

EU Parliament +US Congres Hearings question 1999-2000 EuroZone v. Turkey Goldman Sachs' Greek deal

Revelations made during crucial Hearings by EU Parliament and US Congress the same Day on what really happened about Debt Crisis in Greece, who was responsible for the 1999-2001 manipulated Accounts, and how to avoid similar problems at EuroZone in Future, opened new Question-marks :
Mainly on the role played by American company Goldman Sachs and other actors during the "Deal" which practically exchanged a too early and unprepared Greece's entry into EuroZone, with the lift of all preexisting Greece's objections to Turkey's controversial EU bid (since Helsinki December 1999 EU Summit), provoking a Double Crisis in the EU : First Institutional, with 3 "No" at EuroReferenda in France, Holland, etc. since 2005, and now (2010) a Financial one, with EuroZone member Greece's current difficulties to borrow money in the Financial Markets at normal rates :
Unanswered Critical Questions by MEPs, f.ex. on "an Enquiry" to establish "possible Crimes" committed by "those (among EU Commission, EuroStat and/or States) who let falsify the Accounts" about Greece since 1999-2001 "and destablized EuroZone", were added to US Federal Reserve's Chairman, Ben Bernake's reference, while speaking about Goldman Sachs' controversial 2000-2001 deals with a former "Socialist" Greek Government, to the .. infamous "ENRON" Scandal, which brought many Executives to be persecuted and condemned to Prison sentences for Manipulating Accounts (See infra)...
In the 1st Hearing, organized by EU Parliament's Economic Committee's Chairwoman, Liberal British MEP Sharon Bowles, with EU Commissioner Oli Rehn (previously on EU Enlargement, and now on EU Economy), EuroStat's Director General Walter Radermacher, and U.S.A.'s Goldman Sachs' Chairman, Gerald Corrigan,, etc., EU Parliament's 1st vice-President, ChristianDemocrat/EPP Greek MEP Rodi Kratsa, after reminding that "the infringement procedure" for excessive Debt had been closed by EU Commission vis a vis Greece back "on 2007", (i.e. during the ChristianDemocrat/EPP former Government of Costas Caramanlis), opened the question-time by asking mainly "what Conclusions" they had made on "the Problem of Greece's Statistics", and "the way Swaps were used in 2001" (i.e. during previous PASOK Governments), which raise "important issues" on "assessing Debts" at EuroZone, needing clear solutions "in order to make Data .. more reliable".

More Critical, Dutch Liberal MEP Sophie in't Veld, observed that "the Real Problem is not only Greece", but the need to make an "Enquiry" to find out how many actors from inside the EU Commission, EuroStat, and/or Member States ought to know what really happened then. And, pointing to the fact that, at similar issues "in Private Business", we see Executives being persecuted and even going to Jail, she called for "an Investigation to see if Crimes were committed, in the (1999-2001) case of Greece, and if there are possibly Criminals who have knowingly committed Fraud and Destabilized the EuroZone's currency".

Veld was surprisingly supported not only by various other EU Countries' MEPs but even by Greek MEP Chountis from EuroLeft, who asked "EuroStat" and other EU Officials what they knew "about this operation of Alchemy in Greece and other Countries" with "Goldman Sachs" and others, whether "there is a procedure to punish those Former Officials" who "knew about this", and "if High Level Officials involved can be brought to Court" ?
But in such, and other, even more critical MEP's questions, (f.ex. Belgium's Conservative MEP Derk Jan Eppink, who asked "when EU Commission knew" about the inaccurate Debt data, and whether there will be any "exit" or other persuasive Sanction in EuroZone's "new Compliance mechanism", etc), surprisingly, there were not fully satisfactory answers, since several main points made by these and other MEPs were too often left open...

Such demands were also noted by mainstream German ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Werner Langen, who prefered to focus on the need to ensure EuroZone's "Stability", but questioned also the fact that "some (EU) Member States want to take Goldman Sachs to Court for the role it played in the case of Greece and other Countries".
However, on "Sanctions" for eventual "Crimes" committed from the crucial period of 1999-2001 (See supra), EuroStat's leadership mainly turned towards the Future by pointing at a recent "Proposal" to ask EuroZone's Member States that "Officials responsible for reporting" accounts' data to the EU become" Accountable". States' replies are "awaited until December 2011 (sic !)", Radermacher simply noted..
