newsitems

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- All MEPs of Cyprus, the Only EU + €uro Member Country to remain still Semi-Occupied by a Foreign Military : that of controversial Turkey, were Among the First to Join CoE Assembly President, Pedro Agramunt's  Exceptional Move to launch, Today, a "#NoHateNoFear "Move at the Internet against Deadly Terrorism of ISIL's atrocious BeHeaders, even of Innocent and Defenseless Civilian People.

Speaking Earlier this Morning with Strasbourg's Journalists, including "Eurofora" at a special event in his CoE Office, Agramunt called, in substance, inter alia, to "Resist" against recent Attempts to Divide the People and make them Betray even elementary Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law "Values", by Hateful Reactions to Dreadful Terrorist Aggressions, as those recently in Paris, Brussels, Kopenhagen and MagnanVille in Europe, or Saint Bernandino and Orlando in the USA, (etc).

He spoke also from Personal Experience, coming from Spain, which has had notoriously Suffered both by the ill-elucidated 2004 Mass Attack iin Madrid's Railroad Station, and from some Violent Separatist Movements in the Past, (as well as Italy, back in the Seventies, UK's Northern Ireland, Germany, in a lesser degree, Russia by some Tchetchen BeHeaders Extremists in the 1990ies up to the Beslan School Horrible Massacre by a few Cowards attacking even underage Small Children and their Mothers at an Elementary School on 2004, Japaese People hit even by BioWarfare Gas at Public Areas, some Chinese Cities attacked by Knife-throwing  Extremist Islamic Terrorists, etc.

On the Contrary, Agramunt advised all involved to Inspire themselves from the Emotional Move of a French Journalist who had just Lost his Wife at the November 2015 Brutal Attacks killing Hundreds of Innocent Civilian People at Paris' "Bataclan" Music Hall, Coffee Bars, FastFood and/or Sport outlets, etc. by a Group of ISIL's Terrorists, many of whom had Infiltrated Europe by Hidding themselves among the Unprecedented, Massive Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants' "Tsunami" which came through Turkey, and via EU (and Schengen) Member Greece, inside EU Countries as Hungary, Austria, Germany, France, Sweden, etc :

- Refusing "Hate", "Scare", "Suspicion", and/or "to Sacrifice Freedom for Security", Reporter Antoine Leiris of FranceInfo vowed that his Kid, aged just 17 Months, would "Defy" Terrorists "by being Happy and Free" "all his life", "Because you'll Never have his Hatred".

Cyprus is notoriously one among the First CoE's member Countries, during the 67 Years old History of Strasbourg's PanEuropean Organisation (1949-2016+), to have Faced the Challenge about 2 Thousands "MISSING" People, without anyone having ever been Found Responsible and Punished for their Forced Disappearance until now, and more than 20% of its Population obliged to Flee as Refugees/Internaly Displaced People, Forced to Abandon their Family Homes, Private Properties and Ancestral Land, and still Hindered to Return Back Home and/or have any Access to their Belongings, even 42 Years Since the 1974 Military Invasion and Occupation by Ankara's Troops at the Northern Territories of the Island, despite and Contrary to several UN Security Council's Resolutions, followed by a Long Series of landmark ECHR Judgements, from 1996 up to 2014, etc. Condemning Turkey for many "Continuing" Violations of Human Rights, which persist until Today.

This was Preceded in History particularly by the Notorious Cold Blood Murders of 2 Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot Trade Union Workers, one among the Symbols of Unity of the People of Cyprus, which bursted out amidst a growing series of various Violent Attempts and/or Hate Propaganda obviously aimed at Dividing that Strategically located, and Historically as well as Culturally European Island.

Several People have often Named all that, (Added also to the Notoriously Brutal and Anti-Democratic, quasi-Systematic Violations of Human Rights and Oppression even against various Dissidents inside Turkey, by an excessively Authoritarian Regime), as a Symptom of a so-called "State Terrorism", (reportedly Fueled mainly by Ankara's "Deep State" Networks).

But, at any case, recent developments indicate a Hope that Most Greek and Turkish Cypriots, as well as many among their manifold Friends in Europe and elsewhere in the World, have progressively forged, Nowdays, a possible and much-needed Trend towards a Reconciliation and ReUnification of Cyprus, now a CoE, UNO,  and EU, as well as €uroZone Member Country, whose People could Live Peacefully Together, with at least an elementary Respect of all's Human Rights, under basic Democratic Principles and EU Law, in a Strategically Located Island, endowed by Nature with several Resources, (including Oil-Gas Sea deposits).

