

EU Parliament: Focus Against Turkey's controversial + unpopular EU bid, for Other Link
*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- For the 1st Time since long, MEPs were much More Opposed to Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, asking to immediately Drop it, than to EU Funds for Ankara, and Critics were Boosted even Further by recent Kidnappings +Killing of Christians, added to Bombardments of North-Iraq Civilians, even of Churches, after an Exceptional Peak of Human Rights/Democracy Violations, Military Invasions/Occupations, and Aggressions/Bullying against EU Member States Key for European Energy Resources in South/Eastern Mediterranean, as it results from the Votes on EU Parliament's latest Report on EU-Turkey relations, which had Concluded by soberly calling EU Commission and Council to, at last, officialy Revise an Old and OutDated 2000-2005 stance, particularly if Ankara does Not Soon radicaly Change its overall attitude.
=> Thus, in Fact, such overall Mouvements clearly reveal that Europeans are more and more Motivated by Deeply rooted and Substantial Reasons, in their, Already well-Established (Since 2005-2007/2009+ "No" to EU-Referenda and Elections in Key EU Countries as France, Germany, etc., Followed on 2009-2016 even by Many UK's pro-BREXIT Voters), and Currently Spreading Larger, Firm Opposition against Turkey's controversial and UnPopular EU bid,
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- Indeed, already 126 MEPs Voted "For" (98) or Abstained (28) on a Critical Amendment "Calling" the EU "to Terminate All Funding to Turkey", and, "Furthermore ...to Stop all EIB Loans to Turkey" Now.
With a Wide Scope, the move Included Funds from the so-called "Pre-<Accession" (sic !), the "Multiannual Financial Framework", and even "the EU-Turkey action Plan on Migration", (an Unprecedented, mukti-Billions € full Grants Each Year to Ankara, Notoriously usurpated by Turkey on 2016, inside a Brussels City Lockdowned by a series of Deadly Islamist Terrorists' Attacks Cowardly Targeting Civilians, and a Record-High "Tsunami" of more than 1,5 Million Mass Asylum Seekers and Irregular Migrants illegaly Tresspassing into the EU through Turkey and its Smugglers, which openly "Blackmailed" the EU, then, at least Until Hungary first, Followed by other Key European Countries started to Protect their Borders, Drasticaly Reducing such InFlows : See Dated Facts f.ex. at : ... + ..., etc).
- MEPs' Amendment "Underlined that Turkey is Using the Facility for Refugees to challenge and Blackmail the EU and its Member States, in order to obtain some leverage for political, economic or military Concessions, to justify its Aggressive behaviour towards the EU Member States, and to pursue its foreign policy Ambitions". (They forgot, however, the Basic Fact that Turkey, First of all, Profits from a blatant and cynical, massive over-Exploitation of Millions of captive Immigrants, landlocked at its Borders, mostly living in unhealthy, sometims deadly, closed "Camps", encircled by Turkish Soldiers and several times Beaten by Guards and/or the Army, as early videos an/or testimonies showed).
+ Moreover, those MEPs "reiterate(d) that the EU should definitively Stop considering a Modernisation of the EU-Turkey Customs Union, also taking nto account that the continuous Violations of Human rights and fundamental Freedoms by the Erdogan regime would make any alleged strong Conditionality on those aspects Impossibleto be fulfilled". Therefore they "Aske(d)" also "for the Suspension of the EU-Turkey Customs Union agreement, which entered into force on 31 December 1995". Indeed, that 1995, very Controversial event occured amidst ECHR 1st revelations about Grave "InHuman/Degrading Treatments" in Turkey, f.ex. the Vold-blood Murder (by GunShots) of a Handicaped former Political Prisoner in Turkish Jails, who had Denounced Torture provoking the loss pf the uf one opf its Hands, and Refused to Obey to Threats asking him to Withdraw his Lawsuit against Ankara lodged to Strasburg's Paneuropean Court ("Aksoy" vase), but Also the Brutal Expulsion of a Kurdish Family from its Home and Fields by Turkish Soldiers who throwed even Children to the Road and Destroyed the Victims' Livelihood, Obliging them to be Displaced, by Foot, to Far-away Izmir (ex-Smyrne), where they lived at Santyutowns in Horrible Conditions of Heavy Poverty, ("Akdivar" case). In Addition, the Entry into force of that Controversial ">EU-Turkey Customs Union", from January 1996, was Marked by the Brutal Crushing of the Head and Killing of a Young Dissident by the Turkish Police, after a Protest in a Cemetery for Deaths of HungerStrikes among ill-treated Political Prisoners, ("Goctepe" case).