But, Radermacher revealed, in reply to another MEP's question, that, indeed, back in 1999-2001, it wasn't only Goldman Sachs, but "also Other Agencies, which have been active" on Swaps controversial deals, both in Greece, and in Belgium, Germany or Italy, etc.
However, all EU Member Countries were "requested" recently (in 2010) to "Investigate thoroughly" such issues as Swaps etc., and "all (concerned) Governmentrs corrected their Data" from 2001, including, f.ex. Italy, Belgium, Poland, etc. "But the Greek (PASOK) Government is the only one which has not yet corrected their (1999-2001) Deficit", EU Commissioner Rehn criticaly observed, asking the current Greek Government to "resolve Quickly" this outstanding issue, (for which, the National Statistics Agency's head was unexpectedly absent in this Hearing, as Chairwoman Bowles observed, anouncing that this "3rd Part" of EU Parliament's hearing was, therefore, "postponed".
Goldman Sachs' Chairman, Gerald Corrigan, in a much awaited testimony, admitted the fact that the U.S. Company had started Swaps' deals with the former "Socialist" Government in Greece as early as "since 1998-1999-2000", (i.e. well before the April 2000 National Election and the 2001 entry into EuroZone).
In particular, Corrigan acknowledged a 2,2 or 2,4 Billion € Swap, which should have been accounted "as a Loan" (i.e. Debt) according to what are explicitly asking the present (2010) Rules (See infra), but wasn't back in 1999-2001...
However, he curiously appeared eager to repeatedly deny that the earlier, "1998-1999-2000 swaps" might have anything to do with the EuroZone's issue, prefering to focus, instead, mainly on the subsequent, "2000-2001" Swaps.
According to the experienced Top U.S. Bank Official, "Financial Reporting", particularly "on Sovereigns (States), is much more an Art, than a Science" (sic !), as he said, because "in the Sovereign space there are Financial Obligations of Governments which are not always included in the Budgets", while experts "cannot anticipate for any eventual contingency that arrives".
However, Corrigan acknowledged that, in the Past, there were some previous" Structural Weaknesses", against which "Progress was made" later-on, "after 2005", (i.e. much later than the crucial events).
Goldman Sachs' Chairman, replied negatively to Austrian MEP Hans Peter Martin's question if he would "do again" now (in 2010), what was done back on 1999-2001 in Greece's case : - "We'd do it in a Different manner", he admitted.. Because, if the explicit, crystal clear Rules which were added from 2008 had already "applied to 2001, then, this Issue would not have arisen"...
In particular, Corrigan acknowledged that USA's Goldman Sachs had been already involved in Swaps' deals with the former Socialist Governments in Greece as early sas since .. 1998, 1999 and 2000.
>>> And he admitted that it was such kind of Swaps' deals which "resulted into a "De Facto" REDUCTION by 1,5 %, in terms of GDP ratio, of the Greek Plan of Public Debt".
- The "original, primary purpose of those early Swaps was to adapt US Dollar - denominated Debts into Euro € denominated debt", he explained. "But, as those Early Swaps went through", the "Euro € depreciated much sharply, related to the U.S. dollar $", Corrigan observed.
- Thus, "at the time of 2000 - early 2001, that led to Decisions which are partly at the origin" of the issue at stake : "Take the Original Swaps, which were at about Market Rates, and transform them to Historic Rates' Swaps". "And it was that Decision, to Restructure the Original Swaps, that created the (present) Issue" : Because it was Moving the Initial Swaps from Market Rates to Historic Rates, that produced the situation" of the above mentioned "Reduction" of Debt accounts.
However, Corrigan was unable to give any clear Reply to EuroStat's new Head's Question on a Crucial point :
- "The 2000-2001 Swap was 2,4 Billions €, but you sold these Swaps for 5,1 Billions € in 2005 to the National Bank of Greece", Radermacher observed.
- "That makes me Doubt that at the moment of 2000-2001 it was a pure "Market" Rate... Was there some kind of Hidden component" in the Goldman Sachs' Deal witth the former Socialist Governments in Greece, whereby the Debt was Reduced and "Transposed" into a Later moment of Time, in the very moment of exchanges about Greece's entry in the EuroZone ?", he critically asked.
Astonishingly, Goldman Sachs' Chairman was obliged to avoid that critical point, by simply claiming : - "I don't know anything about your references", and "I cannot comment on some other facts that you mentioned" !....
