CoE Chief Jagland to EuroFora on Ukraine - Russia crisis: Solution in NOBEL Peace Prize's logic ?

*Strasbourg/USIAS/Angelo Marcopolo/- The "Best Way" to find an Urgently Needed Solution to the Bloody Ukranian Conflict, (which has killed almost 6.000 People, mostly Civilians), meets "the Logic Behind NOBEL Peace prize awards", said the recently re-elected (2015-2019) COE's Secretary General, and President of the Oslo Nobel Committee, former Prime Minister of Norway, Thornbjon Jagland, in reply to an "EuroFora"s Question, at an exceptional Speech/Debate event, organuzed by the prestigious Strasbourg University's Institute for Advanved Studies (USIAS), where he was welcomed by 3 Nobel Prize Winners in Natural Sciences, Professors Hoffmann and Lehn, who works together with Karplus, and the University's President professor Beretz, who anounced from the outset its ambition to help boost Excellence not only vis a vis Nature, but also on topical Socio-Political realities, such as "Freedom of Expression" facing Terrorism, or GeoPolitical Conflicts, etc., where Conscience of what is really at stake stimulates Intelligence in front of Vital Needs f.ex. to find ways to Save Human Lives and whole Societies from Brutal Killings, Massive Displacements and/or Huge Destructions currently threatening People not only around but also inside the European continent :

Develop Respect for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law can bring closer Together both Ukraine and Russia, Helping to find a Political Solution for Peace in the Eastern Ukraine Conflict,  - which has just re-started to Kill more than 242 Civililans only at Donetsk/Luhansk Autonomist Regions, from mid-January 2015 - where Necessary Reforms for DeCentralisation of Power towards Strong Regions, Fight against Corruption and Independence of Courts, could create a much Needed Horizon also for a Sustainable Cease-Fire, which has become Urgent, replied in substance Jagland, while also Urging the International Community for "Concerted Action" in order to Solve this and Other Big Challenges that Europe and the World face Today, without making undue "Concessions" on Human Rights and Individual Liberties, that represent best the European model which has emerged after the 2nd World War and NAZIsm, and can also help solve problems, instead of "citting back and let the Slaughter go on", as he denounced at these Crucial Days, while an important CoE's Delegation for much-awaited Constitutional and Legislative Refiorms hasz just Started to make Top-Political level meetings in Kiev, (See Infra).

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     - Pointing at what Jagland had said earlier "about Democratic Security being based also on Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of law", "EuroFora" asked COE's SG. if  he though that "in Conflicts, like Ukraine and others, sometimes, when there are Hard Facts and Suspicions about Serious Crimes having been committed, then, Finding the Truth, despite Difficulties and doing Justice, on Both Sides, in order to Revive  respect for Human Rights, this could Help bring People Together, by creating Trust for the Future ?"

    + Moreover, "particularly in Ukraine, after what happened recently in the (CoE's) Parliamentary Assembly, (even if Not yet to all Other Tools among the many that COE has), it seems to provoke a Risk to loose that unique capacity of the COE to have both Ukraine and Russia together as full Members, and all the relevant Tools that you have, as a PanEuropean Organisation based on Principles, but  also with a Political margin to move" :  - "Because , as you know, they (Russia) are pushed to go towards the OSCE, which is certainly very useful,  but can't do everything alone, if it doesn't join forces and cooperate with the CoE.  How could you bring Russia back towards the COE, in order to have a real Dialogue" on Ukraine, etc. ? ", "EuroFora" asked Jagland

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 - "The Russian Federation is still a Full Member of the CoE. It may have a Controversy with the Parliamentary Assembly, but, on the Inter-Governemental side, the Russian Federation is fully participating" to all other CoE's activities, stressed Jagland from the outset, in his Replies to "EuroFora"s Question.

 - "I think that what we (CoE) can do is to Help Both States (Ukraine and Russia) to Build Democratic Institutions :

=> - "This is a Basis for handling real ReConciliation between Ukraine and Russia", CoE's Head stressed.

