newsitems

The Actor who was awarded the most Prizes this year, veteran Humanist Michael Lonsdale, laureat in 2011 of a "Cesar", a "Crystal Globe", a "Lymiere" and a "Henri Langlois" award for his role in the landmark Film "On Gods and Men", which also got a "Grand Prix" at Cannes Festival last year (2010), after appearing in more than 180 Films/TV shows in his particularly long career, told "EuroFora" that he continues now to work on Mediterranean and Religiously-inspired Humanism, depicted even in extremely hard situations (Comp. infra), with 3 New Films throughout 2010 - 2011 and 2012, and strongly believes on a message of "Hope" for the on-going Changes in many 3rd Mediterranean Countries.


By a double coincidence, speaking to "EuroFora" the same day that the 2011 Cannes' International Film Festival gave its "Palme d' Or" Prize to the very interesting film "Tree of Life", of another award winning "Veteran", the 67 Years old American Film Director Terrence Malick, a son of a Lebanese Assyrian immigrant from the Mediterranean (Syria), Lonsdale,  a very active and experienced "Veteran" who has played in more than 180 Films and TV shows, celebrates his 80th Birthday this Wednesday, at the eve of the Deauville G 8 Summit where Head of State/Government from the most powerful Countries in the World are due to review recent developments in 3rd Mediterranean Countries, from Libya up to Syria and beyond.

Lonsdale, who has a solid reputation of a convinced Christian, smiled when he said to "EuroFora" that in his Next Film, which will go Public on Cinema Screens "from September" 2011, he plays the role "of the Rector of a Mosquée", a Muslim Religious shrine, "in Paris, during the 2nd World War" ! 


Together with "Algerian Film Director Ismael Ferruci", in this 2011 New Film titles "Free Men" ("Hommes Libres"), the Franco-Brittish Actor revives a story of the Past, where the Rector of the Mosquee, "Not a Religious Priest, but a Manager with the title of a Plenipotientary Minister  of Morocco", was "Helping Persecuted People, including Christians, Jewish, Muslim, etc. who hadn't their "papers" in order, to flee towards Freedom, by passing them through a Network of Undeground Tunnels" in order to escape arrest.

Londsdale was in Strasbourg, on his road towards Paris, comming "from Mulhouse", at the Swiss borders, after shooting an episode of his forthcoming, Future Film, due to be published Next Year, "on 2012",  with the World-famous Italian Humanist  Film Director Ermanno Olmi, (another experienced "Veteran", 80 Years old : born in 1931, exactly like him !), whose "best film" is generally considered to be (even according to "Wikipedia") the unforgettable Masterpiece : "The Tree of Wooden Clogs" ("l' Arbre aux Sabots"), an original story of the Medieval times, played by simple Peasants of Lombardy, where a poor Family of Serfs, simple People admiring the Music played by Rich and Cultivated Young Men overheard through the Windows of a Luxuri ous House, is chassed away from its humble Hutt, by their Landlord when the Father risks his job by taking a few Tree branches to make Wooden Shoes for his 6 years old Kid whose Feet are Wounded and Bleeding when he walks to a School located far away from Home : An Historic Palms d'Or Prize at the 1979 Cannes Festival "unanimously".
Olmi's Next Film pictures some Homeless People inside a Church at South-Eastern Italy "in Barri", (very close to Ships' traditional Sea-routes linked to Greece, etc; but also to the rest of the Mediterranean South and East), and is due to be called "Pape Village" ("village en carton" : in reference to a makeshift Shanty Town "built" only with piece-meal compressed papers, etc.), evoking, inter alia, also a message related to the "New Evangelisation", i.e. also of People located at the Heart of EU itself, as Lonsdale agreed in reply to "EuroFora"s questions.

