Eurofora in CNN/Europe1/Echos' Global Debate on GERMAN ELECTION +1999-2002 EU Greece - Turkey Deal

*Paris/Fouquet's/Angelo Marcopolo/- It's also in the perspective of the forthcoming May 2014 EU Parliament's elections, that was discussed the "Hottest" issue in Merkel -  Steinbruck TV Duel and at the Bundestag, on former "Socialist" Governments' 1999-2001 decision to accelerate, too early, an unprepared Greece entry in €uroZone, (so that former PASOK Government would snatch the April 2000 Election), in exchange of Athens' politicians closing their eyes on Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, which was raised during an exceptional, last-minute Euro-American Press Debate co-organized by "CNN-International", "Europe1" and "Les Echos" in the prestigious Artists' meeting point of "Fouquet's" at Paris' Champs Elysées, where "EuroFora" was invited to participate, as other Journalists from "France2", "Figaro", etc., with the President of "SIEMENS' Energy" for South-Eastern Europe, former German Foreign Affairs' counsellor at the era of Foreign Minister Steinmeyer, Dr. Andreas Görgen, and experienced former EU affairs French Minister, MP Bruno Le Maire, (a well-known "Deutsch-sprachige" emerging political figure, of the Christian-Democrat/EPP party "UMP"), together with Press Correspondents in Berlin; specialized Financial affairs Journalists and other invitees (See Infra).
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EU's Institutional/Political developments had been notoriously blocked for years after a controversial decision to initially give Turkey a "Candidate for EU Accession" status, at December 1999 EU Helsinki Summit, triggering growing Popular reactions which led to 3 "No" at 2005-2007 EuroReferenda on an EU Constitution project, in addition to an unprecedented, 1999-2004 Sharp Drop in EU Citizens' Participation to EU Parliament's Elections, where Abstentionists became a Majority, for the 1st time in EU's History, (the 2009 EU Vote having merely decelerated that drop, without really reversing it, as Turkey-EU Negotiatons and lucrative 1 Billion € each year full Grants persisted even after Sarkozy-Merkel's a.o. EU Leaders' 2007-2009 decision to Drop "Accession" as an official aim, opting for "Open-Ended" Talks which might, eventually, lead just in a "Privileged Partnership", thereby opening a way for a "Simplified" EU Lisbon Treaty's adoption on 2010).

As a result, EU was found unprepared, recently, during the 2008-2013 Global Economic/Financial Crisis, because of that 5 Years Delay in its Institutional development (2005-2010), provoked by Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid (Comp. Supra), so that EU Leaders were obliged to Start building a much needed Economic Governance, particularly of €uroZone, only after 2010, while, initially, this had been scheduled to happen much Earlier, as, inter alia, a landmark October 1995 EU Parliament Debate on the "State of the European Union", including the (forthcoming, then) Introduction of the €uro, with the participation of EU leaders and even UNO's Secretary General, (then Boutros Ghali), had already foreseen that a moment would inevitably come soon, when most EU  People would ask for an EU Economic Governance to be established, in order to safeguard EU Economy and Jobs from any Global upheavals.

+ In Addition, the effects of the Global Economic/Financial had been notoriously Aggravated in €uroZone by  a 1999-2001 controversial decision (by the same former "Socialist" Governments of that era), to push an unprepared Greece to enter €uroZone precociously, even with an immature Economy, i.e. without having previously accomplished the necessary Reforms, mainly of the notoriouly Disproportionate number of State's and Public Sector's civil servants, (including too many Cushy-Job Holders and/or Political Lackeys of former Clientelist/Nepotist, mainly PASOK Governments, even several Corrupted and/or abusive officials, who became soon Unpopular, droping PÄSOK from 41% down to only ...7%).

As all EU Member Countries, Greece would certainly enter €uroZone, and had even a Legal Obigation to try to do so, at one moment or another, and could have realized the necessary Reforms in a few years time in order to enter €urozone well prepared and fit to stand the shock, while a possible Transformation of €uroZone into a Politicaly integrated area in the Future, as many wish and/or think inevitable, would be Ideologically (and therefore politically) Unthinkable without Greece, Ancient, World-famous Symbol  of Democracy, Science and Civilisation, from whom stems even the Word "Europe" (meaning : "Large Vue"), and considering also the Country's Strategic GeoPolitical situation, mainly towards Middle-East/Suez Channel's Oil/Gas routes, etc.

But, the former PASOK Government of Costas Simitis managed, against prognostics, to win the April 2000 Elections with a thin margin, in front of a growing ChristianDemocrat/EPP "New Democracy" party of Costas Caramanlis, and stay in power for 4 years (until 2004), including to chair, meanwhile, the EU rotating Presidency (2003), manly by boasting that it had managed to convince the EU for an Early Entry in €uroZone, without having to do beforehand, as it should, the necessary Structural Reforms, particularly on the excessive number of State/Public Sector's employees, (most PASOK fans, scandalously hired with Clientelism/Nepotism since the 1980ies by earlier PASOK Governments).

