newsitems CoE Chair, Armenian President Sargsyan: Links with EU and with Russia not opposed but complementary
CoE Chair, Armenian President Sargsyan: Links with EU and with Russia not opposed but complementary
*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Symbolically well placed, as current Chairman of the CoE, the PanEuropean Organisation due to boost Cooperation and Unity among its Members, including, mainly, through Democracy, Human Rights and Rule of Law principles, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, in his Speech to CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg, as well as in Reply to MEPs' questions on developments concerning EU's Eastern Partnership and Russia's EurAsian Union, stressed that instead of opposing these 2, neighbouring Regional Integration plans, as some often do recently, sometimes even too sharply, in almost Dramatic terms, on the make thecontrary, they should be made Complementary to each other, and organized in a way which coukd Fit them all in one, by "Matching the Relationships and Interests with both our Key Partners" :
A reply which obviously concerns, mutatis-mutandis, also several other European Countries, such as Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaitzan, etc, at the eve of an impotant EU Summit at Vilnius scheduled to take Decisions on EU's Eastern Partnership in November.
- "We would Refuse to Built a New Relationship with any Partner, that would be aimed against any other Partner", President Sargsyan warned. - "Armenia has a Close Allied Relationship with the EU", and "we aspire to have the Closest and the Widest posssible Relationshio with Russia". "We have not built a New Relatonship at the Expense of the Relationship with our strategic Ally", he stressed from the outset, as a matter of Princple.
- In particular, "Armenia aims to Continue its comprehensive and mutally Beneficial Partnership with the EU" : "The EU is one of Armenia's most Important Partners : Wide scale of Reforms in relation to Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, make up the Core of our Relationship. The Eastern Partnership instrument, created under the EU and in Coperation with the CoE, is an important initiative. It covers a variety of activities, "That Policy will Continue", he ensured.
- Because "we are not prepared to view that matter in the dimension" of a kind of ..."Civilizational Choice" of the Countries participating in the EU's Eastern Partnership", as "there has Recently been much Talk of", he warned. In fact, "We have Always stated that", and it's "from the outset of (EU's) Easter, Partnership Initiative (2009), and even Before, we have stated, and will Continue" to state that, President Sargsyan clarified.
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- Replying to a Question by Swedish MEP Marietta Pourbaix-Lundin, who claimed that Armenia's decision would have been "a last minute Change", obtained after "a lot of Pressure", "not only on Armenia, but also on Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and Azerbaidjan", he not only firmly Denied, but also presented an absolutely Differend View of the overall situation:
- On the so-called "Pressure, it would be redundant to speak of any. ...Frankly ... no official from the Russian Federation or the (EurAsian) customs union has uttered even half a word about the need for Armenia’s accession" to that. In fact, "We (Armena) were the ones expressing that Desire, because we face a simple Reality: GFor more than 20 Years, (i.e. almost all the time that ARmenia was Independent), we have been in a Military-Security system of Countries that now form a(n EurAsian) Customs union. We canNot Isolate ourselves from the geo-Economic area in which we have operated for more than 2 Decades", Sargsyan explained.
- Most important : - "our policy is one of Matching interests, Not Conflicting interests", the Armenian President stressed, right at the Heart of the matter. Thus, "the (EU's) Eastern Partnership can always Supplement activities of Other organisations, meaning that our interests could be Complementary in this area" : "We Always told (that to) our European colleagues in the European Commission", ""From the very Beginning of the negotiations" with the EU, he reminded. And initially, "our colleagues have Agreed with us, and said that the -(EU's) Eastern Partnership is not aimed against any third party, State or organisation".
- But, curiously, it's "Unfortunately", only "After stating our intention to join the ("EurAsian") Customs union, (that) "our EU Commission colleagues said that there would be a direct Conflict, between the (EurAsian) customs union, and the (EU's) free trade agreement, as well as different Rules" (of WTO ?) , President Sargsyan denounced.
=> Therefore, "we suggested that we should therefore sign the (EU's) Association agreement, which mainly relates to Political Reforms. We have said that we are Ready and Committed to carrying out those Reforms, and we are Continuing that process", he revealed. In consequence, in this sense, "We Still stand Ready to sign an Association agreement with the EU" : "Armenia remains on Track", he confirmed.