    - "By the way, this is the Logic behind many of  Nobel Peace Prizes , that the (Oslo) Committee has chosen" :

    - "That the Best way to Build Peace is to build Democracy, and above all, Human Rights", stressed Jagland, who is the only CoE's Secretary General to succeed to be re-Elected Twice in the 65-Years long History of Strasbourg's PanEuropean Organization.

    - "That's why so many (Nobel Peace) Prizes went to Nelson Mandela, to Sakharov, San Suu Ky, Xiaobo, and many others", he observed.

    - "Political Researchers might Disagree in one sense.. But they would agree on one thing : namely, that, less there is Democracy, more often one goes to War", he warned.

    - "This is the Logic behind Nobel Peace Prizes going to Human Rights Defenders", Jagland underlined.

    => - "And, I think, this Logic can apply also to Rusia and Ukraine Today : ", I.e. "to Help them build Democratic Societies, Strong Civil Society, Independent Courts, and Checks and Balances : This is the Best Way", he concluded.

    Topically, Jagland said that in Strasbourg the same Day that CoE's "Venice Committee" officials were Starting an exceptional 2 Days visit to Kiev's Authorities, "to Discuss ccoperation on Constitutional and Judicial Reform", according to a CoE's formal anouncement.

    - "But it's a Longer way, for both Societies", PanEuropean COE's Head regretted, (=> See Infra)...

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Ukraine problem "did Not Start with Crimea"...
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    - Thus, in the case, f.ex.  of "the Problem in Ukraine, (it) did N't Start with the Russians grabbing of Crimea", "even if of course, it was unbelievable what happened" then,  Jagland observed earlier.

    >>> - Because, in fact, "it didn't start with that : it Started inside Ukraine itself !", long Before that, CoE's Head stressed.

    - Indeed, the Ukranian problem occured mainly "Because of Lack of independent Democratic Institutions, Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, and Rule of Law", he denounced.

    - In this regard, "During 15 - 20 Years", despite various Governments, "Not much Change actually happened", Jagland criticized.

    - On the contrary, Soon "after the Fall of the Sovie Union", while at the beginning some "Democracy came", nevertheless, soon "we've got the Oligarchs", who, "after a while, they Took Charge of Everything !", denounced the Experienced Head of the PanEuropean CoE, (coinciding with what, often, even Simple People from Ukraine a.o. used to complain about, as "EuroFora" had often witnessed).

    => Thus, "Corruption" became "Widespread, particularly in the Absence of "Independent Courts", most "Media were Controlled by Oligarchs",  and, "believe it, or not, most Oligarchs got Elected in the Parliament" (Rada), "because there they got Immunities", so that "Oligarchs, finaly, Contolled Everything", Jagland denounced.

    - So, "at the End of the Day", and particularly "when the Standards of Living went Down in Ukraine, because of Many things, and the (Global) Economic Crisis, and the (diminution of) Growth" etc., "then, ...Young People started to React, and they went to the Streets", to "make a Revolution". -"It's actually Incredible what happened !".

    - Basically, "it was because of Lack of Rule of Law, which provoked widespread Corruption, so that, at the end of the Day, People could Not Tolerate it".

    => Mutatis-mutands, "this was (almost) the same as it happened in Berlin, with the Fall of Wall", it happened "in Ukraine as well", the "Same .. in Tunisa", etc., "and the Same  will happen also in the Future", even elsewhere, "IF we don't have Democratic Institutions, if we don't have Checks and Balances, No Separation of Powers" : "So that we don't get MisUse of Power, MisManagement of Power, and Corruption", he warned.

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+ The "Fast" way : Find a Formula for Political Solution
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    + Meanwhile, in parallel, apparently suggesting also a comparatively  Shorter way, CoE's Head pointed, at the same time, towards what could, probably, be the outline of a Peaceful Political Solution to the Ukranian Crisis, considering also the positions taken by most among the main actors :

    - Because even Urgently Needed "Ceasefires will only hold when a Political Horizon is in sight" for a Peaceful Solution, as he recently Warned during the latest CoE's Parliamentary Assembly's debates in Strasbourg.