Obviously, he couldn't have done so without any help from other EU Leaders, and mainly the most Important, such as Germany's Schroeder, France's Jospin, UK's Blair, Italy's Amato, etc, who were all "Socialists", while even EU Commission's leadership had just sliped from the ChristianDemocrat Santer (Luxembourg)  to the Liberal/Socialdemocrat Pronti (Italy), after an unprecedented vote of defiance from EU Parliament, for the 1st time in History, provoking also the Change of the competent EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary affairs : From De Silguy (French, center-Right) to Solbes (a Portuguese Socialist) in the middle of 1999. F.ex., "EuroFora"s co-Founder, who published then in 2 Media, including a mainstream Press Agency of Greece, will never forget the sudden change of style, from the positive but careful estimations that used to give us then EU Commissioner De Silguy, to the over-optimistic, almost enthousiastic prognostics of his successor, Solbes, where Future Growth prospects for Greece dansed by climbing over Big numbers, that were never achieved during the following years... Notoriously, the 1999-2002 make-up included also some False Statistics by EuroStat, and particularly the infamous USA's Goldman Sachs' 1998-2002+ "Swaps" which practically served, if not to "Hide", at least to Postpone the appearance of Greek State's Debt, as, inter alia, also an EU Parliament's Commission's Hearing revealed on 2011 in Brussels (See relevant "EuroFora"'s NewsReport .... ). Thus, it's not a surprise that even Goldman Sachs' CEO until 1998-1999, a "Socialist"/DP Politician, Corzine, reportedly brought another Company to Bankruptcy on 2011 while he was heavily Speculating on peripheral European States' Debts...

 
When SPD's candidate Steinbruck curiously accused Merkel recently to prepare a 3rd Aid Package to Greece for 2014, just a few years after having reportedly claimed that there won't be, no more, any more Money given for Greece's bailout, the German Chancellor clearly replied that her previous Warning concerned only the hypothesis in which the Greek Government wouldn't do any real Effort to accomplish the necessary Reforms, and not that of Today, when new Greek Prime Minister Samaras apparently  tries to advance real Changes, and she strongly stroke back, launching a kind of "Political BOOMERANG", by denouncing the fact that it was "Socialist" former Chancellor Schroeder who had accepted Greece's unprepared, too Early Entry in €uroZone, back on 1999-2002, (while Athens was governed by his pal : PASOK's Simitis)...

- So, the recent "Crisis built up" since the "EU Stabilty Pact was first Violated when Countries like Greece were picked up for a precocious and unprepared Entry into €urozone" by former "Socialist" Chnacellor Shröder, back on 1999-2002. Consequently it grew and finally "Broke out in full at the moment of the (2009-2013) Global Financial Crisis", Merkel denounced at the Bundestag. Shroeder ("Socialists") and Fischer ("Greens") were rejoicing with their PASOK pals in Athens, when they commited the €urozone "Errors" for which "they are Responsible" : "It was that Red-Green coalition which Violated the EU's Stability Pact 5 Times in a row, during 7 Years in the Government" then (1998-2005), criticized also, on behalf of the Liberal Party, FDP's Rainer Brüderle at the Bundestag debate, (curiously, without any of these Denunciations being ever contradicted by anyone among the various PSD, Green or Leftist Speeakers !)...

Why  all that started on 1999-2002 ? Simply because the International "Socialist" Global organisation needed from its member, the former PASOK Government in  Greece, to close its eyes on the attribution to Turkey of an "EU Candidate" status even without fullfilling the necesssary Human Rights, Democracy and International Law's respect Conditions. (Comp. Infra, + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/merkelbonn.html ].  Indeed, as it is well known,  the 1998-2000 American Administration (de facto headed then by "Socialist" Al Gore and the Federal Bureaucracy, during the intermezo of Bill Clinton's Scandal Crisis), was eager to push Turkey into the EU, not only in quest of USA's frequent attemps, in Global GeoPolitics, to Weaken Europe via recurrent Pressure  for Turkey to enter inside the EU, but also in order to convince the EU to practically Fund certain controversial, too expensive, too long and dangerous Pipeline projects obliging Central Asia - Europe Oil/Gas Transport Links to pass only through Turkey, (instead of possibe Direct EU - Asia links, f.ex. via Ship Energy Transport through the Black Sea and/or the Mediterranean Sea), starting by the Baku -Ceyhan pipeline plan (strongly pushed by UK and USA Foreign Policy, despite Businesses' hesitations due to its Costs and aleas), which was imminent for Decisions in 1999-2002+.  

