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Haupt arrow newsitems arrow Paris-Berlin-Rome: Big 3, Merkel-Sarkozy-Monti, start building €uroArea's Governance from Jan. 2012

Paris-Berlin-Rome: Big 3, Merkel-Sarkozy-Monti, start building €uroArea's Governance from Jan. 2012

Geschrieben von ACM
Freitag, 06 Januar 2012
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*Paris/Elysée Palace/Angelo Marcopolo/- An intensified series of Top Political meetings between the 3 Biggest €uroArea Countries' Leaders, Germany's-France's-Italy's  Merkel-Sarkozy-Monti, following the inauguration of the 1st Tripartite Summit formula last November 2011 in Strasbourg (See "EuroFora"s NewsReport from the spot), are due to start using the €uroArea Governance, whose creation was decided last December 2011 in EU's December 2011 Summit in Brussels, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from there), in order to launch new and accelerated  Measures for Competitivity and mainly Growth :

After a preliminary meeting, here in Paris, between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, on the occasion of an Annual Colloquium on the "New World" Economico-political order this Friday, all eyes are naturally focused on Monday's Top Summit of EU's Franco-German "motor" with Chancellor Angie Merkel in Berlin, who shall also meet with Monti on Wednesday, before a 2nd Tripartite Summit in Rome anounced for January 20, i.e. shortly before the first EU/€uroArea Summit for 2012.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
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The ambiant impression at an International Colloquy in Paris was that €uroArea is due to fix most Medium-Long term problems with the  important and far reaching Changes decided at the latest EU Brussels' Summit, at the beginning of December 2011, in the meantime, act stronger on the Short-Medium term;


This was pointed out also by French Economy and Finance Minister Francois Baroin, who also expressed his belief that the measures recently decided can avoid in Future any risk similar to some "Erroqs of the Past", (as f.ex. that that which was notoriously committed back on 1999-, with mainly "Socialist" Governments in the EU, by attributing a controversia "Candidate" Status to Tutkey's Unpopular EU bid, in exchange of an unprepared, Earlier than normal, entry of Greece to €urozone, even without accomplishing yet the necessary reforms : See relevant "EuroFora"s analysis in various other NewsReports).    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

IMF reportedly warned recently that the Greek Economy's recovery needed No more Taxes, (which have notoriously provoked a Recession to the Productive sector),  nor more Restrictions on Poor People's basic needs, (because that had gone so far that unprecedented, huge Popular Demonstrations and Revolts, were provoked particularly when Poor People were threatened also with Electricity power' cuts at their Family Homes, if they didn't pay taxes , even if their Annual Revenues were less than 5.000 € per Year (!), just in order to fund an excessive mass of counterproductive cushy job holders and/or abusive, often corrupted political lackeys, appointed by clientelism and/or Nepotism mainly of PASOK Governments during the last 30 Years (1980-2010), provoking a growing Debt.

On the contrary, IMF's Experts reportedly became  aware recently of the fact that the only solution would be to focus on serious Structural Reforms, such as Privatisations and massive lay-offs in the disproportionate State-controlled sector, but they would face Difficulties and obstacles (even a risk to seem "unjust", etc) in this endeavour, unless they seized a unique Opportunity :

That of joining Economic Efficiency with Justice, and other Moral, Ideological/Socio-Political considerations, if they succeeded to meet the well-known aspiration of a large Majority of Greek People  to get rid of Incompetence and mainly Corruption, abuses, sometimes even Deadly Crimes,   etc. committed by cushy job holders and/or political lackeys appointed by 30 Years of Clientelism and/or Nepotism (1980-2010) in the State-controlled sector,  in a kind of Salutary "Epuration", (F.ex. by abolishing Hypocritical "Time  Deadlines", and generally easing formal bureaucratic obstacles behind which are still hiding not only  more or less corrupted officials, but even sly criminals who risk to become shyless by Impunity) .  At the same time, such a move could also, ipso-facto, be the only one to make soon disappear the main cause of an, otherwise inevitable, Public Debt.  