On the contrary, Corrigan again focused into practically repeating only the same point that he had already made earlier :
I.e. that "If we go back to 1998-1999-2000, my Understanding is that ...at the Beginning of 1998 or perhaps 1999 (?), Goldman Sachs and Greece entered into Serious Foreign Exchange Transactions. Most, if Not All of Greece's Credit Exposure, was sold to Other Market Participants". "These Original Swaps were all at Market Rates", he insisted.
- "But, as we got into 1999, 2000 and 2001, there was a Substantial Depreciation of the Euro € vis a vis the US Dollar $. In that Context, .Greece, initially, I think, for the 1st time about 8/2000, used "Historic" Exchange Rates. Those were (indeed) Differend from the Market Rates", and they found that "satisfactory".
- "On the basis of that experience, All the Existing Swaps (from the Past Years), which were (already) Outstanding as of Spring - early Summer 2001, were "Restructured" using Historic Rates, and it was that Restructuring, in the context of the introduction of Historic Rates, that produced the situation in which Greece, in fact, got a - 1,5% Debt Reduction in GDP ratios."
- In particular, "I think it was a 2,2 or 2,4 Billion $ Allocation", then, (given from U.S.A. Bank Goldman Sachs to the former Socialist Government in Greece shortly after December 1999 EU Summit which gave a controversial "Accession Candidate" Status).
This amount, according to today's explicit Rules, "would appear as a LOAN", admitted Corrigan. "Therefore, there would be (now) no Reduction in the Deficit of Greece", since, what happened back in 2000 had, meanwhile, been explicitly declared as illegal...
---------------------------------
Bernanke compares the 1998-2001 Goldman Sachs - former Socialist Greek Government deal with ENRON's 2001 Scandal !
-------------------------------------

As if he would be making an indirect hint to MEP's calls for Investigations about possible "Criminal" Responsibilities, earlier this same day, the Chairman of U.S. Federal Reserve, Dr. Ben Bernanke, at a subsequent Hearing by US Congress' Joint Economic Committee, only a few hours later, indirectly compared the Goldman Sachs - former Socialist Greek Government 2000 deal with the infamous ENRON Scandal, by making it clear that such moves had been even explicitly outlawed after the changes which appeared necessary in order to prevent in future so grave Accounting manipulations as at the ENRON case...
- "Many Executives at Enron were indicted for a variety of charges, and were later sentenced to Prison" over "the largest corporate Bankruptcy in U.S. history" until 2001, Wikipedia reminds in this regard. "Enron's Auditor Firm .... was accused of applying "Reckless Standards" in their Audits", while receiving "Significant consulting Fees" by Enron, which went bankrupt over several such "Accounting Issues", it notes.
---------------------
Contrary to inaccurate, too lenient initial Press Reports, Bernanke did not claim that, "Goldman Sachs didn't violate any law by helping Greece to lower its Public Deficit on... 2000", as mainstream Greek Newspaper "Kathimerini" immediately claimed, citting "Reuters" British Agency, as also did mainstream Economic Media "Le Point", adding that "Bernanke didn't evoque .. any intentional manipulation of Accounts", citting AFP Agency. Neither did he "stress.. that there wasn't any intentional violation of law", as "Naftemporiki" Economic Media also claimed, citting both Athens' Press Agency (ANA) and AFP. (Various other examples could be easily added).
In fact, Bernanke confirmed that "Goldman Sachs's currency swap with Greece a decade ago distorted the EuroZone country's public Debt level", Dow Jones newswires were obliged to rectify, publishing a Heading : "CORRECT: Bernanke: Goldman's Greek Deal Distorted Debt", ... a whole Day later !
- "The deal reduced Greece's outstanding debt by converting the debt into euros and then restructuring the debt at more favorable rates. In return for the lower rates, Greece paid Goldman back over time (i.e. after its too early and unprepared entry in EuroZone) through payments attached to another derivative product", Dow Jones added.
-"But the amount was small and the U.S. Bank has taken steps to avoid making similar deals" in the Future, Dow Jones tried to explain afterwards.
Considering that, for such blunders to be surprisingly committed by mainstream Press Agencies as Reuters, Dow Jones, AFP or ANA, etc, probably some inaccurate transmission of first hand data by any intermediary standing between the Media and U.S. Congress might be the real cause, "EuroFora", on the contrary, searched to find the exact and full Bernanke's statements at US Congress' 2,5 Hours-long exceptional Hearing, in reply to 2 questions by its Chairwoman.