This coincided, then, with Turkey's urgent need to face a sharp Economic and Financial Crisis by Unblocking 1993-2000 EU Funding Programs for Ankara which had been notoriously "Freezed" by EU Parliament because of the Turkish Government's refusal to fullfil a series of Conditions on respect of Human Rights and of International Law (f.ex. on the persisting Military Occupation of part of Cyprus, on War Threats against Greece in order to hinder Athens to exploit its Oil/Gas resources around the Greek Aegean Sea Islands), as well as to recognize the Armenian Genocide and Stop Blocking Armenia's borders, make real progress for a Peaceful Solution of the Kurdish Issue, etc. Since, otherwise, at the end of the MultiAnnual Financial Period, all pre-existing EU Funding programs earmarked for Turkey risked, thus, to be lost for ever, with the Money being returned back to EU Member Countries, Ankara's Government had presented at the beginning of 1999 in EU Parliament in Strasbourg a written demand to transfert all these EU Funds into "a New Program", which would be that of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU Accession bid...

This was immediately done at the December 1999 Helsinki EU Summit, under the chairmanship of "Socialists" former Finnish President Halonen and f. Prime Minister Lipponen, in very "special" conditions, (that some have described in strange terms :  - "Suddenly, Halonen got a Phone call from Washington DC, and, immediatey afterwards, we had to give Turkey a status of Candidate to EU Accession !"), while even French President Chirac's EU affairs Minister, currently Top MEP Lamassoure, has said that he "ignored" that, almost up to the last minute...  

Meanwhile, an unprecedented and undeclared but in fact Brutal  "Witch-Hunt" had already started against various European Critics of Turkey's notoriously Oppressive, undemocratic and retrograde Regime, including the non-elucidated Killing of Greece's EU Affairs Minister Kranidiotes (a well known in Strasbourg former MEP from Cyprus), together with his only Son, in an exceptional Deadly Airplane incident at the Borders of Bulgaria and Romania close to the Black Sea and Turkey's borders, which curiously stroke only that key EU Politician, his Son and some close Friends/Collaborators, leaving all other People inside that fatal Airplane intact, until it landed without even a scratch at Bucarest's Airport : Yannos Kranidiotes had, precisely been campaigning against attempts to impose Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid during the 1st half of 1999, as "EuroFora"'s co-Founder had witnessed at several meetings with him during Ministerial visits to EU Parliament and/or CoE in Strasbourg, and he was immediatey replaced then by America-born Greek former State Secretary Giorgos Papandreou, who openly claimed, only  few  Days afterwards, on his way towards an Autumn 1999 gathering of EU Foreign Ministers in Finland, that, on the contrary, it would be "Greece's interest to support Turkey's EU prospects"... Mutatis-mutandis, various more or less similarly brutal methods were then abused also against certain key Journalists, Politicians and other strong Critics of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, some of whom faced, then, suddenly, an unprecedented and unwarned series of Harassment, Aggressions, Slandering, Oppression, etc., by hardly covert means, (sometimes even against their Family), clearly aiming at Silencing, Muzzling or Censoring many well informed and experienced Critics of Turkey inside the EU, during that "Dark" 1999-2002 period...

=> But Turkey provoked a Political Deadlock, blocking EU's institutional development : Strong Popular Reactions from various but converging Majorities of EU Citizens (starting with unprecedented, sharply falling Majority Abstentions in EU Parliament's 1999-2004 Elections, just decelerated in 2009, and followed by 3 "NO" to the French, Dutch and Irish 2005-2007 Euro-Referenda), including the rise of various atypical Rightist or other, often "EuroSceptic" Political Movements accross many key EU Countries, (f.ex. from the "FN" arriving at the 2nd tour of Presidential Elections in France on 2002, up to the "UKIP" becoming the 2nd Party in Great Britain on 2009, etc, and more or less similar trends in the Netherlands, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, Bulgaria, etc, meanwhile : Comp. Supra), notoriously put a Stop to such dangerous Drifts, and incited Europe to start rectifying its course, towards a less Bureaucratic, more Political and Citizen-friendly direction, in fact coherent with the synchronous Dropping of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU "Accession" bid, thanks mainly to the leading Franco-German couple of Sarkozy and Merkel, since 2007-2009, which succeeded to re-launch EU Institutions with Lisbon Treaty (entry into force since 2010), and €uroZone's New Treaty (crafted since August and December 2011, and decided on January,  signed on March 2012) as an Historic 1st Step towards a long overdue EU Economic Governance, (comp. Supra). However, the non-elucidated yet undermining of Sarkozy's 2012 Presidential Election, and some recent "slipery slopes" vis a vis Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, (such as f.ex. a frequent Return back to an EU "Accession" vocabulary which had been long forgotten in the case of Turkey, added to recent Talk and moves claiming to "Open for EU - Turkey Negotiations some New Chapters" among those which had been kept "Freezed" until now, because of Ankara's blunt refusal to align itself with EU Values), under new heavy American pressure since the 2012 re-election of Obama, now surrounded with various emerging Scandals (Benghazi/Islamism, Snowden/NSA after Assange/Wikileaks, unresolved yet Debt of Trillions $ looming on Federal Budgets, Bloody Stagnating Conflicts in Afghanistan and Syria, etc), while a Global Financial Crisis still persists, re-started recently anew to provoke the emergence of more various "Atypical" Political Movements, even in other EU Countries, such as Finland, Sweden, Italy, Greece, etc., while recent Polls in France and other important EU Member States reportedly look rather worrying for May 2014 Elections, with manifold "EuroSceptics" emerging anew, even elsewhere, unless something is done on time to reverse such an obvious risk.