Such kind of issues might be one among the "extremely heavy, and extremely  difficult" issues on which "we have to take decisions, during the following Days and Weeks", as Sarkozy warned this Friday in his speech concluding the International Conference,

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The French President made it clear that he referred not only to EU/€uroArea Member States, but "also to all European Institutions, which must measure today the Crisis, because Europe is the Best Human invention to serve Peace, and nobody has the righ to let €uro be destroyed, because it would break down all Europe, so that Peace in our contibnent would, sooner or later, be affected", as Sarkozy warned.

To prevent any such risk, the focus in the 2012 version of the "New World" International Conference, naturally was towards "Growth".

A fortiori when, as experienced, and UKUSA educated Polish Minister of Economy, as Jacek Rostowsksi, was recently poiinting, during the 2012 International Paris' Conference, to the fact that "even the very concept of excessive Debt is counted in terms of GDP : That's why, f.ex. Poland, is still able to support a rather High Debt, as long as it manages to keep also an even Higher Growth"..


=> But, as things stand, "Today,  we can no more sweep the question of Growth under the carpet", concluded Rostowski, who is also outgoing EU Chairman-in-office.    

Something that German Chancellor Angie Merkel, together with her natural care for Financial Stability, certainly understands well, since she had focused her inaugural Speech for the 2009-2013 Policy Strategy mainly on "Growth" ("Wachstum" in Deutsch), as "EuroFora" had noticed at the 2009 Bundestag Debates while in Berlin, and really succeeded, for a period, to almost lead the Western World with the Best Record High Growth, shortly after the Global Crisis, while now Germany also shows one of the Best Records in High Employment rate compared to other Countries, even if recession threats loom recently from almost everywhere in the World, while Anglo-Saxon UK-USA Rating Agencies have notoriously put the whole €uroArea, big countries included, under observation, after recentky downgrading even USA's own rating, (given, it's true, the Record High current American Public Debt)...

Long-time EU Commission's former vice-President, new Italian Prime Minister Monti, joined Sarkozy, earlier this afternoon, when he initially stressed in Public the call for "all European Institutions to take their Responsibilities, as every €urozone  Member State was obliged to do. ... Now, everyone involved must take the necessary Decisions", as the French President reiterated.

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  Speaking earlier at the International Colloquium's premisses at Bercy, Monti stressed, inter alia, also his favorite item about "Growth generated by (EU/€uroarea) Integration", (as he had already highlighted in his landmark 2009 Report on EU's Internal Market perspectives, where the experienced long-time former EU Commission's vice-President had also added Specific mentions to "New Sources of Growth", including the galoping develoipment of the Internet and Digital Economy in general, as he had underlined in Reply to "EuroFora"s Question at EU Parliament in Strasbourg (See relevant, 2009, "EuroFora"'s NewsReport).


 In fact, "EU looks both Fragile and Strong", observed Monti. €uroArea's Fiscal Balance is not as bad, particularly compared to that of UK-USA, Japan, etc., he noted. Even the Debt/GDP ratio is not as dramatic as in other Countries. (etc). EU as a whole keeps in track, but differences loom, he observed, referring to what IMF Experts had already warned as early as since the 10th Anniversary of the €uro, at a special ECB Summit in Frankfurt on 2008, where "EuroFora"s co-Founder had been impressed by IMF Europe Head Expert's calls to boost "EU Cohesion", even before the current Global Crisis...

So that there is, indeed, today a Challenge for ECB, but Governments of EU Member States should ensure that EU Parliament's decisions are implemented, so that errors of the Past are no more exploited by Speculators base in Dubai or even further away, as he said, calling EU Institutions to assume their responsibilities, as Sarkozy also did (See supra).
 
Europe must become able to put its "kind of Multi-lateral Governance" at the Right Placez inside the World Balance of Power, Monti concluded.
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+ Meanwile, Sarkozy also proposed, in his concluding speech to the "New World" Colloquy, a series of Ideas in order to concretely safeguard and/or develop EU's potential (according to the proclaimed aim of €uroArea's regular Summits, due to start from January 2012, as it was decided at the EU Brussel's December 2011 Summit : See "EuroFora"s NewsReport from the spot) :

F.ex. :  


- In a World which shall soon reach more than 9 Billions People, it becomes meaningless to dismantle a common (EU) Agricultural policy, which has "extraordinary perspectives", since World's need for Food becomes endless, the French President observed.

