1989-2009 Gorbatchev 20 years after: PanEuropean Debates in Strasbourg to realize Europe's potential

-"Since (Russian) President Medvedev gives us his hand, we'd better accept it", stressed new French Minister for EU affairs, Pierre Lellouch, to "EuroFora", on the Sarkozy - Merkel recent proposal to create a "common area" for all Europe and its closest strategic neighbours, including Russia, Turkey and other countries, after meeting with Historic former President Gorbatchev at the CoE, 20 Years since his venue in Strasbourg in 1989, which marked a vision of PanEuropean unity and started the proces of Europe's reUnification.

The potential of Europe cannot be fully realized without common aims between EU and Russia, from Security, Economy and Environment to Democracy and Human Rights, he stressed, launching an invitation to start paneuropean dialogue and debates in Strasbourg.

We, Europeans, are placed in front of "a truly unique Historic Opportunity". We need a "new structure" on Security issues, but CoE plays a vital role and can realize its full potential if it remains faithful to its Human Rights', Democracy and Rule of Law Values' real dimension, without double standards, he added speaking at an exceptional ceremony for CoE's 60th Anniversary, joined also by EU Commission's President Jose Barroso.

Welcomed with laud and enthousiastic applaudissements by more young people that Schweitzer's amphitheater could normally contain, obliging the surprised organisers of the event to kindly refuse numerous visitors who outpassed their expectations, Gorbatchev was immediately questioned in 2009 by the same person who had welcomed him officially when he had come in 1989 as the 1st Russia's President to speak at the CoE :

- "What's for you the Identity of that greater Europe as a whole, from the Atlantic ocean to Ural mountains, that you have spoken of, after General De Gaulle ? What makes you believe that there is "something" existing there" which can unite the people ?, asked him professor Francoise Lalumiere, the former CoE's Secretary General and current director of Paris' "European Home".

- "I know that many things in History have started with France", observed Gorbatchev earlier, at his meeting with Lellouch. But now, he curiously appeared as if he had been outpassed by Lalumiere's querry :  - "That's a typically French question", he smiled back with friendly criticism, before structuring the issue in a quite differend way, as a man forever marked by the fact that he had, first of all, to think Global, situating Russia mainly vis a vis the USA, back in the 1989 old period when the most urgent need was to end the former "Cold War" at first, before having the time to really think about anything else.

But, at various key-moments, he stressed "Europe's enormous Cultural potential", and called himself to "keep our European Identity"...

However, Gorbatchev was strongly critical about the way previous European Governments misused until now the Historic opportunities opened for a reUnification of a greater Europe, 20 Years after his 1989 breakthrough proposal to create "a common European Home" and the fall of Berlin's wall, that Chancellor Merkel is currently preparing to celebrate on November 9, 2009 :

- I want to see, during my life-time, the result of what we did in 1989 by bringing in Transparency ("Glasnost") and Democracy, ending the Cold War, and proposing to create "a common Home in Europe", Gorbatchev stressed 20 years later in 2009 Strasbourg.

It's also nearly 2 Centuries since famous writer Victor Hugo addressed an International Peace Conference by expressing his belief that "the time will come when, France, Russia, Italy, England, Germany, and all countries of the continent,  without losing their distinct qualities and glorious individualities, will forge together a superior entity, and become the European Fraternity",
that Gorbatchev had cited at his historic CoE 1989 speech, as it was reminded now, and was also highlighted during the 2008 French EU Presidency.

But, instead of that, some attempted to provoke new tensions and dividing lines in Europe, while "irresponsibility of some businesses", and economic reforms made in a too harsh way, threw to poverty millions of people, and provoked  an "enormous disappointment", he regretted.

The current Global "Crisis" worsens things, added to "enormous Environmental problems", and if it's treated "only with fire-fighting methods", then, "the next Crisis wil be more enormously destructive", he warned.

