EUParliament Defense Committee Chair Loiseau to EF: For EU Autonomy +S/E Med Energy (v. Turkey risk)

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- The Strategic Issue of the required High-Tech means for EU's Autonomy in Defense, and the Topical Issue of  How to Protect South-Eastern Mediterranen Energy Resources, mainly vis-a-vis Turkey's threats, were at the Focus of "Eurofora"s Questions to EU Parliament's Defense Committee's President, former French Minister for EU Affairs, Nathalie Loiseau, after an Invitation to a Video-Seminar on "Europe : a Global Player ?", organized by the Union of European Federalists in Strasbourg, on the occasion of the 1st Plenary of EU's landmark Conference on the Future of Europe (2O21-2022) at EU Parliament's Building this Saturday.

- "Eurofora" asked President Loiseau mainly What does the EU still Lacks, in terms of High-Tech Means, in order to have an Autonomous Defense, and How could we Protect the important New Energy Resources of South-Eastern Mediterranean, (Notoriously Threatened by Turkey even with WarShips), owned by EU Member States and/or Friendly Neighbouring Countries Ready and Willing to Cooperate with Europe, (particularly after the recent Extinction of the Northern Sea's deposits). In this regard, we Reminded, inter alia, on the 1st Point, also the Fact that, according to the previous Interview of an Experienced French General detached to the ESA, what was Mainly Lacking for EU's Autonomy would be an "Early Warning System" based on Space Technologies, (See, f.ex. : ..., etc).

    - "You are Right !", reacted spontaneously the Top Key MEP to "Eurofora"'s above mentioned Questions, pointing, at the Beginning, to the 1st one, concerning Space-related Technologies :

    - Indeed, "on Space", EU must have, "First of all", an "Access", by "a Launcher and a Base" of its own, withOut being obliged to use anyone Else's means, she Stressed from the outset, as a matter of Principle. (UE Already notoriously has a good Space Base at Kuru of French Guyane, and, when, in the Past, USA Restricted its Partners' Cooperation in Space activities Only into eventualy Participating in some "Tests" on Space, withOut Any active Role on Transports towards Space, "Eurofora" Co-Founder had sharply Suggested a PanEuropean Cooperation, making use of Russian "Soyuz" Launchers "at Kuru", and Historic f. President Chirac, indeed, Succeeded to Realize that, supporting De Gaule's famous idea for a "Greater Europe" ! But, obviously, it's Even Better for the EU to have its own Launcher too, f.ex. with an adequate Developemnt of "Ariadne", etc).

    + Concerning Earth "Observation Capacities" from the Space, "We (EU) Now Have" some, Thanks to Slow But Real Advances made with the "Galileo" Program, Despite a Delaying Obstructionism by the UK in the Past, and USA's Previous Attempts to Undermine EU's "Galileo" in order to Impose its "GPS", as she Reminded. (Comp. "Eurofora"s relevant Publications Earlier with Replies to Our Questions by former EU Commissioner, and Later EU Parliament's President, Antonio Tajani, from Italy, competent also for Space Tech.,  and f. EU Parliament's Rapporteur, from Germany, on "Galileo", as well as a Key f. Chinese Ambassador, first to Brussels for the EU and afterwards to Strasboug for the CoE, while Even China had, in the Meantime, Initialy Proposed to the EU an Offer of about 500 Millions € in order to Cooperate Together for the Development of "Galileo"'s Earth Observation capacities..., etc).

    + But we (EU) Need Also, for "Space Security", to be Able to Protect f.ex. "our Satellites", including by Knowing if, when, and who might, eventualy, attempt to approach and/or follow them, she added.

    F.ex., we Found out that a Russian Satellite had been Following Ours' Movements, But this was Only Thanks to Help given by our Friends from the USA. Nevertheless, when we Developed further Our Own, Independent Means for Space Security Surveillance, we Discovered that ..."Most" of the Foreign Satellites who attempted to Follow Ours, were, in Fact, ..."from the USA itself !", Loiseau revealed with a smile...

