

3 Biggest+Most EULeaders for Russia Summit, But Polish+Baltic Forget History, von Leyen Mixes Data..

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- An UnExpected OverNight Delay with abnormal Tension between EU Leaders Exceptionaly Cancelled EU Council's Scheduled Press-Conference on the Rich Agenda of the 1st Day in the Current EU Summit in Brussels (24-25 June 2021), and, a Great Part of that was reportedly Due to a Vibrant Opposition of Some EU Member States against a Franco-German Proposal to simply find a Format for Collective EU - Russia Summits asap, as it was Revealed this Next Day, in the Press Conferences of Macron, Merkel, and Michel/von der Leyen, etc.
That Strange Contradiction reportedly Opposed the 3 Biggest EU Countries : France and Germany, Supported by Italy, and more or less Backed by All the Rest of the 27 EU Member States, with the sole Exception of Baltic Countries (3) and Poland.
In Fact, All the EU Leaders Agreed mainly on several Concrete Issues, about which an Engagement and Dialogue with Russia would Interest them, (such as, f.ex. "Climate, Environment, Health, Selective Issues of Foreign and Security Policy, Multilateral Issues such as the ICPoA, Syria and Libya", added to "People to People Contacts", Support to Civil Society, Human Righs Organisations and Independent Media", etc), But Disagreed concerning the Establishment of a Format for the EU to Speak Together, as a whole, with the Russian President Vladimir Putin, (reportedly Pushing that matter to anOther, Undetermined Future EU Summit to come) !
- Naturally, Both French President Macron, and German Chancelor Merkel, in their Parallel National Press Conferences Today, Pointed at New US President Biden's recent Meeting with Russian President Putin at nearby Geneva, (where even European, and Not Only Global Issues were reportedly Discussed), and Criticized as AbNatural and Counter-Productive for EU Leaders to be Deprived from Any Equivalent Possibility to engage Collectively in a Similar "Direct" Discussion with Russia, as Also Many and Various Other Expeienced Political Observers had Observed, (See, f.ex., inter alia, also at : ..., etc).
A Fortiori since Russia is Notoriously Part of Historic General De Gaule's "Greater Europe", and Both Culturaly, Historicaly, and Geographicaly -as far as Capital Moscow and Saint-Petersburg are concerned- Part of the European Continent, as well as former Ally in the 2nd World War against NAZIsm, useful Cooperator, more Recently, on Space Tech, etc...
- Merkel, particularly, Reminded also the Fact that "Even During the "Cold War" of a Past, there Always were Channels for Discussions" with Russia ! Moreover, Nowadays, it's even "an Expression of EU's Sovereignity, to be able to Speak Directly with Russia", as a Collective and Independent Union, Instead of Onlly being "Briefed" by the Intermediary of Others, be it Our American Friends, as it happened these Last Days, she rightfuly added.
- Macron Stressed, particularly, that Limit Nowadays EU - Russia relations mainly on a repetition of various "Sanctions", again and again, while Abstaining from a Collective EU "Strategy" on Political Discussions with the Russian President, has proved to be "Not Efficient". On the Contrary, EU Leaders should Think and Prepare Together on What and How to Discuss with Vladimir Putin, which Joint Aims they Wish to pursue, and what "Red Lines" they fix, etc., in order to Succeed to "Advance forward" in some Key concrete Issues of Common Interest. Russia should No be Pushed to make Deals Only with China, Macron Warned, (See Infra). And, as far as France is concerned, (who will Chair the EU Next Year, on 2022), a Direct Engagement with Russia has Already Started "since August 2019", i.e. at Fort Breganson, at the Eve of a "G7" Summit in Biarritz : See ... + ..., etc).
+ Both also added that, in Fact, even "After 2014" (Ukraine Conflict, Obviously Provoked mainly by some Foreign Interferences, in order to Divide and Weaken Europe : See, inter alia, also :..., etc), Many EU Heads of State/Government, Including themselves, Always Continue to have Various Other Opportunities to "Meet Putin in Bilateral Contacts", and/or on the Occassion of Various Other Collective International Meetings, (f.ex. in the UNO, G20, "Normandy Format", etc). Therefore, it was No More Productive for the EU to be the Only one to be Deprived of such a Possibility, even further...
