newsitems

       Even if not immediately, there are various Possibilties and/or Moments for EU Heads of State/Government to deal with the pending EuroZone issue raised by the new Government of Greece given the recent revelation of a huge Debt from a remote Past and the current situation at the Financial Markets. Even if nothing has been officialy decided yet, this might be done in EuroGroup or other formats, if not on Thursday, given also the few Time available now, more likely on Friday, at the 2nd Day of the imminent European Council in Brussels (25-26 March 2010), and/or even by preparing to advance further at next "Stages" of the "Process", later-on, estimated the Head of EU Council's Press Service, Nicolas Kerleroux, speaking to "EuroFora".

    - "What counts is the Substance : The Perspective to have an Agreement in a series of Measures", he stressed.

    The experienced Kerleroux, without excluding anything at this moment, estimated as less probable now an official EuroGroup meeting before the EU Summit which opens on Thursday, but more likely on Friday, and/or even afterwards, while EU Leaders might also speak about that in the margins of the European Council's official Agenda.

    Most Heads of State/Government are due to go to Brussels on late Thursday Morning, and start with the usual separate Political Groups' meetings, between Socialists, ChristianDemocrats/EPP, Liberals, etc, through Noon and early Afternoon, continuing with the official EU Summit from 4 to 5 pm, until Friday early afternoon.

     "EuroFora" asked Kerleroux "if there is still a chance for EuroGroup to meet before the EU Summit, (as some had suggested, according to Press Reports), or if it's too late now" for that ?

    - "For the moment, there is nothing decided. My personal estimation is that it's rather not", (enough Time for an EuroGroup meeting before EU Council) , he speculated.

- "But, for the moment, we have No Decision, neither in one sense, nor in the other", he added carefully.

    - In fact, "there are many Possible Formats", the experienced Head of EU Council's Press Service went on to explain.

- "There might be a EuroGroup format, there might be Bilateral and/or Trilateral (contacts) etc.".

- "And, then, it might be done before, or it might also be done at another moment", Kerleroux went on to add.

- "F.ex. it could be also After Tomorrow (Thursday's) session" of the European Council, (i.e. from Friday), he indicated.

- "There are many Possibilities" open. "It can be (discussed) in Various Formats of Contacts", he stressed.

 - But "for the Time being, nothing has been decided" yet.

    - "I think that the probability of a formal meeting in EuroGroupe Format  before the European Council is rather diminishing", he was obliged to estimate, given also the late Hour of our  encounter, (Wednesday Evening).

      - "The issue of Euro and Greece is not officially at the European Council's Agenda", (which is mainly focused on EU's New Economic 2020 Strategy, and on the follow up of UN Climate Change Copenhagen Summit), he reminded.     

- "But, at the same time, I think that, given the presence of  all the (EU) Chiefs (of State/Government) for 2 Days in Brussels, something can be expected".   

 - "However, what (it might be), and in which format, it's not yet settled".

    - "But what is more important is the Substance : The Perspective to have an Agreement in something, in a Series of Measures which form a Process : That's the main thing",  the Head of EU Council's Press Service underlined.   

 - "UE is always a Process, So, it doesn't mean that what they might do Tomorrow (Thursday) will be the End of the story".  Because "there might be several Stages" :

    - "We already had an (EU) Statement on the February 11", (at the margins of the 1st, exceptional European Council organized by its President,  Herman Van Rompoy). "Afterwards, there was also EuroGroup's meeting, last week", which added something. "Probably Tomorrow (Thursday), or the Day After Tomorrow (Friday), they might deal with that issue. And, naturally,  this is not necessarily the End of the Story", he concluded, leaving obviously Open the possibility also for further action, later-on.

    In addition to some reserves against an early Timing, reportedly expressed  by  Dutch Prime Minister Balkenende, according to the Press, it's also the German Government which seems to prefer a final decision to be taken later on, if possible after an early May Regional Election which is key for keeping, or not, a Majority at the Bundesrat (Assembly of federated States or Laender), mainly because also of a negative Press campaign orchestrated particularly by the "Bild" magazine against spending any Money  to save the Economy of an EU Member State whose Governments had commited errors in the Past, (under curiously complacent EU eyes, particularly on 1999-2001). Since the Government of Greece, despite some urgent MEP's calls for the EU to take action immediately, in fact, seems to be able to wait until April - May 23, in order to take more Loans at the Financial Markets to pay its huge Debt, this appears to leave some Time for Germany and the rest of the EU to eventually act towards the Middle of May.

Meanwhile, EU Parliament Economic Committee's President, Liberal Brittish MEP Sharon Bowles, who recently started a series of Public Enquiries on what really happened n Greece and how to deal with such kind of situations, anounced an important "Hearing" on Greece's case scheduled for the 14th of April, at the eve of EU Parliament's Plenary Session in Strasbourg (comp. infra).