 

* This might be the reason for which neither "Socialist" Candidate Steinbruck, nor SPD itself, didn't yet dare explain why their "Socialist" predecessors did push PASOK's Greece, even unprepared, for a too Early Entry inside €urozone, back on 1999-2002, as ChristianDemocrat CDU Party's Secretary General, Gröhe recently criticized, in a special Statement sent to Journalists, including "EuroFora", shortly after the Merkel - Steinbruck TV Duel...

+ Meanwhile, in Greece, despite better efforts for State Reforms recently by the 2012-2013 Government of Samaras, the current obligation to still depend even on a tiny, reduced PASOK Coalition partner who naturally freins against the necessary drastic Staff Reduction among excessively numerous cushy-job holders and/or political lackeys, (several even Corrupted, Abusive, sometimes Criminal, and largely unpopular) scandalously hired by former Clientelist/Nepotist PASOK Governmens during the last 30 Years (1981-2011). In addition, the Center-Right side of the Political Spectrum has been too much Divided, for the 1st time in Greece's History, between Samara's "New Democracy", and the new parties of "Independent Greeks", the Rightists of the "Golden Dawn", etc.. So that Samaras' new Government, after some initial successses, mainly in Financial Management, etc., seems now to need a fresh impetus in order to avoid deviating from the right path :  An adequate Anti-Corruption campaign, which can find growing support among young and old Citizens, being a better, more just and even economically efficient choice, than any kind of eventual anti-democratic slipery slopes doubled by otherwise inevitable stagnation, as well as more faithful to those who supported Antonis Samaras' original emergence at the top.

Otherwise, Austerity will continue to hardly hit mainly the Productive Businesses and innocent, Poor People, from which depends potential Growth, as well as Social Peace and Justiice, while the disproportionate (compared to Greece's real Economy), excessive number of State/Public Sector's employees, and particularly that Mass of cushy-job holders and Political Lackeys scandalously hired by former Clientelist/Nepotist, mainly PASOK Governments since the 1980ies, after usurpating 30 Years of Salaries (1981-2011+), will neither Stop picking Public Money, nor pay Sanctions, but threateb to even claim another 20 - 30+ Years of Public Funds now as Pensioners, thereby condemning productive Businesses to stagnate and Poor People to starve...

In the meantime, EU and €uroArea Member Greece would still be obliged to Borrow EU Funds, that it is obliged to Return in full Capital, and to pay in addition, for every Dime, an Interest Rate which stands above average, without neither Enterprises, nor Poor People ever receiving not even 1 €, (since everything goes in order to pay only a "Structural Deficit" provoked by that Disproportionate Mass of cushy-job holders and/or Political Lackeys scandalously hired at the State/Pubic Sector by former Clientelist/Nepotist, mainly PASOK Governments since the 1980ies), but are obliged to suffer Heavy Deprivations. On the contrary, a Foreign Non-EU Country like Turkey would continue to usurpate more than 1 Billion € every Year paid by the EU to Ankara in Full Grants, without any need to ever return back not even a dime, (while hardly noone in the EU knows where exactly that EU Money was spend, as the European Court of Auditors and several MEPs have repeatedly denounced), despite old and new Risks to provoke negative Political Blockades against European Edification, given the notoriously controversial and unpopular character of Turkey's EU bid among recalcitrant EU Citizens, even more in the middle of an unfinished yet Global Financial Crisis (comp. Supra)...

>>> A rare case where Morality, Economic Efficiency and Political Vision point, in fact, towards one and same Direction : Hard but also Crystal-clear, as a Diamond : A real Reform of the Greek State, in elementary Conditons of Productivity and Social Justice, able to stimulate Economic Growth and a large Popular support, as well as an Honest deal with Turkey, definitively Rectifying the 1999-2001 Error with lies about a so-called Ankara's controversial and unpopular EU "Accession" bid, many times rejected by a Majority of EU People, by negotiating another Close Relationship to the EU, mutually profitable and able to boost Friendly Cooperation, as with other Neighbouring Countries, (f.ex., already Morocco, the 1st Non-European and Muslim Country to ask for EU Accession in the Past, which was clearly refused, stirring a brief misunderstanding with Rabat, which was, however, easily and rapidly overcome, Morocco becoming afterwards may be the Best and very Friendly EU's Neighbour and Partner at the other side of the common Mediterranean Sea)...

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But, such possible and urgently needed Positive Alternatives obviously necessitate a Solid, Conscious and Keen EU Leadership with a proved capacity and European Vision, for which the outcome of the forthcoming German Elections is naturally of Crucial importance.

