newsitems

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/-  "I have NEVER seen a SO BAD  Situation as Now" in "Turkey",  during 18 Years that I've been CoE's Rapporteur on Local Democracy for that Country, "since 1999" : - "We are BACK TO the Situation of 1990ies !", Denounced Today, widely applauded, Anders Knape, Experienced Long-Time MEP from Sweden, President of the PanEuropean Organisation's Chamber of Local Authorities, in Conclusion of a Long Debate and Votes, which practicaly found that "Democracy" was "Suspended" at Local level particularly "in South-East" Turkey, with a predominantly Kurdish Culture Population, (See Infra).

I.e., Significantly, he referred Back to an Era of the Past, Before Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, during which, Ankara's regime was not only clearly considered by All the EU not only as Incompatible with any "Accession" Candidacy, but Even Inadequate for normal EU Funding, because of particularly Serious Problems of Mass Human Rights' Violations, grave Anti-Democratic Discrepancies, Contempt and Disregard of the Rule of Law, etc, as things stood for a Long Period of Time, Before the December 1999 Helsinki EU Summit.

He was Speaking also on Behalf of the Socialist Co-Rapporteur of the CoE, Leendert Verbeek, Head of the Dutch Delegation, and President of the powerful "Monitoring" Committee in CoE's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CLRAE).

Knape and Verbeek had made Together a Fact-Finding Mission in Turkey on October and December 2016, before Presenting for Vote the Results in a Report with a Resolution and concrete Recommendations for Action Today, after a Largely Attended, Long Debate at CLRAE's Spring 2017 Plenary Session in Strasbourg, this Thursday, Exceptionaly Full with a lot of People until this Late Afternoon/Evening Hour, (despite a Shuttle Bus vainly waiting to bring them to the Annual Reception given by the City's Mayor/Senator for the CoE, downtown)...

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    - It's "Long Before the Attempted Coup of July 2016", that "a Wave of Dismissals of Elected Representatives, in particular in South-Eastern Turkey (mainly inhabited by Kurds), had "Started" a "Trend" which had Already been a cause of Concern" for CoE's Rapporteurs. That's why, CLRAE's Bureau's "Decision to conduct a Fact-Finding Mission" on those Incidents had been "Taken on 8 February 2016", the adopted Report reminds.

    - "However", the subsequent "Declaration of the State of Emergency", on July 2016, made that "Still More Relevant", they observe, while, nevertheless, having clearly Distinguished between the Mass Oppression of Dissidents even at the Local/Regional level, which had already Started Long Before, and the State of Emergency Measures, which obviously Aggravated that situation. So that, f.ex., an eventual Future LIft of the State of Emergency, (f.ex. after the April 2017 Referendum to Change the Constitution, i.e. if Mr. Erdogan gets what he wanted), would Not be sufficient at all in order to settle All those Serious Problems.

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        + But, in Addition, "Today ... there have been Many Accounts of Individuals being Arrested and Detained withOut there being Sufficient Charges against them". And "Given their Suddenness alone, the Mass "Purges" of National and Local Administrative Bodies, and even Judicial Bodies (some 3.000 Judges and Prosecutors) could Not have been carried out in accordance with the Fundamental Principles", (such as, f.ex., the "Presumption of Innocence", the "Individual" character of any prosecution, etc.), CoE's Report Concludes.

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        => Therefore, CLRAE's Spring 2017 Plenary Session largely Debated and Adopted, with a very Big Majority of Votes, a Strong Resolution and Recommendation on several 2015-2017 Massive Attacks against Local Democracy by Ankara's Central Government, slaming the Dire "Situation of Local Elected Representatives in Turkey", during which a 3/4  Majority of Voters Rejected All Amendmends lodged by Turkish MEPs Vainly Attempting to "Delete" or Alter the most "Hot" Points of the Draft Texts, after a Long and Complex Procedure, calmly and clearly Chaired by CLRAE's New President Gudrun Mosler-Toenstroem from Austria, hershelf :

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For the RELEASE of Jailed Mayors :
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    >>> In the Most Important Point, an adopted CLRAE's Official Recommendation "Asks the Committee of Ministers" (CoE's Highest Political body, currently Chaired by Cyprus), "to Invite the Turkish Authorities to ... Proceed with ... the Immediate Release" of "Local Elected Representatives currently in Pre-Trial Detention", "where appropriate", and, at any case, "to Examine" the "Situation" of All of them, "in order to Ensure that it is in Conformity with the European Convention of Human Rights", "with a View to their Release".