    - In General, However, as a matter of Principle, "We (EU) have Also to Overcome what is often Nick-Named as "The French Paradox" : Indeed, France usually Speaks very Well in Favour of European Defense Autonomy, But does Not Always Sufficiently Act as it Should...", she added in a Sincere Auto-Criticism of Paris, at least Some Times in the Past...

    + Concerning Other concrete Points where EU Defense's Autonomy Needs to be Boosted, well Beyond Space, the President of EU Parliament's Security and Defense Committee went on to Add also the current "Lack of Inter-Operability of Tanks" from various European Countries, and Pointed out at the Current "Franco-German" Projects for "a New Airplane Fighter", and "a New Tank", (etc), where EU's Recently Created "Fund" could Help considerably.

    But what we (EU) absolutely Need is also to become able to have an "On Flight ReFuelling" Capacity for Our Airplanes, that is Currently realized mainly by relevant Help from the USA, she Criticaly observed. *

    And to this is Added something which became obvious particularly in the Middle East, around Israel etc., consisting in Military "Drones", Loiseau added. In this regard, even if there is a Plan including Franco-German Cooperation for such EU Drones, nevertheless, a Problem is provoked particularly by the German "Socialists", who doN't want even to hear about any kind of "Armed" Drones, currently Blocking that, even if they still are supposed to be a Coaliion Partner in the Government (at the infamous "Gro-Ko"), Loiseau Denounced... Indeed, "Eurofora" has observed that, such kind of Obstacles seem to have, Recently, pushed f.ex. EU-Member Poland, when it needed to Buy some Armed Drones, after Finding Nothing of that kind to Buy in Germany, France, Italy, or the UK, etc., to be Obliged to Seek such Drones in ... Turkey (sic !). And that, Despite the fact that ...Easily Shooting Down such clumsy Turkish Drones, has Recently become a "Sport" by various Beligerants, (Even "Weak" ones), f.ex. mainly in Libya, but also in Syria, Iraq, or Armenia, etc...

Last, but not least, Loiseau pointed Also on the Importance for EU Member States to "Act All Together" in Key Foreign Policy Security and Defense "External Operations", Stigmatising f.ex. a Negative Case where Not Even 50% of the Required Military Forces had Not Yet been Deployed on the spot, as she said, But, on the Contrary, Felicitating EU's Readiness, f.ex., in Africa's "Sahel", to Collectively Deploy the necessary Forces, from More than "11 EU Member States", Including, f.ex., Tchechia, Esthonia, Italy, Greece, soon Lithuania, etc., United "Together at the BattleField".

+ Naturally, she Also Praised the Recent "Progress" made by the EU f.ex. in Boosting various High-Tech Joint Projects related to Defense, thanks to Reinfoced Cooperations between Many EU Member Countries, and with a Common EU Funding, as those which were, in Recent Years, Promoted at an Interesting EU Heads of State/Government Summit in Brussels, that "Eurofora" has covered on the spot, (See, f.ex. at: ...., etc).

Finaly, on USA's curent overall attitude, Loiseau said Earlier that she Believed Americans understood that a Strong European Defense is Good Also for NATO.

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    ++ Concerning "Eurofora"'s 2nd Question on the Protection of S/E Mediterranean Energy Resources (Comp. Supra), the Experienced former French Minister observed from the outset, that "this is what is mainly at Stake in Our (EU's) Different vis-a-vis Turkey"....

    => In this regard, "We (EU) are going to Base our Defense Strategy on 2 Pilars : (A) the Freedom of Navigation, and (B) the International Law of the Sea", which Will be Promoted at the Program of the forthcoming French Presidency of the EU on 2022", she Announced.

    + Meanwhile, "Eurofora" noted that French Air Carrier "General De Gaulle", (which had been Previously Hindered to move as it had been Scheduled on April 2020 because of a Cluster related to the Virus' Pandemic), This Year, on 2021, on the Contrary has just Accomplished a Plan of Joint Security and Defense Exercise Together with EU Member Cyprus, whose EEZ is located at a Key Strategic Position for those Energy Sources, (and has Developed a strong Network of relevant Good Diplomatic Relations with Friendly Neighbouring Countries, also Rich in Oil/Gas "Off Shore" Resources, such as Israel, Egypt, etc).

