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Home arrow newsitems arrow Strasbourg:The Only New Christian Church =Under Construction, but 5th Mosque (Qatar-funded) Ended

Strasbourg:The Only New Christian Church =Under Construction, but 5th Mosque (Qatar-funded) Ended

Written by ACM
Friday, 19 May 2017

 church_unter_construction__mosque_finished_eurofora_19_may_2017_400_01

*Strasbourg/Christian Orthodox Russian Cultural Center/- Several French and other People, speaking inside EU Parliament to "Eurofora", Earlier this Week, had Criticaly commented a Paradox, which proved to be, in Fact, even much More Astonishing, in Real Practice, as we personaly saw Today, on the spot :


In the "PanEuropean Capital", as Strasbourg City notoriously Likes to be called, where 150 Millions of Russians, (added also to Serbians, Bulgarians, Romanians, Ukranians, Georgians, Moldavians, Armenians, etc, Not to mention the Greeks and several Others), are Full Members of the CoE, HeadQuartered here, in addition to their various EU Links, at the Middle of the European Continent's more than 2 Thousand Years' History of Christianism, but also Judaism, etc, Paradoxicaly, until now, there is Not even one (1) real Christian Orthodox Church, while, on the Contrary, in Addition to the already, recently Built 3 or 4 Islamic Mosques, it seems that there are even 5 or 6 More such Mosques' Projects prepared on the pipeline for the foreseable Future, according to French Médias...
Today, "Eurofora" witnessed a Rare, if not Exceptional spectacle, in this regard, (that, naively, we did not expect) :


- While the Only One (1) New Christian Church awaited in Strasbourg's Fast-Growing Population area during several Recent Years,  Remains, in fact, a mere Building Site, still "Under Construction",


on the Contrary, a Fourth (4) New Islamic Mosque has just been Completed and fully Opened this Morning, (in Addition to 5 More Mosques reportedly planned here for the Next Few Years) !

The Original "Eurofora" PHOTOS attached herewith, are Crystal-clear and very locacious, in this regard :


- Indeed, Today, the 1st Christian Orthodox Russian Church ever built in Strasbourg, (not far away from the CoE), is still a Closed and Empty Building with only its Grey Walls, but withOut even its main Cross, (expected, it was said, Later this year), surrounded by heavy Scaffoldings, where it's strictly Prohibited for Anyone  to Enter inside !


- On the Contrary, that 4rth Islamic Mosque's spacious Internal Rooms appeared Full of People inside, and All the Building looks perfectly Finished and Completed, at least since Early Today Morning, (as we Saw with our own eyes, after Visiting Both Sites).


Concerning the Christian Orthodox Russian community, (recently Growing also throughout several Surrounding French and German Villages, etc), at least for the moment, it's Only a Separate Part of the planned, Future Buildings' complex, a clean but rather ordinary 2 stores building, (Not yet furnished, nor equiped), due to serve as "Cultural Centre", which welcomed all Visitors and Officials Today, with a brief Ceremony and Tea.

- But, for fully Religious purposes, still remains Only an old ...Car Garage (sic !), DownTown, which has already served, for too Many Years, as a so-called "Church" for the Christian Russian Orthodox People, in Strasbourg's "PanEuropean Capital" !

On the Contrary, all the Huge, 3 Stores-High, Building Complex of that Brand New Islamic Mosque, appeared fully Open to several People, from Earlier Today Noon, including a Gigantic Religious Room with a Dome, whose Photo, (taken from the Interior, full of Light-bulbs, Designs, Colors, etc), pictures now at Strasbourg's unique local Newspaper "DNA".

According to Ms Ait-Sidhoum, hired by the Monopolistic Local Establishment's Left-leaning Newpaper "DNA" (now with the Same Proprietor as also "l'Alsace", etc) to cover Today's events, ..."an Incredible Buffet Lunch" awaited those "Happy Few" who had been Invited at that supplementary Brand New Mosque.

That Oligo-Monopolistic regional Newspaper of the Local Establishment obviously Tried to Hide all that, apparently in a deal with the Mayor's office, by abusing of Big and Misleading Headlines erroneously Claiming that the "Socialist" Mayor would have "Inaugurated 3 Differend Religious' Buildings in 1 Day : A Christian, an Islamic and a ...Boudhist" shrine (sic !).

But, in Fact, the bare Truth is that he Inaugurated only 1 Religious Building, ready for use : another new Islamic Mosque, entirely Fibished, while, on the Contrary, Both that Christian Orthodox Russian Church project and a small Budhist Shrine project, far away in a Forest, were Not yet Ready to serve at all Today (Comp. Supra)...

