newsitems

The Governance of €uroarea (GEA), consisting of Regular Heads of State/Government Summits, due to discuss and decide both on Economic and "Other issues" concerning them, will permanently incorporate also the President of the Central European Bank, and (in order to associate EU Citizens closer and regularly), it will also create a "Conference of Representatives" from MEPs and National MPs from the 17+ Member Countries' involved, ... entering into force on January 2013, or even earlier, if at least 12 (out of the 17) €uroarea Countries ratify it beforehand.

Thus, even if one or two, among the 17 €uroArea Countries might, eventually, hesitate to immediately ratify the Treaty, (and/or if, f.ex., controversial Socialist candidate to French Presidential Elections, Hollande, threatens to re-negotiate its text : Somehing which was criticized by various key players, including from Germany : See, f.ex. Reply of Finance Minister Schaüble to "EuroFora"s question, etc), then, a Majority of the Counties who signed the Treaty will not be blocked, nor delayed at all, but can go on and make it enter into force without having to wait. A any case, "the granting of financial assistance in the framework of .. the European Stability Mechanism will be conditional... on the ratification of this Treaty by the (State) concerned", €uroTreaty warns.

Simply reading the Finaly agreed, full authentic Text makes it obvious that, in addition to the Economic Governance tools that "EuroFora" has already highlighted earlier, (See f.ex. our relevant NewsReports from the Franco-German Summit, Sarkozy-Merkel, of August 16th, and from EU Brussels' Summits of December 2011, as well as January 2012, etc),  "it's also about bringing a closer Political integration" in €uroArea, as German Chancellor Angie Merkel observed from the outset at her concluding Press Conference, in a statement which would certainly please  President Nicolas Sarkozy, given France's well known preference to stress mainly Political aspects in european developments, (comp. also Replies by Sarkozy's Counselor to "EuroFora"s relevant question in Brussels' Jan. 2012 EU Summit), ...

In particular, the New, 2012 €uroArea Treaty states from the outset that it's not only about Financial "Stability", but also about "Coordination and Governance".

- "Heads of State or Government of the €uro area Member States agreed on 9 December 2011 on a Reinforced Architecture", it reminds,

    This is not only in order "to work Jointly towards an Economic Policy", since the signatory States must "develop ever-closer Coordination of economic policies within the €uro area", (particularly on "the Issues that are Essential to fostering Competitiveness", as "identified" by the "Euro Plus Pact", already endorsed by Heads of State/Government "on March 2011"), but also in order to became able to "take the necessary actions and measures in all the areas which are essential to the proper functioning of the €uro area", as it adds.

    Indeed, "foster Budgetary Discipline through a Fiscal Compact", and "strengthen the Coordination of .. Economic Policies"; goes hand to hand with the Wider "purpose" to "improve the Governance of €uroArea", the Treaty's "scope" observes.

    This naturally includes the already existing "EU's Objectives for sustainable Growth, Employment, Competitiveness and Social Cohesion", but is not limited just into that.

    "In particular", it "notes" "the the wish of the Contracting Parties to make a more active use of Enhanced Cooperation", as provided for by EU's Lisbon Treaty, (which entered into force since December 2009), "and their wish to have full recourse to Measures Specific to the Member States whose currency is the €uro".

    For that purpose, it recalls "the Agreement  the Heads of State or Government of the €uro area Member States, of 26 October 2011, to improve (its) Governance ...including (by)holding ..at least 2 Euro-Summit(s) .. per Year", (i.e. at least each 6 Months).

    Such "€uro-Summits" of Heads of State/Government may be convened not only "immediately after meetings of EU Council", but also after "meetings  (of) ...all Contracting Parties having ratified this Treaty" on €uroArea, as well as whenever it might be "justified by Exceptional Circumstances", adds the official text, clearly revealing the Autonomy of such important €uro-events at Top Political level.

    They "take the necessary actions and Measures in All the areas which are Essential to the proper functioning of the €uro Area", (including "Growth through enhanced Convergence and Competitiveness, .. Employment, ... Sustainability of Public Finances and reinforcing Financial Stability", etc).
    
    For that purpose, the Countries involved, "stand Ready to make active use,....of Measures Specific to those Member States whose currency is the €uro", "and of Enhanced Cooperation", "..on matters that are Essential for the proper functioning of the €uro area"
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    Under the Heading : - "Governance of the €uroArea", the Chapter V of the New Treaty anounces that "the Heads of State or Government of the Contracting Parties whose currency is the €uro shall meet informally in Euro Summit meetings".
    
    €uro-Summits "shall take place ... at least Twice a Year", and "when(ever) Necessary", (i.e., they might become, in practice, even More Frequent than he Summits of the 27 EU Members States sharing together the Single Market)..

   
 >>> For their Political dimensionn, it's important to note that, according to the New Treaty, €uro-Summits are due "to discuss" not only "questions relating to ..Specific responsibilities .. with regard to the Single Currency", "and Strategic Orientations for the conduct of Economic Policies to increase Convergence", but also "Other Issues concerning the Governance of €uroArea". 

