newsitems Pakistan Deadly Floods: Strasbourg's SERTIT reveals Danger to more Urban Areas at the eve of EU tour
Pakistan Deadly Floods: Strasbourg's SERTIT reveals Danger to more Urban Areas at the eve of EU tour
Even more Urban areas seem threatened from the 1.100 Mass Killer, unprecedented Floods which made more than one Million of Displaced in N/W. Pakistan, close to Afghanistan Borders at the crossroads of inundated Rivers, as it results from the 1st Rapid Map urgently prepared with Satellite Images by EU sponsored Strasbourg-based SERTIT Laboratory Experts, and this obviously aggravates risks after EU Crisis' Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva's earlier warning that more Rain was forecast.
EU promissed 30 Millions € of Humanitarian Aid in addition to USA's 15 Millions $, to face Record-High Deadly Floods never seen before for a Century, which stroke the Country together with Last Week's Press leakage of classified US Documents accusing some Pakistani Officers to go soft with Al Quaida Islamic Exremists, following also recent Deadly Terrorist Attacks even inside a Mosquee, shortly after it was anounced, a few Days ago, that Pakistani President, Asif Ali Zardari, the 2008-elected widow of Murdered former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, will start an EU tour by meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris tomorrow, Monday, August 2, at 5 pm. local time, to speak on Defence/Security and Economy issues, before heading to the UK on Wednesday, to address the Pakistani community and meet UK Prime Minister David Cameron despite a row sparked from controversial statements earlier in Turkey on Pakistan's role in the fight against Terrorism.
Apparently implying that Risks might be even Worse for People living on the spot, SERTIT moreaover warned to use its 1st rapid Map from the on-going event "with Precaution", noting that its "Exhaustivity is not guaranteed, particularly on Urban areas".
Rapid Mapping Experts of Strasbourg's SERTIT, a spin-off from Space University and Engineers' activities specialized on Earth Observation Satellites, have a large Experience in responding to EU (mainly in the framework of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security, GMES Program), UNO, European States, a.o. Urgent demands to prepare accurate Maps based on Satellite Images in 6 Hours Time after an Exceptional Natural or Manmade Disaster (f.ex. Earthquake, Storms, Floods, War or other Conflict, etc), not only in Europe, but also thoughout the whole World, (f.ex. from Turkey's Ismit 1999, Iran's Bam 2003 and Haiti's 2009 Earthquakes, up to 2004 Asian Tsunami, the 2005 USA's Katrina Storm, Sudan's Darfur, etc).
- "Record Flooding" is "specially along the Kabul River", coming right from Afghanistan, "in the North-Western part of the Country", observes SERTIT, speaking of a High Plateau area bordering Afghanistan, where the Kabul and Indu Rivers meet together.
- "The Main City of the area, Peshawar, is Isolated by water", the Strasbourg-based Experts add, referring mainly to the Road Communications towards the Capital City of Islamabad, at the Eastern side of Indu River, which crosses through the Country's center, cutting it in Two Parts, until the far away Sea Port of Karachi.
In addition to the heaviest-striken City of Nowshera, SERTIT's Map shows that several other various Urban areas appear in Danger, such as, f.ex., Peshawar"s suburbs, Charsadda, Pabbi, Risalpur, Dumrai, Barotha (close to Attock), as well as Numerous Smaller Groupings of Houses all along the Kabul and Indus Rivers.
However, SERTIT's first Map, (resulting from RadarSat-2 Space Satellite Images, taken on July 31st), clearly shows also that even the Main Pakistani River, Indu, (located between Peshawar and Islamabad, and crossing throughout all the Country up to the Sea) , is much more inundated with "Observed Flood Traces", obviously threatening to eventually cut the whole Country into 2 "parts separated by flood's water:
An Eastern part, where most Cities (including the Capital Islamabad) and Roads are concentrated, and a Western part, more Rural, where most Tribal areas are located, bordering Afghanistan.
G - 8 Global Heads of State/Government Summit in Heiligendam (Germany) since June 2007 had already decided a Program to help Pakistan's Tribal Borderline Areas on Health a.o. issues, supported mainly by the German and French Govenment, which takes over the forthcoming G8 - G20+ Annual Chairmanship from November 2010.
A series of key EU Summits and other Top Gatherings on Foreign Policy, Science and Technology Strategy, Security and Research activities, etc. are expected on October 2010, including on Environment, Civil Protection and possible related developments on High-Tech. to be used in EU Crisis' response and/or Humanitarian Missions, both inside Europe and all over the World. (Comp. EU Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva's relevant statements to "EuroFora", earlier at EU Parliament in Strasbourg : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eucommissionergeorgievaandmassue.html )
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It's important to create a synergy between "mutually stimulating" EU Countries' moves in order to overcome an "Unjust" Crisis "imported from USA", stressed new French Minister for Economic Revival, Patrick Devedjian, in Strasbourg, warning also that, while hoping for a vigorous Obama US Plan, nevertheless, "Time" is of essence for Europe...
In fact, it's EU's own interest to act Fast, before June 2009 EU Election, since, with Lisbon Treaty not ratified yet, it cannot face again the risk of a Majority Abstention, as back in 1999 and 2004, nor another "anti-EU" mood among Citizens, as in the 2005 French and Dutch "No", followed by the 2008 Irish "No", without endangering rare Historic opportunities, currently open for the EU, whose future is at stake.
From Social issues up to High-Tech Scientific Research, concrete action for Economic revival started from Strasbourg and its European dimension, for the new super-Minister Patrick Devedjian, who visited a Popular Social Housing and Infrastructure project at nearby Hagenau village, before meeting new leaders of Strasbourg's unified mega-University in a Scientific Labo at the Campus, close to EU Parliament and CoE headquarters.