I.e., for once, withOut "Hate", Neither "Fear", but "Happy and Free", according to Leiris' wording, citted by Presiident Agramunt's initiative, mutatis-mutandis, (Comp. Supra)...

Mutatis-mutandis, should, also, f.ex., even "Missing" Persons' Families and/or Greek Cypriot Refugees/IDP's Human Rights, (constantly reaffirmed by ECHR, more and more Clearly since 1996 up to 2014 and beyond), be, perhaps, Pushed Aside, "Freezed" or otherwise see their Application in real Practice Postponed, etc., as Turkey currently Asks CoE's Committee of Ministers to do, particularly by Postponing for Much Later its Duty to Act for the Implementation of ECHR's Judgements, under the Pretext that, otherwise, Peace Talks might be "Compromised", as Ankara claims ?

Certainly, the New Turkish Cypriot Leader Akinci, and Cyprus' President Anastassiades, are Both People known (and generealy, and by "Eurofora" personaly) for their Wish to Make Peace, Reconcile and ReUnify the Island, all the People of which, has Suffered Too much in the Past. But eberybody knows, also, that they are Not Alone in their UNO - sponsored Talks, (held near Ankara's Invasion/Occupation Army, etc).

Moreover, Political Talks are notoriously Dealing also with Power-Sharing, Territorial give and take, Security Guarantees, Trade matters and/or Natural Resources, etc. Should all these various Considerations, obviously Irrelevant to Human Rights, Block or "Freeze"' ECHR Judgements' execution for so long (that f.ex. several Refugees have already Started to Die, vainly Waiting, again and again, for Justice to be done) ?
And, also from another point of view, Even concerning specificaly the still on-going Political Talks for Cyprus' ReUnification : Shouldn't Political Choices be somewhat Guided, or at least incited to be Inspired by ECHR's case-Law, (Risking, Otherwise, to be pushed to go Against even elementary Human Rights' Principles) ?

Every kind of Terrorism must be "Countered", Justice done, and "Security endured", for the Victims and All People targetted, "But we must Not Fall in the Trap" of those who Seek "to Divide us", Neither "unduly Limit our Freedoms, ... Nor Curtail Civil Rights", etc., PACE President Agramunt stressed Today, as a matter of General Principle.

- "Terrorism seeks to Destroy Our Way of Life, by instilling Fedar and propagating Hate. We must Not Fall into the Trap of Terrorists. We must Not Allow this Barbarism to Triumph over Democratic Values and Liberties", Agramunt Urged Today.

Could, perhaps, (Both Here, as also Elsewhere), a Fully-Fledged, Real Humanism, with an Active Fighting Spirit, Help Find some Key Solutions, against any kind of Brutal Terrorism which attempts to trample Human Dignity underfeet, Manipulate and Divide People, Undermine and Destroy entire Societies, their Best Values and Civilisation ?

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*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- CoE's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland, an Experienced former Prime Minister of Norway and President of the NOBEL Peace Prize Committee, Speaking to "Eurofora", stressed his Belief that Balancing Data Protection and Topical Security issues should be Possible, even if Difficult, while CoE is currently Finalizing a "Modern" Review of its 1981 landmark Convention, the only such Binding intsrument in the World.

    Jagland spoke to "Eurofora" just after his Keynote Speech to an International Conference organized in Strasbourg on the PanEUropean Organisation's Historic Convention on Data Protection, Advancing "from European Reality to a Global Treaty", according to its Official Heading, which points at Fast-Evolving  and Important Real Stakes Today, as several Other Particpants also described to "Eurofora", (See Infra).

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    - "Do you think that you might Succeed to Strike the Balance between a Strong Protection of Personal Data and Efficiency in the Anti-Terrorism Fight ?", "Eurofora" asked Jagland.

    - "I think that it is Possible", CoE's Secretary General Optimistically Replied to "Euroora"s Question from the outset

    - "But, Not very Easy...", he Realistically Warned, however.

    - "Notably for the Convention", Jagland made it clear, as far as it concerns the forthcoming Review in 2016 of CoE's 1981 landmark Convention.

    -- In fact,  we Need to find out How to Deal with the  "Deep Technological Revolutionary Changes" currently unfolding "at a Global level".