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"EuroFora"s question/Intervention to the "CNN/Europe1/LesEchos" debate :
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=> Therefore, "EuroFora"s Question to the CNN/Europe1/LesEchos' International Press Debate in Paris' prestigious Fouquet's at the Champs Elysées, where we were kindly invited to participate, naturally pointed from the outset to the fact that, this time, the very important forthcoming German Elections of September 22, are due to largelly influence also the crucial EU Parliament's 2014 Elections, scheduled for May 22, which are due to be decisive for Europe's capacity-building to definitively overcome the Global Crisis and build much better links to EU Citizens, able to stimulate People's support for  a deeper Political Integration which has become necessary also for the completion of the indispensable EU's Economic Governance.

But, as things stand today, several Polls for various key EU Countries, reportedly warn about recurrent Risks for Extremist and/or EuroSceptic Parties to be boosted, unless something is done to guarantee an adequate Horizon for many People's concerns, apparently turning around Economic/Social matters, often symbolized and resumed by the stance to keep vis a vis the Debt Tragedy hitting Greece, which is, in fact, much more linked that some believe, also to Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, even right from the start, as a Double "Hot" Debate, both at the Merkel - Steinbruck TV Duel, and, later-on, at a Parliamentary Discussion of all German Parties in the Bundestag, added to relevant Press Reports describing various Social tendencies, clearly reveal, "EiuroFora" observed in addition.

Given also the fact that, as several sources admit, (Comp. f.ex. Supra), a former PASOK Government; which was accepted, back on 1999-2002, to enter Greece earlier than normal inside €urozone, i.e. even without having previously completed the necessary reforms, in exchange of closing its eyes on Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU "Accession" Candidate status' attribution, even if Ankara hadn't fullfilled not even elementary Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of International Law's Conditions set up by the EU,

while, moreover, as things stand today, without necessary Economic Reforms mainly on reducing the Disproportionate number of State/Public Sector's employees, including many cushy-job holders and/or political Lackeys, scandalously hired by former Clientelist/Nepotist, mainly PASOK Governmentss, since 1981-2011, otherwise, it's still to the detriment of productive Enterprises and of Poor People that Austerity acts.

=> How do you think that the outcome of these imminent German Elections may succeed to help definitively solve such burning Issues, so that the crucial forthcoming EU Parliament May 2014 Elections might overcome Extremisms and/or Anti-European trends,  opening the way ahead for a  more EU Political Integration, of Vital Need even in order to complete the foundations of EU Economic Governance ?" "EuroFora" asked the participants to the "CNN/Europe1/Les Echos" Press debate.

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>>> TEXTO :

- This week's "German Elections arrive in a special Context, that of the forthcoming May 2014 EU Parliament's Elections, which are very important for a "qualitative Leap" ahead in Political aspects of EU's Economic policy, crucial for the European Construction, as it was evoked also earlier today (by the keynote Speakers), and, in this regard, a Risk appears, according to recent Polls, for various "EuroSceptic", or even Anti-European Movements, in Germany and/or in other EU member Countries, to grow faster, "EuroFora" observed.

At the same time, during the current German Electoral campaign, a very "Hot" debate appeared both at the TV Duel Merkel - Steinbruck, and at the Bundestag, on the too Early entry of Greece in €urozone, practically decided on 2000, which seems to have been based on a Deal, brokered almost at the same time, on Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, and the attribution of a Status of Candidate for EU Accession to Ankara. Issues which are both notoriously exploited by most EuroSceptic movements, we added.

=>  - "Do you think that the forthcoming German Elections could help to overcome, at the same time, both these two obstacles ?, "Eurofora" asked the keynote Speakers. "F.ex by helping Greece to make Stronger Reforms mainly on its State/Public Sector, which is disproportionate compared to its Economy, because, otherwise, it's the productive Businesses and Poor People who are the most affected by the biggest sacrifices, and not the State/Public Sectors' too numerous Civil Servants. + While also finding a solution for the Future of Turkey, so that it would be closely linked to Europe, but in a way which allows EU People to feel part of a European Identity with a European Horizon", (i.e. without a Turkish Accession inside the EU, at least as things stand about that regime's notorious reluctance to respect Human Rigts, Democracy and Rule of Law).
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 - Interestingly, ...Nobody among the participants to the "CNN/Europe1/Les Echos" debate on 2013 German Elections contested "EuroFora"'s reminder of a 1999-2002 Politico-Economic Deal for Turkey's EU Accession Candidate Status in exchange of Greece's  too Early Entry in €uroZone, apparently brokered the among mainly "Socialist" former Governments, (comp. facts cited Supra). Not even the experienced former EU affairs Minister, Bruno Le Maire, who had worked also with former French President Chirac's initial Head of Cabinet at Elysée Palace, and subsequently Prime Minister, De Villepin, long before becoming a key Sarkozy's Minister : Despite an introductory Promisse to "Reply to all Questions raised" during this Debate, nevertheless, he carefully avoided this obviously Tricky point, (which was, naturally, also too Ancient for the 2 Young Press Correspondents of "Europe1" and "Les Echos" at Berlin, as well as CNN' International's Nina Dos Santos, based in London, but covering also frequently the German capital).