    In the run up to the Crucial Forthcoming EU Summit in Brussels, later this June 2021, which is Notoriously due to Discuss and Decide on Turkey's Behavior vis a vis the EU, Turkish President Erdogan has just required an Exceptional Meeting with the French President Macron, from the Beginning of the Recent NATO Summit, where Nobody Else wasN't Allowed to be Present during their Discussion behind Closed Doors, "Not even a Minister", as she pointed out Earlier Today.

    - Concerning Tukey's Controversial and UnPopular EU bid, "Nowadays, Nobody Wants that, at all, Not Even any Leftist MEPs !", Loiseau Clearly Stressed, (as Also the most Recent EU Parliament's Resolution and Amendments Voted on Turkey showed : See, f.ex., at ..., etc).

    Nevertheless, it's also a Fact that Turkey is traditionaly known for having a substantial Army, on whom had been partly based the West's Defense vis a vis Russia during the Cold War period, Loiseau Replied, Earlier, to anOther Question, raised by a German (Experienced former CoE's Top Official : Ulrich Bohner) Participant to the UEF's Seminar, about Whether she Believed that the Appearance of a so-called "Change" in Erdogan's Behavior, just a Few Weeks Before the above-mentioned, Crucial EU Summit's forthcoming Decisions on EU - Turkey Relations, might be Only an Hypocritical "Attempt to Lure" and Mislead Europe on Ankara's Real Intentions...

    However, "Eurofora" observed that Recent Facts clearly Indicate that, particularly After the so-called short "Putch" Attempt of 2016, and the Massive Arrests, Brutal Opression, Lynching Attacks by Mobs against Defenseless POWs, reported Rapes of Young Conscripts, Numerous Demands of Asylum Abroad by Turkish Army Officers, (including in Neighbouring Greece, Pseudo-"Trials" and Heavy Condemnations even of Top Key Army Leaders who used to hold Important Positions in the Recent Past, (etc), as a Result, the Turkish Army has, Surprisingly ... "Disappeared", almost "Vanished", from the 1st Rank of the Battle-Fields, in practicaly ALL the Numerous Violent Conflicts that Ankara's regime has Provoked, and/or in which it has Intervened During the Last 5 or 6 Years : Invasions of Afrin Eastern area, of Syria's Noth-Western Kurdish Region, inside Libya, Greek Borders at Evros River, Northern Iraq, at the Caucasus' Armenian Lands, (etc)...

    On the Contrary, Everywhere, Ankara has Notoriously  Started to Systematicaly push at the 1st Rank of the Battlefield Only several Groups of Foreign Armed Islamist Extremists' Gangs,  (some reportedly from various Former Terrorist Thugs), who often Steal, Rape, Murder, etc., even innocent Civilian People, and are usualy promised to be Paid, as Mercenaries, partly in Cash, partly by Looting...

    In Parallel, almost at the Same Time, some Remnants from Former Ordinary Army can be seen, Now, Curiously "Hidden" in the BackGround, often Down Inside some Large Hollow Areas like Big Holes Deep In Lower Ground, mostly operating a Series of Tanks, Canons, Rocket-Launchers, etc., usualy Bombing the Adjacent Territories, several Hundreds of Meters or Kms Away, in a "Blind" and/or Remote way, systematicaly Avoiding Any Direct Fight with the Adversary, Face to Face, (unless they are OutNumbered, Wounded/Killed, or Disarmed, Trying to Flee, Humbered by Refugees, etc). Sometimes they get Inside Armored Conways, and Patrol around a Previously Bombed Territory, Always Hidden Behind a Lot of Ugly Metal, etc.