 The 2012 Treaty also adds that Heads of State/Government will "meet ... together with the President of the EU Commission", and introduces an important innovation by setting the New Principle that also "the President of the European Central Bank shall be invited to take part" always.
    
    This novelty, (which adopts for ever the initial decision of €uroArea's Heads of State/Government to invite CEB's President Draghi at the December 2011 Brussels' Summit, fits with recent developments consisting into allowing the CEB to start playing an important new role in the protection of €uroArea, f.ex. with 2 massive moves to offer succesively 488 and 539 Billions € for Loans with only 1% interest rate for 3 Years to Banks in Europe on 12/2011 and 2/2012, which already contributed into ensuring enough Liquidities for Economic Investments and for Sovereign Bonds, (See specific "EuroFora"s NewsReport, herewith).

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Catching up with the delayed "Missing Link"...
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     ECB's new, active role in €uroArea's Governance (See supra) had been already prepared by the Historic, "Compromise of Strasbourg", when the 3 Biggest €uroArea Countries : Germany, France and Italy, had decided, at an exceptional Merkel - Sarkozy - Monti Summit, end of November 2011, to "avoid unilateral declarations for or against ECB's independent decisions", which was closely followed by the 1st ever participation of ECB's President Draghi to the December 2011 EU Summit in Brussels, (as "EuroFora" had observed in EU Parliament's Press Conferencies, later on in Strasbourg : See relevant 12/2012 publications). But, in fact, there was already a strong "Feeling floating in the air" in this direction, as early as since the landmark August 16th, exceptional Franco-German Summit Sarkozy - Merkel at the Elysée Palace in Paris, i.e. precisely when the Idea  to create "regular €uroArea Summits" was anounced for the 1st time, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from Paris/Elysée palace, then).

    In fact, such institutional developments had been politically scheduled already by the Historic Fathers of the €uro Currency :  - "European People will start revolting and ask to create a Governance of the €uroArea", since most Tools traditionaly used by Keynesianist reforms in order to overcome the cyclic Crisis, (f.ex. State Budget's Deficit, absorbed by Monetary creation and/or Public Debt, Fiscal policy, etc),  had been transfered from the National States up to a €uropean Level", (mainly  ECB itself) : This was, indeed, a leitmotiv in EU Parliament Plenary's landmark Debates, as early as since October 1995 in Strasbourg, when MEPs, EU Commission, EU Council and even UNO's leaders had dissussed "Europe's Future"....

    So that after the Economic Reforms for the creation of €uro Currency entered into force, back since 1999, followed (according to the Schuman theory for the edification of Europe "step by step") by Political, Institutional Reforms contained in the Referendum for EU's "'Constitution"' (2005), then, the EU was practically ready to start  a New, Fresh round of Negotiations for the "Missing" Reform due to create an €uroArea"s Governance, long BEFORE the 2008-2009 Global Crisis, which would have been able to prevent, alleviate, better face and sooner overcome the USA-imported upheaval.

    But, as it's well known, the attempt by some fomer "Socialist" Governments to impose the controversial and unpopular Turkey's EU bid since 1999, provoked strong reactions by EU Citizens, which resulted to an unprecedented Majority Abstention in EU Parliament Elections and 3 "No"' to EuroReferenda during that "Dark" period of EU - Turkey so-called "Accession Negotiations between 1999/2000-2005, practically Blocking EU's Institutional/Political Reforms and Europe's development for many Years...

    Until French President Sarkozy's crystal-clear "No" to Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, strengtherned also by German Chancellor Merkel's "No" since 10/2005 and mainly 9/2009, added to the Debates and Results of the latest, June 2009 EU Parliament's Elections, (See "EuroFora"s analysis and cited Facts), followed even by more National Elections' results in a similar direction afrerwards, up to 2010/2011, notoriusly made it possible to overcome that Blockade, rapidly prepare and start working with New EU Institutions (thanks to the "Lisbon Treaty"), from December 2009-January 2010 until now.

    Meanwhile, however, the USA-imported Global Crisis had hit also Europe, from the end of 2008 - beginning of 2009, which was, then, found Unprepared, contary to the initial Plan of the Historic "Fathers" who had created the "Euro" Currency back in the 1990ies (See supra). So that the Franco-Gertman couple Sarkozy-Merkel and their €uroZone allies from other Member Countries, had to hastily try to start building up from scratch the obviously necessary €uroZone's Governance DURING the Global Crisis, and particularly on the "occasion" of the huge Debt provoked by previous Financial and Political Errors to Greece, which "exploded" between 2009-2012, (aggravated, also, by an obvious exploitation by some hypocritical, in fact Anti-European networks).

    But Now, even this (in fact, artificially provoked problem) seems ready to be fixed soon, at least as a matter of urgency, as most players and observers expect during this Month of March 2012, and both President Sarkozy as well as Chancellor Merkel, echoed by EU President Van Rompuy and EU Commission's President Barroro, as well as the competent EU Commissioner Oli Rehn and even new EU Parliament's President Martin Schulz, (etc), have just declared.

