Re-Elected COE SG Jagland to EuroFora: PanEuropean space has a Future, in Cooperation with EU+OSCE

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Despite (or because ?) of recent Tragic Problems, as f.ex. in Ukraine, the PanEuropean Space has a Future, for the Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of law Organisation of Strasbourg, in closer Cooperation with the EU, but also the OSCE, each one with its own specific Mandate, strongly affirmed its experienced Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland, (who has just been re-Elected Today, with a big Majority in CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly, for a 2nd Term of 5 Years in the period of 2014-2019), speaking in Reply to relevant "EuroFora"s Questions :

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"EuroFora" reminded Jagland a GeoPolitical Question that we had raised to him right from the very Beginning of his 1st Mandate as CoE's Secretary General, already at his 1st Official Press Conference in Strasbourg, back on 2009, about his Strategy to cooperate closely with the EU, but, at the same time, to boost a PanEuropean space :

- "Given what happened recently at the (Parliamentary) Assembly, vis a vis Russian MEPs, (since early April 2014), as well as the overall Ukranian Crisis, (which notoriously Worsened, from an Humanitarian point of view, since then, including with "Intensified" Military Attacks against Dissident Regions, affecting many Civilian People, as even UNHCHR's latest Report observed on June 2014), while, nevertheless, at the same moment, CoE is preparing to give a Special Status even to Kirgystan, (also as former CIS  Member Country, and Future Member of the EurAsian Economic Union, together with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, Armenia, etc), after  Morocco, Kazahkstan, etc, does  the PanEuropean Space have still a Future for the CoE, or it has now too much Problems" for it ?, we asked Jagland.

- "There is absolutely a Future for the PanEuropean Space", positively stressed from the outset the experienced Head of the CoE, whose Mandate was today democratically reNewed for the next 5 Years 2014 - 2019.

- "And we (CoE) Hope that the EU Accession to the ECHR (PanEuropean Convention on Human Rights) can help that, because this is still a task" to achieve to fill a Gap, Jagland observed ...

+ "Then, we have also Belarus (where f.ex. a recent Ecumenical Christian Catholic Bishop's Conference for Europe event, together with Orthodox Christian representatives, just took place in Minsk, at the Beginning of June 2014, while Belarussia has also just joined the EurAsian Economic Union, together with Russia, Kazahkstan, and soon Kyrgistan, Armenia, etc) : - "You can only look at a Map and undestand that Belarus belongs to Europe, and could be part of this (PanEuropean) Legal space", he added in particular.

-"When it comes to our (CoE's) Neighbouring Countries, I have already already spoken", several times, "on Developing Cooperation with the Southern Mediterranean, and, to some extend, also with Central Asia",

+ "I think also that the  EU should Contribute to this, because we have Common Challenges, Common Problems, and we have to Solve them Together", he concluded, (speaking in Strasbourg Topically after a PanEuropean Parliamentarian Debate on Mediterranean illegal Migration and/or Asylum seekers' demographic, integration and Human Rights' problems, which is also a Top Priority for the concluding Greek  EU Presidency's priorities vis a vis the CoE, as the Greek Permanent Representative, Ambassador Asteriadis reminded to "EuroFora").
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 - On another "EuroFora"s Topical Question about CoE's "Cooperation with the OSCE","and (his current Chairman, Swiss President) Mr. BurkHalter",  particularly "now that things are Crystal-clear with your re-Election" Today ?..

 - Jagland sharply Replied that "this has always been Important", in general, "and", even more, recently, "during the Ukranian Crisis, he have an Excellent Cooperation", as he said concerning particularly the current OSCE Chairman, Swiss President BurkHalter, who had earlier visited the CoE as Foreign Minister : See relevant BurkHalter Replies to "EuroFora"s Questions on the OSCE, etc :.... ).