    This might leave enough Time for EU Finance Ministers to meet, and, if needed, even for an eventual EuroGroup Heads of State/Government special Summit (as the 1st one, exceptionally convened on October 2008 in Paris, at the Presidential Palace "Elysee", (n order to start facing the Global Financial Crisis : See "EuroFora"'s NewsReports on the spot from the event), which could take place later-on, perhaps at nearby Frankfurt's ECB headquarters. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  The latest exchanges of views between mainstream EU Heads of State/Government (and in particular French President Sarkozy and German Chancellor Merkel, etc) reportedly moved along a line including EU-led IMF participation to some European measures, whenever really necessary, but under strict Conditions, and in relation to the desirable creation of an adequate EuroGroup New Tool for this kind of situations, (notoriously made by a mixture of Errors committed in the Past by some politicians of a Member State and other EU actors, as well as International Speculators' attempts to exploit the provoked situation).   

 Observers noted that it would be logical to expect that such "Conditions" could include Effective Investigation to find and punish those Responsible for having provoked  fraud and weak points at EuroZone, in order to ensure that such problems will not be repeated again in the Future in other EuroZone Member Countries, (as several MEPs have already started to try to do through EU Parliament's on-going "Hearings"', etc). Such a move migh have obviously far-reaching Political consequences, given rumours that a strange precipitation in Greece's entry into the EuroZone, would reportedly be due to a kind of "Deal" between several former "Socialist" Governments back on 1999-2001 in Greece, France, Germany, etc., and USA's usual Pressure over the EU to accept Turkey's controversial and impopular EU bid.     

Another Condition would naturally be to intensify the initial Measures of Economy drafted by the current Government in Greece, particularly in order to advance beyond a mere hold of the .."14th Salary" of Civil Servants and other related Staff among a notoriously plethoric, counter-productive, sometimes corrupted and impopular Bureaucracy set up by successive Governments since the 1980ies in Greece, which resulted into the huge Debt dissimilated even by EU Officers and some EU Politicians in the crucial period of 1999-2001 which decided Greece's early entry into the Euro area without previously warning that, in fact, it needed some more Time and mainly to prepare itself by taking adequate Measures. On the contrary, more Economies to the detriment of innocent People's (sometimes even Poor, and/or SMEs, etc) Savings, (at their Bank and/or House, etc), or to the detriment of Productive Economic activities, would obviously appear, as, comparatively, unfair and counter-productive, risking to provoke both more Social Unrest and/or Recession, incompatible with the aim to create Growth able to generate enough Money to pay the huge Debt provoked in the Past.

No real Investigation until 2010 also in the case of a Youngster kept in custody for 15 Years under suspicions but without Judgement, who also vainly denounced serious Torture and Ill-treatements by more than .."25" Turkish Security Agents, provoking a chronic Trauma to his Hand, followed by a Hunger Strike in the infamous Turkish Prisons, and resulting in Grave Sufferings and permanent Brain Damage by the so-called "Korsakoff Syndrome", (which, according to well-known Medical Reports, can be largely provoked by prolonged Deprivation of a Vitamin, normally easy to supply or inject by the Turkish Authorities Responsible for the Victim's continuing Detention).

France and Europe must overcome current threats to drop its new role as Leader of the most important International Project to invent Environment-friendly and abundant Energy of the Future by reproducing Sun's power via Nuclear Fusion (ITER), and, on the contrary, boost its Universities and Science/Research, as well as strengthen its Strategic Infrastructures and Industries, able to face a galoping Global Competition, while also using "the most essential... Energy which inspires the People" when EU Citizens become "proud" of their "History, Culture and Values", i.e. for their Identity, stressed French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, speaking at the eve of a crucial Regional Election in Strasbourg, where he succeeded to stir vibrant Popular applause in favor of EU Parliament's presence.

 - "We struggled all together, from the (political) Right to the Left, with former President Chirac,  to succeed that this Wonderful big Scientific Research Project that is ITER,  for which we (EU) were in Competition with Japan, the USA,  etc., that brings together World's Best Researchers, aiming to try to reproduce Sun's power in order to imagine the Energy of the Future, we struggled to have ITER in the EU, in France, in the Region of Provence-Cote d' Azur". 

 - "But "now, since 24 Hours, we know that if the "Greens" get hold of that Region, it will Not Fund no more this Wonderful Project !", he denounced.

This was confirmed even by the Leftist "Humanité" Newspaper, of the Communist Party, according to which, "Ecologists, with 10% of Votes, opposed to the Funding of the ThermoNuclear Fusion Reactor Project ITER, obtained from the Socialist Party's candidate that the Region will no longer fund the project in the Future : - Once the commitents honored (152 Millions €), "we shall give no more Money for what is called the Machine, i.e. the industrial equipment of research", reportedly declared SP's Michel Vauzelle, earlier this week.