Moreover, by the way, while the Only New Christian Church on the process of being built in Strasbourg, looks Totaly Deprived of Any easily Accessible Public Transport visible on the spot, and is Surrounded only by a River Channel, a Public Garden, and various Offices, with Only a Few, Rare Family Homes,


on the Contrary, that 4rth New Islamic Mosque stands in the Middle of no less than ...Three (3) Stops for the City's Tram Network, (all served by 2 Differend Tramways, in Addition to Busses, etc), and is also Surrounded by a Large Concentration of Social Housing Big Collective Buildings, full of People, and is even adjacent to its Suburb's "Maison de l' Enfance", ("Childrens' Home").


------------------------------------------------


However, it's by Playing the Music of the ...European Anthem, (from Bethoven's 9th Symphony), that the Christian Orthodox Russians welcomed Strasbourg's "Socialist" Mayor Ries, Today, for an "Inauguration" of, at least, their "Cultural Centre"s empty rooms, (some of which had Not even finished the installations of Electricity : See f.ex. relevant original Photo)...


It's not sure, however, that Mayor Ries might have heard a Similar "European" Music, earlier Today, wen he had Inaugurted, First of all, that Brand New, and Complete Islamic Mosque...


What is Sure, is that the Local Inhabitants, in that area of the City, don't seem Satisfied at all, for what was, in fact, Imposed upon them by the Socialist Municipality, without even Consulting them, or, rather, even Worse : - Against the Consultive Opinion that they had given, according to the Legal Procedures for such kind of things :


- Indeed, Both the competent, Independent "Citizens' Council" of that Suburb, (where "Eurofora"'s co-Founder was an active Member), and the whole Local Population at large, when Consulted by the Municipality, (as it was Legaly Needed), had clearly Concluded in favour of a Different, Initial Urbanistic Proposal, which had scheduled, instead of an Islamic Mosque, to build there a ...brand New Tramway Stop, serving a Great Number of surrounding Family Homes, and symbolicaly named after the World Famous French Writer  "Victor Hugo" !


On the Contrary, a Mosque had been Initialy Scheduled at anOther Location, far Away from most Family Homes, situated near a Socio-Cultural Centre, at a Different Block.
But, Afterwards, suddenly the "Socialist" Municipality Changed its stance, and, withOut ever Consulting this time, Neither the Citizens' Council, nor the overall Population of that Suburb, now it Changes everything, and the above-mentioned Mosque is, now, "Transfered" to another, absolutely Different Location : Right in the Middle of many Family Homes, side by side with the "Childrens' Home", and ...at the exact place which had been, initialy scheduled for the ..."Victor Hugo" Tramway stop (which is Cancelled and Suppressed) !


=> I.e., instead of having a New Tramway Stop ("Victor Hugo"), Near their Family Homes, on the Contrary, that poor Local Population is now Condemned to be Obliged, each Time, to Run Far Away, (among the Rain, Snow, or Heatwave, Cars' Dangerous and Polluting Traffick, etc), in order to Try to reach some Other Tramway Stops, located Too Far Ahead, or at the Rear, becoming Exhausted and Losing Too Much of precious Time everyday... But they would have, moreover, from now on, an Islamic Mosque right in Front of the Windows of their own Family Homes....


>>> Therefore, another obvious Question arises :


- What will happen Now with the Kids and Youngsters raised and/or living in such a Suburb ? Are they, perhaps, going to be "better" Integrated into France's and all Europe' s Socio-Cultural space by ... Losing "Victor Hugo", and finding only an Islamic Mosque, in front of their nose, everyday ?...


+ Speaking, some Months ago, to Strasbourg's Press Club, "Socialist" Mayor Ries, in Reply to a relevant "Eurofora" Question, boasted that, the main Reason for which, Compared to Brussels, Strasbourg had Not so Many Islamist Terrorist Attacks at its area, Neither so Many Islamist Terrorists, as thet were found to live There, was due to the fact that it was Only Brussels which notoriously had several Suburbs "affected by a Deep and Long Islamization" in Cultural Ghettos, while, on the Contrary, Strasbourg would be "Free" of such kind of Problems, since People living here would always find a much more "Pluralistic" and Balanced Socio-Cultural ambiance in all quarters of the City... Only some Socio-Economic Factors push, here too, towards a Similar Direction, but the Policy of the Municipality would be to Resist in such risky trends, Ries had concluded, i substance.
But, this too ...Idyllic Claim has now been notoriously Slamed by Hard Facts in Recent Developments as, f.ex. those which took place at the above-mentioned Suburb :


- Already Before the Completion of that Brand New Big Mosque, a Turkish Group had almost ..."Bought a Part of Strasourg City" there, as a Local Média denounced, (Speaking of Turkish "Schools for Imams", who, notoriously, are Not Independent Religious persons freely chosen by a Community, as it generaly happens in all Other Religious Groups, But only ...Civil Servants, chosen, Trained and Appointed by the Turkish Government itself, to the point that this inevitably provoked even that "Foreign Spying" ring, recently unveiled in Germany, where Turkish Imams were found, in addition to Turkish Consuls, to systematicaly Spy over, and try to intergere in the Lives of what they tbelieved to be "Dissident" or Politicaly Opposed Citizens or Critics of the Ankara Government, provoking an unprecedented Scandal).


