

Russian Economy Minister Belousov to EuroFora on EU-Russia High Tech. cooperation: A lot of projects

*Brussels/EU-Russia Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- Speaking exclusively to "EuroFora", Russian Minister of Economy, Andrei Belousov, appeared upbeat on High-Tech. EU - Russia cooperation developments, just after being one of the Key participants at the 30rd EU - Russia Summit, together with Presidents Vladimir Putin and Herman Van Rompuy, etc., earlier today in Brussels, which officially decided to launch on 2014 a "Year of Science and Innovation", as confirmed EU Commission's President José Barroso earlier in a well attended but too short Press Conference with many journalists including "EuroFora".


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- "EuroFora" reminded Belousov the recent concrete example of French High Speed Train company "ALSTHOM" with a Russian Railway company, and asked the new Russian Economy Minister how things go curently on EU - Russia High-Tech cooperation, and if there were some even more interesting common Projezcs in this Strategic area focused on the Future.
- "We (EU - Russia) have a Lot of High-Tech Projects", already on the pipeline, positively replied from the outset the New Minister of Economy, chosen by President Vladimir Putin on 2012.
- F.ex. also "with (German company) "SIEMENS", and in the field of Space, etc. , and we aim to extend that to even more" concrete areas, said Russia's Minister for "Economic Development", speaking to "EuroFore", shortly after EU Commission's President, José Barroso, just confrmed that it was officially decided for 2014 to be declared as EU-Russian "Year of Science and Innovation".
+Moreover, "I should tell you", f.ex., "that our (Russia's) New Air Plane, SAJ, is a new Plane which must have (at least) + 30 % from EU Companies", Belousov added.
=> "So, we expect that AGS will (really) be(come) an EU - Rusian project", Moscow's new Minister for Economic Development expressed the hope, pointing at the Future.
+ In particular, "preparations for the Launch of the small SpaceCraft "No 1", with Scientific Facilities for Radar Earth Observation systems, have been completed" now.
Earlier Plans to create an EU - Russia reusable Space Vehicle, (mainly after a USA's Shuttle was destroyed at an exceptional incident, some years ago, inciting Obama's NASA to focus more on ISS experiments than in Human Space Flight during the forthcoming years, while also reportedly refusing EU's offers to cooperate on Space Transport : Comp. relevant "EuroFora" Co-Founder's NewsReports, here and elsewhere), had been initially presented, as early as since the 2005 ESA Summit in Berlin, but failed then just because of 1 vote difference between supporters and opponents of the move, (as informed ESA sources told "EuroFora"), while, later-on, some disagreements on how to eventually share EADS' capital in case of Russia's entry had delayed further another attempt in the Past.
But now, in the "Space Cooperation negotiations" between EU and Russia, mentioned by Belousev (comp.Supra), concerning "a Global Satellite systems coperation Agreement (GALILEO and GLONASS)", "the Goals and Scope were Decided" this "December 2012", in addition to the "further Launch of GALILEO Sattelites with SOYUZ from EU's Spaceport in (French) Guyana", (including, f.ex., "on 12 October 2012, a 3rd Soyuz-STB Rocket launch carrying 2 Galileo Satellites into orbit for ESA"), etc.
More particularly, regarding f.ex. "Emergency Response Systems to Traffic Accidents", a Deal was prepared "between EU's eCall and Russia's ERA-GLONASS", while "Cross-Border Pilots, between Finland and Russia took place Succesfully and Suppliers revealed Devices able to combine both systems, whose Legislation and forthcoming implementation is now "aligned", with "deployment" expected "from 2015".

+ On a Wider spectrum of activities, according to supplementary, detailed Data just published Today in Brussels by a jointly drafted and signed "Progress Report" on the "EU - Russia Partnership for Modernization", "both sides started cooperation to further Link EU and Russian Technology Platforms" for Businesses, while they also "Agreed.. to develop a Strategic Partnership for Research and Innovation", due "to be launched with the start of EU's new Multi-Annual Framework Program "Horizon 2020".
Already, "475 Russian Research Organizations are involved in 302 Projects receiving an EU contribution of around 6O Millions €", while "19 Research Organizations from Germany, 11 from France, 8 from the UK, along with many others from various EU Countries, participate in 64 Russian Projects", marking an "Increased active role of Russia in EU (RST) Framework Programmes, and of EU Researchers in Russian Federal targetted programmes", ("including Space and Nuclear research"). EU - Russia Summit stressed that such a "very Good cooperation" should "continue" further "in the Priority area of enhancing Innovation, Research and Development".
For that purpose, f.ex., "2 "Umbrella Tenders" for carrying out Scientific Research have been organized, and Projects have been approved in such Priority Fields as "Nano-Technology and Materials", "Living Systems", Rational Use of Nature", and "Information/Communication Technologies", according to the EU-Russia "Progress Report" signed today in Brussels.
