EUSummit+Parliament+Germany+France Leaders Tajani+Merkel+Macron slam Turkey Violence (Varna RDV eve)

*Brussels/EU-Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- EU's 28 Heads of State/Government clearly slamed, during a 2 Days-long Summit in Brussels, Turkey's latest Violent Abuses against EU Member Cyprus' Energy, and the Turkish Military Invasion and Occupation of Syrian Kurdish Canton of Afrin, as well as other Provocations at EU's External Borders in Greece across the Aegean Sea, etc, just a Few Days before a Crucial EU - Turkey Bilateral Summit, exceptionaly organized in Varna, Bulgaria (the current EU Chair-holder) Next Week.

But a series of Blatant Rejections by Ankara of all relevant EU Parliament and/or EU Council's Decisions, added even to a Return of Deadly Islamist Terrorism, cowardly Targetting Civilian People, Today in France, (Despite the Heroism of some), added to some Pressure to eventually Water-down Varna's meeting with even more unpopular and controversial Concessions to Turkey, are obvious Challenges that Europe needs to Face efficiently, (See Infra).

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 - "The European Council strongly Condemns Turkey's continued illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea, and underlines its Full Solidarity with Cyprus and Greece", concluded EU's 28 Heads of State/Government from Thursday Night, as far as Turkish GunBoats' Threats against European Energy Supplies' Security, and Protection of EU's External Borders are concerned, (See also Infra).

=> In consequence, the March 2018 EU Summit in Brussels "Urgently Calls on Turkey to Cease those Actions, and Respect the Sovereign Rights of Cyprus to Explore and Exploit its Natural Resources, in accordance with EU and International Law".

+ "In this Context", (and significantly "Recalling its Conclusions of October 2014 and the Declaration of 21 September 2005", already, prepared according to Statements made by the then Prime Minister of France to "Eurofora"s co-Founder a week earlier at UNO's HeadQuarters in New York, Published then at "TCWeekly"), the EU Summit also "Recalls Turkey's Obligation to Respect International Law, and Good Neighbourly Relations, and Normalise its Relations with all EU Member States, including the Republic of Cyprus", (a "minimal" Condition which had been Explicitly put by the EU in order to Start "Negotiations" with Turkey on its controversial and unpopular EU bid, already from 2005, but Not yet really fulfilled by Ankara)...

>>> Most Important, "the European Council will remain Seized of these Matters" during all the foreseable Future, this Brussels' Summit also Warned Ankara (See Infra).

++ In Addition, EU Leaders expressed (their) Grave Concern over the continuing Detention of EU Citizens in Turkey, including (even) 2 Greek Soldiers, (who were reportedly following the Footprints of Intruders on the Snow, inside Greek Territory at the Borders with Turkey on Evros River, surprisingly leading towards a ...Group of Turkish Soldiers in Turkey's side of the Border, who arrested them, closing them to Jail for a Too Long Time, even WithOut any Court Hearing and/or Decision yet).

These Crystal-Clear, Official "Conclusions" of EU Leaders on Turkey were adopted after Marathon-Long Discussions Over-Night from Thursday to Friday, Stopping only about ...2 o'clock a.m.. To the point that, as "Eurofora" witnessed on the spot, even German Chancellor Angie Merkel was, Exceptionally, led to Cancel her Usual Press-point on the Conclusions of the 1rst Day of Brussels' EU Summits, Contrary to what she was accustomed to do...

"Eurofora" was informed by EU Council's sources that this Turkey Discussion, late Thursday Night, (Despite substantial Earlier Preparations) had a supplementary Duration of at least one Hour-Long.
The rest of that Time, overnight, was spend on Other Foreign Policy issues, concerning mainly Relations with Russia and USA, (particularly on the thorny "Salisbury" alleged poisoning affair, and New US President Don Trump's imminent decision about Taxes on Steel a.o. Imports from certain Foreign Countries, including China, India, Mexico, Canada, etc, respectively).

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- In Fact, it's "in view of our Monday (March 26) Meeting with (the Turkish) President Erdogan" (in Bulgaria), that EU "Leaders discussed Turkey, pointed out from the outset, at the Concluding Press Conference, on Friday, EU President Donald Trump.

=> "In this Context, the European Council strongly Condemned Turkey's continued illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean" (i.e. Ankara's GunBoats bullying European Ships from Italy to Explore EU Member Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone's underseas Natural Resources in Oil/Gas : See ...), "and the Aegean Sea", (i.e. various, persistent provocations over EU Member Greece's Sea Borders, which are also EU's External Borders vis a vis Turkey), he stressed.