    - Because, "we (EU/CoE) don't yet sufficiently Understand  what is really going on", while, nevertheless,  we understand that "the Winds of Changes are Blowing" Today, he Earlier pointed out. 

    - Jagland, speaking previously at Today's CoE International Conference on the Data Protection Conference (See Infra), said that he Hopes "that a Revised Text will be Adopted",   by the PanEuropean Organisation's Committee of Ministers, "by the End of the Year" 2016.

    A "Modernisation" of CoE's Historic 1981 Convention o Data Protection was decided mainly after 2010 - 2011, focusing, in particular, on New Digital Technologies and on Monitoring the Implementation of its Principles, (See Infra)

    - Governments now have an unprecedented capacity for Surveillance. And sometimes they need to use it to keep us Safe", while also  Big "Companies now have the unprecedented ability to use and share our personal information. And sometimes this means better products and services". Recently, " growth in Terrorism and cyberCrime has Forced us to re-evaluate the level of State intrusion we are willing to accept in our own lives, for the sake of our shared Security", he observed.

    - But "I find very Worrying the idea that we are somehow entering a ‘Post-Privacy’ Age", because"Privacy is fundamental to individual Liberty – protected under Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights", and "It is Vital for keeping the Powerful in Check".

    => Therefore, "it is Essential that we work Together to develop and implement these, at International level", since "the Internet crosses national Borders". Thus, it's "extremely important that (CoE's) Convention – the World’s Only international, legally-binding data protection treaty – is going Global", Jagland concluded,

    Welcoming the Accession of 6 Non-European Countries at this "Open" CoE's Treaty, after Uruguay, some Years ago, that of Mauritius Today, while Morocco and Tunisia, as well as Senegal have already been Invited by CoE's Committee of Ministers to join asap, and Cape Verde has just presented a Request. But Jagland also expressed the "Hope" that "Many Other" Non European Countries are soon Added to the List.

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    Meanwhile, Belgium signed, Today in Strasbourg, a Cooperation Agreement with Tunisia as also with Morroco, which includes Training on how Get Ready to Apply CoE's Convention asap.

    + Experienced Professor in Law and Information Systems at the Australian University of New South Wales (NSW), Graham Greenleaf, observed that, Today, about 110 Countries all over the World, have Some kind of Data Protection Laws, from which Only 56 are Out of Europe, where the 46 Member States' strong COE is recently Extending its scope  to anOther 6 Non-European Countries, (Comp. Supra).

    Professor Greenleaf, speaking later-on to "Eurofora", noted also that EU's relevant New Directive for 25 Member States, (initialy proposed by EU Commission already Since 2012), which Adds, inter alia, also Automatic Procession of Data issues, isn't yet due to Enter into Force before 2 Years' Time from now, while CoE's 46 Member States' relevant Convention is already Applicable, and has a much Wider scope.

    Both EU's Data Protection Supervisor Giovanni Buttarelli, and UNO's Special Rapporteur on the Right to Privacy, Joseph Cannataci, observed, in substance, that, at any case, CoE's Convention would always have a Useful "Complementary" role to play.

    - The President of CoE's Data Protection Committee, Jean-Philippe Walter from Switzerland, speaking, meanwhile, to "Eurofora", reminded that it was, Initialy, a PanEuropean Meeting at Montreux (Facing Geneva, from the Other side of the Lake), already as Early as since Back on 2004, which had Launched the Idea of that CoE's Convention Going Global, and this was Endorsed, between 2010-2011, by its Committee of Ministers, and a Specialized Meeting of its Ministers of Justice.

    As far as the Main CoE's Convention on Data Protectio, Opened for Signature as Early as already since 1981, France and Germany, together with Spain,  Sweden and Norway, soon Joined by the UK, Austria and Luxembourg, were among the First to Ratify, Followed, later-on, by All the Other CoE's Members.

    - "Last came Turkey, just a Month ago", (i.e. on May 2016 !), told "Eurofora" the Experienced President of COE's Committee on Data Protection, Philippe Walter from Switzerland. (Probably, Ankara's exceptionaly Delayed Decision was motivated by its current Attempt to obtain a Controversial and UnPopular "Free Visa" status for 90 Millions of Turks inside the EU, since it concerns one out of the 5 still PendingConditions)...