The Threat seems serious and imminent, since "EuroFora" learned that Public Hearings on a Group's complaints against  ITER's Software, alleged risks for eventual small scale Pollution (even if considerably Less than pre-existent Nuclear fission Plants), strongly denied by most Scientists, etc. are due to start immediately after the Regional Elections, from Next Week...

 - "Even the High Speed Train, as TGV, for which we are Proud today", and is used in Europe and elsewhere, "wouldn't even exist if such a kind of PS-"Greens" were in charge 50 Years ago in France, when General De Gaulle and Pombidou had launched the initial High Speed Train project". The same can be said "for the big Nuclear Electricity project launched 50 Years ago by General De Gaulle and Pompidou, which guarantees Today a rare in the World Energy Independence", Fillon added, largely applauded.

  - " Here, in Strasbourg, France is committed for Europe, Peace and Development in our continent". That's why "I love Strasbourg, a European Capital",  stressed Fillon, strongly applauded by the People.

    Both points topically referred to a current controversy, in this week's Regional Elections in France, about Socialist Party's "Green" allies' refusal of High Speed Train links of European interest, (f.ex. the "Magistrale" Rail Network, between Strasbourg, Munich, Wiena and Budapest, Hungary, which takes over EU Presidency on Jan. 2011), but also on "Green" MEP Cohn Bendit's opposal against EU Parliament's work in Strasbourg, which, paradoxically, resulted into stimulating a stronger Popular interest for Europe...  (See previouse "EuroFora"'s Publication on 2010 French Regional Elections' European stakes).

 
    Fillon also pointed at the "Importance attached to Strasbourg's brillant University, which recently took Strategic Decisions". Recently "we gave to Universities their Autonomy, to be able to organize themselves as they deem right, and " in a few Years they should find anew their rank among the Best Universities in the World", very much applauded.

 
    Indirectly but surely he also referred to a (much applauded) call launched earlier by Senator Philippe Richert, the FrontRunner in Strasbourg's region Alsace's Elections, to  develop "a unified Area" between France and Germany for "Universities, Science, Research and Innovation", by using "TransBorder Cooperation" at the "Lower Rhine Region", and citting as a concrete example a proposal to create a New "Competitivity Pole" on "Eco-Technologies".

    This is in line with German Chancelor Merkel and French President Sarkozy's recent decisions to launch, between Strasbourg and Stuttgard a Unique in the World show-case for Modern, Hight Tech. Innovations on "Eco-Mobility" in Modern Transports, as well as to create Joint Franco-German University and Research "Poles of Excellence" (See "EuroFora"'s NewsReports from the February 2010 Paris' Summit).

 
    Such moves were also in harmony with CoE's Russian Rapporteur on Regional Authorities' role vis a vis the Economic Crisis, Svetlana Orlova, who stressed "investment in Green Technologies and Innovation", while the German President of the European Association of Border Regions, Karl Heinz Lambertz, was signing at the CoE an Agreement with Strasbourg-Kehl's Euro-Institute's President, Regional Counsellor, Monique Jung, and the City's deputy Mayor, Nawel Rafik-Elmrini, due to facilitate personal contacts mainly between researchers.

    President Jung, replying to an "EuroFora"s question, stressed the will to valorise the "immense Potential" in Universities, Public and private Research Labos concentrated at "Superior Rhine's tri-Region" (between France, Germany and Switzerland, which all participate in EU's Scientific Research/Technologic Development 7th Framework Program). While EABR's Secretary General, Martin Guillermo Ramirez, replying at the same "EuroFora"s question, highlighted the need to combat "Brain Drain" in Europe, which often pushes Young Scientists to search a Labo as far as in the US or even in Japan, without knowing that they already have excellent quality European Labos just a few kms from their Doorstep at a Neighbouring EU Member Country..

Richert focused on 3 main points : 1) Infrastructures-Economic and Scientific Development, 2) Environment/Climate, 3) Europe, and in particular EU Parliament's Plenary Sessions in Strasbourg, concluding by a call to revive a European "Dream" and "Hope" for the People living at EU's core.
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    - "We have an Absolute Priority : naturally the Economic Revival, which must stimulate" everybody, "and make Regions work together with the State" in the EU, stressed French Prime Minister Fillon.

    - "It's not easy to govern during the Hardest Global Crisis that the World ever saw since 1929. We faced an incredibly Brutal Schock. For the 1st time since 30 Years it's a Recession which has spread upon all he World", he observed.

    The main point is that France, Germany and other EU Countries "chose to Invest and help Investment and Businesses to save most Jobs", Fillon stressed.

