newsitems

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- After stressing to Journalists her "Firm Belief to Human Rights" and her Intention to "treat All CoE's Member States Equally", the New CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly's (PACE) President, for the 1st Time in History from Cyprus, ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Stella Kyriakides' initial interventions emerged among CoE's Committee of Minister's President-in-office (for May - November 2017), Czech President Milos Zeman's, and CoE's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland's Topical Statements on Russia :

Leading during 3 Rounds, Kyriakides finally Won a Competition vis a vis the Mainstream, Long-Time MEP Emanuelis Zingeris, from Lithuania, with a Majority of More than 130 against about 90 Votes. Zingeris was the Official Candidate of PACE's Biggest Group, that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, endorsed also by several Liberals. While Kyriakides, who comes also from the Same Group (EPP), was endorsed even by Socialist, Leftist, Conservative and Liberal MEPs, (See: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/coeassemblynewpresidentvote.html )

(Stella Kyriakides + Emaniuelis Zingeris, with Axel Fischer, EPP Chairman - Photo Eurofora)

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+ In her Brief, Inauguration Speech, this Afternoon, she Promised "Calmness, consensus, Credibility and Unity", Fight "against Corruption" and for "Ethics", with "the Support of All Political Groups, the Secretary General, and the Staff of the CoE", at this "ExtraOrdinary Time", full of "Chalenges and Responsiblities". as she said.

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Starting to Chair her 1st PACE Debate on MEPs' Questions to CoE's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland, President Kyriakides topically reminded the fact that, recently, "the Russian Federation – informed us that it was Suspending the payment of the remaining (2/3) parts of its 2017 Financial contribution to the Organisation’s Budget", and observed that CoE's "Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly bear a Shared responsibility for preserving the Organisation’s Unity and effective Capacity", so that they "Need to Work Together".

 

=> Therefore, (just 1 Day before an Exceptional CoE's Assembly - Committee of Ministers' meeting, due to take place Tomorrow, Wednesday Afternoon), she immediately Incited Jagland to present Today his "View on that Issue" to PACE's Public Debate.

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Czech President MILOS ZEMAN (CoE's Chair)
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But, Meanwhile, it's already the Chairman-in-office of COE's Highest Political body : that of its Committee of Ministers, currently the experienced President of the Czech Republic, Milos Zeman, who had Just had such an Opportunity, to present his own View on that Same Topical Matter to MEPs, by a Timely "Coincidence", only a Few Hours Earlier Today :

- Indeed, Replying from the outset to a Similar Question (on EU + COE's various "Sanctions" to Russia), Zeman went Right to the point :

- This is "probably (the) most Important question" nowadays at CoE's PanEuropean dimension, he observed.

 - "Political Old-Timers", like me, "have plenty of Experiences", and "mine is that it is very difficult to make friends, and very easy to invent enemies"...

- Still Today, "Europe is a continent Divided by many lines. One of those Lines is between Russia and the rest of Europe – the EU" Even if it might not be a mere "Repetition of the (former) <<Iron Curtain>>", nevertheless "there is still a Division Line".

- Concerning "Sanctions", President Zeman described a real anecdote, when, "Approximately 20 years ago, I visited Miami and met Cuban Exiles. I told them, “Your Strategy against the political system in Cuba is wonderful. All those Boycotts, Embargoes and Sanctions ! ....with 1 small Mistake: Fidel Castro has been the President of Cuba for 40 Years"...

 - "I am Not discussing the Justification for Sanctions; I am discussing the Efficiency of sanctions. Just today, the German newspaper, Die Welt, published an article saying that the EU Loses out from the sanctions, which do practically No Damage to Russia. We all speak about <<Win-Win>> strategies, but that is a <<Lose-Lose>> strategy !", he Denounced.

>>> Indeed, this was exactly the Finding also of Experienced OECD's Head, Angel Guria, when he Replied, already some Years Earlier, here in Strasbourg (that he was Visiting also Today, for the Traditional Annual PACE's Debate on OECD's Economic Outlook), to a relevant Question raised then by "Eurofora" on the Repercussions of EU/USA "Sanctions" against Russia, to the Detriment of EU's Economic Growth :  - Guria had clearly Acknowledged the Fact that such Controversial Moves Hindered EU's Growth Potential, and Lowered considerably its level down, Warning for Negative Consequences at the immediate Future, (See ....).

=> - "Instead of sanctions, I recommend Communication between People, at many levels", Zeman suggested, speaking as a matter of General Principle. F.ex.,,"We need the exchange of students, tourists, entrepreneurs, politicians and so on, because that alone may Change the politics of the countries we understand to be non-democratic or semi-democratic", he proposed Widely.