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    On the contrary, "the President of the European Parliament may be invited to be heard", if the €uro-Summit decides so, MEPs being regularly informed by "a Report to the European Parliament after each Euro Summit meeting".

    But, a brand New "Conference of representatives of the relevant committees of the EU Parliament and ...of National Parliaments", wil be "organized" in order to  "Discuss .. Issues covered by this (€uroArea Governance) Treaty", i.e. on "Budgetary.. and Other" policies.  
    
    The creation of this New Institutional Tool "will" be "determined together" by "EU Parliament and the National Parliaments" of Member States.
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    "The body charged with the preparation of and follow up to the €uro-Summit meetings shall be the €uro Group", composed by Finance Ministers, (and not EU Commission, nor EU Council),
    
    On the highly controversial issue of the level of participation of Non-€uroArea Countries, members of the EU, which signed the 2012 Treaty on EAG, the text says that their "Heads of State/Government .. shall participate in Discussions (i.e. without Vote) of €uroSummit(s) .. concerning Competitiveness, ... Modifications of the Global Architecture of €uroArea, and the Fundamental Rules that will apply to it in the Future, as well as ... on Specific Issues", "at least Once per Year", (i.e. not always) : Another incitment to hurry up their accession into €uroZone...

- "Confidence ...seems to have Begun Improving Recently" on the EU, according to the latest Data just published by the European Commission, which  finds "signs of Stabilisation" concerning EU's "Financial Markets", expects notable "Growth to resume in the 2nd half of this year (2012)", and observes that EU "expands" its "Industrial output", while USA its "Consumption", (according to the Difference of Strategies used), etc. So that, added also to the "Decisive steps for the comprehensive crisis response" already "taken by Europe recently", this may be a Positive "Turning point of the trend", depending also on decisions to be taken on forthcoming EU Summits, particularly from March.
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Germany and France, as well as the UK (thanks also to the Olympic games, as EUCom. notes), are due to continue Growing steadily during 2012, for +0,6% and +0,4% (according to the French Government +0,5%), and +0,6%, respectively, together with Luxembourg (+0,7%), Austria (+0,7%), Ireland (+0,5%), Finland (+0,8%), Malta (+1%), Slovakia (+1,2%), Estonia (+1,2%) from €uroarea, and Denmark (+1%), Bulgaria (+1,4%), Romania (+1,6), Latvia (+2,1%), Lithuania (+2,3%), and Poland (+2,5%), from the rest of EU Countries. Bad surprises being Greek economy's recession of -4,4%, in order to pay loans and interests for notoriously excessive State agents' salaries/retirements, and Portugal's - 3,3%, according to recovery Plans, (which, however, don't reach the .. Double-digit numbers of Baltic Countries' Past recession during the 2009 Global Crisis :  from -14,3% to -17,7% !)..

But, what is most important, given the Sustainable Growth Model adopted by the main EU Countries focused on Investment for Productivity, is that Growth starting now  is driven by Exports' surplus, (even vis a vis the advanced USA economy, as also other recent Data contained in a relevant "€uroFora"'s earlier NewsReport begun to clearly indicate).

F.ex., in the case of France, EUCom. notes that, already, "in the last quarter of 2011, GDP Growth proved much more Resilient than had been forecast ...: . .Investment rebounded to +²0.9%", while, at the same time, "Net Exports were Strong", already in 2011, and "Net Trade ....would have an overall Positive contribution to growth in 2012" too. Similarly, Austria's "robust growth" recently was due to 'Strong Exports, Investment, exports, Investment, and, not least, Public (but Not Private) consumption", according to EUCom. Germany's "continued Investment in machinery and equipment" and "Dynamic Exports", also explained its recent Boom, together with an internal augmentation of Employment according to EUCom, but, in 2012 it's due to zig-zag much more according to the ups and downs of Exports, than a still "benign" private consumption, revealing what is its essential driving force. Same even more in the UK, where "in 2011, Growth was largely driven by External Demand", which " is again expected to be the strongest Driver of GDP growth in 2012", according to developments in its "main Export markets". Slovakia's "economic activity (was) Driven by Growth in Exports in Durable Manufacturing goods", and, while Internal "Consumption" remains "low", its "Growth largely dependent on External demand", 4/5 being destinated to EU's Single Market.  Finland too depends very much on "External Demand"'s ups and downs, but "a Positive impact on Growth" is expected also by "Investment" during "on-going Structural Changes within some of the main Finnish Industries", most of whom play a key role for "Finnish Exports". Estonia's 2011 entry in €uroarea coincided with Growth based on "remarkable Export performance", as well as "fixed Investment ..targeted at increasing Productivity", and 2012 outlook is due to follow mainly the ups and downs of "External demand", (as; f.ex. the "Export-oriented Electronics sector" already showed), but also rely on "robust Infrastructure Investment ...(with a) higher absorption of EU Structural Funds".  (etc).