Otherwise, inevitably, EU would Risk to practicaly be Suspected to ...Profit and become Accomplice, in fact, in Turkey's over-Exploitation of Millions of Immigrants : Something that, obviously, Only some "Fake Europeans" deprived of Conscience might, perhaps, accept, But Never any "Real Europeans" and/or really Human Rights and Freedom-Loving People !
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+ But More (125) MEPs mainly Voted "For" (115) or Abstained (tO) on anOther, "Heavier" and Sharper Amendement, "Stressing ...that ....Turkey’s Accession negotiations have ... come to a StandStill;", and "Calling ...to unconditionally and irrevocably Tterminate all Negotiations regarding Turkey’s Accession to the EU", as it ...should ... Not become a Member of the EU".
Among the Many Reasons cited for that is Mainly the Fact that "Turkey is not a European Country, and does Not Act in accordance with European Values, particularly those aimed at preserving a Peaceful Europe". Indeed, "the Evidence of the Facts" –as "also the continuous countless Provocations towards Member States, the Aggressive behaviour in the Mediterranean, the Instrumentalisation of Refugees (f.ex. on 2015-2016+ through the Aegean Sea, and 2020 via Evros River at Northern Greece, etc) "and the Threat of Unbearable Migratory Pressure – has now Turned the European Hope of starting to build a ‘Positive dynamic’ with Turkey, ..., into an Utopian exercise" , those MEPs Warned today...
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++ Surprizingly, an Even much Greater Number of MEPs (214 MEPs, i.e. 64 "No" and 150 "Abstentions") Refused to Back the Final EU Parliament's Resolution on Turkey, which did Not Ask for an Immediate Stop to Turkey's Controversial and UnPopular EU Bid, (See Infra).
>>> The Cause seems to be a Legitimate Frustration of Many MEP, from Various Political Groups, when anOther Critical Amendment, against Recent "Kiodnappings" and even "Murder" of "Christians" , "underlying the Increase in Discrimination Against Christians in Turkey", drew "particular Attention f.ex. to the cases of Simoni Diril, who was Kidnapped and Murdered, and Hurmuz Diril, who was (also) kidnapped and is Missing,", while their "cases ...are still Not being Investigated by the Turkish Authorities", despite gatting as much as ...325 Votes of MEPs, nevertheless, was finaly droped because of a comparatively Small Difference of Only 20 MEPs (i.e.345 "Against")...
The Couple of Simoni and Hurmuz Diril had been Initialy found "Missing" by their Son, from Istanbul, and were the Last Assyrian Christians (the Oldest in the World) still living near Turkey's Borders to Syria/Iraq, etc. + Moreover, almost at the Same Time, Ankara's Military reportedly "Bombarded" Many other Christian Civilian People, hit even a Church, etc., inside Iraq, where they had seeked Refuge from previous Aggressions, to the point that several Organisations, (including the "Great Orient" mainly of France, operating since 1860, etc), Asked the EU to Pursue Turkey for "War Crimes", (in a Press Release communicated to "Eurofora"), after such Brutal Attacks, Hitting many Civilian People at Villages of Neighbouring Countries, as Iraq, that Even Pope Francis had tried to Dissuade with his Recent Trip to that Country, and particularly Near the Areas Now Hit by the Turkish Bombs, (See relevant "Eurofora"'s Publications, then, at: ... + ..., etc).
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+++ Nevertheless, EU Parliament's Majority at least Adopted, in fine, a Critical Resolution on Turkey which Asks for "the Formal Suspension of Accession Negotiationns with Turkey, in order ...to Review ...the Appropriateness of the Current Framework (of Ankara's Controversial and UnPopular EU bid), and its Possibility to Function, Or, if Necessary, to Explore possible New Models for Future Relationsé", (i.e. Out of the EU, f.ex. via some kind of Cooperations, etc), as Voted 480 MEPs from all Mainstream and Pro-European Groups, for the 1st Time in History.