    A Turkish Attempt to "Delete" that Appeal, was Strongly Rejected by a Majority of 117 Votes against Only 20.

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On TORTURE/INHUMAN-DEGRADING TREATMENTS + :
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   => Moreover, CLRAE's Plenary Strongly Supported, with a very strong Majority of 118 Votes against Only 21, an Official Demand for CoE's competent "European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman Treatment or punishment (CPT) to Examine Reports of Inhumane Treatment of Detained Local Elected Representatives in Turkey".

    CoE's body pointed, in this regard, "Notably" to the Victims' "Solitary Confinement", in Addition to their "Systematic Transfert to Prisons Far from their Homes", clearly Rejecting a Turkish Ammendment which Failed to "Erase" all those mentions on such a Core Human Rights Issue as Torture/Inhuman-Degrading Treatments.

    + In Addition, CLRAE also "proposes that the (CoE's) Human Rights Commissioner ... pays Particular Attention to the Situation of Elected Mayors, notably in South-East Turkey", (notoriously with a predominant Kurdish Population), "including those Former Mayors who are Now in Prison". And, in Parallel, CLRAE's Plenary "suggests that (CoE's Democracy through Law body of Top Legal Experts, known as) the Venice Commission" checks "the Constitutionality of the Measures ... which Concern the exercice of Local Democracy in Turkey", that Ankara's Central Government took with some infamous "Decree Laws", seriously Restricting not only Liberties but also Democracy. Turkish Attempts to "Delete" such Moves were Rejected with a Majority of 111 Votres against Only 24.          

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On Pseudo- "TERRORISM" Turkish Pretexts against Political Dissidents :
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    >>> Meanwhile, a particularly "Hot" InFight took place on Turkey's notoriously Excessive, and often False Claims of Pseudo-"Terrorism", with which Ankara's Authorities often Accuse Political Dissidents and/or Critics in order to Search a Hollow Pretext to Oppress even their most Elementary Human Rights :

    - Indeed, CLRAE's Plenary clearly "Observed that Most of the Arrests of Local Elected Representatives" in Turkey "have been made on the Basis of Accusations of Terrorism" by Ankara's Central Authorities using a "Definition... which has been Criticized by CoE's Bodies, the EU, and other International Organisations", and "is Not in Conformity with the Practice of Most CoE Member States".

    Turkish Attempts to "Delete" that Critical, Last Sentence, were Strongly Rejected by a Majority of 118 Votes against only 24.

    => Moreover, in order to Make things Clear, also for the foreseeable Future, CLRAE also "Asks" CoE's Foreign Ministers to make Ankara "Revise the Turkish Legislation" in order "to Align its Definition of Terrorism with European Standards", and, "notably the ECHR's case-law".

     This is a Serious Point that has been also Made by the EU Commission in Brussels, supported by an EU Parliament's Resolution in Strasbourg on 2016, even on the occasion of a Series of Conditions for Ankara's controversial and unpopular Demand to Give to 80 Millions of Turks a "Free Visa" Status in order to Enter and Stay in Europe for at least 6 Months each Year, but the Turkish Government has Refused to abide.

    - Today, the Head of the Turkish Delegation to the CLRAE, Gaye Doganoglou, appeared instructed to go as Far as to repeatedly Claim even that Strasbourg's PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, the CoE, would "Not have Any Mandate to Define the term "Terrorism" !" (sic)...

    However, also that provocative Turkish Claim was Strongly Rejected by CLRAE's Plenary, which Droped a controversial Amendment asking to "Delete" the above-mentioned sentence in CoE's Draft, with a 4/5 Super-Majority of 118 Votes against Only 22.

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    + CLRAE's Plenary also strongly Refused, with almost a 3/4 Majority, a Turkish Amendment which had Claimed to practicaly Assimilate the Kurdish "PKK" with "ISIS" Islamist Terrorists and atrocious BeHeaders, who Target innocent Civilian People, (and with whom, Ankara's Deep State has notoriously been Accused by many for various Scandalous and Dangerous Complicities, including on transferts of "Jihadists", Money Laundering, Trafficking of Stolen Oil/Gas, Weapons deliveries, etc).