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In particular :

      According to EU Commission's cautious interim Forecasts, (which "decided to extend the coverage from the 7 biggest Members States to all 27 Member States"), "the Key-messages are the following :"

- "We are seeing signs of Stabilisation" in the EU, while "World Trade Growth ... is expected to Recover ...gradually in 2012" despite "the continuation of the temporary weakening of Global Demand". So that, even if "GDP of the EU is expected to remain Unchanged in 2012", nevertheless, "the Global Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) ...continues to indicate modest Expansion of Industrial output" in the EU.

The situation is sightly Differend in some other "Advanced economies", (as in) the U.S., (where) recently (it was) ...Consumption (that) rebounded".

" ..in Japan ...the perspective of moderate Growth in 2012 remains intact".
"Many Emerging market economies continue to do (even) Better", so that, "Overall, the Global economy –excluding the EU - is expected to Grow by +4.3% in 2012".

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"Financial markets remain Fragile still, but there are also signs of Stabilisation".
"Sovereign yield Spreads have Eased in several countries, ... spreads have come Down since mid-November in recognition of the determined Measures by vulnerable countries and at European level. The Successful sovereign bond auctions are further Evidence".

The real situation may be even Better Today, since, "as regards credit conditions for the private sector,... the data were collected until December, so may not fully take into account Latest Improvements"

"..New liquidity Measures by the ECB have contributed to the improvement, as Banks have now access to Longer maturity Funding, and can use a Wider Range of eligible collateral. ...Credit conditions are not expected to constrain Investment and Consumption over the forecast horizon.

"Moreover, the European Banking Authority reported earlier this month that the reCapitalisation plans do not point to massive deleveraging, as some had initially feared"
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>>> "...Confidence ...seems to have Begun Improving Recently"

"The Commission's Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI)  ... in January 2012, ..rose for the first time since May 2011".

"This (may) constitute a Turning point in Confidence, ...depend(ing) on the policy decisions at national and EU level".

+ "The EU composite PMI readings have been slightly more Positive, showing a gradual Increase of the index since November" 2011. "On January (2012), the index stood Above the threshold of 50 points, signalling a marginal Increase in economic Activity in the EU. The February reading, which came out yesterday, seems in line".
So that a short, "...expected slowdown will be mild and temporary", before "the Turnaround of the trend", expected during 2012.
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"Given these preconditions, our growth Forecast looks as follows :"

=> "...we expect Growth to resume in the 2nd half of this year (2012)"
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"...uncertainty related to the sovereign-Debt crisis will gradually Fade over the forecast horizon".
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- "...Inflation has Decreased ... gradually", despite "récent increases of indirect taxes".It "is expected to trend on a slowly Decreasing path over the forecast horizon. For 2012 as a whole, the HICP inflation rate is now projected ....2.1% in the €uro area.
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Last but ot least : "Europe has recently taken decisive steps for the comprehensive crisis response, in 5 points" :

1) "..uncertainty about a second programme for Greece has been removed.."

2) "..Good, but not yet sufficient, progress has been made to establish an adequate Firewall against contagion in sovereign-debt markets. I believe that will be resolved next week in the (EU) Summit".

3) "..a better Capitalisation of EU Banks is well underway and funding stress has eased", (thanks also to ECB's adequate action).

4) "..The framework for economic Governance in the euro area has been reformed and is being implemented as it should"

5) "..structural Reforms to enhance our growth potential are being undertaken. ....We will... bring together the Growth-enhancing policies across the EU, both at national and at EU level".

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+ Meanwhile, other recently published data show that €uroArea's Countries succeeded in 2011 to drastically ...halve their Foreign Trade Deficit compared to the Past of 2010, Reducing it from 14,7 Billions € to 7,7 Billions €, (i.e.  almost - 50% !), probably due, at least partly, also to Competitiveness' gains.

On the contrary to the other, Non-€uro, 10 EU Countries' Deficit was slighty Reduced just from 159 to 152 Billions €. In overall,  EU's 27 reduced their past Foreign Trade Deficit with China from 155 to 145 Billions €, and with Japan from 20 to 17 Billions €. during 2011.

Only EU's Foreign Trade Deficits with Russia and Norway augmented in 2011, ( from 66 to 82, and from 33 to 42 Billions €, respectively), apparently due to Energy imports. A need that recently growing frindings of Oil/Gas around EU Member Cyprus might soon start to diminish in the Future.. Moreover, Norway is part of the European Economic Area, while neighbouring and largely European Country Russia has a close strategic partnership with the EU, so that it's difficult to count them as being totaly distinct from -and/or out of-Europe...

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 (NDLR : DraftNews, as already sent earlier to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate, full Final Version might be published asap.)

***

*Strasbourg/International Space University(ISU)/Angelo Marcopolo/- While a growing number and intensity of Extreme Weather Events, such as Giant Heatwaves, Storms and Icy Winds, Floods and Mudslides, etc., has been recently anounced by the World Meteorological Organization, attributed by some to Global Warming in long-term Climate Changes, Space Scientists, gathered this week in Strasbourg for the Annual Conference of the International Space University (ISU) which attracts a wide spectrum of Top-Level pluri-disciplinary Experts, Managers and/or Decision makers on various issues related to Space High-Tech, Politics, Law and Economy from all over the World, told "EuroFora" that "Space Weather", including Solar activities which are expected to reach a Peak on 2013, may affect also Earth's own Weather and Climate, bringing in a New parameter, whose exploration is just starting to be developed in public debates.  