+ "Social Dumping is not a solution. Monetary Dumping is Unacceptable. Environmental Dumoing is Unacceptable : The Law of the Jungle is unacceptable : ... What we want is a Regulated Globalisation and a Fair Competition, as everyone must understand that "there is no Liberty without Rule, as Sarkozy stressed.

- "IMF should become World's supreme Regulator in Economy", after "DeRegulation without limits pushed the World in the situation in where it is now", he reminded. F.ex., the fact that huge Sums are consentrated in one Country because it doesn't have a Rule on the circulation of Capitals, creates there Speculative Baloons, which finally "explode", provoking sufferings, It's unacceptable", Sarjkozy reiterated. Observing also that Financial transactions are the only ones which don't have to pay any tax, the French President stressed that he was largely in favor of  establishing a Financial Transactions' tax,            

"because I believe that a World Public Opinion will, sooner or later, questiuon Governments for what they did, or not, as he said,       

Last but not least, Sarkozy concluded by stressing the need to respect at least a minimum of Social and Human Rights for Countries which want to have Trade with the EU ;

- "Is it normal that basic Social Rights, such as the Prohibition of Childrens' work, and/or to oblige a Prisoner to work ?", he wondered.  Liberty must be loyal, and Trade must be just, Competition Fair  : Something which sould be controlled by the International Organization of Trade (OMC).

Finally, EU Law should allow European Businesses to grow, measuring them only at EU level. Otherwise, it's difficult to imagine how could we could create real panEtropean, big Corporations, able to face the challenge of Global Competition, the French President concluded, observing that he's "in favour of a New Europe".                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

***
(NDLR : "DraftNews", as already sent earlier to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. Watch out for a more accuate and complete Final version, asap).

***
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People in Europe and the World expect from CoE to make a succes of its "Monitoring" for Human Rights and Democracy, despite difficulties, said Finland's President Tarja Halonen to "EuroFora" at a crucial moment for the mecanism built 15 years ago by the paneuropean organization which celebrates its 60th Anniversary in 2009.

Halonen, known as "Mother" of CoE's "Monitoring" mecanism, a long-time MEP and former Foreign Minister before becoming Finland's President, holds a long experience in the mattter, after also serving twice as CoE and EU Chairwoman in the past. That's why she is well placed to judge how CoE's "monitoring" should deal today with some crucial issues of importance both to CoE and to the EU.

The move came just a Month before a crucial, last visit to Turkey, scheduled for June, by the President of CoE''s "Monitoring" Committee, Ukranian MEP Serge Holovaty, to finalize his Report on Ankara, the CoE Member State with the longest Monitoring procedure. From its results depends its overall credibility.

This is a Test-case, because, in fact, it's in order to avoid Sanctions threatened against Turkey by a CoE's Assembly's April 1995 Resolution for grave Human Rights violations, Democracy gaps, the continuing Military Occupation in Cyprus, the unresolved Kurdish problem, Aegean differend with Greece, etc., that MEPs decided to create, for the 1st time on April 1996, a "Monitoring" proces, allegedly destinated to check, without excluding Countries who did not fulfill all CoE's standards.

In the Past, the obliged withdrawal of Greece's Military regime and of its "Civil" cover-up out of the CoE had helped bring back Democracy in 1974. But, on the contrary, since April 1996, the idea was to "monitor" Human Rights' respect while keeping most concerned Countries inside the CoE. After Turkey's oldest example, this was extended also to several former "Eastern" European Countries, even if CoE's Assembly has imposed to some of them (fex. Ukraine, Russia, etc., after Belarus, Serbia, etc) various "Sanctions", that Ankara always avoided. Curiously more succesful even than .. USA itself, (a CoE "Observer" since 1995), which has been at least threatened with sanctions some years ago..