+ "I will give one more example against sanctions :  If you wish to increase the Popularity of Leaders – I am not speaking only about Mr Putin – then apply sanctions and blockades. Psychologically, there is the Myth of the <<Surrounded Fortress>>. That myth Needs a Strong Leader, and Mr Putin’s Popularity is growing all the time. He has an 81% Popularity rating, and I am sure that a substantial part of that has been provoked just by sanctions"...

=> - "To Conclude is very simple: I believe that the role of the CoE is to strengthen the Friendship between European Nations. To quote (Hostoric former French President) Charles de Gaulle : - Europe is a continent that stretches “from the Atlantic to the Urals”. It perhaps stretches to the Pacific Ocean", he reminded, GeoPolitically speaking.

+ In addition, "You canNot Divide European Culture from Russian Culture :" F.ex., "Tchaikovsky is as important as Beethoven. Dostoevsky is as important as Shakespeare. Solzhenitsyn is as important as Hemingway, and so on. Why (then) try to Divide the Political structure of Europe, if you would be Against the Division of European Culture ?", he critically wondered.

>>> "That is why I believe that the CoE's endeavour towards Friendship, and Not Hostility and Hatred, among European Nations – including Russia – will be Successful in the Long term", President Zeman concluded optimistically.

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 - Concerning Moscow's recent Refusal to Pay a part of its Contribution, as long as Russian MEPs' Rights are not Guaranteed in PACE, he wondered :

- "If you don't have Russian representatives in this Assembly, then, Why Pay the Money for an Organisation to which you do Not Participate ? It's a very Simple Question".

  - "It is, they told, me, approximatvely 10% of the (CoE's) Total Budget : an Enormous Amount of Money".

=> - "But, if you want to Change the Attitude of any Human Person, or every State, it Must be Present in a Dialogue", Zeman advised.

 >>>  - Because, "if it is Excluded from the Dialogue", as "Taylerand said : <<It is Worse than a Crime : It is a Mistake !...>>", he strongly Denounced, as a matter of General Principle.

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+ However, he added, immediately afterwards, in Reply also to anOther Question, raised, on behalf of PACE's Biggest Political Group, that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, by Lithuanian MEP Vareikis, about "Imposing Sanctions for Morality, or ... Lifting Sanctions for Business Interest", as he had said, President Zeman rectified more precisely :

- "If you compare Moral policy, with so-called <<Real-Politik>> – a German term – you are sometimes unhappy that moral policy has nearly no success. But still, deep in my heart, I believe, (even if I support the economic interest), that withOut protection of Human Rights, any Business is Only a Short-term one", he Warned, as a matter of General Principle.

+ This Key point (by Zeman) was furher Developed, shortly Afterwards Today, by Jagland (See Infra) :

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CoE's S.G. JAGLAND
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+ Concerning, now, various other MEPs' Questions on Russia to CoE's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland, around PACE New President Kyriakides', abpve mentioned querry (Comp. Supra), things became even More Concrete :

- "If you see this (Russia's Decision to "Freeze" 2/3 of its Annual Financial Contribution to CoE's Budget, until Russian MEPs' Rights are Guaranteed inside PACE : Comp. Supra),  as a Financial problem, you get it Wrong", Jagland warned.

- "It is of course a Challenge for us if a member State does not pay its fee. That is simply unacceptable; we cannot have member States that do not finance the budget. If a member State does not finance the budget, it cannot be a member. It causes a financial problem – but that can be overcome. If you are referring to the Russian Federation, that is 10% of the budget, and that means we have to restructure the Organisation and reduce staff by 10%. That is clear and it can be done", he found.

>>>  - "But we are looking into Why we have this Crisis, and we are trying to Solve it, because it has a Wider Political Implication : - We have to ask ourselves whether we want to have a CoE with, or withOut Russia !", Jagland resumed sharply...

=>  "For me, the Central Question goes to the Core mandate of the CoE– namely, to Protect Citizens in our member States. I want to see all our member States on board so that we can Use all our Instruments to Protect Human Rights in Russia, as well as in all other countries. That is what the whole Issue is about".

   - Indeed, "Our (CoE's)  Mission is to see how we can Use our Instruments in the best way. If a member State does not want to be a member, it is up to them, but we will do what we can to keep our member States under the European Convention on Human Rights, and the European Court of Human Rights, because we want to Protect the rights of their Citizens", Jagland stressed.

 

     -  So that, "If we look at this from a Financial point of view, we get it Wrong". But, "If we look at it from a Political point of view, and a Human Rights point of view, it should be possible to Solve the problem", he concluded.

  - In fact, "that is what I am trying to do as the highest elected official of the COE, who is responsible for the whole Organisation : F.ex., I will see to it that all elected (CoE's) Officials are Elected with the Votes of All member States. That is a Crucial matter", Jagland stressed.

