EUParliament + Duma Foreign affairs Committee Chairs Brok+Pushkov to EuroFora on EU-EurAsia +Ukraine

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- Speaking to "EuroFora" at a Crucial juncture of efforts for Cease Fire and Peace at Ukraine, both Presidents of EU Parliament's and Russian Duma's Foreign affairs Committees, Elmar Brok from Germany and Alexey Pushkov from Russia, didn't hide the current Difficulties, but didn't - no more- exclude a priori the possibility for an EU - EurAsian Union deal, which might create a Huge Common Trade Area, from Portugal up to Vladivostok, able to contribute boosting much needed Economic Growth, while, at the same time, facilitating a resolution of the Ukranian issue :

- "EuroFora" reminded to both German Chancelor Angie Merkel's relevant statements, earlier this week at Budapest, together with Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban, who both seem to be the most Popular in their ChristianDemocrat/EPP group, since they have been brillantly re-Elected at least Twice in a row, and with a Growing Number of Votes, (Merkel even 3 Times, and Orban having even got an Absolue Majority of MEPs, giving him twice a political Autonomy, both in National and EU Elections on 2010 and 2014 bis).

- "We should examine also the Trade relations between Ukraine and the EU, as well as Ukraine and Russia, .. also in the context of a Business Relationship between the EurAsian Union and the EU", in order to "Advance towards a Common Economic Space", Merkel pointed out.

- It's "both me, as well as Others, (who) have said that", because it "can be Mutually Beneficial", so that this should be explored", she stressed. Even if "it's certainly a Long Process", and, meanwhile, "at the Moment", "we still have a very Tough Differend between Russia and the EU on how to deal with Ukraine", she warned : A link that Merkel had initially attempted to use, precisely, in order to Facilitate a  Compromise Solution on Ukraine, when she had anounced, back on December 2014's EU Summit in Brussels, her intention to try to .....

    + Meanwhile, at the Munich International Confernce on Security, (9 Feb. 2015) Merkel had already pointed out that  "we are also very keen to get the Long-term goal of a common economic space of Vladivostok on Lisbon closer to Vancouver. I support necessary to discussions between the European Commission and the Eurasian Union.  But I complete: The prerequisite for such talks and certainly for success is overcoming the crisis Ukraine on the basis of international law", she reportedly warned.
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- "Yes, ...I think it will Happen, indeed", positively stressed Russian Duma's International affairs Committee President, Alexey Pushkov, in reply to "EuroFora"s Question.

- But, this would rather arrive "In the Long Run", if, perhaps, "there is no Time now", then, it could be done, at least, "in the long run, I think", as he carefuly reiterated Twice.

I.e., without without ignoring the current differences of views on Ukraine, which need to be overcome now. Even if he didn't specify on this occasion, Pushkov had earlier denounced a Negatively-minded group, according to him, systematicaly targetting EU - Russia relations and acting against them, from the beginning of his speech, earlier Today at EU Parliament's  Foreign affairs Committtee, exceptionaly Full of People.

- Elmar Brok too, the long-time EU Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committe President, didn't exclude such a Possibiliy in the Future. But, for the moment, "Russia has, first, to respect International Law", he Soberly said, bécause, in fact, such Economic and Political Issues are "InterConnected", as he told "EuroFora".

Therefore, for both  issues, "the Basis is the Rule of International Law", he concluded, pointing at a Strategic issue for both matters.The USA/EU "Sanctions remain, therefore", Brok added, but without excluding, himself no more, that such a Common Area for EU and Russia, together with other EurAsia Member Countries (such as Kazakhstan, etc), could become possible, f.ex. in relation with a Compromise Deal on the Ukranian issue.

