CoE Secretary General Jagland to EuroFora:If EU-3rd Countries links(+Enlargment) focus on Criteria..

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- If EU Heads of State/Government, including new French President François Hollande, really will to use EU incitments and/or sanctions in order to convince 3rd Countries to respect Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, the PanEuropean Council of Europe (CoE), whose main mission is precisely to pursue these specific issues throughout 47 Countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, and the Western Balkans, etc., even Turkey, will be glad to fully and closely cooperate with the EU in order to achieve that objective, which is also one of the "keys" towards building a Unique great Legal Space throughout all European and Neighbooring Countries, said in substance CoE's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland from Norway, replying to "EuroFora"s questions.

- CoE's efforts to promote Democratic "Legal Standards and Human Rights", "cannot be (fully) succesful if it doesn't cooperate with the EU", because it's only then that it could use the persuasion "the Big Carrot of the EU" : Otherwise, it would be "impensable" that some Foreign Neighbouring Countries would really make the required Reforms, unless "because they feel an EU Leverage", as Jagland observed earlier.

 - Pointing at this key issue, "EuroFora" asked CoE's  Secretary General, if he expected f.ex. from New French President Hollande, who had shown, during the recent Electoral campaign, a preference to focus on the need to fullfil EU "Criteria", instead of the GeoPolitical and Historic/Cultural Identity of a 3rd, Neighbouring Country, as "European", or not, concerning Enlargement claims, (as, f.ex. on Turkey, where he notoriously said to "EuroFora" on March 2012 that Ankara does not meet EU Criteria for the moment, but without excluding that it might happen "in (an undetermined yet) Future : See our relevant NewsReport at : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/hollandeoneuturkey.html ) , might, eventually, push to boost that "EU Leverage which is the "Carrote" and "Sanction" approach, according to each Country's

 - "If it happens, I will be glad to give a Hand" to help realize that, positively but carefully replied CoE's Secretary General, Thorbjorn Jagland,  to "EuroFora"s Question, after hearing it repeatedly in order to be sure...

+ At any case, "anywhere there is no Rule of Law", nor "Courts without Corruption, its Impossible for the EU to Enlarge", he also pointed out earlier, warning as a matter of general Principle, stressing "CoE's Legal Expertise and ECHR's judgements", while also  calling for a close EU - CoE cooperation for a PanEuroepan "great but Unique Legal Space, including also Non-EU Countries such as Russia and Tukey", as he said, particularly on the occasion of ECHR's case-law.

    + EU Commissioner on Enlargement and Neighbourhood policy, Stefan Fule, had previously spoken also about "Sanctions", vis a vis recalcitrant 3rd Countries, and concluded by stressing also EU Funds' role "in favour of Democracy and Human Rights", , as well as EU's will to work together with "CoE as an Equal Partner" in that regard.

    Turkey has notoriously a Record-High Number of ECHR's condemnations for particularly serious Violations of Human Rights, and is also No 1 in Delaying and/or Failing to implement key ECHR's Judgements, as CoE's latest 2012 Annual Report confirms, (See relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReport, published on April 2012 : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/pacechairmignonjudgementsexecution.html ).

    + Significantly, meanwhile, EU Parliament's draft Report on Foreign and Neighbohood policy, prepared by  Elmar Brok (Comp. Supra), adds, for the 1st time, a criticism against those "Outdated" EU - Partnerships which have, sometimes, "became Obsolete" or (even) Counter-Productive"...

=> Today, and in particular, 3 years after the entry into force of the EU Lisbon Treaty, (which created the posts of EU Council President and EU Foreign Minister, as well as an 6000 brand new Diplomats-strong EU External Service, as well as new possibilities for "Reinforced Cooperations" including, possibly, on issues related to Defence), "Europe needs a High-Level Leadership" on Foreign Policy, and, therefore, "we (EU) must make it fully Political", stressed FAC's Chairman, Brok.