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Accueil arrow newsitems arrow Turkish lobby attempts to Drop CoE Draft asking for full Monitoring (with EU effects) ?

Turkish lobby attempts to Drop CoE Draft asking for full Monitoring (with EU effects) ?

Ecrit par ACM
Friday, 21 April 2017
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*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- While things advance "Normaly" for CoE Assembly's experienced, but also diplomatic, Director General, Wojcieck Sawicki, as he ensured  in reply to a relevant "Eurofora"s Question, during the regular Press Briefiing of Strasbourg's Journalists for European News, (See Infra), nevertheless, a series of various converging Factual indications clearly suggest, with High Probability, that a lot of Turkish Lobby's attempts are to be expected, Next Week in Strasbourg, seeking to Drop an Official CoE's Call to ReEstablish a Full Monitoring of Ankara, as it is foreseen in a Draft Resolution due to be Debated and Voted by the PanEuropean Organisation's MEPs' Plenary on Tuesday, 25 April 2017, on a Report examining "the Functioning of Democratic Institutions in Turkey", by Norwegian Conservative MEP Ingebjord Godskesen and Estonian Socialist MEP Marianne Mikko.


Apparently, the main reason for which Ankara is upset, is that a Return to Full CoE's Monitoring on Human Rights Violations and serious Problems related to Democracy and Rule of Law, would practicaly mean tha Turkey's recent Situation clearly does Not Meet EU's "Copenhagen Criteria", which are Necessary for any eventual Candidate wishing to seek a place in EU's Enlargement process. I.e, something which would make the Lucrative Annual EU Funding (in full Grants and various Loans) earmarked for Turkey, (which currently Costs several Billions € per Year) to become Unjustified, since the Lackl of one among its Key Condutions would become obvious.


In a probable Attempt to Divert the Attention of MEPs, the Turkish Delegation prefered to Ask for a Different Debate, about ..."Islamophobia" in Europen once again.


Moreover, the Debate on CoE's and OSCE's Damning Criticism of the controversial Conditions in which was Voted recently the Referendum for a Constitutional Reform considerably augmenting the Legal Powers of President Erdogan, but seriously curtailing those of the Parliament and of Judges, was Postponed for a Month, until a Final Version will be presented at the Standing Committee of CoE's Assembly in Prague, later-on.


The Fact that, despite some possible Oral References by some isolated MEPs, CoE Assembly's Plenary Session, Next Week in Strasbourg, will Not have Any Opportunity to hold a Full Debate and a Vote on that "Hot" Matter, while, apparently, some may Expect for a more Lenient, Final Version of thart Report, Later-on, (as certain Statements from Diplomatic sources abroad, Evoking possible Changes on that Initial Text, clearly seem to indicate), raises, however, obvious Question Marks.


According to Other Sources, as far as it concerns the Main PACE Report (Comp. Supra), Turkey might push, f.ex., for Amendments Droping the Return Back to Full Monitoring, and pointing, instead, vaguely, at some Reforms that Ankara should make in the foreseeable Future, as it has also been done, already, several Times in the Past, in an Anodynous and largely Inefficient way, since it's deprived of concrete consequences which could have convinced the Turkish Government to move.


Any relevant Draft Amendments, on this and/or other Issues of Mrs Godskesen and Mikko Report (Comp. Supra), are expected to be Tabled until Monday Afternoon, 4 p.m., Local Time, in Strasbourg, Mr. Sawicki anounced.


That Turkey Debate, (parallel to another one, due to be held, a Few Days Later, in EU Parliament's "Mini" Session in Brussels, on Wednesday Afternoon, with possiblme Votes on Thursday Morning), is the Main Highlight of CoE Assembly's Plenary Session for the Spring of 2017, Next Week in Srrasbourg, where also the Heads of State from Greece and Spain, President Pavlopoulos and the Spanish King, respectively, are expected to make an Address to the PanEuropean Organisation's MEPs on Wednesday and Thursday.


Significantly, even these 2 European Countries had, notoriously, Faced various Problems about Democracy in the Past, (f.ex. during the 1967-1974 "Colonels" regime in Athens, and the earlier Franco regime in Madrid), resulting in a "Special" Treatment by EU and CoE then, Before they Succeded, Later-on, to Overcome that situation, Establish clearly Democratic Institutions with an acceptable Legal mechanism for Human Rights respect, Concluding, Finaly, to a Normal Status in their relations with both European and Paneuropeaan Organisations until Today.