    >>> In other words, to put it in a Nutshell, it's all as if the Former Turkish Army has practicaly Ceased to Exist as such, or CanNot be, No More, Trusted to really Fight Loyaly, and has been Replaced by Proxies, and/or Avoiding to be Directly Engaged against any realy Motivated and Able to Fight Adversary... Indeed, Since that 2016 UnPrecedented Clash between Brutal and Vicious Armed Gangs against the remnants of a formerly Regular Army, for the 1st Time in the History of Turkey Crashed and Defeated by a "Civilian" Government, backed by Armed Thugs, it's as if the Formerly Known Turkish Army, Humiliated, Raped, Discredited, Jailed or Fired, Exiled or Displaced, if not Hidden or Escaped Abroad, Deprived of Many among its Best Officers and Leaders, who were Arrested, Killed or Exiled, is No More really Operational Nowadays, and/or canNot be really Trusted by Ankara's Regime !

=> Then, How could they be trusted by anyone else ?

+ Moreover, the Above-mentioned View, that the Turkish Army which had Existed in the Past, (i.e. Before 2016), Might have also served as a kind of "Guarantee" Against the Russians, (Comp. Supra), is No more Convincing...

>>> Indeed, How Could such a Naive View (attributed to the Former "Cold War" era), be, Perhaps, Founded, when Everybody knows that, in Fact, that Turkish Army ...Owed its own Existence to the ...Russians, (and, in particular, the Lenin-Stalin-Trotski "Communist" Regime of the Past !), Since it's, Notoriously, a Decision by Moscow to suddenly Stop Fighting Against the Turks, make a Truce, and Even Sell them Arms, Back on 1921, when the Greek Army had Advanced up to ..40 km. Only from Ankara, and all the Western European Countries had just Signed the "Treaty of Serves" (1920-1921), which Marked the Final Collapse of the former Ottoman-Turk Empire of the Medieval Times, and even Endorsed the Presence of Greek, Italian, French, and British Troops throughout almost All the Anatolia Plateau, (with the Only Exception of a Small Piece of Land around Ankara alone), added to a Return of Armenians throughout a Big Part of their Historic Territories, as well as a provision for the Creation of a ...Kurdish State ? In Fact, this was, Obviously, the End of any Turkish Power Near Europe, and it's Only Russians' "Real-Politik" Move, Consisting into Throwing the Turkish "Trouble-Makers" against the Western Europeans, (whose Armies and/or Allied Troups had, practicaly, Surrounded, the New "Communist" Russian State from All Directions, Cooperating with "White Russian" Anti-Bolshevic Forces which were Attacking Moscow then), that realy "Saved" Attaturk's Doomed Armed Bands from an Otherwise Inevitable Defeat, at the Last Minute...

=> So that, in Fact, from that Sudden Blockade of the Greek Army's advance towards Ankara (1921) ; the Eradication of Any European Forces' Presence at Anatolia Plateau, by the Blockade  of the "Treaty of Sevres" (1920-1921), which had largely supported that ; the Massacre and Expulsion of Armenians and Greeks, etc., after Burning the Historic City of Smyrne (re-named Izmir) on 1922 ; the Withdrawal from NATO's Military Wing, between 1974 - 1980, by Greece (Following Turkey's Military Invasion and Occupation at the Nothern Part of Cyprus); the 2 or 3 Days-Long Blockade of the important Anniversary and Reform Summit of NATO's Heads of State/Government  in Strasbourg on 2009, by Turkish Blackmail  Demands against its Secretary General and Denmark ; the Row between USA and Turkey about Buying the Russian "S400" Air Defense Missiles System (2017-2020) ; NATO's "Brain Death" Risk by Turkey's Blockade of European Control against illegal Arms Smuggling to Libya, strongly Denounced by French President Macron (2019), etc. : The Longest Series of Trouble-Making by Turkey against Western Europe's Security, Proved that Lenin, Stalin, and Trotski had Guessed Right, by Saving Turkey from Total Collapse at the Last Minute, Back on 1921, and Throwing it among the Feet of European Countries to Weaken them...