Japan Scientist Yukihito Takahashi, from the Department of Cosmo-Sciences in Hokkaifo University, while presenting a series of new applications of Micro-Sattelites to Space Weather, stressed the potential importance of "Space Environment" also for the study of "Terrestrial Climate", with which, Upper Atmosphere and Ionosphere phenomena such as f.ex. Sprites, Lightings, and even Solar winds  etc. may be "not disconnected" with Clouds covering the Earth, but work as a kind of Bi-Directional, "Global Electric Circuit" linking the Earth to Space, as he observed.

During a subsequent debate, NASA lead Scientist Mrs Madhulika Guhathakunta, of the Program "Living with a Star", in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA's Headquarters, as well as Space Foundation's CEO Elliot Pulham, and other participants, asked whether and how it might be possible to raise the awareness of Politicians and of the Public at large on Outer Space issues' importance.

Careful, experienced Science and Technology deputy-Manager in NASA's famous Marshall Space Flight Center, Dr. Raymond Clinton, initially expressed the view that such an endavour could be rather difficult a priori, since Outer Space, in principle, doesn't seem to affect very much People's everyday lives, at least not directly.

But, "EuroFora" raised the Question whether the above-mentioned possibility of links between Space Weather and Earth's Climate (See supra), added also to various other convergent observations, including, f.ex., former USSR's scientists' reported hypothesis that even Earthquakes might be often preceded by some strange phenomena at the Ionosphere, etc., and given the currently growing frequency and intensity of dangerous, destructive and/or deadly  Extreme Weather Phenomena, it could be interesting, or even necessary, to better study, as a matter of urgency, that hypothesis of Space-Earth connections in terms of Weather.

Experienced former ISU leading Scientist,  professor Michael Rycroft, now head of Ceasar Consultancy in Cambridge (UK), replied to "EuroFora" by pointing particularly at a recent Publication he made with British Professor Harrison of the Reading University, at the "Space Science Reviews", edited by prestigious publisher Springer at the end of 2011, in which they studied particularly some strange interactions between Lightings, Sprites or other such Electric Discharges at the Ionosphere, and Clouds with Disturbed Weather, ThunderStorms, Rainfalls, etc. at Earth's surface.

Reading University's current research on Space and Terrestrial Environment was praised later today, as one among the most important examples of EU's 7th Science and Technology Research Program's wish to fund Space activities related to Natural Environment, by  experienced former UNO Committee for Peaceful use of Space (OPUOS)'s  Chairman, current International Austronautical Federation's vice-President, and Chair of IAF's Committee of Liaison with International Organisations, Dr. Gerard Brachet, speaking to "EuroFora", who, however, regretted the current threats against EU's Global Monitoring on Environment and Securiy (GMES : See "EuroFora"'s 2 relevant recent NewsReports from EU Parliament).

Japan's Dr. Yukihito Takahashi also replied positively to "EuroFora"'s question, that, indeed, while in the Past, Outer Space's Environment and Earth Weather were generally considered as completely unrelated matters, on the contrary, during the latest 10 or 15 years, "Space Weather" issues enter more and more frequently in serious Meteorological Forecast analysis, so that, in the future they might be examined together, inside  a Global Space-Earth Weather forecast.

But, meanwhile,  ISU's new President, experienced Professor Walter Peeters, observed later to "EuroFora" that "Solar wind", (i.e. electromagnetic waves of particles provoked by Sun's erruptions), generally expected to reach a Peak each Decade, will do so next year, during 2013, and it will be the 1st time that People will see how Space Weather might affect Earth not only on Climate, but even on Telecoms, Internet, Satellites' related and other infrastructures or activities of Vital importance for everyday life, which have been developed and widely spread during the last 10 or 15 years :  - "F.ex. even Traffick Lights may be influenced, because they depend from Satellite Navigation Systems such as GPS, GALILEO, Glonass, etc.,  in order to determine Spatio-Temporal parameters, he pointed out. One thing is sure : The disruptions already observed back on 1959 in Telecoms, etc., during a previous Giant Solar eruption, should probebly be know much more important, after the spread of Satellite-based and other Electro-Magnetic waves' monitored equipments and/or tools of large utilisation, Peeters said.

+ Moreover, Science and Technology deputy-Manager in NASA's famous Marshall Space Flight Center, Dr. Raymond Clinton, speaking later to "EuroFora", observed that a good knowledge of Space Weathe would be very helpful also for the forseen development of new, modern and efficient Space launchers and vehicles.
In practice, this is related even with the "very wide scope" of Scientific Research and Technological Development led at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, which extends from "New Materials" up to "Propulsion innovations", etc., including even BioPhysics, etc., where a better knowledge of the Outer Space's Environment is necessary, he observed.

