
newsitems
Macron : Europe Must Not Yield to Turkey's Pressure !

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- "Above all, We (EU) Must Not Yield to Turkey's Pressure ! That's Clear for me", stressed French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking at CoE's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) in Strasbourg, concerning particularly Ankara's new attempts to Exploit again Mass Migration for even More Money and Interventions inside Syria's Northern areas of Kurds who helped Fight ISIS' Deadly Islamist Terrorism targetting Civilians, and vis a vis EU Member Cyprus' Energy Sources, as he said in Reply to a Question raised on behalf of PACE's Biggest Group, that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, by Experienced former Chairwoman of its Political affairs Committee and F. Foreign Minister, MEP Dora Bakogianni from Greece.
- The mainstream MEP had Denounced the Fact that, once again, "Turkey is putting Pressure on Europe", through "a New Great Migration Crisis", particularly "during the 3 Summer Months" of 2019, when more than "20.000 People arrived on the Greek Islands via Turkey", while "it's very clear" that Ankara's Authorities, not only "doN"t make No Effort to Stop that", but, evenmore, "on the Contrary, Facilitate this Migratory Flow", Because "Turkey wants a New Deal (i.e. in Addition to the 3 Billions € in full Grants Each Year, that EU already gave) : It Wants from Europe to Accept its Policy in Syria, and ...to be No Reaction to the flagrant Violation of Sovereign rights in the exclusive Economic zone of Cyprus".
- "You are absolutely Right to say that this is abused as a means of Pressure from Turkey", as "I'm fully Aware of what Greece is going through Today, since, if Migratory Prssure mounts up towards Europe, the main thrust is at Stake in that Route from Eastern Mediterranean, nowadays", Replied the French President, who is currently Chairing also the CoE, for the period from May to November 2019 included.
=> - First of all, I don't think that the Right Reply would be to Yield to that Pressure !", exerted from Turkey, he clearly stressed.
- Already, "There is an (EU) Work done with Turkey, when I wasN't yet elected (2015-2016), but Negotiations took place in 2015-2016 and a Deal was Agreed on 2016, which must be Respected", he reminded, and "this does Not require Additional Measures, at this Stage", Macron refused.
- "It's true that Turkey is Blackmailing Europe !", had, Previously, Warned the Experienced President of Europe's Biggest Political Party that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, Joseph Daul, speaking at a 2016 Event organised by Strasbourg's University, when Ankara was initially Pressing the EU for that Deal inside a Bloody Islamist Terrorism-stricken Brussels, (See: ..., etc).
- In particular, "Anyway, Our (EU) Agenda on the North of Syria (i.e. on Syrian Kurdish Fighters against ISIS and/or other Islamist Deadly Terrorists cowardly Targetting Civilian People) must Not be Determined from that Turkish Pressure, at any case. Absolutely Not !", the French President strongly underlined.
- "On the Contrary, we (Europe) have clear DisAgreements vis a vis Turkey on Syria", Macron stressed, adding, also, that "we have a Joint Work, in Istanbul Format : Germany, France, Russia, Turkey and UNO, which would allow to make Progress on Syria" normaly.
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+ "Concerning Migratory Policy (of the EU), what you called "Burdens' Sharing", it's a Necessity of our Migratory Policy, for me, which should, Now, reach a New Stage, with that New (EU) Commission", Macron went on to develop.
- In fact, "I think that we (EU) collectively Failed at the Beginning of that (Mass) Migratory Policy, vis a vis Greece, and vis a vis Italy, (not during these Last Months, when the Flows were, Comparatively, reduced, but in the Middle of the so-called "Mare Nostrum", at the Core of that [Mass)] Migratory Pressure, that Italy lived through, around 2015+ : At that moment, there was No Solidarity" at all.
+ And this European Solidarity still is, Nowadays, Imperfect. Very largely Incomplete".
- Because "it Lacks, from my point of view" :
- "1st, a Migratory Policy vis a vis the Countries of Origin".
- Because, we are speaking there of (EU's) External Borders in Eastern Mediterranean, but we have also to Build a real EU Joint Migratory Policy vis a vis the Countries of Origin, on this point.
- "2nd point : We Must have a Joint European Policy on Protecting our common (European) External Borders"
- In particular, "the Protection of our Common (EU) External Borders, canNot burden Only the Country of the 1st Entry" by Mass Migrants.
- Fex., "France has, since a long time, put the accent into Strengthening FRONTEX and hiring More Agents".
- Howeve, "there are Many Mecanisms of Joint Protection", he Highlighted, without specifying now.
- "But, at any case, we must Mutualize the Cost of that Protection", he stressed.
- Moreover, from my point of view, we cannot get away from this Debate on more or less Solidarity, but Only by Changing what were our Terms of Refernce" :
- "Until now, several Countries only strived to Extend the Duration of Responsibility concerning the Countries of 1st Entry, which was of 6 Months, i.e. going Against what you asked", he replied to MEP Bakogianis.
- Indeed, "I think that we should have much More Financial Solidarity, with the Countries of 1st Entry, and have a much More "Common System", so that when somebody comes from somewhere Out of Europe, a Migrant, (a word which covers Various Situations), the Responsibility for him/her should lie on the (EU) Community". and Not Only be a Burden for the Country of 1st Entry".
- "Otherwise, we have an UnAcceptable Situation, for most Countries of 1st Origin, and InHuman for Many Refugees !", he denounced.
=> So that, for me, the 3rd Point is to have a Real EU Solidarity, which is Far from being the case until now, and to consider that (Mass) Migration's Cost is a European Cost", Macron underlined.
+ 4rth Point is to Harmonize, inside Schengen's area, the modalities of Asylum and Return":
- "Not just in order to alleviate the Burden of Countries of 1st Origin, but in order to be able to Regulate Free Movement, and to Fight against Smugglers", "so that a Stop its put to "this situation where people who haven't any chance to get Asylum, neverheless, Stay often 4 to 5 Years in the EU, and sometimes don't even Return at all, or the even more unacceptable situation of People who deserve Asylum, but are Obliged to wait 2 or 3 Years, before getting it", (Because of that overall situation).
- "Because we need also, a real European Policy for Return", he stressed.
- "Yes, Welcome is Human, but only if there is a real Return policy", Macron warned.
=> So, "Yes for a more Efficient" EU Migratory Policy, which, for me, goes through More Financial Solidarity, and a joint European Mechanism on Asylum and Return", the French President resumed in conclusion.
(../..)
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CoE Rapporteur on WhistleBlowers, Waserman to EF: Assange's Freedom must be Protected !

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- World Famous, Controversial "Wiki-Leaks" co-Founder, Long-Time Persecuted and Recently Jailed in the UK Leader Julian Assange's Freedom Rights should be Protected, mainly Because his Activism is Part of the overall Process of Journalists' Work, stressed to "Eurofora" CoE's Rapporteur on WhistleBlowers, Sylvain Waserman, vice-President of the French National Assembly, whose Conclusions on "Improving the Protection of WhistleBlowers all over Europe" are scheduled to be Debated and Voted Tomorrow in Strasbourg, by the PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly of the 47 Member States-strong Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, just Before a landmark Speech by French President Emmanuel Macron, on the occasion of the celebration of CoE's 70th Anniversary 1949-2019.
The Move comes while a relevant Controversy has Recently become very "Hot", particularly in the USA, which have notoriously Asked for Assange's Extradition, since Even Traditionnal, Former "Free Speech" outlets, such as "Washington Post" Newspaper and other "Liberal/Leftist" actors, are Now Publishing, on the Contrary, Ferocious Libbels Against "WikiLeaks" and Assange in particular, Accused to be "Not a Free Press Hero", "Neither a Journalist, Nor a WhistleBlower", but only "a Foreigner" (sic !), who may have allegedly comploted with the Russians in order to interfere in the 2016 American Presidential Election, against Dem. Party's former Candidate Hillary Clinton, as Controversial former Attorney Mueller's notorious Enquiry, (Often Denounced as a Partisan "Witchhand" by US President Don Tump and other "Deep State" Critics, even of an Anti-Establishment's Left), strived vainly to establish, with uncertain results.