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+ Questioned, however, anew by Moldovan Liberal MEP Ana Gutu about "Armenia’s expectations for the (EU) Eastern Partnership Summit that will take place in Vilnius at the end of November", and, whether "Armenia will wish to Sign an Association agreement with the EU ?", the Armenian President made a crystal-clear Distinction :
- "We will take part in the (EU) Vilnius Summit", and "We stand fully Ready to sign the Association agreement", Sargsyan confirmed at first.
+ "But there are 2 Facets : The (EU) Association agreement, and the (EU) Deep and comprehensive Free Trade area (DCFTA)". And, "since our EU colleagues have told us that the DCFTA contradicts (Com. Supra + Infra) the (EurAsian) Customs union treaties, we anticipate that we will sign Only the (-EU) Association agreement", he supposed.
- Indeed, " The Association agreement, and reforms to be taken under it, are the Nexus of our relationship with the EU. The main document is the Association agreement", (closer to CoE's own mission to boost Legal Reforms for the protection of Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law).
=> In consequence, "in the run-up to it (EU's Vilnius Summit) , our expectation is that Changes will be made to the Negotiating Document" accordingly. In this sense, "We would like to be in Vilnius, and would like to sign the association agreement", (i.e. by taking into account the above-mentioned Distinction : See Supra).
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+ A last Question by French "Socialist" MEP ... Fournier, incited the Armenian President to Sum up :
- "This situation seems to be jeopardising the European (EU) Free Trade Agreement that your country had been planning to sign at the (EU) Eastern Partnership Summit at the end of November. What Plans do you have for Relations between your country and the EU ?", Fournier asked.
+ Let me reiterate : the Policy is one of Complementarity (f.ex. between EU's Eastern Partnership, and EurAsian Union, etc). From the very beginning of the EU's Eastern Partnership talks, we agreed with our EU colleagues that our relationship with the European Union would not be promoted at the expense of any existing relationship with our Allies (Russia, etc) – On the contrary, "our relationship with the EU would Complement our relationship with Other organisations", (as, f.ex. the EurAsian union, etc).
- For more than 3 years, that was the mutual Understanding". But, "I Regret that, (recently) our colleagues in the EU deemed a(n EU) Free Trade agreement Incompatible with our accession to the (EurAsian) customs union", he critcized anew.
=> Therefore, now, "We are Talking to our colleagues in the EU, about what kind of Document we may be able to Sign", since "we will continue to develop our relationship with the European Union", and "we will go to Vilnius"' EU Summit. In particular, "the (EU) Association agreement is about not only a free Trade area, but, primarily and fundamentally, Political Reform. ... We (Armenia) will Continue such Reforms, and that we stand Ready to Sign that Part of the (EU) Association agreement in Vilnius" Summit, Sangsyan explained anew.
Something which, obviously, unveils an Original Situation : Contrary to what Other Neighbouring Countries use to do : I.e. Accept to make Democratic and other Reforms in order to become able to benefit from a lucrative Economic Deal with the EU, on the Contrary, here, an Eastern Neighbouring Country like Armenia feels obliged to suggest to accept Reforms even withou getting, in exchange, any Economoic (Trade) Deal with the EU, (since it would be obliged, according to some hasty interpretations reportedly made by EU Commission in Brussels), to drop the EU's "Free Trade" component, because it would be "incompatible" with Russia's EurAsian Customs Union, (reportedly, according to EU Commission's sources).
-------------------------------------------
EU Commissioner for Enlargment and Neighborhood policy, Stefan Füle, had apparently accepted at least the Principle of that :
- "We (EU) stand ready to do all we can ...to work with our Neighbours to Find Ways of maximising the Compatibility between the EU and Eurasian structures", and, particularly, "in a way that facilitates Trade and economic Integration to the benefit of our neighbours, and also to the benefit of our neighbours’ neighbour", as he had declared, recently at EU Parliament's last Plenary, September 2013 in Strasbourg. Because, "I am a great believer in the Win-Win approach, particularly when dealing with such an important, privileged and strategic partner as Russia. I am definitely Not in the business of creating New Wars", Fule denounced.
"On the contrary, Transformation is the rule of the game. The Association Agreement, including this Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), is a most powerful instrument of that transformation. That is why the Vilnius (EU) Summit, and the preparations for the eventual signing and initialling of this agreement are so important. The rule of the game is not to lower the bars or to forget about conditionality, but to offer a more Strategic engagement with our partners.
