Presidency candidate Hollande (S) to EuroFora: "Turkey doesn't meet EU Criteria ..for the moment..
*"Strasbourg Days 2012"/ACM/- Even if it's obvious that Turkey doesn't yet meet the Conditions for eventual EU Accession, on the contrary, it's not excluded that Ankara might enter inside the EU at any point in the Future, nor that some Technocrats won't, suddenly, claim that Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law criteria would have been met by the Turkish Authorities, even if this would be in blatant contradiction with the Facts, as back on 1999-2004, if we judge by the Replies that "Socialist" Candidate Hollande gave to "EuroFora"s Questions today ;
- "EuroFora" initially started by asking Hollande "what is really (his) position on EU's Enlargement".
- "To which Country ?", Hollande asked.
- "Obviously for the most controversial question : That of Turkey, considering, in particular the problems it raises for the EU, also on Human Rights, Democracy, and other issues", we pointed out.
- "I think that, for Turkey, the Conditions (to EU Enlargement) are not fullfilled", Hollande replied.
+ "And in the foreseable Future ?", asked, in an obviously necessary complementary question, "Eurofora" in addition.
- Today, "there is a Process, which must be respected", started to reply Hollande, pointing to the controversial and unpopular Turkey - EU Negotiations, that some persist still to call "Accession" Talks, (despite the Democratic mandate given by a Majority of EU Citizens to French and German, but also Austrian, Dutch, Belgian, Bulgarian and other Governments and/or Election Winner Parties, as well as to the biggest EU Parliament's 2009 Elections' EPP Group of MEPs, to Stop Ankara's EU claims), while others have started to name "Open Ended" Talks, (i.e. able to lead also to an eventual "Strategic Partnership", not to Full Accession), according also to Official EU Council's Decisions since 2006. This same "process" also serves, in practice, as a Legal and Political pretext in order to start Funding the Turkish Government, since 2001 with a growing, Big amount of Money, now near to 1 Billion € each Year in Grants, (i.e. the equivalent to some 400 Billions € in Loans), from EU Taxpayers'Money (including the Poor who pay VAT), equal to... EU's most important Space program for High-Tech Innovative Infrastructures on "Global Monitoring for Environment and Security", alias GMES, which is notoriously threatened recently, because of lack of available EU Funds, ... (See relevant, recent "EuroFora"s NewsReports).
+ "But the conditions (for Turkey's EU Accession) are not fulfilled..." yet, he reiterated carefully.
- "... for the Moment", as the 2012 "Socialist" Party's candidate for the forthcoming French Presidential Elections, chosing carefully his words, concluded, by adding a Crucial point which obviously Changes everything...
=> I.e., to put it in a nutshell, for Hollande, only the present (i.e. up to the late April - early May 2012 Vote) situation is certain, (because of Turkey's blatant reluctance to fulfill EU Conditions, particularly on Democracy - Human Rights), while, on the contary, ... anything may happen afterwards !
Including, last but not least, for French and other EU Citizens to have to face, sooner or later, at some "Other Moment" during the 2012-2017 period, eventually, a "Socialist" Government in Paris and/or elsewhere inside the EU, suddenly claiming, anew, that the notoriously undemocratic, oppressive and aggressive Turkish Government would have "fulfilled far enough" the EU Conditions, even if, in fact, it would not have done so at all, except from a few cover-up, "Publicity" attempts to Mislead the Public Opinion with False Appearances or even Grossly Erroneous Claims by some astonishingly stuborn proponents of Ankara's controversial EU bid, probably most driven by some shady, in fact Anti-European Networks notoriously searching a way to undermine Europe through Turkey's unpopular attempts to enter into the EU, which would obviously Exclude any European Identity, Destroy Social Cohesion, Dangerously Expose Europe to Iraqi, Syrian and Irani Borders, empty EU's Budget, grossly violate Modern Europe's Values on Human Rights and Democracy, practically throwing EU Citizen's Rights to the WasteBasket, inundate the EU with Mass Immigration from Asia notoriously unwilling to integrate so that EU Countries would be infiltrated by "Ghettos" monitored from Abroad by "remote control", while also giving a Right to Vote in immediately forthcoming Local/Regional Elections in France (2013-2014) to Non-European Immigrants, so that a recent Massive Turkish Immigration, rejected by Switzerland and/or Germany/Austria, penetrates even more in N/E France, (according to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's 2010 call in Paris), to take the formal "Papers" needed in order to start Manipulating several French Votes by its, Externaly Monitored, non-integrated Ghetto-Lobbying (comp. supra)....
