

2011 G8-G20+ Chairman, French President Sarkozy : - "We'll overcome the Global Crisis !"

Revealing 3 key Priorities for his forthcoming G8 - G20+ Chairmanship at a crucial period for the shape of Post-Crisis era, between November 2010-2011, including International Heads of State/Government Summits, French President Nicolas Sarkozy strongly stressed his belief that both France, Europe and the World will succeed to definitively overcome this Global Financial and Economic Crisis, without returning back to the Past, but by resolutely moving forward for a better 21th Century with adequate, modern, and more Democratic World Institutions, and briefly highlighted some among the measures of a Straregy which could obtain that objective.
- "I believe in Europe !", Sarkozy strongly stressed, while also observing that, Today, "we are in a New World", where "Capital and Jobs are outsourced, People Travel, Pictures get around the World, and News are no more National, but International", as he said on Globalization in stock-taking Statements at the Mid-Term of his 2007- 2012 Presidency in France, which also highlighted main Objectives for the foreseeable Future's Horizon.
- "We shall succeed to get out of the (Global) Crisis ! We shall get there !", Sarkozy optimistically promissed for the next 2 Years, after having quite succesfully faced "4 Crisis" recently, advising an "Economic Strategy" based on boosting "Competitivity", mainly via Reductions of Current Expenditure and Public Deficits, but also by Investing on Science and Technologic Innovation, without heavy Tax rises nor Salaries' reduction for Countries which timely took the necessary measures, while expressing his "admiration" for - and will to be "inspired" by- certain key components of the "German Economic System", obviously important for Europe, whose "System" is kept running mainly by France and Germany together, and managed to protect some "fragile" Countries recently "attacked" by Financial Markets.
But the forthcoming G 8 - G 20+ Chairman pleaded for a necessary Reform to Modernize a Global Governance worthy of the 21st Century, more Democratic (i.e. Enlarged to a greated Number of Big Countries from all Continents of the World, f.ex. also Africa, Latin America, India, etc), and more Efficient, anouncing also his intention, together with all European and other key Countries, to tackle Monetary, Agricultural and Unfair Competition issues, (which, according to other souces, might include also Environmental and/or Human Rights' Dumping etc).
Exceptionally speaking at a suprisingly Simple, Functional and Natural decor facing Elysee Palace's Garden, Nicolas Sarkozy clearly appeared willing and ready to advance by going right to the Essentials :

1) On first place, "Bretton Woods (International Monetary Agreement) was 65 Years ago, when only 1 Currency existed : the US $".
But, today, "we can't continue any more with the Monetary Desorder that we are facing" now, the French President denounced.
F. ex., "when the Euro € Currency was" as High as "1,42 in relation to the US Dollar $, how could it be possible to Sell anything which might have been produced in the EuroZone, to Countries which buy in US Dollars $ ?", he wondered.
- "Our Enterprises must be able to struggle" inside the Global Competition "in Equal terms : This is of Essential" importance, Sarkozy stressed, as a matter of General Principle, (See also infra).
2) "On the second place, I would like to see a Regulation of Raw Materials' Prices : We had too much Speculation", he denounced.
- This includes, "in particular, also Agricultural Raw Materials" : There, "I'll defend the French and European Model for Agriculture", he promissed.
3) "Thirdly, we must Change the Global Governance !", Sarkozy declared.
- F.ex., "we can't go on for ever with (only) the 5 Permanent Members of UNO's Security Council" : "Africa must have (at least) one seat as UN SC Permanent Member, with its 1 Billion of Inhabitants !", he pointed out. - "Latin America must also have a Seat" at UNO's SC, "with its 450 Millions of Inhabitants". While, "in 30 Years; also India will become the Country with the most Numerous Population in Planet Earth", he observed.
- Already, "the G 20" Enlarged grouping "was a French Invention", Sarkozy reminded, revealing that, during the forthcoming "G 20 Chairmanship (November 2010 - 2011), we are going to do a lot of Work to serve Global Regulation".
- "We are living now in the 21st Century", so that "we must get equiped with (New) Institutions, Worthy of this (New, 21st) Centrury !", Sarkozy stressed.
Indeed, enlarging from "G 8" to "G 20" biggest States' participation in Global Governance, was already prepared, in close cooperation also with Berlin, during the 2007 German Presidency, at Heiligendam's Global Heads of State/Government Summit,
and this logically implies advancing towards further G - Enlargements also to other Big Countries around the World, since it's obviously illogical to have .. Turkey included, at the same moment that even the Biggest Continent in the World : Africa, is not represented at all, as well as Latin America, India, etc !
