EUDefense Coop with 3 FrancoGerman AirFighters+EUROCORPS in Strasbourg Later Enlarged to UK in Paris

*Strasbourg/Rhine Palace-Republic Square/Angelo Marcopolo/- It's in front of the superbe Rhine Palace, at Republic's Square, Top of the landmark "NeueStad" Historic part of Strasbourg City, recently Classified by UNESCO, that EU's Franco-German core, Symbolicaly kickStarted Today, by a "First", UnPrecedented Joint Flight of 3 AIrFighter Planes : 1 "EuroFighter" from Germany, and 2 "Rafales" from France, (See Photo), followed by "EUROCORPS"" Army HeadQuarters' Top Staff pioneer 9 EU Countries: 5 Framework Nations (France, Germany, Spain, Luxembourg, Belgium), and 4 Associated (Greece, Italy, Romania, Poland), a Movement towards a Wider European Defense Cooperation, UK included, due to be Highlighted Tomorrow in Paris.

The Main Symbol of this 2019 celebration of the French National Day in Strasbourg, i.e. the Joint Flight of 3 Fighter Airplanes from France and Germany, (which crossed Twice the Sky above the Officials and the People gathered for the Traditional Event, most vainly Trying to See those too Fast-Moving Flying Objects),

is Obviously a Timely Reminder of the Recent Franco-German Political Will to Create soon, Together, 1 New Joint Fighter Airplane of Top Efficiency, for the foreseable Future.

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EUROCORPS, already Created since 1993 in Strasbourg, has aquired an Important Experience for a really Multi-National and Multi-Modal (i.e. operating in Land, Sea, Air/Space) Force's Headquarters' Staff, by Leading Top Missions inter alia, also, f.ex. at Kosovo, Afganistan, Mali, Central Africa, etc. It can serve also as "Rapid Action Force" for NATO.

Currently it's Germany which holds the Rotating Presidency of 2 Years, with EUROCORPS' Commander the Lieutenant-General Jürgen Weigt, (See, f.ex., Eurocorps Commander's replies to "Eurofora" Questions at: ..., etc). But from September 2019, it's France which will take over the Presidency for 2019-2021.

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On the Contrary, the Subsequent relevant Event, which is due to Follow in Paris on Sunday (14/7/2019), significantly will include also the UK, among 10 European Nations, (France, Germany, UK, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Denmark, Estonia and Finland), on the framework of the "European Initiative for Intervention", created just 1 Year Earlier on an idea advanced mainly by New French President Emmanuel Macron, in order to "Share a Strategic Culture" in Europe, (including also Non-NATO Countries, as Finland).

Meanwhile, recently, France and Germany have Agreed also on the Creation of a "European Defense Council", Together with the UK, due to function even After an eventual "BREXIT", (i.e. probably After the current Deadline of October 31st, 2019).

In other words, Today Strasbourg emerges anew as a Symbol of Core EU Cooperation on Defense, (Often strongly Supported by EU Parliament), spearheaded by the Franco-German "engin", and including several Pioneer EU Countries, while, Tomorrow, in Paris, it will be mainly about a Wider Spectrum, designed to include also a "Post-BREXIT" UK, a NO-NATO Finland, etc, in the foreseable Future.

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Thus, it's Also a German Army Brigade, (Nowadays the "291st JägerBataillon"), Recently Hosted inside France, (as a French Brigade is also Hosted at Nearby Germany), which Participated to Strasbourg's event Today, and was kindly Applauded by the People, (as well as, naturally, the EUROCORPS).

But the Most Popular Favorite related trans-national unit, still remains, that which stands Closer to the People's everyday lives : the Franco-German ...Bike Squad, lively Applauded once again, as also in the recent Past !

French Gendarmes' and Police's Motorcyclists, as well as Fire-Fighters, were also Popular, (particularly the "New" Unit of "Young Fire-Fighters" trainees, including several Children, who concluded the 2019 Parade, applauded).