    - In this regard, "From the Start, we (CoE) saw the need to Help Ukraine Build a Solid, Non-Corrupt State, and this is what we would Continue to do", about "Necessary Reforms". That's why "i have my Special Representative" for Ukaine. And "we (CoE) have a Big Delegation : 35 Experts on the ground, there", and, "if the Parties really Wish to find a Polirical Solution", we also have the Most Recognized Expertise in the World in Constitutional matters", with COE's "Venice Commission", Jagland reminded.

    >>> -  Because, "a Basis for a (Political) Solution to the Problems of Eastern Ukraine,  is to Work on the Constitution, in a way which Reduces Centralisation, and allows Devolution of Power, so that one can Give More Powers to the Regions, while, at the same time, Safeguarding the Territorial Integrity of Ukraine", Jagland revealed.

    - Otherwise, "If not, I don't think that there is any Solution", CoE's Head soberly Warned. "But, here is a Possibility, now, to find a Political Solution, if the Parties want". "For that purpose, "Ukraine, Russia, and all the Other Europeans, have to Cooperate and Find a way out. Not just to Sit and let that Slaughter go on !", he denounced.

    CoE's Secretary General said that shortly after Ukranian President Poroshenko reportedly reiterated his Refusal to accept any Federal Solution to the Eastern Ukraine conflict, adding that he would be ready even to put his "No" on a Referendum.

    However, earlier, several Top EU Politicians, (such as Austria's President, Hungary's Prime Minister, Finland's Leaders and France's main Opposition UMP Politicians, etc.) had already pointed towards an adequate Federal Solution for the Ukranian conflict, (f.ex. Similar to that which is supported, until now, by the UNO, EU and COE even in the case of Cyprus, EU and €uroZone Member Country)...     

    It's true that, (as "EuroFora" has already observed, since a long time ago), the controversial Popular Referenda with which the recalcitrant, Russian-Speaking Donetsk - Luhansk Regions of Eastern Ukraine had initialy expressed their Political Dissidence vis a vis the Government in Kiev, had already taken the Diplomatic Precaution to use the Term "Autonomy", which so Flexible that it might, in Theory, go from Independence, up to a Federation, or simply into an important DeCentralisation of Power, with Strong Regions, (the 2 latter Possibilities Safeguarding the Country's Territorisal Integrity).

    But, ,obviously, the Real Question seems, in fact, to be whether the concerned People might, or not, feel close enough to eachother so that they could sufficiently procede to a ReConciliation allowing them to Live Together in the Future, even after a Dramatically Growing Number of innocent Civilians (even Old People, Women, Children, etc)  atrociously Killed at the Street, in a Humanitarian Centre, at a Trolley-Bus Stop, inside a School or Hospital, or even in their own Family Home, etc, during too frequent Military Attacks by the Kiev's Army with Heavy Weapons, (such as Tanks, Rockets, Shelling, Bomber Airplanes, etc., even "Cluster" Bombs, as it has just been found and Denounced also by OSCE Officials) : Particularly when, in addition to more than 5.400 People Killed back on 2014, reportedly "242 Civilians" more were also Killed just since such Attacks re-started from the middle of January 2015 ! (In addition to the Destruction of Power, Water and/or Transport/Communication Networks, the Demolition of many Family Homes, Hospitals, Schools, Factories, Administrative buildings, etc, an Economic and Financial Blockade Hindering any Trade and even Victims' own Money in Kiev-controlled Banks, Total "Freeze" of any due Pensions, Social allowances, Salaries, etc., and Abandon or Closure of all Socio-Economic Services, such as Posts, Banks, Schools, even Hospitals, etc., and Interdiction to Move without Permission in or out of the Blocked Areas, etc)..

