newsitems

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- The latest Results in 3 Strategic German Länder, key for next year's (2017) National Elections, (which will follow in Berlin shortly after Paris' own Presidential and Parliamentary votes, both obviously crucial for Europe), heavily commented throughout EU and Worldwide, may be, in fact, very much Differend from what many believe at first sight :

- Instead of just threatening to reduce Chancelor Angie Merkel chances for the 2017 National Elections, as it's often claimed, on the contrary, these and other relevant recent developments, may considerably extend further her possibilities for various eventual political Majority coalitions and space for manouvers, advancing well beyond what used to be the case in the Past.

Indeed, for more than a Decade now, the Governing ChristianDemocrats of Merkel were obliged to form successive Coalitions mainly with SocialDemocrats and sometimes with Liberals, until Obama's USA pushed the FDP out of the Bundestag on 2013, because of its alleged Refusal of a Military Intervention in Syria, (Comp., f.ex., CNN-Europe1 Invitation of "Eurofora" in Paris for a Media debate on German National Elections: ....).

  Back on 2013, after a landmark campaign launched on August at Ludwigshafen, (Comp. "Eurofora"s NewsReport from the spot, at ....) with Popular issues such as against "Multi-Kulti", but for Integration, support to revigorate Families, as well as a strong Germany and Europe in the World (etc), Merkel notoriously succeeded to approach an Autonomous Majority of Votes for CDU/CSU, in the National Elections of September 2013, with about 40%.

=> Immediately afterwards, at the October 2013 EU Summit in Brussels, she made a landmark appearance, inspiring a Dynamic and autonomous European policy, particularly on Digital High-Tech, artfuly associated to the popular then issues of the need to Protect Private and Personal Data, Internet Freedoms, etc., (in the middle of the Snowden affair revelations about NSA Mass Spying from the USA, etc), linking EU Economic development and innovation, (including also modernisation of Industry by Information/Communication Technologies and automatisation), with Topical concerns of EU Citizens in their everyday Lives. She appeared to have reached her Geo-Political apogee...

However, overnight, during the counting of full electoral results, ChristianDemocrats' leadership was unexpectedly curtailed with - 4 MPs less than an Autonomous Majority, pushing again towards another CoHabitation in the next Government, (even in the absence of Liberals from the Bundestag: Comp. Supra).

Certainly, there are even Recent Examples, Worldwide, of some Governments which managed to rule Autonomously their country for several Years even with the Addition of just 4 Independent MPs, as, f.ex., in Australia, etc.

But, in Germany, after an interesting and unprecedented 1st Attempt to form a Christiandemocrat-"Green" Government, (which could break New Ground if it was focused also on crucial topical issues of modern BioEthics, etc, : Comp. "Eurofora"s relevant NewsReports, already since 2009, but mainly from the 2010 CDU and Greens' Summits at nearby Karlsruhe and Freiburg, as well as from Pope Emerite Benedict's 2011 landmark Speech at the Bundestag, followed by his visit also to Freiburg and relevant Statements of Vatican's Press Director Frederico Lombardi to "Eurofora", plus Winfried Kretschmann's Replies to "Eurofora"s Questions on 2010 and 2011, etc), that was undermined by some and hindered, possibly also because it might have been Precosious, practicaly resulting into a kind of "RDV" given for further, fresh consideration around 2017, Merkel, (despite the Edaty Scandal on the pederastic habits of SPD's Anti-Rightist Mediatic Star), was obliged to Return Back to a "Gro-Ko" with the Socialists again.

On December 2013 EU Summit in Brussels, the Internet, NSA, Snowden and Private/Personal Data (etc) issues are practically Forgotten, (See, f.ex., French President Hollande's reply to a relevant "Eurofora"s Question there).

On the Contrary, since November 2013, the Ukranian Conflict starts to emerge, doubled with Criticism of Russia, etc. Vainly Merkel anounces (during her Press Conference in Brussels : Comp. "Eurofora"s NewsReports from the spot) her intention to meet soon with all relevant Top Politicians in order to seek a mutually positive solution, including, f.ex., on the EU - Russia Trade relations, (which might unfold into a Portugal - Vladivoctoc large Trade Area, according to some Austrian, Finnish, a.o. Officials). Instead of that, onn January 2014, an unprecedented incident, at an International Swiss Hotspot, obliges her to walk with Crutches, (some collegues obviously suspecting an eventual sly aggression), and on February 2014, during a Paris' Franco-German Summit, a Bloody Ukranian Division and Civil War-like clash Starts, (particularly after the Non-elucidated yet Killings by strange "Snipers" at Kiev, and the subsequent Tank/Air Bombing attacks against Autonomists at Donetsk/Luhansk Regions, making a dramatically Growing number of Civilian Victims), seriously affecting Europe's Values, Peace, Unity and even Economy, (amidst the infamous ..."F..k the EU !" Phone calls of US under-Secretary of State Mrs Nuland, etc).

Last, but not least, later-on, during CDU's Annual Summit in Berlin towards the End of 2014, Chancelor Merkel reveals her Anger for Socialists' controversial move to follow the "Linke" (Left) at a Regional Länder coalition, even as Minor Partner, (See relevant "Eurofora"s NewReport at: ...).

