CoE Secretary General Jagland to EuroFora on 9 May 70th Anniversary: Save pan-European Unity+Values

*CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/(Partly Updated)/- Experienced, twice-ReElected CoE Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland from Norway (2009-2019), speaking to "EuroFora" during an exceptional Ceremony at the PanEuropean Organisation's Headquarters in Strasbourg to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Victory over NAZIsm and Fascism at the End of World War II, at the same time that Russian President Vladimir Putin was chairing an International gathering in Moscow for that purpose, together with Chinese President Xi Jiping, UNO's SG Ban Ki Moon, and other Leaders from all over the World, as well as a lot of Veterans and Families of the 2WW Victims, etc., stressed that CoE can play an important role, in Helping to Safeguard the PanEuropean space's Unity and Peace, on the basis of Values for which Millions of Victims sacrificed their Lives, while, the emergence of Crucial Issues Today, has opened a Quest for adequate International Mechanisms to resolve Conflicts, as that of Ukraine, (See Infra)

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    - Questioned by "EuroFora", the PanEuropean Organisation's Head replied that the Substance of his Message, Today, was that "we (CoE) Think at All those who Paid with their Lives (during the 2WW) for our Freedom, and those who stand up for Freedom and Human Rights (also Today), in the Continuation of all this".

    + In this regard, indeed, Today,"we (CoE) offer (an opportunity), until it commences, to make it Possible to be Many More to Join Efforts" in this direction, Jagland added in Reply to another "EuroFora"s Question, about whether he Hoped that Today's Official Ceremony in Strasbourg's CoE's Headquarters, might at least Symbolically Associate all the People who, for various reasons,  hadn't an opportunity to go to Moscow, with the 70th Anniversary of 9 May Victory Day v. NAZIsm in Europe.

    ++ The experienced CoE's Secretary General, (who has just been re-Elected, on 2014, to a Second Term in office, also for the forthcoming Period up to 2019, while still Keeping also his position as a Key Member of the Oslo Committee for the Nobel Peace Prize, that he has already Chaired for many years), appeared even quite Optimist, in Reply to "EuroFora"s last Question on Whether he Hoped, and had the Ambition to Help ReUnite the PanEuropean Space, despite its current Hardships, due mainly to the Ukraine issue, etc. : - "Yes, of course !" In fact, CoE is "Not the Only one" to act for that purpose Today, (given, f.ex. also OSCE's and particularly "Normandy 4" Summits' work for Peace in Ukraine, etc). - "But we (CoE) are Important" in this matter, Jagland told us in Conclusion, smiling..
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- "Standing here Together, on May 9thn, we (PanEuropean CoE's 47 Member States) All Recognize that our Continent could not have been released from the Grip of Fascism, without the profound Sacrifices of the Soviet People", CoE's Secretary General stressed earlier, from the outset of his Official Speech to Strasbourg's Ceremony :

 - Indeed, "More Lives were Lost in the Siege of Leningrad (current Saint Petersburg), than by the Britsih and American Forces during the entire War", Jagland pointed out, in an eloquent comparison. I.e. "27 Millions People from the Soviet Union lost their Lives in the War. These Facts must be Remembered". Because, "we would not be here, as Free and Equal Citizens, if it wasn't for them". "And .. this was a Liberation of the German People too", he recalled.

+ "We also recall the Contribution of Belarus, which is not yet a CoE Member, .. but which also Sacrificed Heavily, probably More than anyone else". In fact, "we (CoE) must pay Tribute to Every Life given for our Freedom Every Innocent Civilian. Every Soldier who marched into the Sound of Gunfire. Every Nation which has borne the Scars of this Conflict". Therefore, "Today, we lay Flowers at the foot of Each Flag of our (47) Member States", Jagland anounced.

Nevertheless, "out of the rubble of War, Europe's Leaders managed to lay New Foundations for our Societies : Democracy, Human Rights and the Rule of Law", since, "this Conflict (2ndWW) - and the one which preceded it (1stWW)- gave rise to our (CoE's) Organisatiion, and to the European Convention on Human Rights. Against all the odds, .. Mistrust gave way to Reconciliation. The Worst Exces of Nationalism, ... Were replaced by the Greatest Example of Internationalism. From Unprecedented Violence, ... flowed Decades of Stability and Peace. So, Today, (9 May 2015), we also lay Flowers at the foot of our European Flag", he added, on the occasion of its 6Oth Anniversary.