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    + Nevertheless, on anOther, absolutely Opposite Strategic Point, Loiseau appeared to be ...More Right than she thought, when she repeatedly Urged for European Countries to "Act Together", at Present and in the foreseable Future, for a Strong and Efficient European Security and Defense, (Including even the Post-BREXIT UK, which should be convinced of the Common Interest to Sign an Agreement with the EU on Cooperation in that Field) :

    - "Eurofora" had Questioned EU Parliament's Defense Committee's President, (on the Occasion also of the 1st Plenary of the Conference for the Future of Europe, Today in Strasboug), whether she Felt the Need to Stimulate EU Citizens' Conscience in that Direction, inter alia, Also by Highlighting several Landmark, but often Ignored or UnderEstimated, Historic concrete Examples of cases, through the Centuries, where People from Many European Countries Joined Common Struggles in order to Succesfully Fight and Win certain Key, Strategic Battles, for the General Interest of All Europe.

    - Loiseau's Initial reaction appeared quite Careful and Reserved, mainly Because she was Afraid that "Narratives of the Past", might be more Affected by "Nationalism" in Various Countries, than Inspired by a Common European Interest, which Should Better Guide us Nowadays and in the Future, as she Explained.

      >>> But, in Fact, Europe's real History is, often, much More Rich and full of Interesting and Inspiring Events, be it Tragic or Triomphal, (sometimes Under-Estimated or Ignored), than even its warmer supporters might guess...

      - Thus, Among Various others, f.ex., Already since Ancient Greece, when narrow "Nationalism" was notoriously linked, then, to Separate "Cities-States", the Need to Face the Big Threat of a massive Military Invasion by a Big Persian Empire, which searched to Open the Way for its Further Expansion throughout All the European Continent, made the Different "City-States" in Greece, which had been widely Separated, and/or even, often, in more or less Tension or Conflict between them, to Suddenly Decide to Unite, for the 1st Time in History, their Forces, almost All Together, to the point that they Marked even an UnExpectedly Large and Decisive Victory against the Invadors, known as the Battle of "Platea" (Means "Wide") on 323 BC, which Convinced, at last, the Persians to Definitively Stop Aggressions and Return Back Home ! A Landmark Sculpture Symbolizing, precisely, that New Spirit of large Unity and Common Action, was Crafted and placed on that Historic spot, Later being transfered to Byzantium/Constantinople, which became the Capital of the OverMillenary Byzantine Empire, 300-1.453.

    - On a Tragic but Grandiose, and Emotionaly Human tone, the Full Version of the Last Speech of Byzantine Emperor Constantin Palaiologos just before the Invasion, Occupation and Destruction of the Longest Christian Empire in the World (More than a Thousand Years) by the Army of Ottoman Turks, back on 1.453, Surprizes particularly by his Overall, PanEuropean Large View : After notoriously but vainly having tried to Bridge the Separation between Catholic and Orthodox Christians, in Many concrete ways, he Warns also against Similar Threats throughout All Europe, extending, through the Mediterranean but not only, even towards nowadays France and Spain, etc., and strongly Urging for a Brave and United Struggle againt the Aggressors. From Both Cultural, Technological, Geographic, Historic, Religious, Human, and Strategic points of view, Feels like a fully-fledged, Real European ! Just Before he Dies, Sacrificing himself, Together with his Last Compagnions, Facing Thousands of Aggressors and Even Treacherous "Kerkoporta" Cowards, he Looks, in fact, More than ever, towards Europe's Legacy and Future...

    - An Italian former Minister for EU Affairs has reportedly said that such an Event "Marked the Beginning of European History" : The Landmark and Grandiose Naval Battle of Lepanto (alias Naupactos), on 1.571, is, indeed, the First and Brillant Victory of a United European Force, (which Inspired the feast of "Our Lady of Victory", on October 7), composed by People from Many Countries, (Italy, Malta, Spain, France, Vatican, Austria, etc), involving about 140.000 Fighters, and More than 500 Ships, 2.600 Canons, as well as the Liberation of some 12.000 EnSlaved People, (etc). It put an End to the Ottoman-Turkish Domination in the Mediterranean Sea, and Revenged the Brural Massacre of Venitians and many Thousands of Greek Christians when the Turks Invaded Cyprus.

