newsitems CoE Media + Internet - Information Society Heads Grundmann +Gylfadottir to EF on Journalists +Terror
CoE Media + Internet - Information Society Heads Grundmann +Gylfadottir to EF on Journalists +Terror
*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Just after Leading Topical PanEuropean Debates particularly on Digital Media Internet Actors' Rights and Responsibilities, as well as Regulation or Self-Regulation issues, concerningon Medias' role when facing Terrorism, CoE's Media and Internet Director, Silvia Grundmann from Germany, as well as the President of CoE's, 47 Member States-strong, Committee on Media and Information Society, Elfa Gylfadottir, from Iceland, speaking to "Eurofora", Highlighted some of the Key Principles to observe during nowadays Fast-Developing relevant Events :
- First of all, "Press' Freedom was, and still is, always Under Attack !", stressed from the outset Grundmann, with a smile...
Inter alia, she was pointing, obviously, also to CoE's latest relevant Publication : an Official TextBook, prefaced by the PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland, (former Prime Minister of Norway, and Nobel Peace Prize Committee Head), which Warned about recent Findings Alerting on Journalists' growing "Self-Censorship"...
The main Cause was, according to that, most Recent CoE's Book, published just on March 2017, in Strasbourg, an evolving, multifacet "Pressure" on "Journalists", who, according to CoE's most recent "Definition", (updated by a select Committee of competent and experienced Experts, including also the new Secretary General of the "European Federation of Journalists" - "EFJ", HeadQuartered in Brussels, Ricardo Gutierrez: Comp. Interview to "Eurofora" at: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/iachrcoebookandefjsgonjournalismdefinition.html), are "Persons who are Regularly Engaged in the Collection and Disseminaion of Informations, destinated to the Public, for "Journalistic" (i.e. Public Service) purpose".
A Definition, already Faithfull to ECHR's well-established Case-Law on the only relevant Article on Human Rights: Number 10, as well as on a CoE's Highest Political body : that of its Committee of Ministers, Legal Recommendation, taken already as early as since 2000, as the 2017 CoE Book's Authors remind Nowadays. But, also well corresponding to a Pioneer Decision, explicitly taken by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, since...more than 32 Years: from November 1985 ! (See: ....).
- However, CoE's Media and Internet Director, Today expessed her Optimist and Voluntarist Belief, in Reply to an "Eurofora" Question, that "a Right Balance", between Press Freedom (indispensable for any Democratic Society), and Security, in Nowadays' Context, could and should prevail:
- In this regard, it's Interesting to See, f.ex., what will exactly happen with a forthcoming Draft Law, due to be Debated and Adopted "during this Summer" 2017, by Germany's Bundestag, she observed, (while it's also well known that new President Macron's French Government, also currently prepares a relevant Legislation, almost at the Same Time).
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+ Meanwile, however, what has the Highest Ambition to become, perhaps, the World's Best Legal Status for On-Line Publishers, particularly from the point of view of Freedom of Expression, sensitive Data Protection, Defense against Cyber-Crime and/or abuse, is Still Developing in Iceland, as native Elfa Gylfadottir, President of CoE's PanEuropean Committee on Media and Information Society, told "Eurofora" :
- Gylfadottir, (who has also served as the competent Head of Iceland's relevant "Steering" Commission for years), explained to "Eurofora", that, in fact, it's not only 1 or 2, but, on the contrary, a lot of Many and Various, related Legal Changes, Modifications, Adaptments, etc, which have to be considered and adequately decided, from several points of view, before good Final Decisions.
- Expected "possibly during Next Year" (2018), such Legal Modifications, on that Highly Topical, but also Sensitive issue, inevitably have also various Political impacts, and, at least partly depend from the overall Governmental policies.
At any case, one thing goes for sure :
- We want to Help f.ex. Human Rights' NGOs, "Whistle-Blowers", Investigative Journalists, really Independent Medias keeping a Critical Eye on Power, etc, but Not at all ...Porn Editors, shady Commercials, Tax-Evading outlets, or Terrorist cover-ups, etc., she pointed out.
=> For such purposes, we all need some Good and Crystal-clear Justifications and Definitions, CoE's Experienced, "Media and Information Society" PanEuropean Committee's Head, told "Eurofora", (Comp. f.ex.Supra).
***
("DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora" Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version, might be published asap).
***
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Swedish Foreign Minister, Carl Bildt, speaking to "EuroFora", denied rumors on Turkey's attempts to avoid an EU check of its obligations on Cyprus on December 2009 by blackmailing Nicosia to either accept any deal with intransigeant Turkish claims contrary to EU values on the island's political issue, or face threats against the territorial integriy of the EU island, semi-occupied by Ankara's army.
On the contrary, the incoming EU President-in-office, speaking exclusively to "EuroFora", promissed that he will act for EU Council's decisions on December 2009 assessment of Turkey's commitments on Cyprus to be kept.