EU-effects of CoE's Monitoring process became obvious between 2001-2008, since the "closure" of this procedure, when CoE felt that a Country had met most of its Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law obligations, (i.e. the "Copenhagen Criteria" for the EU), helped trigger Negotiations with the EU for "Accession" or other closer relations : This occured already before the 2004 and 2007 EU Enlargements to former "Eastern" European Countries, as well as for the commencement of "accession" negotiations with Croatia, and of "open-ended" negotiations with Turkey in 2005.

    But a stricking new development are Holovaty's recent findings that on core Human Rights issues as Torture and Freedom of Expression, Turkey, even "5 Years after" CoE closed its "Monitoring", back in 2004, inciting EU to start accession Negotiations in 2005, still presents grave problems.

    His findings are of crucial importance after a 2008 CoE Resolution called, "if need be", to "seriously consider the possibility of Re-Opening the Monitoring procedure for Turkey" : A move which might affect Ankara's controversial EU bid, since EU Accession Negotiations are based on the Hypothesis that the Candidate fullfils the "Copenhagen Criteria" (See above)..
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    Holovaty expressed his will to check  "Matters still Outstanding" and  those that he "didn't have an opportunity to discuss" at an earlier visit this year, "in order to discuss the more complex issues in greater depth", at his forthcoming New Visit to Ankara, before the December 2009 EU Summit.  This is all based on the 2004 CoE Resolution which stresses that, CoE "will continue.. post-monitoring Dialogue with the Turkish authorities,...in addition to a 12-points list,..and on any Other Matter that might arise in connection with Turkey’s Obligations as a CoE member state".

    CoE's Resolution also asks  from Turkey "to secure the proper Implementation of Judgements, particularly in the Cyprus v. Turkey InterState case", of 2001, which concerns also the plight of many Hundreds of MISSING People. It adds Turkey's obligations to "execute" ECHR's Judgements in the Loizidou case,..and in particular adopt General Measures to avoid repetition or continuation of Violations found by the Court" to the detriment of Refugees.

    Nevertheless, Holovaty said to "EuroFora" that "MISSING" persons,"might be included" and cannot be excluded, but he has yet to examine the situation "to find out  which issues will be raised" to the Turkish Government.

    Therefore, "EuroFora" asked Halonen, as the Historic "Mother" of CoE's Monitoring mecanism, if she thought that, "whenever there are grave Human Rights Violations, as fex. "MISSING" persons, attested even by ECHR's judgements, they should be always checked by a Monitoring process. Or could they be forgotten ?"
    
     - "We (CoE) must be, at the same time, Fair, Realistic, but not in the mind that "now we have Forgotten", etc., replied to "EuroFora"'s question Halonen, speaking as a matter of general principle.

    - "When we think of those People that are suffering from the lack of Democracy, of Human Rights, and of the Rule of Law", "we should find a base on how to deal with the (Monitoring) system more rapidly"', she stressed.

    - "Sometimes it's very difficult to combine Transparency and Effectivenes together, particularly in this specific case", she went on to say. But, "I have not found a (CoE Member) Country who could be insensitive in this sens", Halonen answered concerning grave Human Rights violations attested by the ECHR.

    - "I have no ready-made answer. I have the expectations that you, in the CoE, will, step by step, find the different types of the monitoring systems."

    Also "because this is a part of the UN's Post-Conflict system, (fex. when it comes to Cyprus' MISSING persons), and it's a more Global system". So that, "If we make a succes in Europe, the others will follow", throughout the World.  "But they expect that we (Europe) are this opportunity, this Opportunity to make a Succes", Halonen concluded.

    In addition, she advised to extend CoE's Monitoring to all its 47 Member States, "because, as long as we hear that, all these monitoring systems are "OK for the neighbor, but not for me", "it's very difficult" to understand. Something which could make easier to Compare...

    Finnish MEP Jaako Laakso, former CoE Rapporteur on the Occupied Territories of Cyprus and one of the 5 Signatories of the Historic CoE's call to create the "MONITORING" mecanism since 1996, was more specific :  - "We (CoE Assembly) have to find a way for the issue of Cyprus' MISSING People to be better followed", he stressed, anouncing his intention to "speak to Mr. Holovaty" about that. "There might be also other ways", added Laakso.