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+ Meanwhile, speaking earlier with "EuroFora" at the Conclusion of the Hollande - Merkel - Schulz Trilateral Franco-German Summit, for the 1st time with EU Parliament's President last week in Strasbourg, French Presidential Elysée Palace's Press Counsellor on Strategy and International issues, Claudine Ripert-Landler stressed that "he (Hollande) is very Concerned about the Situation on the Spot in Ukraine", "he is quite Seriously Concerned".

=> In consequence, -"The (French) President is Daily occupied by this Conflict" - This is done "in Various Formats", but "in a Continuous way", she observed, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/elyseecounselloronhollandemerkelschulzsummitandukraineurgency.html ).

In particular,"He speaks about several things, Together with Mrs Merkel, because they are doing Joint Demarches, to Mr. Putin, Mr. Poroshenko", she indicated also for Next Steps, (after pointing, earlier, on "the Franco-German relationship" in general, in order to anounce "certain Initiatiives", without specifying).

- The Aim is "to Ensure that there won't be an Additional Deterioration", "both from the point of view of Security, as well as in the field of Economy". In particular, "both the (French) President (Hollande) and (the German Chancelor) Mrs Merkel make serious Efforts (to advance) at the right track, Together with Presidents Putin and Poroshenko" -"The main Priority is the CeaseFire and the reciprocal Withdrawal of Heavy Weapons", "which are included among the Minsk Agreement's points".

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+ Today's challenges need - but Lack of-  Concerted International action
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+ Applying the central idea of "Democratic Security", (which is due to be at the Focus of a forthcoming PanEuropean COE's Heads of State/Government's Summit, may be on 2016 : Comp. relevant Statements to "EuroFora" by the current CoE's President in office, Belgium's deputy-Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders :, ....), not only to Ukraine, but also to "the Problem of (particularly Extremist Islamist) Terrorism", Jagland urged all CoE's Member States and well beyond to "Work Together" in order to adequately Face present Challenges :

    - "If you look at the World, Today, we are facing a re-re-Dramatisation", F.ex. "Syria has caused 2 Millions Refugees", and "some 200.000 People Killed in a Civil War". "And, then, you have Libya : a State which is Disintegrating", "you have Yemen", etc. : "But, This is a Region neighbouring to Europe". .."And, then, you have the Crisis in Ukraine, which has already caused 1 Million Refugees in the Middle of Europe !"

    - "Nobody in Europe can Remember such Dramas since the 2nd World War !", he observed.

    + "And it goes on : Nobody takes Responsibility for Doing sdomething". So, "it Continues : More and more Refugees. More and more People Killed !", Jagland denounced, (dressing an overall picture which inevitably reminds "1984" Book's GeoPolitics)...

    => So that People wonder : - "What kind of International System do we have ?"

    - "After the 2nd World War, the UNO was created, we got a Security Council", where "15 SC's Members have the Responsibility for ALL UNO's Member Countries" (about 200 Today), he reminded.  - "This is the Responsibility that UNO's Security Council took on. .. In Particular UN SC's 5 Permanent Members, which have a Special Responsibility", also because of their "Veto" Rights, "both in Syria and in Ukraine, in Iraq and elsewhere, they get a Concerted Responsibility for  the Security of all of us !", he pointed out.

    - "In the Past, we had  a Bi-Polar World with the USA and the Soviet Union. Then the Soviet Union collapsed, USA was the Only Power left. But, now, many Others are also Coming back. Thus, None of them can Decide... Now we have a Non-Polar World, and Nobody is Deciding. What they are doing is Impead" action. "They are Blocking eachother, instead of Cooperating Together to Find Solutions to the Dramas that we are facing Today", the Head of PanEuropean CoE denounced.

    => "We have to Find Solutions to that !", "They have to Come Together",  he urged, as far as the Global, UNO system is concerned.

    => Therefore, we should "Criticize the Responsibilities" of those who do so, because "all Nations in the World gave the Power to (UNO SC's 5) Permanent Members", PanEuropean CoE's Secretary General pointed out.