    On the contrary, "for too long, Past Governments of the Left or of the Right, had preferred to respond to immediate demands, to give some supplementary Allocations, to set up some Subsidies, in order to calm down critics, here or there".  "Instead of Investing into the Infrastructures, Invest in the Labos, Invest in Universities, ..needed to prepare the Future", Fillon stressed, applauded. "We had to correct these errors".

    - "And that's what we are doing", fex. in France, "with President Sarkozy, ready to put up 35 Billions € from the great loan for the "Airplanes of the Future", in order to guarantee that, Tomorrow, the French and European Aeronautic Industry will remain at the 1st Rank of the World ; To prepare the "Train of the Future", because, even if we have the Best Trains in the World with TGV (or ICE,etc), the others (3rd Countries) continue to make progress. To prepare the Electric Car, because, Tomorrow, the Country that will be able to put into the Market the 1st industrialized E-Car will win a big Worldwide success. To invest in Broadband Digital Networks, to invest in Universities", etc. "we are doing exactly what General De Gaulle and Pompidou had done 50 Years ago, with the TGV, the Airbus, Nuclear Energy, Ariane, etc"., he concluded, largely applauded.

    - "On the contrary, Socialists had asked to Nationalize Banks and lower the VAT, but the UK (Socialist) Government lowered VAT, and their Consumption fell - 3%", while"Consumption grew onn 2009 +1%" in France.  And "we did better than several other EU Countries, by having on 2009 in France 2 times less Recession than the EU average, while 2010 estimations give us almost 2 times more Growth than the EU average", Fillon observed.

     - But, "in order to raise Growth, we have to augment the Competitivity of the Economy", he added. "Here, in Strasbourg, it's easy to realize that, compared, f.ex. to our German big Neighbours, we (France) have a Competitivity problem, (which) is not new, but was aggravated by erroneous decisions taken mainly by the Left. .. 20 Years ago, Industry's part in French Economy was almost equivalent to that of Germany's. But now, after some Past Erroneous Decisions, Industry is 30% of Germany's GDP, and 15% of the French GDP. That's the reality", he denounced.

    Recently, while "visiting the annual "Agricultural Exhibition" in Paris, "many Farmers told me that "we have too much Contributions to pay", and "how can it be explained that Milk in France is 20% more expensive than in Germany ? Germany hasn't lower Salaries. Germany isn't a Country without Social Protection. Germany is not a Poor Country. .. What they want is to pay less Contributions (Taxes). I'm ready to take the commitment to search, together with all involved, how to lower the Taxes which overburden the Economy, but this means to lower also the Public Expenses".

    - "It's not possible to complain against Taxes in the Morning, but, in the Afternoon, demonstrate against the Reform of Local Authorities, against the re-organization of the Administration, against the Simplification of State's activities !", he observed, applauded. "Because it's the same thing : We have a way of life which is over our means, and this provokes Debts which burden Growth and the Future of our country. So, it's together, that the State, Local Authorities and Social Funds, must search how to do the necessary Economies".

    - "And this must be done together : What's the use for the State to make Economies for 3 Years now, to continue reducing the Number of State Jobs, and make the Hard choice not to remplace 1 out of 2 retiring Civil Servants, economising 100.000 jobs, in order to return to an equilibrium in the public accounts, if, at the same time, Regions raise their Taxes, if Local Authorities hire even more staff, if the collective spending augments ? It's all together that we must engage in efforts to reduce the Public Expenses", he said at the eve of the 2nd round of Regional Elections.

    - "That's why we have proposed to suppress the Professional Tax, And that's why we have proposed to Reform the Local Authorities". "Socialists are accusing us today to threaten to provoke a situation where Local Authorities wouldn't be no more able to give Subsidies to nobody, wouldn't be able to help poor Communities, nor help the Rural world, neither the Associations, etc"But "all that is Lies, Lies ! What we want is simple : Make Communities act together, so that they can make Economies, and that Departments and Regions act together, because we don't want, in the Future, to have Civil Servants doing the same work at a Department and at a Region. The reality is that, those former "Leftists" have become Local Eminencies (Dignitaries) who defend their Privileges !", he denounced",  largely applauded.

    - "And, then, together, State and Regions must set up a real Industrial Policy, The Country suffers from DesIndustrialization. We have forged, with President Sarkozy, unprecedented Tools in order to help Stategic Industries, .. We created the Strategic Investment Fund, which allows, for the 1st time, to the State to directly take Participations in the Capital of Private Enterprises, big or small, which are considered of a Strategic Importance for the Future". "Thus, fex. we got 33% in the capital of .. Atlantic Shipyards, because it wasn't possible to abandon the .. Know-how in the construction of Liners, of Military Ships, or of Oil Tankers, to Foreign Countries". "It's in the same spirit that we invested 1,5 Billion € in various Businesses at all Strategic sectors for the Future".