    + Even More Impressive, a Strong Unity of Catholic and Orthodox Christians, throughout the Great Europe, from Italy (Venice + Vatican), to Austria/Germany (Habsburg + Holy Roman Empire), Poland and Lithuania, as well as Russia, forms a "Holy Ligue", Attracting also Various revolted European People, as a kind of New "Crusade", this time inside Europe ! The Famous "Battle of Vienna" (1.683) Marks the End of the Ottoman-Turkish Invasion threats on the European Land. Follow several "Unprecedented Military Successes", according to Historians, Including the Liberation of Budapest (1686) and All Hungary (1699), as well as Dalmatia (part of Croatia), etc. Such Movements were Extended, mutatis-mutandis, also to Crimea (by Russia), Belgrade (by Habsburgs), and Morea/Peloponisos, in Greece (by Venice). But these Parts were, Afterwards,  Briefly ReCaptured by the Ottoman-Turks, (Before Later Revolutions, which Liberated them Definitively).

    - Napoleon Bonaparte reaches at the Highest level of his Achievements and Popularity until about 1.812, after a Series of Victories culminating at Tilsit, and the Homonumous Peace Treaty agreed with Russia's Czar Alexander, including a Joint Response vis a vis the UK, at one side, and prospects to Liberate the European Peoples Invaded and still Occupied by the Ottoman-Turkish Empire, at anOther side. In the Middle, from Spain to Italy, Switzerland, Benelux, and particularly with the Franco-German "Federation of the Rhine", up to Poland, Dalmatia with Corfou island (etc), he manages to Unite a Great part of Europe, while, Also, Stimulating Joint Ideological Aspirations of many People, particularly Symbolized by German Music Composer Beethoven's "Heroic" Symphony, (alias "3rd"), initialy in honour of that French ex-Revolutionary, (who Astonishingly Focuses on Repeating the use of the Key Word "Europe", even in his "Memo" dictated at his ultimate Prison, at Saint-Helen island, held by the British, a long time afterwards).

    - Navarino (Pylos) Naval Battle (1.827) was a landmark Victory of Joint Forces by the UK, France, and Russia, against the Ottoman-Turkish Occupation of Greece, which Helped considerably the Emerging National Liberation Revolution by the Greek People, that had Just Started in Peloponisos peninsula Since 1.821. The Bulk of the Fight was, reportedly, beared by the Russians. But an Important role was played by the atypical Brittish Codrington, a Philellen, whose Son had just been Killed at the Aegean Sea. (He, Also, Bombarded an Egyptian Pasha at Alexandria in order to convince him to Stop a Maveric Plan with Turkey for "Genocide" of the Greek Population by Massively Kidnaping and Expulsing them to be Sold in Africa as Slaves, and Replaced by Arab Muslims, as German Diplomats had Denounced). While French  Henri de Rigny remains Afterwards in Greece to Help France's Mission at Morea (Peloponisos) against the above-mentioned Genocide planed by the Ottoman Turks and that Egyptian Pasha, but Also for a Scientific Exploration, mainly of Archeology, with Important Findings, particularly of the period of the Ancient Civilisation, (which, reportedly, had reached, thanks to its Ships, up to the North-Western Europe of Scotland !).

    + Another Landmark European period, with particular importance Also for Defense Issues, certainly was that of 1920-1921, around the Allies, including Specialy the Popular, then, UK Prime Minister LLoyd George (an atypical Liberal), Together with the Young Churchill, (then Minister of Defense, and later of Foreign Affairs), as well as the solid French President Alexandre Millerand, an atypical politician from the left, succesfully turned to the right, (etc), added to the Peace Treaty of Sevres (near Paris), the Liberation of Arab Countries from the Ottoman-Turc Empire's jug, almost All the European Balkan Countries having been Liberated too, at that moment, etc. This was, probably, the Last Period, until now, during which, Europe appeared Strong and Influential also at a great part of its Neighbourhood. [Even if, Suddenly, it was, suprizingly, all Over, ...after a "simple" Telegram from Canada (sic !) : An Important Story, that "Eurofora" will describe asap., when we find enough spare Time]...

(../..)

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