Such moves should,; at the same time, augment also the role played by the Paris' headquartered International OECD Organization, which had initially started to be asigned a Structural New Role in the Implemlentation of G 8 - G 20 Summits' decisions, as it had been agreed at the 2007 Heiligendam Global Summit (Germany), where "EuroFora"s co-Founder had worked for Press coverage, impressed by a fresh will to really start tackling Regional, European and Global issues, by launching also the G 0 - G 20 + Enlargement process, which naturally has yet to develop further its full potential.
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But, "Unfair Competition", according to Sarkozy and Merkel's earlier expressed ideas, also includes Efficient Measures against Environmentald and Human Rights' Dumping :
Obviously linked mainly to Climate Change issues, such as Global Warming, but also to Health Safety and protection of Natural Environment, the 1st point, initially presented by Sarkozy in a landmark Speech at nearby Urmatt' s Forest, in a renovated, Nature-Friendly Industry, since May 2009, at the eve of EU Elections, (see relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the spot), where he clearly denounced as "Unacceptable" not only "Social" but also "Environmental Dumping" and "Unfair Competition".
The initial idea of a "Carbon Tax" at the External EU Borders, later evolved, after the December 2009 Copenhagen UNO Summit on Climate Change (Comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the spot), towards an EU "Financial Adjustment" against Unfair Competition by Environmental Dumping from Third, Non-EU Countries, with Imports of merchandises produced elsewhere by companies who don't respect at all the Environment and Climate Protection Rules that EU Producers have to meet. The issue has just started to return anew at EU Council's table for discussion after a June 2010 Draft Paper presented by EU Commission to EU Heads of State/Government for possible Decisions at October's of December's EU Summits, and, at any case, during the forthcoming French EU Presidency of G 8 - G 20+, (November 2010 - 2011).


Replying to an "EuroFora"s Question on French President Sarkozy's a.o. "efforts to bring at the forthcoming June 2010 EU Brussel's Summit the issue of a Financial Adjustment at EU's External Borders whenever there might be Environmental Dumping with CO2 Carbon Emissions", which "apparently goes in the Direction of the "Greens"/Environmentalists' Group Agenda", the vice-President of the "Green" Group, German MEP Rebecca Harms, seemed to distance herself from a previous curiously Negative stance by some of her French Collegues (See "EuroFora"s relevant earlier NewsReport) : She agreed that a similar Move could, indeed, become interesting at least "in certain cases" of grossly polluting Industries, proposing to "look at it on a case by case basis", as she told us in a Press Conference at EU Parliament earlier in Strasbourg, (See Full and Detailed Reply of vice-President Rebecca Harms to "EuroFora"s Question already send earlier to Subscribers/Donors).
Moreover, speaking later to "EuroFora" after the June EU Summit, during July's EU Parliament Session in Strasbourg, the famous "Green" French MEP José Bové, apparently faithful to his notorious Fighting Spirit, seemed willing to take part in a struggle in the direction of a Carbon Tax at EU Borders against Environmental Dumping, at the forthcoming period. : - "A New Impetus should be created about that, on a New Basis", Bové positively advised.
Meanwhile, speaking at nearby Geneva - Headquarted ILO (International Labour Organization), Sarkozy was largely applauded when he developed further the idea of a coordinated EU and Global action against "Social Dumping" induced "Unfair Competition" through blatant "Violations of Workers' elementary Rights" in some Countries.
Sarkozy's idea is strongly backed, and enlarged further to all CoE's 48 Member States, i.e. including Russia, etc., by a Draft Recommendation to the PanEuropean Strasbourg Organization's Committee of Foreign Ministers, to start acfing against "Unfair Economic Competition by Third Countries" via "Social Dumping", i.e. grave and systematic Violations of Human Rights, exploited in order to Artificially Diminish the Cost of Workers' force in Low Tech. merchandises, Cheating against Competitors by Lower Prices :

- "Violations of fundamental Human Rights in those Countries, directly and indirectly affect actual Growth in CoE member States. This results in Unfair Competition and keeps average Pay rises in CoE countries Down as a result of the Lower Labour Costs" obtained via a "permanent Denial of Fundamental Rights in many Non-European Countries", denounces from the outset the Draft Recommendation tabled to CoE's Parliamentary Assembly by a Group of MEPs headed by the New President of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group (the largest), Italian MEP Luca Volonté, (Comp. Volonté's Statements to "EuroFora" on various topical issues, already send earlier to Subscribers/Donors), and signed also by 23 other MEPs, including from the Socialist, Liberal and Democratic (EDG) Groups, from various Countries, spreading from Italy to Spain, France, Austria, the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Bulgaria, Lithuania, etc., (including the Experienced former Presidents of CoE's Assembly, Lluis Maria de Puig, and of the Environment, Agriculture and Rural Committee, Alan Meale), etc.