Indeed, the real, full Bernanke statements seem much more interesting than the inaccurate initial Press reports claimed :

He was replying to a 1st question by U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Chair of the Joint Economic Committee (which brings the Senate and the House of Representatives exceptionally together), "on International Banking" : - " I'd like to ask your assesment on Greece : On February 2010 you said that Fed. is going to look into the way Credit Swaps on Sovereign (State's) Debt" were provided by Goldman Sachs back in 1999-2001. "What did you found ?", she asked.
- In fact, the experienced Chairman of U.S. Federal Reserve, professor Bernanke, made it clear that the Goldman Sachs - former Socialist Greek Government deal "had the Effect of .. Changing the Reported Debt and Deficit Rations that Greece reported to the European Statistics Agency, EuroStat", back in 2000.

- These Swaps "did have an effect in DISTORDING the Numbers, by changing the Deficit Ratio to about 1% )" (in GDP ratio)", (in fact : 1,5% : See Goldman Sachs' own statements, supra), Bernanke noted. In particular, the 2000 deal had "an Effect on the reported Deficit by changing it ... to 100%", ( i.e. giving the false impression that it wasn't over 100%, but under)...
- In particular, when "we looked at the Goldman Sachs' arrangement with Greece... we found that there was, on 2000 - 2001, a Contract between the (former "Socialist") Greek Government and Goldman Sachs, in which, by using Exchange Rates that weren't the Market Rates, these had the Effect of modestly changing" the Accounts, he noted.
- Such "arrangements which are basically intended to have Accounting Impacts,
essentialy to affect the Accounting of a Ratio", were, shortly afterwards, explicitly outlawed, after "the ENRON episode (See supra), following which, the Fed. and all Banker Supervisors strengthened Rules against" such deals, Bernanke denounced.
- Thus, the 2000 controversial deal did create a real "Issue", that US Fed's Chairman had to "discuss with Goldman Sachs", in order to make sure that "required" changes brought afterwards this troublesome "situation, .. now (i.e. on 2010), well under Control", while "Goldman Sachs sold this position on 2005 to a Greek Bank", he added, (clearly implying that this situation was not under control back in 2000)...
- In particular, Goldman Sachs was "required" to "have a much more elaborated procedure Now (in 2010), ... in order to make sure that .. such possible Deals... are not motivated by Accounting, and other kind of appearances' Issues", Bernanke concluded on this affair.
Adding to the Exceptional character of this particular Politico-Financial (See supra) case, US Fed's Chairman also revealed that, in general, it's rather Rare for U.S. Banks to sell Swaps to European Countries :
- "On the Credit Default Swaps (CDS), we haven't found large positions in US Banks vis a vis European Governments. ... Exposure of US Banks in Credit Default Swaps (CDS) of direct holdings to European Governments is relatively Limited", Bernanke observed.
- "But, we haven't addressed the Question specifically of using CDS to Manipulate Prices, which, of course, would be illegal and inappropriate. That will be more a ACC Responsibility, (and) I know that they are looking at that issue", be carefully warned.
----------------------
Questioned anew by the Chairwoman of U.S. Congress' JEC, Maloney, whether he was "satisfied with the Solution Europe has reached on Greece" or if he "see(s) the Problems seen in Greece spilling over to other adjacent Countries, or possibly having an impact to the US ?", Bernanke replied in a way which seems to partly confirm "EuroFora"'s earlier NewsReports about EuroZone's decision-making "process, stage by stage"' :
- "Well, it's a Work in Progress... I think they ( EU) made a good bit of progress, but It's Politically Difficult. Because, on the one hand, Europeans don't want to "assist" Greece, unless they are persuaded that Greeks has made a very good effort of their own to reduce their Deficit and improve their Fiscal position. At the same time, the Europeans themselves have to agree how to share burdens, and how they are going to set up the arrangements"; i.e. with which Conditions.
Therefore, " I think (that) there will still be further Discussions going forward" inside EuroZone, Bernanke concluded.
. "I think that, that there is a broad understanding that it's very important for them to come to a solution, and there is a good bit of progress there. US is not directly involved in these negotiations, but I've been informed that they (EuroZone) made Good Progres, and they are quite confident that a Solution would be forthcoming", he estimated
------------------------------------------------
Political Controversy starts over Historic Economic Facts : Key period 1981-2010
----------------------------------------------------------
EU Member Greece would certainly have entered into the EuroZone, but perhaps a little bit later, and/or it would have been clearly warned beforehand about the main necessary Reforms, that it might have accomplished sooner or later.
