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Home arrow newsitems arrow New Elysee palace Secretary General Musca to EuroFora on forthcoming EU Summits and €uroZone,Greece+

New Elysee palace Secretary General Musca to EuroFora on forthcoming EU Summits and €uroZone,Greece+

Parašė ACM
Monday, February 28, 2011

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    Xavier Musca, French President Sarkozy's top Economy adviser, who was just appointed Today at the Head of Elysee Palace's administration as its New Secretary General, speaking earlier to "EuroFora" and other Journalists at this month's, February 2011, EU Summit in Brussels, (comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the spot), exchanged interesting and topical observations related to the forthcoming March 11 and 24-25 €uroZone and EU Summits, including on developments about Economic, Monetary, Greece, and other issues, with unavoidable Political dimensions too, which are currently growing according to the latest developments, spreading from the Mediterranean up to G8-G20 French 2011 Presidency (comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from Paris' G-20 1st Finance Summit) :


    - Musca, speaking on the forthcoming March 11 €uroZone Summit, earlier this month to Journalists, including "EuroFora", stressed the fact that "It's the 1st time that there will be a normal Heads of State/Government Summit for €uroZone even without an urgent need to immediately face a Global Crisis (at the Difference of October 2008 1st in History €uroZone Summit, organized during the French EU Presidency in order, precisely, to take the first coordinated measures to succesfully relaunch European Economy's growth in the middle of the worst World Crisis of the last 60 Years, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReport from that Elysee Palace event).


    + Moreover, it was agreed (at EU Summit of February 4e, 2011 : See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the event), that this time, the focus will be on Structural aspects of €uroZone's Economy, in order to bring Changes able to create Convergence in boosting Competitivity". All this, taken together, are "Important New developments", decided by the February 4 EU Summit in Brussels, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the spot) about the 2 forthcoming March €uroZone and EU Summits, Musca concluded, pointing also to the fact that at European Leaders were "United" all together, and decided to strongly support €uro all along these main Directions.


    - Meanwhile, denouncing the volatility of the Global Monetary system, a smiling Musca complained that "Each time I tried to prognosticate Foreign Currencies' evolution, I was always proved wrong !", as is said laughing. "And I wasn't one of the worst Experts", critically observed the experienced former  Head of the Treasury, who served also as former President of the prestigious "Paris Club", composed of 19 Senior Officials from the Richest Countries in the World, including USA, Russia, Japan, Germay, France, Canada, Switzerland, etc., with Observers from Economy/Development related International Organizations, such as IMF, World Bank, OECD, UNCTAD, as well as EU Commission, European, African , Asian and Inter-American Banks of Development during 2004 - 2009, and is naturally due to play a key role in France's G8 - G20 2011 chairmaniship, including in the organization of the G8 and  G20 Summits, at Dauville and Cannes, on May and November, respectively.
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    Questioned how long €uroZone might need to take exceptional measures in order to ensure its stability vis a vis Global Markets, Musca inter alia replied that this could go on at least as long as Greece's and Ireland's Economies etc. will need in order to be restored.

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    At this precise point, "EuroFora" invited Musca to ensure that, both himself as well as French President Sarkozy were indeed aware that, (independently of a welcome opportunity to develop further €uroZone's "Economic Governance" on this occasion), the financial problems provoked in Greece were not at all due to any supposed "weakness" of  €uroZone, which was, in fact, much Stronger than generally thought, but to other, previous problems of a totally differend nature:  

 

- "However, all that mass of Salaries" (to pay for a notoriously excessive number of non-productive Civil Servants, out of proportion with the country's real growth), started to object Musca, apparently rightfully.


- "Yes", agreed "EuroFora", "but, precisely, the origin of that problem dated back from the 1980ies, i.e. long before the creation of €uroCurrency !", we observed, obviously referring to the well-known massive Appointments in the Public and para-Public sector (including many Médias !) of many fans, or corrupted, even oppressive lackeys of former "Socialist" Governments in Greece, during that period which remains famous for being full of Nepotism, Arbitrariness and Scandals, strange Deaths, even suspected Murders, etc.  