- "Today's Economic and social situation facilitates the Globalisation of Markets as well as the Trading of goods between CoE member states and all the other Countries in the World, particularly those where production is Growing sharply". But, precisely, "in Countries with rapidly Growing Economies, Systematic Violation of the Rights enshrined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and reaffirmed in ...the European Convention on Human Rights, in particular, (f.ex. on Killing, Torture or Inhuman/Degradin Treatment, Personal Liberty, Fair Trial, Freedom of Expression, Religion and Association, Non-Discrimination, etc), has direct Effects on the Economic conditions of Workers and Entrepreneurs in CoE member states", MEPs observe.
- Therefore, "the Promotion of Human Rights and the European Convention in Countries which are in strong Competition with Europe would protect not only Human Rights, but also quality of Employment, the Social Market Economy and Fair Competition", MEPs stressed, launching f.ex. a call for CoE's Foreign "Ministers' to "promote in our Relations with Third Countries", "a Convenion", which "would Safeguard European Workers, Employers and Citizens'.
Inter alia, thus could be done, f; ex. also "through New Means of "Quality Marks" ...of Origin", Demonstrating that Human Rights are protected in the Producer Countries".
Such moves would probably be discussed at one or another among the various International Events due to be organizd during the forthcoming French G 8 - G 20 + Presidency (November 2010 - 2011), including a Financial Summit at Haute Savoie, near the Alpes Mountais, as well as the full G-8 and G-20+ Heads of State and Government Summit, have been already anounced.
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Meanwhile, Questioned on "Economic Strategy", the French President focused on "Competitivity" and "Investment" in Innovation :
- "During 2 Years, we had to face 4 International Crisis", he reminded : - "Since September 2008, Europe faced a Financial Crisis, the most important Economic Crisis of the Century, an Agricultural Crisis (affecting all Products, and all Regions), as well as the Euro (Currency) Crisis".
- "But, not even one Bank didn't go bankrupt ! Not even one cent of Savings wasn't lost !" On the contrary, "with the Measures taken to support Banks, we even won Money !", observed Sarkozy.
- While "in Europe there are 2 Countries which keep the System going : France and Germany", and "everything must be done" for them to be always able to "continue to do so", however, some "Fragile Countries inside the EU were attacked : Greece, Portugal, Spain. The Risk is that, if there is no Trust, Interest Rates rise up, and threaten to ruin" a country which doesn't take the necessary measures, he warned.
- That' why, "we took the necessary Decisions", to "boost anew the Economic Competitivity": "We must be Competitive", because "this is an Open World" today, Sarkozy underlined.
- First, "by allowing to Work More: F. ex. the 35 Hours (Weekly Limit) practically Ended, since the OverTime Work, whose Number is currently Augmenting, and that's Good News". According to the Measures taken, "the Workers don't pay Taxes on that, and Businesses don't pay Insurance Contributions on that. Moreover, this doesn't harm Employement, because all EU Economies which succeeded to reduce Unemployement, were those which have allowed to work more", he noted.
- 2nd, "we must catch up with (past) delays in Investing", Sarkozy stressed.
"That was the aim of the (2009-2010) Stimulus Plan", as well as "the Money that we put on Universities, which became Autonomous, and on (Scientific and Technological) Research".
- "Did you notice, f.ex. , that the Group "Save the Research !" doesn't speak out recently ? That, since 2007, there is No more any Strike of Scientists ? It's because we give them more (Financial a.o.) Means than ever, despite the (Global) Crisis !", Sarkozy pointed out proudly.
- In the Past, "we spent too much on Current Expenses, but we didn't Invest enough", he resumed, along the main Idea recently expressed also by his close friend and current Economic Stimulus Minister, Patrick Devedjian, in reply to an "EuroFora" Question, (See relevant EF NewsReport of June 2010).
