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Home arrow In Brief arrow Berlin backs Oettinger to EU Commission after attacks: Head of 11 Million inh. State +good Economist

Berlin backs Oettinger to EU Commission after attacks: Head of 11 Million inh. State +good Economist

Written by ACM
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
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*Berlin/ACM/- Germany's Governing Party, CDU/CSU's vice-President in charge of European and Foreign Policy, Head of Franco-German Group of MPs, Andreas Schockenhoff, speaking to "EuroFora", strongly supported new EU Commissioner-nominate for Germany, Oettinger, after astonishing personal attacks by a Brussel's on-line Media linked to a pro-Turkish lobby against Merkel's choice for a Strasbourg's neighbour :

 - "Gunther Oettinger is a very good nomination, because he's the Head of Government of a Land with 11 Million inhabitants", (the federated State of Baden-Wurttemberg, with Stuttgart as Capital). "He is a strong candidate, with a Government experience, and I think that he will be an excellent representative for Germany", Schockenhoff stressed.  

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- "He is very aware of, and familiar with European questions. So, it is a good choice. He has to represent the European interests, but he's a strong personality. In the new EU Commission there will be a lot of new-comers, and they all have to get familiar with the politics in Brussels. But he (Oettinger) has often been in Brussels and in Strasbourg, he's not a new-comer in that area". In fact, "We (EU) need both : we need new-commers (in Brussels), but also experienced people (in Economy, Politics, Media, EU policies, Government, etc), and I think that he's responding to those criteria"', the Top Berlin Politician told "EuroFora".


    But an obviously pro-Turkish lobby with shady business links to some EU-funded on-line Media outlets in Brussels, appeared astonishingy upset by Merkel's choice of Strasbourg's neighbour, Oettinger, as new EU Commissioner for 2009-2014, launching peronal attacks and gross insults against him, following also New German Government Coalition's agreement to focus on Turkey's failure to comply with EU criteria.

    Oettinger is Prime Minister of the German federated state of Baden-Wurttemberg, at the Franco-German border accross Strasbourg's suburbs, headquarted at nearby Stuttgart, and a  frequent visitor here, where he was recently working on the preparation of a new "Metropolitan Region" linking Strasbourg (France) to Stuttgart (Germany), Bale (Switzerland), etc.

    But, f.ex.. "EurActiv", a Brussels' On-line Media, which has only 8 national versions for 27 EU Member States, but curiously includes a ..Turkish edition, even if it is financially supported also by EU Commission, not only delayed ..3 Days more than "EuroFora" to anounce Merkel's choice for Oettinger as New EU Commissioner, as late as Monday afternoon 26/10/09,     

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  Moreover, it started to launch astonishing personal attacks against Oettinger, with gross insults claiming that he would be "a disgraced" and "failed" politician (sic !), "dumped in Brussels for being "a thorn" in German chancellor's side", after "excusing the Nazi past" (re-sic !!) links of his predecessor, and completely unknown among Brussels' notoriously impopular bureaucracy, etc.  (See : http://www.euractiv.com/en/future-eu/germany-picks-surprise-commissioner/article-186769 )

 On the contrary, Strasbourg-based "EuroFora" NewsMedia project, created by Journalists with more than 15 Years experience in EU/CoE/UN affairs and independent from any Public funds, was the 1st to report on Merkel's choice for Oettinger in English language as early as from Saturday, October 24, (earlier even than some mainstream German Media, as f.ex. "Die Zeit", etc), and including Original Infos, from German and French regional sources from Rhein area, at his neighborhood. (See, f.ex. our initial publication : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/oettinger.html ).  

   "EurActiv"s brutal reaction against Oettinger was closely followed (and apparenty expained) by an also negative presentation of "Germany's Plans" in "a 124-page policy paper by the ruling conservative-liberal coalition", (as it called the ChristianDemocrat/ChristianSocial and Liberal parties), which "speaks of ..a "Special Relationship" with Turkey", as it notes.   

 - "Merkel has been publicly against a fully-fledged Turkish membership and the carefully-worded document speaks of "linking Turkey to the EU" if the country does not meet the requirements for full membership. Recently Turkey's chief negotiator, Egemen Bagiş, told EurActiv that his country finds "insulting" the replacement of full EU membership with a "privileged partnership" as proposed by Paris and Berlin", it adds.    