=> That's why, the Franco-German EU-core Couple, Stressed that this Matter Should be anew and Better Discussed again at Forthcoming EU Summits asap.
--------------------------
However, it was, indeed, quite Strange, to see, almost at the Same Time in Brussels' Concluding Video-Press Conference,(where "Eurofora" was Invited to Participate), the Head of EU Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, to practicaly Skip Most of Macron's and Merkel's above-Mentioned Positive Remarks, in order to Focus, particularly, in Only a Few "Issues" for Discussion with Russia, (f.ex. "Climate and Health" : sic !), while, for the Rest, she apparently adopted an UnExpectedly Aggressive Stance against Russia...
- F.ex., von der Leyen Focused rather on "Negative" aspects reportedly spoted in some Russia's behaviors "Targeting" the EU, and/or "Violating Human Rights", as she Claimed, which would require to "Push Back" and "Constrain Russia", according to her View.
+ However, things went more Nasty, when she Added, Boasting, that "We (the EU) are in a Position of Strength" (sic !) vis a vis Russia, according to her, simply Because "Russian Imports in the EU don't represent, Today, than Only about 5% of EU's Trade", while, on the Contrary, they represent 37%" of its Foreign Trade relations, and, at the same time, Russia relies heavily on its Oil/Gas Resources, whose Economic Value, however, due also to so-called "Green" Reforms inside the EU, is Expected to Diminish, as she thought...
>>> Nevertheless, Von der Leyen seems, inter alia, also to have ...Mixed up her Figures and overall Calculations, since, Comparatively, even Official EU Data reveal that, in Fact, Russia's Imports in the EU are Bigger than Turkey's : 5% against Only 3%, while EU's Imports from Russia are, Proportionaly, Smaller than those from Turkey, in those Countries' Foreign Trade : Indeed, they represent about 37% for Russia, But 41% for Turkey...
At any case, she did Not at all abuse of such Doubtful Arguments Today in order to Criticize Turkey, (which Notoriously was an Important Issue for Discussions during the present EU Summit) ! On the Contrary, while she appeared Eager for even More "Sanctions" against Russia, however, fpr Turkey, von der Leyen spoke about "3 Billions €" More, on pretext of "Refugees", regardless if the Official Conclusions of this EU Summit did Not say anything so specific.
--------------------------------------
+ More Interestingly, our Polish and Baltic Friends seem to have ...Forgotten their own (and Europe's) History, in such a Stuborn Opposition to almost Everything which concerns their Neighbour Country Russia :
- Indeed, Already from the Outset, the very Beginning of European People's Liberation from the Ottoman-Turkish Military Invasion and Occupation of the Medieval Times, Notoriously Started on the MainLand mainly by the Historic ..."Holly League" of 1684 - 1699, which brought Together Poland with Lithuania and Russia, as well as the Austrian Habsburg with the German Holy Roman Empire, and Venice, as Allies, Based on "the Treaty of Warsaw", and strongly Supported by the Vatican of Pope Innocent XI, Uniting Catholic and Orthodox Christians for the Freedom of Europe. It "has been recognised as a Turning Point in ... History", which "Shifted the balance of Power Away from the Ottomans"-Turks, "Leading to a Diminished ... presence" of them "in Europe", by "Unprecedented military Successes, with Large Areas of ....Land Recovered", in a so Popular way that it "has ben Called a <<14th Crusade>>", as "Wikipedia" reminds. Inter alia, among the European Territories which were Liberated then, were also Hungary, Dalmatia, Moreas (Peloponese in Greece), a Western and an Eastern Part of nowadays Ukraine : Podolia and NovoRossia, by Poland and Russia, respectively, with neighbouring Azoff City (ibid), etc.
=> Thus, Continuing also Later-on, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from the Western Side, and Russia from the Eastern side, practicaly were the two Cooperating Factors for Al Ukraine's Liberation from the former Ottoman-Turk Oppressive jug...
+ Moreover, even if the Former Stalin's era might have been, indeed, somewhat Harsh, Nevertheless, Poland Notoriously was the Center of collective Defense policy with the "Warsaw Pact", and, Despite a lot of Sufferings during the NAZI Military Invasion and Occupation of most Poland, the infamous "Gheto of Warsaw" Incidents, etc., Polish People Never Accused nowadays Democratic Germany to be Responsible for that Past, Neither Refused to Cooperate Today inside the EU, on the Contrary...