=> All this, might explain what followed, shortly Afterwards :

- Intead of being cornered always in an obligatory cohabitation with an unfaithfull SPD, suiddenly, Merkel's CDU policy starts to practically provoke the emergence of various Other, New or Old Political Actors, at the Right side of Germany's Political Spectrum, who grow Fast, and become (at least theoratically (and/or "Technicalluy") possible coalition partners able to support anOther Majority, practically Ending CDU's "isolation" among the center-Right:

Thus, f.ex., FDP's Liberals, according to the latest, March 2016 partial Regional Elections' results, are comming back to the main Political Game. A new "Alternative for Germany" (less focused on €uro than in the Past, and more concerned about Identity, Security and Integration, etc) marks unprecedented results, (added also to various independent a.o. players). "Greens" stand firm, at least in certain Key Regions, (such as the nearby Baden-Wurttemberg Lânder, etc), while, on the contrary, SPD often Falls Down to levels making the continuation of some cohabitations of the Past, practically Impossible, from now on, (f.ex. in BW, Sachsen, etc).

In consequence, ChristianDemocrats' technically possible partners appear to suddenly Multiply, (particularly towards the Right side of the Political spectrum), so that Merkel could have much More possible Choices to consider in view of Next Year's 2017 National Elections than in the Past.

F.ex. :

- FDP's Liberals seem to return back into the mainstream Political Game, almost everywhere, and could be useful Partners anew for ChristianDemocrats.

- SPD's eratic movements, (f.ex. Falling too low in some Regions, but strong in others, obviously make another Gro-Ko more Difficult than in the Past, but not always impossible.

- "Greens" are strengthened mainly at nearby Baden-Wurttemberg, where Winfried Kretschmann can have a large Majority together with CDU's Guido Wolf, (but no more with the Socialists, who fell too low for that). Such a move, (possibly driven by New, Renewable Energy Technologies and respect of Nature, including Human BioEthics, (Comp. Supra), could also be in relative Harmony with the neighbouring Strasbourg's new Big East Region's President, experienced former Minister Philippe Richert's recent Election, which was obtained, for the 1st time, also with a small but crucial contribution by "Green" politician Sandrine Belier, former MEP (See: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/franceregionelelectionsrepublicanswithgreensorfnrightistsforstrasbourg.html).

+ New political Party "Alternative for Germany", (AfG - Rightists), obviously wins a lot of more Votes, almost everywhere, while its leaders reportedly don't exclude eventual cooperations with the CDU/CSU, technicaly possible, (See relevant Electoral Results).
In this regard, (as it happened, already, also for an eventual CDU - Greens Coalition at BW, etc), verbal denials from one or another side cannot resist to political realities, neither to the Democratically expressed will of the German People.

=> Moreover, it's interesting to note the unexpected and unprecedented Fact that, if Merkel wished so, after the latest Regional Elections in 3 Key Länder, her Christiandemocrats could, in theory, be the Leaders of Majority Coalitions at the Right side of the Political Spectrum,, together with the "Alternative" and the Liberals, in ALL cases :

- Not only in Saxony-Anhalt, with almost 30% CDU and 25% AfD and 4% FDP, (i.e. an absolute Majority of some 59% in overall), but also in Rheinland-Palatinate, with about 32% CDU, 13% AfD and 6,5% FDP, (i.e. a Total of more than 51%), and even in Baden-Wurttemberg with 27% CDU 15,1% AfD and 8,5% FDP, (i.e. beyond 50,5%).

In terms of Elected Representatives, this could give absolute Majorities of 77 Seats against 66 in Baden-Wurttemberg, 56 Seats against 45 in Rheinland-Palatinate, and 54 against 33 in Saxony-Anhalt.

Even if all that is, at least for the Time being, rather a pure Mathematical possibility and nothing more, however, it's also a Fact that becoming theoreticaly able to Lead 3 new Absolute Majorities of 50,5%, 51% and 59% of Votes, (and much More in the number of Elected Representatives : Comp. Supra), in all Three Länder where the latest Regional Elections took place, is not really a mark of a so-called "Setback", contrary to what some critics claim, but rather a mark of a new, unprecedented Strength of the Right side of the Political Spectrum among German People.

Isn't it, with a Total of 187 Seats of Elected Representatives for the Right, against only 144 for the Left, in those three key German States ?...

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/-Speaking at a Side Event shortly after EU Parliament's critical Debate this Morning, experienced President of EU ChristianDemocrat/EPP Parties, and former long-time Chairman of EPP MEP's Group at EUP, Joseph Daul, practicaly replied Positively in a Topical Question raised by "EuroFora" at a short meeting before his Speech, (for which he had twie asked some clarifiations), by stressing from the outset that he hopes  Heads of State/GoeRnment, at next Thursday Summit in Brussels, would "Adopt Decisions on EU External Borders' Control" to master the Mass Migration Crisis comming from Turkey.

- Otherwise, "EU currently, is, indeed, a Hostage of Turkey", (as, f.ex., mainstream Polish Newspaper ""gazeta wyborcza" wrote in its Headlines), Daul acknowledged, when Francis Kern, vice-President of Strasbourg University for International Relations, (whose European Doctoral School had co-organized the event, together with the European Movement which invited "Eurofora"), criticaly asked why EU, instead of risking to make some controversial compromises with a notoriously oppressive Turkish regime, doesn't, on the contrary, raise the Flag of Democracy end Human Rights, considering also the GeoPolitical Fact that, Today, it wasn't so much EU which needed Turkey, but Turkey who needed the EU, as it was surrounded by Russia and Iran.