It's also understandable that noone among those "Socialist" Politicians of SPD who recently tried to tease Chancellor Merkel with other aspects of Greece's case vis a vis €urozone, didn't ever dare realy open the "Pandora Box" of the 1999-2002 Blunders committed to the detriment of Europe by some former "Socialist" Heads of Government/Foreign Ministers in key EU Countries, neither during the latest Merkel - Steinbruck TV Duel, nor at the subsequent Bundestag Discussions (comp. Supra).

- However, experienced EU Parliament's vice-President, German ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP, Reiner Wieland, from nearby Stuttgart, speaking recently to "EuroFora" in Strasbourg, precisely on the Merkel - Steinbruck TV Duel, where the German Chancellor denounced former "Socialist" Governments of Gerhard Schröder and Steinmeyer/Joshka Fischer, to have artificially provoked Greece's precocious and unprepared Entry in €uroZone back on 2000-2002, when we asked him, in this regard : - "Why did the Socialissts accept, then, to push Greece earlier than normal, inside €urozone ?", he sharply replied : - "Because Greece served (then) as a Trump-Card for Turkey('s controversial and unpopular EU bid) !", President Wieland reacted to "EuroFora"s question, confirming explicitly that 1999-2001 deal, whose Negative Consequences still affect EU's current situation on 2013..  

"EuroFora" hasn't yet checked whether CNN, Europe1, Les Echos, France 2, or Figaro and other Media participating to this exceptional Paris' event on the German Elections might have reported, or not, and how, on that crucial link between Greece's too Early €urozone entry, and Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, apparently made back on 1999-2001, (Comp. Supra). But we wouldn't be astonished if such a "Hot" Critical Question might have been more or less ignored or Censored by ordinary Media, as it was recently done, f.ex. by all those written Newspapers, on-line Media, etc., that we consulted just after Chancellor Merkel herself strongly denounced "Multi-Culti" views of some "Turkish" circles, explicitly mentioned, clearly confirming her preference for "Integration" of immigrants in the Language and Culture of their freey chosen Host Country, right from the Start of her Final Sprint for the 2013 Electoral Campaign, back on August 14th, at Ludwigshafen, (See relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReport from the spot, already sent earlier to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors)....
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However, an incomplet but Interesting Reply to "EuroFora"s  Question was given by the experienced former EU affairs Minister, Bruno Le Maire :                                          

                                                            
 -  "A main point, in this regard, is whether Germany will become conscious of its European responsibilities, mainly vis a vis all the 17 Member States' strong €uroZone, so that it doesn't appear only as an Economic Power, but also as a European Power"; he pointed out.

 - "This meets also your Question on €uroZone : It's simple : If we want to avoid a debate on €uro itself,  and eventual withdrawals, or not, out of €urozone (as some EuroSceptics ask : Comp. Supra), then, let's have a Debate on the Level of €uro's price" in Global Markets, the mainstream French politician advised.

- And, "if we don't want for (EuroSceptic) political parties such as "Alternative fur Deutschland", who ask to return back to the German Mark, to become more important, then, let's accept to have a Debate on the Level of €uro's" Monetary Value : "Is it good or bad for Exports ? Should we push it Higher, or, on the contrary, Lower-it a bit, compared to US Dollar $, since it might be over-estimated vis a vis the US dollar $ ?", the experienced former EU Affairs Minister wondered.  - "This seems to me to be a more Healthy" and positive "Debate", he oberved critically.

- Because, "if that Debate is Rejected, then, a Risk exists, indeed, that (EuroSceptic) Parties such as "Alternative FD", become more Important, even if they don't yet become Leaders".
 
+ "This is also linked to the question of EU Elections, (initially raised by "EuroFora" : Comp. Supra) : - "Because all Extremist Parties  throughout Europe have 1 Common Point : They all ask to get out of €uroZone, and to radically Re-Nationalize almost all EU policies. Something to which I am strongly Opposed, naturally"; Bruno Le Maire added, on another point made by "EuroFora" (comp. Supra)..

=> "And the Big Question on the forthcoming EU (May 2014) Elections, is whether the extremist EuroSceptic Parties will manage, for the 1st time in History, to form a joint Group inside EU Parliament, or not : That's the real Question", he warned, (i.e. apparently taking for granted that they will grow, but questioning how much).

- "So that, our Responsibility for 2014 is, for Parties such as UMP (in France) and CDU/CSU (in Germany) which stand Close to eachother, to succeed to find a joint Project for the May 2014 EU Elections, which must be New enough, Credible enough, in order to hinder these Extremist (parties) to grow.

- "Otherwise, if there isn't any Debate, not even about €uro's level, if we persist claiming that everything would go perfectly well, in the Best Possible World, that Europe is wonderful, that we succeeded everything, that €uro is at its best ever level and that it's impossibe to find better, etc.,  then, it's guaranteed that Extremist Parties will have their Group inside EU Parliament next time".