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- "But we also undertook Commitments (at EU level) to Reduce (Pubic) Deficits", he noted.
F. ex., "during the last 35 Years, in France (too) the (Annual) Budget is (usually) presented in Deficit : This isn't possible any more !", he warned. Therefore, Public "Deficit should be Reduced into - 6% on 2011, and - 3% on 2013".
- "And we'll do it !", Sarkozy firmly anounced, with voluntarism.
- Even more, this will be done "without raising Taxes", neither by cutting down Salaries : Instead of "Austerity", I prefer to be "Rigorous" in order to find anew Budget's "Balance", Sarkozy promissed.
But this represents, only for France, something like 100 Billions € in 3 Years : Where could be found all that Money ?, wondered a Journalist.
- F.ex. "we (in France) have already reduced the Number of Civil Servants for - 100.000 less, and, Next Year, on 2011, there will be another - 34.000 less", (by simply not replacing one out of two retiring , former civil servants), Sarkozy observed as a 1st point in reply. And "Local Authorities could do alike", he pointed out, launching an "Appeal to assume their Responsibilities".
- On Pensions, "after Life Expectancy rose for + 15 Years more" in average, "since (the) 1950"'s decision to retire at 60 years of age, "in consequence, Work only 2 more Years more, is nothing" in comparison.
This (i.e. raising the Retirement Age to 62, except from Early and/or very Hard Working People), could "save 22 Billions €", while, "currenty, Pensions are payed by Debt", in fact, while "nobody can afford it", particularly in a World which has become "a village", since "an Enterprise can be outsourced, Factories can close, and Poor People would be the First to face the hard consequences", he warned. And we should "look around us : In Germany, Retirement Age is at 67 Years old. In Spain, M. Zapatero (the Socialist PM) is currently preparing to go beyond 65 Years. In Italy, they already are at 65 Years", etc.; (i.e. People work much Longer than currently in France)..
- Moreover, according to the latest "Report made by the Court of Accounts", various excessive and , unnecessary Fiscal Advantages given in the Past to some categories of the population, ("Niches Fiscales"), only in France, represent "some 75 Billions € per Year !", Sarkozy denounced. So, "we are currently Working on that", he revealed.
- However, not only Salaries won't be cut down, but also Taxes won't be raised, Sarkozy reiterated. Because, f.ex. "among all Countries in the World, France is in those who Tax Rich taxpayers the most. There aren't many other Countries in the World, neither the USA, nor Germany, nor the UK, nor Spain, nor Italy, etc. with a Heavier Fiscal system for Wealthy People".
- F. ex., "Since 1997, German Socialists persisted in the Abolition of the Tax on (Big) Fortune ! Because they understood that if there is no more Capital in Germany, then, there won't be no more (real) Businessmen (Entrepreneurs)". Since, otherwise, "Businesses would belong to Pension Funds, to Financial Agents, (Stockbrokers, etc), and no more to Family Capitalism", Sarkozy explained, before adding that, on the contrary, he was Personally "Fond of People who Create, who are Doing Things, f.ex. certain Business' Chiefs, Journalists, etc", (highlighting, by the way, issues of even more profound importance than it looks at first sight)...
- "And, on 2008, the Spanish Socialists abolished the Tax on (big) Fortune in Spain !", he added. - "But I refused to scrap the ISF (Tax on Fortunes) in France !". So, "we are the Last Country in Europe to have a Tax on (big) Fortunes, because I wanted that, since I believe that, according to our Values, when someone has enough Money, it's normal to pay Taxes. And I will not abolish it" neither in Future, he promissed, (in an obvious address to his Left and other "Social"-minded people).
- But here it's useful to have a "Fiscal Schield" : F. ex., "in Germany, which is our Bigger Competitor, Client and Neighbour", "the Fiscal Shield exists since more than 20 Years !" And even "the Socialists, which had got hold of the (Political) Power in Germany for 8 Years (1998-2005), did not touch upon the Fiscal Schield !", he observed.
- "I admire the German Economic System. It's better to inspire yourself from the 1st Economy in Europe, than from the Last... That's why I want to do the same think in France as in Germany", Sarkozy went on to say.
- "What does it mean, a <<Fiscal Shield>> ? That nobody pays more than 50% of what he earned. ... Before my Election (May 2007), there were cases of People who had to pay in France up to 100% in Taxes", (from a certain level of revenues). "That is to say, they earned 100 €, and they paid 100 €" for Taxes !