- "These Days, we face many Challenges", "when you hear People describe Europe as a continent in Crisis-as they often do" : - "Profound Hardship and Unemployment, in many of our Economies. Growing Populism and Xenophobia in many of our Societies. The Military Conflict in the East of Ukraine. The fact that we are an Old Continent, still Finding its place in a Fast-Changing World", etc., the Head of CoE's PanEuropean Organisation acknowledged.

- "But", we should "always Remember what Europe is Capable of, ..with enough Leadership and Vision, and when we Unite between the Values of Freedom and Hope": "Today, we should recommit to those Values. We should Promise to be Working, with one and other, in order to Overcome our Problems". "A Fitting Tribute - and the Best that we can pay", to "what happened 70 Years ago", "will be" "IF, on this Anniversary, we can say that our Nations will Continue to work to overcome our Differences., striving for a Europe that is Stronger, more United, more Prosperous and Safe, where we uphold the (Human) Rights of all People", Jagland concluded, with an obviously Crucial Question...

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    In this regard, Questioned by "EuroFora" on the forthcoming Foreign Ministerial CoE Summit, later this Month, exceptionaly in Brussels, the current Chairman-in-office of the PanEuropean Organisation's Highest Political body, that of its Committee of Ministers, Permanent Representative of Belgium to the CoE, Ambassador Dirk Van Eeckhout, (exceptionaly dressed Today in an ostensibly ... British style, at the aftermath of the latest UK General Elections, won by Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron), didn't deny at all that that Brussels' CoE Summit might usefuly contribute, in one way or another, in an Advance towards a Peaceful Resolution of the crucial Ukranian conflict :

    - "For this, we must, first, get Back to Basics : Which are CoE's Competences ?", Ambassador Van Eeckhout started to reply to "EuroFora"s Question, with an enigmatic but Friendly smile, pointing, f.ex., inter alia, not only to CoE Statute's well known Mandate to work for a Closer Cooperation and Unity among its Member States, but also to the famous "Venice Commission", i.e. the PanEuropean Organisation's Top Legal Experts' watchdog on Constitutional Law, expected to check also the notoriously Crucial for a Political Solution to the Ukranian conflict, Territorial DeCentralisation of Power, expected to be discussed and agreed between Kiev and Donetsk/Luhansk Autonomist Regions, according to the "Minsk" Agreement of February 2015, (etc). For the Rest, summoned to be  discreet on this "Hot" issue of the forthcoming Summit, by a member of CoE's Secretariat, he abstained from adding anything more, (but neither retreated back from), what Belgium's vice-Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, had already stated, earlier in Strasbourg, (Comp. also Reynders' relevant Replies to other "EuroFora"s Questions when he officially took over his new functions as Chairman of CoE's Committee of Ministers : .....), about his Ambition to, indeed, try to Help make Progress towards a Peacefyul Resolution of the Ukranian Conflict, together and in cooperation with both the OSCE and the EU, up to  the forthcoming CoE's Summit in Brussels, to which is expected to participate also Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, as well as meet there with EU's High Representative Federica Mogherini on EU - Russia issues :  Including, particularly, on the important matter of still on-going Talks on how to accomodate the EU - Ukraine Asssociation Agreement with the EurAsian Trade Area, opening a window of opportunity also for the Ambitious project of a Future EU - EurAsian Common Trade Area. While CoE Ministerial Summit's Agenda is due to include Top Political Debates and/or Decisions related to "Democratic Security in Europe", (the most probable Item No 1 for an eventual Exceptional CoE Heads of State/Government's Summit in the foreseable Future, as Reynders has already told "EuroFora" ; Comp. Supra), but also "CoE's role in Response to the current Crises and Conflicts in Europe", as well as, specificaly, "CoE's contribution to Democratic Security in Ukraine", (etc).