Such a Move must be done "If the current Negative Trend (concerning Turkey's Behavior)is Not, Urgently and Consistently, Reversed" asap, EU Parliament specified, (provoking Diplomatic Protests from Ankara).
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++++ => At any case, for EU Parliament, sit's clear that Ankara's "Unacceptable Provocations (Comp. Supra).... Should Not be Rewarded by Continuing EndLess and PointLess Accession Negotiations with Turkey", stressed anOther Amendment, surprizingly Adopted by a Big Majority of 557 MEPs from All Groups, Voting "Yes", (Against Only 101 "No"), Even ikf it had been Tabled, initialy, by the Rightists of the "ID" Group !
>>> Significantly, this was one of The Most Popular Amendments adopted by EU Parliament Today, (with even More Votes than the overall Resolution itself : Comp. Supra)...
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=> Brief OverView (on relevant Past + Future) :
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>>> Concerning that EU Parliament's call to consider anOther, "Model of Relations" between EU and Turkey, officially and Definitevely Droping the Controversial and UnPopular EU Accession Procedure, (Comp. Supra), among various other Points, it"s Interesting to know How that (a priori Incredible) Proposal was Initiated, around thz End of the 1990ies :
- During an Exceptionaly Important and semi-Confidential EU - USA collective Meeting then, in the sidelines of EU Parliament's Plenary in Strasbourg, that "Eurofora"s co-Founder was Covering, suddenly, a "Paper" from the Turkish Government was Distributed.
EU - Turkey relations were, then, Hampered by a quasi-Total Blockade of almost All EU Funding programs for Ankara, Because of Serious and massive Violations of Human Rights and Democatic principles, War Threats against EU Member Greece, the persisting Military Invasion and Occupation of Cyprus by Ankara's Army, the Kurdish Problem, Turkey's Refusal to Recognize the Armenian Genocide, etc. In Consequence, Brussels' Business Lobbyists risked to see many Millions $ to "Disappear" for them, and be Returned Back to EU Member States, since the End of the 1990 Decade was Approaching, withOut having managed to Spend them...
At that Crucial Moment, Turkey asked for "a New (Funding) Program" from the EU, which could Not be Blocked as easily as all the others, on Pretext of a New Relation" with the EU, which was that Scandalous and Crazy Idea (UnThinkable then) of Ankara's so-called "Accession" process into the EU !
After the Non-Elucidated Brutal Killing of Critical Greek Minister for EU Affairs, Yanos Kranidiotes (also of Cypriot Origin : See our relevant Articles Published then at "TCWeekly" and/or "MPAgency")), the Massive Killings of Tens of Thousands of Poor People in Turkey when their Scandalously Badly-Build Houses were Demolished by an Exceptionaly Big Earthquake near Istanbul/Constantinople, apparently Provoked by an UnderSea Drilling Deep inside the Bosphorus and Dardanellia Straights, (See our relevant Articles then at "MPAgency" and/or Other Newspapers, etc)^, added to several Exceptional Political Changes, Aggressions and/or Oppression of Critical Journaalists, the Strange Marginalisation even of French Minister for EU Affairs, afterwards Top MEP Alain Lamassoure, as he Denounced himself Later, (etc), as it's well Known, the December 1999 EU Summit at Helsinki Decided to Accept Turkey's EU Candidacy, and the Negotiations' Procedure Officialy Started on 2004.