    - The Criticism exerted on Turkey by the 47 Member States strong (including Russia, etc) CoE's Local/Regional Democracy Watchdog against Ankara's Oppressive Measures was so Deep, that a 2/3 Majority Refused even an Amendment suggested by CLRAE's co-Rapporteurs to speak, in this regard, about "Threats against the Life of the Nation", that CLRAE's Plenary obviously did Not found to be an Excuse, but rather a Pretext for so Serious Violations of Human Rights, (as several Key MEPs later Confirmed to "Eurofora").

    >>> In Fact, CLRAE's Adopted Resolution stressed, on the Contrary, that "the Detentions and Arrests of Local Elected Representatives, and the Extensive resort to Lengthy Remand Detention, ... are Counter-Productive, and are Weakening the capacity of Turkey to Deal with the Terrorist threats that it is facing". A Turkish MEPs' attempt to "Delete" that Paragraph, was Rejected by a Majority of 109 Votes against Only 32.

    Naturaly, COE "is Aware of the Threats that Turkey is Facing, including an Increase in Terror Attacks, the Attempted Coup of 15 July 2016, several Millioj Refugees ... and War at its Borders", while it also "categorically Condemns all Forms of Terrorism and Violent Extremism", admitting that "Nobody can Deny that Turkey Needs to Take ... Measures to Protect itself and its Institutions", But on the Condition that these will be "Adequate and Proportionate".

    >>> In particular, it's "the use of the Turkish Anti-Terror Law, ... principaly with regard to Declarations and Opinions Expressed", which "is having a Negative Impact on Political Pluralism, and" on "Local Democracy in Turkey", CLRAE observed.

    - Moreover, "the Healthy Functioning of Local Democracy is an Essential Tool to Combating these Threats", CLRAE's Recommendation pointed out. That's why, CLRAE "Believes that the Detentions and Arrests of Local Representatives, and the Extensive resort to Lenthy Remand Detention, ... are CounterProductive and are Weakening the capacity of Turkey to Deal with the Terrorist Threats that it is facing".

    => Therefore, in Addition, CLRAE "is Concerned that the Arrest and Removal from Office of Many Elected Representatives, Seriously Risk Damaging Pluralist Democracy at the Local level, and Gravely Weakening Political Parties and Civil Society".

    + And a "Decree ... introduced ...withing the Framework of the State of Emergency", "to enable the Central Authorities to Appoint UnElected Mayors, ... is Incompatible with Turkey's Commitments" vis a vis the CoE, "notably" as a "Party to the Charter (for Local Democracy), ... according to which, Local Government should be carried out under the authority of Councils or Assemblies Elected Freely, by Secret Ballot", CLRAE's Text notes.

    - Thus, "the Detentions of Elected Mayors, and their Replacement by "Mayors Appointed by the Central Authorities" in over 50 Cities, in South-East Turkey, has effectively Suspended ... Local Democracy in that Region, with Most Municipal Councils of those Cities Ceasing to Function, and with almost 6 Million Turkish Citizens Deprived of Political Representation at the Local level", CoE's competent body found.

    Because "the Transfert of Power ... of these Municipal Councils, to "Mayors Appointed by the Central Authorities", Amounts to a DisProportionate form of Administrative Supervision", which has practicaly "Abrogated" the relevant Articles of COE's "Charter" for Local Democracy.

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 + PUBLIC SERVICES + CLRAE Members
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    + CLRAE also Denounced the Fact that "the Replacementr of Elected Mayors, by "Mayors Appointed by the Central Authorities" (i.e. Ankara's Turkish Government) is being accompagnied by a Reduction in Local Public Services, and, in particular, the Closure of Women's Refuges and Other Services for Women, Children and Families at Risk", expressing its "Concern". A Turkish Amendment asking to "Delete" all that, was Strontgly Rejected by a Majority of 113 Votes against Only 24.   

