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Αρχική arrow newsitems arrow EUC Officer to EF: Despite Agenda Changes EU Summit has Time for in Depth+Thorough Debate on Turkey

EUC Officer to EF: Despite Agenda Changes EU Summit has Time for in Depth+Thorough Debate on Turkey

Έχει γραφτεί από ACM
Τετάρτη, 30 Σεπτέμβριος 2020
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*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Despite a Spectacular multiplied Metamorphosis of EU Summit's Agenda (See Infra) on the "Hot" Issue of Turkey's Bullying against European Energy Resources at the Eastern Mediterranean, with which EU Heads of State/Government are going to Deal Tomorrow Evening in Brussels, they Should be Able to Discuss that "Thoroughly" and "in Depth", "Because it's a Really Important Issue", told "Eurofora" an EU Council's Senior Officer Today, (speaking under Condition of Anonymity, Because of the Sensitive nature of that Issue), while the "Bumpy" Ramifications of such a Delicate matter have Ping-Ponged Even around the ...Belarus' Issue Recently, and are Now having inevitable Interactions Also at the Latest, manifold Ankara's Military Interference in the Nagorno-Karabakh Bloody Conflict, between Armenia and Azerbaijan, at the Caucasus.

    - "Eurofora" had Asked, about EU's "Extraordinary" Summit of October 1 and 2 in Brussels, whether the UnUsual Fact that it had, Initially, been Announced as Focused on EU's Energy Resources in South-Eastern Mediterranean, around EU Members Cyprus and Greece, Notoriously Bullied by Turkey's illegal "Drillings" at their EEZ, its WarShips, Provocations and Even Threats, But Later was Extended to several Other, Also, Foreign Policy Topical Issues, (from Belarus and the Navalny affar in Russia, up to ...China and, Nowadays, Nagorno-Karabakh at the Caucasus, and, Finaly, saw its 2nd Day being Dedicated entirely into Strengthening EU's "Resilience" at Economy, and Particularly its Common Market, Industry, and Digital Transformation, (Adding Even a Last-Minute Word for the Notoriously Time-Veracious Old Issue of ..."BREXIT", Promissed to be now ..."Brief"  : sic !), while, Moreover, Suddenly Postponing its Initialy Scheduled Dates of September 24-25 until the Beginning of October, under Health Safety pretexts., Before, Even, Announcing that the Turkish Issue would be Debated at a "Working Diner", didn't Risk to Affect EU's Officialy Declared Intention to Really Hold a Serious "in Depth Discussion" on that matter.

 - In Fact, "the Idea was, Originaly, to have an In Depth Debate on the Eastern Mediterranean, Already in the First Half of the Year, on June 2020. But it wasN't possible, because of the COVID" Virus", Replied to "Eurofora" the well-informed EU Council's Senior Officer.

 -  Indeed, "We (EUC) Believed that we Need a <<Physical>> (Not just Virtual, i.e. merely by Remote Video-Conference) Summit for This (kind of) Discussion", he revealed.  

 This Obviously Includes the Possibility to Hold various <<Bilateral>> Meetings, on the Sidelines, as, f.ex., that of EU Council President Michel with Cyprus' President Anastassides, which comes among the First, Already Before the Beginning of the Summit...

At least one of the main Reasons, probably is the Fact that Someone (UnNamed) took the Responsibility, at a Foreign Ministers' meeting, Earlier in Brussels (21/9/2020), to Block, Then, or Postpone any Sanctions on Turkey, Contrary to an Agreement reached Previously at Berlin by EU's FMs, to Advance "in Parallel", on eventual Sanctions versus Belarus and Turkey, withOut "Double Standards". Such an Attempt to Drop EU Agreements, Triggered a Reaction, by Cyprus' MFA, who Reminded that Berlin's Deal, (as Also Supported several EU Member Countries then, including Greece, Denmark, France, Austria, Slovakia, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta, etc), and asked to Transmit Belarus', as Also Turkey's Issues to the forthcoming EU Summit, (See: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/greececyprusoneuturkeybelarus.html).

