newsitems

 

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/-  Already from his First Move at the CoE,  in an "Address"to Strasbourg's Journalists including "EuroFora", UNO's Secretary General pointed from the outset at "the importance that has for Democracy a rubust and diversified (polyphonic) Civil Society", as No 1 among "various Issues" which were "discussed in particular" with CoE Assembly's President Anne Brasseur (from Luxembourg  : the Country that will Chair the EU from July 2015), earlier this Morning.

- Because, "Civil Society Groups, Independent Media, and Human Rights Defenders, are Critical to Addressing one of the Gravest Threats of our Time :  the rise of Violent Extremism", Ban Ki Moon explained later-on.

- Indeed, in his Speech at CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), afterwards, UNO's Head stronly Denounced mainly "this Scourge" of "Threats posed by (ISIL/)Da'esh, Al Shabab, Boko Haram, Al Quaida, and other (Extremist Islamic BeHeaders as ISIL) Terrorist Groups", particularly when they commit "Crimes  in the name of Religion", which "are", in fact, "Crimes against Religion", as he pointed out, (developing even further on, in the line of a previous vibant Appeal, that he had initialy launched at EU Parliament's Mini-Session at  the End of May 2015 in Brussels, as well as according the Principle set at the latest "G7" Heads of State/Government Summit's conclusions at Castle Elmau in Germany, earlier this Month : See relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReports :  ......+ .......).

 

 

 

- "UNO ... also insists for the Responsability (Accountability) Principle to be applied", so that "Crimes which Shock our Conscience, shouldn't remain Unpunished", Ban Ki Moon urged at the PanEuropean Organisation, (by a coincidence the Same Day that it was revealed that ISIL had just Blown Up 2 Ancient Religious Shrines, Thousands of years old, at the UNESCO-classified Palmyra World Cultural Heritage famous site, just after reportedly Boasting at the Internet for a series of cowardily Sadistic Murders of many Groups of Defensless People, including by Drowning the alive in Water, closed in a Metal Box, or Blowing their Head by Dynamite, etc.

- "I'm addressing you (CoE) at Moment when New Crises emerge, while others haven't yet been settled", as, f.ex., "in Syria, at Iraq, Yemen, South Sudan, and elsewhere", (i.e. Libya, etc), where Human "Sufferings are Huge". "The UNO is doing whatever it can in order to Save Lives and Help bring  back Peace, whenever possibe", but, "Today, I am asking you to take part to a Global Action, on ...interlinked Issues",  Ban Ki Moon told MEP of Strabourg's PanEuropean Organisation of the CoE,  reminding also the fact that, already "almost Half a Century ago, U - Thant, (the Historic UNO's SG), had predicted, while speaking in front of this Assembly", that "CoE is going to show that Europe, called in the Past "Old  World", in fact, coud play a Pivotal Role in the New World" as he reminded.

- In this regard, UNO's Head anounced that "this November" 2015, he "will unveil an Action Plan to Prevent Violent Extremism".

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+"But", now, "in some Countries, around the World, Democratic Progress is going Backwards", UNO's Secretary General added Today in Strasbourg, in a Fresh New Criticism, more in line with the CoE's main competences on Human Rights, Democracy, and Rule of Law.

- In fact, "Democratic Institutions are being Eroded", "Judicial Independence and Press Freedom are under Atttack", Ban Ki Moon strongly Denounced

=> That's why, Today, "we must Raise our Voices against those who Block NGOs and Human Rights Defenders", UNO's Head stressed.

 

- Significantly, Ban Ki Moon was speaking just before CoE Assembly's public Debate and Vote on a landmark Report and Resolution, drafted by mainstream Dutch MEP Peter Omtzigt, on a Topical Need to Upgrade the "Protection of WhistleBlowers, inspired also by the real case of American Whistle-Blower Eduard Snowden, who debated Today with MEPs at the CoE in Strasbourg through a Direct Internet link of Video-Conference, on the risk of grave Persecutions that he's facing, unless if USA changes its current practices in the forseable Future, (See : ....).

=> - "I Urge the CoE, to Join me, (UNO's SG), in Calling for an End to this Curbing of Essential Freedoms", he concluded.

 - Because, "when Counter-Terrorism Violates Human Rights, Countries lose their Moral Standing - and Terrorists cheer", since "they have been handed one of their Best Recruiting Tools", the experienced UNO's Secretary General warned, denouncing oe of the greatest Errors notoriously committed by many, just after the 911 Deadly Terrorist Attacks, which had sometimes seriously Curtailed , then, precisely, Press Freedom and Democratic Liberties, etc., provoking various Reaction Phenomena, including, inter alia, also Assange's "Wikileaks", Snowden's "NSA" Mass Spying Scandal, etc.

- In consequence, in addition to "Women", who "are often the 1rst Target", "Young People, even Children, are being conscripted as Fighters" by the Islamic Extremist Deadly Terrorists of ISIL's BeHeaders.