- But taking also into account the "Division of Labour, between the CoE and the OSCE, based on our Mandates", (which, to put it in a nutshell, giver CoE a more Structural Role, f.ex. on Monitoring situations affecting Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law Standards and Values, while OSCE is more focused on ReActing fast mainly to Politically related situations, etc) , CoE's experienced and re-elected Secretary General, added in Conclusion of his 2nd Reply to "EuroFora"s 2nd Question. d
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 + Afterwards, Jagland Topically added also an apraisal about Russia, in reply to aNother Question, raised by a Russian Lady Journalist, who followed in the line of "EuroFora"s initial Query (Comp. Supra) :  - "And Russia" in particular, what Future could it have inside the CoE ? "

- "Russian Federation is  still a full CoE Member. Russia participates fully in the Committee of Ministers' work (CoE's Highest Political body), and in All the (CoE's) Inter-Governemental bodies.  And I Hope that we can come back to Normal Work also in  some Time in the Future also the (CoE's) Parliamentary Assembly, as ... of what was done there, because this is an Incredible Situation that we are facing" recently, (with the Suspension of Russian MEPs' Rights to Vote and/or even to participate to PÄCE's Governing bodies, which incited Mosow to decide to Stop Participating at the PACE, See. : .....), "given the Standards and Values that we (CoE) have in Europe, (as he said, eventualy concerning Crimea's controversial ReUnification with Russia, after a Popular Referendum, following the unelucidated yet Deadly "Sniper" Incidents at Kiev, which suddenly riggered a Bloody Conflict, Topling an Agreement just signed between the then Elected Ukranian President Yanukovich and the 3 former Opposition Leaders, under the auspices of 3 EU Foreign Minsiters from Germany, France and Poland). - "But I appreciate now that things are Calming down, and I will do everything I can to contribute to this process", he promissed.
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 = Meanwhile,replying also at a previous Question by our new Collegue in Strasbourg, from the Russian ITAR-TASS Agency, Ilya Baranov, Jagland went on to Resume the main points of his Program for the next 5 Years, reiterating his Will, in particular,  "to Continue 2 Processes :"

 - "1) the CoE's own Reform, in order to further Strengthen all the Tools that we have in our hands", "and to use our (CoE's) Best Resources, (i.e) the most Recognized Expertise in the World, I'd say, (f.ex. in certain Legal issues), in order to help  Member Countries, in particular, in facing problems with the Judiciary" power, he added, as a keynote, concrete example. Because, "I see there a Major Problem, in many European Member States, that have a Judiciary which is Not Efficient, sometimes it's even Corrupted, and/or "Not Independent", so that "this creates a lot of Problems" : "This has been like an Obsession to me, in order to use all Resources that we (CoE) have, in order to Help  Member Countries get assistance for a real Separation of Powers, in respect of which, the Judiciary, of course, plays an Important role", Jagland stressed, (by an interesting coincidence, focusing on a domain which was recently pin-pointed also by the experienced New President of the Biggest EU Political Party :that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, French former Strasbourg's MEP, Joseph Daul, who has also served for many Years as President of the EPP Group of MEPs in EU Parliament, between 2007-2014, as he had said earlier, speaking to Journalists in Strasbourg, including "EuroFora").

      - "2) To bring to an End the EU Accession (process) to the ECHR, (Comp. Supra). That's a very Important process ; If we can get 47 (CoE's) Member Countries and the EU, under the same Court, under the same Convention (on Human Rights), I think it will have Enormous Geopolitical Consequences", Jagland stressed.
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    + Last but not least, replying also to another Question by a Lady Journalist, about his "Views on Ukraine"'s  crisis, he confirmed that his ">Position is that (Today) one has to try to Calm Down the situation in Ukraine".

     - In this regard, "I appreciate that some Steps have been taken", recently ; F.ex. that "the New President of Ukraine, Poroshenko, has anounced that he wants to Negociate" vis a vis Eastern Ukraine's Dissident Regions. And "I esteem that (Russian) President Putin (declared this week officialy that he) is in favor of removing the Law in Russian Federation that had opened the way for an (eventual) Intervention in Ukraine", (following  particularly the unprecedented Deadly Violent Clashes at Kiev on February 21 ; Comp. Supra). "That's very Important", Jagland underlined.