But the Popular and Political Struggles Against such a blattant Betrayal even of the most Elementary Principles and Values of the European Idea, (mainly by some "Fake Europeans" as the UnPopular former UK Prime Minister "Bliar", etc), Started to Reverse that Trend, through 3 "No" to EU-Referenda (in France, the Neherlands and Ireland: 2005-2007), key Elections (in France, Germany, Greece, and Other Key Countries, as well as in EU Parliament: 2005-2009), etc., Followed even by "BREXIT" (2016) and Turkey going Astray in a Hamoc (Kurds' Massacres, Psedo-"Putch" of 6 Hours, Exploited as Pretext for Hundreds of Thousands of Arrests, Torture, Killings and Lynching, Firing of Judges, Universitarians, Journalists, Teachers, MPs and Mayors, even Military staff and Soldiers, etc, added to WarShips' Bullying against EU Members Greece and Cyprus' Energy Resources, Smuggling of More than 1,5 Million Mass "Asylum Seekers"/Irregular Migrants suddenly Tresspassing into the EU through Turkey, Military Invasions/Occupations and/or Deadly Attacks in Syria (Twice), Iraq, Libya, even Armenia, etc. : 2015-2021), as well as Many very Negative Polls among European People, Notoriously Hampered, and almost "Freezed" Ankara's Controversial and UnPopular EU bid, Nowadays.
But, Meanwhile, UnPrecedented EU Funds, of Many Billions each Year, including Full Grants, are being Paid to that Turkish Regime..., (which had almost totaly Collapsed, already on 1921, i.e. a Century Earlier : See f.ex.:... , etc).
=> Put an Official and Definite End to Ankara's controversial and unpopular EU "Candidacy" Nightmare, (which Undermined the whole EU), Obviously is an Elementary thing to do, the Soonest, Liberating, at last, Europe, from such a Heavy Blunder. After all, Even European Countries like the UK, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, etc, are Not EU Members Nowadays... Why should Ankara ?
+ However, the Question of controversial Big EU Funds (etc) to Turkey (Comp. Supra)still remains Open : Shall EU definitively Reverse the Errors of 2000-2004+, just in order to Fall Back to a ...Worse Situation than what was Already the case on 1998-1999 (Comp. Supra) ?
The European People certainly Deserve much Better, and All Real Europeans must Help Free their immense Potential (from such Heavy Traps by Fake Europeans), in order to resolutely Develop our Historic Continent in the foreseable Future !
EU is Not Condemned to be a Suspected Accomplice of a Retrograde and Oppressive Over-Exploitation, depending on a Turkish schema, But, on the Contrary, can and must Boost the Production of European Workers and, Mainly, Creative Innovation with strategic High-Tech. Europe's History, Culture, Potential, and Mission in the World, as well as our Citizens' Wellfare and Sovereignity, clearly point towards such an Horizon.
(../..)
("DraftNews")
*
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Recent developments proved that Europe can suceed to overcome challenges by aiming at great objectives, and this is needed also in 2009, said EU chairman, French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
- "It's in the name of Great Ideas, Projects, Ambition and Ideals, that EU can overcome" challenges, stressed Sarkozy at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, in conclusion of a dense 7 months EU Chairmanship. "It's even easier for Europe to have Great projects, able to overcome national egoism, instead of limiting itself only to small projects" (unable to do alike), he observed.
- "Europe must remain Ambitious and understand that the World needs her to take Decisions". "The World needs a Strong Europe", which "thinks on its own, has convictions, its own responses, its imagination" : "A Europe which does not limit itself into following" others, (as it did in the Past, when it followed USA, f.ex. on Bosnia). On the contrary, "Europe should undertake its own responsibilities", he said, after a series of succes in stopping the War between Russia and Georgia, and organizing the 1st EuroZone's Summit in Paris, which incited the Washington DC G-20 Summit to extend similar decisions World-wide.
- "When you sweep it all under the carpet, prepare yourself for hard tomorrows", he warned. "What hinders decisions is the lack of Courage and Will, the fading away of Ideals", he stressed before EU Parliament's 2008 debate on Human Rights and Sakharov prize on Freedom of thought attributed by MEPs to Chinese cyber-dissident Hu Jia, followed by an EU - Turkey meeting on Friday.
- "I don't abandon my convictions" and "I will take initiatives" on EU level also in 2009, Sarkozy announced later. "France will not stop having convictions and taking initiatives" on Europe. + "It's an Error to wish to pass over the Heads of those who are elected in their Countries" : "It's an integrism I always fought against"', he warned.