- "Therefore, they were incited to leave the country and go abroad ! But, if we don't have, no more in France people able to invest, to spend" enough Money, "but only people without enough Money to do so, then how shall run the Economy ?", he wandered, in an over- simplified, pedagogiical way. Because, Today, "we are in a New World", where "Capital and Jobs are outsourced, People Travel around, Pictures get around the whole World, and Informations are no more National, but International", Sarkozy observed on Globalization.
F.ex., Liliane Bettencourt, France's Richest Woman, Daughter of the Creator and Wife of the Manager who developed the prestigious International Company "L'Oréal" (Eugène Schueller and André Bettencourt, respectively), "pays Millions € each Month for Taxes", and "I hope that the Company remains in France", the country's President naturally noted. He could add that she also chairs a Foundation Investing for Tens of Years a lot of Money to support various Innovative Projects, mainly on Science (including Annual Awards to Post-Doc. Young Researchers, 10 Years Funding for a European Doctoral interdisciplinary School "Life Frontiers", etc), and that she recently gave in 2010 ..552 Millions €, i.e. "the Biggest Private Donation ever made in France", for "the creation of a Medical Research Center", after receiving since 2001 a "Legion d'Honneur" medal for Funding Projects to fight HIV-Aids in Poor Countries, (in Africa, etc), while, at the same time, 'L'Oréal" co-organizes together with UNESCO Annual Prizes to "Women in Science" from all over the World, Developed and Poor Countries alike, (among whom, 2 became later NOBEL Prize winners), as "EuroFora" observed after receiving an Invitation for the March 4, 2010 L'OREAL-UNESCO Conference and Awards, made in the presence of new UNESCO Secretary General, Irina Bokova.

- By the way, contrary to "some who claim, recently, to appear as if they "Despiced Money", as a matter of General Principle, "I Never Trust neither those who Idolatrize Money, nor those who despice it". Because both "aren't Healthy" behaviors, he pointed out. In fact, "Money isn't a Goal in itself, but a Means, f.ex. for a Family to have a higher Social Standing, a better House, a better Education for its Children", he simply observed.
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- "We shall get there ! I tell you : We shall succeed to get out of the (Global) Crisis ! ", Sarkozy promissed, speaking for the Next 2 Years.

- "I believe in Europe !", stressed the French President, evoking EU's potential into actively contributing to efficiently search Solutions for World wide issues, f.ex. preventing War, facing the Financial Crisis, etc., as he has already shown during the earlier, 2008 French EU Chairmanship, where Sarkozy notoriously acted fast to Stop Russia - Georgia War, started to launch the first collectively organized actions against the Global Crisis, initially with the 1st EuroZone Heads of State/Government Summit back on October 2008 in Paris (See "EuroFora"'s NewsReport on the event from the spot, at Elysee Palace), followed afterwards also by the realization of his proposal to create a G 20+ gathering at first in Washington D.C., etc.
- But, "People want tangible Results, concrete Action ! They want to know if there is a Pilot in the Airplane, if we have a Coherent Strategy", he stressed.
- That's why, "every Minute, all my Energy must be focused on succeeding to get out of the (Global) Crisis"."I mustn't make any Error. I don't have any Right to fail" "I can't give a drop of my Energy" for other things, as, "f.ex. what might happen after 2 Years" at the 2012 next Presidential Election : - "Citizens currently don't give a damn' about that" now, he said, revealing his intention to anounce whether he will go, or not, for a Renewal of his 2007 Electoral Mandate, after the Double 2007 Win in the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, strongly confirmed recently also by the 2009 European Elections at EU Parliament, (See relevant "EuroFora"s relevant publication with Analysis of EU Citizens' Votes all over Europe), "not before the Autumn of 2011", i.e. logically after the November 2011 concluding G 8 - G 20+ Heads of State/Government Summit.
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- In this Context, Sarkozy strongly denounced any sly manoeuvers, f.ex. from some unscrupulous Press Bureaucrats in France and elsewhere in the EU, to Harass Democratically Elected Governments by Slandering, False Accusations, Systematic Personal Attacks, and other attempts to Destabilize, (not only in France, but also in Germany, or both, and in some other Eu Countries) :
- "Behind all that, there are Agencies, Persons.., including some whose Behavior really doesn't honour their profession : Throw Invectives or Detest People, aren't things to do inside a Real Democracy", he denounced.