     - Nevertheless, "having said all that, it is Not Easy when a member State says, “We do not want to pay if this or that does not happen.” Because, as a matter of General Principle, "Nobody should act under Economic Pressure – that is totally Out of the question. That is why we need to have a Wider perspective, on what we are dealing with here", he advised Cautiously.

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    + Meanwhile, at least from the immediate Practical point of view, "on the CoE's) Budget, we are handling the fact that the Russian Federation has Not Paid for the last part of this year. We are doing that in a responsible way".   

 
     - But, "if it does not pay for Next Year (2018), we will be in a much More Serious situation, Politically as well as Financially", CoE's SG warned.

    => "We (CoE) are, of course, thinking about how to handle it. Ultimately, it will be in the hands of the Committee of Ministers, which is responsible for the Budget. But, right Now, I am Focusing on finding aSolution to the problem", he revealed.

    - And "We (COE's Secretariat) are acting in a very Responsible way. .. We have a very Competent Secretariat, that is Able to Work out Solutions", Jagland concluded Optimistically, But Enigmatically, withOut yet opening all his cards in public...

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    + But he was Urged, Later-on, by pro-Kiev Government Ukranian MEP Sobolev, to respond to his Claims against Russia "Occupying Transnistrian Moldova" and "20% of Georgia's territory", pushing "Annexation of Crimea : Not Respecting ECHR's Judgements", etc. Moreover, "they do Not Pay money to this Organisation, or Adhere to its main Principles. They have Violated their Obligations". But, "What is your answer? To let them be a full member of this Organisation?", that MEP critically wondered.

 - "You asked me what the Answer was, and whether it was to offer the Russian Federation full Membership of the CoE", Jagland resumed. But, "Actually, the Russian Federation IS a full Member, takes part in all our integral activities and comes under the ECHR", he observed.

 - "It is true that several (ECHR) Judgments have Not yet been implemented, but the Russian Federation is Not First on the list for Non-Implementation of Court Judgments", CoE's SG put it mildly...

 >>> Indeed, "Eurofora"'s co-Founder will Never Forget an Exceptionally Important Press Conference by CoE's Director of Human Rights and, then, PanEuropean Commission on Human Rights' Secretary General, who had Strongly Denounced, for the 1st Time in Public, that a Serious Problem of Non-Implementation of ECHR's Judgements, Not even in Cases of Blatant and Brutal, Massive Violations of Human Rights, including Killings, Torture, Arbitrary Deprivations of Liberty and/or UnFair Trials, Massive Violations of Freedom of Speech, Destructions of Family Homes, Violent Massive Displacement of Populations, etc.

>>> It all was about Turkey ! And it was, then, as Early as ...1995 : I.e. Russia had Not eve Adhered, yet, into the CoE, (while Turkey, on the Contrary, had been Full Member -and Still is, withOut any Interruption- since the "Cold War" era of 1949-195O's Past)...

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 + Moreover, as a matter of General Principle, "while there are severe Problems in Many of our member Countries, it is (also) important not to overlook what Participation and presence in the CoE, and being under the Convention (on Human Rights) have Contributed to their Citizens", Jagland pointed out.

 - "F.ex., the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment has Improved prison Conditions in Russia, as well as many other countries. With our (CoE's) Help, the Russian Federation got a New Civil Court, and a New Penal court. Many Shortcomings remain ... : the Conflict with Georgia, the Problems in Transnistria and in Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Crimea", etc. However, reSolving those Conflicts is Not - first and foremost - in the hands of the CoE, but in processes that the UNO Security Council has mandated", he criticized.  

=> "Our (CoE's) Mandate is to Protect Human Rights in All the (47) Member States, and we should Not Give up on that, Despite the Conflicts !", CoE's Secretary General stressed, as a matter of General Principle.

    +  "We Should also bear it in mind that, although we do Not take a Direct part in reSolving Conflicts, our protection of Human Rights Contributes to it :"

 - "F.Ex.:, the <<Good Friday>> Agreement in Northern Ireland was Based on the fact that the (HR) Convention applies in Northern Ireland. That also applies to the <<Dayton>> Agreement. The more we can apply our Standards in Areas of Conflict, the Better it will be (also) for reSolving them. I see no other way: the CoE has to work on that basis.
- "Otherwise, we could say, “Yes, these conflicts exist” and Give Up... But I do Not recommend that", CoE's SG pointed out.

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    - Finaly, Austrian MEP Koh observed the Fact that "Article 1 of the Statute of the COE  states that its task and Duty is to create “greater Unity” between Member States". => How would you interpret that in terms of our relationship with Russia ... ?", he asked.