 - Last, but not least, Concerning the sort of Individual Members of the CLRAE from Turkey, the Adopted Resolution Decided to "put the Review of the Situation of Nurhayat Altun, Member of the Turkish Delegation of the Congress, on the Agenda of its Bureau Meetings, until the End of Legal Proceedings", (concerning that Jailed Representative to the CoE), while CLRAE's Recommendation to CoE's Foreign Ministers asks Turkey "to Ensure that Congress' Members and Turkish Members of the Group of Independent Experts of the CLRAE, are Free to carry out their Work, and can Circulate Freely, for this purpose".

    Once Completed, this CoE Local/Regional Democracy Watchdog's Recommendation to its Committee of Ministers on Turkey was Finaly Adopted with an even Bigger Majority : 125 Votes in favor, against Only 23.

 

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Speaking exclusively to "Eurofora" just after his Address to CoE's Local/Regional Democray Watchdog (CLRAE) Plenary in Strasbourg, the President-in-office of the 47 Member Countries strong (including Russia, etc), PanEuropean Organisation's Highest Political Body (its Committee of Ministers), Experienced Long-Time Cyprus' Foreign Minister, and former Top MEP in EU Parliament, (in charge for Foreign/International Policy at the Biggest Political Group, that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP), Yannis Kasulides, indirectly but clearly, Warned Turkey against Prolonging its current Blockade of UN sponsored Talks for a Peaceful ReUnification of the Island, even after April 2017, (See Infra).

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 Kasulides First reaction to relevant "Eurofora"s Questions, was to advise that, even if the situation was serious, nevertheless, we should "Not be Extremely Concerned" :

  - In fact, "Let's see if they would go as far as to Destroy (the Peaceful ReUnification Talks), and face the Consequences.  

 - "If they might Commit such an Error", on the Contrary, "we Will Never do that", (i.e.  Block the UN-sponsored Talks).

 - Instead, "We (Greek Cypriots) invite them to come back". (to the Negotiations' Table) :

=> "Comme back", (i.e. Return at the UN-sponsored Talks), "and We (all Cypriots Together : Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, etc), "Shall Find something" to Solve that Deadlock, he Urged.

Kasulides, speaking further with "Eurofora", also Acknowledged the Fact that it was, Initialy and mainly the Excessive Demands by Ankara's Foreign Government at the Latest (and 1st ever) Multilateral Political Conference, convoked, under UN auspices, last December 2016-January 2017, at nearby Geneva, (particularly for the Turkish Invasion/Occupation Military Troops to remain in Cyprus, for Ankara to Maintain forever a Claim of Unilateral Intervention, evn by Force, and for 80 Millions Turks from Anatolia to get in Cyprus All and the Same Rights as EU Member States' Citizens only have in Europe, etc), which had already Started to Provoke Serious Problems to the UNO-sponsored Cyprus Peaceful ReUnification Talks.

- "That's why, Nobody should ever give them (i.e. to Ankara's Government of Mr. Erdogan etc) Pretexts", Afterwards, to even openly Block the UN Cyprus' Peace Talks, under any other, subsequent, hollow, hypocritical claim.

Long After the UN-sponsored Inter-Communal Talks for a Peacefil ReUnification of Cyprus had to be Postponed "Sine Die", when Ankara presented its own Political Claims, for the 1st Time so Officialy and Explicitly, suddenly, the Turkish Cypriot Leader Akinci searched a (Comparatively Lenient) Hollow Pretext (f.ex. on an Amendment, tabled by a Small Rightist Party inside a routine Bill reviewing the List of ...Public Holidays (sic !), that the Executive Power of the Government and the President of Cyprus, canNot Legaly Oppose, because of the Principle of Separation of Powers), in order to Stop Participating in any UN-sponsored Cyprus' Talks, until now.

On Sunday, however, the UN Secretary General's Envoy in Cyprus hosts an Exceptional, "Social Event" with a Dinner Bringing Together Cyprus' President Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot Leader Akinci, with obvious aim to discuss the resumption of the official Talks.

President Anastassiades has already warned that any, eventual, Attempt to put some kind of "Pre-Conditions" (f.ex. disguised in the form of "CBMs" etc) Before being able to re-open the Talks, would be doomed to failure, since the only normal course would be to simply and Directly re-Start the UN-sponsored Talks for a Peaceful ReUnification of the island, without any more Delays.