- Fule reminded that 2004 led to the development of so-called ‘deep and comprehensive Free trade areas’ (DCFTAs) as an integral part of the new enhanced agreements subsequently known as Association agreements proposed in 2006. at the Prague Summit establishing the Eastern Partnership in 2009 and confirming our joint objective of Political Association and Economic Integration underpinned by those Association agreements(A) /deep and comprehensive Free Trade areas (B)".The Prague Summit established the Eastern Partnership in 2009 and confirmed our joint objective of Political association and Economic integration underpinned by those association agreements/deep and comprehensive free trade areas.
- But, "EU Standards and norms ... are currently Not always Identical with ...those of the (EurAsian) Customs Union", particularly concerning "External Trade policy", Füle pointed out; without explaining clearly from which point of view. Earlier, he had obserbed, in this regard, that :
>>> - "It is true that (EurAsian) Customs Union membership is Not Compatible with the DCFTA which we have negotiated with Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, George and Armenia. This is not because of some ideological differences. ...This is due to Legal impossibilities. F.ex. ou cannot at the same time Lower your Customs Triffs as per the (EU's) DCFTA, and Increase them as a result of (EurAsian) Customs Union membership", Fule warned.
+ Howewer, he also stressed, that "It May certainly be Possible for members of the (EU) Eastern Partnership to increase their cooperation with the (EurAsian) Customs Union, perhaps as observers"...participation in a DCFTA is of course fully Compatible ......with our partners’ existing (?) free trade agreements with other Commonwealth of Independent States’ organisations.
- That's why, "we are already actively Cooperating with Russia on the Alignment of many Norms and Standards", as ....a key element of the EU-Russia Partnership for Modernisation", so that "these standards are also increasingly being Adopted by the (EurAsian) Customs Union": Meanwhile, . EU "Norms are ..., of course, fully compatible with WTO rules. So the EU is actually helping all its partners, including Russia, to ...Open up to Globalisation", as he said, (probably hinting at Lower Taxes at the Borders, easing Foreign Trade)...
=> Therefore, "We have always added that we stand ready to help our Partners, and if necessary Moscow as well, to FIT "the policies of the Customs Union and the Eurasian Union", he promissed.
=> "Our Vision is that these agreements should contribute in the long-term to the eventual creation of a Common Economic Space from Lisbon to Vladivostok, based on WTO rules", highighted Fühle. "THE issue is ameliorate and develop EU- Russia Deal in a commonly agreed Greater Europe, facing a growing Global Competition"
"So we encourage our partners to Deepen their Ties with Russia, as we do ourselves, but in a way which is Compatible with the (EU) Association agreement, and ....Free Rrade areas’ obligations. The EU is ready to work with its neighbours to Find ways to promote greater regulatory Convergence between EU Member States and the (EurAsian) Customs Union", Fule proposed, but without making it clear whether he meant to Lower Customs' tariffs, or not)...
"...... The Last thing we want to see is a Protectionist Wall cutting our continent in two. In today’s ever more competitive global economy we cannot afford to vwaste our efforts on a regional geopolitical Rivalry", he concluded.
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+ The issue inevitably raised also Questions about some, old or new, EU Commission's controversial moves, if not guided by a conscious Strategy, at least, apparently provoking a series of Negative results against European Integration, perhaps as a quasi-automatic consequence of a too rigid stance mainly on Common Market related points :
All sincere and conscious European Citizens certainly don't like the fact that unequestionably European Countries, (from the point of view of their Culture, History, Geography, development, ties, shared Values, etc), such as Schwitzerland, Norway, etc. and recently even Iceland, (not to mention the way to treat Ukraine, or even the particular case of great Russia itself, etc), have droped, at least for the time being, any project to join the EU in the foreseable Future, (even if they want to have very Close Links with the EU, often in Economy, Science, etc., and sometimes even on Schengen's free movement and security rules, etc), often after Referenda and/or Elections where Voters were apparently dissuaded too often by comparatively "secondary" maters, such as, f.ex. the fear that noisy and poluting Lorries and Trucks might cross the splendid Swiss Natural Landscapes, or that Fishing Quota disputes would deprive Iceland from one of its most important, traditional resources of real economy, etc.. So that finally, (with the only exception, perhaps, of Serbia and other Western Balkan Countries), it's .. only Turkey (sic !) which apparently still persists in its controversial and unpopular EU bid.... Not something that would provoke enthousiasm to the European People, isn't it ? What went wrong, and who was really responsible for siuch facts, (which must obviously be changed the soonest) ?