- "What a Waste of Time, while we have so many things to do !", as, f.ex., "Tackle Unemployement", etc, G8 - G 20 + forthcoming Chairman stressed. - "What a Waste of Time, compared tio what People expect from me : That we get them out of the Crisis !", an angry Sarkozy reacted.
But, apparently, he didn't seem aware of the possibility for some Sly, ANti-Democratic, Dark Networks, to precisely aim at Destroying precious Time, in order to artificially provoke deadlocks....
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In fact, Sarkozy's key Electoral Commitment vis a vis the People, in both the 2007 National and 2009 European Elections, i.e. the promise that he will never accept the Impopular and Controversial Turkey's demand to enter inside the European Union, - a stance that he notoriously shares mainly with German Chancelor Angie Merkel, who has just won the June 2009 European and September 2009 National Elections, as well as a Majority of EU Citizens according to Polls, in addition to a Growing Number of Electoral Results recently spreading all over Europe in various EU Member Countries, partially or totally, such as, f.ex., after France and Germany themselves, and Italy, even Bulgaria, Slovakia, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium (current EU rotating Chair), Czech Republic, Hungary (Next, 1-6/2011 EU rotating Chair) etc.- don't really give him a choice :
Given the fact that all those who are closely following EU developments know that, already since the 2nd Half of the 1990ies, some formely "inner" EU circles actually were preparing for Crucial EU Decisions on Turkey's controversial EU bid at about 2013 - 2014, (a well-known Time Deadline also for EU's Long-Term, Pluri-Annual Financial Perspectives, which usually express important Political Choices), objectively, Sarkozy can only "deliver" to the People his 2007 and 2009 key Electoral Promisses, if he gives and wins the next battle of the 2012 French Presidential Election, in order to have at least 10 Years of Government, (closer to the 8 Years' duration of the French Presidential Mandate as initially conceived by the famous, Historic 2nd WW resistant and winner, past President Charles de Gaulle, who established since 1958 the current Constitutional System in France, known as "Republic V").
This obviously is Sarkozy's Historic and Democratic Duty, since it's practically the only way for French People to have their 3 Crystal-clear Votes in 2007 National Presidential and Parliamentary, as well as in 2009 EU Elections, really respected, at least as far as the crucial, "crossroads" issue of Turkey's impopular EU bid is concerned, which obviously affects a large spectrum of various important issues of Vital interest to all EU Citizens : Such as, f.ex. Human Rights and Democracy, EU's Identity, Cultural and Educational Level and Social Integration, Economic, Scientific and Technological Development, Financial resources and EU's Cohesion, Foreign and World Policy, and, last buit not least, (as it was notoriously shown by the 3 Past "No" to EuroReferenda in France, the Netherlands and Ireland had shown between 2005 - 2007, after the 1999 - 2004 start of an Unprecedented Majority Abstention in EU Parliament's Elections, only decelerated in 2009, which "coincide", both Chronologically and Explicitly, with the controversial saga of Turkey's impopular EU bid), the Dissuasion or, on the contrary, the Stimumation of a Dynamic Popular Movement, throughout all EU, in favor of the development of a Strong and Democratic, Political Europe, able to play an important role in the World.
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However, it goes without saying, that this "EuroFora"s and other People's views, were not even discussed as early as since this Year 2010, by French President Sarkozy, who, when he was questioned on the Next Presidential Election, scheduled as far away as on 2012, replied by stressing that, "Today, as well as for the Weeks, Months, and almost 2 Years to come", his Urgent Priority is to Focus on the required Action in order to help get France, EU and the World "out of the Global Crisis".
If and "when I have a few spare Time, I spend it with my Family, with my Wife, with my Children, with my Friends", Nicolas Sarkozy concluded, with an all too Human smile...
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ECHR's President to "EuroFora" on Journalists Gongadze and Adali murders : Principles must apply to all States, without discrimination.
+ ECHR's Statistics on Freedom of Expression (See below).
European Court of Human Rights' President, Jean-Paul Costa, questioned by "EuroFora" on Journalists' murders, as in Gongadze and Adali's cases etc., strongly stressed all CoE Member States' obligation to make efficient Investigations to find and punish those responsible, and underlined that ECHR's case-law's principles must apply to all without any discrimination.