Already, EU's 1999 and CoE's 2004 decisions, to, respectively, accept Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU "Candidacy", as well as to claim that Turkish Authorities would have fullfilled almost all Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law commitments vis a vis the CoE, so that the famous "Copenhagen Criteria" would have been, reportedly, already met, allowing Ankara to start lucrative EU Accession Negotiations (costing more than 850.000 € each Year) from 2005, notoriously astonished and revolted many People, resulting to the three "No" to EuroReferenda since 2005 in France and the Netherlands, followed by Ireland, etc., after the sudden emergence of rapidly growing, unprecedented Majority Abstentions in EU Parliament's Elections, precisely, from 1999-2004.
=> Such a Dangerous Ambiguity about the Future, particularly on a so Crucial issue as that of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, (Comp. "EuroFora"s 2nd, complementary Question to Hollande and his Reply : Supra),
cannot but aggravate precisely what the "Socialist" candidate himself had denounced, earlier today himself, as "a Feeling of Deprivation and a Disillusion,...in European Politics", "when a Sovereign People feels that it has no more of the capacity to decide itself on its own Fate", and when appears "a growing distance between Promisses and Acts, and a growing Gap between the Expression of Political Will, and the Heavy Obstacles which might oppose progress" ...
Because it's simply scandalous to Threaten People even on 2012 with Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU entry demand, while crystal-clear Majorities have already Voted to exclude any such risk, repeatedly, since the 2005 "NO" to EuroReferenda in France and the Netherlands, particularly on 2007 French Elections, on 2009 in German and EU Parliament's Elections, etc. as well as in various other EU Countries between 2009-2011 !
+ Moreover, it's Incompatible with any wish to "help emerge a European Dream", as Hollande said that he wanted to do "though a French Dream", if anyone brought EU Citizens, on the contrary, face to face with the "Nightmare" of a notoriously undemocratic, Oppressive Turkish Government, with Thousands of even Elected MPs, Mayors or Journalists currently Jailed in Prisons, Press Liberties and Freedom of Expression arbitrarily oppressed, Turkish Army occupying the Northern part of Cyprus, threatening Greece in the Aegean Sea, launching Deadly Attacks inside Iraq, blocking Armenian survivors of the 1st Genocide in Modern History, a scandalous Impunity of Torturers or Murderers, (often Turkish State's Agents), Hundreds of Thousands of Refugees still Hindered to return to their Family Homes and Ancestral Land from which they were Brutally expelled, still Disposessed of their usurpated Homes and private Properties contrary to ECHR's case-Law, Families of "Missing" Persons still ignoring what really happened to their beloved ones and who is Responsible for their Enforced Disappearance, with Archives and other vital information being kept Secret by the Turkish Authorities and Killers totally unpunished in blatant Violation of ECHR's judgements : A Dangerous Precedent full of obvious Risks also for the Future of Humankind, (etc)... Particularly if such scandalously unpunished and dangerous Criminals and other Corrupted and Abusive Turkish State Agents, started even to ..circulate among EU Citizens' children, inside the EU, spending EU Taxpayers' Money, by consuming EU Funds equivalent to those from which is currently deprived even he biggest, High-Tech Space Program of the EU : the famous "Global Monitoring for Environment and Security" (GMES : See relevant "EuroFora"s recent NewsReports),..