    -=> So, "we said that we Want to have this at the Agenda of the European Council". In consequence, "this way, we have the ExtraOrdinary Council, (of, at First, September 24-25, and Afterwards, October 1-2), in order to put also the Question of East Med. and Turkey on the Agenda", the EUC Official continued.

    - Now, "I Know that the Situation at the International scene is what it is,.., and, this way, we have ...(also some Other).. Topic(s). We Have to Discuss Belarus, Nagorno-Karabah", etc. (Significantly, he didN't Remind Also Navalny/Russia, China, etc, since they Obviously are, Comparatively, Less "Hot" or "Urgent" Issues...).

    In Addition to the Complications that Turkey's issue provoked even to the Belarusian case (Comp. Supea), it's Largely in the Armenia - Azerbaijan Bloody Conflict that Ankara's Negative Interference Started  to be Revealed in its Worst Version :  1) Nobody Else Incited so Loudly and Shamelessly the Azeris to Attack the Armenians (Not Even ...Pakistan ou Turkmenistan), withOut any remorse, not even steming from the Historic Armenian Genocide...  2) It's the Second Time in a Row this same Year 2020 that Turkey Backed the Azeris to Attack the Armenians, as Ankara had Already done on July, (by a "Coincidence", just a Few Days after the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his Family, Wife and 3 Children; had Suddenly been All Infected by the Virus, since the End of June ! See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/manyconservativeshitbyvirus.html). 3) Turkey notoriously Backs Azerbaijan in these Deadly Clashes, inter alia, with Killer Drones, WarPlanes and Helicopters, Tanks, Rockets, etc, and Other Lethal Weapons, reportedly providing even Military Training on the spot. 4) Nowadays, the Most Worrying Aggravation (Dangerous for All Europe) is that of Extremist Islamist Armed Gangs reportedly Send by Turkey to the Caucasus from Anatolia Plateau, Occypied Syria, and/or Libya, etc., as Paid Mercenaries, to Dop Azeris' Attacks against the Armenians ! Turkey had Already done so, Recently, in Invaded and Occupied Idlib, Afrin, N/E. Kurdish Syrian Regions, inside Civil War-ridden Libya, et.. But it's the 1st Time that Foreign Jihadist Armed Gangs Massively Intrude inside a Geographicaly, Politicaly and Culturally European Land, (and, particularly, at one among the 1st Countries in World History to be Christianized : Home of Armenian People, Also the 1st to face Genocide in the 20th Century, by Turks)... The Story was, Initialy, brokered out by a Investigative Independent Journalist at the Middle East, afterwards Documented and consideraby Enlarged by the London-Based "SOHR" Human Rights NGO, (specialized in Syria), Followed by "the Guardian", "Deuters" Press Agency, and Other Mainstream Medias, Before being reportedly Verified also by the Armenian Government, and Today Denounced by Russian Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov, (etc)... 5) To that, were recently Added, also, Converging Press, Human Rights' NGOs and other Sources (including "SOHR", etc) about the Shocking Fact that, apparently, Turkey had Even ...Planified, and Earlier PREPARED, Many Days Before the Events of that Bloody "Clash" between Armenians and Azeri, to Send such Syrian or Other Jihadi Mercenaries to the Caucasus : F.ex., Some had Already been Pepared to Go there around 21 or 22 September, But, at the Last Minute, their Transfert was Postponed (NDLR : ...As the EU Summit itself !) for Nowadays...

6) Last, but not least, Photos and Official Denonciations by the Erevan Government Emerged Today, also about an Armenian  "Sukhoi" AirPlane being Hit and Destroyed (with its Pilote Killed) by an "F16" WarPlane of Turkey itself.

--------------------

- "If this is not a really Concrete Answer", continued the EU Council's Official, in his Reply to the Above-mentioned "Eurofora" Question, "...I Know that (EU) Leaders" are interested... And "We'll  See if Leaders Advance Further"... But, at any case, "We (at EU Council's Organisation in Brussels) Want to Give them the Possibility to take the Time to Discuss that (Turkey) Thoroughly", he stressed.

=> - So, that, "I doN't know if this might be going up to the Middle of the Night (Tomorrow, October 1st), But it Might be, Because it's a Really Important Issue !", he agreed, in conclusion.