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Earlier, replying also to a MEP's Question on "the Outcome of Geneva Talks", Kasulides reminded the fact that, even if, "it has been always our aime to seek a Negotiated settlement on the Problem of Cyprus, and that ..Hopes for a Succesful Outcome, after having Tried for Many Years unuccesfully, had been Enhanced through the Election of a New Turkish Cypriot Leader. And, indeed, a lot of Progress has been Achieved, through (UN-sponsored) Negotiations between the two Leaders, until we came to a Culmination, with an International Conference in Geneva"

- But, "Unfortunately, the Timing came to Coincide with the Internal Situation in Turkey, ... Depending on the Referendum of the 16th of April" 2017, (notoriously seeked by Turkish President Erdogan in order to considerably Augment his Powers). "I believe that this is one of the Reasons thet there is a Delay".

 - "Because, what is Important Now, is to have Answers (particularly) on the Security situation" (in a ReUnified Cyprus in the foreseeable Future).
- On the Contrary, "We (Greek Cypriots) are Prepared to seek an Agreement in a Compromise to Share Political Power wih the Turkish Cypriot Community, on the Basis of Equality, in a System of Bi-Communal and Bi-Zonal Federation"

- "But, for us, this will only have a Meaning, if we Know that the Turkish Army is WithDrawing from Cyprus, (and a so-called) Right of Unilateral Military Intervention from the Old (Post-Colonial, 1960 London) Treaties (of to be rescinded", he underlined. Thus, "it would be very Easy to arrive to a Settlement, if the System of Security, makes Both Greek and Turkish Cypriots, equaly Secured".

 - "The two Leaders are Meeting again Next Sunday, But I think that we should Expect Results Only after the 16th of April" 2017, he Concluded, (i.e. After Ankara's regime Rendez-Vous, since it's mainland Turkey's policy which seem to Dictate developments related to the Occupied Territories of Cypus, that it controls since the 1974 Military Invasion and Occupation of the Northern Part of the Island).

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+ CLRAE's President, speaking to Eurofora, Agrees with Kasulides :
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+ Meanwhile, it's Interesting to note the Fact that, even Before those Kasulides' 2 Statements, CoE's Local and Regional Democracy watchdog "CLRAE"s new President, Gudrun Mösler-Törnström from Austria, reacting to an "Eurofora" Question about an eventual ReUnification of Cyprus' Capital City Nicosia, appeared practicaly oriented by Similar, forthcoming Political Time Deadlines :

- "Concerning Cyprus, We'd Better Wait until the April Referendum in Turkey", about Constitutional Reforms wished by Turkish President Tayip Erdogan, (notoriously in order to Concentrate even More Power in the Hands of the Presidential Administration), she advised.

Gudrun, who is from Salzburg, smiled Friendly when she heard that "Eurofora" was at Mozart's Birthplace, and UNESCO's World Heritae site, nowadays a Hub for Trans-Alpian Train networks linking Italy to Northern Europe, at precisely 6.15 a.m. Yesterday Early Morning, while Returning from Rome's exceptional EU-27 Heads of State/Government Summit for the 60th Anniversary of the EU, in our way Back Home to Strasbourg, CoE's Headquarters, precisely in order to Catch up with CLRAE's Spring 2017 Plenary Session.

2 Young Ladies had then Anxiously queried "Eurofora"s practical Help to find out what was the Precise Timing for Salzburg, Eager to Arrive on Time, mutatis-mutandis, almost as Now, Cyprus' UN-sponsored Talks would Better Advance, instead of staying Deadlocked since that Withdrawal of the Turkish side (Comp. Supra), in order, at least, to Mark a Breakthrough well Before the pre-Electoral Campaign Starts for the Next Presidential Election of February 2018...

The Last Time that the Turkish side had Openly Refused to join UN-sponsored Talks on Cyprus was Back on September 2001 :
- In particular, then, the former Turkish Cypriot Leader Rauf Denktash, backed by Ankara's Government, had openly Refused an Official and Written Invitation by the UN Secretary General (then Koffi Annan), to Start a New Round of Cyprus' Talks, for a Solution Based on pertinent UN SC Resolutions, in New York, the 12th of September 2001.