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It's, however, obviously Difficult to  over-simplify with Credibility an entire EU policy vis a vis the complexe Ukraine issue just by that point, particularly for experienced observers who have closely followed PanEuropean issues during the recent 3 or 4 Decades, given the Fact that, on the Contrary, Turkey is notoriously Continuing to openly Violate International Law, UN SC Resolutions, and the Territorial Integrity of Cyprus during more than 40 years (1974-2015) with Impunity, since the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion and Occupation of the Northern part of the island, (where Ankara has even obliged the Majority of the Population to flee Violence, usurpated all their Family Homes and private Properties, closed almost all Christian Churches, etc, still Hindering Greek Cypriot Refugees/Displaces persons to Return to their Ancestral Land and Homes, despite many Condamnations by ECHR Judgements for continuing blatant Violations of "Missing" Persons and Refugees/Displaced persons' Human Rights), without ever being Targetted by so heavy USA/EU Sanctions as Russia faced recently). On the Contrary, despite an Open Foreign Military Occupation by Ankara's Army of more than 38 % of EU and €uroZone Member Cyprus' National Territory, nevertheless, EU is Paying, each Year, almost 1 Billion € of full Grants to Turkey, since a notoriously controversial and unpopular decision of 1999 to give Ankara a "Candidate" Status vis a vis an eventual EU Enlargement until Syria, Iraq and Iran Borders, in addition to many other, at least 4 or 5 Billions € as EIB Loans yearly.

As for Trade relations, when, back on 1995, a Controversy appeared inside EU Parliament vis a vis Turkey's demand to enter EU's Customs Union, despite persisting and/or aggravating Violations of Human Rights and/or International Law, including many UN SC Resolutions and EU/COE Resolutions, on Cyprus, War Threats against Greece at the Aegean Sea, the Kurdish isssue, the Armenian Genocide, and Killings - Torture/Ill Treatment - Oppression of Freedom of Expression, etc. inside Turkey's mainland itself, etc., finaly, a Majority of MEPs accepted to Enlarge EU's Customs Union to Turkey, on the sole Condition that Ankara would simply "Promisse" to ameliorate the situation, but without taking any Binding Measure to oblige it to really do so...

Even inside the CoE's Organization for Demoracy, Human, Rights and Rule of Law, when, back on April 1995, a PanEuropean CoE Assembly's Resolution officially Warned Turkey that, if it didn't Remedy the above-mentioned Violations of PanEuropean/International Law, then, all Turkish MEPs risked to loose many of their Rights (f.ex. to Vote, participate, Speek, etc) in 6 Months' Time, finally, afterwards, on the Contrary, even if Ankara persisted Violating  PanEuropean and International Law, nevertheless, all CoE's Plans for Sanctions on Turkey were Droped, and, instead, was Created, since April 1996 in Strasbourg, a brand New CoE Parliamentary Assembly's Committee for "Monitoring" certain Member Countries was created, and exist still Today...

Last, but not least, as Chinese President Xi Jinping has already pointed out, during his March 2014 visit to Germany, France and Belgium, including to EU Headquarters, in fact, in the case of Ukraine, it's not only One, but Two International Law Principles which have been affected by the recent Incidents : First the principle of "Non Interference in the Internal Affairs" of an Independent Country, (back on Maidan Square's USA a.o. interferences, and particularly the  unelucidated yet, Deadly "Snipers" killings of both Policemen and Demonstrators, which provoked the Violent Clashes that toppled a Peaceful, Compromise Agreement for an orderly Transition of Power via Democratic Elections, brokered between former President Yanukovich and all the then Opposition Forces, under the auspices and with the participation of 3 Foreign Ministers from EU Countries : Germany, France and Poland, on February 21, 2014), and, afterwards, that of Territorial Integrity of a young State, with the Popular Referendum and Crimea's Annexation/ReUnificationn by/with Russia, later-on, in reaction, (Moscow's Government having repeatedly Warned in the recent Past that, both for GeoPolitical and Historic, as well as of Security reasons, it considered the maintainance of Crimea out of NATO possible inteerference as a "Red Line" for its own Defence : Comp. f.ex. Reply of ChristianDemocrat/EPP Party's President, experienced former long-time MEP, Joseph Daul to an "EuroFora"s Question" at Strasbourg's Press Club, as early as already since February 2014 : ....)

It's however true, as German Chancelor Merkel reiterated these Days both at the Munich International Conference on Security and at the White House, together with US President Obama, that "the Principle of Territorial Integrity of States" is "a basis of the Peaceful order in post-World War II Europe", and, therefore, should be protected.

