newsitems

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- New Georgian Prime Minister Georgi Kvirikashvili, despite a relevant overall Economic Strategy and his personal Experience as former Economy Minister, with Financialk Studies in the US (Illinois), left unanswered, at least for the moment, the Psending Question of the AGRI Project, for Direct High-Tech Links with EU Countries, by Ship Transport of Liquefied Gas through the Black Sea, Romania, Dunabe and Rhine Rivers, up to the Franco-German EU Industrial core, as well as Northern Sea/Atlantic Ocean, i.e. Netherlands, the UK, etc, from nearby abundant Central Asian sources, (f.ex. Kaspian Sea, etc), practicaly entrusting 2 or 3 sources from his close entourage to tell "Eurofora", in substance, that Georgia continued to discuss and find such possibilities interesting, but rather at an unpredictable Future Horizon.

Instead, in Statements to Journalists in Strasbourg, including "Eurofora" earlier Today Morning, at a Press Point together with the new CoE Assembly's President, Pedro Agramunt, Kvirikashvili preferedto focus mainly on a 5 Years Project for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law - related Reforms in his Country.

Almost as he did also Yesterday Afternoon, at a previous Press-point with CoE's Secretary General Thornbjorn Jagland, where were added some Urgent "Hot" matters, such as, f.ex., the imminent "Free Visa" status viw a vis the 28 EU Countries for Georgians, Nagorno-Karabach conflict, the preparation of the forthcoming, October 2016, Parliamentary Elections in Georgia, etc.

Moreover, Speaking Meanwhile to CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly's Plenary Session for the Spring of 2016, the Georgian Prime Minister presented a Nice Plaidoyerie for what he named as "Europeans"'  main "Identity" in substance, focused on the Central Idea of "Citizens' Rights", particularly for Respect of "Human Dignity" and active participatiofn, able to make their "Voices Heard" in "Inclusive Decision-Making proces", as well as on the Worldwide Topical Issue of "Internet Freedom", (where Tbilisi revendicates recently some Good Points reportedly given by International NGOs such as "Reporters without Borders", "Freedom House", etc). But he, apparently,  found it rather Difficult to provide a crystal-clear and fully convincing Answer to certain Critical MEPs' Questions, f.ex. on the "Imprisonment" of "all the Leaders of Opposition Parties", (among "3.000" People "perseuted for Crimes of the Past"as he said, calling them "Criminals" who "are not above Justice"), still on-going even in the run-up to the Electoral TDV in a few Months time, (etc).

>>> However, in an Interesting, Stragegic Move, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, anounced here also his Government's  intention to pursue further "Investing in Core Infrastructures development, supporting Expansion of the East-West and North-South Trade Corridors".

=> This should be done, mainly, by "Utilizing Georgia's Potential of a Transit Country between Europe and Asia, ...thus Creating Economic Opportunities for all our Citizens", as the Prime Minister stressed.

+ It could also serve a "New Silk Road" Mega-Plan for supplementary EU - China links, as "Eurofora" was told by a well-informed source, very close to Kvirikashvili, while it certainly Fits perfectly Well to the Direct 'Georgia-EU" High--Tech  Link that can provide Projects like "AGRI" (Comp. Supra), as she acknowledged.

Thus, among at least 3 Sources close to the Georgian Prime Minister, (2 among his own entourage, and a MEP), one appeared quite Enhousiastic aboutt the "AGRI" Project  ; another Admittted its Usefulness, (particularly in view also of EU's Policy for the "Dicersification" of Energy Supply Routes, added to the current 2015-2017+  "Juncker Plan" for Investments to Strategic and Innovative Infrastructures), so that it remains Open at a Future Horizon ; while a Third one observed that "It was always Discussed and still at the Minds" of People in Georgia. However, at least ffor the Time being, it was considered not as an imminent matter, bur rather as a Future Possibility.