CoE's Rapporteur had Never Taken explicitly any position on Assange's concrete Case until now, as he Reminded "Eurofora" Today, and his Report, Focused mainly on Proposals for Legislative Reforms to Protect "WhistleBlowers" in general, appears quite Balanced, and, at least in its Current Version as a "Draft" Bill, (as Recently Voted in a CoE Meeting in Paris), Even contains a sentence with vague but real Criticism of "Wikileaks" in general.
But, surprisingly, Today, he took an apparently Crystal-Clear stance for the ImPrisoned Activist's Freedom of Expresssion Rights, while he Recently Confirmed, Also, CoE's Support for the Number 1 World Famous "WhistleBlower", Edward Snowden, for whom, it's Also a Previous CoE's Rapporteur, Peter Omtzigt, a ChristianDemocrat/EPP from the Netherlands, who has Already Pleaded to give him "Asylum" : Something that former French President Hollande's Government had Declined to do, and, as even recently a French Minister also repeated, But New French President Macron has Not Yet explicitly confirmed or changed such a position, while Snowden has Just, notoriously, Revived his Asylum Demand to a Western European Country as France.
Waserman had organized, recently at the CoE in Strasbourg, a landmark Tele-Debate with Snowden, under the auspices of the competent COE Assembly's Committee, where "Eurofora" and other Journalists participated in a 2 Questions/Replies Topical exchange with the World Famous Whistleblower, (See: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/snowdenfriendshelpwhistleblowers.html + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/snowdenlaughonlongmuellerspyingtrump.html).
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzGI-bqc2NA&app=desktop
Concerning Assange, Recently a "Pink Floyd" Legend Rock Group member, Roger Waters, exceptionally performed their landmark Song "I Wish You Were Here !", right in front of the UK's JHA Ministry in London, where Thousands of People had Gathered, in order to Ask "Freedom for Assange", (Comp.: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/muellerand911.html, etc), that a UNO Panel of Top Human Rights Experts has notoriously Found to be a Victim of Manifold and Repeated Violations of his Basic Rights, for Too Long, already Since he was Tracked and Obliged to Seek Refuge in Ecuador's Embassy in London, until a Political Change of Leadership in that Latin-American Country provoked his Expulsion and Delivery to UK's Police arrest, which was Searching for him since a Forgotten, former Demand by Sweden's "Socialist" Authorities, Pretexting of a Controversial Private Affair, which had been, meanwhile, even Officialy Droped, but, suddenly revived...
+ It's also a quasi-homonymous, but unrelated, Specialist Expert, Professor from Berkeley University on Journalism, Dr. Edward Wasserman, who recently Published, Both at Berkeley's own Media outlet, and in a "New York Times" Op., a landmak Article on "Julian Assange, and the Woeful State of Whistle Blowers" accross the World, who, "as the Medias' indispensable HelpMates", should "Deserve a Constitutional Protection too", as he concludes.
But CoE's Rapporteur, French MEP Sylvain Waserman (from Macron's own Political Party), told "Eurofora" that he didn't even know yet exactly that, apparently Similar, position taken by USA's University Professor Edward Wasserman, with whom he seems, Now, to quite agree, at least in Substance.
Previously, it's also a former EU Parliament's Rapporteur on WhistleBlowers, a Small Centrist Party's Leader, former MEP Virginie Rogier, who Replying to "Eurofora"s relevant Questions at a Press Conference in Strasbourg, clearly Pleaded for Assange's need to Protection, as a matter of General Principle, (See : ..., etc).
But CoE, as PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, which Now Celebrates its 70th Anniversary (1949-2019) also by boasting that, contrary to UNO's Historic "Universal Declaration on Human Rights", its European Version added also some Legal and Political Mecanisms due to seek Practical Implementation of such Rules, in order to Protect Victims of Human Rights' Violatons, is reaally Put at a Timely "Test".
The UK, which is notoriously, still Struggling Nowadays with its "BREXIT" Popular Plans to Leave the EU, on the Contrary, stcks to its Membership in the CoE, being Proud for Winston Churchill a.o.'s Historic Role for its Creation, since back on 1949, and even "BREXIT" Party's Leader, Top MEP Nigel Farage, has told "Eurofora" in Brussels, that if he enters into the House of Commons, he would Like to participate in the UK's National Delegation at CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly...
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(DraftNews)
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Juncker skips unusual CoE 70th Anniversary ceremony at faraway Opera

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Experienced, former Long-Time Prime Minister of Luxembourg and €uroGroup's Chairman, current EU Commission's President, Jean-Claude Juncker, unexpectedly droped his scheduled venue to an unusual, Last-Minute Modified, Official Ceremony for CoE's 70th Anniversary, due to take place Tomorrow Afternoon at Strasbourg's Opera, where he was the KeeNote Top European Invitee, in addition to French President Emmanuel Macron, who currently Chairs the CoE, until mid-November 2019.
Juncker was also booked to Speek at CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly's Political Affairs Committee, Earlier Tomorrow Morning, since 9 a.m., but this was also Cancelled, as "Eurofora" learned.
But his venue at the 47 Members-strong CoE's Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law's 70th Anniversary (1949-2019) had also a Important Symbolic Value, since Juncker is, currently, the Most Experienced European Political Personality, and the Only Top Official Personalityb to whom All CoE's Heads of State/Government had entrusted, at CoE's Summit in Varsaw (Poland) back on 2005, a landmark Report on Cooperation between the CoE and the EU, (Comp. Our PressReports from Warsaw Summit, then, and Afterwards, from Juncker's Press Conference at the CoE on his Report's Conclusions at : .. + ..., etc).
This unexpected move has Nothing to do with CoE's New Secretary General, Marija Buric, who is of the Same ChristianDemocrat/EPP Party as Juncker, and in Good Relations with him.
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Juncker had Already notoriously Cancelled another scheduled Offcial Visit even to the Latest, Controversial "G7" Summit at Biarritz on August 2019, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/flopsatbiarritzg7summit.html , etc). But he had officially met, in Luxembourg, with New Brittish Prime Minister Boris Johnson, (a former Journalist for European News in Brussels).
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Curiously, many People who know well the COE, had been Astonished by a Last Minute Modification of its Assembly's Planning, which had Changed the Location for that 70th Anniversary, Out of CoE's Buildings (where it had been Initially Sheduled), and Not Even to the Adjacent, Nearby superb "Palace for Congresses and Music/Pierre Pflimlin", where, however, both NATO's Anniversary Summit of 2009, and CoE's own Summit of 1998 (under French Presidency of Jacques Chirac, Together with the Historic German Chancelor Helmut Kohl), had taken place, But Only to a ...Far Away "Opera" Music outlet, DownTown, funded by Local Authorities.
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This had provoked an UnPrecedented Brou-ha-ha in a Massive Rush to get .."Tickets" (sic !) and/or Invitations to that Spectacle, by more than a Thousand of various Individuals, from several kinds of Politicians, up to CoE's own Staff, (where Organisers had been pushed to set up a "Drawing Lots" !), where some persons, even among those who have the Longest and/or the most Active Experience of Working in the COE, were curiously excluded de facto, (given, particularly, that they were Too Busy to Work for the CoE and/or Other Important Substantial European Issues, instead of going into a Time-Wasting Bureaucratic Invitation-Hunting)...
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However, several among CoE's Top Historic Personalities, as, former Secretary Generals, including, f.ex., Daniel Tarschys from Sweden, etc., spontaneously came and Saluted, kindly, "Eurofora", with a Friendly Smile and Words, alerady since this Evening, inside CoE's main Building.