    - "What did they (former Socialist Governments) do, between 1997 and 2002, when French Enterprises were submitted to restructuring ?  - "What were doing Mr. Jospin (former Socialist Prime Minister 1997 - 2001) and Mrs Aubry (PS' Head) when Renault closed its doors and Out sourced its (industrial) production out of the Country ?", Fillon wondered, (referring to a Controversial transfert of Low-Tech. Cheap Cars' factories out of the EU, to Turkey, in a deal partially involving even businesses controlled by the Turkish Army).

    -"We were accused, together with President Sarkozy, to be "Protectionists" when we said that Renault should produce more in France. But, Renault produces today 25% of its cars in France. If you look at the German Car Industry, ...it's 42% that is produced in Germany. And, if you look at PSA (Pegeault-Citroen : Higher-Tech Car Industry, which has notoriously invested in Artificial Intelligence-Robots, etc.), it's 47% of its cars produced in France. So, we are Right to say to Renault that only 25% of its cars produced in France it's not enough", he compared, largely applauded.

    - "It was Right also to support a French and European Agriculture which faced unprecedented Challenges. .. There are many reasons for that. First the Global Crisis : When the World is in Recession, the consumption of Agri-Food products diminishes. But there are also more profound reasons : It's the Competitivity of our Economy, the accumulation of burdens, strikes of Taxes, etc., which end up by hindering Farmers to produce. And then, it's that absence of European perspectives'" until now, he criticized.

    - "When we were confronted with that situation, together with the Agriculture Minister and President Sarkozy, we immediately engaged an Urgent Plan for 2 Billions € to help Farmers keep going. But we didn't limit ourselves only into that, because we know that it's not enough. We engaged a Law on the Modernization of Agriculture, which will allow for Farmers to stabilize their relations with the big Commercial Distribution, and avoid these abrupt changes in Prices which gravely affect them".  

    - "But, the most important : With President Sarkozy and Minister Bruno Le Maire, we visited all EU Member Countries, to convince them that the Liberalisation Wind which blew allover Europe after the (2004 and 2007) Enlargement had some Bad Results and was contrary to Historic Trends, particularly for Agriculture. Today, I'm proud to tell you that, thanks to President Sarkozy's commitment, we have brought together with us a Qualified Majority of European States which want to set up a new Regulation for a strong European Agriculture policy", he anounced.

 

    - "All Modernization policies can be resumed in one word : Succeed that France and Europe keep their rank face to the Globalization", Fillon stresssed, launching a "Call for more Unity" throughout the Country, and denouncing the "Left's aim to Divide the Country and abuse of Decentralisation as a Weapon against the Government". On the contrary, "We all face the same Challenge : to adapt our structures and our Economy and to protect our Social Model", he concluded.
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    - "But everything cannot be resumed into Reforms and Administrative Decisions  : "Much, may be the most Essential in this Struggle, depends on our Capacity to come together, to the Energy ... which inspires the People" :

    - "Those who think that it's by renouncing to our (National) Pride that we shall face Globalization, commit an error".  "We cannot reply to all those Continents which challenge us, by just telling them that  : - "We are Nobody !" "We cannot respond to the strength of Global Competition just by saying that  : - "We don't believe any more to ourselves !".  "And, most of all : We cannot integrate all those who receive, each year, the Nationality" of an EU Member Country,  "by just telling them : - "Welcome to Nowhere !".

    - "France" and Europe "is not a Fiction, without a Face, nor a Character". "It's not a country without History", neither "without Culture", nor "without an Heritage". "It's not a country without Rules, that everyone has to respect, because they are at the Foundations of our Social Pact",  

    - "Yes, we have inherited an exceptional History, for which we don't have to be ashamed. And the Republic means that each Citizen must give to his Country as much as he receives from it". Fillon added, applauded.

    - "It's also a Republic which agrees with all Religions. It's the result of a Dreadful History, which had led to Bloody Conflicts. And the result was that we found together a Compromise,... which means that, for us, all Confessions must be respected. Everybody should be able to practice his Religion as he wishes", he said, (referring to the Historic compromise mainly between Christian Catholics and Protestants, as well as Jews, finalised before the middle of the 20th Century).

    -"And the result was that we found a Compromise in the largest part of the country, and another compromise at your Regions", (as he said for Alsace and Lorraine Regions, at the border with Germany, where the State and Local/Regional Authorities exceptionally pay Priests and help Religious Monuments, contrary to everywhere else where Public Funds, in principle, stay out of any Religious activity, left to the Civil Society alone. A difference which notoriously provoked recent criticism, exploited by Rightists, when Alsace's authoriies were pushed to consider funding, for the 1st time, the construction of 1 to 3 Mosquees, while, on the contrary, French Christian Protestant's leadership recently denounced that Churches at nearby Lyon had been hindered to receive Grants allocated by Local Authorities, after an Association attaqued that decision to the Courts invoking the principle of a "Secular" State)...