The Idea to use the PanEuropean River Waterways, (here the Longest one : that of Danube and Rhein Rivers, which opened to Big Gabarit Ships after 2001-2002), as well the Black Sea Transports, mainly by High-Tech Ships using New Technologies of Liquefied Gas, in order to Transfer Central Asia's abudant Energy Resources Directly into the EU, had been initialy promoted by the Netherlands, (a traditional Key Player in Strasbourg - Head-Quartered "Navigation Committee for the Rhine"), which had organized Pioneer Conferences in Romania, etc. and later Supported both by German EU Commissioner, formerly for Energy  (and Nowadays for Digital Economy) Oettinger, as well as "Gaz de France"'s experienced International affairs' Director, (a former Foreign Ministry Press Attaché, with whom "Eurofora"'s co-Founder had cooperated a lot, for several years), as well as Romania's former long-time President Traian Basescu, (a former Commercial Ship Captain), who had given us many relevant Statements, at the CoE, EU Parliament or elsewhere, including Experienced and Key Azeri vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mahmud Guliyev, (at first very Positive, but later telling us that it was rather suspended for now), etc.

Significant of what might be really at Stake, was also the Evolving stance off former long-time President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili : First rather Ignoring the matter, he had told us, in substance, that, while being Positively Open to any Projects able to link Georgia to the EU, he prefered to Focus on Real and concrete Plans, instead of Exploring purely Hypothetic Possibilities. But, Afterwards, he clearly Confirmed the actual Existence of that "AGRI" Project (Comp. Supra), and had even anounced that relevant Consultations, Checks and Discussions were Advancing well. However, some time Later-on, he Told us that it had been "Blocked", by someone who "it isn't us" (Georgia), but "one of our Partners", (as had pointed outshortly beforfe Ending his Term,  the former Leader of a Country notoriously linked also to an Alternative Long Pipeline Zig-Zaging Southwards towards Turkey, with Plans to Cross all along the Seismic-prone Anatolia Fault, not far away from the Kurdish Conflict, and, recently, even ISIS' Deadly Terrorists, etc).

More Recently, former Prime Minister of Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili, (wih whom had Twice cooperated the New Prime Minister, Georgi Kvirikashvili, both while working in the Private Sector of Economy and in the Government), a self-made Billionaire Businessman with a Human Sense of Humour, when we spoke Biefly during his Official Visit at the CoE in Strasbourg, he appeared , either Too Frank, or too Diplomatic, when he Replied to our Question on the "AGRI" Project, mainly by saying that all this "looks quite Complicated", and prefering to suggest, with a  Friendly Smile, that, instead of Talking Longer about it now, we'd Better Simply ...take a "Selfie" Photo with the then Prime Minister of Georgia, as we were naturaly Glad to do, just before he Kindly Saluted us and everybody here,while leaving for Tbilisi, (smiling for a compliment about the World-Famous Architectural Choice of the High-Tech/Futurist, but also practicaly Functional, overall Design of his Family Home, located at a Forest of Georgian Mountains)...

Which is the real Reason for which, surprisingly, it takes so long, in a quite "Bumpy" pathway, to simply Build nowadays an equaly sWell Designed, Simple, Economic, High-Tech, Ecological and even Geo-Politicaly Shorter, Safer and Direct Energy Transport Link, between EU and Central Asian Energy Sources ?

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- CoE's PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, strongly stressed Today that Turkey is Not a "Safe" Country, particularly as far as Political or War Refugees' Freedoms and Protection are concerned, affecting a Key part of the Controversial EU - Turkey Deal, adopted in Brussels on 18 March 2016, under notoriously Heavy Pressure from Ankara's regime and by the Unprecedented "Tsunami" of more than 1 Million of Mass Asylum Seekers/irregular Migrants comming through Turkey to tresspass EU's (and Shenghen's)  External Borders via Greece, (Comp., .ex. : ....). 