Hollande, who had just finished, before speaking to "EuroFora", a Dialogue with a German Socialist Philosopher from nearby Karlsruhe, in Strasbourg's Opera, in the framework of a 3 Days-long Annual Political Debates event organized by "Socialist" Magazine "Nouvel Observateur" and the Association "Europa Nostra" (where his participation was anounced only at the last minute), except from ostensibly drinking a ..."Turkish coffee" earlier in a Suburb, (an apparently "innocent", pittoresque act), hasn't yet done anything, at least at our knowledge (which is, however, rather limited as far as his Past activities are concerned), which might, eventually, lead to Doubt about his personal Objectivity and/or Honesty concerning key Facts on Turkey. But, given also the Fact that he's notoriously surrounded by other "Socialist" Politicians who unquestionably have serious Responsibilities already for attributing to Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid the lucrative Status of "EU Accession Candidate" back on December 1999, (such as former PM. Jospin, former MInister for EU affaits Moscovici, and others), as well as the recent trend of most "Socialist" Parties to systematically accept and even push Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU Bid (at least since 1999-2000+), added to the Total Absence of Any Guarantee that, this time, any eventually Crucial Decision on EU-Turkey relations would be really taken on the basis of Objective Criteria, contrary to the Negative, obviously Arbitrary and/or Irrational Decisions taken on December 1999 and 2004 falsely claiming that Ankara would have fulfilled its Human Rights/Democracy and Rule of Law obligations (sic!), it's naturally very Difficult, if not totaly Impossible to Blindly Trust Now his Hypothetic "Bona Fides" alone, particularly in an issue with so High Stakes, even in Global GeoPolitics, as Turkey's EU relations....
------------------------
Hollande's approach on Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, as it was resumed today in his replies to "EuroFora"s question, (Comp. Supra) differs from that of President Sarkozy mainly on the following crucial points :
1) - Hollande accepts that Turkey could become, one day, a full EU Member. On the contrary, Sarkozy believes that Turkey is not a European Country, and (as Merkel and others) rejects Ankara's EU bid as dangerous against the desired development, in the Future, of a Strong, Political Europe with an Historic and Cultural Identity able to attract a large Popular support.
2) - But, "for the moment" Hollande says that "Turkey does not fullfil the Conditions" for EU Accession, without, however, giving any idea about when this might be done : F.ex. in the following few years up to 2014 or after 20 Years ? Obviously, this Fact inevitably provokes the Suspicion to be only a pre-Electoral truc, since he could Change his mind at any moment afterwards...
On the contrary, Sarkozy (as well as Merkel and others) have a crystal-clear stance on this point, considering that Turkey, similar to other Neighbouring Countries, from Morocco (which had been already refused EU candidate status in the Past) through Ankara up to Russia, should better get a kind of "Privileged Partnership" solution, allowing "closer relations" with the EU, but not full entry inside the EU.
This Democratically supported Franco-German stance, which has, in the meantime, won a clear Majority of EU Citizens, as not only France 2007 and Germany's 9/2009 Elections proved, but also People's Votes in EU Parliament's 7/2009 Elections, as well as in several other EU Countries since then, where it has started Spreading all around the EU : F.ex. in Austria, (even inside the UK in the 9/2009 Vote !), the Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Finland, etc. Despite Turkish Government's provocative attempts (and even threats, if not Blackmails !) to change this into a Cultural Conflict, claiming even to bring (real or artificial)"Terrorism" and other more or less Violent Clashes in Europe, nevertheless, the growing opposition to Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid appears as the only common point in recent political developments throughout all Europe between 2005-2012...
3) Meanwhile, Hollande openly supports a process of EU - Turkey's "Accession" Negotiations, (as most "Socialist" parties in the EU), which gives to Ankara's Government some 1 Billion € each Year in full Grants, i.e. the equivalent of about 40 Billions € in Loans each Year !!!!), costing in EU Taxpayers' money (including the Poorest, who are obliged to pay VAT) as equally Expensive to EU's ... most important, High-Tech Space program GMES ("Monitoring for Environment and Security" : See recent "EuroFora"s NewsReports on MEP's protests and EU Parliament's Resolution denouncing the Lack of Money for the European Space Industry, while similar sums are currently wasted in Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, even in the present time of Global Financial Crisis), scandalously, given the Democratically expressed opposal by a Majority of EU Citizens and several EU Governments (comp. Supra), and falsely claiming (Comp. Hollande's 2nd Reply to "EuroFora"s Question) that EU would be legally obliged to continue doing so, even if Turkey still Refuses to respect its own Commitments that it officially undertook, precisely, since 2004, as a Condition for such EU - Turkey Negotiations to start ! (i.e. to Stop Discriminating against EU Member Cyprus' related Ships and Airplanes, etc., the failure to do so, normally, being enough in order to Suspend the Negotiation process, particularly considered in addition to many other Turkey's persisting Failures to respect also several more of its Obligations, f.ex. on Human Rights/Democracy, etc).