His call was clearly supported by various Top MEPs who denounced a risk of "Double Standards" if some Journalists' murders are investigated, while others don't.
To avoid such risks, CoE's Parliamentary Assembly adopted a Resolution, on the occasion of Ukranian Journalist Gongadze's murder, "stressing", as a matter of general Principle, "the importance it attaches to the safety of Journalists and political activists, especially those linked to opposition groups, in ALL member states of the CoE". All "crimes against journalists and political activists must be investigated ... as a matter of priority, without political interference".
Costa was replying to "EuroFora"s question on the fact that, after CoE's Committee of Ministers, also CoE's Assembly had just adopted a Resolution on Gongadze murder case, based on an ECHR's judgement of 2005, asking a full Investigation from Ukraine, who has found and condemned in 10 years of jail 2 executants, but not yet the instigators.
While nothing similar was yet done for dissident Turkish Cypriot Kutlu Adali's murder, with 5 bullets shot at his head out of his Family's home in the territories of Cyprus occupied by Ankara's army, despite another ECHR's judgement of the same year 2005, and despite Turkey's claim that nobody was found among those responsible for the murder, and that there was nothing more to do..
In order to be credible and efficient, CoE's mechanisms shouldn't find a way to at least ask for full investigations of all Journalists' murders anywhere they might be committed, without exceptions ?

- "On the larger question that you raised, I'd like to say, since we are in a period of stock-taking on ECHR's 50 Years, that the Court's case-law developed certain concepts ....such as the Positive obligations of States, part of which are also the procedural obligations", started to reply ECHR's President.
- "Whenever Journalists, Lawyers, Defenders of Human Rights, or even simple Citizens are murdered, the States are held responsible, not only if its their own security forces' agents who committed these murders, but also if they didn't make sufficiently substantial and efficient Investigations", he stressed.
- "I want to strongly underline that we (ECHR) have found in many cases numerous violations of Articles 2 and 3 against States, ....(about) murders or torture, ...because they didn't make enough Investigations in order to try to find and punish those responsible".
- "We (ECHR) do that vis-a-vis all 47 (CoE) Member States, without any discrimination".
"Naturally, the circumstances in each particular case may be differend, and we can't ommit to apply the rules of proof, or the rules of criminal procedure".
"But we try, by all means, to apply these principles of our case-law, to all States", he concluded.

Costa's call was strongly supported by several Top CoE MEPs, from various Political areas
- "To investigate the murder of one Journalist, and not of another, looks like Double Standards", denounced the President of EuroLeft Group in CoE's Assembly, Dutch MEP Tiny Cox.
- "What is the reason ? Politics or specificity of a case ? Of course, if Cyprus and Turkey are involved, it's always a Political case"..
- "Murders of Journalists should always be fully investigated, because killing Journalists is not only killing persons, but also killing Free Press". "We (CoE's Assembly) should do our outmost to help People who are working on Free Press and they are under threat or murdered".
Because for Free Politics, Free Press is a pre-requisitive : Parliamentarians cannot function without a Free Press. Not investigating, is not protecting ourselves".
So we should investigate all Journalists' murders : We are talking about Gongadze, about the Cypriot man (Adali), about the Journalist murdered in Moscow one week ago, etc", Cox concluded
- "CoE can' look at these cases differently. CoE can't wear Blinckers !".
- "If the one is investigated, so has to be also the other. Why there wasn't full investigation ? Why's that ?", wondered British Socialist MEP, Alan Meale.
- "A good idea" would be to "make a Motion for Resolution", and "join all Journalists' murders. Adali and Gongadze etc", said to "EuroFora" EU Parliament Political affairs Committee's President, Goran Lindbland, ChristianDemocrat MEP from Sweden.
(See also earlier News at "EuroFora" on similar issues).
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ECHR's Statistics on Freedom of Expression :
Almost Half of condemnations by ECHR for violations of Freedom of Expression in 2008, concern Turkey : 20 out of a total of 48 for all CoE's Member States.
Russia, Poland, France and Moldova were condemned only 3 times. Romania, Greece, Portugal, 2 times, and the other CoE Member States only 1 time, or none.
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During the last Decade : 1998 - 2008, Turkey was condemned for violating Freedom of Expression in ..169 cases, while Austria only in 24.
France and Moldova in 14 and 13, respectively, closely followed by Russia and Poland with 11 and 10, respectively. The rest of CoE Member States had less than ten condemnations.