- "I don't have a prescription on how they should do this, but I strongly believe that" something must be done so that the International Community become anew able to "Work Together", at least on the most crucial Global issues, Jagland urged in conclusion.

    But that leaves "some Hopes for us", Europeans, because "we have Institutions such as the EU and the CoE", where "many Countries have signed the European Convention for Human Rights", "and we have he Economic and Political force of the EU", so, that there are some Hopes tha these Institutions might Help to het Out of this Crisis, on the Basis of the Rule of Law, of Democracy and Human Rights", Jagland concluded, quite optimistically...

    >>> In fact, what is needed is "New Answers", we need to overcome a "Clash of Interests" in order to "take Concerted Action", CoE's Head stressed.

 

    But, at any case, questioned by Professor Sylvain Schirmann, Director of Strasbourg University's Institute of Political Studies, whether "Individual Rights could be preserved, despite the many Big Challenges : GeoPolitical, Economic, Terrorism, Conflicts, etc. that Europe and the World are facing Today", Jagland sticked firmly to the main Principles :

    - "I think that it's not only Possible, but it's even a Necessity to uphold Individual Rights",  "within the Limits of the Law and of the Liberties of Others". "Because ths is the only Added Value of Europe : THIS IS EUROPE", as it was built "After the 2nd World War". "If we make Concessions on this, then, we'd be Totaly Lost !", he Warned.

    In this regard, the currently looming "Tension" between Human Rights and Security concerns, was at the Focus of Strasbourg University's debate between Jagland and a Young Researcher from South Africa, currently Oxford Professor, who, thanks to a Franco-German cooperation with nearby Freiburg University, extended Fellowships on both sides of the Rhine river, Liora Lazarus, who appeared to plead more in favour also of a "Right to Security", than for a "Securisation of Human Rights", against which she warned to be careful. In the particular case of the Historic Transition between "AppartHeid" and Legal Equality in South Africa, it's not just Economic Pressure from the outside World, but mainly Nelson Mandela's wonderful Personality, who played his role well, allowing an efficient and smooth Change, close to the People, Oxford Professor Lazarus told later "EuroFora". 

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    In fact, it all looks a bit like that kind of attempt to ...Re-Unify Physical Science's conflicting Theories, long after both Newton and Einstein, which, in addition to eventual discoveries also at a large Horizon extending from Chemical reactions up to Electronics, could be integral part of a Research Stategy on "Fluctuations in Vacuum", (including f.ex. Light : an area for Excellence at Strasbour'gs University already since the period of former German Chancellor Bismark, when France and Germany were in Cultural Competition over Strasbourg, each one sending here a Selection of their Best Intellectuals, as a landmark Conference on the History of Natural Sciences in Strasbourg had recently shown - but also at the base of a Modern RST Pole on Photonics Today, praised by NOBEL Prize Professor Cohen-Tanoudji speaking to "EuroFora" on the sidelines of an exceptional event at the Quai d'Orsay in Paris), that USIAS' Director, professor Ebbesen, that USIAS' Director, Professor Ebbesen, (who is also Directing Nobel Chemistry Prize laureat,  famous Professor Lehn's Top level "Institute for Supra-Molecular" research) has chosen for his personal Projects, as he told "EuroFora" later Today. Ebbesen kindly but spontaneously laughed when we assked him the notoriously "Sacrilege" Question vis a vis Fundamental Science : - "What might People Dream to create in the Future, thanks to that Research ?" F.ex. "on Optronics, Scientists knew that, among possible Technological Discoveries, could be also Fiber Optics f.ex. for Cable-TV Transmissions - already done now- and for Computers themselves - stil on the making - much more Faster than Electric pulses through Copper Networks, already some 15 Years before", "EuroFora" reacted.  - "Oh, No : In fact, it took, then, much More than that : Almost some 20 - 25 Years, between Fundamental and Applied Research, even in the areas that you said", Ebbesen replied. But, even if he is, probably, Right on this particular point, what's the use when it comes to so-called "Social Sciences", as Law and/or Politics, which - contrary to "Natural" Sciences - are embedded, submerged in Fast-evolving, Real Life of History-in-the-Making, often with very Big Interests at Stake ?