    - "For us, all Confessions are to be respected. Everybody must be able to practice his Religion, and believe what he wants".

    - "But it's not the Aggressive Proselytism, nor the retreat into Communautarism (Cultural Ghetto)", the French Prime Minister denounced, applauded.

    - "A few Years ago, under President Chirac, I was one of the most committed to the Vote of the Law prohibiting the Islamic Scarf in Schools. At that time, some had claimed that it was "contrary to Liberties", and threatened us that "Muslim girls won't get to School anymore !" They accused us to "provoke animosities in all the Muslim World", he reminded, referring to an old conflict, fuelled by a refusal to go to School without an Islamic Scarf, and an attack against the French State before the Courts by another member of a Turkish group in Strasbourg (See the "Saglamer" affair).

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            - "But, see what's the situation Today : We made a great step towars Liberty and Equality between Men and Women, and nobody contests, no more, that it's normal for Young Girls and Young Boys to go to School dressed in a similar manner". "In Democracy, noone lives with a Mask", he concluded.

    - "And that's why we decided, with President Sarkozy, to make a Law, on Spring, against the port of the Integral Scarf ("Burka"). "Because it contradicts our conception of an "open" Social Life, and looks contrary to the Principle of Equality between Men and Women".

     - "If we faced grave Political Crisis, as back on 2002, that astonishing situation in the 1st Round of Presidential Elections (where the Rightist "National Front" had excluded the Socialist Party's candidate by getting more Votes, followed by the 2005 "No" in the French and Dutch Euro-Referenda), it was because the ...People had turned its back to the Political System, because it had the impression that Governments, of the Left or of the Right, did not respect their Commitments", he reminded.

    F.ex., "the Left had been Elected in 1997 on a Program of the Left. But the 1st thing they did was to make more Privatisations than any Government of the Right ever did ever in History !", he denounced. "And we (Center-Right) had been elected in 2002 in order to raise Work's Values at Society's centre, and we must admit that we didn't" then, he acknowledged.

    Such symbolic moves came while also Germany searches the best ways to "Integrate" some immigrants, mainly of Turkish origin, which are notoriously too often pushed to live almost closed into a kind of "Cultural Ghettos", and shortly before EU is due to start debating on "Europe's Future", and therefors, "Identity", after the publication of an EU Wisemen's Report scheduled for June 2010.

    It's well known, indeed, that in USA's History, f.ex. Unity was largely built by using the "Energy" of simple People from various (mainly European Countries') origins, attracted together by a motivating original "American Dream", and that EU's obviously needs a similar kind of Cultural Integration in a coherent and motivating "European Dream" today, if it wants to seize unique Historic opportunities to realize its ambitions for a strong and harmonious development.

Human Rights are indissociable from Democracy and should be both monitored by  the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, said the President a.i. of CoE's watchdog on Local/Regional Democracy, Dr Ian Micallef, in reply to "EuroFora"s questions, shortly before a CLRAE Delegation visits Turkey to investigate also on controversial arrests of recently elected Kurdish Mayors  many of whom are reportedly still kept in Turkish prisons.

The move, organized for May by the Chairman of CLRAE's competent Institutional Committee, Head of the Liberal Group, British representative Keith Whitmore, as he revealed to "EuroFora", was strongly supported this week in Strasbourg, as a matter of general Principle, both by CoE's Secretary General, Thorbjorn Jagland, and by a Resolution voted quasi-unanimously by CLRAE's Plenary on Human Rights and Local and Regional Authorities.

    "EuroFora"'s question observed that the President of CoE's watchdog on Local and Regional Democracy, when he presented this week's CLRAE Plenary Session, "cited 1st a Report on Human Rights, which is obviously important", while even "CoE's Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg recently also highlighted that, speaking about Local, Regional Authorities".

    - "But in that Report, there is a reference, as a Tool for this purpose, ..to  the Monitoring by (CLRAE's) Committees. ..Do you think that Citizens should have Access  to  this kind of Mechanism, and how could it be done in practice ?", "EuroFora" asked CLRAE's President.

 

     - "On your  question on Human Rights, you are referring to the fact that we are speaking about the (CLRAE's) Commitees", noted Micallef in reply.

    - "The intention is, in fact, (that) when we have a Monitoring visit on the state of Local/Regional Democracy in a (CoE) Member State, we would also look at the Human Rights, as they are being exerciced in that Member State", stressed CLRAE's President
    

- "You could easily say that we can include also other aspects about that. (But) You have to realize that the Focus of our Report is the state of Local and Regional Democracy, and we have to keep to that focus, as much as possible. Because we are, as a Congress, entrusted with the task to report on the Committee of Ministers on that status. There are other bodies, other Commitees, other sectors, within this House, which have to take care also about these issues which you have mentioned. So, we don't need to have over-lapping, which hs been the subject of criticism in the Reform being undertaken by the CoE", he noted.