The point becomes of crucial importance when one considers also the fact that the Historic Marshall Space Flight Center (there where the famous "Appolo" Rocket to the Moon had been built back in the Sixties), currently conducts research for the SLS new Launcher Rocket, as well as for "Orion", and other Vehicles and Propulsion systems, which are due to play a crucial role in Human a.o. Flight for Space Exploration in the foreseeable Future, after US President Obama reportedly "modified", et least partly, his earlier controversial decision to limit NASA's Budget for Human Space Flight, which had provoked strong reactions from several key parts of the American Space Community, including even from World-famous, Historic Austronaut Glenn. And Glenn, recently, re-started to criticize now the fact that, for the Time being, after decommissioning the latest Shuttle, the USA now "depends on Russia's Soyuz", until it finds another solution, by developing new populsion systems...

Meanwhile, manifold topical issues concerning Space and Earth's Weather environments might be considered as one among the possible issues to start preparing soon for ISU's next International Symposium on 2013, as agreed with "EuroFora" the experienced Head of the organizing team, Dr? Farrow, (whose PhD thesis on Physics already dealt with the almost premonitory matter of "Laser transmission through the Atmosphere", as it was reminded also on the occasion of an interesting forthcoming European Conference at Bruges, (Belgium), on "Atmospheric Science and Technology advances", scheduled for June 2012.
        

Strasbourg/- European Court of Human Rights "unanimously" condemned Turkey today for violating Press Freedom even by Turkish Prime Minister Tayip Erdogan's personal persecution against a journalist who had denounced the cover-up of Corruption, including for Turkish President Abdulah Gul, and of Oppression of Freedom of Expression, in addition to Mr. Erdogan's excessively angry behavior vis a vis critics in general.

The victim, journalist Erbil Tusalp, living in Izmir (Smyrne until 1922) who published in the Newspaper Birgun, had been prosecuted and condemned to pay twice a heavy financial compensation to the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan who had sued him personaly.

In one of his articles targetted by the Turkish Authorities who had imposed him heavy Fines, representing "Sums (which) could Deter ... from  Criticising Public Officials, and limit the Free flow of Information and Ideas", as EuroJudges denounced, the victim had criticized the obviously hypocritical "act of looking you in the eye and Lying", while "Governing the country", that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan had reportedly committed "the day he says that there are <<No (more) Convictions under (the notorious) Article 301 of the Turkish Criniman Code>>, (that CoE and EU had repeatedly asked Ankara to abolish, but, nevertheless, even now), "2 Journalists are convicted under it"...

On Corruption inside the Turkish State, the victim denounced mainly ""the Fact that [the (Turkish) Prime Minister] granted Immunity to his 9 Friends from the Istanbul Municipality who were facing Corruption charges by admitting them to the Assembly", since "those against whom Criminal proceedings were brought for Corruption, namely Kemal Unatıkan, Hilmi Güner, Binali Yıldırım, Abdullah Gül (the current President of Turkey), and Abdulkadir Aksu, entered the Assembly and subsequently became part of Government", in which, "Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is Prime Minister in the AKP government, completes this painting". So that, it's a "Fact that even on the 1st Day of the AKP Government there were Ministers accused of Corruption", according to the abstracts re-published by ECHR's judgement.

+On other cases concerning Corruption of Turkish State Officials, the victim had also denounced the Fact that "the Turkish Minister of Justice, Cemil Çicek, (had) state(d)" that the "defendants in the proceedings concerning the Embezzlement of 1 Trillion liras from the Refah Party, (i.e.) the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, .. will be acquitted", thereby, obviously committing a blatant "interference with the Judiciary".

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Among various other concrete Facts, the victim had denounced, ,also that :

- "The (Turkish) Prime Minister and his men ...cannot reconcile Modern law with the Islamic law imprinted in their brains at puberty" ;

- "some want to pave the way for a ‘Religion based regime’";

- "he reopened Aliağa State Hospital a year and a half after it had become operational", and "he cut the ribbon once again many years later at Çankırı State Hospital" ;

- "the man is Lying about matters from national income to inflation to the budget" ;

- "from teachers to judges, from prosecutors to the police, from imams to doctors, the man uses these (Public Sector/General Interest) posts like the (private) property of his own (political) party" ;

+ "Sons join(ed) their Corrupt fathers", F.ex. :

    - "Bilal Erdoğan launder(ed) his wealth by giving the gold and dollars he received for his wedding and circumcision to his father-in-law..(while) the judges who gave this judgment were promoted to higher courts" ;

    - "Erkan Yıldırım become rich when he bought a boat and started carrying passengers sincer his father Binali Yıldırım governed the transport sector" ;   

    - "Kemal Unakıtan ...made sure that his son Ahmet Unakıtan’s chickens were fed four thousand tons of corn without any import duty being added... ...the list of Keman Unakıtan’s acts of corruption and rule-breaking (wouldn't) fit on this page" ; (etc). -------------------------------

