

UNSpokesman/Press Director Nesirky to Eurofora on UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon trip to CoE+Paris

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- UNO's Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is due to focus on Arab Democracies in Strasbourg, before discussing a wider spectrum of topical issues in Paris, particularly Syria, but also several others, said in substance his Spokesman and UNO's Press Director, Martin Nesirky to "EuroFora", at the eve of his exceptional arrival in France this Sunday for a 3 Days-trip, (which exceptionaly doesn't pass via UNO's European Headquarters at nearby Geneva).


Even if it's just the 2nd time that Ban Ki Moon comes to Strasbourg, during his two successive Mandates, (see his Replies to "EuroFora"s Questions at EU Parliaments' Press Conference, on October 2010 : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/unosgoncyprus.html ), nevertheless, reportedly, this preliminary event might not receive more Press Publicity than, perhaps, a Photo-op., and/or an eventual Read out, unless it's decided otherwise at the last minute.
(UN SG Ban Ki Moon replying to "EuroFora"s Questions at EU Parliament's Press Conference in Strasbourg on October 19, 2010. See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/unosgoncyprus.html )
But the main event, which is the official reason for UNO's Secretary General's visit to Strasbourg, where he was invited by the CoE in order to be the Keynote Speaker at the official opening of the 1st "World Forum for Democracy", to which he will be welcomed by CoE Parliamentary Assembly's President, French MEP Jean-Claude Mignon, together with Heads of State/Governement from Morocco and Albania (current CoE's Committee of Ministers' rotating Chair), as well as French and German Ministers of EU affairs and Finance, Cazeneuve and Schauble, respectively, added to various other Politicians, Experts, Civil Society Representatives, etc., is due to be at the Focus on Monday Morning and Noon.

Indeed, "Arab Democracies", and other such relevant, recent trends at Europe's Neighborhood, naturally included at WFD's 2012 official Agenda, are due to be one of the main issues at the table of Ban Ki Moon's public activities in Strasbourg, as his Spokesman, Martin Nesirky confirmed to "EuroFora" for this 1st part of his visit to France.

On the contrary, during his subsequent meetings with the French Foreign Minister Fabius, Prime Minister Ayrault, and President Hollande, at Paris' Quai d'Orsay, Matignon and Elysee palace, respectively, from Monday Evening up to Tuesday, before returning later-on to New York, Ban Ki Moon is expected to discuss with the French Government a longer list of Topical issues, going well beyond the obvious issue of recent developments in Syria, (and exchange of Bombs with Turkey, Al Quaida's Mass Terrorist attacks in Alepo, near the Turkish Borders, where most Entry Posts had been taken over by Rebels and the FSA hosted in Turkey until now, etc.).

+ Paris' Ban Ki Moon discussions could, indeed, include, in addition to Syria, also f.ex. Subsaharian Africa and Mali (where another Terrorist Group linked to Al-Quaeda is sucpected for Kidnapings, etc, as in Alep, in Syria : Comp. above), RDC, Sudan, etc, and various other Topical issues, as UNO Secretary General's Spokesman, Martin Nesirky, told "EuroFora".
But, as things stand at this point, Nesirky "doubts" that differend on-going issues, such as Cyprus, etc., might, eventually be discussed during UNO's Head visits to the CoE in Strasbourg, and/or to the French Government in Paris.

However, CoE's Committee of Ministers has just examined, a Week earlier in Strasbourg, for the 1st time after long postponements, the crucial issue of Greek Cypriot Refugees/Displaced Persons' Human Rights to return to their Family Homes and Ancestral Land; as well as for their Houses and Private Properties to be given back to them, after long decades of illegal usurpation in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, held by Ankara's Army since the 1974 Military Invasion and Occupation, according to ECHR's Judgements and well-established Case-law of 1996-2002, etc. + Moreover, the EU Commission in Brussels is currently finalizing its 2012 Annual Reports on EU Enlargement and on Turkey's efforts to meet the EU Standards, where various Crucial choices, have, reportedly, to be made at the last minute before the official Pubication Day, which has been fixed for Wednesday, October 10, i.e. practically when Ban Ki Moon will have just concluded his 7 -9 October EU/CoE+Paris visits and contacts, both public and discreet...

After all, even the recent Tragic Developments on Syria, (with various Deadly Bombings at the Syro-Turkish border, Military Threats, etc), were obviously pushed to the Limelight, precisely during these crucial Days, by Turkey itself, (including by Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglou Phoning to UNO's Secretary General at New York, etc), so that EU - Turkey related issues, (notoriously crucial for EU Citizens since the 2005 "No" to EuroReferenda in France and the Netherlands, followed by Ireland, etc., almost 1 Year before the forthoming EU Parliament Elections at 2014), don't really seem to be excluded a prioriéééééééé
(../..)
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The recent paradox of freezing EU Talks with front-runner Croatia, while continuing controversial EU - Turkey talks, despite Zagreb's acceptance of Refugees' Human Rights to return, that Ankara refuses fex. in Cyprus, while both have "Good Neighborhood" problems vis a vis Slovenia, or Greece, Cyprus and Armenia respectively, can it be justified by the non-fullfilment of EU criteria, as Slovenia says, or, is it "Double Standards" ?
The question became unavoidable after statements by Presidents of Slovenia and Croatia, Tuerk and Mesic, respectively, to "EuroFora", exclusively or among Strasbourg's journalists this week at the CoE, on the sidelines of its 2009 Summer University for Political Schools, which topically brought them together as successive key-note speakers.
Comming only a few Months before EU checks Turkey's compliance to its commitments on Cyprus, etc., scheduled for December 2009, this obviously has a special importance for the coherence of EU Enlargement's principles.
Suspension of EU Negotiations is a normal consequence in case of a Candidate Country's failure to fullfil EU Conditions, such as "Good Neighborhood relations", stressed at first Slovenian President Danilo Tuerk, current CoE's chair.
But, regarding EU's Criteria, there shouldn't be any "Double Standards", reacted Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, commenting the fact that Turkey's controversial EU negotiations continue, while they were recently "freezed" in the case of Croatia, an "unquestionably European Country", which oficially accepts to respect Refugees Human Rights, contrary to Ankara's notorious refusals or reluctance.