++ Last, but not least, even These Days' Harsh Quarrel during this EU Summit in Brussels, between several EU Member Countries and Hungary, (Supported by Poland and Slovakia, while also 7 More EU Countries silently backed them too), on a Social and BioEthical Issue such as the Protection of underage Children from Homosexual Propaganda, clearly Shows that, in Fact, the notoriously pro-Christian Values oriented current Polish Government, has More Close Links to Vladimir Putin's Russia, (which Started to have Similar Conflicts with a Part of the West, and particularly Obama's USA, on Such kind of Social and Moral Issues, Since 2013, adding Such Differends towards the provocation of the Ukranian Conflict of 2014)...
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Most of these Supplementary Facts are Obviously Independent and unrelated to the Principal, Basic Point of Principle, Supported in this Paper, that EU, as such, should have the Elementary Right to Freely Hold any Discussion it deems Useful, Directly with the Russian leadership, withOut Depending on Any 3rd Foreign Country's "good will" to Subsequently "Brief" her on Key Issues for Europe's Present and foreseable Future !
A Fortiori, when such Persistent Anti-Russia Bullying, pushed by some, during the Last 7 Years, also Risk to have Serious Consequences against the Geo-Political and other Interests of Europe, (almost as French President Macron Warned : Comp. Supra).
Thus, among others, for instance, it might be Indifferent for some, if the EU succeeded, or not, to Develop High-Tech Capabilities allowing to Reach and Explore the Planet Mars, Before the 2020ies, as it had been, indeed, Scheduled, Initialy by some EU - USA, and Later by EU - Russia (when Obama slashed NASA's Budget for Space Flight on 2010) Cooperation Agreements, Aiming to Land on Mars at 2016-2018, but partialy "Freezed" After the provocation of the 2014 Ukraine Conflict, marked a Partial Failure on 2016, and were Postponed, for the Rest, first for 2020, and aterwards for 2022-2023. So, "Never Mind", for those who don't give a damn for such Historic Achievements, if, in the Meantime, it's ...China who has now Landed on Mars, since May 2021, Before Europe...
But, will they get a Right to Impose their "Indifference" Even to the Imminent Perspective to Build a Base at Nearby Moon, Together with a Floating Station Between the Earth and its Satellite, as Russia and China have reportedly Just Decided to do Together ?
During Gaullist Jacques Chirac's era, after Soyuz at Kuru idea (initialy pushed by "Eurofora"'s co-Founder), there was talk about a possible EU - Russia Air-Space Shuttle, continued during Sarkozy's, inter alia, also with the preparation of the above-mentioned Joint Project for Access and Exploration of Mars. Now Macron has just Warned (Comp. Supra), Not to systematicaly Push too much Russia towards Cooperations Only with China...
Let's Hope that the Surprizing Exclusion, Yesterday at this EU Summit in Brussels, of Space High-Tech among the Concrete Areas where the EU intends to "Engage" in "Dialogue" with Russia (Comp. Supra), does Not Condemn the Europeans to See the Moon, Mars, and many Other spectacular, High-Profile Space Areas, Only by ...Watching a TV set, wearing Slippers, inside their Private Home, Alone with their Cat or Dog...
Particularly if Even that "TV-set", (added to the Slippers), is also "Made in Korea", "Japan", or "China !
(../..)
("Draft-News")
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ECHR's President to "EuroFora" on Journalists Gongadze and Adali murders : Principles must apply to all States, without discrimination.
+ ECHR's Statistics on Freedom of Expression (See below).
European Court of Human Rights' President, Jean-Paul Costa, questioned by "EuroFora" on Journalists' murders, as in Gongadze and Adali's cases etc., strongly stressed all CoE Member States' obligation to make efficient Investigations to find and punish those responsible, and underlined that ECHR's case-law's principles must apply to all without any discrimination.
His call was clearly supported by various Top MEPs who denounced a risk of "Double Standards" if some Journalists' murders are investigated, while others don't.