    – For Jagland, "it's true that the Purpose of the CoE is to create greater Unity between member States and on the continent as a whole. We (CoE do that first by getting all member States to Comply with the standards in the legal space of the ECHR. By Harmonising Laws, we get Nations to come Closer to each other. That is why I always stress the need to Abide by the Rulings of the ECHR. Usually the Court issues Compensation to the person Affected by the Violation, and, then, General Measures Change the Laws or Practices that led to that Violation. By implementing the Court’s judgments, all member States Change their legislation in the direction of the ECHR. We are coming Closer to each other because of that process. That is Unity".

      + "We (CoE) also foster Unity through many Other means, including Culture, Sport, and this (Parliamentary) Assembly, in which people can Speak to each other", CoE's SG added.

    => "First and foremost, however, the Aim of the CoE is to strengthen the Legal space constituted by the ECHR", Jagland stressed in Conclusion, (precisely when some reportedly, just went as far as to Urge Russia to Refuse to abide with ECHR, as long as Russian MEPs' participation and voting Rights are Not Guaranteed inside PACE)...

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Just after the "Bumpy" Controversy which pushed at the Out-going CoE Parliamentary Assembly's (PACE) President, Pedro Agramunt's last-minute, Unprecedented Resignation, back on Friday, (See, among others, also, f.ex:...), another UnExpected development was the emergence of not 1, but 2 Candidates for his Immediate Succession, Both being well-known Mainstream ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group's important Members, (See Infra).

The Winner is due to Chair this Week's PACE's Autumn 2017 Plenary Sesion, (10-13/2017), a subsequent Standing Committee meeting in Denmark, (Incoming, New CoE's Chair from the 15th of November 2017 up to May 2018), as well as Many other Simple Committees Meetings, f.ex. in Paris, and elsewhere in Europe, until and including the Beginning of an Important January 2018 Next Plenary Session in Strasbourg, at the End of that Month, (where, among others, Russian MEPs might, eventually, negotiate their Return, after almost 4 Years of Exceptional Absence. (Comp.:...). Meanwhile, some Reports and Votes on Key Issues are scheduled, starting immediately, right from this week, (See Infra).

Afterwards, if things go as initially scheduled, then, according to a Traditional Agreement between the various Political Groups, it's a Socialist MEP, (the current Head of the Group, Italian MEP Nicoletti), who is due to take over. But, after what happened recently, (Comp. Supra +See Infra), certain sources warned that, in fact, it's no more sure at all that everything will run so smoothly then. So, this might Not be the End of Surprizes...

Indeed, the Battle for the Prestigious and Influential Top Job of CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly's Presidency seems to really go on in Strasbourg, to the point that it even Inspired ...the Strategic "Café" Facing the Hemicycle, where a bunch of Good Wine Bottles were Today exhibited with, at their Center, a Symbolic ..."Chateau la Bataille" ("Castle of the Battles" ! ), which attracted immediately the Attention, (See Photo)...

Experienced, mainstream MEP Emanuelis Zingeris, from Lithuania, an eminent PACE Member as early as, already since the 1990ies, Repporteur on several "Hot" Issues, (Comp., f.ex. statements to "Eurofora", among others, also, at: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/coeonbrusselsattacksandghettos.html), seems to have got the main Endorsment of the Biggest Political Group, that of "ChristianDemocrats"/EPP, including of his President, German MEP of the Governing CDU Party of Chancellor Angie Merkel, Axel Fischer. He is also supported by some "Liberal" MEPs.

But Cyprus' most Popular MP in the latest Elections of 2016, Stella Kyriakides, (See, f.ex., among others, also relevant "Eurofora"s NewsReport at: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/cypruselectionboostsconservativesnewpartiesandcitizens.html ), President of CoE Assembly's Committee on Social, Health and Sustainable Development (comp. f.ex.: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/conseildeleuropeetmariageshomosexuels.html ) also ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP since 2012, (after a Previous, Long Experience as CoE's Officer on the PanEuropean Social Charter, and former EU Expert), extended the Endorsment of several Important EPP's MEPs, (f.ex. Ria Oomen-Ruijten, former EU Parliament's Rapporteur, and Pieter Omtzigt : both from the Netherlands, Dora Bakoyannis, former Foreign Minister and f. President of PACE's Political affairs Committee, from Greece, etc.), also to 2 Leaders of Other Political Groups, (Anne Brasseur, former PACE President  - Comp. Statements to "Eurofora", f.ex., at: ..., etc- and f. Chairwoman of the "Liberals", as well as Tiny Cox, President of the "Left", a Dutch Senator - ibid : ..., etc), 7 "Socialist" MEPs, 4 "Conservatives" MEPs, etc.

=> Thus, right from the 1st Round of Votes, Earlier Today, she led with 126 Votes, against 84 for Zingeris, i.e., a Clear (even if No Absolute) Majority.