This Conclusion was exceptionaly Voted Twice by CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly, and clearly Confirmed by 2 successiv, Absolute Majority Votes, on the occasion of the Adoption of 3 Resolutions based in 3 relevant Reports, and particularly those focused on "The Situation of Refugees and Migrants under the EU - Turkey Agreement of 18/3/2016", and for "A Stronger European Reponse to the Syrian Refugee Crisis". 

 Significantly of the Importance that CoE's MEPs give to that crucial point is also the Fact that this was the Only Hotly Contested Issue (among various Others, f.ex. on the recent Closure of the Balkan route, etc), which was clearly Settled with a Twice Repeated Vote, in 2 Successive and Different Occasions, provided by the Original Text and attempts to Amend it, in the 2 above mentioned Draft Resolutions, where, even the Number of the Winning Majority of MEPs Votes increased spectacularly from the 1st towards the 2nd Vote, considerably Strengthening the Final Result, (which was also confirmed evenmore by the Final Adoption of the entire Resolutions which contain that Key point).

This practicaly means, that, according to the CoE, that controversial "EU - Turkey Agreement raises several Serious Human Rihts Issues", and, "in particular", that European Countries should Not routinely "Return ... Asylum Seekers, whether Syrians or Not, to Turkey, as a (so-called) "Safe Third Country", because this is "Contrary to European Union and/or International Law, as Turkey does Not provide them with the Protection" required by several basic Legal Human Rihts Instruments, (while "there have been" also "reports of onward refoulement, of both Syrians and non Syrians"). 

CoE's PanEuropean Organisation is 47 Member States - strong. It has been officialy given a crystal-clear Mandate, at the Highest Political level, on Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, particularly specified by the 2004  Heads of State/Government Summit in Warsaw (Poland : Comp. "Eurofora" co-founder's NewsReports from the spot, then). And it includes the European Court of Human Rights, whose Judgements are Legaly Binding, and to which EU itself should normaly accede, according to the Lisbon Treaty. 

(../..)

***

(Brief Flash "DraftNews", due to be Completed and finalized asap). 

***

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Speaking to "Eurofora" after Adressing PanEuropean CoE's Assembly just before it starts debating and Voting about the controversial EU-Ankara Deal on Mass Asylulm Seekers/Migrants' influx through Turkey, via EU (and Shenghen) Member Greece, Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Garcia-Margallo, confirmed that a Differend and pre-existing Spain-Morocco Deal on EU's External Borders to Africa, continues to function Properly, but also as a part of an overall set of Agreements :

- "Eurofora" asked the Spanish Minister how he feels Now about that Agreement with Morocco about Migrants, reminding that it had been recently Praised by an Important hristianDemocrat/EPP Summit of Heads of State/Government, (which included German Chancelor Angie Merkel, and other EU Leaders), organized Last Year in Madrid, (See Infra).

- Garcia - Margallo, after reminding, with a smile, that he has already spend more than 17 Years in Strasbourg, particularly at the nearby EU Parliament, as a mainstream MEP, where we had met for the 1st time a few years ago, as well as shortly after he had been appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs, went on to Add that Spain's and Morocco's relatiop were placed in a Wider Context :

=> - "With Morocco, we (External EU Borderline Member Country Spain) have a Close Relationship", he stressed from the outset, in Reply to our Question.

- It extends "both on Political, Cultural, Economic, and Migration issues", the experienced Spanish Minister added.

- And it's, indeed, still Working quite Well, Garcia-Margallo agreed with "Eurofora", in Conclusion, as far as it concerns, specificaly, the currently Topical matter of Asylum Seekers/irregular Migrants.

Regarding which, as it's well known, only a Few People risked to be drown in the Sea, instead of many Hundreds of Dead at the Turkish Borders in the Aegean, without any "Tsunami" of Mass Asylum Seekers/irregular Migrants ever rushing towards Madrid and Paris, etc., Contrary to what happened recently with More than 1 Million of People suddenly rushing through Turkey to cross EU's Borders via Greece towards FYROM, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, Germany and other EU Countries.