- "Erdogan is Not Easy", and more could be said at the right Time, but it's also true that, on the current Migration Crisis, Europe is Hostage of Turkey, "for the Time being", pointed out Daul, i.e. until EU Leaders adopt a set of Measures to Complete Schengen by the Protection of EU External Borders. (On the obvious Condition that they are not limited only to ...1 EU CoastGuard for 66 Km of Coastline from 2020, as a Draft notes, neither postpone for after Summer season the moment when EU CoastGuard would become fully functional).

On the contrary, I appreciate what Lebanon and Jordany are doing (for Syrian Refugees), in proportion of their Population, and I regret that nobody speaks about them, Daul pointed out.     

   
But, concerning the "Hot" issue of the last-minute, unexpected Turkish further desiderata, notioriously presented just a few Hours before the latest EU  Turkey Summit in Brussels, and on which EU Leaders are due to decide at their forthcoming Summit next Week, after a very Critical MEPs' Debate at EU Parliament in Strasbourg earlier Today (even by EPP Chairman, Manfred Weber, at least on one point : See Infra), Daul prefered to diplomaticaly rather skip it and resolutely Focus, instead, on what could liberate the EU from its current status as "Hostage to Turkey, for the Time being" :

- "EPP (Party/Government Leaders) have made clear Proposals on Managing EU's External Borders, as well as for the acceptance of (Real) Refugees, but the Return of (Economic a.o.) Migrants", he stressed. At the Same Time, in order to achieve EU's aim to Get Back to a fully Functioning "Shenghen" System before the End of the Year, EU has to apply a New Plan on its External Borders, which are among Shengen's Foundations.

The last-minute Turkish proposals reportedly include :

- Doubling the Sum of Money that EU would have to pay to Turkey (i..e. 6 Billions €, instead of 3) for an extension also on 2018.

- Advancing Free Visa Entry into the EU for 75 Million Turks as early as from the Beginning of June, (a point which raises Problems for the People represented even by ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEPs Chaired by Manfred Weber, as well as to several Heads of State).

- EU Should open even More Chapters to (Controversial and UnPopular) "Accession Negotiations" with Turkey.

- A Relocation System where, for each one Refugee or Migrant from Syria returned from Europe to Turkey, Ankara's Government would Choose, among the population still remaining in the Turkish Camps (a Minority, since the Majority prefered to live out of them, even in Difficult Conditions), another one Refugee or Migrant to send him Back to Europe, at a precise EU Country. (Something that Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban reportedly "Vetoed". Officialy intended to push aside "Gangsters and/or Traffiquants of immigrants", would also risk to keep the same Total Quantity of Migrants inside the EU, as that of those who came independently. Moreover, most or all of them would be only Muslims, since Christians, Yazedi, etc, prefer to avoid Turkish Camps and go, instead, to Lebanon or even ...Armenia. Last, but not least, International Human Rights NGOs already denounced the Fact that, acording to International and PanEuropean Law, each case of Asylum Seeker has to be examined individualy).                                                                                                                                                                                       

- Create a "Safe Zone" for Refugees/Migrants "in Syria", where "Humanitarian Aid" could be delivered. (It obviously reminds Turkey's notorious and long-time Demand - Rejected by the UNO and other International/European Organizations - to practicaly ...Invade by its Military Syria).

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Daul didn't comment now on all that, while delicate EU - Turkey Negotiations are going on until Next Week's EU Summit, but, at least, concerning Syria, he Warned that he had "spoken recently with the Bishop of Alep", where "we (EU) have to examine the situation of Christians", who told him that "if Assad falls (apparently without a Peace Plan agreed by all sides involved), then, 1 Million of Christians would have to become Refugees, or be Slaughtered !"

He prefered to simply remind the fact that "EPP has made Proposals on how to Manage EU's External Borders", and that real "Refugees should be accepted", while irregular "Migrants must Return".

Meanwhile, EU must Fight against "Gangsters and Trafficants of Immigrants", as well as "to Combat against ISIL"'s terrorists.

+ In a coherent and interesting move, Daul also added now also that the EU should develop, during the next few years, a real Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), with a tangible "Defense policy". Otherwise, Europe cannot continue to be credible in the World.

It should include a High-Tech "Research" component, given the Global Competition in Defense Technology.

- This was also part of a parallel series of replies given by Joseph Daul to another 3 Interventions by key Strasbourg University Professors, focused mainly on the current Need to Strengthen the EU in order to become able to Face Today's Challenges.

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Need to Strengthen Europe so that it won't be Hostage to Turkey, nor to anyone else.
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For the Director of the Institute of Political Studies of Strasbourg University, and President of the "Carré de Malberg" Research Institute, Gabriel Eckert, in case of Problems, as the current ones, we should Not Blame always the EU, but also several Member States. Because some Problems are even provoked or aggravated, sometimes, by the behavior of certain States.

So that "a Collective and Positive Thinking" among Europeans was important in practice.

Searching Solutions "against an Inter-Governemental logic", Eckert warned that "a Europe made out of Concentric Circles would be Dangerous" because it could play the game of "States' egoisme".

=> The Fundamental Issue is that of the European General Interest, he concluded.

- The Dean of Economic Sciences' Faculty, Professor Thierry Burger-Helmchen, warned against the Des-Industrialisation of Europe : More than 18% of Industrial Jobs are Lost in the EU, (30% in France). At the same time, many Industrial Jobs Change Nature.