The most astonishing fact is that the Turkish Government, curiously, didn't ever dare contest any among all those Damning Facts of Corruption and Oppression denounced by the victim, neither Mr. Erdogan himself, but had only lmited its claims to the mere Wording used by the Journalist when he criticized the Turkish Prime Minister, i.e. Ankara contested the form, but not the content of these denunciations of those acts of serious gravity...
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    This provided an occasion for the dissident Journalist to advance even further, and denounce, more generally, also Collective, Social events in Turkey such as  :

    - People who "freeze in Earthquake tents still covered in snow, ...dead babies who could not reach their first year, ChildBirth without doctors (probable reference to the "6 or 7 times worse" Mortality of Mothers/Children in Birth at the poorest, South-Eastern regions of Turkey, already denounced by CoE Social Charter's Monitoring Reports for years), Children without schools, schools without teachers, hospitals without doctors, the starvation of teachers, and the Poverty of workers and civil servants";

    - "Turkey becoming a Drug haven once again, decreasing the age of using drugs to 11, 12-year-old Prostitutes wandering in the streets" ;

    - "the (Turkish) police, the gendarme, public officials, parliamentarians, ministers and Mafia jerks taking to the roads" (probable reference to the famous "Susurluk" and other, more recent, non-elucidated Scandals of collission between State Officials, Turkish Security Forces and Drug Mafia Killers, etc, also denounced by the ECHR itself at several other Judgements condemning Turkey for Murders, "Enforced Disapparances", Torture, etc)  ;      

    - Some People "Dying from Hunger by the side of the road, or Trembling in the cold like a dog, or Shivering from malaria in the summer", while others, with "farms, ...valuables in ..safes and ..Bank accounts’ or ...allocations and ...Salaries, (are) ...in power" ; "‘sucking our scarlet blood in your factories’, and with "‘the claws of your village lords’", "‘the police truncheon’ ", "walls or ..handcuffs", that "we do not appreciate" and "we fight", as he said in conclusion.
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    => "The Prime Minister of Turkey, Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan", found that "certain Remarks in that article an attack on his Personal (sic) rights", ECHR notes, and throught that the best way to deal with that was to personally ask Financial "Compensation against" the Journalist "and the Publishing Company, before .. Ankara Court(s)" on 2006. The victims were condemned by the Turkis Courts on December 2006, and all their Appeals or demands for Rectification, were rejected by the Turkish Court of Cassation on 2008.
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    + In addition, at another article targetted by the Turkish AUthorities and Mr. Erdogan, the victim, writing this time in an obviously Humoristic tone, denounced, in particular, facts related to the Turkish Prime Minister's attitude against Press Criticism, including, f.ex., that  :

    - "Mr Undersecretary’ the top civil servant who emphasised ‘the necessity of replacing the republic and the principles of secularism, with integration with Islam’", as he said ;

    - "days like these where ‘Tanks make their appearances in the streets..." ;

    - "in the central organisation of the (Turkish) Prime Minister’s Office ...Several journalists from the (Turkish Government)supporting media organisations who are ‘holding a press card and members of a religious order’ are coupled together and wandering in the building like Cats on Hot Bricks. However, ...when you dialled the number, you immediately realise that the journalist you get on the phone is not a press agent but an ‘Executive director for Proofreading press statements’. You don’t even have to call them. Mostly, they call you. .... ‘those who have been called’ state that the voice at the other end of the telephone says every time : ‘he did not say that’ or ‘he did not mean to say that’."

    - Turkish "Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, ....responds to Criticisms with Swearing, defames the birds in the air and the wolves in the mountains, for him University professors are immoral, the opposition party meagre, journalists shameless, and he also makes inappropriate remarks about the mothers of the voters", "he dismissed a question like the erection of the “Pontic Genocide Memorial” in Thessaloniki, and tore the visitors’ book in the house of Mustafa Kemal" (etc), as he said, according to ECHR judgement's citations.

    => That, 2nd article, was concluding by raising questions about the cause of Mr. Erdogan's "Aggressive" behavior vis a vis critics, by noting that "he has become ...a Nervous Wreck" (sic), asking "to investigate whether he had a high-Fevered illness when he was young", and "suspect(ing) that he is suffering from a Psychopathic... ilness" (sic), as it wrote, using an obviously excessive expression which, naturally, was immediately targetted by the Turkish Prosecutors.

    Without contesting anyone among the numerous concrete cases and Facts denounced in the 2 above mentioned articles, (mainly in the 1st : See supra), Turkish Authorities insisted, up to 2012, in the prosecution of that journalist, claiming mainly that "certain Expressions ... were far from what could be regarded as ...an opinion", constituting "an attack against ... the (Turkish) Prime Minister, Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan", and his "Private Life", as they said, so that he could ask Financial "Compensation" by imposing to pay the amount of a Fine.

    The victim protested that "the (Turkish) Prime Minister ...should have been more tolerant of such criticisms instead of using (Financial) compensation procedure as a Pressure" against politically dissident Media.