Moreover,  this, without Morocco, (behind which stands the Huge African Continent, currently plenty of various Conflicts, even Terrorism, including ISIS-related, Poverty, etc., despite the existene, also, of several Natural Resources, almost like the Middle East area), ever Asking, during all these Recent Years, to boost any "Accesion" process in order to Enter into the EU, Neither to Pay it 6 Billions €, Nor to give (already from June 2016) a "Visa-Free" status for almost 80 Millions of Population, (as that of Turkey's, according to the Latest Statistical Data of 2016), due to become able to Enter inside the EU at any moment after that, (etc). Contrary to what Ankara notoriously Requested from the EU in order to accept to take Back just a Small Number of the Mass Irregular Migrants that mainly Turkish Smugglers had brought at the Aegean Sea's EU External Borders, provoking a Massive phenomenon of Huge Population Movements without any precedent in Modern History.

----------

- "The Western Mediterranean Model between Spain and Morocco should be used as a positive Example", stressed, a few Months ago, the Resolution on the "Emergency" for "Protecting Refugees - Securing EU's External Borders", adopted by the latest Heads of State/Government Congress of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Parties, headed by President Joseph Daul, which was organized last October 2015 in Madrid.
 

The move came while EU seeked to "reinforce its External Borders by stepping up border Controls ... to Prevent illegal Crossings", "both at Sea and on Land, ...in the Southern Mediterranean, the Aegean Sea and along the “Balkan route”, as part of the "No 1" Priority to "Guard and Protect (EU's) External Borders", acording to that October 21-22 EPP Congress' Resolution.

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

- "in Europe right now, the Migration crisis is the most Pressing, ...complex and immense Challenge which is truly European—it affects all of us and we need to find a common Solution that works from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, and from the Black Sea to the Atlantic"... "We must Start by finding a European solution to Securing our External EU Borders, which means finding a European approach to Border Control and strengthening our European agencies, such as Frontex". "We are and will remain committed to Helping those in Need, but we must ensure the Security of our Citizens as our first Priority", Warned President Daul with a Premonitory instict.

  Indeed, he had published that, already, as early as since the 15 October 2015, i.e. less than 1 Month before the Deadly Terrorist Attacks against Civilian People in Paris, by Islamist Extremists of ISIL's atrocious BeHeaders, even of innocent unarmed People, on November 13, 2015, in relation of which almost 40 ISIL's Terrorists reportedly crossed  EU's External Borders through Turkey, via EU (and Shenghen) Member Greece, by Hiding among the above-mentioned Massive Asylum Seekers/irrefular Migrants "Tsunami" triggered by mainly Turkish Smugglers at the Aegean Sea, for the First Time in History, all out of a Sudden.

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

A Different situation exists between EU Member Spain and the Neighbouriing African Countries, the Spanish Foreign Minister explainedearlier Today, in a Wider overview :

- "Spain has special relations with northern African countries. Those relations have allowed to us Control Migratory phenomena pretty Satisfactorily, without creating problems for our European associates", he pointed out.

-  "It is Essential to Collaborate with Countries of Origin and Transit, to have Border Controls to avoid irregular immigration, to establish a means of Regular immigration, and to Retain those immigrants in the societies in which they live, to Avoid Ghettoes, which exist in some European Countries. That policy has been very successful in the past 4 Years. We have collaborated with Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal".

=> Thus, "in 2015, the increase in irregular immigration was 15%". But "in Italy, the figure was more than 270%, as a fundamental consequence of events in Libya. There is also the position in the western Balkans", with that notorious, unprecedented Huge "Tsunami" of Massive Asylum Seekers/Migrants' flows through Turkey and via EU Member Greece, he reminded, in comparison...

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

Garcia - Margallo made it clear, earlier, that Spain considered that EU - Turkey controversial Deal only as "an Emergency" Measure, and "Not a Final Solution".