On the contrary, Sarkozy, after initially promissing to put a clear and unequivocal, full Stop to EU - Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, was notoriously obliged (by EU Commission President Barroso and some former "Socialist" Governments' opposal back on August 2007, at the same moment that even his personal life was notoriously hit), to propose a Compromise (together with Prime Minister Fillon) consisting in 2 Conditions in order not to Block EU - Turkey's Negotiations : (a) Refusal to open 4 or 5 Negotiation Chapters which are considered as part of a Full EU Membership, (f.ex. participation to EU Institutions, Cohesion funds, EU Citizenship, Free Movement/Shengen, €uroArea, etc), and : (b) A call to start a serious, EU-wide Debate on Europe's Future, (which would include also the issues of EU's Political dimension, Identity, Borders, etc).
Since then, as it is well known, the EU Commission was obliged to respect the 1st Condition, (which, of course, remains Valid, in practice, as long as ... Sarkozy will remain France's President, risking to "vanish" as hot air if things turned otherwise...
But it scandalously undermined the 2nd Condition, after a Bureaucratic manoeuver in Brussels' corridors scandalously "burried" the issue, by Excluding EU Citizens' Public Debates, and downgrading it only in a controversial small "Committee" Report on 2010, prepared by an appointed Secretariat directed by a certain "Dr. Türk", a Slovenian Expert in ... Computer issues, completely unknown to EU Citizens, and then hired only by ...Turkey's Instabul University for a part-time Job, as well as chaired by former "Socialist" Spanish P.M. Gonzalez, a notorious suppporter of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, known for having formed a "Duo" with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan in a MultiCultural project, etc, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/colmarbrussels.html ), so that the matter wasn't pursued at all until now.
However, EU's Political 2012 Landscape is much Better and adequate now, than what it was back on August 2007, for the realization of that Sarkozy's idea, (a compromise deal with EU Commission's President Barroso : Comp. supra). Because, meanwhile, Democratic Elections in many EU Countries allowed to the People, at least partly also inspired by France's 2007 example with Sarkozy, to Vote into power several Political Leaders and/or considerably strengethen New Political Parties, whose views on Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid are closer, if not quasi - Identical to the French President's : F.ex. in Germany, Austria, Holland, Belgium, Hungary, Bulgaria, Sweden, Finland, Greece, Ireland, etc., and even in the UK an unknown Party surprised by winning more MEPs than the Liberals and even than the then Governing Labor Party immediately after it entered the Vote with No 1 issue the "No to Turkey's entry in the EU", while also EU Parliament's 2009 Elections were largely won by Sarkozy's allies of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Party both in France and Germany but also elsewhere throughout Europe.
Moreover, several experienced or new EuroPoliticians have already told "EuroFora" that they also feel that Time has come for such a Debate to start in Europe, by a potentialy interesting coincidence, at the same moment that Sarkozy anounced his intention to start using a "Referendum" method of reaching out to the People whenever "intermediaries" might eventually refuse to move on key issues, and the same year that "EU Citizens' Initiative" is expected to start working probably from April 2012, as informed EU sources told "EuroFora"...
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=> Could the "crossroads" issue of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, (in fact, a meeting point of many crucial problems in Human Rights/Democracy/Rule of Law, EU Budget and Cohesion, European Culture, History and Identity, Europe's Borders and GeoPolitical games between EU and USA, etc.), became as crucial for 2012 French Elections as back on 2007, considering also wjat the experienced former Prime Minister, Michel Rocard, (PSoc.), said immediately after the Hollande's dialogue in Strasbourg's Opera to "EuroFora" ?
- Questioned in general about "European issues", Rocard replied that "EU matters, recently appear rather risky and complicated, so that I think that the don't have a big importance right now".
+ " But I am convinced that it (Europe) can emerge anew, this time, during the confrontation... " at the 2012 French Presidential Election's campaign, Rocard speculated....