On the contrary, by entering earlier than normaly and/or unprepared, Greek Economy was inevitably exposed (without the usual Monetary/Fiscal arms that any Country disposes before its entry to EuroZone) to harder than others obstacles to catch up with a Productivity Gap, which, afterwards, widened considerably, f.ex. vis a vis Germany and other Countries, making it more difficult to re-fund the debt of the past.
Thus, the main immediat profit from a so early and/or unprepared entry was Political, and only for a former "Socialist" Government which notoriously used the perspective for Greece to enter immediately to an EuroZone dominated then by similar "Socialist" or coalition Governments (f.ex. in France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, etc) in order to snatsch the April 2000 Greek Election with a small margin of less than 1%..
Main Opposition Party, "New Democracy" (ChristianDemocrats/EPP) recognizes only some 13 Billions € of Debt left by its former Governments since 1981, on 1992 and for 2004-2009, out of the total Debt which is more than ... 300 Billions €, accusing the various "Socialist" (PASOK) Governments, "particularly from the Decade of the 1980ies", as well as during 1994-2004 until now 2009-2010, to be the main responsible for the bulk of more than 287 billions €...
The main thrust of this fact results clearly from OECD's recent Graphics on the evolution of many Countries' Debt during the last 30 Years, which reveal that Greece's Debt grew at the Decade of the 1980ies, and became higher and higher during all this period of former PASOK governments. (While a short ChristianDemocrat interval with Costas Karamanlis, in mid 2004 - mid 2009, despite a real amelioration, didn't, however, adopt radical enough measures to really change the situation it inherited from a long "Socialist" Past)..
Moreover, the new ND (ChristianDemocrat) Leader, former MEP and Foreign Minister, Antonis Samaras, has just denounced the current "Socialist" (PASOK) Government to have provoked, in addition to the problem of the old Debt, also "a new problem of Borrowing" money, after a controversial worsening of the publicly anounced accounts, pointing at the fact that the Interest Rates asked by the Market for Loans to Greece suddenly grew, from only ..1% to more than ... 7% in just a few months !

The next EU Parliament's Economic Committee's meeting is scheduled for next Monday, April 19, during the Weekly Full Plenary Session in Strasbourg.
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Hu Jia's prize brings SAKHAROV's wife to "EuroFora" on murders of Journalists Politkofskaya, Gongadze and Adali :
- Elena Bonner : "All Journalists' murders must be fully investigated", without Double Standards.
During a special Mega-Event to celebrate 20 Years of SAKHAROV Prize for "Freedom of Thought", attributed in 2008 by EU Parliament to jailed Chinese Cyber-Dissident Hu JIA, the move was reinforced by strongly criticizing the persisting impunity in three cases of Journalists' Murders, such as POLITKOVSKAYA in Russia, GONGADZE in Ukraine, and ADALI in Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus.
Any bureaucratic doubt about whether Cyber-dissidents like Hu JIA might have, or not, a right to be protected as all Journalists must be, particularly when they take risks to search, find and publish original and critical News on issues of general interest to the society, could not resist to the emotion provoked by the message of his Wife, Zeng JINYAN spectacularly transmitted at a big screen in EU Parliament's hemicycle :
- "The most important and most interesting thing he did was to ... say the Truth :.. to write about the phenomena he observed... He never stopped Publishing.. on websites, so that the Public could learn about the reality .. and understand it. In my view, this has been his greatest contribution", stressed the young wife of the jailed man, eager to cite also the cases of other critical journalists who faced various kinds of "harassment".
- "Welcoming all those who have suffered for defending Human Rights", EU Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert POETTERING, who had invited to Strasbourg all former Sakharov prize-winners from various Countries throughout the World, said that "China needs Europe, and Europe needs China : A great nation" with which "we want to have a good relationship", "association and ..friendship". "But we are never going to stop our fight for Human Rights, and No Government can expect this from us".
- "It's impossible to achieve goals of Peace, if Human Rights are left out. In fact, Peace and Human Rights are intrinsequaly linked", added POETTERING.