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French EU Presidency faced 4 unexpected Crisis :
- An institutional crisis, with the Irish "No" to EU Lisbon Treaty, just before it started. A geopolitical crisis, wth the threat of War between Russia and Georgia risking to throw Europe back to Cold-war divisions, on August. A World-wide Financial and Economic crisis, arriving at a bad moment before crucial 2009 EU elections. And even a Strasbourg's mini-crisis, with EU Parliament's roof curiously falling down, from unknown reasons, in a brand new building on August, provoking an unprecedented transfert of the 2 September Plenary Sessions...
But it wasn't enough to stop Sarkozy ! On the contrary, it stimulated him...
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- "The better way to deal with the recent problems of EU institutions (as the "3 NO" by France, the Netherlands and Ireland) is to take them as a "Test" in order to find solutions closer to Citizens' concerns", said later in Strasbourg Sarkozy's new choice as Ministe for EU affairs, Bruno Le Maire.
- On the Institutional front, Sarkozy gave Time to the Irish to think about it, and stroke on December a deal including a New Referendum after the June 2009 EU Elections, in exchange of a promise to keep the rule of "one EU Commissioner for each EU Member Country", and some opt-outs on Defence and Fiscal EU policies, Abortion, etc. If the Irish get a "Yes" Majority, then the institutional package could be completed in 2010 or 2011 on the occasion of Croatia's probable EU accession.
He was accused in Strasbourg to upgrade EU Council and downgrade EU Commision, but he replied that "strong Political initiatives by EU Council reinforce also the more technical role of EU Commission, under the political-technical leadership of its President", all 3 "working together with EU Parliament".
- But, meanwhile, Sarkozy energetically spearheaded an Historic 1st Summit of EuroZone's 15 Heads of State and Government at EU's core, exceptionally enlarged to a partial participation of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on October 12 in Paris' Elysee palace, which started to tackle succesfully the growing world Financial crisis.
It also paved the way for its endorsement by a subsequent Brussels' 27 EU Member States' gathering, before it all come to Washington's G-20 Summit. And "Europe was united, it asked for the 1st G-20 Summit, and it will also organise the next G-20 Summit on April in London", he observed.
But a Conference with EU, Russia, African and other Developing Countries, hosted in Strasbourg shortly after Washington G-20 Summit by the French EU Presidency, took a Resolution asking to enlarge participation to Global Economic Governance. Many found, indeed, illogic and unacceptable that f.ex. states as Turkey were given a seat at G-20 level, while all African Countries, and even the African Union itself, representing the greatest Continent on Earth, were excluded...
Meanwhile, even USA''s "Paulson No 3" Plan, was, in fact, inspired by Europe's No 1 Plan", Sarkozy observed, largelly applauded by MEPs.
And "Europe showed Solidarity" by mobilizing some 22 Billion credit for Hungary, 1,7 billion for Ukraine, as we do nowadays for Baltic States, etc., he added.
The move on Economy was extended on December by an EU stimulus' plan totalling some 200 billion Euros, including 5 Billions released by EU Commission for big Projects, as well as various parallel National plans for Economic revival, (fex. 26 billions in France alone). They might appear limited, compared to USA President-elect Obama's reported plan to boost the American economy with 800 billion $, but at least succeded to overcome Europe's divisions for the first time on Economic governance, opening new horizons.
- The French President stressed even harder the unique role of an active EU Council's chairmanship, when he moved swiftly and efficiently, at the beginning of August, to succesfully stop War between Russia and Georgia, at the last minute, which threatened to bring Europe back to Cold War division.
"We (EU) also wanted to avoid a situation like in Bosnia, in the Past, when EU was absent, so that our American friends took their responsibilitues, and EU only followed", despite the fact that the conflict took place in Europe. Now, it was the EU who took its responsibilities".
A roadmap towards a new PanEuropean Security policy, before which all unilateral moves to place new Missiles (from USA or Russia) would be freezed, was proposed by Sarkozy after a meeting with Russian president Medvedev, at the eve of Washington DC's G-20 Summit.
Ukraine's "European" character was stressed at a Sarkozy - Jushenko Summit, September in Paris, while EU adopted on December an "Eastern policy", in which, "I'm convinced that our (EU's) future is to find with our Neighbours the conditions for Economic Development. Peace and Security, by explaining them that.. they must respect (Human Rights') Values, and adopt behaviors different from the Past", explained Sarkozy in Strasbourg.