Reacting to questions on dissident Journalist's deaths, related to Tchechnya and North Caucasus' tension and terrorism, (which has recently aggressed or killed also many Governemental officials, even some well known for their pro-reform and democratic trends, as it was denounced by NGOs at the CoE), Gorbatchev regretted that some journalists faced tragic situations when they came close to "power struggles", and "become targets", as he said. "We need improvements, on Elections, Media, etc", he observed

- "It's important that our Common European Home is based on foundations respecting freedom of Press and Human Rights", he added at a following question.

But, some looked eager only to "isolate" Russia and "get the spoils" from a demembrement of former USSR and afterwards of Russia, even if such threats are now out-dated, particularly after Russia succeeded to protect its territorial integrity, and overcome a previous "chaos", thanks to Putin's era, which "stabilized" things, he added.

And now Gorbatchev strongly advocated new Russian President Medvedev's proposal "to create a common PanEuropean Security Architecture".

Smiling, he didn't exclude that in future, "who knows ? May be it will happen for Russia to join NATO", as he said in reply to a question.

But, questioned on the EU, Gorbatchev carefully said that it raises the issue of "EU's definition", since, "if Russia entered into the EU, then, EU would extend up to Vladivostok", at the Pacific ocean, ...; Meanwhile, EU Member States are not ready to welcome Russia in, and Russia neither.

Meanwhile, even for other EU Enlargements, "EU has first to solve questions related to its Citizens, before any new enlargement", he observed.

But, earlier, "the fact that (Western and Eastern) Germans came together, helped Europe's reUnification", he said.

- "Our common aim should be to build this common European Home from both ends, from both Russia and the West".  There are "big opportunities", and "CoE could play a key role", Gorbatchev preferred to say

What is important is that Europe should seize an Historic opportunity to realize its "enormous Cultural potential", and "live really up to its Human Rights values", without double standards.

On the contrary, "without Russia it would be impossible for Europe to fully realize its potential", Gorbatchev warned.

He spoke after CoE's Assembly debated and adopted a Report drafted by the Head of France's delegation, ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Jean-Claude Mignon, on Europe's "Future", which observed that CoE, in addition to being the Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law PanEuropean Organization, is also "a broad, inclusive Political Forum, encompassing EU Member and Non-member States, Russia and Turkey in particular, and open to political and intercultural dialogue with neighbouring states in Northern Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia", as fex. Kazakhstan, etc.

Among other concrete proposals, Gorbatchev cited an example that "EuroFora" has been strongly supporting at least since 2005/2006 : - "F.ex. I had proposed to former French President Mitterand to create PanEuropean Transport corridors all accross the continent. He seemed to agree. But, many years afterwards, nothing was done !", he criticized.

Gorbatchev probably doesn't realize that the recent project to create a High-Speed Train link called "Magistrale", between Paris, Strasbourg, Munich, Wien and Budapest, could perhaps be the 1st step in this direction : Russian Trans-Siberian railroad has recently approached Budapest, making it easier for Strasbourg's extension to provide the strategic "Missing link".

 This strongly reminds what could be former French President Jacques Chirac's real conclusion, after a long career at top responsibilities : Welcoming German Chancellor Merkel and former Russian President Putin, current PM, at Compiegne Castle back on September 2006 (only a few months before he quits from office), he ended it all up by showing them the most spectacular, symbolic image : An impressive overall view of a huge, immense avenue, long of many kms, opened among surrounding forests and leading up to a high hill, that Napoleon had created himself, in the front of the historic castle, which contains a superbe, symbolic painting called "Napoleon's dream".

- In the only writtings Napoleon left to history, when he was deported and held prisoner at Saint Helen's remote island, it's astonishing to find out how important was for him the idea of a greater Europe as a whole : He had rightfully warned, that after what he thougt to be a betrayal of 18th Century's Revolutionary Democratic "Enlightenment" ideas, (which had inspired also a German as Beethoven to write his famous "Heroic" music at the honor of France's Napoleon, in addition to his famous "Ode to joy" which became now EU's anthem), Europe risked to face a long era of tension, uprisings, division and Wars, provoking destructions and weakening its potential.