But, many Journalists had been, reportedly, Obliged, by some unknown so-called "organizers", to Stay ...Closed in CoE's PressRoom, Exceptionaly in an EMPTY CoE's "Palace", or, (If they prayed and wasted a lot of Time, among Various Intermediaries, to get into a small "Pool" List), eventually, to Stay Standing (in the rain ?) OUT of that "Opera" bourgeois building, (as "Last concession")...
However, the Number 1 Value of a Real "Anniversary" PanEuropean Gathering, Naturally was to, at least, re-Unite Together all the Historic "Family" of the CoE, added to New incomers, including at a Following Social Meeting organized near that Opera, as, f.ex. all the still Living former Heads of this important Strasbourg's Organsiation, as its Former Secretary Generals Catherine Lalumiere, Daniel Tarschys, Walter Scwhimmer, Terry Davis, Thorbjorn Jagland, etc, together with Marija Buric, with All of whom "Eurofora"'s co-Founder has largely Worked, Making Numerous Publications on important PanEuropean Issues.
Historic former French President Jacques Chirac, (with whom Juncker had notoriously Cooperated a lot), obviously was one among the Top European Political Leaders who, normaly, should be among all of us, Nowadays in Strasbourg, (and with whom, "Eurofora"s co-Founder has Cooperated a lot), either directly, and/or through his Wife, former 1s Lady of France, Bernadette Chirac, as it was often done, (also as the Only Living former CoE's rotating Chairman from France, since CoE's 1998 Summit here). But, his Sudden Death, practically at the Eve of CoE's 70th Anniversary, unexpectedly Hindered that too, (See : ..., etc).
Juncker has notoriously Studied, Lived, met his Wife, and Worked in Strasbourg, whose University's Faculty of Law, has attributed him a "Doctoral thesis award, Honoris causa").
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(DraftNews)
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Jacques Chirac: An Ambitious but Human Fighter for a Great Europe, largely Justified by History

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- The Tragic Loss of one among the Greatest Political and Human Figures of a so Important French Leader and Fighter for an Atonomous and Great Europe, as Jacques Chirac, almost at the Same Time that one of his Younger Successors, Emmanuel Macron, is expected in Strasbourg to Address CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly, where Russian MEPs just Returned Back after Years of Sterile Divisions, is a Sad and Astonishing Coincidence, that can only Strengthen and revive his Legacy, which belongs to the History of all European People, and much more in nowadays World.
Indeed, it's no more than just a Few Weeks ago, that, also UnExpectedly, the Experienced Russian President Vladimir Putin, (who had notoriously met Macron Earlier at Bregancon Fortress on August 2019 : See .., etc), had reportedly Declared, from Moscow, that, in his view, Jacques Chirac was "the Greatest Political Leader in the World" that he knew !
But we First learned about Chirac at a Hard Moment, Back on 1976, when we arrived in France for our Post-Graduate University Studies, (initially due to take place in the UK or USA), in a Period full of Quarells, Splits and Break ups, ("Ruptures" in French), Both at the Right and at the Left Side of the Political Spectrum, when he had felt obliged to Resign from his Top Job as Prime Minister, Brutaly Shocked by a Strange Car "Accident" (that some among his Friends reportedly suspected to have been, perhaps, provoked by unknown factors), and Urgently Hospitalized.
Many Years Later, this Experienced, Long-Time F. Minister and Prime Minister, after Becoming also Elected Mayor of Paris, notoriously Struggled several times for the Presidential Elections, that he Won, Later, Many Times, Finally Deciding even to Sacrifice more than 2 Years of his Presidential Mandate, by Cutting it Shorter than the Initially Scheduled 7 Years - Term, just in order to Spare France from more Inaction and petty internal quarrels Weakening the State's Power to Decide and Act, by that counter-Nature "Co-Habitation" of Opposite Political Forces, from the Left and the Right, which had Costed him a lot of worries in the Recent Past, (and has also notoriously weakened even Germany's capacity to act rapidly and decisively enough), often Contrary to the Will Expressed by the Majority of Citizens...
However, Chirac First attracted our real Attention, Sympathy and Admiration, at around 1999, when he Dared spectacularly Lift the Flag of the Need to Develop an "Autonomous" European Defense, even during a ...NATO Assembly's Plenary Session in Strasbourg, Challenging its Secretary General at those times, a Brittish Socialist who accepted some European Defense, Only if it was Not Autonomous...
This was shortly Followed by the crucial 2001 Electoral Campaign, where his "Socialist" Competitor was even openly Threatening to ...throw him in Jail (sic !), among Petty Slandering Pretexts, but withOut really Daring to Openly Debate on Any Big Political Issue in a crystal-Clear way, while Chirac, once Again, was, on the Contrary, Focusing anew on the Need to Develop a Strong and "Autonomous" Europe in Nowadays World, including on European Defense High-Tech and Other Capacities, (almost as our American Friends had Already done, since a Long Time ago, not hesitating to even Fund, in this way, the Technological Research and Development of their most Performant Big Companies, (which, Afterwards, naturally used that in the Global Economic Competition).
When he Succeeded to WIn, in Both Rounds of that Crucial 2002 Presidential Election, a much Better Period Started, Both in France and in Europe, Not withOut Hard Struggles, and even some punctual Contradictions, (f.ex. on the Controversial and UnPopular Issue of Turkey, that, finally, the European People had to Settle themselves, by "3 No" to French, Dutch and Irish Referenda, until Chirac, as a Big Politician, Understood well the Popular Message, and Adapted accordingly his Policies, Starting Already from Middle 2005 towards 2006, etc).
What Counts most is that Chirac, suddenly unleashed and liberated a visible Strong Will to Create something Really Big in Europe and the World, in Cooperation with Others, to the point that he was even Eager to Check and eventually Promote Any Good Ideas that Friendly or Allied People might Suggest to him, in one way or another, Encouraging, thus, a Wider Creative Mood.
It's a this point that, f.ex., just After Expressing Loudly in Public (at the Inauguration of Strasbourg's Euro-Fair, a Traditional Annual "HotSpot" for manifold Projects 'announcements) our Wish to see, in the foreseable Future, a Modern, High-Speed Train Network, Linking Madrid to Paris and Berlin, etc., until Moscow, throughout all the European Continent's spinal cord, (See a Map), Suddenly, an UnPrecedented yet, "Quadrilateral" Summit between Spain, France, Germany and Russia, was Announced at the Elysée Presidential Palace in Paris, where we found ourselves inside, faster than we could even have dreamed in the Past ! There, almost everybody was also Searching about Big Projects to suggest, (some Russians that we knew from Strasbourg, even kindly Asked for Our Views on some of their alleged Proposals), amidst a wider Creative Atmosphere...
It's true, however, that the 1st Time that we had approached physically towards the Elysee Palace, (by a Coincidence when a Reportedly "Crazy" Individual, had suddenly Attempted to Aggress and Wound or Kill the popular French President, just Brillantly Re-Elected : Something Against which we had naturally Joined a lot of People's Angry Reactions, while also expressing an elementary solidarity and sympathy to the Target of such Brutalities), just in order to Ask some practical Informations for the Future, all out of a sudden, everybody around us was immobilized, the Doors Opened, and a Modern Black Car went out, with Only 1 Person inside, making a Rapid Maneouver, and Astonishingly Stoping, for a while, Right in front of our Face, with that Driver Looking Straight Ahead : We were Surprized to Realize (despite a pair of Black Glasses), that it was France's 1st Lady, Bernadette Chirac hershelf ! Naturally, she Rapidly Drove Away, but that Brief, Unusual Move was so Impressive, that we Never Forgot it...