It's in this spirit that MEPs adopted, on Thursday, a Resolution denouncing that "the criminal
investigation and trial following the murder of (a) Journalist ...raises serious concerns with regard to transparency and respect for the rule of law", when a "brutal killing has not yet been fully investigated and solved in a satisfactory way".
The text refered to dissident Journalist "Anna POLITOVSKAYA", a critic of Tchechen conflict, killed some years ago in Moscow, where Russian Authorities have found, arrested and are currently judging two executants, while also searching to arrest also a 3rd one, allegedly escaped in Belgium. But they have not yet found the instigators.
Similar texts were adopted recently also on dissident Ukranian Journalist Georgiy GONGADZE's murder, for which Ukranian Authorities have at least found, arrested and condemned 2 executants to 12 and 13 Years of jail, but not yet the instigators. For that purpose, they recently accepted an International Experts team to participate to the investigations.
But, it's only for the Murder of dissident Turkish Cypriot Journalist ADALI, in the occupied territories of Cyprus, that Turkey has NOT yet found ANYONE responsible, and even claimed recently inside CoE that it would be "impossible" to do so !
These astonishing differences exist despite the fact that ECHR condemned alike Ukraine and Turkey with 2 Judgements on the same year : 2005, for the murders of Journalists GONGADZE and ADALI, strong critics of Corruption in Ukraine, and of Ankara's policies on mass-influx of Turkish Settlers in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, respectively.
Regarless of that, CoE's Committee of Ministers, who is entrusted with the duty to supervise execution of ECHR's judgements, has just asked Ukraine's Government to reply to further questions on Gongadze's murder before March 2009, while Turkey, curiously, got a longer postponement for answering questions on Adali's murder, until June...
A comparison of these cases, raises serious questions about Double Standards :
------------------------
On TRANSPARENCY :
--------------------------
On Gongadze's murder, CoE's body speaks even about the participation of
"an INTERNATIONAL group of Experts" in the Investigation, (f.ex. of "Tape Recordings"), accepted by Ukraine.
On the contrary, on Adali's murder, CoE is obliged to repeatedly ask (for a 2nd
time) Turkey whether, at least, it informed the victims' Family, or not...
------------------------------
- On EFFICIENCY :
-----------------------
On Gongadze's murder, CoE formally "recalls that the Committee (of Ministers) ..URGED the Ukranian authorities.. to TAKE ALL NECESSARY INVESTIGATIVE STEPS TO ACHIEVE CONCRETE and VISIBLE RESULTS in the INVESTIGATION, aimed at the Identification of the INSTIGATORS and Organisers of the Murder", and "STRONGLY INVITED the Ukranian Authorities to provide information on the PROGRESS IN THE INVESTIGATION", before MARCH 2009.
But, on Adali's murder, on the contrary, CoE's body merely .. "took note" of the "arguments presented by" Cyprus, which denounce the absence of any proof of new "investigation" by Turkey. Following Turkey's own suggestion (!), it simply "noted" that there is "no limitation period" for "any new element" to "lead potentialy (sic !) to a Re-Opening of the Investigation". Without saying who might find any such "new" fact, since Turkey stoped searching... It also POSTPONED the issue until .. JUNE !
-----------------------
- On the PUNISHMENT OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE :
----------------------
- On Gongadze's murder case, Ukranian Authorities already arrested and condemned, at least 2 suspects, to 12 and 13 Years of jail. And on Politkovskaya's murder at least 2 suspects are judged, and a 3rd one "wanted".
On the contrary, on Adali's murder case, the Turkish authorities simply claim that "it had not been possible to obtain new .. information .. on the basis of which criminal charges could be brought against ANY person" !...
Moreover, a LETTER sent by Turkey ...2 Years after CoE's 2006 call to re-investigate anew Adali's murder case, is totally EMPTY of Facts ! As Cypus' Delegation denounced earlier, Turkey's Letter ONLY CLAIMS that a "New Investigation" was made without any result, but does NOT even cite ANY FACT to prove it :
F.ex.,on the crucial issue of the "MOTIVATIONS" behind Adali's murder, noted by ECHR, Turkey MERELY CLAIMS that "all allegations were investigated; without result", but OMITS ANY FACT TO PROVE IT !..(It doesn't even remind which were these "allegations").. .
+ On ECHR's astonishment that the Turkish Occupation regime didn't produce any "BALLISTIC REPORT" on the Shots which murdered Adali, Turkey again repeats, 12 years later, that, still, even until now, "it was not possible to obtain the BalisticReport"...