Musca appeared to agree also with "EuroFora", when we added that, "despite the huge Public Debt that these (1980's events) provoked, nevertheless, Greece could have entered correctly the €uroZone, if it had waited a few Years longer in order to Reform its Economy". But, "on the contrary, the real figures were notoriously hidden", at the beginning of the years 2000, "and we all (including "EuroFora"s co-founder, as former Greek Press Agency EU Correspondent between 1998-2001) were given False Data to transmit all over the Media", on the real situation of Greece's Economy between 1999-2001, (as it was revealed, only many years later, leading to EuroStat Officials' resignation), so that the then "Socialist" Government won the April 2001 Elections precisely on the base of the decision to admit Athens, earlier than normal, inside the €uroZone, as it was decided by main EU Countries' then "Socialist" Governments (f.ex. in Germany, France, UK, Italy,  etc).


- "In fact, the real move was, in exchange, a Secret Political Deal on Turkey"'s controversial and impopular EU bid, "EuroFora" reminded, obviously pointing at the December 1999, Helsinki's EU Summit's decision to give Ankara a "Candidate" status, and to the 2000-2002 EU decisions to start Funding the Turkish Authorities with EU Money, for the 1st time after a long period of EU Funds' Blockade due to Turkish Government's persistant Refusal to comply with EU Parliament's Conditions on respect of Human Rights, Democrary and Rule of Law, solution of Minorities' and Cyprus' problems, recognition of Armenian Genocide and to cease War Threats in the Aegean against Greece's rights according to the International Law of the Sea, on probable Oil/Gas resources, (See relevant previous "EuroFora"s publications).


Musca looked perhaps surprised, but genuinly interested, and, at any case, did not deny all these facts evoked by "EuroFora", about which he apparently might have spoken, shortly afterwards, with French President Sarkozy, who just arrived, a few minutes afterawards, for his concluding EU Brussels' 4 February 2011's Press Conference, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReport from that event on the spot).

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As several EU Parliament's mainstream MEPs and its Economic Committee, as well as main Greek opposition party "New Democracy"s leader Antonis Samaras", have already asked, (and already started, in fact, with the famous Hearing of USA's Goldman Sachs' Officials by EU Parliament's Economic Committee, back in 2010, on the American Financial Giant's reported deal with the 1998-2001 former "Socialist" Government in Greece to practically hide its huge Public Debt, which had been provoked since the 1980ies : See "EuroFora"s relevant NewsReport), now, the right move would naturally be to start a full and transparent Investigation on what really happened on that 1998-2001 attempt to hide the grave Errors made during the 1980ies' Nepotism, which still hinders a real Democracy, without discriminations, favoritism and corruption, to function in Greece, to the point to threaten, today, to undermine even €uroZone itself in front of Global Speculation's recent attempts to burst Europe at a crucial juncture, when it has just started to get out of the Global Crisis...  


Otherwise, all those notoriously Bureaucratic, often Anti-Democratic Lackeys who were appointed in the Public Sector by Nepotist former "Socialist" Governments of the 1980ies, (including, many at the Mass Media, whith the result to provoke a Gap between Greek Citizens and corrupted mainstream Media holders, particularly during the period 1999-2003, precisely when that Deal "Turkey in axchange of €uro" was concluded, obliging to Hide the Truth, both on the real situation of both the Economy in Greece, and of Human Rights etc. in Turkey : See supra), and other counter-productive cushy-job holders who profited from the pro-Turkey anti-European secret Deal, which notoriously blocked EU's Institutional Development since the 2005-2007's "No" to 3 EuroReferenda in France, Netherlands and Ireland, while now still humpers EU's Economy (See supra), would not only keep their 25 Years-long unworthy Benefits, but would even demand now and in the Future to get, in addition, also expensive early Retirement supplementary benefits, for long periods....