Notoriously, Chirac often used and entrusted the Good Offices of Bernadette to Diplomaticaly Settle various practical delicate Issues, so that we'll also ever forget France's 1st Lady's Official Venue, Later-on, Near Strasbourg, at Colmar City, on the Occasion of the Inauguration of a Big Replica of New York's World Famous "Statute of Liberty", made by French-Italian Sculptor Bartoldi, who had Lived at Colmar : This happened around 2004, when France and the rest of Europe, apparently had Started to WIsh a Fresh Rapproachment with the USA, After the Crisis and the Notorious Divergence of Views about the Controversial Military Invasion of Iraq, Earlier on March 2003 (See Infra), Searching Now to find a Modus Vivendi for the Future : And it's, really around such Topical Issues, that Bernadette Chirac made a Public Speech, in presence of the American Consul from Strasbourg, as well as she Kindly gave us some Short but Interesting Replies to our relevant Questions to Publish.
Such a Rare Opportunity to Meet and Speak with the 1st Lady of France wasn't offered to us, but Only ... 6 Years Later, when Jacques Chirac had, meanwhile, notoriously resigned from any more Electoral RDV, around 2010 in Strasbourg, where Bernadette Chirac had arrived in the Different Context of her Philanthropic Activities, in a Train rolling throughout all France.
But, in the Meantime, a Lot of various Important Things had Happened !
First of all, surprisingly, Chirac's entourage, and/or even himself, apparently were seriously Examining Many among the various Big Projects' Suggestions, for a Key Role of France in Europe and the World, that We or Others had Published, (even "Anonymously", mainly at "Le Monde"s then Flourishing Internet "Forum", used and read by Many Thousands of People, and with a quite Good Quality then, even if, obviously, any "Competent Service" could easily discover the Real Identity of the Persons which used to regularly Publish there).
The GeoPolitical Context, then, is Mainly that of Jacques Chirac raising the Flag of De Gaulle's "Greater Europe", in order to Express a Crystal-clear Opposition to the Controversial and UnPopular Military Invasion and Occupation of Iraq, since March 2003, by mainly USA and UK Forces, under notoriously Hollow Pretexts and "Fake" Claims (particularly about so-called "Weapons of Mass Destruction", etc) made then mostly by former Brittish "Socialist" Prime Minister Tony Blair, (re-Named by Families and Friends of Young Brittish Soldiers killed at Iraq as : ... "BLIAR" !), as even USA's experienced former White House Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice, (and Afterwards Foreign Minister : State Secretary) Later felt and started to denounce herself.
In that Context, Chirac often animates and almost leads the PanEuropean "Trio" formed by France, Germany and Russia, (Already created since the 1998 CoE's PanEuropean Summit in Strasbourg, under French Presidency, with Chirac and Helmut Kohl, that we had Covered as Journalist). And, particularly from March to August 2003, the Critical Interventions of then Frech Foreign Minister, Dominique de Villepin, at UNO's New York Headquarter's Debates, against the Invasion/Occupatio of Iraq, become Legendary Worldwide.
It's at that Era, that we Publish ("Anonymously" : Comp. Supra) Ideas as such, f.ex., to Bring "Soyuz to Kuru", (concerning Russian Space Rockets at France's and EU's Space Launch Base in Latin America, as it Happened, indeed, later-on, until Now !). Follows also a Proposal to Link France's famous then, High-Speed Train, up to the Russian Network, throughout Siberia, up to Vladivostok, Korea, China's Beijing/Shaghai and Japan, etc, (After, Naturally having Managed, First of all, to Link Madrid-Paris-Berlin-Moscow in Europe : Comp. Supra). And Chirac's Government, indeed, Starts, then, a Pioneer Cooperation Deal between the French Key Company "Alsthom" and an equivalent Russian Group, activated for such "TGV" Projects... Are Added also Ideas such as to Link Danube and Rhine Rivers, Horizontaly, from the Black Sea up to the North Sea, for "Grand Gabarit" High-Tech Ships, able to Transport Liquefied Gas Energy Right from Kaspian and/or Russian Sources, Directly into Europe, as well as to Extend even Southwards, into the Mediterranean Sea, such River Links (Around Strasbourg) via the Rhone River, etc. : The 1st (Danube-Rhine) Starts to Become Technically Possible already since Late 2002. But the 2nd (Rhine-Rhone) is Blocked, mainly by a Controversial "Green" Politician, and some Controversial Claims, which don't seem thoroughly investigated. On the Key Sector of Smart-Phones, (where Europe had, initialy, a notable Advantage, particularly through "Nokia"s Pioneer Finnish Company, added to France's "Chip", etc), we speak, Briefly, with "France Telecom" (Later "Orange"s), CEO, who Visits Strasbourg, and looks a priori Conscious of the Big Future Potential of SmartPhones Globally, But there is No visible Follow-up then, with the Result for France and all Europe to Lose the Chance to Play a Role in that Important Sector, (that Everybody Bitterly Regrets, in Europe, a Decade Later, when Snowden Reveals the World-wide Scandal of SmartPhones' Spying by Obama's USA on 2013, (even the Personal Phone of German Chancelor Angie Merkel !)... Earlier, we had Strongly Denounced the Abandon of (instead of Developin Furher) Hypersonic Airplanes' Technology, from France, during a "Socialist" Government, under the Suspect Pretext of July 200O's Strange Deadly Crash of "Concord" Airplanes near Paris, that Socialists immediately Exploit in order to Waste precious Public Funds Only for an Old Project of a Controversial, Short-Range and Slow-speed, Banal AirBus for Military Logistics Transport, where Turkey enters Inside, (partly because of Mines producing some ingredients used in that plane), attempting to Boost its UnPopular EU "Accession" Claim... When, on the 14th of July 2002, it's Revealed that, in fact, that Sly Manouver served to Exclude France and Europe, precisely from any Hypersonic Technology Airplanes, (the Only Able to Run Fast enough at a Trans-Continental Range of Global Networks), so that USA, the UK and ... Turkey (sic !) would immediately Exploit it in order to Equip their Brand New Military AirFighter, while also Keeping Boeing's "GlobeTrotter'"s quasi-Monopole even in Civilian Trans-Continental AirTravel, it seems Too Late to Rectify that 200O's Blunder of a "Co-Habitation" with "Socialists" in the Past, and, Unless to Investigate and Reveal All the Scandal around Concord's Strange Crash, and its Exploitation since 7/2000, there might be Nothing Else to do, than to Focus, at least, on Boosting France's and All Europe's Autonomous Defense Capabilities, (as Top Defense Minister Michelle Alliot Marie, and former Head of Chirac's Winner Party of "UMP", immediately comes to Strasbourg, meets us, and Vows to do at her Press Conference)... However, EU's Problems with that "Old Coucou" of A400M Military Transport Planes, will Persist, during Many Years, until ... the UK and Turkey, finally Back Off that Deal, and Drop the Old A4OOM for the American Hypersonic AirFighter (CQFD), Revealing that we were Right when we had Warned against abandoning Hypersonic Technology ! In addition, in the meantime, the Efforts of a French CEO at ESA to broker a Deal betwee EU Countries and Russia in order to Jointlu Create a Brand New High-Tech PanEuropean reusable SpaceCraft, apparently Failed, Undermined mainly by UK's Minority Refusal...
Meanwhile, inter alia, the Notorious Chirac - Blair Quarells persist, until the Controversial "Socialist" Prime Minister pushes the Provocation so far, as to Claim, in a Press Conference at the Brittish Embassy in Paris on 2005, (shortly After a "Haut" Meeting with Chirac at the Nearby Elysee Palace, with a Controversy on EU's Budget), that the French President would be "Only" Interested in EU Funds "for Agriculture", while, on the Contrary, the UK would Care for "Science" (sic !). Shortly Afterwards, Jacques Chirac reacts by deciding to Create the "ANR", a Brand New Body for Choosing and Funding Scientific Research and Technological Development, mainly with Public-Private Investments, and Headed by some Important, Imaginative and active French Scientists...
Almost at the Same Time, he creates even Closer Links between France and Germany, thanks to the New, then, Elected Chancelor, Angie Merkel, who is from a Similar Center-Right Party of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, as Chirac : They Meet Together, in so close range Franco-German Summits, as between ...November and December 2005, First in Paris' Elysee Palace, and Afterwards in Berlin's Glienicke Castle, near Potsdam, (where we had the Chance to Participate on Both).