----------------------

- Earlier, the EUC Senior Official had Confirmed that "EU is Concerned for the Stability of the Region" at the Eastern Mediterranean, and has "Full Solidarity to Cyprus and Greece", vis a vis Turkey's Bullying (Comp. Supra), as EU's General Interest for Unique European Energy Resources there, (at an Area Geologicaly Equivalnt to USA's Enrgy-Rich "Gulf of Mexico"), particularly Since the Northern Sea's deposits have, Notoriously, been Exhausted, goes withOut saying...

=> For that purpose, in Brussels, there is an Intention to "Use All Instruments at the Disposal of the EU", he also confirmed, (using a Formula Similar to that of the "Joint Declaration" at the Latest "MED-7" Summit at Corsica Island, in France, 10/9/2020 : See ..., etc).

+ Among them, a suggestion by EUC President Michel reportedly is, Also, to organize "an international Conference", inter alia, including in order to extend "Multilateral, and Not Only Bilateral, Deals", f.ex. "on Migration, Borders" (i.e. EEZ), etc, he added.

- When Others Asked What might be, Perhaps, "the Carrot" for Turkey, he thoughtfully pointed f.ex. towards an Eventual UpGrading of EU  Turkey's "Customs Union", (i.e. one among Erdogan's recently cited Desiderata : See ..., etc).

- Among the Probable "Sanctions", other wellI-informed Diplomatic Sources, reportedly pointed at Either "More Persons and/or Entities (i.e. Compagnies, etc) from Turkey, to be registered in EU Sanctions' List", and/or some "Economic Measures", particularly "Ready to Use, so that Turkey Knows" what might happen, According to its Behavior, (etc).

---------------------------------------

+ 2nd Metamorphosis ?

-----------------------------------------

- Meanwhile, almost Parallel to EUC's AGENTA's above-mentioned "Metamorphosis", (Comp. Supra), it seems that it's Also anOther one, a kind of "2nd Metamorphosis", (even More "Spectacular" than the 1st, which closely Followed, concerning, this time, ...Turkey's APPARENT BEHAVIOR !

- Indeed, While, Until about 21-22 September 2020 (Included), Turkish Top Officials Multiplied Various Obviously Excessive Demands, Provocations, Insults and Threats, etc., (as, f.ex., Ankara's Defense Minister Akar, who had, Just, Brutaly Ordered Greece to "Shut Up, or Become a <<Mezes>>", (piece of Meat to be Eaten), and President Erdogan, who had just Asked the EU for "proposals which Fit Realities", and  Concessions such as : Free Visa, Upgrade EU-Turkey Customs Union, Migration, Recognition of the illegal Military Invasion/Occupation in Cyprus, DisArmament of Greek Islands, etc, Or, Eitherwise, "Fight !" , (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/turkeygastalksthornyeucredibilityrisk.html, etc),

Suddenly, Only Hours Ago, Erdogan reportedly send a Letter to the EU on the forthcoming Summit, where he Apparently Claimed to stand for "Dialogue", and Even "the International Law" (sic !)...

+ In Parallel, there were Reciproqual mentions about Resuming, Soon, "Exploratory Talks" with Greece.

---------------------------------

=> But, Did Ankara Really Change its Negative Stance, at the Last Minute ?

- In Fact, it doesN't seem so, at all, Many Converging Facts show... F.ex., among (many) others :


- Ankara did Not even Send its Letter to EU Members Greece and Cyprus, Turkish Media Boast.

- Turkey Even Claims that the State of Cyprus would have been ..."Dissolved" (sic) !

- Ankara Seeks to Impose a Recognition of its illegal Millitary Invasion and Occupation of the Northern Territories of Cyprus, (clearly Condemned by the UNO), by Asking for it to be given a full Place inside an "InterGovernemental" Organisation called Mediterranean Forum, (recently Created by Greece, Cyprus and Egypt, together with Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordany and Italy, soon France, etc, to Help Develop South-Eastern Mediterranean Energy Sources, and Transport them to mainland Europe, according to the International Law of the Sea).