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=> In fact, CoE is one of the few, currently existing Multilateral Organisations where almost all Stakeholders for a Peaceful and prosper European continent are gathered Together, as also in the OSCE, (which has recently developed a crucial role on the Ukraine and other Topical issues : Comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the latest, December 2014, OSCE Annual Summit, at Basel : f.ex. ....), and UNO's potential activities at the PanEuropean/International area. Meanwhile, urgent practical needs developed the so-called "Normandy Format" on Ukraine since July 2014, formed by German Chancelor Merkel, French and Russian Presidents Hollande and Putin together with Ukrnania's Poroshenko, (which was later Combined mainly with OSCE specific Tools, such as "Minsk Contact Groups", etc. on Ukraine, since a Quadrilateral Summit on February 2015, as well as with CoE's tools, (such as "Venice Commission" for Constitutional a.o. Reforms, CLRAE for DeCentralisation, the "High Level Group" to check Investigations on serious Violations of Human Rights, etc). Such moves are a recent development of the Trilateral, France-Germant-Russia Summits, inaugurated, for teh 1st time in Strasbourg, during CoE's 2nd PanEuropean SUmmit, by former Presidents Chirac, Kohl and Yeltsin, of the Franco-German couple and Russia, as early as since 1997 already.

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    Meanwhile, during Today's exceptional CoE's Ceremony in Strasbourg for the 70th Anniversary since the Victory over NAZIsm and Fascism (1945 - 2015), Russia's Permanent Representative, Ambassador  Alexander Alekseev, who saluted "EuroFora",

was the first among many Membes of the PanEuropean Organisation's Highest Political body, that of its Committee of Ministers, who Personaly laid Flowers to the Memory of the 2nd World War's Victims, (f.ex., Permanent Representatives from Russia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine, Montenegro, Armenia, Azerbaijan , Georgia, etc. : Comp. relevant original Photo), in addition to White Flowers already laid by a Team of CoE's European Youth sector, on behalf of each one among All CoE's 47 Member States, without any exception.

    >>> In a Timely Symbolic move, soon afterwards, 3 White Doves (mark of Peace) were released by CoE Assembly's President, Anne Brasseur, (Liberal from Luxembourg), the Chairman-in-office of COE's Committee of Ministers, Belgian Ambassador Van Eeckhout, and COE's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland, himself : After 1 Dove spectacularly launched itself Ahead of the 2 others, taking a Lead, surprisingly, both 3 were, later-on, United all Together, further Up in the Sky, (See relevant original "EuroFora"s Photos)....

    To this, was added also a lay of Flowers by a Delegation of Veterans and/or Victims' Families and Friends, led by Russian Consul General in Strasbourg, Alexandre Bourdin, to the Monument erected at the COE for the Liberation of NAZI Concentration Death Camps, followed by similar ceremonies to the French Military Cemeteru at Hagenau, as well as at Neuhof, where many Russian People killed during the 2WW are burried, as he said to "EuroFora".

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+ Last, but not least, the European Flag was hoisted, later Today, on the Huge Strasbourg Cathedral's Tower,     at a special ceremony, in the presence of COE's SG Jagland, on the occasion of both the 60th Anniversary since the "12 Stars" Flag's inception, the same day of the 70th Anniversary of the Victory against NAZIsm/Fascism at the 2WW (9th of May 2015) :

A naturally Important Symbol for the European Continent's Unity, both because of PanEuropean COE's Headquarters in Strasbourg, and because of the unique particular characteristic of Strasbourg's Cathedral to focus, on its Holiest area, at several series of Icons, in a way bringing together Western (Catholic and Protestant) as well as Eastern Europe's Christian People (such as Orthodox, etc), around a Central Stained Glass Window which pictures Holy Mary with a Blue Circle of 12 Golden Stars, i.e. exactly as the European Flag !

- A Gift by the CoE, for the ReUnification of all Europe, as reminded earlier to "EuroFora", the experienced Strasbourg Archibichopric's Canon Bernard Xibaut, President of Alsace Region's Christian Historic Culture Association.

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    + Meanwhile, almost at the same time, in the main International Gathering at Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin, (who paraded Together with Thousands of 2nd World War Victims' Families, holding Photographs of their beloved ones, and whose Father, after serving at Sevastopol, was reportedly Wounded seriously at his leg, where Metal Fragments remained all his Life, after receiving a Strike when he Voluteered for the Front, before returning to Leningrad, where his Wife had to be urgently Saved from Risks of Death, after his Elder Son - Putin's Brother - Died during the Blockade of the City by  NAZI's Military Attacks), started his official Speech by "paying Tribute to our Allies in the Anti-Hitler Coalition", Thanking, first of all, "the Peoples of Great Britain, France and the United States of America, for their contribution to the Victory", as well as "We are thankful to the Anti-Fascists of various Countries who selflessly Fought the Enemy as Guerrillas and members of the underground Resistance, including in Germany itself", as he reminded, at the eve of his scheduled meeting at the Kremlin with German Chancelor Angie Merkel, later-on, (See Infra).