    But a 2001 "Additional Protocol" which mainly concerns "TransBorder" Data Flows, and entered into force on 2004, hasn't yet been Ratified neither by Russia, nor by the UK, Italy, Turkey and Other Countries, (such as Greece, Belgium, Norway, Slovenia, Malta, San Marino, and Azerbaijan). On the Contrary, Germany and Sweden, as well as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania and Cyprus, were among the First to Ratify it, closely followed by Poland, the Netherlands, Hungary, Albania, etc, and, later-on, by the Rest of PanEuropean CoE's Member States.  But the Controversial  Issue of TransBorder Data Flows possible Use mainly by the USA, notoriously still Keeps Russia and several Other Countries away from endorsing also COE's "CyberCrime" Convention, (Opened for Signature also since 2001, i.e. practicaly at the Aftermath of 9/11).

    - Today, Russia is some Other CoE Member Countries are also Disagreing with the current Draft for the "Modernisation" of the Historic 1981 Convention on Data Protection, particularly because they Want to Exclude from its scope the Data used for "State Security" issues. But, as any New Protocol Amending the Convention needs the Acceptance of All its Member States, then, Unless a Compromise is found with Moscow, COE might be Obliged to present all its Draft as a kind of a ..."New Treaty", due to be Signed and Ratified by those COE's Members who are Willing to do so, President Walter speculated, Smiling to "Eurofora"...

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    + CoE Committee of Ministers' Coordinator on Information Society,  Ambassador of Belgium, Dirk Van Eeckhout, (who served recently as President in office of the CoE), speaking to "Eurofora", explained that, by calling earlier the "CyberCrime" Convention as "1 Arm of the COE", and its "Data Protection" Convention, "the 2nd Arm of the COE", he is pointing, in particular, on People's "Trust" that their elementary Rights  could be Safeguarded even when Public Authorities have to take Measures to Fight against Terrorism and other serious Crimes. The one doesn't go without the other, he resumed in substance.

    ++ Finally, COE's Director on Information Society, Patrick Penninckx, who Concluded Today's International Conference, by Stressing that the PanEuropean Conventio was, in fact, "a Unique Global Compass"  on Data Protection, since, currently, "there is No realistic Alternative" to that, Worldwide, while also Promissing that, by "Modernizing" it, CoE "will Never become Complacent on Privacy", since "Data are becoming <<the New Oil>> Today", and "we Need an Investment in Trust", Speaking later to "Eurofora", observed that the Next Step of the International Community on "Global Governance" at the Internet, was the Forthcoming UNO's "Internet Governance Forum", scheduled this year "in Mexico", on December 2016.

    - California based "ICANN" might evolve towards a Global Internet Governance body, particularly if it becomes more Independent, but the USA don't seem ready yet to give up all ICANN's links to the American IANA, etc., he observed. In this Context, some have thought that the 47 Member Countries-Strong, PanEuropean COE, which currently still remains as the Only Organisation in the World with Legaly Binding Tools, as well as several Legal Standard-setting Instruments, on the Internet, might, eventualy, Play also a Global Role on Web Goevrnance. But it's Not Sure at all that the Americans would Accept such a role for a Body based in France, even if, however, we (CoE) have some Strong Supporters "at Washington DC", he optimisticaly pointed out.

(../..)

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("DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora"s Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version might be Published asap).

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*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- PanEuropean CoE's Development Bank's Governor, Rolf Wenzel, Speaking to "Eurofora", found that there is "No Scarcity of Funds", on behalf of European Institutions, for Both Refugees/Migrants' Crisis and Poverty in Europe Today, even if one has to See the Concrete Situation in Each Country, and what are the Real Needs, Now that a CEB's Priority is the Integration or Final Destination of recently arrived Mass Immigrants.

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    - "Eurofora" pointed to the Fact that CoE's Bank, despite its Experience and Efficiency, notoriousy Didn't have as much Money as the EU, and asked Governor  Wenzel whether this didn't Hinder him to play as an Important role as he apparently Wished, including at Topical Issues as the current Refugees/Migrants Crisis, etc.

    - "The EU has also to Deal with Economic and Big Infrastructural Projects, while We (COE's Development Bank) are Focusing only on Social issues", he clearly Distinguished from the outset.

    - "So far", CEB's Funds have proved to be Sufficient for our purpose, and "We didn't see Any Difficulties" from that point of view, "But we have, First, to Find and See what is really Needed", he added positively, but carefuly.