***

While killings, arrests and censorship of dissidents are reportedly going on, after Libya, now also on Syria, shortly before next week's G-8 Heads of States/Governments meet at Deauville's Summit, organized by the French G8/G20 2011 Presidency (26-27 May), a strategic and topical CoE resolution setting for the 1st time crystal-clear guiding principles to distinguish between legitimate Multilateral International Action to protect People threatened by brutal, deadly violence/torture in certain states, (as f.ex. Libya, etc), and, on the contrary, illegal Unilateral or bilateral mlitary invasions/occupations against independent, sovereign countries often resultig even in war crimes including f.ex. "ethnic cleansing" with systematic replacement of its lawful, ancestral inhavitants, obliged to flee, by massive imports of immigrants transferred from an occypying foreign power, (as, f.ex. in Cyprus), will be soon debated in public and definitively adopted by the PanEuropean Organization's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), probably on Autumn 2011, unless PACE's Bureau (which convenes next week in Kiev, Ukraine) decides to bring it earlier on the Agenda of the next Plenary in Strasbourg on June, the Director of PACE competent Legal/Human Rights Committee, Andrew Drzemczewski, told "EuroFora".

The landmark Report, drafted by German Liberal Marina Schuster, (from the Governing coalition of ChristianDemocrats/Liberals) and adopted "Unanimously" by PACE's Legal/Human Rights Committee, earlier in Strasbourg, as his President, the experienced EPP MEP Christos Pourgourides from Cyprus, told "EuroFora", stresses from the outset that :  - "a Multilateral approach to the Responsibility to Protect" innocent People must "replace .. Arbitrary Interventions and Unilateral guarantees" by only 1 or 2 Foreign States alone.  

- "If a State is Unwilling or Unable to halt or avert Serious Harm to the Population, the principle of non-intervention yields to the International Responsibiliy to  Protect" seriously threatened People, the 2011 Strasbourg's CoE Assembly Report topically underlines now, observing that "the International Community as a whole" has a "Responsibility to Protect" , giving "priority" to "Prevention", by "the least obtrusive and coercive Measures", but including an adequate kind of "Military Intervention for Human Protection purposes", in "exceptional" cases of "Serious and Irreparable Harm" occuring to Human beings or "imminently likely to occur", in the form of a Large scale Loss of Life"," and/or "large scale "Ethnic Cleansing", as UNO's General Assembly at New York had reportedly proclamed already in a 2005 Resolution.

But, CoE's New Report strongly Criticizes arbitrary "Military Interventions such as those of Turkey to Cyprus in 1974", f.ex., which "have themselves  led to numerous Human Rights Violations, and have Not produced lasting Solutions for the underlying problems", obviously abusing of controversial "Bilateral Guarantees; such as those in the context of the independence of Cyprus", which "have not prevented Conflicts", but, "on the contrary, ...were used as an Excuse for an Unilateral Military Intervention, conflicting wih ... UN Charter and a preremptory Norm of International Law Prohibiting the use of Force".

On the contrary, CoE's 2011 Report calls to "Strengthen Multilateralism, as opposed to "Unilateral Military Intervention by Turkey in 1974", and welcomes the "development of the notion of a Collective "Responsibility to Protect", ... taking the place of Bi-lateral ... "Guarantees", that are becoming ...Osbolete", and "No longer in line with a Modern understanding of Public International Law", which "requires" a "Multilateral Mandate, preferably based on a UN Security Council Resolution... in order to justiify a Humanitarian Intervention", (f.ex. as in the landmark case of UN SC 2011 Resolution which authorized the use selective Military action in Libya in order to protect dissident People from imminent threats to be attacked, wounded, and/or killed and submitted,  in "only a matter of 2 Days" to "finish" with them, as Colonel Guaddafi reportedly had boasted.

 

The International Operation of March 2011 in Libya, due to protect Libyan People without any Foreign Occupation of any territory, was launched on the base of UN SC Resolution No 1973 and after a Multilateral EU-USA/Canada-Arab Ligue-UNO Summit in Paris with the manifold participation of many Countries, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReport from the spot). On the contrary, the Turkish 1974 Military Invasion and Occupation of Cyprus' northern Territories (still Occupied by more than 40.000 Solders of Ankara's Army until today) was launched Unilaterally by Turkey alone, arguying of a controversial interpretation of a dubious 1960 "Treaty of Guarantees", that CoE's 2011 Report denounces as "obsolete" (See infra), while UNO adopted several Resolutions denouncing the move and asking the withdrawal of Turkish troops, the free and safe return of Refugees/IDPs, etc., which were rejected by Ankara.