Such Massive "Displacements of Populations" had Never been seen before "Since the 2nd World War", he observed.

However, Spain requested, during EU Decision-making, the Respect of International Legality, the Exclusion of Collective Expulsions, and the Individual Investigation of each Asylum Seeker's case, he added, in Reply to Questions also by the Head of the Gzerman Delegation to CoE's Parliamentary Assembly, mainstream ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP, Axel Fischer.

Meanwhile, "International", UN-sponsored efforts to "Bring Together all Parties to the Conflict" in Syria and other affected areas, were recently supported by Spain, France, and other Countries through the UN HQ at New York, he pointed out.

In this regard, the experienced Spanish Foreign Minister, expressed his Regret for the Fact that "Ukraine" Crisis "Prevented us (EU) from establishing a Strategic Partnership with Russia, which would have been of Tremendous Importance", (particularly on Fighting Efficiently against ISIS' Deadly Terrorism's threats, etc).  

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Experienced, twice Elected President of Austria, Heinz Fischer, Replying to a Question by "Eurofora" at the CoE, shortly after an Official Visit to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergyei Lavrov,, took a Positive stance on the prospect for "Austria to Help the EU develop anew a Friendly Cooperation with Russia" in the foreseable Future, and referred us, for the rest, to what he had "already" said, earlier Today, during his official Speech and Debate with MEPs at CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly.

 - "I am all for Co-operation and for acting as a Bridge. I am a representative of a country that has good political relationships" with all sides, and "I think that progress can be made on negotiations on Crimea and the Minsk (Peace) process. That seems obvious to me". This includes also a possible exchange of prisoners, as, there too, "I do not rule out processes being set in motion that might lead us to where we want to be", he said earlier, with obvious voluntaristic optimism.

- Meanwhile, " it is our opinion that (EU-USA) Sanctions (on Russia) are not an end in themselves. Of course, it would be good if we can Create a Situation where Europe, United, can decide to Reduce or End the Sanctions. I believe, as the German Foreign Minister does, that we should think in a Step-by-Step way. ...My feeling is that, perhaps in 1 Year, (i.e. during 2017), the process of Reducing Sanctions can Start, but we are already further along than we were. That would be Fine", Fischer Highlighted.
- But, in order to achieve that, First of all, "it is Necessary to make Progress on the Minsk Agreement" (of February 2015. See the relevant "Eurofora" NewsReport: ....), and, for that purpose, "Both Sides  must Contribute to such a development".

- In fact, "2 Years ago (i.e. on 2014), when CoE's "Assembly was discussing the temporary Suspension of the Voting rights of members belonging to the Russian Federation’s delegation ... because of the Ukraine crisis and the situation in Crimea", (i.e. initially a Compromise, which was smashed by a last-minute Amendment by a Minority Group adding even Exclusion from PACE's Leading Bodies, which provoked the Withdrawal of all Rusian MEPs),  many expected "that the Crisis could be Overcome Swiftly", he pointed out. But, "Today, (i.e. on 2016), 2 Years down the road, Nobody can claim that this Problem has been Resolved", he regretted.

- However, "there are, if I may say so, some Glimmers of Hope. The Minsk talks have been a Positive Development. They have yielded some Results, or at least partial results. The extent of the Confrontation has been Curtailed, and there is Now a Lower Number of Casualties", Fischer noted, (even if some Civilian People reportedly continue to be Killed or Wounded, particularly at the Donetsk/Luhansk Autonomist Regions of Eastern Ukraine).