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However, in this case, it doesn't seem that the far more Crucial issue of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, which affects so many EU matters, (f.ex. Human Rights/Democracy, Europe's Borders, History and/or Identity, Social Cohesion, High-Tech. Development or Low level "services" and over-Exploitation, the well-known Dillema : "a weak Market, or a Strong Political Europe with Popular support ?", EU's message to the World, etc), might be overshadowed by the also important, but not equaly crucial issue of Hollande's controversial wish to review the €uroArea Governance Treaty, (which, naturally sparked a growing "Hot" debate recently) :
- "Do you need a Large ReNegociation for the Changes that you want on €uroArea (Governance) Treaty, about Economic issues ?", "EuroFora" asked later Hollande.
- "Yes !", firmly stressed Hollande, without any hesitation, in reply to "EuroFora"s question if he meant "Big" Changes, or small.
- "In order to add also (something on) Growth", he went on to add, but wihout specifying at this moment.
Speaking shortly later in Strasbourg, in a Public Debate with former Greek Prime Minister Giorgos Papandreou, "Green" Group's vice-President, MEP Daniel Kohn-Bendit, initially tried to Minimize the scope of the Changes wished by Hollande in €uroArea Governance's Treaty :
- He (Hollande) just wants to add 2 "simple" References : 1) on the aim of Growth, and 2) on CEB's role for that purpose, softly - softly said Mr. Kohn - Bendit with an unusually ..."relaxing" tone..., as if it was nothing important, just a tiny, innocent butterfly flying in the woods...
But, considering the fact that the Official EU Text already Signed by 25 Heads of State/Government, already has some References on "Growth", (comp. "EuroFora"s recent, relevant NewsReport), while Sarkozy, (in what looks as a kind of silent but efficient Deal with Merkel and Monti, etc., since End November - beginning of December 2011), has already managed to succesffully launch the European Central Bank's interventions in €uroArea's Financial Markets twice until now, (in both cases, with very Positive Results : December 2011 and Februar 2012),
and taking also into account even the notorious fact that .. Mr. Kohn-Bendit doesn't really use to speak so .. "Softly" (Comp. Supra),
=> we'd bet that, probably, Hollande's pals will soon anxiously try to Cover-up this starting 2012 Turkey, really "Hot" issue, with anything might excite and divert attention away from it, including, precisely, the €uro-Treaty Change Controversy, (as well as ANYTHING ELSE)....
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(../..)
(NDLR : "DraftNews", as it was already sent to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors earlier. A more accurate and full, Final Version is due asap).
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Recent developments proved that Europe can suceed to overcome challenges by aiming at great objectives, and this is needed also in 2009, said EU chairman, French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
- "It's in the name of Great Ideas, Projects, Ambition and Ideals, that EU can overcome" challenges, stressed Sarkozy at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, in conclusion of a dense 7 months EU Chairmanship. "It's even easier for Europe to have Great projects, able to overcome national egoism, instead of limiting itself only to small projects" (unable to do alike), he observed.
- "Europe must remain Ambitious and understand that the World needs her to take Decisions". "The World needs a Strong Europe", which "thinks on its own, has convictions, its own responses, its imagination" : "A Europe which does not limit itself into following" others, (as it did in the Past, when it followed USA, f.ex. on Bosnia). On the contrary, "Europe should undertake its own responsibilities", he said, after a series of succes in stopping the War between Russia and Georgia, and organizing the 1st EuroZone's Summit in Paris, which incited the Washington DC G-20 Summit to extend similar decisions World-wide.
- "When you sweep it all under the carpet, prepare yourself for hard tomorrows", he warned. "What hinders decisions is the lack of Courage and Will, the fading away of Ideals", he stressed before EU Parliament's 2008 debate on Human Rights and Sakharov prize on Freedom of thought attributed by MEPs to Chinese cyber-dissident Hu Jia, followed by an EU - Turkey meeting on Friday.
- "I don't abandon my convictions" and "I will take initiatives" on EU level also in 2009, Sarkozy announced later. "France will not stop having convictions and taking initiatives" on Europe. + "It's an Error to wish to pass over the Heads of those who are elected in their Countries" : "It's an integrism I always fought against"', he warned.