+ And this was Confirmed, even Further Augmenting her Advance, at the 2nd Round, with 121 Votes, against 69.

However, since for an Absolute Majority were Needed 152 Votes, at the 1st Round, and something almost similar at the 2nd, the Final Outcome was Postponed for Tomorrow Morning, Tuesday, October 10, (according to what had been, in fact, Expected from the Start, as well informed Sources had Warned "Eurofora" earlier).

But, a simple, Relative Majority being Sufficient on Tmorrow's 3rd Round, Unless a Surprize might occur, Stella Kyriakides' crystal-clear Advance in Votes Appears to rather guarantee a safe Final Win.

At First Sight, it looks quite Diffiicult to find, with certainty, which were the Real Causes of the above-mentioned (still partial, but rather conclusive) results.

Some MEPs claimed that it might have, perhaps, something to do with the respective positions of the Candidates vis a vis the recent, UnPrecedented Controversy on the Out-going PACE President Pedro Agramunt from Spain, which had been just pushed to Resign, (Comp., f.ex. : ...), But it's Not so sure, since Both Zingeris and Kyriakides have been Endorsed by various MEPs also Critical versus Agramunt, (f.ex. several Pro-Kiev Ukranians, on Both Sides, particularly with Zingeris, but also Armenian MEPs and Omtzigt, also Critical vis a vis Agramunt, supporting Kyriakides, etc).

Russia being, notoriously, a main pretext for the harsh Criticism that Agramunt had suddenly faced, (Comp.: ...), one might, naturally, search there, at least a part of Most MEPs' Motivation. Some's inaccurate rumours that Zingeris might be too "Soft" vis a vis Moscow, look obviously MisInformed, since he's usually quite Critical, currently Drafts a Report on Nemtsov's killing, and is endorsed by many pro-Kiev Ukranians, Georgians, Polish, Lithuanians, etc. Kyriakides too, (perhaps at a slightly lesser degree), is endorsed also by Various usual Critics of Russia, including, f.ex. pro-Kiev Ukranians, Georgians, Brittish, Anne Brasseur, Liliane Maury Pasquier and/or Petra de Sutter, etc. But also by some more open to Russia's arguments, such as Tiny Cox, etc. However, that does Not seem enough to mark a big Difference there, (considering also the Fact that Most MEPs' preferences still remain Unknown, given the Secret character of these Votes)...

Could, then, it be, simply because a PACE's Majority might, eventually, wish to have Now a Woman as New President ? It's  Fact that, in general, Most Past CoE Women Leaders were quite Succesfull : F.ex., inter alia, "Eurora"'s co-Founder Started Press Work with former COE's Secretary General, Professor Catherine Lalumière, from France, whith whom we still kept until recently a very Good and pôsitive relation, from times to times ; and went on to Develop Excellent relations also with German former PACE President Hellen Fischer. But, in Addition to the 2 Biggest EU Countries, its' also Anne Brasseur, a Long-Time MEP and recently PACE's President, with whom we Worked Well and correctly, (Comp., f.ex., among others, also : ..., etc), who comes from Nearby Luxembourg, located at EU's Core, but as "Small" in Population as almost Cyprus' strategic Island, located among 3 Continents and Facing Suez Channel, etc. And it's rue that, Stella Kyriakides, Played a bit that kind of Musical Note, this Afternoon, when she Animated (as PACE Health Committee's Chair) a Side-Event at CoE Palace's ForeCourt with a "Pink-Lighting" of its Building, for an Awareness-Raising brief meeting on the Fight against Breast Cancer, where Calls for "Solidarity" and/or to "Save" or "Change the Life" of many Women, Otherwise threatened to fall Victims to a quite avoidable and/or treatable hasard.

However, even if it might be a  Sympathetic point, this is, obviously, unable to seriously explain what happened...

Could, then, it be (at least Also), simply Because of Cyprus ?

Various MEPs might, indeed, have Found there a Symbolic Way to Tell Turkey that it wasN't Right to provoke a Breakdown of the UN-Sponsored Talks for a ¨Peaceful ReUnification of the Island, recently, at nearby Switzerland, mainly by Ankara's Insistence to Keep its illegal Invasion/Occupation Military Troops even After the Entry into force of an eventual Agreement, Neither to push a kind of Permanent Claim for Unilateral Military Invasion of the Island also in the Future, (See, f.ex.: ...).

While such Considerations might, perhaps, have played a role, at least for some MEPs' choice, nevertheless, ...it's simply Too Good to be True !

So, a "Mystery" still remains, as far as that - still Evolving - Vote is concerned, (Comp. Supra)...