>>> Big Surprize in the 1st : When Merkel arrives, immediately after her Electoral Win, at the Elysee, to meet Chirac, there are Many Journalists packed standing at their Press Conference : However, the French President, curiously Chose, (at his own Initiative) ..us in order to Raise a Question to Both Chiefs of State/Government !
Speaking after the notorious "NO" to the 2005 EU Constitutional Referendum in France, (Not Because Voters wouldn't like Europe, But, in fact, mainly Because Most French People are Opposed to Turkey's Controversial EU "Accession" bid, and didn't have any other way to express that), we simply ask the Franco-German Leaders' Couple, if, since they claim to be "for a Strong Europe", then, will they Manage to Convince Turkey, at least, to Fulfill the Commitments that it has Taken (mainly on Cyprus, etc) ?
- Merkel reacts promptly, Focusing on a "Pacta sund Servanda !", i.e., whenever a State has officially made a Commitment, then, it Must Respect it !, as she tells us, in Reply. Chirac eeems Glad to Simply add that there is a "Full Agreement" between France and Germany, on that key point.
=> The Main Points of my subsequent Article to the Newspaper, where we work then for 15 Years, ("TCWeekly") are immediately Published, and, apparently, widely Commented, (even if some, reportedly, attempt to distord it)...
But, the Next Step, in Berlin, where Chirac and Merkel meet again, curiously just Next Month : on December 2005, is quite Different :
- Even if the overall ambiance is very Kind, there are Not so Many Journalists at this Press Conference, and, when Merkel asks now for "a Journalist from France" to Raise a Question, a Sympathetic Collegue from "AFP", Surprisingly, Gives me, with a Smile, the Opportunity to Speak myself (knowing that I come from Strasbourg) !
I really Feel, at that period of Time, as a "French" up to the Bone, (particularly After the latest Years with Jacques Chirac)... But, I canNot Feel free to Take the Place even of France's main Press Agency, "AFP", that my Collegue obviously represents ! So, I'm Obliged to Decline that Offer, and show that he'd Better Ask a Question himself... He immediately does so, and, in consequence, my Newspaper's Chief Editor, Angry, Censors All my Article from Berlin ! "Punished"...
Meanwhile, However, Chirac, who has Already Understood well, just after the "NO" of the French People to the May 2005 EuroReferendum, that EU Citizens want to "be More Strict with Turkey, concerning the Conditions" put on her UnPopular EU "Accession" bid, as he Characteristically said in Brussels' June 2005 Summit's Press Conference.
He apparently has the Idea to use, for that purpose, the Blatant Violations of Ankara's elementary Commitments on Cyprus, (where the Foreign Turkish Army notoriously persists to Occupy the EU Member Country's Northern Territories, since the 1974 Military Invasion), which are, then, Simply to ... Stop Hindering all Ships bearing Cyprus' Flag to pass from Turkey's Seaports, whenever necessary. (A point Damaging Cyprus' Ship Industry, as well as Dignity as a State, but Nothing more, i.e. a Minimal EU Requirement from Turkey, since when Ankara started its Controversial "Accession Negotiations". But Ankara doesN't seem Ready to do Not Even that little)... A Similar Idea to use this Cyprus' Legitimate Pretext, in order to Stop Turkey's UnPopular EU bid, was soon Advised also by German MEP Hans Poettering, Chairman of EU Parliament's ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group, and Later EU Parliament's President, (as he told us).
=> Thus, Chirac lets Dominique de Villepin (that he has, Meanwhile, promoted into Prime Minister), practically Tell us that, at least Twice : First at New York's UNO Gatherings, on September 2005, (something which immediately makes Top Headline News, then !), and Afterwards, also, (with some More Details), on January 2006, at Matignon, in Paris. Finally, this logically Leads to a Collective, Official Decision of the EU, taken at the December 2006 EU Brussels' Summit, "Freezing" a Series of EU "Accession" Negotiation Chapters, in relation with Ankara's above-mentioned Refusal to Honor its Commitments officially undertaken vis a vis the EU.
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On 2006, Chirac seems to Focus more towards the UNO.
First, inter alia, he apparently convinces UNO's Secretary General Koffi Annan to get a French Spokesman and Press Director for the International Organisation : It's the very Good, Active, Sober and Efficient Stephan Dujarric, that we know since his Previous Job as Geneva-based UN Press Attaché, we have already Cooperated Well with him at a very Delicate Moment in EU Parliament in Strasbourg on 2001, and Worked anew with him at Many Other, Various Occasions, Afterwards, including in Paris, at UNO's New York Headquarters, etc., and who Continued to Work also with Ban Ki Moon, and Now Antonio Guterres. (The Previous UNO Press Spokesman, a Serious and quite Helpful guy too, was of Anglosaxon origin, until he Retired). Dujarric's Nomination is announced during Annan's Visit to Paris.
+ Most Important, even after a Hard and Serious Preparatory Work, Chirac succeeds to receive an apparently adequate Official Mandate for France, by the UNO, in order to Supervise International Efforts for efficient Peace-Keeping at Lebanon's Borders to Israel, where Bloody Conflicts had suddenly broken out on 2006, But, since then, everything seems Calm and in order. Curiously, Germany takes the Lead of the ...Marine Forces in that UNO Peace Keeping Operation, practically supervising Lebanon's SeaCoasts, and Based in Cyprus, (where Merkel visits soon).
++ He also deals with Climate Issues, including by Organising a landmark International Conference in Paris, which Concludes at Elysee Palace with a Chirac speech, etc. There, happens something UnExpected and Exceptional : At the End, President Chirac, accompagnied by a Press Attaché, arrives, Smiling, there where we were standing, Smiles Kindly, and simply asks if things go well... Probably Exhausted by some Previous Events, and certainly Astonished by such an UnPrecedented "Gift", but also Anxious that our Chief Editor of "TCWeekly" might probably Not Publish anything without a "Spicy" Political Meaning of his likes, and erronesouly Thinking that Chirac was almost an "Eternal" Big Figure, that would just be Present there, as long as France and Europe will exist, ..."we" Commit a very Regrettable Error, in fact a Blunder, which is unlike our real, conscious personality, that we shall Never Excuse to ourselves : - We just respond with a few Kind Words, wishing also "Bon Courage Mr. President", but don't ask then any "Spicy" Press Question... That's a BIG ERROR : We'll Never again have any Opportunity to Meet Chirac in so Easy to Speak in Dialogue circumstances, until he Decides, a Few Months Later, to Announce that he definitively Quits the Presidency !...
>>> Meanwhile, Jacques Chirac organizes, at "Compiegne Castle", near Paris, a Franco-German-Russian Summit, Together with Angie Merkel and Vladimir Putin, on late September 2006, which, we Sincerely Felt, that it probably was, in fact, his main Political "Testament", Marking his personal View of Europe and the World.
The Historic Building looks Interesting, as also the Topical Political Issues discussed in that Summit among the 3 Biggest Countries of the Greater Europe. Our then Newspaper "TCWeekly" publishes at least a part of our Press Correspondance from that important event.
=> But, the Real Event, is, Unexpectedly, Elsewhere, and of anOther, Exceptional Kind !
Suddenly, an Experienced Elysée's Press Attaché, unexpectedly asks us if we would like to take an Original Photograph of the 3 Leaders, when they Leave. We obviously agree, and, Together only with another one, specialist Photographer, (something already, quite Strange, given the Big Number of Journalists working there at that moment) Follow her, accross a Long Way around the Castle's Foundations, towards its Other Side, which has a Superbe Opening at a Huge "Green" Space of almost 1 km long, and very Large, towards some Mountainous Cliffs amidst a Surrounding Forest.