 - On the contrary, "if we succeed to forge a really New Way to Speak" to the People, open to Discussions on Issuess which weres "Tabou", then I think that we can win these EU Elections",  he concluded, apparently including also Healthy Criticism,  able to attract People's interest,... 

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Strong Criticism of the 1999-2002 Error of former "Socialist" Governments by Financial Newspaper "Les Echos" :
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     => In this regard, mainstream Economic Journal "Les Echos" International service's Journalist, Catherine Chatignoux, was strongly Critical, against that 1999-2002 Deal on Greece and Turkey, made mainly by former "Socialist" Politicians, then in the Government,  according to "EuroFora"s question  (Comp. Supra) :

- "I think that those European leaders" (i.e. the former "Socialist" Governments and EU Officials who had decided Greece's precocious entry into €urozone, in exchange of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid : Comp. Supra), "bear an immense Responsibility", she stressed.

- "Because, once Greece came (precociously) in, then, several other EU Countries, such as Portugal, Spain, Ireland, etc, entered also inside €uroZone more or less unprepared, without ECB, neither EuroGroup or any other EU Institution playing their Monitoring role", denounced Today the Journalist speciaized on Financial issues.

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"Europe1"'s Berlin Correspondent : Merkel, "the Chancellor of Europe" ?
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Replying also to "EuroFora"s Question, "Europe1"'s Press Corespondent in Berlin, Helene Kohl, tried, on the contrary, to alleviate Political Responsibilities for the 1999-2002 Errrors (Comp. Supra), but agreed on the European importance of the 2013 German Elections, particularly as far as Merkel's role is concerned :

- Apparently, "it was as if Merkel had almost fallen intro a Trap, regarding that question on Greece, because, until now, nobody had ever raised, during these (German) Elections any question about €urozone, since it couldn't differenciate between the CDU and the SPD", she founf, about the issues evoked by "EuroFora".

- "But, suddenly appeared some informatons according to which Greece might need another Bailout, etc", she reminded, apparently speaking of German Finances' Minister Schauble's reported observarions at the end of this Summer, as they were presented by some Media.

  - "Thus, she was obliged to evoke this question, and, particularly, to distance herself from SPD, which, obviously, brandissed the Threat of another yet, 3rd Plan for Greece, etc., hoping to attract some more Voters", critically observed Helene Kohl.

- So, she (Chancellor Merkel) differentiated herself from SPD, by accusing it to have pushed Greece to enter €urozone, without fulfilling the necessary conditions" yet, "Europe1"'s Berlin Press Correspondent noted.

 - "I think that it's the only Sentence ("Phrase") by Merkel, during this campaign, during which she tried not to Divide People by opposing them one against the others, but rather to bring them all Together in an inclusive way. Howeer, maybe she spoke a little bit Faster than she should, on this point, .. even if her reputation ....seems already done, ..... But she is above all that, because she is convinced that she does the Right thing", Helene Kohl found.

     + At any case, "I think that her (German Chancelor Angie Merkel's) Ambition for her 3rd Mandate is to Mark History at a European level !", she rightfully concluded, suggesting a stronger Merkel's role in the foreseeable EU's Future.

- "Helmut Kohl was the Chancellor of Germany's Reunification, Schröder that of Reforms, while she (Merkel) expects to be registered in History as the Chancellor of Europe !", Helene concluded.

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+ ("Eurofora" EXCLUSIVE) :
- SIEMENS Energy Director for South-East Europe to visit Greece "next week"
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Meanwhile, another Keynote speaker : SIEMENS' Energy Director for S/E Europe, German Dr Andreas Görgen, agreed with "EuroFora" and other participants, including, particularly, his French counterpart, former EU affairs Minister Bruno Le Maire, that a qualitative advance ahead is needed in EU Integration particularly on the field of Industry, of a similar inspiration to that of the initial Coal and Steel community, which started to build what EU is today.

Recent developments clearly show that, Today, "the National scope has lost its pertinence, and is no more the Right one in order to solve such big Economic and Financial issues, which could be much Better dealt with, at an adequately organized EU level, he added.

But, despite admitting earlier to "EuroFora" that he had worked in the Past together with former German Foreign Minister Steinmeyer (PSD), particularly between 2003-2006, nevertheless, the current SIEMENS' Director for Enerhgy in South-East Europe, made it clear to everybody that he chose "not to say anything on Political issues", in general, as a matter of principle.

 - However, SIEMENS' key Senior Official, revealed later-on to "EuroFora" that he will be "Visiting Athens Next Week", obviously on Energy-related developments, (at a moment when Greece just signed a deal with Azerbaidjan on an old project for a Pipeline through Georgia and Turkey, Greece and Italy, towards the rest of the EU), including on the Israel - Cyprus - Greece High-Tech., innovative project to transport Natural Gas directly towards the rest of Europe, either in a Liquefied form loaded to Ships crossing the Mediterranean Sea, and/or modified in Electricity to be transferred by an under-Sea Cable, (as Istraeli Prime Minister Netanyahou had earlier proposed during a visit in Cyprus).