"EuroFora" never was really fan of Romanian ex-"Socialist" (currenytly Independent) politician Mr. Severin in the Past, but, simply by reading now what he recently denounced in Strasbourg, precisely during the latest EU Parliament's debate on the topical issue of Countries like Armenia, Ukraine, Belarus, Azerbaidjan, Moldova, etc., pushed and pulled between EU's Eastern Partnership and Russia's EurAsian plans, are not without interest :
- "Adrian Severin (NI). - ...the fact that Russia wants to attract its neighbours to come under its leadership in the Eurasian Union is understandable. The EU also likes to have its neighbours together with it. The real question is why, after experiencing the European Union Eastern Partnership, countries like Armenia opt for the Eurasian Union. It is not only to do with pressure from the others. It is to do with our own (EU's) weaknesses". F.ex., "the Georgian Prime Minister apparently considered the same option. Belarus was lost because of the dogmatic shortcomings of some of our policies. Azerbaijan will be lost because the EU is not able to see the strategic importance of that country, which is not looking for money but for a serious political partnership and its territorial integrity. When Russia puts pressure on Ukraine for not signing the Association Agreement with us, it knows something that we apparently do not know, namely that Ukraine is strategically crucial ...... How long do we think that rejecting and harassing the Ukraine, Ukraine could remain neutral? ....It is useless to blame Russia. Instead we must be more robust and pragmatic in our policy. .....If we are always raising all kinds of Conditionalities, instead of trying to bring these countries together in our camp, certainly the other pressures will be fruitful. This is our fault and we have to avoid it in the future. We certainly could criticise Russia, but I believe we should als look in our own yard to see our own mistakes". [NDLR : "€uroFora" ommits here any references to EU "Values", and a relevant Debate between Severin and German ChristianDemocrat MEP Elmar Brok on Democracy, Human Rights and Rule of Law, since this is obviously not the main point with Armenia, but rather Trade and Global GeoPolitical issues].
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Symbolically, the beautiful Stained Glass Windows donated to the CoE by the Armenian 2013 Chairmanship, and set up this week at the Highest level of CoE' Assembly's Historic main Room, as its President, Jean-Claude Mignon observed himself, during a ceremony togethere wth Armenian President Sargsyan, seem to evoke what is essential here :
- While distinguishing between various Differend Parts, nevertheless, these superb and huge, Modern Stain-Glass Windows, keep a real Unity between them, shaping a Coherent overall Design, clearly visible at the Highest point of CoE Assembly's main room, and bringing Natural DayLight inside, as a Diplomatic Source close to President Sangsyan incited "EuroFora" to observe, by a coincidence, shortly after discussing, precisely, about the EU - Russia areas' "Complementarity" question (Comp. Supra), and the apparent Need to "shed some Light" on what it's really at stake, well beyond some false appearances, as we had suggested earlier. For both, you obviously need to look High enough, and get the entire, Big Picture of all the PanEuropean Architectures....
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(NDLR : "DraftNews", as already sent, earlier, to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate, full Final Version, might be published asap).
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People in Europe and the World expect from CoE to make a succes of its "Monitoring" for Human Rights and Democracy, despite difficulties, said Finland's President Tarja Halonen to "EuroFora" at a crucial moment for the mecanism built 15 years ago by the paneuropean organization which celebrates its 60th Anniversary in 2009.
Halonen, known as "Mother" of CoE's "Monitoring" mecanism, a long-time MEP and former Foreign Minister before becoming Finland's President, holds a long experience in the mattter, after also serving twice as CoE and EU Chairwoman in the past. That's why she is well placed to judge how CoE's "monitoring" should deal today with some crucial issues of importance both to CoE and to the EU.
The move came just a Month before a crucial, last visit to Turkey, scheduled for June, by the President of CoE''s "Monitoring" Committee, Ukranian MEP Serge Holovaty, to finalize his Report on Ankara, the CoE Member State with the longest Monitoring procedure. From its results depends its overall credibility.
This is a Test-case, because, in fact, it's in order to avoid Sanctions threatened against Turkey by a CoE's Assembly's April 1995 Resolution for grave Human Rights violations, Democracy gaps, the continuing Military Occupation in Cyprus, the unresolved Kurdish problem, Aegean differend with Greece, etc., that MEPs decided to create, for the 1st time on April 1996, a "Monitoring" proces, allegedly destinated to check, without excluding Countries who did not fulfill all CoE's standards.