- As for the astonishing absence of key-WITNESSES' Testimonies, denounced by ECHR, Turkey agains repeats various pretexts avoiding to reveal anything, (Fex. that a person "left" the Occupied Territories "on 2002", or that another witness was heard, but without revealing nothing of what he said, etc).
Turkey obviously "FAILS TO MEET THE CRITICISM made BY THE COURT" for lack of any efficient Investigation in Adali's case, concluded Cyprus' Government.
---------------------------------------------
Replying to our Question which COMPARED these 3 outstanding cases of "JOURNALISTS MURDERS", Adali, Gongadze and Politkovskaya, in order to avoid "Double Standards" by asking from Ukraine and Russia more than what is asked EU candidate Turkey, many European personalities were critical /
They criticised Ankara's recent claim at the CoE to stop investigating, because it would be "impossible to find anyone" responsible for the 5 bullet shots which killed Kutlu ADALI in front of his Family Home, contrary to the other two Journalists' murders, where Ukraine and Russia at least arrested the executants, searching now for the instigators :
----------------------------------

- "Where was that ? In Turkish Occupied Cyprus ? WITHOUT ANY DOUBT : Any murder of Journalist should be investigated in full ! All these Murders must be investigated !", replied the famous SAKHAROV's wife, Elena BONNER to our question on Adali's case, compared to Gongadze and Politofskaya.
Elena Bonner spoke us EXCLUSIVELY shortly after being honored by the President
of EU Parliament on the occasion of 20 Years of her husband's SAKHAROV Prize.
A strong personality, Sakharov's wife even had to struggle against an anonymous EU staffer who, astonishingly, tried to stop her speaking when h heard our question on "Turkey" (!) : - "Please, let me translate, she continues
speaking, don't stop us !", had to cry Sakharov's daughter, (a Journalist
herself), who was translating her mothers' reply, (obliged to speak louder to
make her voice heard despite the harassment).. (= + Audio Proof !)
Earlier, Elena Bonner also fustigated "Double Standards" at another case, on
Western countries' attitude vis a vis Kosovo and the Kurds : -F.ex. "You have
recognized a few 400.000 Kosovars as an "independent" country, but you still
deny that to 30 millions of Kurds in Turkey !", she denounced.
-----------------------------
- "This (ADALI's murder) is an issue which should be pursued by the Committee
for Human Rights. That's why we have one, and it's its duty to examine cases of
Journalists' murders as the one you referred to. You should bring the case in
front of that Committee", suggested in reply to our question on Adali, EU
Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert POETTERING.
- "It's impossible to achieve goals of PEACE, if HUMAN RIGHTS are left out :
in fact, Peace and Human Rights are intrinsequaly linked", added POETTERING.
--------------------------------------
+ "For us (European/International Federation of Journalists) it's clear :
Whenever a Journalist is Murdered, the Investigation should continue until
those Responsible are found !", replied earlier to another question on ADALI
EFJ/IFJ's Secretary General, Aidan WHITE.
Speaking as a matter of General Principle, White asked us for "concrete data"
on the execution of ECHR's judgement on Adali case, in order to "look at it in
depth" and "make a formal statement", in comparison with the other Murdered
Journalist case, also pending at CoE's Ministers for completing its execution,
on Ukranian Gongadze.
----------------------------------------------------
From EU Rapporteur on Human Rights, vice-President of EU Parliament Liberties' Committee, MEP Giusto CATANIA, we were told that, since there is an ECHR judgement in both Adali and Gongadge's cases, "Turkey must naturally execute the judgement and make a full and efficient investigation, until those responsible for the Journalist's murder are found and punished".
Even if "we (Catania's "EuroLeft" Group) support Turkey's EU perspectives, this does not mean that Ankara should not behave properly. On the contrary, it means that they have to meet tough conditions, particularly on Human Rights", was added on the occasion of Adali's murder case.
Moreover, "since you raise the issue of Mr. Adali's muder as a part of a Series of Journalist's murders, including fex. Gongadze, Politkovskaya, ao., tthen we (EU) could also act together with CoE's Commissioner on Human Rights, Thomas HAMMARBERG, it was suggested.
- "We (EU) must step up efforts against the problem of IMPUNITY : Real Peace cannot exist without Justice", stressed also this week at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, French Minister on Human Rights, Mrs Rama YADE.
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