But the Strange point is that, precisely, Russian President Vladimir Putin used to be, in the Past, one of the most important Supporters of that Principle, and Chancelor Merkel knows that well enough, since even at the 2007 G7/G8 Summit, chaired then by Germany, at Heiligendam, Putin's concluding Press Conference was full of references that he had made then in favour of States' "Territorial Integrity", mainly on the occasion of the dispute between Serbia and NATO on Kosovo, after the Colapse of the former Yugslavia, during the Wars of 1990ies - 2000ies. It was, then, some Journalists and/or Diplomats from certain NATO's Countries who appeared to have quite Differend ideas... (Comp. "EuroFora" Co-Founder's NewsReport from the Heiligendam G7/8 Summit of June 2007, published in "TCWeekly").

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However, if Pushkov reminded the case of Kosovo, Today at EU Parliament's Debates with MEPs, it was rather in order to observe that, if Serbia had accepted then "a Federal Status for Kosovo", (which had been only an Administrative Region, until then), may be War could have been avoided in whar remained from the ex-Yugoslavia. This was a way to introduce at his personal preference for a "Federal" Solution to the present, Donetsk - Luhansk problem in Eastern Ukraine, (as it has been recently "advised also by various EU Heads of State/Government", f.ex. the President of Austria, the Prime Minister of Hungary, some Top Finland's Politicians, etc) :

- "There is Nothing Wrong with a Federation :  USA is also a Federation, Germany and Russia too, Switzerland, etc", Pushkov reminded, (speaking, by a Timely Coincidence, the Same Day that Chancellor Merkel was Discussing the Ukraine issue in USA and Canada -whose Quebec might be another Peaceful Example for Kiev - just after visiting Hungary, which has already expressed Support for a Federal Solution in Ukraine, where more than 200.000 ethnic Hungarians live, as well as Austria and other Countries). But Pushkov didn't exclude at all various Other Possibilities, including that of Regions with large Autonomies inside a Unitary State, given also the fact that the current Kiev's Government has reportedly Rejected any Federal solution to the conflict.

Brok reacted in fine by pointing out, in particular, that Albanian-origin Kosovars had faced many Human Rights Violations, almost a "Genocide" attempt, by several Attacks of the former Milosevic regime's Forces in Serbia, provoking a Massive Population Displacement and "Ethnic Cleansing", etc., so that the case of Pristina would have been "exceptional", according even to International Law, etc. But Pushov had alreadu observed that, if we start speaking about so-called "Exceptional cases", vis a vis State's Territorial Integrity, then, there is a Risk to see many "Exceptional" such cases arise, here or there, according to the interests of one or another particular Country... Last, but not least : Similar language claiming to Denounce attempts of "Genocide" against a Minority, by Deadly Military Attacks of a Central Government's Army making many Civilian Victims, refusal of Direct Dialogue, Systematic Destruction of vital Infrastructures cutting Water, Electricity, Phones, Internet, Banks, Posts, Social Services and other basic Networks necessary to Civilians' everyday live, as well as Family Homes etc., imposal of Total Economic and Financial "Embargo", etc.,, as Now by Kiev's Authorities against more than 4,5 Millions of mainly Russian-speaking People at the Autonomist Regions of Donetsk/Luhansk, from whom almost 2 Millions have already been obliged to Flee as Refugees/Displaced persons, either in Russia or in other, Neighbouring Russian-Speaking areas of South-Eastern Ukraine (up to Odessa and/or Kharkiv, etc), less to Western areas of the Country, could be also another attempt to commit a differend "Genocide" Today at Eastern Ukraine, as it has, indeed, been already said by several Political Representatives of the Autonomist movement, until recently...