After having arrived at this point,  one is, a priori, Surprized to find the UneExpected Fact that, among those MEPs who had Endorsed Kyriakides from the outset, was also the Rapporteur on one among the Most Controversial BioEthical Issues nowadays : that of Genetic Manipulations on Human Beings :

Indeed, such a Report, is Scheduled for Debate and Vote on Tursday Afternoon, 12 October 2017, and drafted by Petra De Sutter, from Belgium :  A "Socialist" who has, Already, notoriously provoked a lot of Fuss and made Upset Many among Various BioEthical NGOs, Natural Family, Natural Births' and Human Rights Defenders, in such "Hot" Areas, as, f.ex., "Gender" Issues, Same Sex Marriage, Children submitted to the Power of Homosexuals under Pretext of so-called "Adoption", etc. And, at least the EPP, would be Now in the process of preparing "a Series of Amendments", as its BioEthical issues' Representative, MEP Giletschi from Moldova, and Head of a Worldwide Baptism movement, told "Eurofora".

As for the Hypothesis, for some to have provoked, recentlty, an UnPrecedented Row about the Out-Going PACE President, Agramunt's visit to meet Suria's President Assad, together with several Other PACE's Top MEPs, through the intermediation of Russia, but withOut asking previously, for an Authorisation from the Assembly, until they pushed him to Resign, also in order to, perhaps, Destabilize the the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group, Divide and Weaken it, so that it couldn't really oppose anymore, with efficient means, such Controversial Moves on "Hot" BioEthical Issues for All Humankind, (Comp., f.ex., at : .....), it doesn't seem to be excluded a priori...

So, at any case, considering also the Famous moto about "Cesar's Wife", who should Not Only Be, even Look like a Honest Lady, Observers will certainly Watch Carefully, in case that Stella Kyriakides really succeeds to be Elected as New President of CoE's Assembly, Tomorrow Morning (Comp. Supra), how her Presidency would Deal, in Real Practice, with all those Critical Amendments to that Report on one of the "Hottest" BioEthical Issues of Nowadays, (which had also Rocked even the USA, between former US Presidents' GWBush and Barack Obama's eras, as well as other Countries accross the World), until the current Draft might be adequately Rectified.

(../..)

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*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/-  Russian MEPs' eventual Return at the CoE on Monday, starting with full Rights, is not only Possible, but might even have Saved, perhaps, outgoing PACE President Agramunt from Resigning, after a controversial Threat to be Dismissed by Critics Next Week, as it apparently results from the Replies that Experienced CoE Assembly's Secretary General, Wojciech Sawicki, gave to an "Eurofora" Question (See Infra):

Indeed, Russian MEPs Nowadays Can, in real practice, freely Participate to CoE Assembly's Meetings, and Vote, without any precondition, for at least "2 or 3 Days", regardless of any eventual sanctions that some might, perhaps, attempt to impose again to them, Later-on, with uncertain results this time, he practically said.

Because some Old Sanctions, (f.ex. No Represantation in Top Organs of the Assembly, + No Right to Vote, etc), which had been imposed in the Past Years of 2014 and 2015, (on pretext of the Ukranian Conflict) do Not Exist Legally anymore, for the Years 2016 and 2017, etc., when  it's Russia itself who prefered Not to Send here its MEPS, unless it's Guaranteed that they woN't be Threatened, no more, to face such Restrictions, he observed, in substance.

To a subsquent Question raised by a Collegue from "Reuters", about those Previous PACE Resolutions, which had asked Sanctions as long as Russia did Not Change its stance on some key issues around Eastern Ukraine and Crimea peninsula, Sawicki simply replied that these are, obviously, "Political" matters, which "May Change", in one way or another, and, at any case, they doN't Exist, nowadays, as a Legal reality, no more.

He didn't need to go now as far as to remind, also the Fact, that, Meanwhile, it's also the Aftermath of the Minsk Peace Agreements (after 3/2015), as well as the Recent Need for PanEuropean and International Unity against a growing Series of Deadly Islamist Terrorism Attacks throughout Europe, USA, and elsewhere in the World, the Need to Find a Peaceful Solution in Syria, (added also, even to an obvious Economic/Technological Waste by those Divisions of the Past, etc), which may motivate Political Leaders to take some New Decisions.

Concerning "Eurofora"s Question (Comp. Supra), Sawicki explained that, even if some might, perhaps,  attempt to Challenge again the Credentials of Russian MEPs, then, PACE has to Follow a Legal Procedure, (f.ex.: initial Vote in Plenary, Referal to a Committee, Nomination of a Rapporteur, Hearings, Drafting a Report, initial Vote in Committee, Debate in Plenary, Final Vote, implementation by the Executive Organs, etc), which would durate 2 or 3 Days, may be more. And, Meanwhile, all the Russian MEPs, at any case, could Benefit from, and fully Use, all their Participation, Speech and Voting Rights, at least on a "provisory" basis, Until Final Decisions by the PACE.