However, eve if, indeed, "some Young People may be Vulnerabe to Radicalisation", nevertheless, "Youth are Vital to our Response", because, "with Support, they can be a Force against Terrorism and appeals to Violent Terrorism", Ban Ki Moon optimistically pointed out.

=> Therefore, "this Continent" (Europe) "must Stand for Equality, Opportunity, and Democratic Freedoms", the Head of the International Organisation firmly stressed. Only thus, Europe will become able to "reinforce International Unity around the Shared Principles, that Violent Extremists seek to udermine",  as he denounced.

- In fact, "you are entrusted with (the Duty) of Safeguarding Human Rights", and, therefore, "in Strasbourg, you find a Higher Purpose, as part of Europe", UNO's Head observed, in Conclusion, speaking to CoE Assembly's MEPs, but also to the Permanent Representatives at its Committee of Ministers, CoE's politicaly Highest body, who were almost all present at the Hemicycle. That's why "I Count on You to Bring back Home this Spirit, Stand for our Shared Ideals, and (thus) Help Shape our Future", towards becoming "a place of Justice, Human Rights and Dignity for all", Ban Ki Moon incited in fine.

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However, UNO's experienced, twice Elected Head, who had participated, in his latest visit to the CoE in Strasbourg, back on October 2010, in a well organized Press Conference here, (Comp. Ban Ki Moon's Replies to "EuroFora"s Questions then, f.ex., inter alia, also at : ....), on the contrary, now, even if "EuroFora" witnessed the fact that UNO People accompagnying him, realy Tried to set up, at the last minute, at least an elementary original exchange of Question/Reply with Journalists, (as he used to do also most of the times at nearby Geneva's UNOG premisses, f.ex. on 2011, etc), nevertheless, in addition to a real lack of sufficient Time Today, (since, after a Busy Working Breakfast with CoE's SG Jaglad, earlier this Morning, he reportedly had to run a catch a Train, etc), something more seemed to curiously, indirectly but systematically,  Hinder that, until the last crucial minute now, apparently against his wish... Since he had just arrived in France, it was normal to give a short, generalist INTW to "France24" National TV, scheduled from beforehand, but it was also, certainly, a pitty that he was finaly hindered to interact, even inside the PanEuropean CoE, with the European Press. (It's as if UNO's SG gave at nearby Geneva only an INTW to a Swiss National Media, skipping all UNOG's International Press Correspondents, and/or if, at UNO's New York Headquarters, he was obliged to give only a short INTW to a ..Washington DC Radio, droping all UN accredited Global Media !). Such Facts obviously make Ban Ki Moon's vibrant Appeal to Urgently Protect Today Press Freedom, Human Rights Defenders and Democratic Pluralism, (Comp. Supra), even more Topical than one might have guessed a priori...

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

 

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*CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Providing a prestigious alternative and/or complementary PanEuropean Forum immediately after a Crucial forthcoming EU Summit in Brussels next Monday, the PanEuropean Organization for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law : CoE's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) is Ready and able to Welcome, Listen to, and hold a Public Debate with the new Prime Minister of Greece, Alexis Tsipras, at any moment, even with a last-minute Change of its initial Agenda, ensured, in substance, smiling to "EuroFora", the Experienced Secretary General of the PanEuropean body, (which has Members from 47 Countries, including even Russia, Turkey or Armenia, Georgia, Switzerland and Norway, etc), Wojciech Sawicki from Poland.)

In fact, speaking at the traditional Press Briefing for permanent Press Correspondents at the CoE on PACE's Summer Plenary Session, next week in Strasbourg, (22-26 June 2015), earlier this Morning, Sawicki had anounced from the outset that, in principle, a Speech by Tsipras at the Plenary had been scheduled for Tuesday, 3.30 p.m., due to be followed, according to the usual practice, by a series of Questions and Replies with the MEPs of Strasbourg's PanEuropean Assembly. A Press Conference could be, eventualy, organized later on that same Afternoon, if there is enough Time, according to an established practice.

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Obviously, this could also give an Opportunity for the Prime Minister of Greece, to eventualy meet, briefly here, also with UNO's Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, who will be addressing CoE's Assembly earlier that Same Day, (Tuesday, June 23). Something which might be particularly useful, inter alia, also in view f.ex. of new prospects for efforts to solve the long-standing Cyprus issue, particularly since Cyprus' President Nicos Anastassiades has recently expressed his Hope that respect of Human Rights, for all People involved, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, appear quite Better since the New Leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community currently living at the Territories of Cyprus Occupied by Ankara's Army, Akintzi, (who is also known at the CoE in Strasbourg and/or at UNO's premisses in nearby Switzerland, etc, that he had visited in the Past, as simple Dissident Turkish Cypriot Politician, in principle favorable to a peaceful ReUnification of the island, where he had also met with "EuroFora"s Co-Founder then).

