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Home arrow newsitems arrow Sarkozy proposes EU Parliament debates on Europe's Identity in the ranup of 2009 Election

Sarkozy proposes EU Parliament debates on Europe's Identity in the ranup of 2009 Election

Written by ACM
Thursday, 10 July 2008


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In a last-minute, surprise move, New EU Chairman, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, anounced a proposal in Strasbourg to open an EU Parliament debate on Europe's Identity in the ranup to 2009 Election :

    - "I am conscious of the fact that there is, today, a real Crisis on Europe's
Identity", he replied earlier to a question by Greek MEP Ioanis Varvitsiotes, who had asked him to "advance beyond those who don't really want a Political Europe",

    - "Why not a real Debate on what is Europe's Identity ?", proposed
Sarkozy, in this regard.

    -  "EU Parliament could organize such Debates", he suggested :"It's
better for EU Parliament, than for National Governments, or EU Commission, to
define what is the European Identity", the French President proposed.

    A diplomatic way to avoid obstacles by some Governments and/or some Brussels' bureacrats, reportedly opposed to really free and popular, critical European debates on hot political issues..

    Sarkozy brillantly won the 2007 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in France in 2007, in the line of the principles anounced at an important Speech in Strasbourg, February 2007, about a Political Europe, and a European Identity on issues which matter to the People.

   

The French President later referred anew to his Historic February 2007 Speech,
at another meeting on Europe, July 2007 in Strasbourg, and this was followed, since
September 2007, by a formal proposal to the EU to start a Debate on Europe's
Future.

    But this was reportedly watered-down, after a usual Brussels "compromise", into a mere establishement of a "Wisemen"'s Committee, headed by former Spanish Prime Minister, Gonzales...

    Thus, MEP Joseph Daul, the Chairman of EU Parliament's largest Group : ChristianDemocrats/EPP, agreed, smiling, with EuroFora, that it would be a very interesting development if 2009 EU Elections were inspired by the way 2007 French Elections unfolded, with real political debates, boosting Popular participation...

    The move points, in fact, to 2009 :

    - "We (EU) have to know on which basis will take place the forthcoming European Elections in 2009", warned earlier Sarkozy. This was said on the occasion of the EU Treaty issue, after the Irish "No", but obviously includes also the question of the political substance of the 2009 electoral debates.

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     The Political, Economic and Cultural dimension of Europe, as well as Enlargement (including Turkey's controversial EU bid) ,etc., "naturally are part of this Debate on the European Identity", confirmed to EufoFora Sarkozy's Spokesman for International News, Pierre-Jerome Henin.

    Sighificantly, Sarkozy mentioned, earlier in Strasbourg, the Western Balkans, and even Ukraine, despite difficulties, among "European countries", while carefully ommitting to add the "T" word..

    Current Events give "as all heavy responsibilities" for Europe's Future, the Frendh Preident stressed from the outset in Strasbourg : -"But I see that Difficulty also as a Chance", he added.

    Part of its strategy to "protect Citizens", is French EU Presidency's wish to
boost concrete progress on issues such as Climat and Envrionment, Immigration,
Security and Defence, Agriculture, as well as promotion of certain Social
aspects and European Culture, Sarkozy said earlier to MEPs.

    But the most important for "EuroFora" is his declared wish to open new possibilities for Citizens' participation to political European debates.

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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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