Everybody was, then, Expecting a Harsh Sanction on Turkey for its blunt Refusal to cooperate, (particularly from the UN or the EU, CoE, etc.), and "Eurofora"s co-Founder had just contacted CoE's Secretary General, then Walter Schwimmer, on that Pending Issue, already from the Sunday before, who had given as a Rendez-Vous for "Monday Afternoon", (i.e. at the Eve of that Crucial Time Deadline), in order to have enough Time to "Consult the Ambassadors", Permanent Representatives to the CoE, of Cyprus and Turkey, etc. at the Morning, in view of Issuing an Official Statement, as Schwimmer had promised us.

But, that Monday Afternoon (in Europe), was notoriously Disrupted, in an exceptionaly Brutal manner, by the 9/11 Mass Deadly Terror Attack, particularly at UNO's Headquarters, New York City, right at the Eve of that Crucial, September 12, Rendez-vous, organized there by  UNO's Secretary General on Cyprus' issue. So that, when "Eurofora"'s Co-Founder called  the Mobile Phone of the Long-Time then, Experienced President of CoE Assembly's Political affairs Committee, Hungarian MP Andras Barsony, (subsequently Ambassador to Ukraine, etc), for a Similar Question, we were Astonished to receive as Reply, his immediate Predictio, that, After 911, the Cyprus Issue would become, initialy "Freezed", and, later-on Re-Launched "on a Different Basis" (Comp. Supra, and the subsequent, 2002-2004 "Paris + Burgestock"  Deadlock).

- Meanwhile, the then Turkish Cypriot Leader, Rauf Denktash, had reportedly Laughed at Cyprus President, then Glafcos Clerides, anounced attempt, on the Contrary, to Travel to New York in order to be Present in Reply to UNO SG's Invitation for a New Round of Cyprus' Talks in UNO's Headquarters on September 12, 2001, by curiously Boasting that ..."Clerides will Only make a Somersaught" or "a Tumble" ("a Culbute" in French) "in the Air" (sic !)...

But when this almost Happened as Rauf Denktash had Sarcasticaly Predicted - since Clerides' Airplane was Blocked and Hindered to Land in New York, by an Astonishingly Precise Coincidence in Timing with the 911 Terror Attacks at the World Trade Center in New York, which provoked an immediate Security Order to Ground all Airplanes then Flying over USA's airspace, added to a Closure of UNO's Headquarters' Building, i.e. Obliging de facto to Cancel UNO Secretary General Koffi Anna's official Invitation for New Cyprus' Talks, and, therefore, practicaly Covering Up Turkey's blunt Refusal (Comp. Supra), Nobody Laughed anymore...

- Later-on, "Eurofora"s co-Founder raised 2 relevant Topical Questions, concerning that Astonishing and Crucial "Coincidence", between the unprecedented 911 Terror Attack, Eve of an also Unprecedented UN SG Invitation for Cyprus' Talks, also at New York, exceptionaly Droped by the Turkish side, (which obviously Risked, inter alia, also to Cost for Ankara a probable EU Sanction, f.ex. by Droping Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, which had just started, only 1 Year Earlier), on the Occasion of 2 Successive Press Conferences inside UNO's New York Headquarters on 2005, i.e. during an Exceptionaly Important UNO Heads of States/>Governments' Summit for the 60th Anniversary of the International Organisation and its Reform (which Created, f.ex. the World Council for Human Rights, at nearby Geneva, etc), followed by UNO's General Assembly's annual plenary session.

The 1rst, which Coincided both with the Day After the 5th Anniversary of the 9/11 Tragedy, dramaticaly commemorated by Victims' Families and Friends at "Ground Zero", where we had just participated, soon after the Publicaton of NIST's Report on the "World Wide Center" strange Collapse Controversy, but also with the precise Anniversary of the September 12, 2001 UN SG official Invitation for New Cyprus' Talks, dropped by Turkey (Comp. Supra), was a Press Conference organized on September 12, 2005, by UNO's Press Director and UN SG's Spokesman, Steffan Dujarric, (also Currently serving anew in that Top UNO Job on 2017).