Bildt was asked to react to Cyprus' President Christofias' denunciation, earlier this week, that some want to exert "pressure" on Cyprus in order for Turkey to escape from its obligations.
Avoiding to mention any precise Deadline, Bildt, however, warned about "Consequences" in case of "failure" to reunite Cyprus, but without saying whose responsibility an eventual deadlock might be.
Asked by "EuroFora" if there is a risk for "Turkey's commitments to "be forgotten or downgraded", "despite crystal-clear EU Council decisions and EU Parliament's latest Resolution on the assessment to make at the end of this year on Turkey's obligations", according to rumours that, instead of pressing Turkey, on the contrary, there might be "pressure on Cyprus", even "blackmail", as Media reported and President Christofias denounced this week, Bildt denied :
- "No ! ", he clearly replied.
- On the contrary, invited by "EuroFora", to "reassure that the Swedish EU Presidency (7-12/2009) will keep a fair stance, based on principles", Bildt promised that "we (Swedish EU Presidency) will be very clear on all of the decisions taken by the (EU) Council".
He added, however, that "we have very numerous decisions that have been taken" by EU Council, as if he warned, also, on something else.
- "'I am not aware of any sort of statements coming out today''", Bildt started to say, on our reference to Cyprus' President Christofias" denunciation of Turkish lobby's manoeuvers this week, replying earlier to 'another"EuroFora"'s question during a Press Conference at EU Parliament in Strasbourg.
- '"I know the issues that you' are concerned with'", he added, remembering the statements he gave us when Sweden was chairing the PanEuropean CoE on 2008.
- "But, obviously, .. I think that Cyprus' Peace negotiations are extremenly important".
- And "'I think that we are at a unique moment in History, in the sens that both (Cyprus') President Christofias and Mr. Talat (the Turkish Cypriot leader), are personally convinced of the need to overcome the division".
- "It's 20 Years since the fall of Berlin Wal, but we still have a Capital in Europe (Nicosia) that's divided". ,
- 'I don't that we should loose any time in overcoming that"..
- ''We should be aware of the fact that success will bring great benefits, but failure, will also have major consequences. There will not be Status Quo' " It's a question of seeking a solution, or entering another situation, which is somewhat difficult to see exactly how that could evolve", he warned.
- "That being said, this is a negotiation for Cyprus itself", Bildt admitted.
- ''We (EU) can support, the (EU) Commission primarily, be technically helpful, and then, of course, there is a specific role for the UN, when it comes to the Cyprus' situation".
- "At least so far. It might not be for ever'. Certainly not for ever, but for this period of time", Bildt added, skiping now any reference to concrete threats on UNO's Peace keeping force in face of more than 40.000 Ankara's soldiers, contrary to some Press claims, (See previous NewsReports).
Replying to another "EuroFora"'s Question, if anyone might attempt to "impose a Deadline for the conclusion" of Cyprus' Talks on December 2009, Bildt avoided to speak of any precise Time-frame, and indirectly evoked the fact that 35 Years of Turkish Invasion/Occupation obviously durated too long :
'- "If I was from Cyprus, I would say that the Deadline was Yesterday ! '",
Bildt concluded.
Cyprus' Government Spokesman, Stephanou, reportedly pointed out that "a settlement is possible on December if Turkey changes its stance", accepting a solution for the reunification of the island based on UNO resolutiona and EU principles.
Earlier, EU Chair, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeld, highlighted an "historic opportunity" to "re-Unite" Cyprus according to EU's "basic Values"' (i.e. Human Rights) and 'Rules'", in a last-minute change of his draft speech to EU Parliament in Strasbourg.
The initial Draft spoke only about "healing" the island.
Significantly, Reinfeldt linked Cyprus' reunification with Turkey's obligations to respect EU's "Values" and "follow" EU's "common Rules" :
- What is "called Membership Negotiations" should lead, "at- the end of the day", into "sharing a set of common Basic Values (i.e. Human Rights, Democracy, etc), and following common Rules", stressed Reinfeld from the outset.
- "This is something that those on the Outside (of the EU), are now contemplating", up "to Ankara", for "a solution" on "Cyprus", observed the EU Chairman, immediately afterwards..
- "Both sides of Cyprus have been granted a historic opportunity to together reach an agreement on a solution to re-Unite the island, that has been divided for far too long", said Reinfeldt, modifying his draft text.
- "The Swedish Presidency will act ...in accordance with Commitments EU has made, on the basis of Criteria that apply", "as a Honest Broker", he promised.
- "To those on the inside (of the EU), allowing the membership process to become an opportunity to solve protracted disputes, can be tempting", he added.
"In such cases, we must find solutions that can benefit both sides, and open up a way forward. Otherwise, it would jeopardize the progress we have made towards EU integration", Reinfeldt said.