english french german greek italian lithuanian russian serbian spanish
Home arrow newsitems arrow French Foreign Minister Fabius ao to EuroFora+on Mali area: Security linked to Democracy+Development

French Foreign Minister Fabius ao to EuroFora+on Mali area: Security linked to Democracy+Development

Written by ACM
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
20130219_1659490_400

*Paris/Quai d'Orsay/Angelo Marcopolo/- Speaking to Journalists in Paris, including "EuroFora", French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Mali's Prime Minister   Diango Cissoko, as well as other well informed sources at the Quai d'Orsay (See Infra), just after the Breaking News about the Abduction of a whole Family of Tourists with 4 Children at nearby Northern Cameroon, added to another kidnaping at Nigeria's North, by violent Terrorists reportedly reacting to France's military help to Mali's Government, appeared to agree, in substance, that the current Priority is to guarantee the Securisation of all that Area, and its Democratic Development, which are so linked that one can't go without the other :

fab__pm_mali_400

- After pointing from the start to the "3 aspects" of actions currently needed at Mali : "Security, Political Dialogue and Elections, as well as Economic Development", Fabius had an ostensibly Friendly  greeting with a Tuareg representative from Mali's Northern area, right in front of "EuroFora", (as an experienced politician, that we have already met since his 1st visit to the Council of Europe when he was serving as French National Assembly's President).

20130219_165949_400

+ As for Mali's Prime Minister Cissoko, (who had just met, yesterday in Brussels, with EU Commission's President Barroso), he also denounced the fact that what you can do with a given sum of Money in the South of the Country, often needs up to 3 times more in order to be done at the North, as he said, apparently criticizing the lack of Security and Democratic Unity, (eventually added to thus provoked Corruption), which hinders also Economic Development.

mali_cissoko__barroso_400

The point on the current need to ensure an elementary Security to the wider surrounding area also as an indispensable means to release the region's in fact important Development potential, among others, also via MulttiNational Projects to transport nearby Nigeria's Gas Exports (i.e. currently the Biggest recent Findings of Energy resources in the World, even more than Egypt's Nile Delta) towards Europe and other Countries that could benefit f.ex. by a kind of "Trans-Saharian Gas Pipeline", straight on from Nigeria up to Algeria and the Mediterranean Sea, continuing via Italy and/or Ships to France's Marseille Foss II NLG ,new terminal, Spain's equivalent infrastructures, etc;, as recalled by "EuroFora", was considered as at least interesting t be considered seriously, as reacted in substance, carefuly but positively, the new French Foreign Ministry's Press Director and Spokesman, (who had earlier served at New York), Philippe Lalliot.

lalliot__ct_400

+ Irish EU Council's rotating Chair, Minister for EU affairs Lucinda Craighton's recent anouncement, earlier at EU Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committtee's Hearing organized in Strasbourg by its President, German ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Elmar Broc, that EU currently examines the preparation of a possible Mission to check Borders between key South Mediterranean Countries, such as Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, etc., and Sub-Saharian African Countries, such as Mali, etc, by using mainly Civic Security means inspired inter alia by "FrontEx", (EU's External Borders' guards), including f.ex. High Tech Satellite Monitoring and/or Command/Communications' systems, etc., was, meanwhile, positively welcomed also by other French Foreign Ministry's well informed sources, specialized to Africa, speaking later tp "Eurofora", pointing to a parallel discussion on similar issues recently at the Quai d'Orsay.

20130219_171107_400 

Such moves sould topically and usefully boost also EU's Civic aspects of European Security and Defense policy, in parallel and in addition to its Military aspects, strengthening further its "Dual" nature, supported by EU Parliament and December 2012 EU Summit in Brussels (comp. "EuroFora"s relevant NewsReport from the spot).

trans_sahara_gas_pipeline_400 

Contrary to what some still believe in Europe, erroneously claiming that "Mali is far away from the EU", etc, it's indeed enough to just See and Compare f.ex. a Map for the above mentioned Nigerian - Algerian - Italian (etc). Trans-Saharian Gas Pipeline project, with another Map showing where so-called "Islamic Extremist Groups" suddenly appeared recently all throughout the surrounding area, next to Mali, between Nigeria, Cameroon, etc. and Algeria-Tunisia-Libya, etc., (often confused amidst a too recent Nebula of various small Terrorist Groups curiously mushrooming lately at that precise region, as the Foreign Ministry's Deputy Press Ditector and Spokesman, Vincent Floreani observed agreeing in substance with "EuroFora"), in order to clearly realize that the Spatial, Temporal and Functional "Coincidences" are so Striking that some might even speculate there about an eventual so-called Geo-Political "Complot" Hypothesis, even if I think that it's not the case, as another Diplomatic source spontaneouly observed, during a discussion with "EuroFora".