Moreover, it's important to note that "Industrial jobs use to be Less Precarious" than others, he obsered.

Many of them are said to be Transformed into Jobs of Services. But just a small part of them are of High Added Value, (and this is confirmed even inside USA), he pointed out.

Chairman of "Jean Monnet" European Economy, co-Director of the Public Policies' Obseratory in Europe, Professor Emeritus Michel Devoluy, stressed that, in fact, all that, practicacly means that EU needs to be Transformed from an Inter-Governemental Organisation, to a Federal one. A "2 High-Speed" structure, would even be Better.

In "€uroZone", Economic Policy would be needed for the Future. When you have a Common Market, together with a Common Currency, then, an Economic Policy will become necessary. But the Rules which will be imposed on EU Member States (in order to be clearly Democratic) should emanate from 1 Elected Government, with EU Parties, Devolye stressed.

There are 3 Reasons for such a Political union :  (a) There cannot be Financial Solidarity without a joint Economic Policy. (b) No State can tackle the Issues of the Century alone. (b) Peace.

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=> Daul's main replies started by next week's EU Summit's urgent matters, but integrated in an overview of EU's forseable Future Horizon :

- Shenghen system must be urgently strengthened and completed by an EU Exteral Borders Control, with real Refugees protected, but economic Migrants Return back, so that Europe stops being Hostage to Turkey, as, otherwise, it's currently the case, for the Time being. (Comp. Supra).

+ Moreover, during the Next few Years, in order to be credible and able to act in the surrounding World, EU needs to Develop a real Common Foreign and Security Polcy, with Defense capabilities, (a projet able to federate all Europe together), including, particularly, on relevant Scientific and Technological Research and innovation, he stressed in addition.  

++ In parallel, EU needs a "Fiscal and Social Harmonisation", as well as to strengthen €urozone, among its main Priorities.

+++ Industrialisation is, indeed, an important topical issue, (Comp. Supra), and, in this context, f. ex., EU should fix certain aims to reach in ssome years, (despite 1 or 2 inconclusive attempts), while France should start thinking about possible contributions on modern Telecoms, etc., from next year, Daul pointed out.

* Meanwhile, attempts to Destabilize the EU, f.ex. by targetting German Chancelor Angie Merkel and/or others, threaten to make things worse, and should be rejected, a fortiori when EU's Franco-German core needs to be Strengthened.

++++ On the EU Deal about the Brittish Referendum of June 2016, EU Parliament and Court of Justice have a say, while several UK Officials at the European Institutions reportedly try to use also other available EU Citizenships in order to maintain their jobs, he observed smiling...

+++++ Meanwhile, EU Member Countries like currently Greece, will have to prove if they really have a responsible State, because, otherwise, a "GrExit" from €urozone, and/or even Shengen, during the next few Years, might not be a surprise, he warned.

- "We (EU) tried everything, including even our (EPP) politicians", Daul criticized, in this regard.

However, speaking later-on to "Eurofora", he admitted that he "knew" that, in fact, Greece never had a real, independent Government from the Right side of the Political spectrum, during recent years, but only a shaky Cohabitation with the remnants of "PASOK" (and previously even of another, smaller, Leftist Party), while, on the contrary, the Right had been Divided in various parts, for the first time in the modern History of the country.

Thus, f.ex., when the previous Greek Government tried to tackle the thorny issue of State Radio/TV Reform, (by closing a notoriously clientelist and costly "ERT" and opening a new, slimmer and hopefuly axiocratic "NERIT"), suddenly, the established Media launched an unprecedented ... massive Censorship of all Greek Government's official declarations, back on August 2014, so that the "New Democracy" Governing party's Youth had to open a ...Web Radio (sic !) in a desperate attempt to publish at least some official news, while, at the same time, the then Government Spokesman, Minister Simos Kedikoglou, as he denounced to "Eurofora", was practicaly Hindered and Boycotted by most established Media which systematically refused to publish even the slightest declaration from him, and all his Government, to the point that competent CoE's Senior Officials on Freedom of Expression were genuinly astonished in Strasbourg, in front of such an Unprecedented situation, as they told us then, (See, f.ex. : .....)

Concerning particularly EPP Chief Joseph Daul, it's also interesting to note the fact that the recently Elected new Leader of the main Greek Opposition Party, "New Democracy"s Kyriakos Mitsotakis, (with whom "Eurofora"s co-founder has cooperated in topical Press events as early as, already, since 2007 in Paris, on the occasion of a Foreign Ministerial visit at the Quai d'Orsay, etc), has a Double Experience on such Clientelist issues in Greece's Past which have notoriously provoked that Huhe Debt since the beginning of the 1980ies :

First via the 1990-1993 Government of National Unity against Corruption, (Chaired by his Father, a former twice Prime Minister, and composed by all Political Parties, from the Right and the Left of the Political spectrum of the country, with rthe only Exception of PASOK, suspect No 1 for most Clientelist/Corruption Scandals of Past Governments). But, afterwards, also personaly, by his role as Minister for State Reform, during the above-mentioned 2014 Samaras Government coalition, which tried to tackle also the thorny ERT RadioTV State Media problem, (Comp. Supra).

++++ However, last, but noit least, Daul practicaly chose to conclude his speech by pointing at the current need to "Find an Idea able to make (particularly Young) People Dream of a Europe" of the Future, as he said, with a smile, pointing at the next few years.

