviors different from the Past", explained Sarkozy in Strasbourg.

Meanwhile, the "Union for the Mediterranean" was created, since July's Summit if 45 Heads of State and Government in Paris, as "an organisation for a permanent Dialogue, that we need", mainly in order to tackle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, by bringing together, for the 1st time, Israelis and Arabs, where "Europe must be present, in order to avoid a frontal clash".

- "If Europe doesn't take its part for Peace in the Middle-East, nobody else will do that in our place", Sarkozy stressed.
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    Meanwhile, other EU Agreements were brokered during the French EU Presidency on Immigration, (fex. common Asylum rules, etc), and Climat- Energy :

    - On Climat-Energy, the 2007 German EU Presidency had fixed a triple 20% aim for 2020 (20% renewable Energies, 20% reduction of CO2 emmission, 20% energy efficience/economies), and the 2008 French EU Presidecny realized that, making the necessary compromises in order to modernize EU's industry, but without throwing some former Central-Eastern European Countries into abrupt Economic break down risking "social explosion".

    - Defence-Security EU policy was mainly postponed for April 2009, since both German chancellor Merkel and French president Sarkozy want to strike a deal with the new American president Obama in Strasbourg's NATO Summit.

    However, with all these 4 unexpected Crisis diverting attention to other urgencies, People wil wonder now, what happened to the famous deal proposed by freshly-elected French President Sarkozy on Turkey's controversial EU bid, back on August 2007, to continue EU - Turkey negotiations, but on the double condition that core chapters, intrinsequally linked with EU Membership, will be excluded, and that a collective Reflexion and Debate on Europe's future would start before the end of 2008.

    It was meant to reply to the crucial question : What kind of Europe do we want in 10 or 20 Years from now : A large Market, or a Political Europe, with a popular identity ? In Sarkozy's thinking, presented in his 2 landmark speeches on Europe in Strasbourg, shortly before and after the 2007 Elections, (on February and July 2007), Turkey's controversial EU bid would be incompatible with the second choice.

    It's true that EU Commision's Chairman, Jose Barroso, (who had notoriously declared, as former Portuguese Prime Minister, that he found "nonsense" the idea that Europe might become equal to the US), had repeatedly tried to avoid that Sarkozy's criticism on Turkey might start winning a larger audience in Europe, preferring a discrete "wismens' committee" work. And that most of the personalities later chosen in order to participate in a Committee on Europe's Future, are too much linked with Socialist parties and/or American policies, to be really critical of USA's notorious wish to impose Turkey to the EU, as Sarkozy had noted himself since March 2007..

     - "It's on EU Council's presidency to take political initiatives. EU Commission has other competences", stressed Sarkozy. The "European Ideal" is to "build Europe with the States, not against them". "Ask Europeans to chose between their countries and Europe won't work. You don't choose between your two parents : We must add them together".

    "France and Germany have an Historic Duty to work together, precisely because of what happened to the Past. We have to work hand by hand. We cannot be separated.It goes beyond me and Mrs Merkel today, Mr Schroeder and Mr. Chirac yesterday. It's not a choice, it's a duty to Europe and to the World".  "We need Germany, as Germany needs Europe". Compromise is inevitable, here as everywhere, and each one made some steps towards eachother's positions.

    But "it's true that Mrs Merkel didn't chose her Socialist partners, while I chose mine", Sarkozy said, in an indirect hint that the Socialist Minister of Finance in Germany might be a cause of minor past disagreements in Economy, which were overcome in recent negotiations.

    "We (France and Germany) have particular duties in Europe", but "in a Europe of 27 Member States, it's not enough for France and Germany to agree between them.

    "I always thought that Great Britain has a special role to play in Europe. ... Now, everybody "saw what it cost payed the UK for having been too exclusively open towards the US (and) Financial services. Europe needs the UK, but also the UK needs Europe" :- "We were able to face the hardest moment of the Financial crisis because the UK clearly chose Europe", stressed Sarkozy, reminding Gordon Brown's exceptional participation to the Historic 1st Heads of State/Government Summit of EuroZone, October 12 in Paris (See EuroFora's Reportage from Elysee Palace then).

     - "Some look at Europe with old glasses aged 30 years ago. While we must look at her in relation to what it will be in 30 years" in the Future, Sarkozy concluded.

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2009 EU Elections were won by Parties against Technocracy and Turkey's controversial EU bid, while the 1999-2004 Majority Abstention trend decelerated. What should be done in 2009-2014 ?

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