    - "But, when it comes to Human Rights, they touch upon the Essential Qualities, the Fundamental Freedoms which our Citizens do require in the Everyday Life. It's a Natural Right, and, therefore, if we are speaking about the Rights which were devolved through the European Charter for Local Self Government, we have also to take into consideration, fundamental Human Rights, whether they are being respected or not", stressed Dr. Micallef.

    - "As well as, when we are speaking about Democracy, we cannot speak of Democracy in a Local/Regional level, if there is no respect to the Fundamental Human Rights in that Country ! ... Experience has shown, that whenever there is a Lack of Respect to the (Pan)European Charter for Local Democracy, or if there is  abuse in the way the (Pan)European Charter is being applied in a particular Member State of the CoE, you would also realize that the respect for the Fundamental Human Rights in that Country is obviously Questionable. And you would also notice that with the Number of Cases (of Complaints  against Violations) that are Pending before the European Court of Human Rights", he concluded.

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- "It's clear that Human Rights have been violated" in that case, said to "EuroFora" another Experienced CLRAE Senior Official, speaking after a recent meeting with a Kurdish delegation from Turkey.

     - But, "in order to know what exactly happened, why, how,  etc.,  ... a CLRAE's Delegation is ready to go visit Turkey and make an Enquiry", he revealed.

    - "When we shall visit Turkey, if they are still in Prison, we shall ask to Speak to them, as part of our (CLRAE's) Mission, for the Monitoring Committee,  to go and see them", anounced later to "EuroFora" the President of CLRAE's Institutional Committee, Chairman of the Liberal Group, and Head of the Brittish Delegation, Keith Witmore.

     - "Now, obviously we shall go also to Ankara, to talk to the Government, and to South-Eastern Turkey, of course, where the Kurdish counsellors and the Mayors are reportedly locked up", he added.

     - "I have heard some quite Serious suggestions made to me about the Treatment of Mayors". F. ex. "I'm told that they have been Photographs of series of Mayors in Hundcuffs sent to  the Press",  Whitmore denounced.

    -  "Obviously, the People involved in the (Monitoring) Mission will take that on board", he promised, adding that "I've asked for the evidence of that to be provided to me. They told me that it's in the Press, and I've asked for some Evidence of that".

    - Because "it's obviously Serious" , stressed Whitmore , agreing with "EuroFora" that this would be even more scandalous for Elected Mayors, since even for the Military, even  during Wars, it's notoriously forbiden to reveal Prisoners' pictures to the Public".

    -  "I mean, this has been going on for so many Time", but "we (CLRAE) don't want to be frustrated in this Mission (to Monitor how Turkey respects Local and Regional Authorities' Self Government freedoms), which is a very Important one. So, it's important to get it Right, and ...these things take some Time, as you can appreciate", Whitmore said, without, however, revealing the reasons for this delay (See infra).

    - "So, the (Monitoring) Mission is going (to visit Turkey) on May" 2010, (i.e. more than a Year after the initial incidents and arrests of Spring 2009), he anounced to "EuroFora".

     - A Report by the CLRAE on its 2010 Fact-finding Mission would be prepared and presented  "may be before" its next Plenary Session, scheduled for October, since "it doesn't need to take that long", as Whitmore observed. An earlier occasion could be given by "a Meeting of the (CLRAE's Institutional) Committee in July, "may be in Serbia". "We (CLRAE) shall certainly have an interesting Committee in July", its President warned.

    Indeed, as "EuroFora" learned, Monitoring issues could be discussed and maybe voted then, not only on Turkey but also on Serbia itself and perhaps on Russia, as CLRAE's Rapporteur on Local and Regional Democracy in Russia, British Liberal  representative Christopher Newbury told us.

    Meanwhile, in a Letter to the CLRAE reportedly sent "by Mrs Leyla Güven, imprisoned Mayor of Viransehir - Southeast of Turkey" on the 15th of March 2010, she denounces her "Detention, together with 9 other Mayors, on December 24, 2009, as part of Systematic Operations which have been carried out against DTP (pro-Kurdish Party) Municipalities just after" "our success" in "the March 29, 2009 Local Elections" in Turkey, as she said.

    Added also to the recent "Detention of Mr. Seyhmus Bayhan, .. Chairman of the Provincial Council (Region) of Diyarbakir", such developments "unfairly .. removed us (Kurdish elected LRA Representatives) from our representation" rights as "CLRAE Members", and "damaged the Composition of the National Delegation representing Turkey" in the CLRAE in Strasbourg, because it violates "the Rule 3 of CLRAE's Statute (which) underlines that the Composition of National Delegations should reflect the Political Composition of LRAs", she denounced.