In the Past, the obliged withdrawal of Greece's Military regime and of its "Civil" cover-up out of the CoE had helped bring back Democracy in 1974. But, on the contrary, since April 1996, the idea was to "monitor" Human Rights' respect while keeping most concerned Countries inside the CoE. After Turkey's oldest example, this was extended also to several former "Eastern" European Countries, even if CoE's Assembly has imposed to some of them (fex. Ukraine, Russia, etc., after Belarus, Serbia, etc) various "Sanctions", that Ankara always avoided. Curiously more succesful even than .. USA itself, (a CoE "Observer" since 1995), which has been at least threatened with sanctions some years ago..
EU-effects of CoE's Monitoring process became obvious between 2001-2008, since the "closure" of this procedure, when CoE felt that a Country had met most of its Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law obligations, (i.e. the "Copenhagen Criteria" for the EU), helped trigger Negotiations with the EU for "Accession" or other closer relations : This occured already before the 2004 and 2007 EU Enlargements to former "Eastern" European Countries, as well as for the commencement of "accession" negotiations with Croatia, and of "open-ended" negotiations with Turkey in 2005.
But a stricking new development are Holovaty's recent findings that on core Human Rights issues as Torture and Freedom of Expression, Turkey, even "5 Years after" CoE closed its "Monitoring", back in 2004, inciting EU to start accession Negotiations in 2005, still presents grave problems.
His findings are of crucial importance after a 2008 CoE Resolution called, "if need be", to "seriously consider the possibility of Re-Opening the Monitoring procedure for Turkey" : A move which might affect Ankara's controversial EU bid, since EU Accession Negotiations are based on the Hypothesis that the Candidate fullfils the "Copenhagen Criteria" (See above)..
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Holovaty expressed his will to check "Matters still Outstanding" and those that he "didn't have an opportunity to discuss" at an earlier visit this year, "in order to discuss the more complex issues in greater depth", at his forthcoming New Visit to Ankara, before the December 2009 EU Summit. This is all based on the 2004 CoE Resolution which stresses that, CoE "will continue.. post-monitoring Dialogue with the Turkish authorities,...in addition to a 12-points list,..and on any Other Matter that might arise in connection with Turkey’s Obligations as a CoE member state".
CoE's Resolution also asks from Turkey "to secure the proper Implementation of Judgements, particularly in the Cyprus v. Turkey InterState case", of 2001, which concerns also the plight of many Hundreds of MISSING People. It adds Turkey's obligations to "execute" ECHR's Judgements in the Loizidou case,..and in particular adopt General Measures to avoid repetition or continuation of Violations found by the Court" to the detriment of Refugees.
Nevertheless, Holovaty said to "EuroFora" that "MISSING" persons,"might be included" and cannot be excluded, but he has yet to examine the situation "to find out which issues will be raised" to the Turkish Government.
Therefore, "EuroFora" asked Halonen, as the Historic "Mother" of CoE's Monitoring mecanism, if she thought that, "whenever there are grave Human Rights Violations, as fex. "MISSING" persons, attested even by ECHR's judgements, they should be always checked by a Monitoring process. Or could they be forgotten ?"
- "We (CoE) must be, at the same time, Fair, Realistic, but not in the mind that "now we have Forgotten", etc., replied to "EuroFora"'s question Halonen, speaking as a matter of general principle.
- "When we think of those People that are suffering from the lack of Democracy, of Human Rights, and of the Rule of Law", "we should find a base on how to deal with the (Monitoring) system more rapidly"', she stressed.
- "Sometimes it's very difficult to combine Transparency and Effectivenes together, particularly in this specific case", she went on to say. But, "I have not found a (CoE Member) Country who could be insensitive in this sens", Halonen answered concerning grave Human Rights violations attested by the ECHR.
- "I have no ready-made answer. I have the expectations that you, in the CoE, will, step by step, find the different types of the monitoring systems."
Also "because this is a part of the UN's Post-Conflict system, (fex. when it comes to Cyprus' MISSING persons), and it's a more Global system". So that, "If we make a succes in Europe, the others will follow", throughout the World. "But they expect that we (Europe) are this opportunity, this Opportunity to make a Succes", Halonen concluded.
In addition, she advised to extend CoE's Monitoring to all its 47 Member States, "because, as long as we hear that, all these monitoring systems are "OK for the neighbor, but not for me", "it's very difficult" to understand. Something which could make easier to Compare...