F. ex. as "Huge" for Humanity, as many Small, Fragile Innocent Childrens' Life, threatened to be Killed or mummed for ever, even inside their Family Home, or School Yard, inside a KinderGarten, a the same moment with other innocent Old People, impoverished by brutaly provoked War Destructions and obliged to seek Food at a Humanitarian Center, suddenly Threatened by be hit by Bombs - possibly even with "Cluster" Bombs, as OSCE has just found in Eastern Ukraine's Donetsk/Luhansk Autonomist Regions ?.. .

Facing such circonstances, "even in the Middle of Europe", as Jagland denounced earlier Today, really Conscious Intellectuals can no more remain at the Remote Hights of "pure" Contemplation "sub specie Aeternitatis", far away from Events, at some inaccesible Mountain's Top, but feel the Vital Need to ...Dive down into a real Lake or Sea,  f.ex. when it comes to the Vital Need to Save at least an innocent Child from Drowing to an Abyss, even at the Risk of their own Life, (i.e. definitively splitting with the old tradition of "pure" "GlasPerlenSpieler") as the World-Famous German-Swiss Philosopher Herman Hesse, (Born at the superb Mountainous village of  nearby Calw, at the "Black Forest" Heights) pictured at the Tragic Conclusion of his landmark Book "Magister Ludi".

And there is even No need for that to absolutely have only a Christian Vision of the "Sacrifice", f.ex. as world-famous Polish Film-maker Andrei Wajda chose to call his Last Masterpiece : Even in Ancient Greeh Philosophy, the well known Heroe "Prometheus" had notoriously sacrificed everything, precisely in order to Bring "Light" and "Fire" of much needed Knowledge from some petty old "Gods ""who wanted to  find and Inflict him the Worse possible Punishment, due to make him Suffer an Atrocious ever-lasting Torture, until another Mythic Hero as Hercules , succeeded to Liberate him from the imposed Chains which oppressed his elementary Freedom, (offering matter also for one of the Better Dramatic Masterpieces of Aeschylos, as well as Brittish Poet Shelley, with their "Prometheus UnBound", Shelley's Premonitory Poem having been Published on 1820, i.e. just at the Eve of a New Greece's ReNaissance, after many Centuries of Slavery to the former Ottoman-Turc empire, with the succesful, Heroic Revolution of 1821, inspired from the French of 1789 and the American of 1774, i.e. belonging to the mainly European ideas of the "Century of EnLightnment", which revived a prelude of Post-World War II Europe of Human Rights+ claims.

Hard, Hasardous, but Interesting President Beretz' attempt to jump, at least from times to times, from Natural Sciences, to Social/Historic Sciences, (apparently at the instigation of Sylvain Schirmann, this time). But, shouldn't it become a "Must" in the Region of Gunewald, Luther, Goethe, Gutemberg, Rouget de l'Isle, Bartholdi, Marc Bloch, Charles Eisenman, Jacques Derrida, Paul Amselek or Fitoussi, and so many other Personalities who contributed with an exceptional Quality of Thought (and sometimes, even Action) in Europe's History, who have lived and created in and/or around Strasbourg ?

At any case, help develop a really Pluri-Disciplinary Dimension of Thought,  - including, perhaps, a kind of "School" on general Methodology and problematic (even Ethical) of Science, both Natural and Social/Historic - also by inviting selected "Fellows" to live and work from 2 Months up to 2 Years in Strasbourg, is a main Official Mission of USIAS, directed by Thomas Ebbesen, (ééToday hosted at Nobel laureat prof. Lehn's super-Modern "Castle", dedicated on Supra-Molecular Research).

(../..)

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("DraftNews", as already send to "EuroFora" Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version might be published asap).

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