---------------------
French EU Presidency faced 4 unexpected Crisis :
- An institutional crisis, with the Irish "No" to EU Lisbon Treaty, just before it started. A geopolitical crisis, wth the threat of War between Russia and Georgia risking to throw Europe back to Cold-war divisions, on August. A World-wide Financial and Economic crisis, arriving at a bad moment before crucial 2009 EU elections. And even a Strasbourg's mini-crisis, with EU Parliament's roof curiously falling down, from unknown reasons, in a brand new building on August, provoking an unprecedented transfert of the 2 September Plenary Sessions...
But it wasn't enough to stop Sarkozy ! On the contrary, it stimulated him...
---------------------------------------
- "The better way to deal with the recent problems of EU institutions (as the "3 NO" by France, the Netherlands and Ireland) is to take them as a "Test" in order to find solutions closer to Citizens' concerns", said later in Strasbourg Sarkozy's new choice as Ministe for EU affairs, Bruno Le Maire.
- On the Institutional front, Sarkozy gave Time to the Irish to think about it, and stroke on December a deal including a New Referendum after the June 2009 EU Elections, in exchange of a promise to keep the rule of "one EU Commissioner for each EU Member Country", and some opt-outs on Defence and Fiscal EU policies, Abortion, etc. If the Irish get a "Yes" Majority, then the institutional package could be completed in 2010 or 2011 on the occasion of Croatia's probable EU accession.
He was accused in Strasbourg to upgrade EU Council and downgrade EU Commision, but he replied that "strong Political initiatives by EU Council reinforce also the more technical role of EU Commission, under the political-technical leadership of its President", all 3 "working together with EU Parliament".
- But, meanwhile, Sarkozy energetically spearheaded an Historic 1st Summit of EuroZone's 15 Heads of State and Government at EU's core, exceptionally enlarged to a partial participation of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on October 12 in Paris' Elysee palace, which started to tackle succesfully the growing world Financial crisis.
It also paved the way for its endorsement by a subsequent Brussels' 27 EU Member States' gathering, before it all come to Washington's G-20 Summit. And "Europe was united, it asked for the 1st G-20 Summit, and it will also organise the next G-20 Summit on April in London", he observed.
But a Conference with EU, Russia, African and other Developing Countries, hosted in Strasbourg shortly after Washington G-20 Summit by the French EU Presidency, took a Resolution asking to enlarge participation to Global Economic Governance. Many found, indeed, illogic and unacceptable that f.ex. states as Turkey were given a seat at G-20 level, while all African Countries, and even the African Union itself, representing the greatest Continent on Earth, were excluded...
Meanwhile, even USA''s "Paulson No 3" Plan, was, in fact, inspired by Europe's No 1 Plan", Sarkozy observed, largelly applauded by MEPs.
And "Europe showed Solidarity" by mobilizing some 22 Billion credit for Hungary, 1,7 billion for Ukraine, as we do nowadays for Baltic States, etc., he added.
The move on Economy was extended on December by an EU stimulus' plan totalling some 200 billion Euros, including 5 Billions released by EU Commission for big Projects, as well as various parallel National plans for Economic revival, (fex. 26 billions in France alone). They might appear limited, compared to USA President-elect Obama's reported plan to boost the American economy with 800 billion $, but at least succeded to overcome Europe's divisions for the first time on Economic governance, opening new horizons.
- The French President stressed even harder the unique role of an active EU Council's chairmanship, when he moved swiftly and efficiently, at the beginning of August, to succesfully stop War between Russia and Georgia, at the last minute, which threatened to bring Europe back to Cold War division.
"We (EU) also wanted to avoid a situation like in Bosnia, in the Past, when EU was absent, so that our American friends took their responsibilitues, and EU only followed", despite the fact that the conflict took place in Europe. Now, it was the EU who took its responsibilities".
A roadmap towards a new PanEuropean Security policy, before which all unilateral moves to place new Missiles (from USA or Russia) would be freezed, was proposed by Sarkozy after a meeting with Russian president Medvedev, at the eve of Washington DC's G-20 Summit.
Ukraine's "European" character was stressed at a Sarkozy - Jushenko Summit, September in Paris, while EU adopted on December an "Eastern policy", in which, "I'm convinced that our (EU's) future is to find with our Neighbours the conditions for Economic Development. Peace and Security, by explaining them that.. they must respect (Human Rights') Values, and adopt behaviors different from the Past", explained Sarkozy in Strasbourg.