- According to the CoE's Official, "this Report will probably be debated and voted by PACE's  Standing Committee next November in Edinburg", i.e. under the forthcoming,  CoE Chairmanship (November 2011 - May 2012), as he said to "EuroFora". But, replying to our questions, Drzemczewski didn't exclude that this might also be done a little bit earlier, end September - beginning of October, during the Strasbourg's PACE Plenary full session, i.e. under the current Ukranian CoE Chairmanship, if PACE's Bureau decides so during the Summer.

However, theoretically (as well as legally) speaking, if a Political usefulness and will exists,  this could be done even much more Earlier : at PACE's June plenary session in Strasbourg, if next Friday's PACE Bureau and Standing Committee, who will meet in Kiev (Ukraine) practically the Same Days with the Deaville (France) G-8 Heads of State/Government Summit : 26-27 May, decides to update accordingly June's Agenda. Even if such a move seems not impossible, but improbable according to Drzemczewski.
------------------------------------
Turkish MEPs were reportedly absent when the German MEP's Report was adopted by PACE's competent Committee, (apparently due to a visit at the CoE in Strasbourg by Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, followed by receptions, gatherings, etc), so that they are expected to react, later-on, and attempt to oppose or alter its original text, which, however, was supported by almost all other Countries' MEPS.

Because, contrary to Ankara Military's unilateral intervention and persisting Occupation of the Northern part of Cyprus for  more than 37 Years (1974-2011), CoE's Report reminds "the Primary Responsibility of the UN Security Council (UNSC), whose Authorization should be sought Prior to any Military Intervention". It doesn't remind the "appeal" of a 2001 "International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignity" (ICISS) towards "the Permanent Members of the UNSC Not to apply ther Veto powers to Obstruct ... Resolutionw authorizing Mlitary Interventons  for Humanitarian Protection purposes", but only when "there is otherwise a Strong Majority Support", warning the UNSC that, "if it fails to discharge its Responsibility to Protect in Consience-Sgocking Situations crying out for action, ... the Stature and Credibility of the UN may suffer thereby".

But, while the ICISS' conclusions, in sich cases, apparently "left the door open to Regional or sub-Regional Organisations, (as CoE or EU, etc), under Chapter VII of the UN Charter to take (Collective) Action" by a Large Majority of States (See supra), subject to their seeking subsequent Authorisation from the Council", on the contrary, the UN General Assembly's 2006 Resolution (See supra) while "confirming the Principle of the "Responsibility to Protect" ... of the International Community as a whole", f.ex. in "situations" of "War Crimes, Ethnic Cleansing, Genocide, and Crimes against Humanity", nevertheless, "it does not answer the Question what shall be done in the absence of a Common position of the UNSC, and Rejects any right to Unilateral Humanitarian Intervention", Schuster's 2011 Report observes.

A clear Disctinction between lawful and legitimate Collective Action, on the base of an International Mandate, really focused into trying to Save People from Serious Threats against their Lifes and Liberty, (as, f.ex. at the beginning of the Libyan 2011 International Operation, which has avoided any Territorial Occupation, unlike Turkey in Cyprus, etc), is today of great Topicalimportance, both because of the Dramatic Developments in several 3rd Mediterranean Countries, from Libya to Syria, etc., but also  in order to create a real Hope for a sustainable and just Solution of the Cyprus' issue, for which UNO's Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has just convoked a new Top Political meeting in Geneva on July :

- The point is, indeed, one of the most Crucial for Cyprus' ReUnification (in addition also to the Refugees and "Missing" persons' Human Rights' rescpet), because Turkey traditionally insists to claim a Unilateral power to Invade with its Army Cyprus whenever Ankara's authorities alone might deem necessary for their interests to do so, (f.ex. exploiting a provoked conflict, etc), while, on the contrary, Cyprus' President Demetres Christofias, (as he had already explained in Reply to "EuroFora" co-founder's Question in a Press Conference at the CoE back on 2008), as well as all the other Political Leaders among the Majority Population of Greek Cypriots, refuse to allow again a Risk for more Turkish Military Invasions/Occupations even in the Future, considering the way Ankara abused of such Controversial "Guarantee" clauses in the Past...