As for 2 Small, pre-existing Christian Churches there, inter alia, they were repeatedly and in various ways "Aggressed", according to manifold converging denonciations, to the point that the Tiny Protestant Temple diminished recently its activities, comparatively to the Past, while even a Catholic Church there, had to ...hermeticaly Close its Door, and Build a gros Metalic Fence around its Building, in order to try to Protect it, but inevitably also Keeping more and more further Away from the Local People, almost Isolated...


Meanwhile, most of the Population which used, Traditionaly, tpo live in such Strasbourg's Suburbs, was, there, Pushed to ...Emigrate elsewhere, systematicaly being Replaced by another kind of Immigrants, more and more "Parked" in a kind of a Growing "Gheto"-like situation, to the point that, f.ex., in some Collective Buildings, the Last real French Couple of People, (that of an Old former Street Cleener, who Pointed Silently but clearly towards that New Mosque, when asked why he was Leaving), has already Abandoned its former Long-Time Home, in order to Escape somewhere in the surrounding Countryside...


Political Reactions among the few still remaining "Last of the Mohicans", were very Harsh, as it can be seen also by the Voting Results at the recent 2nd Round of the French Presidential Elections, back on May 2017, in Strasbourg City : F.ex., the French Citizens still remaining at those 2 Quarters which were the Most Affected by 2 more or less New Islamic Mosques, - those in the Southern, and the Western Suburbs, had, by Far, the Worst Electoral Results : Comparatively to all other constituencies, they got, indeed, the Most Abstentions, "Blank" or "Void" Votes, and/or Leftist or Drightist Voters... As for that Quarter which has now got even a Big, Brand New Islamic Mosque just opened, at Haute-Pierre's popular area, its Latest Electoral Results are probably the ...Worst ever seen, as long as Voting exists in Strasbourg City : I.e. an UnPrecedented Degree of "Exploding" Numbers in Abstention, "Blank/Void" and/or Extreme Left - Extreme Right (particularly that) Votes, to a Level never seen before...


To the point that, even the Long-Time local "Socialist" Politician, well known here also by his Father, in a 2 Generations-long and, until now, uninterumpted Tradition, was, Sudenly pushed to ... Escape by going Away, for the 1st Time in 2 Generations, to anOther Constituency, at the Other Side of Strasbourg City, (where Nobody knows in which Shape he has left his Former Constituency, there where another Brand New Islamic Mosque was Build, Completed, and just Inaugurated)...


------------------------


But one may, legitimately, ask : - Where do all this Money comes in order to Recently Build so Many Islamic Mosques, and reportedly Plan even More (Comp. Supra) ?

- It's true that the Initial Project, at the above-mentioned Suburb, had been presented and promoted by a quite ...Sympathetic Morocco-origin Head of a Local Association, Together with whom, "Eurofora"s co-founder had Cooperated for Various Other Topical Issues of Interest to the People, inside the competent "Citizens' Council" in the Past, who had managed to get even our (and others') Support in order to Build a Mosque, according to the Original Plans (Comp. Supra).


However, after some Time, it had become obvious that this Association, composed mainly of Local People, had Not been able yet to Find here enough Money in order to Complete that Building.


A rather Similar Problem had been Faced, in the Past, even for the Creation of a 1st Christian Catholic Church at Strasbourg's "Haute-Pierre" suburb, the Majority of its Inhabitants having always been quite Poor People, and/or Students, various immigrants, (Europeans and Non-Europeans), etc.


But, that Problem had been, finaly, overcome in a succesful way, as a couple of 2 Eyewitnesses had earlier described to "Eurofora"s co-Founder : The Group of People who suppported that Project, more than 50 Years ago, had, indeed, Organized a systematic Fund-Raising Campain, whose Geographical Scope had been Enlarged also to the Surrounding Villages and Countryside around Strasbourg, until .. up to the Mountains, as they had told us. Indeed, given the Fact that Europe's Christian Roots are notoriously even Longer than 2 Thousand Years, it was Not so Difficult to Find quite a lot of People in a European Land, who would accept to Help Build a Church even for those who wanted, but couldn't yet afford to do that alone... So that, by Enlarging ths scope and Targetting well enough, a Solidarity among the People living around this Land easily raised a sufficient amount of Money in order to succeed to Build that Church, already more than Half a Century ago...