Perhaps the most Interesting, but also Challenging issue ?

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/-  Can "Dialogue" and "Culture" help restore much needed "Trust" at the PanEuropean area through CoE, as New Russian Ambassador/Permanent Representative Ivan Soltanovsky told "Eurofora" that he hoped to help develop in Strasbourg ?

He  said that after opening, earlier Today, together with CoE's Secretary General Thornbjorn Jagland,  a landmark Exhibition resuming 20 Years of PanEuropean dimension for the CoE, since the Historic accessionn of Russia, back on 1996, (to which "Eurofora"s co-Founder had the chance to assist : See relevant Publications at "TCWeekly" from those unfprgetable events, including a brief but topical statement that gave us the f. Foreign Minister Yevgeni Primakov, etc).

On this occasion, official letters exchanged between Jagland and the Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, were made public, in which CoE's re-elected Chief, a former Prime Minister of Norway and Nobel Peace prize Committee Chair, stressed Russia's role as "an Indispensable member" of the "Pan-European Community" for "Dialogue and Cooperation", as well as the "Vital role" it played "over the years" "in shaping CoE's responses to New Realities on the Continent"., since its accession, which "was an important milestone in the Pan-European  reach of our organisation", (and "not just a Romantic" but also a Real-Politic issue, as he added, smiling).

Lavrov reminded from the outset that CoE's enlargement to Russia "eliminated Dividing Lines inherited from the "Cold War" era",  and expressed the "Hope" that, "in the present Challenging situation of our Continent", CoE's role could be "Strengthened", as "one of the Pillars of European Architecture", also in view of "creating a Common Economic and Humanitarian space, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean", with "Equal and Integral Security". In particular, CoE's activities are demanded mainly in 3 Fields: "Human Rights, including Protection of National Minorities and eradication of statelessness" ; "Countering Extremism, Aggressive Nationalism, Racial and Religious Intolerance" ; and "developpment of Youth Cooperation, InterCultural Dialogue", as well as "preservin the Identity of European Civilisation".

Both didn't elude critical points for discussion : F.ex. Jagland mentioned "NGO Legislation", while Lavrov pointed at "double standards and selective attitudes that undermine (CoE's) ...principles".

In this context, the experienced New Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Russia, who served for several years also as Head of the Foreign Ministry department for European/International Organisations, (including, f.ex., OSCE, etc), stressed to "Eurofora" that his main aim in coming tp serve at the CoE in Strasbourg is, most of all, to contribute into "Restoring Trust".

In parallel, Ivan Soltanovsky would also like to "Open a Dialogue", including "with the ECHR",  including both Human Rights and other CoE's key issues Today.

At another, differend point, he didn't shy away from an "Eurofora"s question about the current prospects for an eventual rapprochment or cooperation of PanEuropean CoE also with China, at least in certain areas of common interest, (which is the only UNO Security Council's permanent member without an official Status at the CoE, while, on the contrary, both USA and Canada, etc. have been granted a Special Status, precisely, since Russia's Accession, already as early as since back on 1995-1996). In this regard, "I know that I have to pay an official visit", as New Ambassador, "also to the Japanese representation", he observed, and smled surprized when "Eurofora" reminded him that he should also do the same about Mexico...

But, perhaps one among the most Important Factors for the Saint-Petersbourg born, European-minded Russian diplomat, was, Today, "Culture", (as also his Wife enthousiasticaly agreed).

Indeed, already, it's 2 superb Musical pieces of Piano (one from a Western and another from a Russian compositor), played by the Young Galina Zhukova, a Professor of Music at Saint Petersburg, whch opened the official Inauguration of the Exhibition for the 20th Anniversary of Russia's accession to the CoE, (after a weekly tour of concerts that she was invited to hold mainly in France).

And it's a beautiful, Modern Painting picturing a cosy Moscow square full of Lights and Trees, where People could feel good to meet and exchange after daily work, as it was pointed out, that Russia gave as a Gift to the CoE.

Obviously, all this Fits well with Lavrov's above mentioned, concluding reference on CoE's particularly "demanded" potential, also about "Preserving the Identity of the European Civilisation".

(+UPDATED:) A move which was, later-on, spectacularly boosted also by the subsequent Liberation of Palmyra, a key UNESCO's World Cultural Treasure, from the Extremist Islamist Terrorist of ISIL's atrocious BeHeaders, even of Defenseless and innocent Civilian People, which was notoriousy obtained by Syria with the Help of Russian special forces. Evenmore when the Restoration of the (partly Destroyed by Explosions) Historic Monuments of Palmyra is due to be realized by the World-Famous Saint Petersburg "Hermitage" Museum Experts, as it was anounced shortly afterwards.

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Meanwhile, the 1996-2016 Exhibition opened Today at CoE's Committee of Ministers' anti-chamber, added, in parallel, a spectacular Historic overview of Key Events and Political Personalities who marked, in one way or another, the End of the 20th and the Beginning of the 21st Century by developing a real and fully-fledged Pan-European Dimension through the CoE:

Artfuly associating Authentic Documents, Texts and Original Photos (from Press Agency "Tass" or CoE's Archives) on Historic Pan-European events, with High-Tech "3D" Digital Representations of nowadays Russia, this Exhibition on the "20th Anniversary" of what was probably the Longest ever Accession process in CoE's History, topicaly revives Memories of Hopes for Stable Peace, really fruitful Cooperation (including on High-Tech, Air-Space, Education or other Strategic areas), and a Strong "Europe from the Atlantic to the Urals" Mountains, as former long-time French President De Gaulle notoriously used to say.