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In fact, the relevant text of New German Governmental coalition stresses that Germany will not accept any "Reductions" of EU's "criteria", and that "Enlargement Negotiations are Open-ended", since the "Condition for accession" is "Strict Fulfilment of Copenhagen's Criteria", while "the ability of candidate countries (as Turkey, Croatia, etc) and EU's capacity to integrate" them is of "decisive" importance "in all cases".     

These principles are stressed precisely before naming "Turkey", on which the new German text speaks only about "binding the country to the EU", and warns Ankara that "the Negotiations which started on 2005 with an accession aim are an Open-ended process, which is Not Automatic and whose conclusion in Accession canNOT be Guaranted".  

 - Therefore, "If the EU or Turkey are not able to arrive to Accesion by strictly fulfilling all obligations linked to membership", then, "Turkey will have to be dealt in a way which develops further its Privileged Relationship to the EU, closely linked to the European structures".     

In other words, Merkel's ChristianDemocrats seem to have agreed with FDP's Liberals that Turkey's controversial EU bid may not result to full membership because of Ankara's persisting failure to comply with EU criteria, (including on Cyprus, Human Rights, Democracy, Minorities' protection and rule of Law, etc).

 
Moreover, significantly, the old formula that EU - Turkey "Negotiations will continue", whatever might happen during the 5 next Years, contrary to what was said in the previous coalition with SPD's "Socialists" (for 2005-2009), was, now (for 2009-2014), completely skipped !    

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Oettinger, after Legal and Economy studies at Tubingen University, and a mandate on Financial relations between the Federal central State and federated States in Germany, has acquired a long experience both as Head of Government in one of Germany's bigest federated States : Baden-Wurtemberg, and  as Head Expert of CDU Party's Media policies at National level, where he has also defended Press Freedom, (including for On-line Media as "EuroFora"), which faces notoriously gross violations in Turkey, as ECHR and International Human Rights NGO's recently denounced anew.  

  
After inaugurating the largest "Science Center" in southern Germany, "Experimenta", Oettinger is due to head a big Economic and cultural delegation in a visit to India.

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  By an interesting coincidence, Oettinger's current office, as President-Minister of the federated State of Baden-Wurttenberg, is located at the same town as Germany's representative to the EU Committee for the "Future of Europe", which prepares a 2010 Report, Stuttgart's Mayor Wolfgang Schuster. (See his statements to "EuroFora", recently in Strasbourg, at : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eufuturechildrendemocracy.html ). The Brussels' located Top-level Wisemen Committee on "EU's Future" , composed by Top-level Political Personalities, (as fex. former Spanish Prime Minister Gonzales, Latvia's former President Friedberga, etc), was set up at the end of 2008 as part of a compromise accepted by French President Sarkozy in order not to stop controversial EU - Turkey accession negotiations after he was elected on a clear program against Ankara's demand to enter inside the EU.

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(New EU Commissioner nominate, Oettinger, together with Germany's representative to EU Committee for the Future of Europe, Wolfgang Schuster, Stuttgart's Mayor, inaugurate a Symbolic piece of Berlin's Wall, on the 20th Anniversary of its fall, 9/11/09.) 

    In comparison, the other "Gunther" : Verheugen, the out-going Socialist EU Commissioner for Germany, who has been appointed in Brussels twice, was simply a National MP all his life, (except from a few Months as State Secretary for EU affairs only in 1998), and studied only Law and Politics without University background in Economy, even if he got the EU job for Enterprise and Industry. (After Enlargement, where he notoriously pushed Turkey's controversial EU bid, despite continuing grave Human Rights violations, including persisting Impunity for Torture, even of Children : See fex ECHR's 10/2009 judgements, published at "EuroFora").

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Swedish Foreign Minister, Carl Bildt, speaking  to "EuroFora", denied rumors on Turkey's attempts to avoid an EU check of its obligations on Cyprus on December 2009 by blackmailing Nicosia to either accept any deal with intransigeant Turkish claims contrary to EU values on the island's political issue, or face threats against the territorial integriy of the EU island, semi-occupied by Ankara's army.

On the contrary, the incoming EU President-in-office, speaking exclusively to "EuroFora", promissed that he will act for EU Council's decisions on December 2009 assessment of Turkey's commitments on Cyprus to be kept.


    Bildt was asked to react to Cyprus' President Christofias' denunciation, earlier this week, that some want to exert "pressure" on Cyprus in order for Turkey to escape from its obligations.

    Avoiding to mention any precise Deadline, Bildt, however, warned about "Consequences" in case of "failure" to reunite Cyprus, but without saying whose responsibility an eventual deadlock might be.  