    Speaking while various Heads of State/Government and/or other Officials from many Countries accross the World were present in Moscow, (f.ex. from China's President Xi Jiping, to EU-Members Czech Republic and  Cyprus' Presidents Milos Zeman and  Nicos Anastassiades, Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, as well as the Leaders of India, Egypt, Kazakstan, Armenia, Azerbaidjan, etc., up to African and Latino-American Countries as Cuba, Venezuela, etc, added to UNO's Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, and UNESCO's General Director Irina Bokova, etc., shortly before welcoming even German Chancelor Angie Merkel in Moscow, later-on : See Infra),

but also in the middle of many Army and Civilian Veterans from many Areas of the World, where various relevant Commemorations and Festivities were taking place this Same Day by many People, (f.ex. USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Belgium, Greece, Cuba, Italy, Estonia, Latvia, Norway, etc), the Russian President, reportedly Focused, from the outset, to 2WW "Veterans", calling them "the main Heroes of the Great Victory Day", whose "feat predestined Peace and Decent Life for many Generations".

 - "We Bow in loving Memory of Sons, Daughters, Fathers, Mothers, Grandfathers, Husbands, Wives, Brothers, Sisters, Comrades-in-arms, relatives and Friends – all those who Never came Back from War, all those who are No longer with us", Vladimir Putin said in an emotional Mega-ceremony for the Victims of 2nd World War at Moscow's Red Square.

-"We Bow to those who Died from Famine and Cold in the unconquered Leningrad, to those who were Tortured to death in Concentration Camps, in captivity and under Occupation". "We pay Tribute to all those who Fought to the bitter for every Street, every House and every Frontier of our Motherland. We bow to those who Perished in severe Battles near Moscow and Stalingrad, at the Kursk Bulge and on the Dnieper". - "Our Fathers and Grandfathers lived through unbearable Sufferings, hardships and losses. They Worked till Exhaustion, at the Limit of Human Capacity. They Fought even into Death. They proved the example of Honour and true Patriotism", he concluded on this key point.

    + At the same time, the Russian President "Welcomed" " all our Foreign Guests, while expressing a particular Gratitude to the representatives of the Countries that Fought against Nazism and Japanese Militarism" :

Indeed, Besides the Russian servicemen, parade units of 10 other States" marched through the Red Square as well, "including"... "Servicemen from China, which, just like the Soviet Union, lost many Millions of People in this War", and "was also the Main Front in the Fight against Militarism in Asia". But also "Soldiers from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan", whose foreFathers fought shoulder to shoulder both at the Front and in the Rear. Indian soldiers fought Courageously against the Nazis as well. Serbian troops also offered strong and relentless Resistance to the Fascists", and, throughout the war our country received strong Support from Mongolia"; he reminded.  Making also a Hint to the USA, Putin added that "we Remember the Historical Meeting on the Elbe" River, "and the Trust and unity that became our common legacy and an example of Unification of Peoples – for the sake of Peace and stability".

So, Today, "Parade ranks include grandSons and great-grandSons of the war Generation". Moreover, "Veterans from the US, UK, from Poland and from other Countries, ... are the Main Participants of this Ceremony", according to Vladimir Putin. Indeed, the 9th of May "Victory Day is our Common Holiday", because "the Great Patriotic War was, in fact, the Battle for the Future of the entire Humanity", he stressed.

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     - "It is precisely these Values that became the Foundation of the Post-war World Order. The United Nations came into existence. And the system of the Modern International Law has emerged", Putin reminded, speaking practically on the Anniversary also of the UNO. -"These Institutions have proved in practice their Effectiveness in reSolving disputes and conflicts", on the basis of "the Principles that have been Hard-Won by Mankind, as a Result of the Ordeal of the War", as he pointed out.

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     - "However, in the Last Decades, the basic Principles of International cooperation have come to be increasingly Ignored", the Russian President denounced. Indeed, "We saw attempts to establish an Unipolar World. We see the strong-arm Block- Thinking gaining momentum. All that (also) Undermines sustainable Global Development", he regretted.