    - In practice, "We had a First Situation Last Year (on 2015),  particularly "since Last September". But, "Now, (i.e. on Mid-2016) We are Focusing on Integration", as well as on the Final "Destination" of recent Immigrants, (f.ex. Stay in Europe or Resettlement in their Countries of Origin,  etc)., COE Bank's Governor Replied to "Eurofora"s Question.

    - Already, back "on 1956, the (COE's) Bank was Active in Germany, Italy, and elsewhere,  to deal with Refugees and Internaly Displaced Persons, as a Result of the 2nd World War", he reminded, pointing at CEB's "60 Years" of Experience, mainly on such issues, according to ihe Agreement on which it is based. A move which was notoriously Followed, since the Mid-Seventees, until recently, by Help to Greek Cypriot Refugees/IDPs who had to Flee Turkey's Foreign Military Invasion and Occupation of the Northern Part of the Island,since 1974.

    - "Then, we had, during the 1990ies, the Former - Yugoslavia's Crisis, with that Country Falling apart, and New Countries Emerging", etc., he added, concerning another, Different Tragic Refugees' issue.

     + Meanwhile, concerning anOther Topical Social Issue : Poverty in Europe, Wenzel, (who is involved at CoE's Bank "since 2008"), observed that, "when you look Today in Europe, we have some kind of Economc Growth, but it's Not yet Fast, nor Strong Enough in order to Reduce UnEmployment".

    - But, here too, "I don't see a Scarcity of (European Institutions') Funds" in this regard. In Addition to EU Commission, we have also the European Investment Bank (EIB), even the European ReConstruction Bank (EBRD), etc., together with CoE's PanEuropean Development Bank (CEB). "So, there are Many Institutions" ready to Deal with that kind of issues, he pointed out, rather optimisticaly, at least from this point of view.

    - And, as far as the recent developments on "Poverty" Issues are concerned, "one has to See what the situation is from Country to Country", CEB's Experienced Governor advised. "Because not only UnEmployment, but also Social Welfare Systems are Different. So that one has Really to Look at one Country after the Other", he observed.

    In this regard, CoE's Bank mainly Funds, (with Low Cost Loans, thanks also to its Aa1 or AA+ Ratings in International Capital Markets, and its Social Mandate),  in addition to "Access to Social and Affordable Housing", particularly the "Improvement of Living Conditions and Social Welfare", as its Latest Annual Report for 2015, to which he referred, points out in more details.

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    CoE's PanEuropean Bank includes among its Legal Statute's "Primary Purposes", to "Help Solving Social Problems" "faced" by "European Countries", "as a Result of ... Refugees or Other Forced Movements of Populations, and ... Victims of Natural ro Ecological Disasters".

    But, after a First Wave of Refugees during the 2 Conflicts at the Former Yogoslavia's area, at the 1990ies, (i.e. under Bill Clinton's US Presidency), curiously, during GWBush's US Presidency, (2001-2008), there wasn't any perceivable augmentation of Refugees' Displacement, (despite the Invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, then),, while, on the Contrary, it Started to Gradually Grow, since Obama's 1st Term in Office, but "Exploded" , after 2012, i.e. on Obama's 2nd Part of US Presidency, when another Socialist President was elected in France (Hollande), reaching an Unprecedented  Peak in their Last Year, on 2015-2016.

    CEB observed on 2016 that "the Current situation is ... Complicated by the Blurred Disctinction bnetween Humanitarian and Economic Migrants". In fact, "Despite a Public Focus on .. Syria", it's only a Minority of just "29%" of "Asylum Seekers" which originated from Syria, while 28% come from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, another 10% from Albania and Kosovo, etc. There is also a Strange, Unprecedented "Gender InEquality", with Men representing "Two Thirds, for the Age Group of 35 - 64%, and even More  for the 14 - 34 Years Old : "About "80%" 

    However, "the Current Refugees are ... Not the Poorest .. in their Countries of Origin", particularly since "the High Cost of illegal Border Crossing  implies hat Only Wealthier individuals Can Afford the Journey from  Countries like Syira to Europe", (i.e. through Turkey and its notorious Smugglers). CEB pointed out. (While even a French Couple of frequent Tourists from Strasbourg in the Greek Island of Kos, facing the Turkish Coasts, told earlier to "Eurofora" that the Local People had been astonished by the influx of Many Individuals with a Lot of Money, their pockets Full of Banknotes, who had filled up most Hotels and resting areas, just Before the Big "Tsunami" emerges from Turkey and

      CEB has recently (2016) Warned about "Worrying Data on Poverty" in Europe. Moreover, "People feel Threatened ... when and where UnEmployment is High, and social Conditions are particularly Tough", it observed, pointing also to "the Recent Growing Support for .. Anti-Immigration Political Parties and Movements accross the EU, (which) denotes a Serious Trend that canNot be taken Lightly".