    During proceedings in the Turkish courts, engaged by Mr. Erdogan against him, the Journalist "maintained, inter alia, that (his) aim ... had not been to insult the Prime Minister but to Criticise him", and "claimed that since (he) was a Politician and Prime Minister of Turkey, he had to be Open to political Criticism", and "particularly tolerant towards heavy Criticism, as a result of incidents or events he had created (provoked). In support of his submissions he submitted ...a number of columnists criticising various incidents involving the Prime Minister and an interview with Dr M.K., member of the AK party and MP, where the latter considered, inter alia, that the Prime Minister had been "Tense" in recent months and that ..his responses had been "Automatic"".

    ECHR found "that the ...(Financial) compensation cases, brought by the Prime Minister of Turkey, Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for ...his Personal rights, constituted an Interference with the applicant’s right to Freedom of expression, as guaranteed by Article 10 § 1 of the (European) Convention" for Human Rights.

    >>> Examining whether that "interference were “relevant and sufficient” and whether the measure taken was “proportionate", or not, ECHR observed that, the victim, "is a Journalist/columnist and an author and that the impugned articles ...were published in a ...Newspaper (with his)... comments and Views on current Events (which) had a bearing on issues such as the allegedly illegal conduct and Corruption of hHgh-ranking (Turkish) politicians and public figures and the Prime Minister’s alleged Aggressive response to various incidents or events".

    "There is no doubt that these are very Important matters in a Democratic Society which the public has a legitimate interest in being informed about, and which fall within the scope of Political Debate", noted ECHR in this case.

    EuroJudges reiterated, "in this connection that the Press fulfils an essential function in a democratic society.  Although it must not overstep certain bounds, particularly in respect of the reputation and rights of others, its duty is nevertheless to impart – in a manner consistent with its obligations and responsibilities – information and ideas on all matters of public interest. Journalistic freedom also covers possible recourse to a degree of exaggeration, or even provocation.

    Moreover, what might be an illegal "insult" vis a vis a private person, a simple Citizen, may not be at all when it concerns, on the contrary, a Politician, and even a powerful one, because of the importance of what is at stake in a Democratic Society, ECHR reminded "on this connection" :

    -  "The limits of acceptable criticism are Wider as regards a Politician, than as regards a Private individual", and, since " the plaintiff in the two sets of (Financial) Compensation proceedings above was a very High-ranking Politician", "in fact, he was and still is the Prime Minister of Turkey", "therefore, he was obliged to display a greater degree of Tolerance".

    "Takig into consideration the (victim's) professional interest as a journalist/columnist to convey to the public his views on current events, and in voicing his Criticism, .... (and) even assuming ...that the language and expressions used in the 2 articles ... were provocative and inelegant and certain expressions could legitimately be classed as offensive" (mainly of the 2nd, less important, article : Comp. supra), nevertheless, "they were, however, mostly value judgments based on particular Facts, events or incidents which were already known to the general public, as some of the quotations ....demonstrate. They therefore had sufficient Factual basis", EuroJudges found.

    Legitimately surprised, EuroJudges also observed that "in so far as it concerns statements of Fact contained in the impugned articles, ...the (Turkish) courts did not (even) attempt to .. examine whether the “duties and responsibilities” ...were observed" by the Journalist and his Media, "and Failed to assess whether the articles were published in good faith" concerning the damning Facts denounced (f.ex. Corruption, etc., comp. Supra).

    "As to the form of the expressions, ECHR observes that the author chose to convey his strong criticisms, coloured by his own political opinions and perceptions, by using a satirical style. In this connection, the (European) Court reiterates that Article 10 is applicable not only to “information” or “ideas” that are favourably received or regarded as inoffensive or as a matter of indifference, but also to those that offend, shock or disturb; such are the demands of that pluralism, tolerance and broadmindedness without which there is no “democratic society” ". "Offensive language may fall outside the protection of freedom of expression if it amounts to wanton denigration, for example where the sole intent of the offensive statement is to insult ... But, in this case, "various strong remarks contained in the articles in question ...could Not be construed as a gratuitous personal attack against the (Turkish) Prime Minister, Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.  In addition, ...there is nothing in the case file to indicate that the ...articles had any affect on Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s political career or his professional and private life", ECHR also observed.

    => In consequence, ECHR concluded that the Turkish Authorities "Failed to establish convincingly any pressing Social need for putting the (Turikish) Prime Minister’s (Erdogan's) Personality rights above the (journalist's) rights and the General interest in promoting the Freedom of the press where issues of Public interest are concerned", and, "therefore ... Overstepped their margin of appreciation and ...were Disproportionate"

    Moreover, "the Amount of Compensation which the applicant was ordered to pay, together with the publishing company, was Significant; and that such sums could Deter others from Criticising Public Officials, and Limit the Free flow of information and ideas", according to the "Unanimous" ECHR Judgement, which condemned the Turkish Government for committing  "a violation of Article 10 (on Freedom of Expression) of the (European) Convention" on Human Rights, asking also Ankara to "ReImburse" to the victim all the Financial Compensation that he had been obliged to pay, (6.500 to 12.800 TRY, according to estimations), in addition to 5.000 € for non-pecuriary damage, (plus the interests).

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