Indeed, CoE's 2011 New Report, as drafted by the mainstream German MEP and recently adopted by PACE's Legal/Human Rights Committee (See supra), strongly denounces the fact that, from teh start, in the Past, "Cyprus independence" (back in 1960) was "linked to an Outdated Trilateral (Turkey-UK-Greece) Guarantee arrangement", that Ankara abused in 1974 as an "Excuse" in order to Invade and Occupy part of Cyprus until Today, resulting to Massive and Serious Human Rights Violations (Thousands of "Missing" People, 20% of the Native Population Refugees/IDP, etc), chronic Tensions and Problems, both at the region and vis a vis the CoE, the EU itself and even to the detriment of EU - NATO cooperation (mainly because of Turkey's "Veto" against Cyprus and Malta, etc : Comp. supra).

Thus, today,  "we have already seen that a Multilateral Mandate, preferably based on a UNSC Resolution (as in the case of Libya, on March 2011), is required in order to justify a Humanitarian Intervention. The Cautious Exceptions advocated by the ICISS (see Supra) in case of Blockade in the UNSC would still require, at least, the Support of a Regional Organisation", (such as the CoE or the EU, the Arab Ligue, etc), so that "it may, therefore, be Safely argued that Unilateral Interventions, or ones based on Bi-, Tri-, or Quadri-lateral "Guarantee" Agreements could No longer be in line with a Modern understanding of Public International Law", concludes Schuster's Report.

- "The example of Cyprus s a case in point", she observes. "As Professor Herdegen noted, at a (CoE's) Hearing in December 2010, the continuation of the Validity of the 1960 "Treaty of Guarantees" for Cyprus is Doubtful", Today, "as it may have become Inoperative, according to the Principle of .. "Disappearance of the Substantive Circumstances on which a Treaty was based" ("Wegfall der GeschaftsGrundlage"), "or because os a material Breach, by one party to the agreement", because of "the Unilateral Military Intervention by Turkey" since 1974, the German MEP points out.

 - "In fact, the (old, 1960) Treaty of Guarantees" on Cyprus "could be considered as Void", CoE's Report points out, for several more reasons : Both "in line with the aboe arguments by Profeshesor Herdegen, (see Supra), and as it appears in Conflict with  Articles 2(4) and 103 of the UN Charter, and a preremptory Norm of Internatioal Law  Prohibiting the use of Force".  

- "All Members shall refrain in their International Relations from the Threat or use of Force against the Territorial  Integrity or Political Independence of any State", according to UN Charter's Article 2(4), observes the mainstream German MEP, concluding that " a Treaty which purported to authorize Military Action in such Broad terms, .. irrespective of whether the (affected State) party consented (or not) to such action at the time, would, quite likely, be held Contrary  to a Peremptory Norm of International Law ("Jus Cogens"), as the Prohibition to use Force contrary too Article 2(4) of the (UN) Charter", and, therefore, would "be Void under the Principle stated in Article 53 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties". "It would also be rendered Ineffective by Article 103 of the UN Charter, which stresses that "in the event of a Conflict between the Obligations of UN Members under its Charter, and their Obligations under any Other International Agreement", then, "their obligations under the (UN) Charter shall prevail", Schuster added. Moreover, "in any case, (simple) Treaty-based instruments such as the Treaty of Guarantees (on Cyprus : See supra), are Displaced by any Intervention of the UN Security Council under Chapter VII of the UN Charter", she also pointed out, (as, f.ex., the currently on-going Peace-Keeping international operation by UNO's "Blue Helmets" in the Dividing line)...

=> Therefore, PACE Legal/Human Rights Committee's 2011 Report topically concludes that the 1960 controversial "Treaty of Guarantees" imposed on Cyprus' has become Today (in 2011) "Obsolete", thus, apparently, opening a  key-door to forthcoming Top Political UN-sponsored Talks after the May 22 and June 12 Parliamentary Elections in Cyprus and Turkey, respectively.