 

The Council of Europe had already Invited the new Greek Prime Minister earlier, but it's just now that a chance to visit and speak at the PACE had recently emerged, and, even if this had been, indeed, discussed, bilateraly, yesterday evening, nevertheless, the PanEuropean Assembly's leadership was waiting to recieve, possibly even later Today, a crystal-clear Confirmation from Athens, before making an Official Anouncement, Sawicki explained. In that case, the traditional Address to the PACE by CoE's Secretary General, Thornhjorn Jagland, a former Prime Minister from Norway, initialy scheduled for Tuesday Afternoon, would be transfered at around Noon.

However, questioned by "EuroFora", the Experienced Head of PACE's Secretariat promised that CoE could, in fact, wait even much more longer, until it receives a  Final  Confirmation from the Greek Government, during all the Week-End, and, possibly, even on Monday, after the formal adoption of PACE Session's Agenda, as usual, on late Monday Morning, since there is a clear understanding on the current imprevisibility of how Crucial Talks on the Debt affecting Greece might evolve at Monday's Exceptional EU Brussels' Summit (Comp. Supra), while, Sawicki personaly ensured that he knows well how to prepare any Last-Minute eventual Change in PACE's scheduled Agenda, if it might be necessary, as he told us, smiling.

Replying also to another relevant "EuroFora"s Question, CoE Assembly's Secretary General pointed at the Fact that PACE "is an important PanEuroprean Forum for Exchanges of Views" and Topical Debates, where, the existence of more than 47 Member Countries, (i.e. much more than EU's 28, by including Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaidjan, Moldova, etc, as well as Norway, Switzerland, etc, and even "Observers" from USA, Canada, Mexico, Japan, etc), was also another added value, which might, eventualy, prove to be practicaly interesting in this case too.

 

CoE, the oldest European Organization, established in Strasbourg already since 1949, can, in theory, develop any kind of activity for cooperation and unity among its Member Countries, according to its Statute, except from the Military field, (and this had pushed it at a relative margin after the notorious 1954 Failure of a first attempt to create a European Security and Defense policy. But CoE had succeeded, at least, to serve for Decades as the only European Forum for Topical Political Debates, (and had been used as a "School" and/or a Window towards European Politics f.ex. by  the New EU Commission's President, Jean-Claude Juncker, when he was still a Student at Strasbourg's Faculty of Law).

 

 

It was considerably ReVitalized, more recently, since its spectacular and Historic Enlargement at all European Countries, including those of the Center-East, up to Russia, etc., (that it was the 1st to  Welcome inside a PanEuropean context, after the Berlin Wall's Fall), as well as by the ReNaissance of Strasbourg's PanEuropean Court of Human Rights (ECHR), a unique body in the World, working in the basis of a Legaly Binding Convention on Human Rights, both as early as since the middle of the 1990ies, (i.e., already long before the EU integrates just a Part among them).

But, after the April 2004 CoE's Heads of State/Government Summit, at Warsaw (Poland : Comp. "EuroFora" Co-Founder's NewsReports from the spot, then published at "TCWeekly" ,etc ), Strasbourg's PanEuropean Organization was officially Focused mainly on the Protection of Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                
However, the CoE's competencies cover also elementary Social Rights, through its PänEuropean Social Charter,  while, another Important factor is also that all the Members of its Parliamentart Assembly (PACE), are, at the same time, duly elected MPs, fully participating inside many European Countries' National Parliaments, (i.e. the same which are due to Vote any eventual Aide to Greece and/or other EU Countries), Directly Linked to all National Governments, (instead of being Cut Off, far away from them, as, sometimes, it might happen at least for certain MEPs at EU Parliament, who lack direct links to their National Parliaments, contrary to PACE's Members, who serve also as Elected National MPs....

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Recent Events allow PanEuropean CoE's activities against fast-Growing "CyberCrime" to get out of the Dark Shadows and Discretion necessary to competent Security Services, and advance towards a Bright Light of Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law's protection against both State and Non-State Attacks which may come from anywhere accross the World-wide Web.

But, both its Structure and the current Trends to use more and more "Clouds" for Data Storage, which can be located anywhere at he Web, are parts of the Problems that Criminal Justice Investigations face Today, in addition to a latest "Confusion" in the Public between targetted and monitored Enquiries by a Judge, according to a Legal procedure and rules with at least some elementary Guarantees, and the quite uncontrolled "Mass Surveillance" denounced by American Whistle-Blower Snowden, which is another Story...

Moreover, until now, the currently available International Legal tools being practicaly limited to CoE's "Budapest" Convention on CyberCrime, open to all Countries in the World, but still not accepted yet by several Big and other Global Players, such as Russia, China, India, etc, - even  Canada, South Africa and Mexico, etc., among Countries which had participated at its elaboration, but haven't yet signed nor ratified that Important Treaty which is now in Force in 46 Countries, including France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Ukraine  and the US as well as Australia, etc., to which was added this Year also Turkey, and this Month Poland.