But such a Greek and Spanish roadmap towards European Integration, passed through Real and Serious pro-Democratic and pro-Human Rights Changes, that the nowadays Turkish regime might, eventualy, not be yet Ready to realy make.


Already, Back on January, a similar CoE's Draft Resolution was finaly Postponed, and Not even Debated by CoE Assembly's Plenary Session for Winter 2017, despite a crystal-clear Vote for such a Debate by a strong Absolute Majority of MEPs, only because of one (1) décisive Contrary Vote inside PACE's "Bureau" (whose Meetings are Traditionaly held behind Closed Doors), by a Controversial then Chairman of a Committee, (very much Criticized afterwards for having taken an Individual initiative Contrary to the Collective Will of his own Committee !), which had Changed the Procedure, from an Absolute Majority into a Special, Enhanced, 2/3 Majority, that wasn't attaigned.


Unveverified yet Rumours about possible "Corruption" of 1 or 2 Individuals also Circulated in PACE's corridors, included in a much Wider Move which finaly convinced CoE's Assembly to Decide a larger Investigation, also  on various other such issues, as a matter of general Principle.


But CoE Assembly's President, experienced ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Pedro Agramunt, from Spain, speaking also to Journalists in Strasbourg, including "Eurofora", had, then, Promissed that this Debate on the notorious Problems that faces Democracy in Turkey, particularly on 2015-2017, would, finaly, be realy held on April 2017, i.e. Next Week.


So that, now, it Remains to be seen what will be its Main Results, (Comp. Supra).

 

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(../..)

 

 

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


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 politkovskaya_gongadze_adali_400

Hu Jia's prize brings SAKHAROV's wife to "EuroFora" on murders of Journalists Politkofskaya, Gongadze and Adali :

- Elena Bonner : "All Journalists' murders must be fully investigated", without Double Standards.                                                                                    

During a special Mega-Event to celebrate 20 Years of SAKHAROV Prize for "Freedom of Thought", attributed in 2008 by EU Parliament to jailed Chinese Cyber-Dissident Hu JIA, the move was reinforced by strongly criticizing the persisting impunity in three cases of Journalists' Murders, such as POLITKOVSKAYA in Russia, GONGADZE in Ukraine, and ADALI in Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus.

Any bureaucratic doubt about whether Cyber-dissidents like Hu JIA might have, or not, a right to be protected as all Journalists must be, particularly when they take risks to search, find and publish original and critical News on issues of general interest to the society, could not resist to the emotion provoked by the message of his Wife, Zeng JINYAN spectacularly transmitted at a big screen in EU Parliament's hemicycle :

- "The most important and most interesting thing he did was to ... say the Truth :.. to write about the phenomena he observed... He never stopped Publishing.. on websites, so that the Public could learn about the reality .. and understand it.  In my view, this has been his greatest contribution", stressed the young wife of the jailed man, eager to cite also the cases of other critical journalists who faced various kinds of "harassment".

 - "Welcoming all those who have suffered for defending Human Rights", EU Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert POETTERING, who had invited to Strasbourg all former Sakharov prize-winners from various Countries throughout the World, said that "China needs Europe, and Europe needs China : A great nation" with which "we want to have a good relationship", "association and ..friendship". "But we are never going to stop our fight for Human Rights, and No Government can expect this from us".

    - "It's impossible  to achieve goals of Peace, if Human Rights are left out. In fact, Peace and Human Rights are intrinsequaly linked", added POETTERING.

    It's in this spirit that MEPs adopted, on Thursday, a Resolution denouncing that "the criminal
investigation and trial following the murder of (a) Journalist ...raises serious concerns with regard to transparency and respect for the rule of law", when a "brutal killing has not yet been fully investigated and solved in a satisfactory way".

    The text refered to dissident Journalist "Anna POLITOVSKAYA", a critic of Tchechen conflict, killed some years ago in Moscow, where Russian Authorities have found, arrested and are currently judging two executants, while also searching to arrest also a 3rd one, allegedly escaped in Belgium. But they have not yet found the instigators.