Meanwhile, the "Union for the Mediterranean" was created, since July's Summit if 45 Heads of State and Government in Paris, as "an organisation for a permanent Dialogue, that we need", mainly in order to tackle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, by bringing together, for the 1st time, Israelis and Arabs, where "Europe must be present, in order to avoid a frontal clash".
- "If Europe doesn't take its part for Peace in the Middle-East, nobody else will do that in our place", Sarkozy stressed.
-----------------------
Meanwhile, other EU Agreements were brokered during the French EU Presidency on Immigration, (fex. common Asylum rules, etc), and Climat- Energy :
- On Climat-Energy, the 2007 German EU Presidency had fixed a triple 20% aim for 2020 (20% renewable Energies, 20% reduction of CO2 emmission, 20% energy efficience/economies), and the 2008 French EU Presidecny realized that, making the necessary compromises in order to modernize EU's industry, but without throwing some former Central-Eastern European Countries into abrupt Economic break down risking "social explosion".
- Defence-Security EU policy was mainly postponed for April 2009, since both German chancellor Merkel and French president Sarkozy want to strike a deal with the new American president Obama in Strasbourg's NATO Summit.
However, with all these 4 unexpected Crisis diverting attention to other urgencies, People wil wonder now, what happened to the famous deal proposed by freshly-elected French President Sarkozy on Turkey's controversial EU bid, back on August 2007, to continue EU - Turkey negotiations, but on the double condition that core chapters, intrinsequally linked with EU Membership, will be excluded, and that a collective Reflexion and Debate on Europe's future would start before the end of 2008.
It was meant to reply to the crucial question : What kind of Europe do we want in 10 or 20 Years from now : A large Market, or a Political Europe, with a popular identity ? In Sarkozy's thinking, presented in his 2 landmark speeches on Europe in Strasbourg, shortly before and after the 2007 Elections, (on February and July 2007), Turkey's controversial EU bid would be incompatible with the second choice.
It's true that EU Commision's Chairman, Jose Barroso, (who had notoriously declared, as former Portuguese Prime Minister, that he found "nonsense" the idea that Europe might become equal to the US), had repeatedly tried to avoid that Sarkozy's criticism on Turkey might start winning a larger audience in Europe, preferring a discrete "wismens' committee" work. And that most of the personalities later chosen in order to participate in a Committee on Europe's Future, are too much linked with Socialist parties and/or American policies, to be really critical of USA's notorious wish to impose Turkey to the EU, as Sarkozy had noted himself since March 2007..
- "It's on EU Council's presidency to take political initiatives. EU Commission has other competences", stressed Sarkozy. The "European Ideal" is to "build Europe with the States, not against them". "Ask Europeans to chose between their countries and Europe won't work. You don't choose between your two parents : We must add them together".
"France and Germany have an Historic Duty to work together, precisely because of what happened to the Past. We have to work hand by hand. We cannot be separated.It goes beyond me and Mrs Merkel today, Mr Schroeder and Mr. Chirac yesterday. It's not a choice, it's a duty to Europe and to the World". "We need Germany, as Germany needs Europe". Compromise is inevitable, here as everywhere, and each one made some steps towards eachother's positions.
But "it's true that Mrs Merkel didn't chose her Socialist partners, while I chose mine", Sarkozy said, in an indirect hint that the Socialist Minister of Finance in Germany might be a cause of minor past disagreements in Economy, which were overcome in recent negotiations.
"We (France and Germany) have particular duties in Europe", but "in a Europe of 27 Member States, it's not enough for France and Germany to agree between them.
"I always thought that Great Britain has a special role to play in Europe. ... Now, everybody "saw what it cost payed the UK for having been too exclusively open towards the US (and) Financial services. Europe needs the UK, but also the UK needs Europe" :- "We were able to face the hardest moment of the Financial crisis because the UK clearly chose Europe", stressed Sarkozy, reminding Gordon Brown's exceptional participation to the Historic 1st Heads of State/Government Summit of EuroZone, October 12 in Paris (See EuroFora's Reportage from Elysee Palace then).
- "Some look at Europe with old glasses aged 30 years ago. While we must look at her in relation to what it will be in 30 years" in the Future, Sarkozy concluded.