 

***

UN Press Director/Spokesman Martin Nesirky said to "Eurofora" that, even if IMF Chief Strauss-Kahn may have a UN Pass, as his Lawyer told a NY Court, and was at a UN Conference in Turkey with UNO's Secretary General Ban Ki Moon before the NY Sofitel incident which brought him to Jail for alleged assault, he "hadn't the slightest idea" why DSK had come at New York (UN Headquarters' city) just for one day, before he tried to cross again the Atlantic Ocean for scheduled meetings in Europe with German Chancellor Merkel and Brussels' €uro-EU Officials, immediately afterwards.

"EuroFora" observed that DSK was included among key-note Speakers in a UN Conference on the Least-Developed Countries hosted in Turkey, Istanbul, together with former UNDEP Turkish Official Kemal Dervis, almost at the same Days and at the same City where a Paneuropean CoE Foreign Ministers' session had been exceptionally transfered from Strasbourg to Istanbul at the initiative of its out-going Turkish chair, on May 10 to 11. The two events coincided so much, that Diplomats told "EuroFora" that f.ex. a Minister was able to "jump" from the UN to the CoE subsequent meeting on the spot !

It's immediately after these events, that IMF's Top Official suddenly bought, on May 12, his New York ticket, as "AirFrance" reportedly found, travelling to the UN Headquarters' City for reasons which still remain unknown.
------------------

Many Media have raised the Question what DSK was doing at New York on Friday, May 13, before the Sofitel incident which led to his arrest on Saturday afternoon (May 14) at JFK Airport in a Plane ready to fly towards Europe, where he should start a series of crucial meetings from Sunday :

- Fly from Turkey (Istanbul), crossing all Europe and the Atlantic Ocean, just in order to stay only one (1) Day in New York, before re-crossing for a third time the Atlantic to reach the EU next Day, (for meetings in Berlin and Brussels, etc), while his Home and Job were at Washington DC, and his wife stayed in Paris, is obviously a strange way to waste so much precious Time, Energy and Money, unless DSK had serious reasons to do so.

After French "Figaro", "Le Monde", etc. and U.S. mainsteram Media, even ..Chinese Newspapers wondered what IMF's Chief was doing at New York on Friday, May 13 : - "It wasn't clear why he was in New York. The IMF is based in Washington, and he had been due in Germany on Sunday to meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel", noted "People's Daily".
-------------------------------------

+ The Imbroglio became even more confused when IMF Chief's Lawyer at New York County's Court tried to use the claim that DSK had "a VIP Pass issued by the United Nations", (as he said at the obvious instigation of Mr. Strauss-Kahn himself, who appeared eager to stress that point in front of the Judge, as it clearly results from full Video Reports of the 1st Public Hearing), in order to vainly ask to let him Free to go on Bail, arguying (without convincing the NY Judge) that UNO's document would somehow confront the NY Attorney's accusation that DSK was allegedly trying to flee, in precipitation, shortly after the Sofitel incident, bypassing usual routine procedures in a suspicious hurry, augmenting the impression that, (independently of whether he was innocent or guilty for the crimes for which he was accused), pending on-going Investigations, he was a "Flight Risk".

The UNO's Spokesman had just reacted, earlier this day, to a differend but related Question by another Journalist at NY, who had asked him if IMF's Chief had any UNO "Immunity", to which, Nesirky, according to the official UN "full" transcript, preferred to carefully "check" before giving, later-on, a definite reply, without any comment on the "sub-judice" case itself, as he said.

However, speaking later to "EuroFora" in a Phone contact from CoE's Headquarters, Strasbourg, the UN Secretary General's Spokesman, did not deny that IMF's Head might, indeed, have a UN Pass :

- When we asked Nesirky whether "at [his] knowledge, IMF's Head was given a General VIP UN Pass for Airports, or if that was a Specific Pass related to that UN Development Conference" in Turkey that same week (See supra),  the UN SG Spokesman preferred to give to "EuroFora" a reply from the point of view of "general principles" or "general practice" :

 - "I don't know anything about that" (DSK) in particular. But "what there is, is a UN "Laissez-Passez.. It's a Travel document. UN issues such "Laissez-Passez" Documents", including "to Officials of Specialized Agencies, as is the IMF and some other Organizations", he confirmed.