(../..)

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("DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora"s Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version might be Published asap).

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*Strasbourg/MAMCS/Angelo Marcopolo/- Invited by the Press Club to Highlight "Transport" Policy perspectives, the President of the "EuroMetropole" of Strasbourg and its surroundings, (at the Borderline with Neighbouring Germany), Robert Hermann, an atypical Socialist exceptionaly allied with Center-Right opposition party of the Republicans and the "Greens", stressed his belief to the Potential of that area, in Reply to "Eurofora"s Questions on Franco-German aspects and Future Perspectives in Multi-modal Transport Strategy, from Rail links or New Cars up to Bicycles (including Electric ones)  :

- Leaving the Local "Details" to "the Mayor of Strasbourg", who "is Working on that", President Hermann prefered to Focus on the Big Picture, (as also the Spectacular Landscape around the City's "Modern Art Museum", exceptionaly chosen for this special Meeting with the Press, symbolicaly Inspired) :

 - "I think that we'd better have a look, at First, on the Territory, in order to Use its Potential", he advised.

 >>> - In fact,  "We are in a Territory which is absolutely Unique, throughout all Europe, even well Beyond !", EuroMetropole Strasbourg's Head ambitiously stressed from the outset.

- "It's the base of the Superior Rhine's basin, (between France, Germany and Switzerland); a Highway crossroads extending on both sides (of the  Franco-German Border); an Airport and River Port conglomerate (Strasbourg being "Privileged for Ship Transports"); several Railroad Stations;  an Exemplary dense Network of Bicycle Paths;  it's a River full of Mobility Facilities; it's also the European node of the Great Digital Loop, which reaches Strasbourg, linking ARTE with its Production Capacities, (Franco-German Radio-TV, cooperating also with Other EU Countries' Medias) and European Institutions, as EU Parliament's building, with a Capacity of Direct Transmission of Pictures and Sound, together wit hFrankfurt" (ECB's Headquarters, etc).

He could have added also a Potential Danube-Rhine and Rhone Rivers crossroads, which could Link at least 3 Seas around Europe : From the Black Sea up to the Northern Sea and the Mediterranean, as well as a High Speed Train crossroads, with a Potential from Paris to Berlin lines, and from Marseilles and/or Geneva to Brussels, etc, as "Eurofora"'s co-founder has often Highlighted, in various contacts with several Key Politicians, already as early as since 2002-2003, etc.

- Among "Strasbourg's Mobility" possibilities It's true that "we Must Continue to Strengthen its Airport", where, inter alia, "Air France is anouncing some developments". And, "Air France's Links with a (High Speed) Train, which will make, from July 2016 only 1 Hour and 48 Minutes for Paris, added to Connections to Frankfurt, Luxembourg and Brussels, is going to Change a lot the situation" for the better. "This System of AirFrance links with Trains, Cars, Trams/Subways, etc, "Works quite Well", he observed.

+ "2nd element : Concerning Railroads, We (Strasbourg's EuroMetropole) must look to valorise Offenburg's Railroad Station", at Nearby Germany, (which can be reached in abouit 10 Minutes or so) :  - "That Multi-Modal Rail Platform between Strasbourg and Offenburg is an incredible Richness", he stressed.

F.ex., "the Number of Trains in Direction of and from Offenburg is absolutely Remarkable !". Hermann noted. Therefore, "I think that we should Facilitate the Transition to Offenburg", which "offers a Wide Spectrum of possibilities for 'Passengers".

++  At the Same Time, "the World of "Low Cost" is in the process of being Transformed" nowadays. F.ex., "recent developments on Low Cost Busses for Short Distances", shows that "ameliorations are possible". Even "Busses at 1 or 10 € make Competition to SNCF" (the French National Railroads Company), f.ex. in Local/Regional lines).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFzJlP3u1Sc

Cristal =Electronic + Numeric, Self-service (and/or on Demand) Bus with Wifi, in Strasbourg (by the Region's Company Lohr)

=> In consequence, Today, "it has become Necessary to Review or Model" for Transports' strategy, in order to Find more Adequate Solutions", he pointed out.