     Similar texts were adopted recently also on dissident Ukranian Journalist Georgiy GONGADZE's murder, for which Ukranian Authorities have at least found, arrested and condemned 2 executants to 12 and 13 Years of jail, but not yet the instigators. For that purpose, they recently accepted an International Experts team to participate to the investigations.     

But, it's only for the Murder of dissident Turkish Cypriot Journalist ADALI, in the occupied territories of Cyprus, that Turkey has NOT yet found ANYONE responsible, and even claimed recently inside CoE that it would be "impossible" to do so !    

These astonishing differences exist despite the fact that ECHR condemned alike Ukraine and Turkey with 2 Judgements on the same year : 2005, for the murders of  Journalists GONGADZE and ADALI, strong critics of Corruption in Ukraine, and of Ankara's policies on mass-influx of Turkish Settlers in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, respectively.    

Regarless of that, CoE's Committee of Ministers, who is entrusted with the duty to supervise execution of ECHR's judgements, has just asked Ukraine's Government to reply to further questions on Gongadze's murder before March 2009, while Turkey, curiously, got a longer postponement for answering questions on Adali's murder, until June...   

A comparison of these cases, raises serious questions about Double Standards :

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

On TRANSPARENCY :
--------------------------
    On Gongadze's murder, CoE's body speaks even about the participation of
"an INTERNATIONAL group of Experts" in the Investigation, (f.ex. of "Tape Recordings"), accepted by Ukraine.
    On the contrary, on Adali's murder, CoE is obliged to repeatedly ask (for a 2nd
time) Turkey whether, at least, it informed the victims' Family, or not...
------------------------------
- On EFFICIENCY :
-----------------------
On Gongadze's murder, CoE formally "recalls that the Committee (of Ministers) ..URGED the Ukranian authorities.. to TAKE ALL NECESSARY INVESTIGATIVE STEPS TO ACHIEVE CONCRETE and VISIBLE RESULTS in the INVESTIGATION, aimed at the Identification of the INSTIGATORS and Organisers of the Murder", and "STRONGLY INVITED the Ukranian Authorities to provide information on the PROGRESS IN THE INVESTIGATION", before MARCH 2009.

But, on Adali's murder, on the contrary, CoE's body merely .. "took note" of the "arguments presented by" Cyprus, which denounce the absence of any proof of new "investigation" by Turkey. Following Turkey's own suggestion (!), it simply "noted" that there is "no limitation period" for "any new element" to "lead potentialy (sic !) to a Re-Opening of the Investigation". Without saying who might find any such "new" fact, since Turkey stoped searching... It also POSTPONED the issue until .. JUNE  !
-----------------------
 - On the PUNISHMENT OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE :
----------------------
 -  On Gongadze's murder case, Ukranian Authorities already arrested and condemned, at least 2 suspects, to 12 and 13 Years of jail. And on Politkovskaya's murder at least 2 suspects are judged, and a 3rd one "wanted".

On the contrary, on Adali's murder case, the Turkish authorities simply claim that "it had not been possible to obtain new .. information .. on the basis of which criminal charges could be brought against ANY person" !...

Moreover,  a LETTER sent by Turkey ...2 Years after CoE's 2006 call to re-investigate anew Adali's murder case, is totally EMPTY of Facts ! As Cypus' Delegation denounced earlier, Turkey's Letter ONLY CLAIMS that a "New Investigation" was made without any result, but does NOT even cite ANY FACT to prove it :

F.ex.,on the crucial issue of the "MOTIVATIONS" behind Adali's murder, noted by ECHR, Turkey MERELY CLAIMS that "all allegations  were investigated; without result", but OMITS ANY FACT TO PROVE IT !..(It doesn't even remind which were these "allegations").. .

+ On ECHR's astonishment that the Turkish Occupation regime didn't produce any "BALLISTIC REPORT" on the Shots which murdered Adali, Turkey again repeats, 12 years later, that, still, even until now, "it  was not possible to obtain the BalisticReport"...

- As for the astonishing absence of key-WITNESSES' Testimonies, denounced by ECHR, Turkey agains repeats various pretexts avoiding to reveal anything, (Fex. that a person "left" the Occupied Territories  "on 2002", or that another witness was heard, but without revealing nothing of what he said, etc).