- However, a modern "Cloud" may have stored its Data to various Computers and Networks at any Countries whatever throughout all Europe and the World, f.ex. "in Sweden", which is one of the Rare European Countries not to have yet Ratified the Budapest Convention, (and/or Greece or Monaco, etc), observed CoE's Director on CyberCrime, Alexander Senger, speaking in a Press Conference at the Conclusion of a 3-Days long International Conference organized by the CoE, which brought together a great Number of Officials, Experts Businesses, etc., from all over the World, (including several African Countries, etc), precisely, on the actuality of Global Cooperation against CyberCrime, (in the framework of the "Octopus" program), Highlighting this year particularly the specific issue of "Challenges" for "Criminal Justice's Access to Data in the Cloud", from 17 to 19 June 2015 in Strasbourg, which was opened by CoE's Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland and officialy closed by CoE's Deputy Secretary General Gabrielle Battaini-Dragoni, earlier Today.

 

 - "EuroFora" asked the Experienced CoE's long-time Director on CyberCrime, (who comes from Austria, where he had worked also with the UNO in the Past), inter alia, also how that obviously Global Internet Landscape might be guided by at least some elementary Common Principles on protecting People, Businesses and even States from Cyber-Crime Attacks, given also the notorious Reluctance f.ex. of Russia and Other Countries, especially as far as it concerns Budapest Convention's controversial Articles on "Trans-Border Data" : Until recently, one of the "Hottest" issues inside CoE, (apparently more "Explosive" even than Warfare, if one judged by the Exceptional Total Secrecy which used to govern almost any meeting dealing with that too delicate matter)...  Snowden's revelations had, naturaly, stirred earlier at least some among those Concerns, but, more recently, ISIL's and other Extremist Islamic Terrorism of atrocious BeHeaders and several Deadly Attacks even against defenseless, innocent Civilian People inside Europe itself, added to the well known, Dangerous phenomenon of "Foreign Fighters", Jihadists, etc, had now brought back some more "Balanced" points of view on such Multifacet matters, as also German Chancelor Angie Merkel has observed, partly rectifying in 2015 some of her earlier 2013 statements, particularly by acknowledging the need for an International Cooperation against Brutal Terrorism, where Internet plays a role, on the condition, however, that it Respects Partner Countries, Citizens and Enterprises' elementary Human Rights.

- Seger started, in his Reply to the above-mentioned "EuroFora"s Question, by observing, at First, that there are practically not Other International Legal Instruments helping to really Fight against CyberCrime, at least until Today : UNO is, naturally, Discussing possible Future Treaties, but without having reached a concrete Result up to now, while, some other "Regional" tools haven't yet developed as much as CoE's Budapest Convention did, and still does, to judge not only by further Extrending Ratifications (Comp. Supra), but also by the astonishingly Numerous active Participation at COE's International CyberCrime Conferences by various representatives from Many Countries accross all the Continents of the World.

    >>> But, perhaps one of the most Important, in practice, Key-points, is that almost everybody, even some Countries which might have had, or still have, this or that Objection vis a vis the Traditional state of affairs about the Budapest Conventions, having expressed in the Past some reserves and/or wishes to modify, alleviate and/or upgrade certain particular Legal polints, (Comp. f.ex. Supra and See also partly Infra), nevertheless, have much to Gain and seem more and more Interested, at least at "Capacity Building" on the ways to Fight against CyberCrime, (which is mainly ensured by a CoE's outlet in Bucharest). - "Capacity Building", is, indeed, something concrete and useful, which may interest also Russia and even China, CoE's Director on CyberCrime optimisticaly stressed.

    => All that gives to the Budapest Convention, despite problems, an important "Dynamism" in practice recently, Seger underlined with conviction on this point.

    (+ Meanwhile, CoE has, moreover, adopted, on the above-mentioned Controversial Issue of "TransBorder Access to Data",  a 2012 Report and, particularly, a useful "Guidance Note" on December 2014, including an "Interpretation" of the key "Article 32" of the Budapest Convention, which points at several "Safeguards", as a 1st result of recent, patient attempts by the CoE in Strasbourg to alleviate concerns of some Countries, so that they can eventualy all Work Together in the forseable Future).