 Asked by "EuroFora" if there is a risk for "Turkey's commitments to "be forgotten or downgraded", "despite crystal-clear EU Council decisions and EU Parliament's latest Resolution on the assessment to make at the end of this year on Turkey's obligations", according to rumours that, instead of pressing Turkey, on the contrary, there might be "pressure on Cyprus", even "blackmail", as Media reported and President Christofias denounced this week, Bildt denied :

- "No ! ", he clearly replied.


- On the contrary, invited by "EuroFora", to "reassure that the Swedish EU Presidency (7-12/2009) will keep a fair stance, based on principles",  Bildt promised that "we (Swedish EU Presidency) will be very clear on all of the decisions taken by the (EU) Council".

He added, however, that "we have very numerous decisions that have been taken" by EU Council, as if he warned, also, on something else.

- "'I am not aware of any sort of statements coming out today''", Bildt started to say, on our reference to Cyprus' President Christofias" denunciation of Turkish lobby's manoeuvers this week, replying earlier to 'another"EuroFora"'s question during a Press Conference at EU Parliament in Strasbourg.


 - '"I know the issues that you' are concerned with'", he added, remembering  the statements he gave us when Sweden was chairing the PanEuropean CoE on 2008.

- "But, obviously, .. I think that Cyprus' Peace negotiations are extremenly important".

- And "'I think that we are at a unique moment in History, in the sens that both (Cyprus') President Christofias and Mr. Talat (the Turkish Cypriot leader), are personally convinced of the need to overcome the division".

 - "It's 20 Years since the fall of Berlin Wal, but we still have a Capital in Europe (Nicosia) that's divided". ,

- 'I don't that we should loose any time in overcoming that"..

 - ''We should be aware of the fact that success will bring great benefits, but failure, will also have major consequences. There will not be Status Quo' " It's a question of seeking a solution, or entering another situation, which is somewhat difficult to see exactly how that could evolve", he warned.

- "That being said, this is a negotiation for Cyprus itself", Bildt admitted.

 - ''We (EU) can support, the (EU) Commission primarily, be technically helpful, and then, of course, there is a specific role for the UN, when it comes to the Cyprus' situation".  

- "At least so far. It might not be for ever'. Certainly not for ever, but for this period of time", Bildt added, skiping now any reference to concrete threats on UNO's Peace keeping force in face of more than 40.000 Ankara's soldiers, contrary to some Press claims, (See previous NewsReports).


     Replying to another "EuroFora"'s Question,  if anyone might attempt to "impose a Deadline for the conclusion" of Cyprus' Talks on December 2009, Bildt avoided to speak of any precise Time-frame, and indirectly evoked the fact that  35 Years of Turkish Invasion/Occupation obviously durated too long :

'- "If I was from Cyprus, I would say that the Deadline was Yesterday ! '",
Bildt concluded.

Cyprus' Government Spokesman, Stephanou, reportedly pointed out that "a settlement is possible on December if Turkey changes its stance", accepting a solution for the reunification of the island based on UNO resolutiona and EU principles.

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Earlier, EU Chair, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeld, highlighted an "historic opportunity" to "re-Unite" Cyprus according to EU's "basic Values"' (i.e. Human Rights) and 'Rules'", in a last-minute change of his draft speech to EU Parliament in Strasbourg.

    The initial Draft spoke only about "healing" the island.

    Significantly, Reinfeldt linked Cyprus' reunification with Turkey's obligations to respect EU's "Values" and "follow" EU's "common Rules" :

    - What is "called Membership Negotiations" should lead, "at- the end of the day", into "sharing a set of common Basic Values (i.e. Human Rights, Democracy, etc), and following common Rules", stressed Reinfeld from the outset.
    
    - "This is something that those on the Outside (of the EU), are now  contemplating", up "to Ankara", for "a solution" on "Cyprus", observed the EU Chairman, immediately afterwards..  

    - "Both sides of Cyprus have been granted a historic opportunity to together reach an agreement on a solution to re-Unite the island, that has been divided for far too long", said Reinfeldt, modifying his draft text.


-  "The Swedish Presidency will act ...in accordance with Commitments EU has made, on the basis of Criteria that apply", "as a Honest Broker", he promised.    

- "To those on the inside (of the EU), allowing the membership process to become an opportunity to solve protracted disputes, can be tempting", he added.


    "In such cases, we must find solutions that can benefit both sides, and open up a way forward. Otherwise, it would jeopardize the progress we have made towards EU integration", Reinfeldt said.

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