To avoid such risks, CoE's Parliamentary Assembly adopted a Resolution, on the occasion of Ukranian Journalist Gongadze's murder, "stressing", as a matter of general Principle, "the importance it attaches to the safety of Journalists and political activists, especially those linked to opposition groups, in ALL member states of the CoE". All "crimes against journalists and political activists must be investigated ... as a matter of priority, without political interference".
Costa was replying to "EuroFora"s question on the fact that, after CoE's Committee of Ministers, also CoE's Assembly had just adopted a Resolution on Gongadze murder case, based on an ECHR's judgement of 2005, asking a full Investigation from Ukraine, who has found and condemned in 10 years of jail 2 executants, but not yet the instigators.
While nothing similar was yet done for dissident Turkish Cypriot Kutlu Adali's murder, with 5 bullets shot at his head out of his Family's home in the territories of Cyprus occupied by Ankara's army, despite another ECHR's judgement of the same year 2005, and despite Turkey's claim that nobody was found among those responsible for the murder, and that there was nothing more to do..
In order to be credible and efficient, CoE's mechanisms shouldn't find a way to at least ask for full investigations of all Journalists' murders anywhere they might be committed, without exceptions ?

- "On the larger question that you raised, I'd like to say, since we are in a period of stock-taking on ECHR's 50 Years, that the Court's case-law developed certain concepts ....such as the Positive obligations of States, part of which are also the procedural obligations", started to reply ECHR's President.
- "Whenever Journalists, Lawyers, Defenders of Human Rights, or even simple Citizens are murdered, the States are held responsible, not only if its their own security forces' agents who committed these murders, but also if they didn't make sufficiently substantial and efficient Investigations", he stressed.
- "I want to strongly underline that we (ECHR) have found in many cases numerous violations of Articles 2 and 3 against States, ....(about) murders or torture, ...because they didn't make enough Investigations in order to try to find and punish those responsible".
- "We (ECHR) do that vis-a-vis all 47 (CoE) Member States, without any discrimination".
"Naturally, the circumstances in each particular case may be differend, and we can't ommit to apply the rules of proof, or the rules of criminal procedure".
"But we try, by all means, to apply these principles of our case-law, to all States", he concluded.

Costa's call was strongly supported by several Top CoE MEPs, from various Political areas
- "To investigate the murder of one Journalist, and not of another, looks like Double Standards", denounced the President of EuroLeft Group in CoE's Assembly, Dutch MEP Tiny Cox.
- "What is the reason ? Politics or specificity of a case ? Of course, if Cyprus and Turkey are involved, it's always a Political case"..
- "Murders of Journalists should always be fully investigated, because killing Journalists is not only killing persons, but also killing Free Press". "We (CoE's Assembly) should do our outmost to help People who are working on Free Press and they are under threat or murdered".
Because for Free Politics, Free Press is a pre-requisitive : Parliamentarians cannot function without a Free Press. Not investigating, is not protecting ourselves".
So we should investigate all Journalists' murders : We are talking about Gongadze, about the Cypriot man (Adali), about the Journalist murdered in Moscow one week ago, etc", Cox concluded
- "CoE can' look at these cases differently. CoE can't wear Blinckers !".
- "If the one is investigated, so has to be also the other. Why there wasn't full investigation ? Why's that ?", wondered British Socialist MEP, Alan Meale.
- "A good idea" would be to "make a Motion for Resolution", and "join all Journalists' murders. Adali and Gongadze etc", said to "EuroFora" EU Parliament Political affairs Committee's President, Goran Lindbland, ChristianDemocrat MEP from Sweden.
(See also earlier News at "EuroFora" on similar issues).
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ECHR's Statistics on Freedom of Expression :
Almost Half of condemnations by ECHR for violations of Freedom of Expression in 2008, concern Turkey : 20 out of a total of 48 for all CoE's Member States.
Russia, Poland, France and Moldova were condemned only 3 times. Romania, Greece, Portugal, 2 times, and the other CoE Member States only 1 time, or none.
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During the last Decade : 1998 - 2008, Turkey was condemned for violating Freedom of Expression in ..169 cases, while Austria only in 24.
France and Moldova in 14 and 13, respectively, closely followed by Russia and Poland with 11 and 10, respectively. The rest of CoE Member States had less than ten condemnations.