- Erdogan even Asks to practicaly Impose a VETO, (sic !),of the illegal Invasion/Occupation, Break Away Regime at the Territories of Cyprus still Controlled by Ankara's Foreign Army, (that the UNO has Condemned, and Nobody Recognizes),  on ...Any Deal with Oil/Gas Compagnies around Cyprus, (by its Legitimate and Internationaly Recognized Central Government) ...

- He Accuses the EU for "Indifference", and to hold "UnJust", "Partial", and "UnConditionaly ... Maximalistic theses", Asking Europe to "Drop" them all.

- But Turkey's Letter does Not Even Mention Once the UNO's competent here "International Treaty on the Law of the Sea", (that Ankara stubornaly Refuses to Sign, Neither Ratify)...

- Instead, Ankara Demands that "the Delimitation" of Sea "Areas" is made in what it ll Vaguely calls "Equitable, Just and Fair way", "in accordance with ... the Protection of Our (Turkey's) Sovereign Rights, and Jurisdiction over Our (Turkey's) Continental Shelf".

- Erdogan explicitly Calls to practically Exploit EU Members Greece and Cyprus' Oil/Gas Resources, (according to the UN Law of the Sea), as a "Basis" for Pushing to "Form a Wider EU" (i.e. Enlarged until Iraq, Syria, Azerbaijan, Iran, etc), with Turkey inside !

(Etc.+...)

----------------------------

+ Moreover, in order to Further Mark their Violent "Beliquoso" Profile and Claims, Ankara's highest State Authorities, have reportedly Just Published a Shelf-Made Video with Gross Nationalist and Militarist Propaganda, DisFiguring History, to Praise a Naval "Battle" by Medieval former long-time ..."Pirate", Hayrettin Pasha Barbarossa, (Died on 1546 : Nothing to do with the Failed NAZI Military Invasion of Russia, which Notoriously Ended at their 1st Big Defeat on 1941, at Stalingrad, Nowadays Volgograd).

That Turkish "Barbarossa", reportedly "Hating" the Spanish and Portuguese Navigators (according to "Britannica" Enyclopedia), Attacked and Asservissed Algeria and Tunisia, throwing them Later Under the Former Turkish-Ottoman Empire's jug, as a "Base of Piracy Against the Italian Coast", while both himself and his successors "Ravaged the Mediterranean Coastal Towns and Villages" too, with "Piracy", particularly After a Battle at "Preveza" (Ancient and Nowadays Greece), which practicaly "Captured" the "Eastern Mediterranean (sic !) for the Turks", Back on 1538, so that the Sultan appointed him "Admiral in Chief of the Ottoman Empire", something that Nowadays' Ankara seeked to ..."Glorify" on 2020, (and at the Same Moment that Erdogan Attempted to Mislead EU's Summit in Brussels, by Hyporciticaly Claiming to speak about ..."Dialogue" and "Law" (sic ! - Comp. Supra)...

Unfortunately for that kind of Turkey, (But Fortunately for Europe), Soon Afterwards, on 1571, a United European Army Brillantly and Definitively Won a Landmark Victory against that Ottoman-Turkish Fleet, in a Grandiose Historic and much Greater Naval Battle at Neighbouring "Lepante" (also Ancient and Nowadays Greece), which Notoriously put an End to "Piracy" and other Turkish Aggressions in the Mediterraean Sea, (being Considered, in Fact, as "the Beginning of Modern European History", according to an Experienced former EU Affairs Minister of Italy : See also ..., etc)...

This 1st move by a United European Force, was Followed, Later-on, Also by a Long Series of Other such Victories on the Declining Former Medieval Ottoman-Turk Empire, F.ex., including 1683 at Wien, 1696 at Budapest, etc., until the New Greek Revolution from 1821, anOther big United PanEuropean (Together with Russia), Naval Victory at Navarino (1828), etc., up to the Collapse of the Former Medieval Ottoman-Turk Empire, and the Arrival of the New Greek Army at just ...40 km Distance from Ankara on 1921...

+Significantly, that Historic 1st United Europe's Naval Victory at Lepante, had been initialy Motivated by an Horrible Massacre of Venician and Greek Prisoners, at ...Cyprus' "Famagusta" Seaport, (Facing Syria, Lebanon and Israel SeaCoasts, nowadays), grossly Betraying the Agreements that they had concluded earlier...