Devedjian, who met also with all the spectrum of Local Political deciders of Alsace region, close to FrancoGerman borders, wants for deeds to meet the words, in real practice, whenever politicians speak about Strasbourg and Europe's development.
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Devedjan to "EuroFora" : "European coordination can act as a multiplicator by mutual stimulations"
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Devedjian was questioned by "Euro-Fora" on his expectations for reciprocal effects of coordinated European plans :
- "We are living in a (European and Global) system where borders are transparent : When we take measures in France, they produce effects also in Germany, in Belgium, Italy, Spain, or other EU countries, and vice-versa. "So, we can have mutually stimulating effects between national revival Plans, if they are somehow coordinated", ..."They can augment each other's effects, acting as multiplicators and levers". "As a State stimulates Local authorities and Private business, similarly, each EU country's economic revival plan may multiply the effects of other EU countries' actions", he told us.
- "F.ex., when I visited Strasbourg University's Scientific labos, they told me that part of the renovation, funded by France, is realized by German companies located only a few Kms away from the border. Thus, the French revival plan benefits also the German economy. And vice-versa : when Germany takes certain measures, they can have beneficial effects also for French companies"
In an era of Globalisation, "nobody can close and isolate himself inside a Fish-Bowl !", he concluded.
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Economy's revival starts from Strasbourg and Europe, for new French Minister Devedjian
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This could be one of the reasons for which the new French Minister for Economic Stimulus chose to make his 1st visit to Strasbourg, the headquarters of European and Paneuropean Institutions, in the Franco-German river borders at the heart of Europe.
- "It was President Sarkozy's idea", he revealed, adding also fresh "support to Strasbourg's European vocation, not only with words, but also with deeds" :F.ex., the completion of a High-Speed Train network, due to stimulate fast links with Germany, Austria, Italy, Hungary and other central EU Countries.
- "This Crisis is Unjust for Europe, because it wasn't its fault". The greatest part of the "Crisis was imported from the USA, where problems are deeper than here'', in the EU. The Crisis "wasn't due to a bad managment by Europe", who was affected by problems which emerged elsewhere. That's why Europe must be united and active enough to face this challenge. said Devedjian, who has just won +5% in popularity...
- "I hope that there will be an "Obama-effect" also on Economy, and that the Plan of the New American President will be substantial enough to face this crisis, which is worse in the USA than in our area", Europe, he added.
"Economic Revival overcomes political divisions : F.ex. Strasbourg's Socialist Mayor "Ries agreed that State actions funded by Public Debt are justified during such exceptional circumstances", noted the Center-Right republican Minister.
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"Zeitnot" for 2009 EU Elections ?
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"My problem is Time", stressed Devedjian from the outset, at Strasbourg's University. "I have to engage 75% of funds in 2009, out of a total of 29 Billion euros", he explained later. "Monitoring will be of essence", because we must "avoid bureaucracy or delays. No project should get lost or neglected in complex meanders of adminstrative offices' moving sands", he warned.
- "I must create activities in the middle of the Crisis", he added. Questioned by EuroFora whether he aims to start creating some "hopes before the June 2009 EU Elections", Devedjian, a former leader of the Governing Political Party in France: UMP, did not immediately reply, but revealed, later, that he "hoped to start at least some Projects on May 2009, even if the bulk of Revival Plan's effects are "expected from Autumn 2009".
However, with only 30% of EU Citizens currently aiming to cast a vote at the forthcoming EU Elections on June, (See other NewStory), the coordinated moves' results are expected to be crucial for Citizens' participation and votes at the forthcoming June 2009 EU Elections throughout all 27 EU Member Countries...Thus, it's vital for all Europe's own Future that coordinated national Economic revival plans start to have concrete results and create hopes for new dynamics before the June 2009 EU Election...
A real challenge, since careful choices are needed : Our aim is to fund projects which "create activities", even "in the middle of the crisis", and have a "lever effect, attracting other investments", Devedjian said. Because the "Stimulus' Plan has 2 aims : A Tactical one : to create New Activities. And a Strategic one : Choose what can become efficient and useful also in the Long-term".
- "Are you ready ?", he asked Strasbourg University's new President, professor Alain Beretz, with some 700 million euros in his pockets for Education-Research in France. - "We are !", he replied.
- "The Minister's initiative can accelerate funds, and Time is important for us. This concerns the entire renovation of all our buildings", said to "EuroFora" President, Beretz. "I showed some Scientific Research Labos to Mr. Devedjian. But, If we had more time, I could show him also some Education Amphis, whose condition needs to meet Strasbourg's new Mega-University's ambition" to reach the 10 best in the World, as Prime Minister Fillon earlier anounced here.
(Devedjian kicks off his Economic Revival tour from Strasbourg University, meeting with its new chairman Beretz, at Scientific Institute Le Bel)
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Regional Prefectures should gather and select projects to be presented for decision before the end of January 2009.
A well-known close friend of President Sarkozy, who succeeded as EU Chairman to launch, in agreement with German chancelor Merkel and even British prime minister Brown, vigorous EU actions against the Financial/Economic Crisis, (starting from the 1st Historic Summit of EuroZone's Heads of State/Government, October 12 at Elysee Palace, followed by Washington G20 Global Summit), Devedjan will have a key role in the realisation of National and EU plans recently agreed in Brussels.
President Sarkozy is expected to arrive himself in Strasbourg, on the occasion of the official inauguration of its brand New Mega-Hospital, on the 9th of January 2009, at the eve of EU Parliament's session here, Elysee confirmed shortly after Devedjian's visit.
EU is due to review its economic revival plans at March 2009 EU Council in Prague, before the April 2 London Global Summit.
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Multi-facet concrete activities at focus : Stimulus Minister Devedjian at the Political, Social and High-Tech fronts in Strasbourg...