+ Finally, Ukraine's own "Sovereignity Declaration", for the 1st Time in History less than 24 Years ago (1991), figures in the Same Text which also proclaims its Choice for "a permanently Neutral State that does Not participate in Military Blocs".  A similar trend, mutatis mutandis, exists also at the 1994 Budapest Memorandum about the DeNuclearization of the country, which has also been a Member of the "Non-Aligned" International Movement. Ukraine's "Neutrality" and "Non participation in Military Blocks" was also enshrined from the Start, at its 1st Constitution of 1996. In addition, a Non-Aligned status had even been explicitly stressed in the Ukranian Constitution of 2010, as well as relevant National policy Laws, (until their recent Abolitions during the recent Troubled period between Kiev's Deadly "Snipers" and Violent Clashes topling the 1st Peace Agreement on 21 February 2014, and the subsequent Kiev Military's recurrent Attacks against Autonomist Regions of Lugansk/Luhansk which followed from April 2014 up to February 2015, making almost 6.000 Killed People, including many Civilians). So that, together with a Long Series of International Law elements, it's also the Examples of Switzerland's, Austria's and Finland's Neutrality and Non-Aligned Status, which naturaly plead for the respect of a similar course for Ukraine, (otherwise risking to dangerously approach, on the Contrary, a Problematic situation between ... Turkey and Syria, that Nobody wants inside Europe).

In consequence, when exceptional Violent Incidents brutaly reverse Ukraine's Historic legal and geopolitical link between its "Sovereignity" and its "Neutral" character (Comp. Supra), one may legitimately Wonder about Who has really Violated International Law first !...

Moreover, even the 1994 Budapest "Memorandum" which speaks about "Respect (of) Independence and Sovereignity ... of Ukraine", it does so in an absolutely Different, if not entirely Opposite Context : That of the "Development of a (PanEuropean) Security System that embrace all the CSCE States", with "the Evolution ...of TransAtlantic and Regional Mechanisms of Security in a manner that enhances the Security and Stability of all CSCE States", in a "process of Building ... an UnDivided Europe", and a "Common European Security space", with "the End of the Confrontation between Blocs of the Cold War", (as its accompagnying documents stress ,: f.ex. the Budapes declaration of Russia, Ukraine, the UK and USA's leaders, of 5 December 1994, on "the Evolution of European Security Architecture" ). Obviously, the original move wasn't at all aimed at bringing Cold War's NATO Lethal Military Weapons so close to Moscow...

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MEPs applaude Call for common Priority to Fight against "ISIL"s Extremists Islamic Terrorists beheaders.
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 - Meanwhile, Pushkov attracted Applause from various MEPs when he observed, in substance, that, in fact, Today, it's not Russia which Threatens EU Countries, but the notorious Extremist Islamist Terrorist of ISIL's BeHeaders, particularly after their Deadly Armed Attacks against even Civilians, have recently Killed critical Journalists and Jewish People in Paris, Brussels, etc, (while New, Massive such Dangers risk to emerge even at the Mediterranean Neighbourhoud of Europe, it ISIL Terrorists prevail at the on-going Clashes between various opposed Armed Groups in Libya, facing Italy, Greece, Malta and France)...

 - "Even if the EU - Russia Strategic Partnership might have been droped by some, recently, nevertheless, we feel that both Russia and the EU still remain important Countries belonging to the European Continent, and, therefore, we have to find ways to cooperate in Peace, the President of Duma's Foreign affairs Committee also added in his Speech to EU Parliament's equivalent Committee headed by Brok.

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    - One of the most Important Points for Peace in Ukraine is obviously that of the "Future Status", both of the Country as a whole, (f.ex. Neutrality or NATO, Accession to the EU or not, only EU Trade Area or also EurAsian Union's, etc), as well as, in particularn, of the Donetsk/Luhansk Regions held by the Autonomists, (f.ex. Federal status or Regional DeCentralisation inside a Unitary State, which Competences will be left at Local/Regional level instead of being Centralized at Kiev, etc), Pushkov observed.

    => In this regard, as well as vis a vis several other Crucial aspects of Cease-Fire/Peace Talks, he strongly pleaded for all People directly concerned - and, in particular, the pro-Autonomists of Donetsk/Luhansk areas- to be able to Speak and be Heard at the Negotiations' Table at a really inclusive, direct Dialogue.