>>> "This Issue Will be Raised in Varna, where we hope to have a Wide-ranging Discussion on EU - Turkey relations, and the way Ahead" : And, therefore, "I am Aware that it will Not be an Easy meeting...", Tusk Warned Ankara.

+ Because "the EU is Concerned not just with the the Situation in Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean". But, Moreover, "Certainly a number of Other Complicated Issues will be Discussed in Varna", he Announced.

=> "Including Developments in Turkey" itself, (i.e. the Notorious Aggravation of Massive Violations of Human Rights of various Dissident or Critical People, which have already reached an Historic Record-High level, (Comp., f.ex., among many others, also : ... + ...), "and its (Ankara's) actions in Syria", (i.e. the Deadly Foreign Military Invasion and Occupation of Syrian Kurdish Afrin canton : See ...).

- Significantly, concerning Europe and Turkey, President Tusk, (following a notoriously Big Majority of European People's wish, repeatedly Expressed recently in both various Elections and Polls, etc), Limited that relationship to a Simple "Cooperation", Only in certain (undetermined) "Areas of Common Interest".

- Even there, however, "Still, ... we (EU and Turkey) Need to Find a Way to Talk to Each Other Openly", he chraracteristically observed, (particularly in front of Turkey's repeated Total Rejections of Both recent EU Parliament Resolutions and EU Heads of State/Governments' Conclusions, added, even, to several Provocations, rarely seen before...

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+ EU Parliament's President, Antonio Tajani, (an Experienced former Twice EU Commission's vice-President and Top MEP, who served also as Italy's Foreign Minister), Replying to relevant Questions at his Press Conference of Thursday Afternoon (Comp. also Other Tajani's Statements to "Eurofora" on this occasion at : ...), Both reminded his Earlier Call, last Week in Strasbourg, on the Need to Avoid Civilian People's casualties inside Syria, particularly during Turkey's Deadly Military Invasion/Occupation of the Syrian Kurdish Afrin canton, and Added, even more clearly now, a Fresh Call for Ankara to "Respect International Law", in this and other above-mentioned cases.

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++ Speaking later on Friday Afternoon, in a Joint Press Conference, Together with German Chancellor Angie Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron stressed from the outset that "this EU Summit was Important because it allowed to cover several Issues affecting, in fact, Both the European Model (i.e. Principles/Values)and its Sovereignity".

- Among others, (Comp. Supra), "Just a few Days before a Meeting betwen Presidents Tusk, Juncker (of EU Council and EU Commission, respectively), and of Prime Minister Borissov (from Bulgaria, current EU rotating Chair), with the (Turkish) President Erdogan", (Monday in Varna), "We (EU Leaders) have also Spoken, Yesterday Night, about Turkey", Macron observed, particularly, in this regard.

=> Thus, EU Leaders "have Stronly recalled EU's Concern vis a vis Turkey's Behavior nowadays, (Both) in Cyprus' Territorial Waters, and jn the Aegean Sea", the French President pointed out.

+ But "Also concerning its (Ankara's Military) Action inside the Syrian Territory, at the (predominantly Kurdiosh) Canton of Afrin", Macron clearly added, (Comp. Supra).

>>> Because, "I  remind" the fact "that this (Military) Turkish Intervention is Obviously Contrary to the United Nations (Security Council) Resolution 2401", he clearly Denounced, speaking of UNO's Top Body's recent, Unanimously adopted decision for a Cease-Fire throughout ALL Syria, (i.e. including Afrin).         

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+ Indeed, Already as early as since February 28, even UNO's Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey FELTMAN's (USA) Official Statements to the UN Securiy Council in New York, Strongly Criticized the fact that even that "Brief Respite that (UNO's SC) Unanimously Demanded, only Days Ago, in Resolution 2401, has Not Materialized" Everywhere in Syria, since, at least in certain areas, "The AirStrikes, shelling, and ground offensives continue" : "We (UNO) Need Implementation", But "that is Not Happening", as he Denounced.  

>>> In particular, concerning mainly the Syrian Kurdish Region of Afrin, Feltman stressed that "we (UN) canNot Forget that (UNSC's Unanimous) Resolution 2401 Demands a Cessation of hostilities Throughout (all) Syria".