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    + However, one of the most Important Innovation of this Year's (2015's) CoE's International Conference on Global Cooperation against CyberCrime was that, "for the First Time, it included also Special Workshops dedicated exclusively to "Victims ... : - Who Cares ?", as noted, provocatively, that event's chosen Heading... Young People, Children, Consumers, Businesses, Media, Politicians, NGOs, even States are included among that Long list of "Victims of CyberCrime" Today, which Need to be efficiently Protected :  - "CyberAttacks against Media can seriously Violate Freedom of Expression", told "EuroFora" the competent CoE's Director, (Comp. also French Minister for Digital Economy, Axelle Lemaire's relevant Statements to "EuroFora" after the recent Attack of "ISIL" Terrorists against TV France 5, etc, as well as the Growing Importance of a High-Tech Market for CyberSecurity Tools : ......), while, among the Victims can be even a Big European Country's National Parliament, f.ex. during an Important Visit of a Political Leader of another Country, Seger observed in this regard, pointing out at an incident which had reportedly occured in Berlin, etc.

Significanty, this CoE's June 2015 International Conference was organized in Strasbourg. shortly after an EU Parliament's Debate and Resolution, adopted in Brussels' Mini-Session at the End of May, on "Cyber-Attacks against Media", the Same Day that UNO's Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, who is due to visit CoE's Assembly Next Week in Strasbourg, had just spoken there, precisely mainly about the urgent need for the International Community to Fight against extremist Islamic Terrorists as ISIL's atrocious BeHeaders, (Comp., f. ex., also "EuroFora"s NewsReport : ...).

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+ CoE's move came also just a few Days after the latest G7 Summit of Heads of State and Government, chaired this year by Germany, at Elmau Castle earlier This Month, (i.e. on June 7 and 8 : Comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from that 2015 "G7" Summit), whose Official collective Conclusions, inter alia, stress, in the Context of a Chapter focused on Fighting Violent and Deadly Islamic Extremists' Terrorism as that of "ISIL"'s atrocious BeHeaders, which expressed G7's "Commitment into Defeating this Terrorist Group and Combatting the Spread of its Hateful Ideology", that "It is a Task for All Nations and Societies to Confront the Conditions conducive to the Spread of Terrorism and Violent Extremism, including the Spread of Hatred and Intolerance, also through the Internet".

    + Moreover, interestingly, Questioned during that G7 Summit in a Press Conference (Comp. : .....), about "CyberSecurity" issues and recent "Massive Attacks on US Personnel Files", (whose Origin had not yet been discovered), US President Barack Obama went well beyond simply Complaining for US "Congress" alleged Delay "on passing (New) CyberSecurity Legislation, that we've being Pushing for" from his Administration, (apparently also because of several Congressmen's concerns aso about Citizens, Businesses and other Independent Organisation's Freedoms and Privacy, etc), starting to dress a Wide overall Picture also of Other Practical Means "to Protect Information", "not just of Government"; "but also, more Importantly, when there's an interface" with "the .. People", as he said :

    - Indeed, Obama pointed, f.ex., at the recent initiation of an Extensive "Process of Inventorying and Upgrading .. Old Systems, to Address existing Vulnerabilities", and "figure out what we can fix with Better Practices and Better Computer Hygiene by Personel", or by "New Systems and New Infrastructures", (i.e. without infringiung at all on any Citizens' Rights). "This is going to be a Big Project, and we're going to have to Keep on doing it", he concluded on this point of Upgrading "Old Systems"...

    - However, this is just a "Part of" a "Problem", which "is not going to go away", but, on the Contrary, "it is going to Accelerate", because "Both State and Non-State Actors are sending everything they've got to Breach these Systems", the US President Warned. Sometimes "it's Non-State Actors who are engaging in Criminal activity and potential Theft", while, in other cases, "State Actors ... are probing for Intelligence (i.e. Spying), or, in some cases, ... to Bring Down Systems, in pursuit of their various Foreign Policy objectives", he explained.

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    In this regard, by the way, "EuroFora" was Astonished, recently, to learn that even a so important PanEuropean Organisation covering 47 Countries and more than 800 Millions of Citizens, from Portugal to Vladivostok, and from Iceland to Cyprus, etc., for manifold "Hot" and Topical Issues going from Foreign Policy up to Human Rights and International Law, etc., didn't have, at its disposal, but only ... 2 (Two) Civil Servants destinated to Protect the Strasbourg's body from any Cyber-Attacks, among the many and various problems that CoE has faced until now !...

    - Most of the incidents concern either attempts to Unveil and Steal a Confidential Information, (f.ex. a Draft Report which still is "Top Secret"), or to launch a kind of Propaganda War, targetting certain sectors. But, perhaps, the greatest Risk are several disguissed attempts to infiltrate CoE's systems almost "silently", until someone or a whole Departmet important for them and, therefore, "targetted", might be lurred to fall in a Trap, allowing the Cyber-Aggressors to strip him from all his Codes, special Access, etc., and/or; sometimes, to even "Steal his Identity" at the Internet, allowin them to lurre, afterwards, also a lot of other potential Victims : - "That's one of the reasons for which we often Train and Advise CoE's staff to be Careful and constantly Vigilent" vis a vis this kind of things; they told "EuroFora" in substance. However, curiously, CoE's Cyber-Guards appeared quite Upbeat and optimist about the PanEuropean Organisation's capacities and chances to escape at least the worst CyberAttacks, until now...