Emperor Napoleon reportedly used to Galop there, with many Horses and Soldiers, until a Majestic Central Area, further above, creating an Impressive overall Visual effect.
Meanwhile, Jacques Chirac, first Speaks with Both Merkel and Putin, insists to Show them that Really Superb Big Area's Opening towards a Splendid Horizon.
Afterwards accompagnies them near their Helicopters, and Salutes, one after another, (first Putin, and afterwards Merkel), Slowly, Majesticaly, but Friendly, (as if he wished to take his time, as well as to give them another Chance to see even more from that Wonderful Landscape, and Feel its Natural Greatness, with what it Evokes).
Finally, when they are gone, instead of Leaving, immediately, himself, suddenly, Chirac prefers to Stay Alone, just Looking at that Horizon !
Even when his Car comes to take him, after getting in, he Still prefers to simply Stay there, with the Windows Open, Watch and apparently Think at something.
Rapidly, the Guardian of the Castle takes profit from such a chance to have the President, all alone at his workplace, and brings his Young Child to Salute him...
Chirac, apparently moved, kindly takes the Child's hand, caresses his Head, and salutes him with a Smile. Then, he drops it, and Looks again Towards that Huge Opening at the Horizon.
(We are Silently staying almost Behind him, at his Right Side, partly behind a Bush, so that he probably has not even noticed that we were still standing there, surprized and amazed).
Finally, after Breathing deeply and Watching always at the Horizon, with his Hand still pending from the Car's Window where he had Saluted that Child, Jacques Chirac, having spend there almost a countless Eternity, shoftly gives a sign for the Driver to Start Going Away.
For us, such a Surprizing, unprecedented, but very Human Spectacle, was naively but Deeply Felt as a kind of Sign that President Chirac had Shown to his Hosts a Symbolic image of the Greatness, Peace and Bright Light, that a United Big Europe (as De Gaulle wished) could Achieve for its People,
and that, after this, perhaps considered that his main Historic Mission might have been accomplished, Deciding to Leave.
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+ About 10 Years After, on 2015, the Biggest Report ever written in the UK's History, Longer even than Shakespear's Collected Works, that of a Committee mandated to Investigate Controversial former Brittish "Socialist" Prime Minister Tony Bliar's (pardon : Blair's) alleged Responsibilities vis a vis the Destructive and Deadly Iraq's Invasion and Occupation since 3/2003,
>>> Reminded, in several places, the Fact that French President Chirac, had Timely and Clearly WARNED, several Times, that such a Tragic and apparently UnExplicable Blunder, inter alia, also Risked to Provoke a Desastrous "Islamist Terrorism" against all the Western World, affecting mainly Europe !
=> Some Months Later, Neither the Journalists Atrociously Murdered at "Charlie Hebdo", nor those Hundreds of Young People Brutally and Cowardly Massacrated at "Bataklan", shortly Afterwards, (etc), didn't have the Time to Realize that History was just Starting, then, to prove that Jacques Chirac's Warning had been Justified.
(../..)
(DraftNews)
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Strasbourg Region President Rottner to EF: High-Tech TransBorder EU Coop. on Education/Research

*Strasbourg/Press Club/Angelo Marcopolo/- The Only Region's President in Europe who has just decided to Leave his Office during several Months, Each Day for 50% of the Time, in order to return Back Working as a Simple Dr. of Medicin in "Urgent" Local Hospital Services, to Help Alleviate a Serious Lack of Medical Workers particularly in neighboring Rural Areas, which has Already Costed some Human Lives Recently, by provoked Delays of Life-Saving Timely Health Care, Jean Rottner, New President of Strasbourg's "Great East" Region, Replying to "Eurofora"s Questions at a Press Conference organized by Strasbourg/Europe Press Club, also Stressed his Interest to Develop a "Fluid Network" between "High-Schools/Colleges and Universities", including "Trans-Border" Cooperations, Bringing Together 5 EU Countries at the Heart of Europe, particularly on Artificial Intelligence.
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- "Eurofora" asked Rottner about the Role of the Region concerning Education in Lyceums (High Schools/Colleges) up to University level Research, particularly considering the Exceptional Cooperation Potential of the "Great East" Region with its Swiss, German (3 Landers), and Belgian TransBorder links with France, at the Heart of Europe, (while also Neighboring with Paris' Region "Ile de France", as he had just mentioned himself earlier). Would it be interesting to eventually create f.ex. some kind of "European Lyceums", from the point of view of Facilitating Employment, University Studies, Scientific Research, etc ?
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- "There are Many things" in that point : - On Lyceums, (High Schools or Colleges) we are, Now, at a Phase of last Validations, and what is called "Employment and Qualification Cites", which can Bring Together the (Education) Academy, the Universitarians, Lyceums, Professionals, Consulars, etc., so that we can have the Competences able to Develop a Link from College up to Higher, University circles, around Issues of Fluid Networks for Jobs, which is Important."
- "Something on which we can Dream is, f.ex., around Nancy (City), about the "Industry of the Future" and "Materials", on which there is a Project, we are also Thinking, around Reims (City), its Agricultural producers and the University of Champagne-Ardennes, on Wine-related, Qualified Jobs, and other, various Interesting concrete leads.
+ Most Important : - "Yes", he Positively Replied to "Eurofora"s above-mentioned Key Question : - "Nowadays, we (Strasbourg's "Great East" Region) are currently Searching to Create may be TransBorder Establishments (NB), around some very Specific Themes", he Announced.
=> - F.ex., to "have a Lyceum (High-School/College) Specialized around <<Artificial Intelligence>>, that's really something that Interests me !", President Rottner Highlighted, ambitiously.
- Because "also (France's) National Education is Interested in that, Our Partners are also Interested. Now, what matters is to find how to realize that, even if it might, perhaps, seem complicated. Future TransBorder Cooperations should Facilitate such kind of Projects", he urged.
+ Now, "as far as University Research is concerned, we Already have the <<European University>> links around Strasbourg and Mulhouse, as well as the <<Superior Rhine>> (OberRhein), (i.e. France, Germany and Switzerland). I know that the City of Reims tries to Develop something Similar, and we are going to Encourage and Support them", since "these are important projects".
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- Recently, we narrowly Missed 1 such Project, so "I Gathered Together all Our People, and Asked What we were going to do Now : Shall we just Let that be, or Shall We reAct ?"
>>> - "We Decided to reAct, and, in a Few Months, a Plan Emerged, which Includes Luxembourg, includes Manheim (Germany), includes Karslruhe, includes Freiburg, and a UN Expert" (etc), "and which Interests also Xavier Bertrand (President of Neighboring "Haut de France" Region in North-Western France) : We try to be extremely Concret, to use Existing Cooperations, as well as WorkShops which will be Created : The 1st in Luxembourg, around "Health", a 2nd one in Germany, anywhere our German Friends prefer, around the "Industry of the Future", and a 3rd one in France, at the Western side of Our Region, around "Bio-Economy", he announced. "All this provides a Structure, and Rapproaches".
=> - 'Indeed, concerning Universities Nowadays, instead of Searching some Projects located too Far Away, it's Better to Respond to what Our Businesses are Asking for, to Reply to Big Groups' Demands : F.ex., when you have such a Plan that is able to Gather Together "TOTAL", "SIEMENS", and "IBM", etc., who Declare their Participation, then, this Raproachment between the Scientific, Economic, and Political aspects and actors, when it's Intelligently made, then, it's Able to Offer Large Areas for Movement, compared to some National Plans", he concluded.
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+ President Rottner expressed his "Satisfaction", for the fact that "our (French) Regional Universities are Able to Build such a Big Joint Project on "Enhanced Intelligence" and "Artificial Intelligence", that I Find Interesting, reaching about 350 Millions €, with the Quality and Competence of 5 Strong Universities United Together, including f.ex. the (nearby German) Universities of Karlsruhe, Luxembourg, Sarrebruck, etc". To that is also Added Strasbourg's University Projects on Health, elsewhere in Bio-Economy, Nancy's University with "Materials and Industry of the Future", etc, so that, Step by Step, somewhere at the Heart of Europe, until Basel (at Nearby Switzerland) appears a Growing Point, amidst the World, which could Become f.ex. a "Valley of Artificial Intelligence", Rottner Highlighted at the foreseable Horizon.