That's precisely what happened since those times of 1810-1815, with revolts succeeding one another, (1830, 1848-9, 1871, 1917, etc), Franco-German and World Wars (1870, 1914-1919, 1940-1945), followed by a long Europe's Division and "Cold War" (1948 - 1988), etc., until the fall of Berlin's wall (1989), Russia's entry at the CoE (1995), and Germany's reUnification, extended to EU's Enlargements Eastwards in 2004 and 2007, started to change the situation.

If new French President Nicolas Sarkozy hadn't already succeeded to take a notoriously efficient initiative to stop the Russia - Georgia war back on August 2008, and hadn't proposed later in 2008, while he chaired the EU, a concrete measure to overcome risks for a renewed Russo- American tension in Europe, by provisionaly "freezing" both the American anti-missile shield and the Russian counter-measures in rockets and missiles' deployement overseas and at Europe's heart at Kaliningrand, until OSCE starts discussing Russian President Medvedev's proposal to create a PanEuropean Security mechanism with the participation of all, US included, observers might say that it was his subsequent 2009 Summer meeting with Chirac, at his family ressort, which might have helped a bit to think anew about Russia.

It's as early as since CoE's 2nd Summit of Heads of State and Government, back in 1997 in Strasbourg, that Chirac, together with former ChristianDemocrat German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, (the "father" of Germany's reunification), and former Russian President Yeltsin, had decided to initiate a formula of Franco-Germano-Russian Summits

But Sarkozy's well known good relations with the USA too, including with new US President Obama, (reflected now even at Lellouch's fresh nomination as new EU affairs Minister, after being a long-time NATO specialist and enthousiast), particularly after the Historic return of France to NATO's military component at Strasbourg's April 2009 NATO's 60th Anniversary Summit, obviously provides a better "balanced" approach, more credible overseas, on matters concerning Russia : Thus, after obtaining also German chancellor Merkel's agreement, Sarkozy openly presented the idea to create a "common area" in Europe with Russia, Turkey and other european or neighboring countries, during Obama's latest Paris' visit.
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However, Gorbatchev's most striking move, which might give a new Historic mark to his 2009 CoE visit, was to play a familiar note to "EuroFora"'s ears :

=> The experienced and historic former Russian President concluded by launching a vibrant call for large, open, frank and friendly "Dialogues", Debates, and exchanges of views, at a kind of PanEuropean Fora, with modern Media which can usefully contribute into bringing together all European Countries, including Russia.

- "We must not be afraid to take up the challenge of Dialogue", he said. On the contracry, "We need to talk. We need Debates and Discussions", he stressed.                                                                                                                                                                      

Putting also Germany at the spot-light, Gorbatchev observed that he found really useful the Saint Petersburg Forum's dialogues with young people from Germany and Russia, and he advised to extend and further develop the idea, at a PanEuropean level, at CoE's headquarters in Strasbourg.

Gorbatchev was speaking under a huge painting of an ancient Greek column of white marble, (famous symbol of Parthenon's cradle of direct Democracy), to which were added the key-words : "Strasbourg's Dialogues".

Co-organized by CoE's Director of Communication Seda Pumpyanskaya, and Strsbourg's Mayor Roland Ries, the 2009 event may be didn't expect to succeed beyond its own expectations, and attract such proposals to extend beyond its initially unique, one off, character.

=> But Gorbatchev's 2009 move went exactly in the direction of "EuroFora"'s project, initially presented in Strasbourg and Brussels since 1997, a year after Russia's official full accession to the CoE (in 1996, which also brought USA in Strasbourg with a "special status" in 1995) :

That's why "EuroFora" was conceived from the start in a manner which opens the way also for Russian language to be simultaneously used, together with English, French, German and other European languages, as its 2007 relaunch with the original structure of "Elxis" CMS Multilingual software and its Forum's automatic translations including to Russian, clearly indicates

5 differend Journalists and experts experienced in European affairs, fluently speaking Russian, have already proposed to cooperate with "EuroFora" in Strasbourg, in the direction suggested now by Gorbatchev.

As Gorbatchev himself reminded in 2009, already back in 1989, "a lot of peaceful revolutions became possible", "without interfering", he claimed, but because "we had started with Glasnost (Transparency), and gave Citizens the possibility to freely debate"...