- "Will, all that, Help to Solve the Problem which had been often evoked on the occasion of EU Parliament ?", he Wondered. At any case,  relevant "Discussions are going to Start soon".

- It's true that there is still a need for regular, fully loaded, Traditional Airlines, But, when you are just 6 Persons, you Can Take a Private Airplane for Paris, and you shall see that some Prices have become Considerably Lower Today", Hermann found.

F.ex. "for Businesses which need to have many of their Executives Moving around, Prices have considerably Changed. It has become possible for Businesses which have to Move for Contacts, Negotiations, etc.

=> Therefore, "something which was Unthinkable in the Past, for every one, might be, now often Considered". Because "there is a Movement in the process of being shaped".

+ Moreover, even for Bicycles, there is Room for Change", particularly after "recent Technological Innovations" :

- "In Strasbourg we are at 12% of Transports with Bicycles, while in Kopenhagen it's 30%", he observed, (While "Eurofora" recalls that, even at a Winter-Time full of heavy Snowfalls, which had Blocked many Airplanes all around Europe, nevertheless, Dutch People at Kopenhagen, during the December 2009 UNO's Global Summitr on Climate Change, were Fully Equiped by a Lot of Bicycles everywhere accross the Streets, and Often Using them - as "Eurofora" was also Obliged to do then, in order to Go Faster to See and Take a Photo of Kopenhagen's World Famous "Mermaid" Statute, in the Few Minutes availabvle Before leaving for our Airplane departure, because both Local Tram and Taxis appeared, in real Practice, much More Time Consuming and Uncertain : Comp. relevant NewsReports Published then from Denmark, f.ex. at : ...... ) "Therefore, we could use More Bicycles, in a Reasonable way, f.ex. in special Pathways".

 - "And the Recent arrival of Electric Bikes, which may roll with a Speed of up to 50 Km per Hour, while Ordinary Bicycles were limited to about 5 or 6 Km/Hour, eespecialy when they are used in well constructed Bike Tracks, Thus, in the Same Time that, in the Past, you could Only travel 2 or 3 Kms, Nowadays, you can travel 20 or 30 Kms", he observed.

=> "How will be Used, in real Practices, all these Various New Possibilities ? What Changes they  might Bring in the Ways People use Transports ?",  Hermann Wondered.

- "We have, Today, arrived in a situation in which we have to Examine if there are New Utilisations of Transports, Study possible Changes, and Consider what might be Better to Adapt or Modify  in the foreseable Future", Strasbourg EuroMetropole's President concluded on this point.

- F.ex., "in the Past, it wasn't even Thinkable that one might Fly by an Airplane with Only 10 €. However, recently, my Son travelled to Milan (Italy) with just 10 €, ... eveni f he had to Spend 10 Hours in order to do so", he added, among participants' Smiles.

But, when, sometimes, Poor People have to travel, f.ex. in Paris, in order to get a Visa, but they can't pay more than 10 €, and  don't have neither a Car, Nor any Other possibility of Transport, such a Low Cost Airplane or Bus makes a big Difference, he pointed out.

=> Therefore, we should Review Now the overall situation, with a Peaceful Mind, and withOut Excluding Any Means of Transport, in order to Find Solutrions which are More Favorable to the Economy", Robert Hermann Concluded, as a matter of Principle.

- At any case, one thing is for Sure : - "If there is No Mobility in an Area, then it's Not Attractive for the Economy".  A comparative Analysis of Data clearly reveals that, "we can Advance in Peace, Birth Rate, etc., but for Economic Growth, we Must take Efficient Measures before the Next 15 - 20 years, in order to Boost the Visibility of our Territory", Hermann urged.

One of those Measures would be to "Extend (Strasbourg's) the Dimension of our Territory, f.ex. by Aggregating Together with Neighbouring Villages, etc., (even if this might, eventualy, bring some Political Changes, f.ex. in the Majority of the Metropole's Council), he proposed.

But, the most Important is that it's no more enough Today to continue living on the Advantages that it has to Host the CoE, ECHR, EU Parliament, etc. In fact, what is most Needed is to get certain "New Economic outlets", the President of Strasbourg Metropole anounced in Conclusion, (but without yet revealing explicitly what exactly he might have in mind)...

(../..)

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("DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora"s Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version might be Published asap).

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