--------------------------------------

+ Nowadays Too, until this Eve of a Crucial EU Summit in Brussels, mainly on Eastern Mediterranean EU Energy Resources and Turkey's illegal Bullying there, (Comp. Supra), as the above-mentioned EU Council's Senior Official (Comp. Supra) observed in fine,

Even if there might be "some Good things", as the Currently Expected Return of Turkey to the "Exloratory Talks" with Greece, that Ankara had Quited Since 2016, After about 10 Years withOut notable Results,

Nevertheless, "there are Also Bad things", such as, f.ex., that Recent New "NAFTEX" of 15 September by Turkey, applicable Until 12 October, (the Unique Point that EU Parliament clearly "Condemned" with a quasi-Unanimous MEPs' Vote, earlier these Days in Brussels (See : ..., etc), which Sends again 2 illegal "Driling" Ships, as usual Escorted by Turkish WarShips, inside EU Member Cyprus' EEZ, (i.e., there Where the Most, already Proven, European Energy Resources are Located, those around Greece Still Having to be Confirmed).

Significantly, 1 of those 2 illegal Turkish "Drilling" Ships is, Provocatively, Named ..."Barbaros" (sic !) by Ankara, referring to the Above-mentioned former Medieval ..."Pirate, Hayrettin Pasha Barbarossa" ! (Comp. Supra).

---------------------------

In other words, as Experienced Cyprus' President Nicos Anastassiades, has reportedly just Stressed, Today, shortly Before Leaving the Island for Tomorrow's EU Summit in Brussels,

>>> in Substance, "Only (EU) Acts, No Words, Could Make Turkey Move !"...

 

(../..)

 

("Draft-News")

 

---------------------------------

 

 

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People in Europe and the World expect from CoE to make a succes of its "Monitoring" for Human Rights and Democracy, despite difficulties, said Finland's President Tarja Halonen to "EuroFora" at a crucial moment for the mecanism built 15 years ago by the paneuropean organization which celebrates its 60th Anniversary in 2009.

Halonen, known as "Mother" of CoE's "Monitoring" mecanism, a long-time MEP and former Foreign Minister before becoming Finland's President, holds a long experience in the mattter, after also serving twice as CoE and EU Chairwoman in the past. That's why she is well placed to judge how CoE's "monitoring" should deal today with some crucial issues of importance both to CoE and to the EU.

The move came just a Month before a crucial, last visit to Turkey, scheduled for June, by the President of CoE''s "Monitoring" Committee, Ukranian MEP Serge Holovaty, to finalize his Report on Ankara, the CoE Member State with the longest Monitoring procedure. From its results depends its overall credibility.

This is a Test-case, because, in fact, it's in order to avoid Sanctions threatened against Turkey by a CoE's Assembly's April 1995 Resolution for grave Human Rights violations, Democracy gaps, the continuing Military Occupation in Cyprus, the unresolved Kurdish problem, Aegean differend with Greece, etc., that MEPs decided to create, for the 1st time on April 1996, a "Monitoring" proces, allegedly destinated to check, without excluding Countries who did not fulfill all CoE's standards.

In the Past, the obliged withdrawal of Greece's Military regime and of its "Civil" cover-up out of the CoE had helped bring back Democracy in 1974. But, on the contrary, since April 1996, the idea was to "monitor" Human Rights' respect while keeping most concerned Countries inside the CoE. After Turkey's oldest example, this was extended also to several former "Eastern" European Countries, even if CoE's Assembly has imposed to some of them (fex. Ukraine, Russia, etc., after Belarus, Serbia, etc) various "Sanctions", that Ankara always avoided. Curiously more succesful even than .. USA itself, (a CoE "Observer" since 1995), which has been at least threatened with sanctions some years ago..

EU-effects of CoE's Monitoring process became obvious between 2001-2008, since the "closure" of this procedure, when CoE felt that a Country had met most of its Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law obligations, (i.e. the "Copenhagen Criteria" for the EU), helped trigger Negotiations with the EU for "Accession" or other closer relations : This occured already before the 2004 and 2007 EU Enlargements to former "Eastern" European Countries, as well as for the commencement of "accession" negotiations with Croatia, and of "open-ended" negotiations with Turkey in 2005.