+ Meanwhile, anOther, Parallel, Important Advantage of Strasbourg's Region in this regard, are also the Recently Fast Growing Developments, in the PanEuropean COE's Organisation, HeadQuartered in Strasbourg, which has notoriously Boosted various Converging Meetings, Conferences, Debates, Studies, and Pioneer Legal Standard-Making Decisions, precisely on "Artificial Intelligence" and Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law Safeguards, among its 47 Member States and well Beyond in the World.
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Boosted particularly by CoE's Director for Information Society and against Crime, Jan Kleijssen, a very Experienced Senior Officer from Austria, Recent and Forthcoming Moves on Artificial Intelligence were also the 1st concrete Issue on which the New COE's Secretary General, Marija Buric from Croatia (2019-2024), a former vice-Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, chose to Start Working Personaly, (Almost at the Same Time as for Freedom of Expression, in the case of Murdered Web Journslist Daphne Caruana-Galicia), by Acively Participating at the 1st Meeting of a Brand New CoE's Body of Experts specialized in preparing Legal Standard-setting for Human Rights and Democracy in that Key Modern Domain, which has also attracted EU Parliament's recent attention in other relevant events organized here.
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Naturally, this is Not the Only Potential of this TransBorder Area at the Heart of Europe, with the Meaning that President Rottner just described :
- F.ex., among others, Already since 2010, at an Exceptionaly Important Meeting of the "Superior Rhine" ("OberRhein") Inter-Regional Cooperation between France, Germany and Switzerland, an Experienced University Professor from Germany, had proposed to Build a United Education/Reseach Network on Top "Judicial" Issues, Based on the Proximity of the PanEuropean "ECHR" in Strasbourg, with the very important German "Constitutional Court" at nearby Karlsruhe (BVG), which, notoriously, Deals a lot with EU/CoE Legal Rules. + Meanwhile, After the Creation of Strasbourg's Bigger Region of the "Great East", since 2015/2016, was Added there also "EU's Court of Justice" (ECJ) at Luxembourg, as well as the progressive Development, until 2019, of UNO's "World Council on Human Rights", at nearby Geneva (Switzerland).
=> Thus, there are, Nowadays, at least Four (4) Big Judicial Bodies, of European/PanEuropean/International interest, which are Located in or Near Strasbourg's "Great East" Region, Following more or less Similar Procedures, and Applying Moral, Economic and/or Political Rules into the Concrete SItuations of Each Case, of European/Paneuropean/International Interest. To those could be Also added the Paris-located French Constitutional Court, and/or Highest Administrative or Civil Law Courts ("Conseil d'Etat" + "Cour de Cassation"), since "Ile de France" Region of Paris is Adjacent to the "Great East" Region of Strasbourg, and the systematic Comparison of France and Germany's Highest Courts would Certainly be of Great Technical and Scientific Interest.
So that Strasbourg's New Big Region of "Great East" has, Nowadays, an outreach into ... Seven (7) Similar Kind of prestigious Institutions, from National (Franco-German) to European/PanEuropean/International Levels : A Unique Concentration, withOut Any Other Equivalent, in the whole World !
+ A Similar over-Concentration of EU, COE and UNO (etc) Civil Servants, from Geneva to Brussels, (Both in Adjacent Regions), through Stasbourg (CoE, SCHENGEN, EUROCORPS) and Luxembourg (ECJ), etc., as well as Frankfurt (ECB), and why not Paris (OECD, UNESCO, etc - another Adjacent Region), and/or Bonn (UNFCCC), could Justify the Creation of a Similar "Fluid Network" for Training, various relevant Jobs, Studies and Research on European/PanEuropean/International Civil Servants and other related Staff, Specialized Press/Medias, Consultants/Lobbyists/Secretariat/Experts in EU/CoE/International Relations, "from College up to University", as President Rottner highlighted Earler (Comp. Supra), in a Larger Extension of the pionier "ITIRI" Project, at Strasbourg's University, that Professor Bouzar had Succesfully initiated, attracting many Motivated and Efficient Young People, - particularly if French President Macron really Decides, as he Recently Planned, to Stop the Historic, Landmark "ENA" School for Top Administration Officers, Based in Strasbourg, (also with its 2 Years Masters/DEA Franco-German Course, International Sections, etc).
On the Obvious Condition that all this is Forged in a Way Aiming to Create and Develop really Motivated, Active an Efficient Staffers/Civil Servants, Dedicated to the General Interest, and well Conscious of their Mission and Responsibilities. Not at all just another Bureaucracy, But, Hopefully and Resolutely aiming to Inspire and Reach an Opposite Result...
+ The Region's largely Bi-Lingual or even Multi-Lingual, Traditional and New Characteristics, are Naturally a "Plus", which could be Cultivated Further - at Least into a Tri-Lingual : French + German + English Format, (which, in Fact, has much More Coherence and Historic Roots, at least in Vocabulary, and is much More Easy and Practical, than it seems at First Sight).
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+ Around and in Addition to all that, "Great East" Region's President, Jean Rottner, also Pleads in Favour of a Resolute, Selective but Voluntarist Development of Trains' collective public transport Lines, Whenever Necessary, by Opening them to European a.o. "Competition"), particularly towards Luxembourg, (i.e., practicaly Facilitating even Train trips Heading to/Coming from Brussels), But also Towards the Superb Rural Areas of the "Vosges" Mountains and Forests, f.ex. by Reviving the Train link between Strasbourg and Epinal, called "Macron Line", as he Reminded, pointing at the French President's 2018 Visit to EU Parliament in Strasbourg, after which he immediately Headed to Epinal, in order to Inaugurate a PanEuropean Series of "EU Citizens' "Debates on the Future of Europe", (See "Eurofora"s NewsReports from Strasbourg, Epinal and Saint Dié, then, at: ... + ... +..., etc).
There, "Eurofora" Realized, Later-on, this Year, the Value of those Natural Rural Areas, during a Torrid Summer 2019, when we Met with a Young Swiss Couple, from Geneva, who claimed that they had come there, All the Way from ...Switzerland, in order "to BREATH" Fresh Air at a Mountain's Forest !
However, for "Hyper-Local" Areas, where Train Links are Often practically Impossible or counter-productive, (even by Focusing Just on Main Destinations), and Sometimes also Regular Bus lines, perhaps Even "Bus by Demand", (f.ex. concerning Tiny Villages of Less than "51 Houses", etc.), then, anOther Practical Possibility, Personaly Witnessed by "Eurofora"s co-Founder in Switzerland in the Past, while we were trying to Reach a Remote Mountainous Area, Near Burgenstock, where UNO's Secretary General had Organized a Top Political Meeting on 2004, in a Super Lux Hotel ...isolated, on a Mountain's Top, surounded by a Lake, withOut any known Access to a Few Houses rending Rooms, Nearby...
=> The Only Way to go there with Public Transport, (during a Hard Winter Time period), was ...to Jump into the Swiss POST Yellow Car, which was Distributing Letters to the Few Inhabitants (reachable by Internet) : Indeed, it Worked just Fine ! A very Practical way to Simplify Hyper-Local, "On Demand" Public Transports in Isolated Remote Rural Areas, even withOut Any Cumbersome Addition : You just Jumb in a Postman's Car, (with, usually, at least 1 to 3 Places Free), at a Main Rail-Road Station's Post-Office, and/or Elsewhere during his Usual Daily Trip, and Simply Follow his Normal, Regular Round Travel, Stopping and Getting Out at Your Desired Destination in one among the Many Stops that the Postman's Yellow Car has, at any case, Scheduled to Stop Every Day ... It Only takes to have Organized a Web Page at the Internet, showing clearly the Post's Regular Trajectories, Stops, and approximate Time-tables, (which, normaly, are Already Ready, at any case).