But, since the overall Situation was, naturaly, Different, in this regard, for a Minority of Muslim mainly Immigrants in Europe, soon, Despite a considerable Material and other Help already provided by Strasbourg's Municipality, (which gave Land and 1o to 20% of the Building's costs, etc), after some Years, it became obvious that the Association which had initiated the Project of that Mosque, could Not Find on time enough Money in order to Complete its Plans, so that a Semi-Build Construction had been, meanwhile, Stopped and Abandoned to the Rain, Snow, etc, without any known Ready Solution visible at the Horizon...

>>> Surprisingly, it's precisely, immediately After the January 2015 Horrible bloody Massacres of "Charlie Hebdo"'s Journalists, and several Other Civilians at a Jewish Shop in Paris, targetted and killed by a few Cowards claiming to serve the Deadly Islamist Terrorists of ISIL's atrocious BeHeaders even of innocent Civilian People, that, suddenly, Local People were Astonished to See, in that Strasbourg's suburb, a Strange Individual, apparently coming from the Arab Peninsula, and Wearing a long White "Djelaba", (Never seen Before, here, for Thousands of Years), to Rapidly have a Look at the remnants of that UnFinished Construction site, exchange just a Few Words with a small Team apparetly of that Local Association which had intiated the Mosque project, (all the Members of which were still Wearing normal European Clothes, without any Distincrive sign ever betraying in public their specific religious beliefs), and, Shortly afterwards, Run away, without losing a minute to discuss....


Later, we learned, by several well informed sources, that, in fact, it was a Representative of a Foreign, Non-European State, located Far Away from Europe in the Map of the World : that of ...Qatar !

Et, indeed, Qatar's Government would have Decided to intervene, inside Strasbourg, in order to Fund what became, Afterwards, a Brand New Mosque in one among the City's most delicate situation facing, Suburbs, as it was clearly Confirmed, later-on.


The Problem is not only that, in this case, Strasbourg Mayor Ries' declared Wish to see there a kind of "emerging, Modern European Islam", (as he had said to the Initial Team which had proposed that Mosque, -Comp. Supra-, speaking earlier, just after a short Press Conference on the spot, to Journalists, including "Eurofora"), appeared, from now on, rather Doomed, considering Qatar's reputation in favour of Islamic Fundamentalism.

 

dtrump_on_qatar_400
 
(UpDated)


The Worse, obviously is the Fact that Qatar is also, Widely Considered to have become, at least during Recent Years, a main Funder of Islamist Propaganda in the Médias, and even of Dangerous "Islamic Radicalism", as also USA's New President, Don Trump, has just Denounced in one of his Famous "Tweets"...

Moreover, it's well known that, according to several Specialized Experts' recent Reports, including many at Washington DC, it' from Qatar that come Many Foreign Funds even for various ...Violent Islamist Terrorists' armed Groups, including those of Al Queda, ISIL, Al Nusra, etc.

>>> And, Nowadays (NDLR : - Partly UPDATED), all those most Worrying segments : I.e., Qatar-Funded Mediatic Propaganda, support for Islamic Radicalism, and even for manifold Deadly Islamist Terrorists, (etc. : Comp. Supra), are Strongly Denounced even Openly, also by a Group of ...Muslim Countries, (such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, joined by Maldives, etc. who Decided to take a series of Strict Measures, such as Foreign Propaganda Media closing down ("al Jazeera"), Borders closed vis a vis Qatar, Airplanes prohibited, Ambassadors ousted, Trade with Qatar stopped, etc.

    When things have Reaches such a point, is it realy Justified, or Preposterous and Irresponsibly Dangerous, to Both provide Material Support and Legitimation or at least Cover-up, to Qatar's interference even in Europe's Heartland and crucial Funding of another brand New Islamic Mosque, in Strasbourg's too sensitive Suburbs ?  


    + Particularly when, already, a Growing Series of Recent Islamist Terrorists' brutal Attacks have cowardly Targetted and and killed a fast Growing Numbe of innocent Civilian People, Both Before, and shortly After that Controversial "Inauguration" of another again Islamic Mosque,


    including, f.ex., back on March 2017 in London's Westminster, on April 2017 at Saint Petersburg, in Stockholm, Dortmunt and Paris, and now on May and June 2017 in Manchester and anew (and worse) in London, etc....
    
    To put in a nutshell, it at least a Double Paradox, if not even a Dangerous Scandal, to Drop ...even the vivid Symbol of "Victor Hugo", (Comp. Supra),  for the sake of just another Islamic Mosque funded by Qatar !

 

---------------------------------------------

(../..)


***

(NDLR : Partly UPDATED).
+
("DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora" Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version, might be published asap).

***


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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.
---------------------
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...
---------------------------------------

- "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.
-----------------------
    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.

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