+ The 2nd, one Week Later : a Sunday, was, on the Contrary, an Exceptional Press Conference, by embattled then President of Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos, (who Died curiously Later-on), After a Week, Together with the then Head of UNO's Communication and Information unit, Shashi Tharoor from India, who became, only 1 Year Later : on 2006, the No 2 succesful Candidate for that Top Job, just behind Ban Ki Moon himself...

However, at any case, those notoriously Controversial 9/11 Barbarous Terror Mass Attacks at New York, which coincided astonishingly with cerain Crucial Cyprus' Events concerning Turkey's abrupt behavior, around UNOs NY Headquarters, (Comp. Supra), occured just After a Decade of former US President Bill Clinton's Administration, (during which 2 Bloody Wars had been provoked in Europe, at former Yugoslavia, etc.

On the Contrary, Nowadays, the New US President, for the Period of 2017 - 2022 is named Don Trump.

(../..)

*Rome/Campidoglio Hill/Angelo Marcopolo/- Developing Further, and Projecting at the Future, a Shift which had Emerged at Bratislava Summit (9/2016 - See relevant "Eurofora"s NewsReports from the spot : ...+..,etc), the 27 Heads of State/Governments of the EU, (i.e. - UK), clearly Marked a Series of Promises to EU Citizens role in European Policies which Affect their Lives:

- "We will promote a democratic, effective and transparent Decision-Making process", Stressed EU Leaders in Conclusion of their Official Political Declaration signed and Published Today in Rome.

+ In this regard, "We pledge to Listen and Respond to the Concerns Expressed by our Citizens", the 27 EU Heads of State/Governent promised officialy.

Meanwhile about 6 various Popular Demonstrations (both Pro-EU and Counter-EU, etc), Rocking Rome, almost Surrounded the Historic Campidoglio Hill, (from which stems also Washington DC' s "Capitol Hill"), on Top of which took place the Ceremonies for the 60th Anniversary since the Signing of the EU Treaties.

 - "In these times of change", we are "Aware of the Concerns of our Citizens", they acknowledged.

- That's one reason more, for which, Rome Declaration concludes by a : - "We want a Union where Citizens have New Opportunities", EU Leaders Highlighted.

 -  Indeed, "Together, we are Determined to address the challenges of a rapidly changing world, and to offer to our citizens both security and new opportunities", the 27 EU Leaders said "United".

 + This Includes, among others, also "a (European) Union where all citizens feel Safe, and can Move freely", they Added in particular, among a Long Wish-List of targetted Aims.

All this goes from Safety, to Growth and Jobs, as well as Social Cohesion, but also a Stronger EU role in the World, etc.

- "We ... will Ensure that today's Agenda is Implemented, so as to become Tomorrow's Reality", on this and other serious Topical Isses, EU Heads of State/Governments Committed.

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The "Unity or Divide" problematic inside the EU, is, in Fact, much more Important Between EU Institutions and Citizens, than a merely Geo-Political aspect, too often highlighted by Critics, (which naturaly has also its own importance).

("Die Welt"s Frontpage)

The Latter was apparently adressed by a Compromise between those EU Countries who want to resolutely Advance towards Further European Integration, and those who wish that to remain an "Open" possibility for All in the Future, added to "Solidarity", etc.

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+ Paadoxically, despite its obvious, at least Symbolic Importance, this was perhaps the Shortest ever EU Summit of all :

 

Less than a Morning, and with a Press Conference exceptionaly Restricted into 14 Minutes only (Introductory Speech included), without National Press points, and even Facing a strange "Strike" (on Questions) by several Brussels' a.o. Journalists, as an Experienced  College told us .
Apparently, such moves gave enough Time, f.ex., to the Greek and Belgian Prime Ministers, Tripras and Michel, to jointly attend a ... Football Match between Teams from their Countries, whlle staying at Rome...

On the Contrary, some Others Worked until Late Evening, these Days in Rome, as, f.ex. certain experienced French a.o. Journalists, pictured in an original "Eurofora" Photo inside a Campidoglio Hill Palace's PressRoom :

(../..)