Turkey obviously "FAILS TO MEET THE CRITICISM made BY THE COURT" for lack of any efficient Investigation in Adali's case, concluded Cyprus' Government.
---------------------------------------------
Replying to our Question which COMPARED these 3 outstanding cases of "JOURNALISTS MURDERS", Adali, Gongadze and Politkovskaya, in order to avoid "Double Standards" by asking from Ukraine and Russia more than what is asked EU candidate Turkey, many European personalities were critical /

They criticised Ankara's recent claim at the CoE to stop investigating, because it would be "impossible to find anyone" responsible for the 5 bullet shots which killed Kutlu ADALI in front of his Family Home, contrary to the other two Journalists' murders, where Ukraine and Russia at least arrested the executants, searching now for the instigators :
----------------------------------

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    - "Where was that ? In Turkish Occupied Cyprus ? WITHOUT ANY DOUBT : Any murder of Journalist should be investigated in full ! All these Murders must be investigated !", replied the famous SAKHAROV's wife, Elena BONNER to our question on Adali's case, compared to Gongadze and Politofskaya.

    Elena Bonner spoke us EXCLUSIVELY shortly after being honored by the President
of EU Parliament on the occasion of 20 Years of her husband's SAKHAROV Prize.

    A strong personality, Sakharov's wife even had to struggle against an anonymous EU staffer who, astonishingly, tried to stop her speaking when h heard our question on "Turkey" (!) : - "Please, let me translate, she continues
speaking, don't stop us !", had to cry Sakharov's daughter, (a Journalist
herself), who was translating her mothers' reply, (obliged to speak louder to
make her voice heard despite the harassment).. (= + Audio Proof !)

    Earlier, Elena Bonner also fustigated "Double Standards" at another case, on
Western countries' attitude vis a vis Kosovo and the Kurds : -F.ex. "You have
recognized a few 400.000 Kosovars as an "independent" country, but you still
deny that to 30 millions of Kurds in Turkey !", she denounced.
-----------------------------
    - "This (ADALI's murder) is an issue which should be pursued by the Committee
for Human Rights. That's why we have one, and it's its duty to examine cases of
Journalists' murders as the one you referred to. You should bring the case in
front of that Committee", suggested in reply to our question on Adali, EU
Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert POETTERING.

    - "It's impossible  to achieve goals of PEACE, if HUMAN RIGHTS are left out :
in fact, Peace and Human Rights are intrinsequaly linked", added POETTERING.
--------------------------------------
    + "For us (European/International Federation of Journalists) it's clear :
Whenever a Journalist is Murdered, the Investigation should continue until
those Responsible are found !", replied earlier to another question on ADALI
EFJ/IFJ's Secretary General, Aidan WHITE.

    Speaking as a matter of General Principle, White asked us for "concrete data"
on the execution of ECHR's judgement on Adali case, in order to "look at it in
depth" and "make a formal statement", in comparison with the other Murdered
Journalist case, also pending at CoE's  Ministers for completing its execution,
on Ukranian Gongadze.
----------------------------------------------------
     From EU Rapporteur on Human Rights, vice-President of EU Parliament Liberties' Committee, MEP Giusto CATANIA, we were told that, since there is an ECHR judgement in both Adali and Gongadge's cases, "Turkey must naturally execute the judgement and make a full and efficient investigation, until those responsible for the Journalist's murder are found and punished".

    Even if "we (Catania's "EuroLeft" Group) support Turkey's EU perspectives, this does not mean that Ankara should not behave properly. On the contrary, it means that they have to meet tough conditions, particularly on Human Rights", was added on the occasion of Adali's murder case.

    Moreover, "since you raise the issue of Mr. Adali's muder as a part of a Series of Journalist's murders, including fex. Gongadze, Politkovskaya, ao., tthen we (EU) could also act together with CoE's Commissioner on Human Rights, Thomas HAMMARBERG, it was suggested.

    - "We (EU) must step up efforts against the problem of IMPUNITY : Real Peace cannot exist without Justice",  stressed also this week at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, French Minister on Human Rights, Mrs Rama YADE.
------------------------
                     

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