From Grobatchev's dreams about the creation of "a Common European House", together with the then CoE's Secretary General Catherine Lalumiere, (with whom "Eurofora"s co-Founder started to work at the PanEuropean Press Sector), to former Foreign Minister Primakov's sober but sharp figure during and after Russia's Accession into the CoE, (which brought us also the USA, with a Special Status : Comp. Supra), through Yeltsin's jokes with Chirac and Kohl, particularly at the 2nd Heads of State/Government Summit back on 1997 in Strasbourg, which eyed the creation of a "Trilateral" Top Link between Franco-German and Russian Leaders, (both accompagnied by Lenni Fischer's Presidency of CoE's influential Parliamentary Assembly : Comp. various Fischer's INTW to "Eurofora"s co-Founder, published then mainly at "TCWeekly"), followed, long afterwards, up to the 1st ever Presidency of the CoE by Russia on 2006-2007, with the unforgetable Ambassador Alexander Orlov, and Foreign Minister Lavrov in full diplomatic action, from Strasbourg to Moscow and vice-versa, as well as to the 2008-2009 etc. cooperation of so Differend Political Personalities such as CoE's former Secretary General Terry Davis (a Socialist) and CoE Assembly's President Réné Van der Linden (a ChristianDemocrat) with Russian President Vladimir Putin, followed by his notorious Friend Dmitry Medvedev after the beginning of the Jagland era at the Head of the CoE, (including on 2011, etc), which extended until now to various Jagland - Putin meetings (f.ex. on 2013, etc) until recently, (with the omni-present Vladimir Loukine, inter alia also Human Rights' representative of Russia, almost always strolling around several key events, from Strasbourg - both at the CoE and EU Parliament- to Paris, Moscow or Kiev, etc: Comp. various Loukine statements to "Eurofora"s co-founder through the years), without forgetting Dumas' President Naryshkin's 2015 Hommage to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the Liberation from NAZIsm on 2015, which was celebrated both in Moscow and at the CoE in Strasbourg, (Comp. Naryshkin replies to "Eurofora" Questions at another occasion and NewsReport on the 2015 Liberation Anniversary event here), etc.

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However, the most unforgetable Human figure for us is that of someone that we were positively surprized to find among the 20th Anniversary Exhibition's Photos :  The 1st Ambassador/permanent Representative of Russia to the CoE, Yevgeny Prokhorov, who had been atrociously killed in an ill-elucidated crash of his car against a Tree in his way Home after several CoE and Embassy meetings, including one with the then Secretary General Daniel Tarschys from Sweden, to which we had participated, together with a few other Journalists, and where Prokhorov was so kind that he had even offered us his own chair, that we obviously declined, thanking him. Prochorov was a hard nut to crack and start speaking to, before mutual Trust could be established, but after that, he was a Wonderful and Efficient Diplomat for useful Press Contacts, with a good Human personality, and he had just been elected as future ECHR Judge for the next 9 Years.

But, back on 1998, in the middle of the so-called "S300" Defensive Sol-Air Missiles' Crisis between Cyprus and Turkey, (particularly disliked by the Turkish Military for their Long range Radar capacities, able to cover all Cyprus, without being Hindered by the continuing illegal Occupation of part of its Territories by Ankara's Foreign Invasion Army since 1974), which had been bought from Russia by the long-time former Cypriot President Clerides, (an experienced ChristianDemocrat who promoted the island's Accession into the EU and afterwards  supported a "Yes" Vote for a controversial Plan attributed to former UN SG Koffi Annan, but in fact prepared by others in teh aftermath of 9/11, even if it was rejected by a 2/3 Majority at a Popular Referendum), i.e. in an exceptional Context of Tension, when even CoE's Officers asked us, (as simple Journalist in Strasbourg !) if we knew how Cyprus planned to Import the S300 Defense Missiles, while turkish Warships were Blocking Transports, at the same moment that a Turkish collegue from Strasbourg, visiting the Island had just published that Nicosia would try  to bring those Machines in small pieces due to be re-assembled afterwards, (etc), the Russian Ambassador was burn alive in strange circumstances.

It was a unique and unprecedented incident, without anything similar ever happening neither in Strasbourg, nor in Brussels or in Geneva, etc. We knew well the Road where he was killed : It was just a very Quiet and Safe pathway, to the point that, in the Past, we had used it in order to show to our Small Child how to drive a Bicycle ! But it was also quite Isolated, and, overNight may be a bit spooky. What is important were the many interesting and accurate Facts about the concrete circumstances in which the deadly car incident really took place, which were described to us, in an exclusive INTW, by the only known then 1st Hand key Witness : the Chief of the FireFighters' team which arrived on the spot to erase the Fire and try to get the Driver out of the Burning Car which had, for Unknown yet reasons, crashed on a Tree at the side of the road, curiously without even leaving any traces of attempts to put a Brake in order to avoid that, (something which, nrmaly, was easy and natural). Most of this INTW (which took place even Before any Official Investigation from the local Authorities starts, the Firefighters' Chief having told us that we were the 1st person to whom they spoke on that incident) was published at the Press Agency MPA.