 - "We are working on that", too, ensured "EuroFora" SIEMENS' Energy Director for South-East Europe; whose jurisdiction extends from Belgium up to Cyprus, including France, Spain, Italy, etc., which are among the main EU Countries due to benefit from such kind of Mediterranean Energy Transports Directly towards Europe, (Germany having also a possibility to boost European Links to the Mediterranean with NLG transporting Ships by relaunching, together with France and other interested European Countries, a "classic" project to open a Rhone - Rhine Rivers' corridor also for "Grand Gabarit" Ships....

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Fouquet's "Angels and Demons of Scenarios" on the outcome of German Elections...
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Probably inspired, in  "Fouquet's" 1899 built Bar-Restaurant, (registered as an "Historical Monument", famous in Cinema's circles for events on "Cesar" prize awards), particularly by its role in the ...."Artistic Prize of Angels and Demons of the Scenario" (sic !), CNN's Nina Dos Santos didn't hesitate to incite the key-note Speakers to exhaust their Imagination on the possible outcomes of the 2013 German Elections :

 - For "Europe1"s Berlin Correspondent Helene Kohl, eve, is "the most probable scenario" seems to be "a Big Coalition" between SPD/CDU as in the Past (See Infra), nevertheless, "my intuition, since the start, is that Chancellor Merkel will be able to lift the FDP and renew her (prefered, Black-Yellow) Coalition" with the Liberals, she said.

+ "However, I think that the (EuroSceptics of) AFD could create a Surprise on Sunday, because many Voters don't want to say to Polsters that  they will give their vote to such a Party of protest. And even if its Chief is not like (Italy's) Beppe Grillo, nevertheless, when I saw him, last Monday, near Brandenbourg's Gate, arrive with ....a Fire Fighters' lorry in order to Erase a Fire of False 500 €uro Bank-notes, it looked as if he was, from certain points of view, rather more Charismatic than Beppe Grillo, ... even if People gathered there didn't look so glad to receive old Deutchmark-like papers, instead of €uros... ", Helene found, smiling, ...

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Obama/Hollande Pressure to Return Back to a "PSD/CDU" cohabitation of the Past ?
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Meanwhile, in this regard, a net American preference, and heavy ideological pressure to Return back to a Socialist - ChristianDemocrat "CoHabitation" of the Past, became obvious during these Paris' Debates on the 2013 German Elections, mainly through CNN International's presentator, Nina Dos Santos' interventions and repeated suggestions, sometimes echoed also by one or another among the CNN-chosen keynote Speakers...

This included, particularly, a possibility for a "Socialist" Foreign Minister to be more forthcoming on US and French "Socialist" Presidents, Obama's and Hollande's eagerness for Military Interventions in Syria and/or other Hotspots, (despite the Unwillingness already expressed by a Majority of Citizens in France as well as in Germany, even the USA and various other important Countries, according to converging Polls)...

While, on the contrary, most German People and many among their Friends may prefer, instead, to Advance Forward to the Future, if needed, even with an Absolute Majority of MPs by CDU/CSU (theoretically possible, as recent Electoral Results in Bavaria showed), which could give to Chancellor Merkel, for the 1st Time, a good Chance to become, at last, Free to show what she really wants to accomplish for Germany and all Europe, without been exhausted any more by cumbersome, Time and Energy Consuming  Tensions and complicated, Frustrating Compromises between this or that unwilling Partners' heteroclite Coalition, as in the Past with the "Socialists", afterwards with the Liberals, and now eventually with all or part of the "Greens", (whose Voters support Merkel for more than 45%, according to recent Polls), etc....

It's well known that it's precisely in order to avoid any more Paralyzing "CoHabitations" with the "Socialists" that long-time fomer President Chirac had changed the French Constitution, preferring to reduce the Time of his Mandate from 7 to 5 Years, just to be able to Decide freely on the Policies to pursue, according to the Democratically expressed will of the Biggest Number of People's Votes for a Party, without anyone throwing any more spanners in the works...

Thus, f.ex., French ChristianDemocrat/EPP former EU affairs Minister, the Deutschsprahige Bruno Le Maire, reacted by strongly rejecting any idea that an eventual PSD-CDU cohabitation might change, not even a bit of Merkel's main Policy, pointing also at various other possibilities for her  : F.ex. to either Keep her Coalition with the Liberals, (as the German Chancellor has herself suggested), or to broker a new kind of Coalition with "Green" MPs, (as "EuroFora" have already suggested since 2010 : Comp. f.ex. : ......), while also not excluding at all a New Possibility for an Absolute Majority to an Independent CDU/CSU brand New Government....

After all, why not ?

=> The Best possible New Government Coalition for Germany and Europe could simply be to Give a Chance to "ANGIE's RAINBOW" ?

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