    + "And we (CoE), will continue to play a role within our Mandate, (as PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, particularly since the Decisions taken by CoE's Historic Summit of Heads of State/Government, back on 2005 in Warsaw, Poland :  Comp. relevant NewsReports from "EuroFora"s co-Founder then on the spot in Warsaw; punblished mainly at "TCWeekly"+), which, I think, it's Crucial":

        -  "It's to get New Laws in Ukraine, which are in Conformity with the European Convention on Human Rights", and, "in particular, to Protect Minorities", (f.ex. the Russian-speaking Minority, among others), as well as "to put in place a New Constitution, that Everybody can Embrace", "in order to pave the way for Peaceful developments in Ukraine",  CoE's experienced and strongly re-elected SG topicaly stressed, as far as the notorious Need for a Compromise Agreement between those currently in Power at the National Capital of Kiev, and Autonomist Dissidents in Donetsk and Luhansk Eastern Ukranian Regions is concernedn, (Comp., f.ex.,,among others, also : .....).

    + "And, of course, use the Internationaly Advisory Panel, that CoE is leading, in order to Monitor what happened during the Protests on Maidan" square at Kiev, (Comp.Supra), and also recently in Odessa", (where more than 45 Dissident Civilian People, including Young Girls, etc, were atrociously Killed by being Burned alive and/or Suffocated by Fire Smokes, inside the Trade Unions' Building, set on Fire by a Group of Extremist Rigtists and other Violent pro-Kiev demonstrators, armed with  Clubs, Knifes, and Fire-Bombs, etc., who were massively Tranbsported and Imported from elsewhere in Odessa, rushing to Violently Attack, Destroy and Burn the Tents in a Square where Local Odessa's Dissident People had been Peasfuly gathering Signatures for a Popular Referendum in favor of the Autonomy of their region, as earlier on March in Crimea, afterwards at Donetsk and Luhansk on May 11, etc), - Also because "its of Crucial Importance for the ReConciliation of the Country", Jagland stressed in conclusion on this Key issue.

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A RE-ELECTION or a TRANSFIGURATION ?....

..Jagland was brillantly re-elected Today by CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly, from the 1st round, with 156 votes against 93 to his competitor, out of 249 votes casted, among 318 registered Members, (a crystal-clear Majority of almost 65% of votes), for a 2nd term of 5 more Years at the head of CoE, after which he will have led Strasbourg's PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law during an entire Decade (2009-2019), something apparently unprecedented in CoE's History. 

Most important, he won in front of a Serious Competition by a strong candidate from Germany, the Liberal former MEP and twice Minister of Justice, Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, who has gathered a rare experience and legal work on many Topical issues which are Today at  the heart of CoE's activities, including, f.ex., Russia, Ukraine, Personal Data protection at the Internet, etc.

A 3rd initial candidate, former CoE Assembly's President, French ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Jean-Claude Mignon was blocked by CoE's Comittee of Ministers, as also a previous Chairman of the EPP Group from Belgium, 6 Years earlier, as a result of a recent, thorny and too complicated infight for power inside the CoE, between Ambassadors and MEPs, reportedly related to the question whether CoE's SG should have a Top National Government's Experience (f.ex. as former Prime Minister, etc), or just a Top PanEuropean one (f.ex. as former President of a CoE Assembly's Group of MEPs), but, in fact, related also to opposed ideas about its desirable Role in contemporary Europe. However, Mignon called his supporters; this week, to avoid abstaining from the Vote on the election of the new CoE SG for2014-2019, (as they had initialy scheduled, as a sign of protest), but to participate in the vote, so that the CoE would have a SG with a strong democratic legitimacy - thereby playing, in fact, more in favour of Jagland's re-election.

A former Prime Minister of Norway, President of the Nobel Peace prize Committee, the former Socialdemocrat MEP has also served as Speaker of Norway's National Parliament, before being elected twice COE' s SG on 2009 and 2014. This gives him both an exceptional responsibility into contributing to forge the role of Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law in Europe's contemporary History, as well as, from now on, a stature more or less beyond any petty politician restrictions, Jagland's main judge being, from now on, History itself.

It's too early yet to predict if he will definitively succeed to fully meet such a huge Challenge.

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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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