    Let's cross fingers !....

*Strasbourg/(EU Parliament)/Angelo Marcopolo/- In a Hard fought series of crucial Votes, EU Parliament Refused a VISA-Free regime for Turkey's population's Massive entry inside the EU, that some have been discretely pushing to impose without any real Public Debates vis a vis EU Citizens, before 2017, (Comp., among others, f.ex., also : .......), and, on the Contrary, asked from Ankara's Authorities to Stop the Massive Illegal Migration Flows transiting, in addition, from many Other Countries in Asia and the World, through the notoriously too "porous" Turkish Borders towards the EU, as well as to put an End to systematic attempts to seriously Alter the Demography of the Territories of Cyprus that Turkey illegaly Occupies with her 1974 Military Invasion Army, by insisting to send there also a Growin NUmbetr of its own Citizens, (something that is Condemned by the International Penal Court's Statute as a "War Crime"), particularly as long as the Lawful Inhabitants of those Turkish - Occupied Territories, (Greek Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians, etc), are still Hindered even to Access or Return to their Family Homes and Private Properties in their Ancestral Land, n blatant continuous Violations of their Human Rights, as repeatedly denounced by ECHR's Judgements, which have already Condemned many times Turkey for that, as well as for Violation of Religious Rights of the few remaining Enclaved Greek Cypriots, (who were a Mahority in these Territories in all the Past, until the 1974 Military Invasion by Ankara's Foreign Army), practicaly resulting in a quite Similar "Replacemen"t of the Original Population there, as it has already happened previously in several areas that are nowadays controlled by the Turkish State, (which has less than 1 Century of existence), as, f.ex., since the even much Worse "Armenian Genocide" committed by the Ottoman Turks since the Beginning of the 20th Century, that anOther last-minute Amendment adopted Today by a Large Majority of MEPs clearly reminds, (See Infra).

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    - In particular, an Amendment adopted Today by EU Parliament's Plenary in Strasbourg, in a Vote on its 2015 Report on Turkey, Rejected a Controversial, and obviously Dangerous Claim initially made by Socialist Rapporteur Mrs Kati Piri, that, as she had said, "the process of Liberalisation (of EU Visas for all Turkish Citizens) could .. Advance"  (sic !), even in the well known current circonstances of the EU being faced with an exceptionaly strong series of Massive Flows of various Immigrants also from several Other Third Countries  with whom, many European Countries notoriously can't cope Today...

    => On the Contrary, by Adopting a last-minute Amendment tabled by the ChrisianDemocrat/EPP Political Group and Voted by more than 346 MEPs also from several Other Groups, EU Parliament "recalls that ... Turkey should Meet All the Requirements set out in the Visa RoadMap, including, particularly, the Full and Effective Implementation of All Provisions of the ReAdmission Agreement" of 2014 with the EU.

    + On this occasion, EU Parliament also "recalls that Turkey is one of the Key-Transit Countries for Irregular Migration in the EU, and Calls for the Improvement of Turkey's cross-Border Cooperation with Neighbouring EU Member States in this respect", while Debt-stricken EU Country Greece, both in the recent Past and even More these Last Days, has been notoriously Submerged by a Fast-Growing series of Waves of Non-European Immigrants coming from the Turkish Borders, to the point that, despite even a set of Welcoming Measures funded partly by EU Commission and set up by the New Government, (including Maritime Transport from the Islands to the MainLand, provision of Clothes, Medicine, Food and provisional Shelter, etc., at least until eventual Asylum Seekers would have a chance to present their demands to be examined by the Competent Authorities, nevertheless, more and more Serious Problems are currently Reported by the Local Press, including, f.ex., even Violent Clashes between irregular Immigrants from Turkey, etc., while a lot of such People are routinely pictured to have litteraly Filled up the Greek Capital City of Athens' central Squares (as "Omonia", etc). To the point that several local Inhabitants are notoriously concerned even about their Family's Security when crossing obliged to to cross these streets, and Athens' Mayor Mr. Kaminis, (a CLRAE Invitee in Strasbourg since 2013), has reportedly asked from the Government to Urgently allow the addition of at least 300 more Municipal Policemen on the spot.

Moreover, as it's well known, almost all among those irregular Immigrants from Turkey use to soon Cross Greece's Borders towards other EU Member Countries, seeking Better Living Conditions for Work and/or Stay, while the ECHR in Strasbourg has already Warned, even by Writting, many other Europea, Countries that, given the currently Difficult Conditions in Greece, it would Systematicaly Oppose any eventual Expulsion of Irregiular Immigrants Back to Greece, because this would risk to expose them, de facto, in so Hard material and other Cnditions, that they would be tantamount to "Inhuman and/or Degrading Treatments"...