map_of_islamic_extremism_recent_area_in_central_africa_400


To put it in a nutshell, in addition to the necessary SafeGuards against fast-spreading Terrorism, there is also aVital need to Develop the area's Economy, possibly in a way of mutually beneficial projects of cooperation between Europe and Africa, etc., , some of which indicate an Important Potential which shouldn't be missed, (be it in Energy Resources and/or otherwise), while also Protecting the Local Populations.


So, while the initial, Front-line Military action,  in order to Help Mali's Government to recuperate its "Territorial Integrity" at the North, (as Foreign Minister Fabius observed), appear to have succesfully advanced, from now on, there are still Serious issues of Securization, as well as of a Democratic organization, with sufficient Dialogue and Economic Development, wich must be solved now, thanks also to the Beginning of EU's "Training" Mission on the spot, destinated to help Mali build its own efficient National Army, while also backed by France and African a.o. forces, addd to EU's parallel Decision to start unblocking its Development Aid and co-organise, together with France, an International Donors' Conference to help the area's Economic Development, since the Govenment of Mali accepted to hold "Elections" soon, as well as to launch a National "Dialogue" with various Political groups.


Such moves should go hand by hand also with the necessity to seriously investigate and punish any eventual Abuse, by whoever it might have been committted against any local population, against EU and UNO's standards, clearly added French Foreign Minister Fabius, and this promisse was confirmed by Mali's Prime Minister Cissoko, who denounced any alleged abuse as "unacceptable", anouncing that all alleged violations of human rights would be investigated, so that, if proved, their perpetrators would face Sanctions.

20130219_163922_400

+ The Prime Minister of Mali clearly promissed, also, that "All Communities" inside the Country would be associated to a comprehensive and inclusive process of National "Dialogue", in addition to the "Elections" that he anounced for "July", while observing also that many Tuareg at the North of the Country are, in fact, Peaceful and seeking a Reconcliation through Political Dialogue.


The crystal-clear "Conditions" for participationg in that process are naturally to Respect the "Territorial Integrity" of the Country, and to exclude any practice of Terrorism, stressed French Foreign Minister Fabius, while also adding that among various Compromise-making mechanisms, "Local/Regional De-Centralisation" could be included among some Positive Ideas on how to find Solutions to conflicts.

20130219_165749_400

In the Medium-Long term, such forthcoming developments throughout the surrounding area, should be bettter backed, from a Security point of view, by a fully-fledged International "Peace Keeping Mission", that UNO's Security Council could decide, in order to Bettter fix some Organisational, Logistics, Cooperation and Legal issues, thanks to a more adequate Structure for the Future, anounced French Foreign Minister Fabius.

(../..)

***

(NDLR : "FlashNews", ie. a Brief version of a "DraftNews" already sent, earlier, to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate, full Final Version might be published asap).


***

EuroStars-Eureka

Statistics

Visitors: 59603181

Archive

Login Form





Remember me

Lost your Password?
No account yet? Create account

Syndicate

RSS 0.91
RSS 1.0
RSS 2.0
ATOM 0.3
OPML

Other Menu



echr_50_eu_elecs_400


  Ten Years of ECHR : 1998 - 2008 show need of Revival in 2009-2010 coinciding with 2009 EU Election
   

A threefold, coordinated move by new Top French Political actors in the 2009 EU Parliament Elections, expressed in Strasbourg a will to boost Europe's Political dimension close to Citizens' concerns, going from protection of Economy to defence of Human Rights.    

The move met an exceptional ECHR's call for a "revival" of Human Rights' protection mechanism', in a Mega-Conference, early 2010.   

Obviously focusing on June 2009 Elections to EU Parliament, it involved from the outset the recently nominated "dual" Head of French Governing Party (UMP)  Michel BARNIER and Rachida DATI :

imag0282_400

     - "As President Sarkozy has clearly said, we (France) are in favor of a Strong, Sovereign and Independent, Political Europe, which protects its Citizens, and not for a large Super-Market, nor for a Europe under influence",

    "This goes for everything, including Energy", added to "EuroFora" the experienced former EU Commissioner, Minister of Foreign affairs, currently of Agriculture and Sarkozy's new pick as Leader of the Governing party UMP to EU 2009 Election, Michel BARNIER                                              .                             