    - "In ...a .. 4rth Wave of Operation realized to restrict the field of Legal Politics of Kurds, .. 9 acting Mayors .. have been arrested, and ...7 of them have been put into Prison", while, "during a Process, .. the Detention of our Mayors and Pictures of them with Handcuffs sent to the Press .. have deeply hurt the People who elected on its own will its Representatives, and the clap of Handcuffs has been felt by them as a clap on Democracy", the Letter observes.

    Moreover, "on January 21, 2010, the Mayor of Igdir, Mr. ..Nuri Gunes, and, in February 13, the Chairman of the Provincial Council of Mardin, Mr Nazmi Kok, were arrested.. and put into Custody", also denounces Mrs Güven's Letter, citting even reported cases of "arrested Wife and Chilren of Tatvan's Mayor", Turkish Police "entering the Houses of former Mayor of Dicle, Mr. Akengin, and Mayor of Siirt, Mr. Sadak, .. breaking the doors and undressing the women during the raid".

    -  "Currently, 10 Mayors, 10 former Mayors, 6 vice-Mayors, 2 Chairmen of Provincial Council (Diyarbakir and Mardin), a former Chairman ..and 4 Members of Provincial Council, and 7 Municipal Staff, ... and Numerous Members of Municipal Councils, are in Prison", denounces  the March 2010 Letter to CoE's Local/Regional Democracy's watchdog.

     Micallef's reply to "EuroFora" on the scope of CLRAE's Monitoring (See supra) got a strong backing, later-on, as a matter of General Principle, by CoE's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland himself :

    CLRAE's vice-President, Croatian representative, Mrs Dubravka Suica from Dubrovnik,(ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group's vice-Chair) asked Jagland's opinion on "CLRAE's Proposal to extend the scope of its Monitoring of the (Pan)European Charter (for Local/Regional Democracy) to examine (also) the respect of Human Rights at Local level".

    CoE's Head "Welcomed" such prospects. - "We (CoE's bodies) should all focus" on that : I.e. to see "that States and Local/Regional Authorities also are in compliance with their Human Rights and Democracy" commitments, he stressed.

    - "It's in the Local level that most People make a first contact with the Values of Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, in a most Direct way", making "the Local level be not only a Good way, but also the Right way to start", as Jagland said in his Speech to the CLRAE earlier.

    - "Therefore, it's important that you (CLRAE) also focus on Monitoring this kind of activities (on Human Rights' respect), because it's an important part of our Democracies", CoE's Secretary General concluded.

    The move attracted later-on also the Collective Support of all the PanEuropean CLRAE, when its Plenary voted to adopt a Report on Human Rights and Local and Regional Authorities, drafter by Swedish representative Lars O Molin, according to which, "CLRAE instructs its Institutional Committee (headed by Whitemore : See above), to assess the Human Rights situation Systematically on its visits to Monitor Implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government", (as, f.ex., during its May 2010 scheduled visit to Turkey).

    CLRAE's Resolution, adopted this week in Strasbourg, "also asks the other CLRAE's Committees to take account of Human Rights during their respective activities", and "CoE's Committee of Ministers to invite Member States ... to facilitate Effective Monitoring of the Human Rights' situation at Local and Regional level".

    It also "recommends that (CoE's) CM encourages a Systematic, Multi-level Dialogue between the Political levels of all (CoE's) Member States, to promote Human Rights' dimension of Local Self Governance".
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    But, Contrary to that, during all the time elapsed since the March 2009 Local Elections in Turkey, largely won in the South-East by pro-Kurdish elected representatives, many of whom were  subsequently arrested and/or jailed, Turkey has reportedly refused to accept CLRAE's Monitoring Mission earlier, particularly after Ankara learned what Questions CLRAE's Delegation wished to raise during its visit,  as other CoE's sources revealed to "EuroFora".

    At the opposite side, Morocco's representative, young Rachid Sassy, vice-President of Rabat's Urban Community,  addressing  CLRAE's Plenary later this week in Strasbourg, proposed to invite CLRAE to help "make the Southern Mediterranean region, sooner or later, an entity meeting European Standards  of .. Democratic governance".

    Such contrasting facts paradoxically indicate moves towards opposite directions by Turkey, whose controversial EU bid had notoriouslyh blocked EU's institutional development for Years after the French and Dutch "NO" to EuroReferenda,  and which asks for (even) less control by the CoE, and French-speaking neighbouring Countries as Morocco, whose EU candidacy was rejected by EU Commission in the Past on pretext that it was'nt "a European Country", but who, on the contrary, asks now for more CoE's Monitoring...

    Morocco recently became full Member of CoE's European  Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity, (known as "North-South" Centre"), which intends to "open a Window" towards Southern Mediterranean and even African Countries, as anounced its new vice-C hairman, experienced former Germany's Permanent Representative to the CoE, Ambassador Emerhard Koelsch, speaking at CLRAE's Plenary and to "EuroFora".