On this Basis, one may logically Speculate that, IF something similar had happened until now, then, given also the Big Number of Russian MEPs, as well as the Fact that it does Not seem obvious at all, whether those who seek to Dismiss PACE's President Agramunt might, eventually, find, or not, a Sufficient Number of Critical  MEPs to Vote for Impeachment. A fortiori, when they Need a Reinforced Majority of 2/3, as well as a "Quorum" of Participants, etc...

Therefore, embattled Agramunt might have decided Not to Resign, (as he felt obliged to do, and really did Later-on, Today), but to seize such a Chance for, eventually, defeating that controversial threat to be dismissed by critics.


It's true that PACE's Rules, normally require for the concerned National Parliament to send to the CoE the List of its MPs, asking for their Accreditation, at least "1 Week" Earlier, according to the Rules. But this goes Only "IF Possible", i.e. it's Not an absolute Obligation.


Moreover, that UnPrecedented, initial Harassment that Faced Agramunt as PACE's President, former Chairman of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group, since the Spring 2017, after Visiting Syria, (Together with the Chairman of the Liberal Group, the Head of PACE's Legal/Human Rights Committee;, and Other Top MEPs from various Countries), to Meet there the Syrian President Assad, transported by a Russian AirPlane thanks to his Russian Collegues, MEPs from the Duma and Long-Time former PACE Members, (even if he Later presented his Excuses, for not having previously Warned the Assembly), seemed Less and Less Controversial, as things Evolved Recently :

F.ex., New French President Macron, has notoriously declared, last June in Brussels, that an eventual Peace  Deal with Assad, could be an Option, since "Nobody said yet Who might be his Successor", as he put it, (obviouly pointing at the Fact that he had Started to Win that War against Islamist Terrorist armed gangs)...


And the recent Death of Historic German former Long-Time Chancellor Helmut Kohl, spectacularly Honored by Many Europêan and International Leaders, etc, last July 2017 at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, (See "Eurofora"s NewsReport from the spot, at:...), Reminded the Fact that he had, notoriously Criticized some controversial attempts to Isolate Russia, (f.ex. its Exclusion from the "G8" Summits, modified into "G7" Summits, etc), as Contrary to Europe's best interests, already Since the Publication on 2015 of his Book "Out of Concern for Europe", (presented together with EU Commission's President, Jean-Claude Juncker).

 

The Warm Welcome, by Chancellor Angie Merkel, just a few Days later-on at the G20 Summit in Hamburg, of the 1st and exceptionaly Long, Meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, and New USA President Don Trump, (See "Eurofora"s NewsReport from the "G20", at: ...), also Helped Open a New Horizon.


As for that too Long recent Series of Deadly Islamist Terrorist Attacks, cowardly Targetting innocent Civilian People, throughout all Europe, Canada, USA, and Other areas in the World, naturally Stimulated the Consciousness of the Need for a Rapprochment to Russia in a Joint Fight to put an End to ISIS a.o.


Even the latest German Elections, at the End of September 2017, by Boosting mainly 2 Parties notoriously Opposed to Cold War-Mongering against Russia and/or attacks against Assad's elected Government in Syria, (the Rightists of "AfD" and the Centrist "Liberals"), obviously Added in that same Direction, (as also the Forthcoming Austrian Elections may do).

For all those reasons (and more, without Time to develop now), it's Not Only PACE's Legal/Human Rights Committee's Criticism against a too Hasty Adoption of an Unpecedented ("a posteriori") Mechanism for Destitution of PACE's Presidents, last June, which makes really feel, that, all that Big Fuss and Harsh Harassment against Spain's Agramunt, looked, more and more, Excessive and, particularly, ... Out-Dated !


+ A Fortiori Today, in the Middle of October 2017, when arrived the Last PACE Plenary Session of Agramut's normal Presidential mission, (who was due, at any case, to pass the hand to a Successor at the Next PACE Plenary Session, on January 2017:


=> What was the use for all that Fuss, until Now, so Late ? What might be the Real Reason for Insisting to Attack so Hard, even withOut cystal-clear, nor Sufficient Justifications, and with Questionable and contested Methods, a veteran European Politician who had argued that he was Trying to Help for concord with Russia and Peace in Syria, (and was scheduled to leave soon, anyway) ?


Even his eventual Successor (as Initially Scheduled : from January 2018), Chairman of the Socialist Group, Italian MEP Michele Nicoletti, both when he spoke earlier to "Eurofora", already since June, (See: ...), and Now, through an Important Report that he will present Next Week at the October 2017 PACE Session, clearly Indicates that Time might have probably come, to Find a way to boost CoE's Unity and Peace by eventually bringing Russian MEPs back in CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly, particularly if they agree so together with CoE's Highest Political body : its Committee of Ministers, (where Moscow still remains fully and actively represented, since 1996).