=> But, Nevertheless, "Violence Continues in AFRIN", (that UNSG significantly Chose to Cite 1st), Idlib", etc, he Denounced. The First Area ("Afrin"), obviously concerns Directly Turkey's Military Attacks against Syrian Kurds and Pro-Government Syrian Forces, but Also the Second ("Idlib") involves, indirectly but surely, Turkey, since it concerns various Islamist Jihadists and outright Terrorists, who have been Concentrated and Piled up there, by Gathering the Remnants of Al-Quaida-like and/or ISIL's collapse, elsewhere in Syria, who have all been, in one way or another, notoriously tolerated and even Supported also by the Turkish Government...

- UNO's Political USG Denounced, for those Areas, (i.e. "Afrin" at First), "the Humanitarian challenges and Suffering of the People", and, even, went as far as to "Emphasize that Developments in these Areas will undoubtedly render the situation in Syria even more Complex", as he Warned.

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+ Today, (Friday Noon), German Chancellor Angie Merkel, speaking side by side with French President Macron (Comp. Supra), also pointed at "the Discussion that We (EU Leaders) had Last Night (Thursday) on Issues regarding Turkey", while "Next Week there will be a Summit in Varna (Bulgaria) between the Presidens of the EU Institutions, the Bulgarian (EU Council's rotating) Chairmanship, and the Turkish President".

=> On this occasion, "We (EU Leaders) have Expressed our Concern with regard to Afrin, the Events in the Mediterranean around Cyprus, and also the Question of the 2 Greek Soldiers who are currently in Turkish Custody", she pointed out, (Comp. Supra).

>>> In fact, even if "we want a good Relationship with Turkey", the German Chancellor conceded, (withOut even mentioning, however, Ankara's controversial and unpopular EU bid), "Nevertheless, We (EU Leaders) have Very Big Concerns" on those Turkish actions, Merkel also Denounced.

+ Speaking just 1 Day Earlier at the Bundestag in Berlin, Angie Merkel rejected as "UnAcceptable what is happening in Afrin", (the Syrian Kurdish canton near the Borders with Turkey, which has recently Invaded and Occupied almost all of it), "where Thousands and Thousands of Civilian People face Attacks, obliged to Die or Flee", nowadays, she denounced.

=> "We (Germany) Condemn that, in the Strongest possible terms", Merkel firmly stressed then.

+Significantly, these Days during the EU Summit in Brussels, it's for the 1st Time (at least in "Eurofora" co-Founder's Memory, at the EU Summits that we have attended here since 2005), that, Exceptionally, a loud Public Demonstration against Turkey's Deadly Military Invasion and Occupation of the Syrian Kurdish Afrin canton, was tolerated by the Local Authorities, up to the Famous "Schuman Square", which is Located almost right in Front of EU Commission's and EU Council's HeadQuarters... 

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But, Turkey's Reactions were Harsh and Astonishingly Negative, Rejecting Everything :

- Already, on EU Parliament's latest Resolution, adopted earlier in Strasbourg by almost All Political Groups against the Turkish Military Invasion/Occupation of the Syrian Kurdish canton of Afrin, (See: ...), Turkey's President Erdogan reportedly Replied by Claiming that "there is Nothing the European Parliament can tell us on this (sic !)"...

=> Thus, EU Parliament's "Statement will go in one Ear, and Out Other ! (sic)", Erdogan reportedly stressed.

+ Turkey’s Minister for EU affairs, Omer Celik, cited by "Reuters", went as far as to, in fact, Accuse MEPs to be ... Supporters of Terrorism (sic ! ) :

 - "Calling on Turkey to Withdraw its Troops (from Afrin) is a clear Support for Terrorist organizations" (sic !), Mr. Celik claimed, criticizing the "Decision the EU Parliament has taken".

Many International Observers, however, Critically Noted that Turkey had, initially, attempted to justify its Military Invasion of Syria's Kurdish Afrin Canton by Claiming that it Seeked Only to ensure the Safety of its Borders towards Syria, But, Later-on, its Army started to Intrude even at the Central Core of that Area, surrounding, Attacking and Occupying Afrin's Capital City itself, located at that Canton's Heartland, Far Away from the Borders ! (See : ...).

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+ Moreover, Today (Friday), the EU 28 Heads of State/Government Summits' Conclusions on Turkey (Comp. Supra), were briefly Rejected as ..."UnAcceptable" (sic !), by Ankara's Foreign Ministry Spokesman.

++ The Turkish Foreign Ministry earlier droped the German Chancellor's criticism on Afrin by claiming that it had "Nothing to do with Reality", and would be tantamount to "Supporting Terrorist organisations" (sic !)... 