Questioned earlier what "consequences on EU's Enlargement policy" can have the "Ban on EU Membership Negotiations", imposed to Croatia, Tuerk replied that "this question comes down to the fulfillement of (EU) Criteria for membership. One has to look at each Candidate Country ., from the point of view whether it fullfils the Criteria that EU has set. One of them are Good Neighborhood Relations, I'd like to remind. And also, there are other factors, such as Justice, Home affairs, Rule of Law, and others".
- "Now, ..Candidate Countries are at Different Levels of fulfillement of Criteria", he observed.
- " Croatia is obviously the closest to that. I'm rather optimistic : I think that in the coming Months we'll have an opportunity to look at all these issues constructively and hopefully we'll be able to make progress". "My main concern, at this point, is the situation in Bosnia : We haven't seen enough progres domesticaly. We haven't seen enough during ..political parties within their country.We need a New Energy, a new energetic move towards the Candidature for EU membership. "Other (Western Balkan) Countries (Serbia, Montenegro, FYROM, Albania) have been making soaring Progress, and I think that they should be ready, in a few Years, for the Candidate status".
- "As far as the Western Balkans are concerned, .. nobody should be left outside" the EU, Slovenian's President concluded, ommitting to mention Turkey's controversial EU bid.
- "This process may be seen as Slow, but.. Slovenia has also has also been exposed to various "Booms of Slowness" in our accession period. But now we can say that the process was relatively quick, because changes which occur after becoming EU member, are quite large, and they require proper Preparations before the (EU) membership becomes a new factor, an impacting line for a new (EU) member country".
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EU "Solidarity" ?
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Slovenian statements made some participants from certain 3rd Countries as FYROM, etc. claim that "the Principle of EU Solidarity" would "produce a.. rising European Union Nationalism (sic !), against Non-EU Countries", as they said, asking unhappy foreign countries to form a "bloc" to exert pressure on the EU...
But Croatian President Stjepan Mesic dismissed that, supporting "EU Integration", "after the Economy also in Political" issues, as "the achievement" of our times. In EU there is "diversity, but it's United", he stressed, "EU has to be United so that it can become a central factor of Peace" also at the surrounding areas, he replied.
Speaking later exclusively to "EuroFora", the experienced twice President of Croatia, former President of the International "Non-Aligned" movement, denounced "Double Standards" in the way EU treats recently Croatia compared to Turkey :
- "I think that there shouldn't be Double Standards", stressed the Croatian President, in reply to a Question comparing the freeze of EU - Croatia talks, with the continuation of EU - Turkey talks, despite the fact that Croatia is an "unquestionably European country", while Turkey's EU bid is notoriously controversial.
Mesic was reacting to the observation that, even if he confirmed his "respect of Refugees' Human Rights to return, etc. (See infra), nevertheless, EU talks are suspended with Croatia.. While for oher, controversial candidates, who refuse to respect Refugees' Rights to return, etc., as fex. Turkey does in occupied Cyprus and elsewhere, EU negotiations continue".
- "I believe that Croatia's accession will confirm that all European Countries who fulfill all of the Conditions and achieve European Standards, have to join the EU. There shouldn't be any Double Standards", went on to add in reply President Mesic.
In this relation, Croatia's President found "of paramount importance", CoE's "mechanisms enforcing ECHR's judgements"
- "On Refugees and Displaced persons, the process will be completed only after the last person demanding to return will be allowed to do so !", President Mesic Croatia stressed earlier, setting a general standard of obvious importance also for otherr candidates, as f.ex. Turkey, often accused to exclude or heavily restrict Greek Cypriot Displaced persons' return to their Family Homes and ancestral land, provoke difficulties to Turkish-Kurd IDPs return to their home regions at the South-East, etc.
Some "2.000 People are still reported Missing" in former Yugoslavia, for some Years, (as in Cyprus, modern Europe's oldest case, for 3 Decades. Nagorno-Karabach, Tcecnya in Russia, etc, more recently), and Investigations "will only be completed after establishing the fate of the last one of them", he added.
Speaking earlier on "War Crimes", President Mesic stressed that "Leaders are responsible for (the) Wars (of the Past), not the People", and called against Impunity : "Individuals have to be held Responsible for Crimes. International Penal Tribunals have to persecute those individuals", perpetrators of War Crimes, he underlined.
Such statements naturally made Mesic rather popular at ECHR, whose President, French EuroJudge, Professor Jean-Paul Costa, looked particularly smiling when he welcomed him later on Wednesday afternoon, after Slovenian President Daniko Tuerk earlier this week.