    => Therefore, it's obviously Natural that EU Parliament's Resolution also "notes that Cooperation between Turkey and all EU Member States, aiming, in particular at Reinforcing the Management of Common Borders with all EU Member States, Needs to be Increased", while also it "Emphasizes the Need for Turkey to further Strengthen Border Security, in order to Combat Irregular Migration in EU Countries".

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    + Moreover, meanwhile, at least one of the Pretexts usualy abused by Turkey  in order to Ask from the EU to automaticaly ease Visas f.ex. to "Turkish Businessmen", etc, doesn't seem Today to be so much credible, given not only the Fact that, even without such a Facility, already, the 1996-opened EU - Turkey Customs Union; apparently worked for many years in the Past, f.ex. by Outsourcing a lot of Investments from Europe towards Turkey in the Past, as EU Parliament's Resolution reminds elsewhere, while also urging Ankara to ensure "Compliance with .. Rules and Requirements" of that "CU" : In this regard, another last-minute adopted Amendment, also tabled by mainstream German MEP Renate Sommer, from the Governing ChristianDemocrat/EPP Party of Chancelor Merkel, expresses EU Parliament's "Great Concern by the Growing Problems for European Companies Trading with Turkey" recently,

    (i.e. already Before the latest "Krach" in Turkish Stock Markets and of the Turkish Lira (National Currency), which both Fell Deep Down sharply immediately after the anouncement of the uncertain result of last Sunday's Elections that didn't gave any clear Majority at the Parliament of Ankara).

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    ++ Going much Further on, including at the quite Differend, but not totaly unrelated, situation of the Occupied Territories of Cyprus illegaly controlled by Ankara's Foreign Army since the Deadly 1974 Military Invasion, EU Parliament adopted Today also anOther last-minute Amendment, (this time Tables by the EurpLeft Group), with a Crystal-Clear Majority of 333 Votes in favour, against only 283, in which MEPs "Deplore Turkey's Policy of Settlement, and Call on Turkey to Refrain from Further Settlement of Turkish Citizens in the Occupied area of Cyprus", because "this is Contrary to the Geneva Convention nd the Principles of International Law", as the Final EU Text denounces.

    Indeed, the Statute of the International Criminal Court strongly Condemns, as a "War Crime", any Massive Influx of Nationals from a State whose Army Occupies the Territories of another Country, whose original and lawful Inhabitants had to Flee, abandonig their Family Homes, Private Properties and Ancestral Land, precisely as many Greek Cypriots, Maronites and Armenians were obliged to do since the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion at the Northern part of the Island.

    Moreover, the Massive Influx of Turkish Settlers, which has already been Strongly Denounced by 2 Critical Reports adopted by the PanEuropean CoE's Parliamentary Assembly at two Differend moments in the Past in Strasbourg, was notoriosly Criticized and Investigated also by Dissident Turkish Cupriot Journalist Kutlu Adali, who has been Shot  and Killed in Cold Blood right in front of his Family Home already back on 1997, resulting in a landmark ECHR Judgement, published on 2005, (i.e.; by a Symbolic Coincidence, at the Same Year that ECHR also published his Judgement on the atrocious Murder of another, more Famous, Critical Journalist :  Gongadze in Ukraine), which strongly Condemns Turkey for grossly Violating the Human Right to Life, inter alia, also by Non Investigating Adali's Murder, in addition to trampling underfoot also the Freedom of Expression of the murdered Journalist, obviously Killed in order to Muzzle his notoriouslyt stuborn and Investigative Criticism of Ankara's Policy on the massive influx of Turkish "Settlers".

    Curiously, however, after having been hotly Discussed several times inside COE's Committee of Ministers, which is responsible for checking all Member States' Compliance with ECHR's Judgements which have Condemned them for Violating one or another Human Rights; suddenly, the Adami case file, silently ... "Disappeared", and never surfaced again since then, precisely when Turkey was taking over the Rotating CoE's vice-Presidency in charge of all Human Rights cases pending at CoE's Ministerial Committee, back on June 2010...

    +++ Nevertheless, EU Parliament, Today, also added, with the Amendment that it adopted, a Strong Call "Urg(ing) Turkey to Terminate all Actions (sucb as those of systematically facilitating a massive influx of illegal Turkish Settlers in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus : Comp. Supra) that ALTER THE DEMOGRAPHIC Balance on the Island, thus Impeding a Future Solution" of the Political Cyprus' Issue, since, obviously, most Turkish Settlers, (contrary to many genuine Turkish Cypriots), wouldn't have any real Interest in the Peaceful ReUnification of the Island, which would also imply, at least a partial Return of many Greek Cypriot Refugees to their Family Homes and Ancestral Land, notoriously usurpated, in many such cases, precisely by such illegal Turkish Settlers imported from Anatolia; so that they would Oppose ReUification, prefering to impose a Division of Cyprus, as even CoE Assembly's Rapporteurs and its own Committee of Ministers have already Denounced in Strasbourg in the Past...