 - But this should be always done "in Line with Agreements concluded (by the UN) with those (specialized) Organizations ", UN Spokesman added. I.e. UN "Laissez-passez" documents are meant, in each case, to refer to the appropriate Agreements relating to the Status of the relevant Organization and its Officials", he pointed out.

- Asked by "EuroFora" to clarify whether such UN Passes are "issued for Long periods of Time, or just for Specific events", Nesirky replied that he "can't speak about what may be happening in Specialized Organizations", as the IMF, but, "what happens inside the UN, f.ex. in the Laissez-Passez that I have, its Expiry Date is the Expiry Date of my Contract", (i.e., the equivalent, for DSK, of Autumn 2012, according to his IMF mandate).

- However, "I have No Idea" on what is happening inside the IMF in this regard, f.ex. about its current Head, DSK, and "that's something for the IMF to answer", he carefully added.

 - At any case, "these (UN Passes are) given not just to Top Officials, but (wider) to Officials, including of the IMF but other Organizations as well, according to Agreement concluded with them, (when they are) Travelling on Official Business", Nesirky underlined.

However, on DSK's case, both IMF and USA's State Department reportedly declared earlier that IMF's Chief had travelled to New York "on Private business", (comp. Supra).

- "I don't know what the situation is in the IMF, (f.ex.) for how long those Documents are Valid : That's not UN business, that has to deal with the IMF". But, inside the UN itself; "Laissez Passez are Travel Documents that UN issues for UN Staff travelling for Official Business", he stressed.

Asked whether such UN Passes might somehow facilitate an exceptionally Speedy Departure from an Airport, as JFK in DSK's NY saga (See supra), Nesirky, without replying precisely on that point, simply observed that they "cannot replace Passports, but go with your National Passport",  - "But, f.ex., if you travel in a Country which needs a Visa, that Visa will go in your (UN) Laissez-passez with which you are travelling on Official Business", UNO's Spokesman added.     

               
- "It simply Identifies a Person as an Official of the UN, or, for Officials of other Specialized Agencies, then it identifies them as Officials of those specialized organizations" (as f.ex. IMF). - "That's simply a (UN) Document which goes with you when you are Travelling on Official Business : That's what it's for", he reiterated.
------------------------------
- But, as for the Question that many Media ask (See supra), i.e. "why (DSK) came to New York for one Day (See supra) ?", UNO's Spokesman at first declined to give any reply, advising  "EuroFora" twice that we "need to ask the IMF why he came to New York".

-  "IMF already said that it was on Private Business", "EuroFora" reminded, pointing at several other Media. But, at least, "was there any useful business for the UN" itself, "any UN activity on the 13th" of May in New York, which might have involved DSK ?, we went on to ask specifically.

+  "EuroFora" also reminded Nesirky that IMF Top Official was among the participants to a UNO Conference on Development, in Istanbul, Turkey, almost at the same moment that CoE's Committee of (Foreign) Ministers was convoked there by its (out-going) Turkish rotating chair, on May 11th, at the eve of his suprising, last-minute decision  to get an Airplane Ticket for a 1 Day trip back and forth to New York, (See supra).

 -"It was about the Least Developed Countries ... I was there (at Istanbul, Turkey, on May 10-11), with the (UNO) Secretary General", Ban Ki Moon. - But this was "an entirely Different business", the UN Spokesman clarified.

- Nevetheless, "given the Fact that he (DSK) was involved in a UN Conference just before, the question is if there might have been any kind of useful UN activity" for him also (in UN Headquarters' City New York) "on the 13th" of May, or not, "EuroFora" wondered, noting that many Media ask what might have (suddenly) brought (IMF's Head, DSK) there.

IMF's head was due to visit the EU for crucial Financial decisions including on Public Debt provoked in Greece (after a 1999-2001 deal to exchange Turkey's unpopular EU bid with Greece's entry into €uroZone earlier than normal, i.e. before Reforms needed to cut the excessive Number of Public Sector's cushy job holders accumulated since the Nepotism of the 1980ies : See "EuroFora"s earlier Publications).