It's true that, Meanwhile, Russian Authorities had felt obliged, de facto, to ask for a consequent Change of CoE Assembly's Rules of Procedure, able to Guarantee that accredited MEPs from CoE's Member States won't be Threatened anew by so Harsh Threats for too Heavy "Sanctions", such as, f.ex., Exclusion from PACE's Top Governing Bodies, "Freezing" of their Voting Rights, etc. Pending that, they also recently, withheld, for the 1st Time in History, the 2/3 of the Funds that Moscow regularly Paid to the CoE since 1996, as one of its Biggest Payers.

But, according to various converging sources, it seems that one or another Practical Deal, mutually acceptable for a workable Solution, might be Not Excluded a priori Nowadays. Particulary in view of an eventually Forthcoming New CoE's PanEuropean Summit of Heads of State/Government, (the Only one Since its 2005 Summit in Warsaw, under Polish Chairmanship of the CoE : Comp. "Eurofora" co-Founder's NewsReports, published then at "TCWeekly", from Warsaw), possibly on 2009, i.e. prepared under France's Chairmanship, (as back on 1997's CoE Summit in Strasbourg : Comp. our NewsReports from that event, ibid).


Why, then, some Exceptionally Wasted so much Energy and Time, in Destabilizing the Out-going PACE President, Spanish MEP Pedro Agramunt, former Chairman of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group, (that some might Attempt to Weaken) ?    

Placed by Facts in front of such an Unprecedented and uselessly Harsh (also for the Human Persons involved) Mystery, all that makes Wonder :


- Was it, perhaps, (at least Partly), because, by another Surprizing "Coincidence",  all that Fuss obviously Risking to Destabilize, these days, Agramunt's ChristianDemocrat/EPP Political Group (the Biggest in PACE), curiously Culminated Exactly around the Same  PACE Plenary Session, Next Week in Strasbourg, during which is also due to be Debated and Voted even a Controversial Report and Resolution on the Most "Hot" Bio-Ethical Issue in Our Times' Society ?


>>> I.e. that of "Genetic" Manipulations on Human Beings, which notoriously raises Serious Concerns for all Humanity...


Indeed, PACE scheduled that for Thursday Afternoon, (i.e. just after an Exceptionally Important Meeting between MEPs' Leaders, and COE's Highest Political body: its Committee of Ministers, due to Deal also with relations of the PanEuropean Organisation with Russia, in the foreseable Future).


It's well known, indeed, that ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEPs used to be, traditionally, among the Stronger Defenders of BioEthical Values, (Together with seveal "Conservatives", but elso Original, Historic "Greens", not so much recently, and Various Other Exceptional Individual Personalities).


As for Many Other MEPs among the Socialists, Liberals, Leftists, etc, (recently appearing often less regarding on such BioEthical matters, rightfully or wrongly), do they really Ignore Today, that certain World-Famous, Historic Writers, such as, f.ex., Aldus Huxley and G.H.Wells, etc, who have notoriously launched some among the Strongest Warnings on BioEthical Issues, in fact, initially, used to be among their Best Forgotten Friends (in Humanity) ?

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- At the Same Time that a Judge imPrisoned in Turkey was chosen as one among the 3 Candidates for prestigious "Vaklav Havel" Human Rights Prize award, next week in Strasbourg, the  competent CoE's Committee on the Election of Judges wants to Stop controversial Candidates handpicked by Ankara's Regime from Entering inside the PanEuropean Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

If those Conclusions of CoE's Committee on the Election of Judges, which finds that the relevant Standards and Values of the PanEuropean Organisation for Democracy, Human Rights and Rule of Law, are Not Fulfilled in the case of Turkey, are Not Opposed by a Sufficient Number of MEPs, on Monday Morning, at the Beginning of CoE's Parliamentary Assembly's (PACE)Plenary Session in Strasbourg, then, Ankara won't be able to push its favorites in order to be elected by MEPs for a job inside the CoE now.

On the Contrary, the competent CoE's Committee forwarded the 3 other Candidates presented by the Government of Georgia for the Election of a Georgian EuroJudge in the ECHR by the PACE next week.

CoE's competent bodies have already refused, at various occasions in the Past, to endose the Candidates presented by some among the PanEuropean CoE's 47 Member States, (f.ex. for Lack of relevant Legal Experience, Not even 1 Female Canddate, etc), but very Rarely or Never yet for the Same serious Reasons as in Turkey's case, which obviously concern the main Substance of CoE's mission, (i.e. to Protect and promote Democracy, Human Rights and Rule of Law).