+++ In Addition, Turkish President Erdogan reportedly Phoned to French President Macron in order to Complain for the above-mentioned EU Summit's Decisions and his own words at the subsequent Press Conference with Merkel in Brussels, (Comp. Supra), that he Accused to be "Baseless", (after having, previously even Claimed to find "False Informations" in them)...

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- In Reply, Macron reportedly "stressed", Later Today, inter alia, also that "France had Clearly Expressed its Concern, already since the Turkish Military Intervention in the (Syrian Kurdis) Canton of Afrin, had been Launched", underlying, particularly, that "Nothing should Weaken the Pressure on (Deadly Islamist Terrorists of) ISIL's remaining means in Syria and Iraq", as an Official Press Release by the Elysée Palace in Paris pointed out on Friday Afternoon.

=> Most of all, the French President pointed at "the Need to ... give an Absolute Priority to the Fight against (the Deadly Islamist Terrorism of) ISIL", (as also USA's Authorities had reportedly done in parallel).

>>> Also Because "this is, for France (as also for other EU, Russia and/or American Countries, etc), an Issue of National Security !", Macron Strongly stressed Today.

* Significantly, the French President was Speaking just Hours since a New, Bloody Islamist Armed Terrorist Attack in France's Aude area, cowardly Targetting Civilian People, Killed 4 and Wounded a Dozen of innocent Victims.

- As he Earlier Denounced from the Beginning of his Press Conference here in Brussels, this New Deadly Islamist Terror Aggression Targetting Defenseless Civilians, "are Influenced and in Contact with ISIS or Other External (Foreign) forces Related to Islamist Terrorism", for the 1st Time after a Long Pause since ISIS had been almost Chassed Out of Syria by an US-led International Coalition, particularly under New US President Don Trump, notoriously Fighting in efficient Alliance mainly with the Syrian Kurds.

>>> But, obviously, as it had been Expected by several Observers, (including, even, USA's mainstream "Wall Street Journal", etc), the recent Deadly Turkish Military Invasion and Occupation of the Syrian Kurdish canton of Efrin, had Divided and Weakened that, until now, Succesfull Coalition against ISIS, mainly by Underminig Trust and by Diverting Kurdish People and Resources, from the Fight against Islamist Terrorism, towards the recent Need to Defend Afrin from Turkey's Deadly Military Invasion and Occupation (Comp. Supra)...

=> Indeed, its just a Few Days after even the centrally located Afrin City faced Deadly Turkish Attacks, (including by Artillery Shelling, Airplane Bombardments, Water/Elecricity Cuts, etc), that an ISIL-motivated, Armed Thug suddenly Started, anew, to Cowardly Target, Kill or Wound innocent Civilian People again, as in Today's Bloody Tragedy, (Comp. Supra).

+ And various Other Converging sources had Already Denounced, Recently, that, Shortly After Turkey's recent Military Invasion at Syria's Kurdish Afrin Canton, various ISIS' Attacks had suddenly re-Emerged Both inside Iraq and, mainly, Syria (Comp., f.ex., Facts cited at ... + ...).

++ Given also the Fact that Turkey had Notoriously Helped various Islamist Extremists' Armed Gangs, even Al-Queda-like Terrorists, as well as ISIS itself, to Exploit various illegal Trafficks of Weapons, Smuggling of Stolen Goods, including Oil/Gaz and Cultural Heritage, etc, Recruit of "Jihadists", Money Laundering, etc., for Many Years in the Past, mainly through Turkish territories, this New "Comme Back" of ISIS, precisely when Turkey Invaded and Occupied the Syrian Kurdish area of Afrin, should Not really be a Surprize...

+++ A Fortiori when Ankara has even been Accused, recently, to ..."re-Train" former ISIS' (and/or "Al-Queda"-like) Terrorists, in order to use them to Back its Armed Invasion/Occupation, precisely of Afrin.
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In such Circumstances, it would obviously be an Absurd Big Blunder if any EU Bureaucrat might, eventually, Fall to the Trap to Discuss, almost at the Same Time, UK's Withdrawal Out of the EU, (as this Brussel's Summit of March 2018 actually has just done here : Comp. Supra), AND ...Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU "Accession" bid !