    - The 2008 "Year had been a very Bad one for Turkey with regard to Human Rights in general, and Freedom of Expression in particular", denounced, meanwhile, Holovaty's preliminary Post-Monitoringh Draft Report by Holovaty, published by the CoE on April 2009.

    "Amnesty International believes that freedom of expression is not guaranteed given the various articles of the Criminal Code that restrict it. .. "For example, 1,300 Websites are said to have been closed down by the (Turkish) authorities in 2008" ! While "the new Turkish Criminal Code was used to bring a total of 1,072 proceedings between June 2005 and April 2008, and led to the conviction of 192 people", for expressing views. "Representatives of the Özgür Gündem newspaper, which specialises in Kurdish affairs, ..complained about Numerous Attacks on their Freedom of Expression ...as was everyone who advocated a settlement to the question by means other than the intervention of the army" "According to their figures, 19 Newspapers had been suspended 43 times between 4 August 2006 and 4 November 2008" !...

    Moreover, on 2008,  CoE's "Ministers adopted its 4rth Resolution on the execution of the judgments of the ECHR, ...and outstanding issues regarding 175 Judgements and decisions relating to Turkey delivered between 1996 and 2008...  concerning Deaths resulting from the excessive use of force by members of the Security forces, the failure to protect the right to life, the DIisappearance and/or death of individuals, Ill-Treatment and the Destruction of property". CoE's " Ministers urged the Turkish authorities ...to ensure that members of Security forces of all ranks can be prosecuted without administrative
authorisation" for "serious crimes". Holovaty reminded.

"Nonetheless", Holovaty heard anew of "Several cases of Violence committed last year (2008) by the (Turkish) security forces". Amnesty International speaks of Many Cases of ill-treatment and Torture in the prisons and by the police". "Including, fex."'the death of Engin Ceber, a young man of 29 who died on October 2008 as a result of the TORTURE allegedly inflicted on him by police officers, prison staff and members of the gendarmerie. He was part of a group of people arrested on September 2008 during a demonstration and Press Conference in Istanbul'. Proceedings against suspects are "on-going" in this case.

- " I therefore noted an Obvious Contradiction between the Government’s stated “zero tolerance” policy.... of Torture and other forms of ill-treatment, and the different testimonies given", denounced CoE's Rapporteur.  Turkish "authorities must make considerable efforts to guarantee that proper investigations are carried out into allegations of abuses by members of the security forces and that perpetrators are effectively punished" "In this respect, I have requested detailed Statistics on the number of Investigations, acquittals and convictions in cases involving allegations of abuse in order to show the positive impact of the measures taken to date", Holovaty said, repeating a permanently unsatisfied CoE's demand to Turkey since a Decade...

    - "The Political Crisis that shook the country in the spring of 2008 highlighted the Weaknesses of the (Turkish) Constitution", which comes from the Military regime of 1982, "and the Urgent Need of Reforms", stressed from the outset CoE's Rapporteur in 2009. In particular, "the ...Democratic functioning of state institutions, including the independence of the judicial system, are crucial", he observes.

    But, "the Electoral  system and the ways in which it is circumvented do not appear to give those elected complete Legitimacy, and tend to pervert the course of direct universal suffrage", denounces Holovaty, observing that, even 5 Years later, Turkey did not yet change the 10% nationwide Threshold for a party to take any seat, which is "far higher" than the "3%" maximum in Europe and already condemned as contrary to European Standards by the CoE.

    + Moreover, EU Parliament's 2009 Report on Turkey, drafted by Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten and adopted in Strasbourg on March, expresses "Concern over the Failure of the (Turkish) Judiciary to prosecute cases of Torture and Ill-treatment, the Number of which is Growing". EU also "is concerned about continuing Hostility and Violence against Minorities" in Turkey. It also "calls on the Turkish Government to launch, as a matter of Priority, a Political Initiatve favouring a lasting Settlement of the Kurdish issue, (while "condemning violence.. and terrorist groups"). EU "regrets that No progress has been made on establishing full, systematic Civilian suprevisory functions over the (Turkish) Military".

    The final results of Holovaty's 2nd and last visit to Turkley will be known later this year, and, at any case, before EU's December 2009 Summit.

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