Already, "in the sphere of Telecommunications and Information Technologies, the two sides noted a Progress made in Deployment of Scientific and Research Networks, as well as Data Exchange". In addition, "VEB has (already) issued 3,06 Billions RUB for the Funding of the Project : "Organisation of Industrial Production of Composite Components and Materials", while also, "in the Priority areas of .. Investment in Key sectors driving Growth and Innovation, numerous Projects involving Companies from the EU and Russia are underway and/or planned in a range of Industrial and Technological sectors, Energy Efficiency and Savings, Transport", etc. ---------------
Belousov, after graduating with honours from the prestigious Lomonosov Moscow State University, worked as Researcher and Director of a Centre at the USSR Academy of Sciences, on man-machine system modelling, specializing in Forecasts, Analyses and Prognostication, before being picked up by Putin initially as Adviser, as early as since 2006, and Deputy Minister, being appointed on 2012 as Russia's new Minister of Economic Development. Together with experienced Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, comp. f.ex. Lavrov's brief but topical statements to "EuroFora" at the Deauville "G-8" Summit : .. , etc.), he was one of the 2 Key specialist participants at this December 2012 EU - Russia Summit, which focused mainly on Economy/Energy and Syria, as EU President Van Rompuy's deputy Spokesman, Preben Aamann, stressed later to "EuroFora", (comp. also another "EuroFora"s Newstory on a differend aspect of this 30st EU -Russia Summit in Brussels).
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+ Meanwhile, Science also allowed Putin to downplay widespread rumours about a so-called "Doomsday" that some Maya a.o. ancient texts' interpretations located precisely on December 21, 2012, i.e. the same day with this Brussels' EU - Russia summit : - " I do know when the World will End", he joked in reply to Journalists' questions at a previous (and much longer : + 4,5 Hours of Questions/Replies !) Press Conference in Moscow, earlier this week : - "In approximately 4.5 billion years. . this is because of the life cycle of our sun, ...We are now in the middle of the cycle !", he reportedly explained...
(+ See also Russian Permanent Representative to the EU, Ambassador Chishov's statements to "EuroFora" on a different, topical issue, at another NewsReport).
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(NDLR : "DraftNews", as already sent earlier to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate, full Final Version may be published asap).
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An "Eugenic" loophole Amendment, which might expose to Dangers reminiscent of "3rd Reich's" notorious Genetic Abuses, hidden at the last minute inside an otherwise Good, larger Health policy Package scheduled to be voted on Thursday, was strongly denounced by a coalition of MEPs from various Political Groups and Countries, in a Press Conference held this afternoon at EU Parliament in Strasbourg.
Mainly calling to "Select Human Embryos", via "Genetic Counselling" and "pre-implantation" Techniques including "Genetic Tests", in order to "Eradicate Hereditary rare Diseases", it might open ways to Dangerous Practices in Future, they denounced in substance.
But they also made it clear that a much larger Report inside which this Controversial Amendment "No 15" was added in dubious circumstances, officialy destinated to struggle against "Rare Diseases", and drafted by Professor Antonios Trakatellis, was otherwise "an Excellent Report", aiming at a "completely Uncontroversial target" of Health policy on which "all MEPs and Experts are united, believing that Europe should act" to protect People's Health (See "EuroFora"'s earlier News).
The controversy came at a particularly delicate moment for the EU in relation to Citizens, at the eve of June 2009 EU Elections, and shortly before Ireland re-votes for "Lisbon Treaty"..
- Denouncing risks of "an Eugenic demand, very similar to what we had during the 3rd Reich in Germany, but now coming from some Scientisists themselves", German ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Dr. Peter Liese stressed that critical MEPs were against "Eugenic" engineering with "Selection of Human Embryos", and anything which might ultimately lead up to to a "Selection of Human Race". It doesn't help to "eradicate" Human Lives, he added.
Several Experts and NGOs expressed "Deep Concern", as f;ex. DR M.C. Cornel of the "European Society of Human Genetics", which stressed, on this occasion, that "the importance of Non-Directiveness in Reproductive issues is a Central characteristic of Human Genetics, after the Atrocities committed in the name of Genetics in the first half or the 20th Century".
- "This is completely Unacceptable", stressed Italian Liberal MEP Vittorio Prodi, on the Controversial Amendment, also because pushes to "eliminate early Human Life", as he noted.
- "This opens a Dangerous Road, rather a Motorway", denounced Danish MEP Mrs Margrette Auken, from the "Greens", observing that various similar attempts were made in the Past "not only in Germany, but also in several other Countries, "even at the 1970ies", "f.ex. on forced Sterilisation of Roma" People, and other criticisable situations f.ex. in the UK, in Sweden, etc. as she said.
+ Other NGOs, as f.ex. "LebenHilfe" from Berlin, added that, among various other Risks, could also be that, by exploiting the pre-implantation Genetic Diagnostics and the Selection of "healthy" Embryos, some may "propagate" several "Eugenic" aims, starting f.ex. by pushing to eradicate Human Livies which might "Cost too much" to preserve, ultimately exposing to dangers reminiscent of the "3rd Reich"'s atrocious abuses.