    But a stricking new development are Holovaty's recent findings that on core Human Rights issues as Torture and Freedom of Expression, Turkey, even "5 Years after" CoE closed its "Monitoring", back in 2004, inciting EU to start accession Negotiations in 2005, still presents grave problems.

    His findings are of crucial importance after a 2008 CoE Resolution called, "if need be", to "seriously consider the possibility of Re-Opening the Monitoring procedure for Turkey" : A move which might affect Ankara's controversial EU bid, since EU Accession Negotiations are based on the Hypothesis that the Candidate fullfils the "Copenhagen Criteria" (See above)..
-------------------------
    Holovaty expressed his will to check  "Matters still Outstanding" and  those that he "didn't have an opportunity to discuss" at an earlier visit this year, "in order to discuss the more complex issues in greater depth", at his forthcoming New Visit to Ankara, before the December 2009 EU Summit.  This is all based on the 2004 CoE Resolution which stresses that, CoE "will continue.. post-monitoring Dialogue with the Turkish authorities,...in addition to a 12-points list,..and on any Other Matter that might arise in connection with Turkey’s Obligations as a CoE member state".

    CoE's Resolution also asks  from Turkey "to secure the proper Implementation of Judgements, particularly in the Cyprus v. Turkey InterState case", of 2001, which concerns also the plight of many Hundreds of MISSING People. It adds Turkey's obligations to "execute" ECHR's Judgements in the Loizidou case,..and in particular adopt General Measures to avoid repetition or continuation of Violations found by the Court" to the detriment of Refugees.

    Nevertheless, Holovaty said to "EuroFora" that "MISSING" persons,"might be included" and cannot be excluded, but he has yet to examine the situation "to find out  which issues will be raised" to the Turkish Government.

    Therefore, "EuroFora" asked Halonen, as the Historic "Mother" of CoE's Monitoring mecanism, if she thought that, "whenever there are grave Human Rights Violations, as fex. "MISSING" persons, attested even by ECHR's judgements, they should be always checked by a Monitoring process. Or could they be forgotten ?"
    
     - "We (CoE) must be, at the same time, Fair, Realistic, but not in the mind that "now we have Forgotten", etc., replied to "EuroFora"'s question Halonen, speaking as a matter of general principle.

    - "When we think of those People that are suffering from the lack of Democracy, of Human Rights, and of the Rule of Law", "we should find a base on how to deal with the (Monitoring) system more rapidly"', she stressed.

    - "Sometimes it's very difficult to combine Transparency and Effectivenes together, particularly in this specific case", she went on to say. But, "I have not found a (CoE Member) Country who could be insensitive in this sens", Halonen answered concerning grave Human Rights violations attested by the ECHR.

    - "I have no ready-made answer. I have the expectations that you, in the CoE, will, step by step, find the different types of the monitoring systems."

    Also "because this is a part of the UN's Post-Conflict system, (fex. when it comes to Cyprus' MISSING persons), and it's a more Global system". So that, "If we make a succes in Europe, the others will follow", throughout the World.  "But they expect that we (Europe) are this opportunity, this Opportunity to make a Succes", Halonen concluded.

    In addition, she advised to extend CoE's Monitoring to all its 47 Member States, "because, as long as we hear that, all these monitoring systems are "OK for the neighbor, but not for me", "it's very difficult" to understand. Something which could make easier to Compare...

    Finnish MEP Jaako Laakso, former CoE Rapporteur on the Occupied Territories of Cyprus and one of the 5 Signatories of the Historic CoE's call to create the "MONITORING" mecanism since 1996, was more specific :  - "We (CoE Assembly) have to find a way for the issue of Cyprus' MISSING People to be better followed", he stressed, anouncing his intention to "speak to Mr. Holovaty" about that. "There might be also other ways", added Laakso.

    - The 2008 "Year had been a very Bad one for Turkey with regard to Human Rights in general, and Freedom of Expression in particular", denounced, meanwhile, Holovaty's preliminary Post-Monitoringh Draft Report by Holovaty, published by the CoE on April 2009.