The overall Ceremony was placed under the Direction of Strasbourg's Military Governor, (who is due to Protect also EU Parliament's plenaries', CoE's and Schengen System's Secretariat's Headquarters, located here), General Ollier (Commander of the 2nd Armored Brigade),

who saluted also the 3 other Brigades of French Army forming the Main Bulk of the parade, (including even some Heavily Armed Guys ...led by a Woman ! But we are in the Country of Historic "Joan of Arc", whose Statute guards also Strasbourg's "European" Commuity's Church of Saint-Guillaume, nearby...).

General Ollier Surprised by taking the unusual Initiative to Salute also the various Invitees' present on the spot Today, arriving almost aside "Eurofora"s Press Photograph-taking post !...

Last, but not least, among the List of Officers awarded a "Legion d'Honneur" distinction by General Ollier, in our Times of not only Terrorist Risks, but also ..."Global Warming", (with most France, and particularly Strasbourg, having been the Target of a Record-High "HeatWave" from Africa, just a few Days ago), it's not only "Intelligence" Officers, but also a Medical Doctor, and even a ..."Meteorologist" who were chosen to be honoured this year.

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But, at the Same Time, Defense Issues become more and more Important for Europe in our Troubled Neighbourhood Nowadays, as Highlights, inter alia, also the Fact that the New Italian Minister for EU Affairs, Lorenzo Fontana, (close to popular vice-Prime Minister Mateo Salvini), who was appointed just a Few Days ago, notoriously considers that it's even the Historic "Roots of (Modern) Europe", which are linked with the Famous "Lepante Naval Battle" of 1.571, where a United European Army succeeded to Win against an Ottoman-Turc Military Ship Attack, taking the Lead throughout the Mediterranean Sea, which remained basically in Peace afterwards, after the European Countries (with a Strong Popular Support then) had decided to Concentrate their Forces in order to Punish the Massacre of Venician Soldiers who used to Guard Famagusta City in Cyprus, but had been Obliged by the Turks to render their arms in front of many Attacks, in exchange of a Promise to let them Go Free, which was, Later, Betrayed by the Ottoman-Turk Army, by Slaughtering those who had committed the Tragic Error to Trust them...

Lepante is, indeed, a landmark Historic Top Point in Europe's History, particularly because of that Popular European Cooperation on Defense, which Succeeded to bring Peace in the previously troubled Mediterannean Sea, since 1571, as, Later-on, it Started to be done also on the mainLand, f.ex. with the Succesful Defense of Wien, Austria's Capital City (1683), followed by the Liberation of Budapest (1691), the Capital of Hungary, (Semi-Occupied, until then, by the Ottoman-Turk Military Invasion and Occupation), and Afterwards All Hungary (1699), with a Growing Popular Support and Enthousiasm, as well as the English and the Russians Fighting, side by side, with the Italians, French and German-Speaking People, even the Russians, etc., at the Beginnning of the Historic Century of "Enlightenment".

- "Eurofora" (without going as far as Minister Fontana) had already used the Historic Reference to Lepante's Naval Battle of 1571, on December 2017, during the EU Summit in Brussels which Organized a special "PESCO" Event for the Beginning of EU Defense High-Tech Projects' Funding, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/euhistoricdefenceevent.html), in order to Mark, with Friendly Irony, the Fact that such a Welcome, but Delayed Move, in fact, came ... "4,5 Centuries After the 1st European Army Victory" !

What to fill with Humility, but also Consciousness of the Duty to Take Good Care of the Few but potentially Important, European Defense Building Blocks, Nowadays existing in Strasbourg and elsewhere, at least the present French Local Officials, MEPs, National Assembly's vice-President and other MPs, "Great-East" Region vicce-President, Strasbourg's "Euro-Metropole" President, Prefect, Commander, etc., who closed this exceptionaly Simple, but Symbolic 2019 Annual Parade in fine...

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