It's, precisely, this "Swiss" Way of Postal Networks Organisation throughout even Huge Areas of Land, that, already, ...Marco Polo had notoriously WItnessed and Admired, for the 1st Time in History, at Kubilai Han's China, almost 1 Thousand Years Ago, Afterwards "Importing" and Spreading the Idea into Europe, with his Famous Book on the "Wonders of the World" !
Nowadays, that we Already dispose of such Practical Post Networks, we don't have but Only to Start Using them adequately, in order to Help ReVive Rural Areas in the Most Simple way.
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+ AnOther Main Point for "Great East" Region's President Rottner was, this Time, to Plead for his Decision to Resolutely Start Developing a Wide-Spread Movement of what was Called as "Lyceum" (High School/College) "4.0" :
- I.e. a largely Popular and High-Tech, Massive Investment, in order to Equip ALL Students with ...Personal Computers, thoughout all Areas of the "Great East" Region, soon to be equiped Also with a "4G" Wireless Internet Network !
- F.ex., the Total Number of concerned "Young People" in this Strasbourg's "Great East" Region being calculated at about "217.000" People, Already, Between 110.000 and 180.00 Computers have reportedly Started to be Distributed to that Population, throughout all the area ! Strasbourg's Region was, reportedly, the 1st in France to make such a Pioneer Choice, but this Started Soon to be Followed also in several Other Regions of the Country...
+ This is Backed by an adequate Pedagogical Overhaul, to prepare Teachers and Students to a Digital Enviroment in School, and Reinforced even by a Free Access to All Audio-Visual Archives and News of the European, basically Franco-German Cultura TV Channel "ARTE", (Headquartered in Strasbourg, Near EU Parliament's Tower), President Rottner added. Meanwhile, "Orange" is expected to progressively Boost its Internet Networks also a Rural Areas, Extending Further the First 4G Networks which has Started Previously in Alsace, (See relevant "Eurofora"s NewsReport, when Emanuem Macron was stll Economy Minister, together with Former "Great East" Region President Philippe Richert, of the Same Political Party of Mainstream Center Right "Repubicans", who, Later, resigned, leaving his place to Jean Rottner, elected Next President by the Regional Representatives, for a Timely Preparation of the forthcoming, 2021 Regional Elections, at: ..., etc).
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Before the end of 2009, France and Germany will take strong initiatives to open "new Horizons" needed by Europe and the World, going well beyond the current Crisis' management, anounced French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angie Merkel, reassuring that both a judgement on Lisbon Treaty by nearby Karlsruhe German Federal Court, and the forthcoming National Elections in Germany would confirm their capacity to act.
They were replying to Press questions in Berlin, after key-regional elections on Sunday, where Merkel's ChristianDemocratic party kept everywhere a strong 1st and won the possibility to forge a New Majority with Liberals at the largest of 3 Landers : Saxony (4 millions inhabitants), while its main competitor, the Socialdemocrat party fell to unprecedented lows : Tackled by the small "Linke" (left) party in Saarland (1 million inhabitants), it became even smaller than it in Saxony and Thuringen (3 million inhabitants), where SPD arrived only third. While its usual partners, the "Greens" also fell down, contrary to CDU's new partners, the FDP Liberals, who go up.

- "At any case, at the end of the year (2009), if things go as scheduled, we shall take strong initiatives, showing that Europe needs a Franco-German axis, as well as the World, even if it never excludes other" countries to join, replied Sarkozy to a question if France and Germany will revive the "European dream", by "relauncing the EU motor" for the Future, with actions going further than the mere management of the global crisis, (as it was done fex. in the Past with the creation of the "Euro" Monetary zone, etc).
- "I am convinced that the Franco-German friendship must be constantly nourished by New Projects", he added."There are many areas of cooperation where we intend to take, very soon, some Franco-German initiatives, which will allow to open more Horizons" to the EU, Sarkozy stressed.
But if "we don't speak about that now, it's only in order to avoid interfering in important elections coming in Germany", he observed. However, "we have already started to consider the Future with the (German) Chancellor, and what we can do in order to honour our predecessors". "We are already speaking about that, and we are preparing things". "I am working very well together with Mrs Merkel, and I wish that it goes on", Sarkozy concluded.

- "It's important for EU's credibility that France and Germany advance forward together", stressed Merkel from the outset. "Don't worry about Germany's capacity to undertake initiatives" with France, she added. "France and Germany will be perfectly able to make proposals" for the EU.
- "After-crisis" plans must be prepared, meanwhile, with measures "advancing progressively", Merkel anounced. And, for the short term, we must deal also with EU Citizens' dismay since they feel that it's a Scandal for some in the Financial Markets to be paid with excessive "Bonuses", etc, she agreed with Sarkozy.
- "Abuses in financial markets must stop", stressed also Sarkozy. Backing Merkel's announcement that France and Germany call for an EU meeting to forge "a crystal-clear European position" in view of the G-14 Summit at Pittsburg, he warned that "everyone will have to undertake his responsibilities, in front of World's Public Opinion. particularly those who don't want to make the same effort of regulation as France and Germany".
Moreover, "Global Trade cannot be correctly dealt, without taking into account also Environmental and Social rules", Sarkozy added, referring to recently expressed positions against Unfair Competition via Environmental and/or Social Dumping, (See earlier "EuroFora"'s publications).
Such moves are obviously linked to the need to ensure at least an elementary respect for Human Rights by Third Countries, (f.ex. exploitation of Children's work, etc) in order to avoid, precisely, any such Social Dumping.
- "EU has Values, protecting Human Rights and Human Dignity", and "it cannot close its eyes" in front of grave violations, particularly "Torture and/or killings", added, indeed, Sarkozy.
Thus, "the time comes, where decisions must be taken". But, in case of "Sanctions", "all International opinion should be convinced of the need to take action", he observed.
Expressed on the occasion of recent developments in Iran, the same principles should logically apply also to other similar cases, including fex. that of Hundreds of ECHR judgements' condemning f;ex. Turkey for grave crimes, (as Torture, brutal Killings, Enforced "Disappearances", Destruction of Family Homes, harassments and oppressive violations of Freedom of Speech, etc).
Meanwhile, questioned on (EU Commission's chair) Barroso's bid to succeed himself for a second mandate, they both expressed a "wish" or a "feeling" that "EU Parliament"'s various political Groups might fix a date for decisions "during September". However, is he is endorsed before the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, it will be legally necessary to re-vote anew for a full term of office afterwards, according to EU Legal Experts, revealed recently in Strasbourg the experienced former President of EU Parliament's Constitutional Committee, German Socialist MEP Jo Leinen. And Germany will not vote for Lisbon Treaty's ratification but only "on September 8 and 18", revealed Merkel, ( i.e. after EU Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg).
- Therefore, "for EU Commissioners' appointment, it's too early yet, because we must wait for the ratification of Lisbon Treaty" by all 27 EU Member countries, including naturally Ireland's Referendum on early October, said to "EuroFora" the influential President of EU Parliament's largest group of MEPs, Joseph Daul, expressing, however, the hope that a controversial deal with the head of the Socialist Group of MEPs, Martin Schultz of Germany, might hold for Barroso alone, at a forthcoming vote due to fix the Strasbourg plenary's Agenda.
But MEPs reportedly just "postponed" for 1 week all their previously scheduled group meetings (See : http://www.euractiv.com/en/future-eu/barroso-unveil-summer-homework-week/article-184825 );
However, while the choice of a new EU Commission's President by EU Parliament is supposed, according to many MEPs' wish, take place according to EU policy issues, paradoxically, this would mean that Barroso's bid would pass before even the anouncement of France and Germany's "initiatives" for EU's "new Horizons"...