 

*Rome/Vatican/Angelo Marcopolo/- When Vatican's brand new Deputy Press Director, Paloma García Ovejero, first heard "Eurofora"s suggestion to associate Pope Francis' call to "Dare Dream",as he stresed Earlier this Same Week at an "Angelus", with his "New Hope" LeitMotive, which Emerged, Unexpectedly, in his Europe Speech at a Pioneer Audience for EH Heads of  State/Government Tonight, Eve of the 60th Anniversary of Rome Treaties, she appeared Carefully Positive :

- "Yes, Why Not ? May Be...", she Simply reacted, Kindly Smiling, inside Vatican's PressRoom Full of Journalists, while the Pope was seen at Crystal Liquid Screens Engage in various Formats of Bilateral or other "Tete a Tete" Friendly Exchanges with EU Leaders, before they Leave through Saint Peter's Courtyard, also Full of Photographers and Comments' Seeking collegues, Gathering there, a Beautiful Spring 2017 Evening at Rome.

The Paradox naturaly is that, at the Same Time, Pope Francis didN't Hesitate to Acknowledge the Fact that, "Our Time is Dominated more by the Concept of <<Crisis>>: There is the Economic Crisis, that has Marked the Past Decade ; there is the Crisis of Family and Established Social Models ; there is a WideSpread <<Institutional Crisis>>; and the Migration Crisis. So Many Crisis that Engender Fear and profound Confusion, in our Contemporaries, who Look for a New Way of Envisioning the Future". Despite -or Because of- the Fact that, also, "Today, with the UK, we Mourn the Victims of the Attack that took place in London, 2 Days away", as he added Afterwards, in a unique reference to ISIL's Islamist Terrorism cowardly Targetting innocent Civilian People.

- "Yet, the Term "Crisis" is Not Necessarily Negative : It does Not Simply indicate a Painful Moment to be Endured. The Word "Crisis" has its Origin in the Greek Verb "Krino", which Means to Discern, to Weigh, to Assess. Ours is a Time of Discernement : One that Invites us to Determine what is Essential, and to Build on it". While also"it's a Time of Challenge and Opportunity", he Concluded on this Key point.

 

=> Therefore, particularly "Those who Govern, are Charged with Discerning the Paths of Hope, Identifying Specific Ways Forward", Pope Francis Urged EU Heads of State/Government, gathered here at Rome, Triggering a Parallel Gathering of various European Journalists, amidst a Bunch of "Vatican Faithful", Insiders several of whom "Eurofora" already met at some Exceptionaly Important Meetings Elsewhere, while Some of them Told us that they found the Holy See's New Spokesman, Greg Bruke, present at an Office located just at the Other Side of the PressRoom, who is quite Open and often Ready to Engage Dialogue with Medias' Writers, particularly about main Orieantations or Pathways, personaly Stemming from Missouri, an USA State Marked, a Few Years ago, by a Bitter, and very Concrete Struggle on BioEthics, a Key  Crucial InFight for the immediate Future of all Humankind...

>>> - "Europe Finds New Hope, when Man is at the Centre and the  Heart of her Institutions", Firmly stressed this particular Day in Ober-Millenary Rome, Pope Francis, Starting "ab ovo", from the Essntials. +"EuropeFinds New Hope in Solidarity, which is also the Most Effective Antidote" even to EuroScepticisl, he Added. ++ "Europe Finds New Hope when it Refuses to Yield to Fear, or Close itself  offin False forms of Security", he warned. +++ -"Europe Finds New Hope when she Invests in Development and in Peace", Pope Francis runderlined. ++++ - "Europe has New Hope when she is Open to the  Future", including "When she Defends Life in All its Sacredness", he pointed out.

-  "Nowadays, with the General Increase in People's Life Span, 60 (as EU's Anniversary Tomorrow) is considered the Age of Full Maturity"...  Even More : - "Europe Faces the Possibility of a New Youthfullness": Because, in particular, "as (EU) Leaders, You are Called to biaze the Path of a <<New European Humanism>>

    >>>Particularly, considering the Fact that Christian Church is "Insepatably Linked" to "Europe's Future", as he stressed, Stimulating also "the Conscioussness" that even "at the Origin of European Civilisation is Christianity", he Topicaly Reminded.
                                                                              

  - >Thus, "the Memory of that (EU's 60th Anniversary) is Linked to Today's Hopes and the Expectations of the People of Europe", Pope Francis Concluded, (using an Interesting Formula in fine).

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