  - Human Rights are important because they are at the Heart of the Political Europe that we aspire for : I.e. a Europe able to act and protect its Citizens, stressed also the New French Minister for European affairs, Bruno LE MAIRE, while meeting Strasbourg's Journalists at his first visit to the CoE.   

imag0313_400_01 

This is one of the main interests for CoE, which is also a natural place for cooperation between EU countries and Russia or Turkey, which was recently helpful at the Middle East crisis, he added.

The move gained momentum with French Minister of Justice, Rachida Dati's main observations at ECHR's 5Oth Anniversary :   

- "While we are seeking Europe's Borders and Identity, you (ECHR) remind us also of its Values", Human Rights, Dati noted.   

Citizens seek more and more often ECHR's help, and the tempo accelerates, Europa awaits a symbol, while national legal orders are not freezed   

And she expressed "support" to ECHR President Jean-Paul Costa's call to satisfy the vital need to revigorate the PanEuropean Court by deciding big changes at a High-Level Conference open to a large audience, a kind of "Etats Generaux" of Human Rights, at the beginning of 2010.       

dati_a_cedh_1_400 

It's not so much the recently growing number of applications for Russia or Ukraine etc, which seems to be Costa's main concern : In fact, the cases declared "admissible" are much fewer...    

But rather the persistent violations of Human Rights, sometimes very grave (ie. murders, torture, abritrary deprivation of liberty, oppression of freedom of speech, destructions of homes/properties, etc), despite numerous, repeated condemnations by ECHR. So that CoE's Ministers, due to "supervise execution" of ECHR's judgements, are overloaded.   

F.ex. most Media noted that Turkey still remains, even in 2008, the 1st among 47 CoE member States in the number of condemnations by ECHR :  257, compared to 233 for Russia, with a population more than the double..    

The problem is that it's not the 1st time at all : During all the last Decade 1998-2008, Turkey was condemned by ECHR much more than any other State, and for particularly grave violations :   

- 1.652 condemnations, compared to 605 for Russia, 548 for Poland, 494 for France, 476 for Ukraine, etc.   

Italy's second place with 1.394 condemnations is a misleading false appearance : In fact, most of them (999) concern mere "procedural delays" in national courts. Same for France.   

On the contrary, Turkey was condemned 180 times for Killings, 192 times for Torture or Inhuman/Degrading treatments, 340 times for arbitrary deprivation of Liberty, 528 times for "Unfair trial", and 169 times for oppression of Freedom of speech, (etc). And the latest, 2008 numbers, indicate no change in this trend, (See supra).   

The current Spanish CoE Presidency (November 2008 - May 2009) has made of the implementation of ECHR's judgements its 1st Priority.   

ECHR's President, Jean-Paul Costa, stressed in its 2009 Annual Press Conference, CoE Member States' obligation to implement the judgements, according to Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights.   

Moreover, if CoE's Committee of Ministers delays to ensure implementation, then, the repetition of violations in similar cases provokes a multiplication of complaints tabled to the Court, which overload the mecanism for the protection of Human Rights, denounced Costa.          

A series of Debates on "the situation of Human Rights in Europe", focusing on the "need to fight against Impunity" of perpetrators of grave crimes, is  currently prepared by CoE's Parliamentary Assembly for the session of June 2009.  

The final Timing comes shortly AFTER the EU Elections, but the main Reports should have been adopted before.

Meanwhile, French President Sarkozy and German Chancelor Merkel's recent call "for a Political Europe" in 2009 EU Elections (See earlier "correspondence from Paris, Elysee Palace), seems more and more endorsed also by other EU Countries' Top MEPs :

Thus, f.ex., EU Parliament's 1st vice-President, Greek MEP Mrs Rodi KRATSA, speaking to "EuroFora", agreed that 2009 EU Election would be a "naturally good" opportunity to debate what really interests EU Citizens : "The Future of a Political Europe, able to face the Economic Crisis, with a Culture and identity which attracts the People"

dsc01520_400
(Photo taken earlier during Sarkozy's 1st visit at EU Parliament, in 2007 : Sarkozy and Merkel's Ideas for a Political Europe inspire also other EU politicians accross the continent)..
.



Polls

2009 EU Elections were won by Parties against Technocracy and Turkey's controversial EU bid, while the 1999-2004 Majority Abstention trend decelerated. What should be done in 2009-2014 ?

Results

SMF Recent Topics SA

PHP WARNING 
PHP WARNING 
PHP WARNING 
PHP WARNING