But what wasn't yet ever published at all, was a Strange Event which followed, shortly afterwards : Suddenly, in the Biggest Local Newspaper of Strasbourg, the "DNA", was published a Short mention of that Tragic Incident, exceptionaly, not by one of its own Journalists, but signed by a former Collegue, a Free Lance Journalist from Bulgaria, who was sometimes covering the CoE here, sometimes working in Brussels or elsewhere, either for the Press or in the Translation business. Astonishingly, that small Article claimed, (without any known proof), that the Victim would have been too "drunk", clearly insinuating that  this might explain everything. However, when we had seen Ambassador Prokhorov, some Hours before, he was absolutely sober and efficient-looking. Moreover, when we asked the Writer of that Strange Article how she knew whether the Victim has been "drunk" as she claimed, or not, she revealed us that, in fact, she personaly didn't know, neither had ever seen anything of that kind, but, that, on the contrary, she had been told that by a former Director of CoE's protocol, who was, then, the most High-graded CoE Official from ...Turkey !

I.e. the Country whose regime was, then, notoriously ready to do Anything in order to Hinder that Russia - Cyprus cooperation on the Defensive Missiles "S300", including in Strasbourg or anywhere else, (Comp. Supra): An obvious Contradiction of Interests, (a "Crisis" at that moment), which obviously makes the Lobby which spread such Rumors against the Victim, particularly Untrustworthy and even Suspect.

Naturaly, we don't know art  all whether any key information related to that "S300" Defensive Missiles' Crisis of 1998 might have arrived, or not, in Strasbourg, but these Strange Facts (which have not been published before), deserve to be known by the Public and all those interested in that exceptional Tragic and ill-elucidated affair, do that it was our Duty not to conceal them.

*Angelo Marcopolo/- In an Unprecedented move, at the precise moment that EU strives to use NATO in facing Massive Asylum Seekers/irregular Immigrant "Tsunami" from Turkey, 3 Greek Navy Airmen were Killed when their Helicopter crushed, from unknown yet reasons, near the crucial Aegean Sea Greco-Turkish Border, and right in front of a Strategic Turkish Smugglers' pathway to Greek Islands' EU Shengen area, but also, by a Symbolic Coincidence, close to the Historic place where was written the World-famous "Apocalypse" by Apostle John, which has notoriously got Nowadays 2 Differend Meanings : Either Revelation of the Truth, and Justice, (the Classical meaning), or, on the Contrary, a Chaos of Wars and Tragic Clashes, (the Copolla film version)...

Such a Dillema inevitably reminds a Topical Key Remark made recently by German Cancellor Angie Merkel at a landmark Speech in the Annual Summit of the Governing ChristianDemocrat/EPP "CDU" Party at nearby Karlsruhe, at the Eve of an exceptionaly important EU Parliament's Session in Strasbourg, about the Fact that "at a Narrow Straight in the Aegean Sea, it's Not Justice and Law who Rule, But it'is abandoned to the Rule of TugBoats and Smugglers", (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/merkelagainstsmugglersataegeansea.html).

But this New Tragic Event near a Strategic Greco-Turkish Border also comes shortly after 2 Russian Airmen Fighting against Extremist Islamic Terrorists of ISIL's atrocious BeHeaders, even of innocent Civilian People, in Syria, also close to Turkiish Borders, were notoriously Shot and Killed, one by a Military Turkish Airplane, and another by Armed Gangs of so-called "Turkmen" in an obvious War Crime agains a defenseless POW falling down with a parachute, (while a 3rd one was Saved by a joint Rescue Operation of the Syrian Army and Russian Helicopter paratroopers). Ankara notoriously claimed that the Russian Plane, returning, as usual, back at its Latakia Base after a routine operation against the ISIL Terrorists, would have crossed over Turkish territory for a few ...Seconds (sic !). But even that was clearly Denied by the Surviving co-Pilot, and, at any case, Turkey was, until then, considered as a Friendly Country vis a vis Russia, supposed also to follow American- Russian Agreements on how to avoid incidents during AirFlights against ISIL. This Unprecedented recent Deadly Incident, (which has only 1 predecessor : at the Worst moments of the Cold War, back on 1950ies, during the Korea War), was also followed by Ankara's insistence to get NATO involved towards the Dangerous Syrian/Iraq minefield, while Russia retaliated mainly by a Spectacular High-Tech Revelation of Turkey's massive involvement in Smuggling Oil and Gas from the Syrian and Iraqi Territories Occupied by ISIL Terrorists' gangs.

In the present case, too, it's even a Human Rights Watch's Director who has recently, among many others, added his personal Testimony for the Huge Amount of Money ($ Millions Daily, and Billions over several Months) that Turkish Smugglers' TugBoats would make out of that more than 1 Million People Massive Transfert of irregular Immigrants tresspassing EU's External Borders through the Greek Islands at the Aegean Sea. And, according to some unverified yet speculations, which seem to be a logical possibility, the Fatal Helicopter would have precisely been launched from Greek Navy's Ship "Nikiforos", behind Leros' Island overNight, precisely in order to check many rumours about even Turkish Military's Complicities in real practice to that illegal Turkish Smugglers' Traffick, often done in Hiding, during the First Hours of Early Morning, (i.e. almost exactly when that Greek Navy Helicopter was Destroyed by an unknown yet cause).

However, there wasn't yet any Official Confirmation, from the competent Greek Authorities, that the 3 Killed Navy Airmen might have been, eventualy, shot by the Turkish Army, or not.