    =>>> In consequence, Today, "the Creation of a System of Equal Security for All States should become our Common Task", the Russia's Leader proposed, in a Statement published by World-wide Media. -"Such System should be an Adequate match to Modern Threats, and it should rest on a Regional and Global "Non-Block" basis. Only then will we be able to ensure Peace and tranquillity on the Planet", he concluded.

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+ Czech Republic's recenty elected President, Milos Zeman, who was at Moscow Today, was reportedly hailed by Putin as a PanEuropean political personality who could play an important role, precisely, in helping rebuild Trust in such New Security and Cooperation Arrangements in Europe and at a Wider area, in the foreseable Future, while the Czech Leader, inter alia, pleaded in favor of an EU - Russia cooperation in the Fight against currently spreading Extremist Islamist Terrorists of ISIL's atrocious BeHeaders, as well as for a structural Economic exchanges' strategy.

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++ China's President Xi Jiping, who signed in Moscow a series of Stategic Partnership-related Agreements together with the Russian President Vladimir Putin during a  3 Day visit between 8 - 10 May 2015, reportedly supported that call, according to Chinese Media, in favour of "Hard-won Lasting  Peace", to "maintain the purposes and Principles of UN  Charter", while also, at the same time, "pushing Forward the construction of a New type of Internatonal Relations" for the common interest of all nations.

+ Meawnhile, both Russian and Chinese Ships were reportedly heading for a 1st Joint Drill to the Mediterranean Sea, while, inter alia, Extremist Islamist Terrorists of ISIL's atrocious BeHeaders were reported to attack Syria's most important Historic site, that of Palmyra, (a UNESCO-protected Treasure on  Humankind's Historic Civilisations, even bigger than that of Iraq's Nimroun, recently Destroyed by "ISIL"'s brutal barbarities).

"ISIL's Terrorists have been "supported by Turkey" and their Brutal Attacks against some among the most Ancient Christian Populations living during Millenariess at Iraq and/or Syria, (notoriously including even Be Headings, other Killings and Threats, Mass Deportations, etc., also of  Mossoul area's Christian Community, one of the oldest),  often use methods similar to those of the Ottoman-Turc Armenian Genocide, the persisting Impunity of which, fuelled by Ankara's Negationism, despite a Growing Cost for Turkey by the spreading official Recognitions by more and more Countries (including f.ex. Germany this year) and World Personalities (as f.ex. Pope Francis recently, etc), obviously incites to commit even Today such Horrible Crimes, critically observed, speaking to "EuroFora", '(after a Lecture in Strasbourg's Saint Mathieu Church, organized by the Network on Christians of the Middle East,) the experienced Professor Haidostian, from Bayrouth's University at Lebanon, close to a Village of survivants from the Armenian Genocide at Northern Syria, which faced recently Deadly Attacks and Destruction of all its Historic Monuments, by such Extremist Islamist Terrorists coming from Turkey's borders.

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    + To this, was added also an Important visit to Moscow by German Chancelor Angie Merkel, later-on, who stressed from the outset that she "wanted to Mark the commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the End of World War II, and to remember the Millions of Victims, which has Sacrificed  the former Soviet Union, and to say to the Russian People that we Bow to these Victims".

    - "We will Always remain Aware that it was the People of the Soviet Union and the Red Army soldiers who had then to Suffer the Highest Number of Victims", of "this war unleashed  by NAZI Germany" of the Past : A "Brutal racial War of Annihilation ... that brought indescribable Suffering on Millions of People. I am referring to residents of beSieged Leningrad, who had died of Hunger and Exhaustion, on millions of Abused and Murdered Civilians, Concentration Camp inmates and Prisoners of war, a War of Scorched Earth, in the countless Villages and Towns that Wehrmacht and SS have literally Wiped out. I recall the Crimes of the Holocaust, which will remain to us Germans as everlasting reminder to mind. I remind you that Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian and other soldiers of the Red Army, together with the Allies of the Western countries,  Liberated Berlin and Germany from the Nazi regime", she reminded.

    + Moreover, "We have all Learned from the Bitter Experience of History that we have to Work, even in difficult situations and such a difficult situation, we currently have (in Ukraine), to Overcome this by Peaceful means", the German Cancelor concluded, speaking in Moscow just a Few Months before Berlin takes over the Rotating OSCE's Annual Presidency, (currently chaired by Serbia, after Switzerland), from the Beginninig of 2016, followed by Austria on 2017.