    Given the Fact that even EU and €uroZone Member Country Cyprus' President is often obliged to sit at the Same Table for Peace Talks  (several times even in the presence of UNO's Secretary General) as a Turkish Cypriot Minority leader Hidden behind more than 40.000 Foreign Invasion and Occupation Army from Neighbouring Ankara, which Ostensibly Controls more than 38% of the Country's Territories since 1974, (including in many Foreign Military Camps, etc), despite many UN SC Resolutions condemning that, one might, indeed, find at least Astonishing, if not a sign of Blatant Double standards, that, on the Contrary, Ukranian President Poroshenko hasn't send, until now, not even one (1) simple Civil Servant or other Official from the Ukranian Government to represent it in Talks with the Political Leaders that the Donetsk/Luhansk Regions' Autonomists have elected in an area that Kiev claims to be Secretly supported by only a Few Thousands of Volunteers including from nearby Russia, (whose supposed presence still remains so Discreet that Nobody else has ever practicaly noticed !)....

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    Meanwhile, in reply to a complaint by "Green" Group co-Chair, German MEP Rebecca Harms for the Fact that, apparently in reply to several EU Sanctions against Russia, she had been probably Black-listed and recently hindered to meet NGO activists there, President Pushkov anounced his intention to officialy Invite all EU Parliament's MEPs of the Foreign Affairs Committee to Moscow for further Dialogue on the Ukraine issue developments, and promissed her that she wouldn't have no more to bother by kind of "Visa" problems in such cases.

    However, Harms, who told later to "EuroFora" that she had already been "invited" in Russia, in the meantime, expressed afterwards her astonishment : - "What could we talk about ?" (in Moscow), she criticaly Wonderd in substance, taking us by surprize on that point, given her Group's, and herself's traditional preference for Dialogue and Debates on all "Hot" issues.     The No 1 natural Answer being  : - "About how to Stop the Ukraine War", we (erroneously) skiped the (too) Obvious, and spontaneously Smiled, simply expressing our belief that "- "You are certainly able to Find some interesting Issues to discuss" Today between EU and Russia...         

    But a much Better Answer could be : -  Since "we Stand on the side of Peace and want Peace" on the Ukranian Conflict, in consequence, "We accept only .. what Leads Towards Peace", but "Not whatever might Deepen Conflicts. This is a Rock-Solid ...Foreign Policy position", as, by coincidencen, stressed this Same Day, an interlocutor of German Chancellor Angie Merkel, Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban, to whom she chose to pay an official Visit earlier Today, at Budapest :  I.e. the City in which had been issued the 1994 Declaration for Ukraine's Independence inside a New European Security mechanism, without any more "Cold War Military Blocks", but just "one, UnDivided Europe", and a "Common European Security space" for "all OSCE Countries", as those who had given Ukraine, for the 1st Time in History, an "Independent" status in Neutrality (as f.ex. in Switzerland, Austria and Finland, etc), Dreamed then to create throughout all the European Continent (Comp. Supra)...   

   A fortiori, since Today, Warnings about Risks for Deadly and Destructive War to intensify and even Spread further have multiplied, while, already, in Ukraine, more than 5.400 Victims have been Killed, added recently to another 242 Cilviians Dead at Donetsh/Luhansk Autonomist Regions only since January 2015, and almost 2 Millions Refugees/Displaced People, (mainly towards Russia or other Russian-Speaking areas of Ukraine's South-East), a German Media having recently even claimed that the Real Number of Casualties would be rather Closer to 55.000 Victims all in all, added to a growing "Humanitarian Catastroph" provoked by quasi-systematic Destructions, massive Cuts, Blockades, etc. which hit a Population that totaled more than 4,5 Millions People in the Autonomist Lugansk/Luhansk regions, as President Pushkov  reminded Today MEPs, citting particularly UNO's and local, original sources from the spot, etc, from the outset of his Speech to EU Parliament's Foreign affairs Committee, at the Eve of Tomorrow's (Tuesday's) Plenary Debate on Ukraine, before the forthcoming EU Brussels' informal Summit of Thursday, February 12, 2015.