    "Amnesty International believes that freedom of expression is not guaranteed given the various articles of the Criminal Code that restrict it. .. "For example, 1,300 Websites are said to have been closed down by the (Turkish) authorities in 2008" ! While "the new Turkish Criminal Code was used to bring a total of 1,072 proceedings between June 2005 and April 2008, and led to the conviction of 192 people", for expressing views. "Representatives of the Özgür Gündem newspaper, which specialises in Kurdish affairs, ..complained about Numerous Attacks on their Freedom of Expression ...as was everyone who advocated a settlement to the question by means other than the intervention of the army" "According to their figures, 19 Newspapers had been suspended 43 times between 4 August 2006 and 4 November 2008" !...

    Moreover, on 2008,  CoE's "Ministers adopted its 4rth Resolution on the execution of the judgments of the ECHR, ...and outstanding issues regarding 175 Judgements and decisions relating to Turkey delivered between 1996 and 2008...  concerning Deaths resulting from the excessive use of force by members of the Security forces, the failure to protect the right to life, the DIisappearance and/or death of individuals, Ill-Treatment and the Destruction of property". CoE's " Ministers urged the Turkish authorities ...to ensure that members of Security forces of all ranks can be prosecuted without administrative
authorisation" for "serious crimes". Holovaty reminded.

"Nonetheless", Holovaty heard anew of "Several cases of Violence committed last year (2008) by the (Turkish) security forces". Amnesty International speaks of Many Cases of ill-treatment and Torture in the prisons and by the police". "Including, fex."'the death of Engin Ceber, a young man of 29 who died on October 2008 as a result of the TORTURE allegedly inflicted on him by police officers, prison staff and members of the gendarmerie. He was part of a group of people arrested on September 2008 during a demonstration and Press Conference in Istanbul'. Proceedings against suspects are "on-going" in this case.

- " I therefore noted an Obvious Contradiction between the Government’s stated “zero tolerance” policy.... of Torture and other forms of ill-treatment, and the different testimonies given", denounced CoE's Rapporteur.  Turkish "authorities must make considerable efforts to guarantee that proper investigations are carried out into allegations of abuses by members of the security forces and that perpetrators are effectively punished" "In this respect, I have requested detailed Statistics on the number of Investigations, acquittals and convictions in cases involving allegations of abuse in order to show the positive impact of the measures taken to date", Holovaty said, repeating a permanently unsatisfied CoE's demand to Turkey since a Decade...

    - "The Political Crisis that shook the country in the spring of 2008 highlighted the Weaknesses of the (Turkish) Constitution", which comes from the Military regime of 1982, "and the Urgent Need of Reforms", stressed from the outset CoE's Rapporteur in 2009. In particular, "the ...Democratic functioning of state institutions, including the independence of the judicial system, are crucial", he observes.

    But, "the Electoral  system and the ways in which it is circumvented do not appear to give those elected complete Legitimacy, and tend to pervert the course of direct universal suffrage", denounces Holovaty, observing that, even 5 Years later, Turkey did not yet change the 10% nationwide Threshold for a party to take any seat, which is "far higher" than the "3%" maximum in Europe and already condemned as contrary to European Standards by the CoE.

    + Moreover, EU Parliament's 2009 Report on Turkey, drafted by Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten and adopted in Strasbourg on March, expresses "Concern over the Failure of the (Turkish) Judiciary to prosecute cases of Torture and Ill-treatment, the Number of which is Growing". EU also "is concerned about continuing Hostility and Violence against Minorities" in Turkey. It also "calls on the Turkish Government to launch, as a matter of Priority, a Political Initiatve favouring a lasting Settlement of the Kurdish issue, (while "condemning violence.. and terrorist groups"). EU "regrets that No progress has been made on establishing full, systematic Civilian suprevisory functions over the (Turkish) Military".

    The final results of Holovaty's 2nd and last visit to Turkley will be known later this year, and, at any case, before EU's December 2009 Summit.

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2009 EU Elections were won by Parties against Technocracy and Turkey's controversial EU bid, while the 1999-2004 Majority Abstention trend decelerated. What should be done in 2009-2014 ?

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