Finnish MEP Jaako Laakso, former CoE Rapporteur on the Occupied Territories of Cyprus and one of the 5 Signatories of the Historic CoE's call to create the "MONITORING" mecanism since 1996, was more specific : - "We (CoE Assembly) have to find a way for the issue of Cyprus' MISSING People to be better followed", he stressed, anouncing his intention to "speak to Mr. Holovaty" about that. "There might be also other ways", added Laakso.
- The 2008 "Year had been a very Bad one for Turkey with regard to Human Rights in general, and Freedom of Expression in particular", denounced, meanwhile, Holovaty's preliminary Post-Monitoringh Draft Report by Holovaty, published by the CoE on April 2009.
"Amnesty International believes that freedom of expression is not guaranteed given the various articles of the Criminal Code that restrict it. .. "For example, 1,300 Websites are said to have been closed down by the (Turkish) authorities in 2008" ! While "the new Turkish Criminal Code was used to bring a total of 1,072 proceedings between June 2005 and April 2008, and led to the conviction of 192 people", for expressing views. "Representatives of the Özgür Gündem newspaper, which specialises in Kurdish affairs, ..complained about Numerous Attacks on their Freedom of Expression ...as was everyone who advocated a settlement to the question by means other than the intervention of the army" "According to their figures, 19 Newspapers had been suspended 43 times between 4 August 2006 and 4 November 2008" !...
Moreover, on 2008, CoE's "Ministers adopted its 4rth Resolution on the execution of the judgments of the ECHR, ...and outstanding issues regarding 175 Judgements and decisions relating to Turkey delivered between 1996 and 2008... concerning Deaths resulting from the excessive use of force by members of the Security forces, the failure to protect the right to life, the DIisappearance and/or death of individuals, Ill-Treatment and the Destruction of property". CoE's " Ministers urged the Turkish authorities ...to ensure that members of Security forces of all ranks can be prosecuted without administrative
authorisation" for "serious crimes". Holovaty reminded.
"Nonetheless", Holovaty heard anew of "Several cases of Violence committed last year (2008) by the (Turkish) security forces". Amnesty International speaks of Many Cases of ill-treatment and Torture in the prisons and by the police". "Including, fex."'the death of Engin Ceber, a young man of 29 who died on October 2008 as a result of the TORTURE allegedly inflicted on him by police officers, prison staff and members of the gendarmerie. He was part of a group of people arrested on September 2008 during a demonstration and Press Conference in Istanbul'. Proceedings against suspects are "on-going" in this case.
- " I therefore noted an Obvious Contradiction between the Government’s stated “zero tolerance” policy.... of Torture and other forms of ill-treatment, and the different testimonies given", denounced CoE's Rapporteur. Turkish "authorities must make considerable efforts to guarantee that proper investigations are carried out into allegations of abuses by members of the security forces and that perpetrators are effectively punished" "In this respect, I have requested detailed Statistics on the number of Investigations, acquittals and convictions in cases involving allegations of abuse in order to show the positive impact of the measures taken to date", Holovaty said, repeating a permanently unsatisfied CoE's demand to Turkey since a Decade...
- "The Political Crisis that shook the country in the spring of 2008 highlighted the Weaknesses of the (Turkish) Constitution", which comes from the Military regime of 1982, "and the Urgent Need of Reforms", stressed from the outset CoE's Rapporteur in 2009. In particular, "the ...Democratic functioning of state institutions, including the independence of the judicial system, are crucial", he observes.
But, "the Electoral system and the ways in which it is circumvented do not appear to give those elected complete Legitimacy, and tend to pervert the course of direct universal suffrage", denounces Holovaty, observing that, even 5 Years later, Turkey did not yet change the 10% nationwide Threshold for a party to take any seat, which is "far higher" than the "3%" maximum in Europe and already condemned as contrary to European Standards by the CoE.
+ Moreover, EU Parliament's 2009 Report on Turkey, drafted by Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten and adopted in Strasbourg on March, expresses "Concern over the Failure of the (Turkish) Judiciary to prosecute cases of Torture and Ill-treatment, the Number of which is Growing". EU also "is concerned about continuing Hostility and Violence against Minorities" in Turkey. It also "calls on the Turkish Government to launch, as a matter of Priority, a Political Initiatve favouring a lasting Settlement of the Kurdish issue, (while "condemning violence.. and terrorist groups"). EU "regrets that No progress has been made on establishing full, systematic Civilian suprevisory functions over the (Turkish) Military".
The final results of Holovaty's 2nd and last visit to Turkley will be known later this year, and, at any case, before EU's December 2009 Summit.