The move came just before Elections in Cyprus (May 22) and Turkey (June 12), closely followed by a Top meeting with UNO's Secretary General at nearby Geneva on July 4, where some want to decide an International Conference for a Solution to Cyprus' issue, including on Greek Cypriot Refugees' Family Homes, Private Properties and Ancestral Land, that Turkey, which still occupies the Northern part of Cyprus since the 1974 Invasion of Ankara's Military, notoriously aims to keep, without Restoring nor really Paying them, despite ECHR's Judgements supposed to be executed under the supervision of CoE's Foreign Ministers, that IMF's Head crossed in Istanbul (see Supra).       

                                             
- But, "I have not the slightest idea" about DSK's "Itinery", after his departure from that UN Conference in Turkey, and the reasons for which he came at UN Headquarters' City, New York just before flying back accross the Atlantic ocean to Europe. - "It's really for them (IMF) to say".- Because this, apparently, had ..- "Nothing to do with the UN", Nesirky strongly denied in conclusion.

 

If it's indeed the case, it's obviously not clear whether the use of a UN "Laissez-Passez" at JFK Airport by DSK, right after the Sofitel incident, (as he asked his Lawyer to stress : See supra), might have been justified, or rather not.

The supplementary fact that IMF's Chief, DSK, returning from a UN Conference on "Least Developed Countries", at Istanbul (Turkey), is accused by NY Police to assault a poor African Woman, immigrant precisely from one of these Poorest Countries in the World : Guinea, Mother and Widow, obliged to work as cleaning Hotel Maid, in a 3.000 $ per night luxuous suite at New York, inevitably looks even more upsetting. -------------------------

At any case, at least the additional fact that the NY island-prison where DSK was reportedly kept, served that day, ... "Turkey  burgers, with Smashed potatoes", as NY-based "Bloomberg-News" noted with dubious humour, should probably be due to a mere coincidence...

 

Adopting last minute Amendments in a key Resolution on EU Foreign Policy after a landmark Debate on EU High Representative Baroness Ashton's declaration of Principles for New EU Neighborhood Strategy since the recent Changes evolving in 3rd Mediterranean Countries, (See infra), EU Parliament's Plenary in Strasbourg, rejected the term "Accession" for Turkey, replacing it by the Neutral term "Future Relationship" between "EU and Turkey" :

- With a Majority of 338 against 280 Votes, MEPs refused a controversial Draft which had vainly felt a "need for a renewed Momentum in Turkey's accession (sic !) negotiations" in order "to  avoid a potential Standstill", and replaced it, instead, with another, quite Different sentence, which asks "a long-term Strategic approach to be taken by both the EU and Turkey towards their Future Relationship", (i.e. something which could be also a kind of "Privileged Partnership", etc).

Moreover, MEPs observe and "deplore the virtual STAGNATION of Turkey's accession" initial bid, which has notoriously become controversial and unpopular in recent years, atteste the existence of "Obstacles" in front of it, and "Warn of seriouss, long-term Problems if the EU - Turkey Relationship is not stabilised", in one way or another. Despite that, MEPs "hope" that "Turkey will continue its Modernization.. at any case".

+ MEPs also adopted another relevant Amendment, on this same occasion, Warning Ankara that EU's decisions in this regard depend from "All" its "Member States", i.e. including f.ex. Cyprus (that Ankara notoriously still refuses to recognize, while also Occupying with its Military the Northern Part of that EU Country), as well as France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and other EU States more or less opposed to Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid.     

Significantly, both these 2 key amendments were tabled by experienced, mainstream British MEP Andrew Duff, of the Liberal/Democrat Group, from the New Governing Liberal/Conservative Majority of Clegg and Cameron at the U.K., - inevitably reminding Lloyd George/young Winston Churchill's (also Liberal/Conservative) famous, Historic opposal to Ottoman Turkey's oppression against Arabs, Amenians and Greeks, etc. during the 1915-1922 period..  --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The move came after EU High Representative on Common Foreign and Security Policy, EU Commission's vice-President, Baroness Cathy Ashton, in a landmark speech on the "Main aspects and Basic Choices" of CFSP, focused from the outset, speaking from the point of view of General Principles, on the "Winds of Change" which are "Blowing accross Countries we call our Neighbours", posing "Great Challenges for Europe, but also Opportunities we cannot afford to miss", including "Aspirations" and "Expectations" to meet the "Need for (what she called) Deep Democracy", I.e.; "Respect for the Rule of Law, Freedom of Speech, Respect for Human Rights, an Independent Judiciary and Impartial Administration" : "It's not just about Changing Governments.. In the long run, Surface Democracy, that floats on the top - people casting their Votes freely on Election Date ... - will not survive if Deep Democracy fails to take root", as she said.