And it would, certainly, be even Worse if, in Addition, anyone might, perhaps, commit the Same Bloody Errors that have notoriously done some in the Past, precisely at ...Varna, where the forthcoming EU - Turkey meeting is scheduled now (Comp. Supra) :

- Back on 1.444, a number of European Volunteer People and Soldiers had, indeed, arrived in Varna, in order to Try to Save the ailing Capital of the Byzantine Empire, Constaninople, surrounded, then, by Ottoman-Turk Troops. But, Some among them, finally preferred to remain Servile "to the (Turkish) "Sultan", while Others Betrayed their Promises, for some petty "Trade" interests... , Droping everything. The Result was to Abandon the remainder to be Slaughtered by the Ottoman Turks, who, immediately Afterwards, found a unique Opportunity even to Invade and Massacrate the Defenders of the over-Millenary Capital City of the Christian-Greek Byzantine Empire : Constantinople, soon Afterwards, on 1453. The Catastrophic Result of that Short-Sighted and Treacherous Cowardise, committed by Some in Varna,  notoriously was to practically Throw the Half of Europe into an UnPrecedented Foreign Occupation, Slavery, Massacers, Massive Oppression, Under-Development and Backwardness, during Many Centuries, seriously Hindering a semi-Occupied Europe's further Development, (as, f.ex., the World Famous UK Encyclopedia "Brittanica" reminds).

Until, Later-on, a Growing Series of European Armies' Vitories, started to Succesfully Defend, (f.ex. at Lepante : 1571, and Wien : 1.683, etc), and Afterwards Liberate, one after the other, most European Lands, (f.ex. netween Budapest : 1.689, and All Hungary : 1699, etc., up to Balkan Countries and most Greece : 1.821-1919), a very Long Time Afterwards...

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TODAY's HERO against Islamist Terror : BELTRAME, has unexpected EUROPEAN LINKS...
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The Hero of Today's Horrible Massacre committed by an Islamist Terrorist in Aude, (France), who cowardly Targetted innocent Civilian People, i.e. Gendarme Lieutenant-Colonel Arnauld Beltrame, who notoriously Sacrificed his own Life in order to Save that of Civilian Hostages, (by Taking their Place), is a well Known Physionomy also by "Eurofora"'s co-Founder: Indeed we were Surprized to find his Photo at Today's Headline News, with his UnForgetably Serious and Deep Eye-sight, that we've met and seen several times, during his Service at Elysée Palace in Paris, and/or as Key Member of the Security Team for the personal Protection of France's f. Presidents Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy between 2006 and 2010.

+ Moreover, Arnauld Beltrame's links to Europe have an astonishingly Strong, Historic Symbolism:

Indeed, his Conversion back to Chrisianism had reportedly occured at 2008 : - I.e. the Year of a landmark Official Visit of f. Pope Benedict in France, which Chaired then the EU. This had given Him a chance to raise the Topical Issue of the conditions of EU Citizens' adherence to European Ideals, focusing mainly on the Defence and Development of basic Human Rights.  (Comp. "Eurofora"s NewsReports from Elysée Palace, Notre Dame de Paris, and Lourdes, then, at : ...).

+In Addition, since then, Beltrame had become, reportedly, fascinated also by the study and rediscovery of Europe's Historic Christian roots.

++ And he has just chosen to Risk and Sacrifice his own Life for that of Innocent Civilian People, cowardly aggressed and taken Hostages by a Radicalized petty Thug obviously manipulated and turned into Fanatic Islamist Murderer by ISIL's Deadly Terrorists, atrocious BeHeaders and cowards systematically Targetting Defenseless innocent Civilians, exactly on the Day of the Conclusions of EU Heads of State/Government's Summit, here in Brussels, which notoriously Discussed both Turkey's recent Violent Threats and/or Aggressions, at the Eve of a Crucial forthcoming EU - Turkey Summit in Varna (Bulgaria) Next Week, as well as €uroArea's foreseable Future.

Last, but not least, Beltrame was reportedly Engaged with Mariell, his Future Wife, at Brittany's Abbay "Notre Dame of Timadeuc", (Burned Down by a Criminal, but Restored Afterwards, it Won a "Resistance Award" for Helping during the 2nd World War, the Resistance to NAZIsm at Rohan area : Origin of ...Strasbourg's Historic "Rohan Palace", located near CoE's and EU Parliament's Buildings), during 2016's Easter : I.e. almost as Nowadays, et this Eve of 2018's Easter, when he Engaged for Ever with the History of Humanity.

A ReNovated and Authentic European History, where the Past is inseparably Linked to the Present and its current struggles for Europe's Future.

It should Not be neither Forgotten, nor Betrayed anew at Varna, (Comp. Supra), but rather, Nowadays, adequately Honored and Vindicated.