- Nevertheless, "the basic Root of the Problem is still Unresolved, so the situation is still Far from satisfactory – and indeed Dangerous", the Experienced Austrian President Warned. - And "my impression ...is that Russia can hardly be satisfied with the sanctions and the cooling of its relationship with Europe. At the same time, however, Russia is not – or Not Yet – prepared to pay a reasonable price for a solution. On the other side, Ukraine must be even more Dissatisfied with the present state of affairs, yet it is Not prepared to, or is not in a position to, pay a reasonable price to reach a Solution. By that I mean the exact Implementation of the Content and Chronology of the Minsk Agreements, and (particularly) the ability to Find a workable Arrangement of Self-Government", for the Autonomist Regions of Donetsk-Luhansk, in South-Eastern Ukraine, in line with the main Promisse for a Large De-Centralisation and a Special Status inside Ukraine, already made by its President, Pedro Poroshenko, as early as since his 1st Visit to the European Institutions, Starting by the CoE, back on June 2014, (Comp. relevant "Eurofora"s NewsReport, f.ex. on CoE's "Venice Committee"'s key role), followed and much further developed, in considerable depth and concrete details, by the February 2015 "Minsk" Agreements for Peace, officialy endorsed by both sides on the spot, under the auspices and with the signature of 4 Heads of State/Government from Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany, (Poroshenko; Putin, Hollande and Merkel. See : ....). According to those Minsk Agreements, all the Main Steps, from each side, as well as Dialogue and Settlement of more Concrete Pending Issues, should have approached Conclusions around the End of 2015, but this Rendez-Vous was obviously Delayed in real practice, at least for the Time being.

- But, "there is a corRelation between the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements on the one hand, and an End to Sanctions or at least the Gradual Lifting of Sanctions. ....we believe that this is an Incentive to work even harder towards the implementation of the Minsk agreements", he noted, as far as Russia is concerned. Moreover, "Ukraine and Russia are Neighbours, and I therefore believe that Co-operation is the only way forward ... relations. It will be Damaging to both If their Relations continue to be so Poor". On the Contrary, "it would be a Good thing for Russia and Ukraine if they Improved their relatons;....We live in an Age where All our Countries must Co-exist in Europe", he noted, as far as also Ukraine is concerned, (Comp. also Supra).  And, even more Widely, "for me, it remains a basic premise that as far as Europe and Russia are concerned, it is Good, if we have Good Relations. I would also argue that it would be Bad for Europe and Russia, If our Relationship is Bad", the Austrian President stressed.

=>  - "In order to Improve relations, we Need to Understand the Position of the Other Side. We need to understand the other. Russia needs to understand what it is that exercises its Partners in Europe (EU) – what we are Concerned about", (probably meaning mainly Territorial Integrity of EU States, in the Borders existing since the End of the 2nd World War : A Principle that Russian President Putin was Vainly trying to promote in a "Hot" Press Conference back on 2007, at the "G8" Heads of State/Government Summit at Heiligendam, Germany, on the occasion, then, of the quite Different, Kosovo Issue inside Serbia. But USA and most EU Countries apparently realized the Topical Importance of the Territorial Integrity Principle rather Later-on, after the 2008 Georgian and particularly the 2014 Ukranian Crisis. However, in that latest case, it was, obviously also another basic Principle of International Law whichhad been breached : that of "Non Interference in the Domestic Affairs of a Sovereign Country", as even Chinese President Xi Ping observed, during his 1st Visit to the EU, in a Press Conference in Germany, on Spring 2014).

+ "Conversely, Europe (EU) must understand what it is that Russia is concerned about, and has been concerned about over the past 25 years since 1991", (i.e. since theDislocation of the ex-URSS and even of its succcessor, the CIS).  - In this regard, "My personal view ...  is that a policy that would lead us, within the foreseeable future, to Ukraine’s Accession to NATO, is one that, for Europe (EU), Ukraine and Russia, would ultimately bring more Disadvantages than advantages", the Experienced, Twice Elected Austrian President Warned, (obviously pointing at the Fact that, particularly at a notoriously Strategic Area, and mainly so Close to Moscow itself, etc., Russia had understandable concerns, even of Military Security, paticularly in that case - i.e. if Ukraine departed from a Neutrality Principle, contrary to the 1994 Founding Agreement which had initialy endorsed its Independence).