- "Europe has Choices to make.. As we look at our Neighborhood, we have to be ready to rise to the Challenges hat are being asked of us. I can make Hundreds of Statements, and I do : "I deplore, condemn, urge, demand. But we also need to Act. And that Action has to comme in Different Forms", she added. "Change does not necessarily assure Progress, but Progress absolutely requires Change", Ashton underlined. "And that means we (EU) have to be more Determined to Act... We have to decide that we will all play our part. But if we only do it when the Media's Attention is on those Countries or on us, then we will fail", she warned. On the contrary, "we (EU) have got to Help our Neighbours Not just to Start their Journey towards Democracy, but to Complete it", concluded EU's CFSP Head.

All this apparently sounds Negatively for Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, particularly considering also CoE's recent anouncement that Turkey, even after more than 16 Years of Condemnations by ECHR for exceptionally grave Human Rights Violations, (such as Killings, Torture, abritrary deprivation of liberty, Violations of Freedom of Speech, Association, Religion, etc), +1995-2011, still persists into having a Growing Quantity of New Cases of Judgements condemning Ankara transmited to CoE's Committee of Ministers in order to supervise their implementation, remaining (and even aggravating since 2010 !) its No 1, Record High position among the 47 Member States of the PanEuropean CoE in attested Human Rights Violations in Serious cases of particularly Grave Concern :

 

- Thus, according to the Latest CoE Data, made available on April 2011, Turkey (No 1)represents .. 20% of "New Cases" of ECHR Condemnations introduced in 2010 (augmenti,g + 2% from 2009), compared to "only" 13% for Russia, (No 2), which has, nevertheless, a more than Twice bigger Population, followed by Romania and Poland with 9%, as well as Ukraine with 8%, etc.

- Moreover, Turkey also represents the No 1 Number of exceptionaly Serious, Grave Human Rights Violations, condemned by ECHR in "Leading Cases", which have been "Pending", at CoE's Committee of Ministers, without Implementation "for more than two Years" Time, at the End of 2010, totaling some 16% among CoE's 48 Countries, followed by Russia and Bulgaria with 9%, Romania with 7%, Ukraine and Italy with 6%, etc.

Thus, Turkey obviously continues, and even aggravates recently, its No 1 Reponsibility for ECHR and all CoE's notorious Overload in Human Rights' Violations cases, particularly the most serious, grave, and numerous...

=> In these conditions, everyone can understand the Doubts recently expressed even by EU Chairman-in-office, the Hungarian Foreign Minister Nemeth, speaking in a Press Conference at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, (Comp. relevant Replies of the Hungarian EU Presidency to "EuroFora"s Questions on this occasion, already sent earlier to Donors/Subscribers), concerning Turkey's place vis a vis EU's New Neighborhood Policy  :

- Speaking about the need to re-think anew EU's Neighborhood Policy, the EU Council's Chairman-in-office observed critically that "Turkey, is ... Difficut to Distinguish, but, Is it a...factor towards the Caucasian Region, or more and more under the Southern sphere of influence ?", as he wondered, focusing on recent Changes and/or Aspirations for real Democratisation in 3rd Mediterranean Countries, from Morocco up to Syria and beyond..

Indeed, since EU Parliament adopted, since April 2011, a crystal-clear Resolution on the on-going Changes in 3rd Mediterranean Countries, asking mainly to considerably strenghen, and start to really apply, the Human Rights and Democracy Clauses in all instruments concerning their relations with the EU, it obviously becomes impossible, Today, for the EU to credibly promisse Human Rights' Respect to the People of all other Neighbouring, 3rd Mediterranean Countries, except from Turkey, without being accused to practice Double Standards !