Until now, they limited themselves only into observing the Fact that, during that unprecedented Tragic Incident, the Weather was Normal, while the Helicopter had been Checked and found to be in Good Shape, so that the possible Cause of its sudden Destruction and of the Killing of the 3 Navy Airmen (2 Pilots and 1 Engineer) still remained a Mystery.

But it's also a Fact that all this took place near to those Greek Islands facing the Turkish Coasts, including mainly Kos, i.e. one of the Biggest among them, which has been scheduledn by EU Commission to host an Immigrants' "Hot Spot", strongly contested by a large part of the Local Population which resists with a continuing series of Massive Demonstrations against that, etc., and which has been at the eye of the Public Debate since the Beginning of the current Massive Migrants' Crisis from Turkey, (including with some Demonstrations even against the Greek Defense Minister, accused by several Inhabitants not to protect enough the island).

Kos was, later-on, bypassed by Mytilini/Lesbos, further at the North, in the Public Eye, particularly "because of the Ships" ensuring a specialy organized Massive Transport from all Greek Islands towards Pireas/Athens or Kavala, to offer a link to Buses and Railroad facilities specialy hired by the new Greek Government in order to help bring the Massive Immigrants Inflow from Turkey towards the "Balkan routes" heading via Hungary for Germany, etc..

But, according to some rumours, it's not excluded that Kos might have hosted at least some among the Ringleaders and/or Mafia-Chiefs of the Network which includes the Turkish Smugglers. It seems to be around Kos that had Started, indeed, one among the most "Luxury" Turkish Smuggling, for some Richer People, F.ex. with Individual, 1 or 2 Passengers' Modern "Jet-Ships" costing over 2.000 € per Person, earlier on, while, on the contrary, Mytilini/Lesbos was much more Massive and for comparatively Poorer People in average, at a Later stage.  Moreover, an interesting original Testimony, given to "Eurofora" by a Couple of experienced Tourists from Strasbourg, who use to visit those Islands each Year, what stroke them most of all, this time, was the Inhabitants' stories about an Unusual Number of Many People comming to Kos, and Hiring Houses or Hotels, with "a lot of Money at their Hands", already long Before the Massive "Tsunami" from Turkey, and curiously staying there "as if they were Waiting for something"...

Even if it's well known that neither Greek, nor Turkish Authorities, don't usualy like Publish (at least not immediately) thorny News about eventual Army Casualties in the persisting infight about Aegean Sea's Borders because of its probable Natural Resources, at least since Turkey refuses to apply the International Law of the Sea, and notoriously Threatened for long Greece even with a "Casus Beli" if Athens' Government dared declare its Rights under the UNCLOS Treaty, etc., however, until now, there is nothing yet which could deny the Official Version of the current Greek Government, which is that everybody should Wait for the Investigation by the competent Authorities to conclude about the possible Causes of this week's Killing of the 3 Greek Navy Airmen, whose bodies were initialy examined at a Military Hospital and later burried after a Series of Religious Ceremonies, attended by several Topn Officials and Many People during this Week-end.

It's, however, a Surpizing fact that the Tragic Incident took place exactly when a High-Level Ministerial Meeting, involving EU Countries and mainly NATO, was held in Brussels, precisely in order to Decide on the concrete Details of the North-Atlantic Ocean Organisation's possible Contribution to the Massive Immigration Crisis at the Aegean Sea's Greco-Turkish Borders, (which are also EU's External Borders). Minister Kamenos reportedly stayed in Brussels just during the Discussion of the points of vital interest for Greece and afterwards flew immediately back to Athens.

In the Past, another controversial Army Helicopter Crash near areas controlled by the Turkish Army, had occured in Cyprus, killing the Head of its National Defence, as well as the General responsible for a Unified Greece - Cyprus'  joint Defence, by a similar Coincidence, precisely at the moment that EU Parliament's competent Committee in Brussels was Starting to Vote, for the 1st time, a series of very thorny Amendments on a Draft Regulation about "Open Skies", which included Aegean Sea and Cyprus overflight issues of Dual, Civil and Military Interest. Another High level non-elucidated  Helicopter Deadly Crash at the Aegean Sea, had killed also the ArchiBishop Petros of Alexandrie (well known at the Vatican as a proponent of Christian Ecumenism), a son of Refugees from the Territories of Cyprus still Occupied by Ankara's Military, when he flew towards Athos Mountain, crossing an area often revendicated by Turkey.

By another coincidence, however, even Now, it's mainly the area around the Dodecanissa Islands, i.e. including precisely Kos, Leros and Patmos, etc, at the point of that Helicopter's Mysterious Deadly Crash, that Turkey is reportedly contesting during EU - NATO deliberations currently... And everybody knows, at least since that 2009 Historic NATO Summit in Strasbourg, that Turkey had Blocked for 2 Days on the pretext of an obscure .. Radio run by Dissidents in Denmark, that Ankara doesn't put not even NATO's General Interest Higher than its own, often Shady, self-interests...

However, now, it's obviously better for all involved to find a Solution heading much more towards the original meaning of "Apocalypse" (that Apostle John wrote at Patmos Island,  near the area of this week's Tragic Incident : Comp. Supra), i.e. as a kind of "Revelation of the Truth, and implementation of Justice", rather than to Risk to fall to an Opposite kind of a Coppola-like ..."Apocalypse Now", (Comp. Supra), which must be absolutely Prevented....

(../..)