In consequence, ChristianDemocrats/EPP and "Green" MEPs "decided by Majority to vote against" this Controversial Amendment, anounced to Journalists the 5 MEPs who participated in the Press Conference, representing a wide spectrum, from Liberals to "Greens" and ChristianDemocrats, and from Hungary, Italy, Germany and Danemark up to Ireland (Gay Mitchell), etc.
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Hungarian ChristianDemocrat MEP Laszlo Surjan said "that it was "Suddenly, at the End of the Procedure" in Committee, that "appeared this (Controversial) Amendment, which has nothing to do" with the main purpose of the Report, on which all agreed.
He denounced an "Unhonest" move, and called to "avoid this kind of unacceptable situations". Nobody should "Select People", Surjan stressed.
- "We (MEPs) had No Chance to Discuss" this last-minute Amendment earlier added at a Committee's level, said German MEP Peter Liese
Speaking to "EuroFora", Dr. Liese, the Spokesman of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group in EU Parliament, said that MEPs didn't oppose other references of the Report f.ex. on "Genetic Tests", because they were "no proposals" to impose them, while, on the contrary, there was "a Problem" if anyone attempted to "impose" f.ex. this or that Genetic Technique and "Genetic Counselling", etc. to the People on human reproduction.
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The precise Text :
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Controversial parts of Amendment No 15 ask mainly "to lead finally to the Eradication" of "Hereditary" "rare diseases", "through Genetic Counselling .., and ..pre-Implantation Selection of healthy Embryos".
But EU Rapporteur Professor Trakatellis, said to "EuroFora" that fears should be alleviated by Guarantees that all this should be done only "where appropriate", when it's "not contrary to existing National Law", and "always on a Voluntary basis", according to other Parts of the Amendment.
He stressed that the main aim was to allow "a free and informed choice of persons involved", without imposing them anything : - "It's not an obligatory, but advisary" text, he said.
To make that point clear, he was ready, in agreement with many MEPs, to eventually drop at least that part of the controversial Amendment which initially called for "efforts to ..lead finally to the Eradication of those rare diseases" "which are Hereditary".
But, until late Wednesday evening, reportedly together with many other MEPs, he stood by all the rest of the controversial Amendment, (fex. on the "Genetic Counselling" and the "pre-implantation Selection of healthy Embryos"), so that critical MEPs, going from ChristianDemocrats as Dr. Liese, to "Greens" or "Ind/Dem", observed to "EuroFora" that "this was not enough" to close the dangerous loophole.
Particularly since, as Professor Trakatellis noted himself, "this is already allowed to the U.K.", and "other National Legislations would probably follow, sooner or later" in a similar direction. As for a general call to "Eradicate Hereditary rare Diseases", this "should happen, at any case, in practice, de facto", to protect public Health.
On the contrary, "our goal should be to help patients suffering from rare diseases, not to eradicate the patients. In case of genetic disease risk, the decision should not be guided by scenarios" made by politicians. "Perents who may decide to accept a child, even if handicapped or with genetic disease, must be respected and supported with solidarity", critical MEPs stated.
- "Any Pressure" to "a patient or couple (who "should be able to make an informed choice consistent with their own values"),"from health Professionals, Public Health Policies or Governemental Institutions, or Society at large, should be avoided", stresses the "European Society for Human Genetics".
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Each MEP's vote will be registered !
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The Socialist Group requested a "Split vote" on the Amendment 15, first without, and afterwards with the words "lead finally to the Eradication" etc.
But the first "split vote" leaves intact all the other parts of the Controversial Amendment, (i.e. "Genetic Counselling", "Selection of healthy Embryos", etc).
That's why, 3 Groups of MEPs : ChristianDemocrats/EPP, "Greens/EFA", and "Ind/Dem", have asked for "Roll Call Votes", on everything regarding the Controversial Amendment No 15, and on the final outcome of the resulting Report as amended, which will register all the individual positions to be taken by each MEP.
Something which will obviously make each MEP think twice before voting for one or another choice, to be sure that he/she will make the right choice in front of EU Citizens, particularly at these pre-Election times...
Crucial Votes were scheduled between 12 Noon and 1 p.m. local Strasbourg time, in the middle of a long series of various other Reports, and after a long Public Debate on the larger Health policy package, from 9 to 11.50 am.
The specific Report inside which was hidden the controversial Amendment is due to be debated between 11 and 12 am.
So that more last-minute Surprises may not be excluded a priori...
Particularly at the present Historic moment, when even the Institutional Future of the EU depends on the result of a second Referendum on "Lisbon Treaty", later this year, in ...Ireland, a mainly Catholic country, where People are particularly sensitive in such kind of socio-cultural and values issues...
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