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    ++++ A Fortiori when such a Massive and Illegal Influx of Turkish Settlers from Anatolia, in practice, goes on for more than 40 Years now, hand by hand, together with a parallel and synchronous Exclusion of almost all Greek Cypriot former Inhabitants of the nowadays Occupied Territories, who were Obliged to leave their Family Homes, Private Properties  and/or Ancestral Land, and are still Hindered to Return, also face continuing Human Rights' Violations, mainly by the Turkish Invasion - Occupation Army, which Excludes their Return back to their Homes, ofte usurpated, meanwhile, and still held by Turkish Settlers, despite a well established ECHR Case-Law protecting their Property Rights and repeatedly Condemning Turkey for those Massive and still Continuing Violations of Greek Cypriot Refugees/Displaced Persons' Rights :

    - Indeed, anOther  Amendment, tabled by the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group and adopted by EU Parliament's Plenary Today in Strasbourg with an Exceptionaly Strong Majority of ...532 Votes in favour, against only 160, and 2 Abstentions, "reiterates relevant ECHR Decisions, and Calls on the Turkish Government to Immediately STOP the Violation of the Human Rights of the Cypriot Citizens, and Stop Depriving them of the Enjoyment and Exercice of their Property, Religious and Oher Human Rights, stemming from the Constitutional Order of the Republic of Cyprus and the (EU) Acquis Communautaire, as well as the Fundamental Principles and Values of the EU", as the Final Text denounces, obviously including also the notorious Plight of those few Greek Cypriots who Dared try to Stay "Enclaved" in their Ancestral Land, even after the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion and Occupation, facing several Hardships, Pressures and Oppression, not only of Property, but even of elementary Religious and other Human Rights.

    Significantly, the above-mentioned Strong Majority of MEPs Voted for that Amendment in EU Parliament in Strasbourg, this Same Week that, inside the nearby PanEuropean CoE, its Committee of Ministers is now examining, precisely, Turkey's persisting Failure to abide by a series of ECHR's Judgements which have already Condemned Ankara's Authorities for such Continuous Violations of Greek Cypriot Refugees/Displaced Persons' Property and other RIghts; (in those same Occupied Territories of the Northern Part of the Island, where Turkey notoriously sends many Massive Waves of Anatolia Settlers to practicaly Replace the Lawful Inhabitants of these Lands with an over-Millenary History and Civilisation : Comp. Supra)..

    >>> To the point that, as a Victims' Lawyer, Achileas Demetriades, denounced in a recent Letter to the CoE, at least one among those Greek Cypriot Refugees has just ... Died, while vainly Waiting, durinhg an obviously Too Long Time, all these Years, for his Aplication to the ECHR in Strasbourg to make Turkey, at last, Respect his elementary Human Rights, so that he would be Free to simply Return Back Home alive....

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    +++++ Naturally, all these Human Rights Violations are almost nothing, compared to the much more Horrible, 1st Genocide of the 20th Century, committed by the Ottoman-Turkish regime against the Armenians throughout all the area of the former Ottoman-Turkish Empire, mainly by the so-called "Young Turks", who later founded the current Turkish State, which has less than 1 small Century of Existence, over many Territories which were, for Many Centuries or even more than a Thousand of Years, inhabitd by Armenian People, later Brutaly Massacrated, in a way which reminds Today's Extremist Islamic Terrorists of ISIL atrocious BeHeaders  :

    This was topically reminded by another last-minute adopted Amendment, Voted quasi-Unanimously in EU Parliament's Plenary with ...550 Votes in Favour, against Only 77, and 47 Abstentions, which simply Points at "its Resolution of .. April 2015, on the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide", (Comp. : .....).

    But, in fact, that Horrible Massive Crime against Humankind, wasn't it, already, also a kind of .. "Ethnic Cleansing" and/or a "Replacement of an entire Population", even among the most Ancient Christian Cultures in History, which used to live at the Heart of Anatolia, facing Cyprus ?

    Sometimes, if nobody takes really care on Time, befire it becomes too late, lonf afterwards such various Massive "Population Replacement" Crimes have been committed, Nothing rests, no more, there where many People used to Live for Centuries, or even Millenaries, before they were Exterminated and/or Obliged to Flee, in one way or another .... Nothing, except, sometimes, perhaps, of something like that Fragile .. Yellow Cloud of Butterflies, which Mark and Remind the Horrible Fact that a Big Crime was committed here, where, once, a People, a City and/or a whole Civilisation used to Live, as World Famouss Latin-American Writer Garcia Marquez has notoriously imagined in his Masterpiece Book, precisely, "A Hundred Years of Solitude"...