Meanwhile, the "Union for the Mediterranean" was created, since July's Summit if 45 Heads of State and Government in Paris, as "an organisation for a permanent Dialogue, that we need", mainly in order to tackle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, by bringing together, for the 1st time, Israelis and Arabs, where "Europe must be present, in order to avoid a frontal clash".
- "If Europe doesn't take its part for Peace in the Middle-East, nobody else will do that in our place", Sarkozy stressed.
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Meanwhile, other EU Agreements were brokered during the French EU Presidency on Immigration, (fex. common Asylum rules, etc), and Climat- Energy :
- On Climat-Energy, the 2007 German EU Presidency had fixed a triple 20% aim for 2020 (20% renewable Energies, 20% reduction of CO2 emmission, 20% energy efficience/economies), and the 2008 French EU Presidecny realized that, making the necessary compromises in order to modernize EU's industry, but without throwing some former Central-Eastern European Countries into abrupt Economic break down risking "social explosion".
- Defence-Security EU policy was mainly postponed for April 2009, since both German chancellor Merkel and French president Sarkozy want to strike a deal with the new American president Obama in Strasbourg's NATO Summit.
However, with all these 4 unexpected Crisis diverting attention to other urgencies, People wil wonder now, what happened to the famous deal proposed by freshly-elected French President Sarkozy on Turkey's controversial EU bid, back on August 2007, to continue EU - Turkey negotiations, but on the double condition that core chapters, intrinsequally linked with EU Membership, will be excluded, and that a collective Reflexion and Debate on Europe's future would start before the end of 2008.
It was meant to reply to the crucial question : What kind of Europe do we want in 10 or 20 Years from now : A large Market, or a Political Europe, with a popular identity ? In Sarkozy's thinking, presented in his 2 landmark speeches on Europe in Strasbourg, shortly before and after the 2007 Elections, (on February and July 2007), Turkey's controversial EU bid would be incompatible with the second choice.
It's true that EU Commision's Chairman, Jose Barroso, (who had notoriously declared, as former Portuguese Prime Minister, that he found "nonsense" the idea that Europe might become equal to the US), had repeatedly tried to avoid that Sarkozy's criticism on Turkey might start winning a larger audience in Europe, preferring a discrete "wismens' committee" work. And that most of the personalities later chosen in order to participate in a Committee on Europe's Future, are too much linked with Socialist parties and/or American policies, to be really critical of USA's notorious wish to impose Turkey to the EU, as Sarkozy had noted himself since March 2007..
- "It's on EU Council's presidency to take political initiatives. EU Commission has other competences", stressed Sarkozy. The "European Ideal" is to "build Europe with the States, not against them". "Ask Europeans to chose between their countries and Europe won't work. You don't choose between your two parents : We must add them together".
"France and Germany have an Historic Duty to work together, precisely because of what happened to the Past. We have to work hand by hand. We cannot be separated.It goes beyond me and Mrs Merkel today, Mr Schroeder and Mr. Chirac yesterday. It's not a choice, it's a duty to Europe and to the World". "We need Germany, as Germany needs Europe". Compromise is inevitable, here as everywhere, and each one made some steps towards eachother's positions.
But "it's true that Mrs Merkel didn't chose her Socialist partners, while I chose mine", Sarkozy said, in an indirect hint that the Socialist Minister of Finance in Germany might be a cause of minor past disagreements in Economy, which were overcome in recent negotiations.
"We (France and Germany) have particular duties in Europe", but "in a Europe of 27 Member States, it's not enough for France and Germany to agree between them.
"I always thought that Great Britain has a special role to play in Europe. ... Now, everybody "saw what it cost payed the UK for having been too exclusively open towards the US (and) Financial services. Europe needs the UK, but also the UK needs Europe" :- "We were able to face the hardest moment of the Financial crisis because the UK clearly chose Europe", stressed Sarkozy, reminding Gordon Brown's exceptional participation to the Historic 1st Heads of State/Government Summit of EuroZone, October 12 in Paris (See EuroFora's Reportage from Elysee Palace then).
- "Some look at Europe with old glasses aged 30 years ago. While we must look at her in relation to what it will be in 30 years" in the Future, Sarkozy concluded.