On the contrary, a full and efficient, trasparent Investigation, (See supra), could easily reveal many "1999-2003's gross Lies and other abuses commited then mainly in the Media, in order to Hide the Truth about the Counter-Productive Waste, Corruption, Nepotism and Crimes of some Past "Socialist" Governments of the 1980ies, (See supra), preventing those who already made in the Past illegitimate Profits and cushy, luxurious carreers, etc, out of that Mess, from asking even more Today, (that would already Save much Money for Economies), and help, on the contrary, to restore Today a Healthy situation, with elementary Justice towards all the Victims, including, naturally, €uroZone itself...


Suth moves could save Greece's Productive sectors and Poor People's Life-time's or even whole Generations' economies and savings, (often obtained with hard work, dire sacrifices and/or long deprivations), from current Threats to be usurpated and wasted, in fact, for the benefit of the same Corrupted, Anti-Democratic, and counter-productive Lackeys and cushy-job holders of Past Nepotism, while also creating a Hope for Justice to be done, and EU's Money to be Safely, Succesfully and Fairly invested in really Productive, serious and efficient work, able to bring a much needed sustainable Growth and Democratic Development in that Historically, Symbolically and GeoPolitically Stategic EU Member Country,  serving the General European Interest.
Recent rumours that, according to some relevant developments on the sidelines of the March 24-25 EU Summit, even Parliamentary Elections might be eventually declared, sooner or later, in Greece, could obviously add even more Political flavour to such possible EU moves, quite soon... At any case, and in addition, it's well known that EU could always get easily back all the Money it might borrow and/or invest in Greece, if it has the Political Will to liberate the Oil/Gas resources reportedly contained at the Aegean Sea, i.e. mainly inside EU's External Borders, according to the International Law of the Sea, unfortunately blocked since 1973 because of Turkey's territorial revendications and War Threats, contrary to several EU Summits' official conclusions since long...


Much more Gas resources are currently being notoriously discovered between EU Member Cyprus, Egypt, Israel and Lebanon, etc, at the South-Eastern Mediterranean, whose Geology is similar to that of Mexico's Gulf, (where were recently found Gas fields representing some 52% of USA's needs, according to former US President G.W.Bush), as "EuroFora"s co-founder had already warned, as early as since February 2002, on the basis of Research and Euro-Geologists' mega-Conference in Strasbourg, (Comp. one of our relevant Publications at "The Cyprus Weekly" Newspaper, then, at the eve of former Cyprus' and Egypt's Presidents Clerides' and Mubarak's forthcoming 1st meeting in Cairo where the two Neighbouring Countries started, for the 1st time, to negotiate an Agreement on the repartition of their respective Exclusive Economic Zones, which was effectively concluded later-on, followed afterwards by similar Treaties signed also with Israel, Lebanon, etc). This fact was even more clearly highlighted these days, when USA has just authorized the same Deep Sea drilling Company "Noble Energy", which had started to work with Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon, etc. at the S/E. Mediterranean, to start also drilling at Mexico's Gulf, (see this week's mainstream Press Agencies)...


+ Meanwhile, EU has just, reportedly, decided to add also a properly EU Summit, the same Day with the initially agreed €uro-Zone Summit, on March 11, in order to deal also with the topical issue of a renewed European Policy for the Mediterranean, after the recent Historic developments and changes, still going on and spreading among 3rd Countries, from Algeria up to Turkey's borders : Precisely as "EuroFora"s Questions and EU Parliament President Buzek's  Replies had already suggested at his latest Press Conference in Brussels as early as since the Beginning of the February 4 EU Summit, (See relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReport on "Energy" and "Mediterranean" EU Economy and Foreign Policies), shortly before Musca, who is of Mediterranean origine, born in Corsica, was chosen by Sarkozy as Elysée SG.


=> Obviously, all this needs a comprehensive, overall view, a political will to really change things, and an inventive, innovating spirit, able to find and propose the right working formula which can redress the situation and open new Horizons : In brief, precisely that kind of "Leonardo da Vinci" spirit, to which was symbolically dedicated Musca's annual graduation period from the prestigious French Senior Officials' ENA School...


"EuroFora", speaking to Musca earlier this month, when he was still Sarkozy's Top Economic Counselor, spontaneously made the understandable mistake to stop more concrete analysis when our brief conversation arrived to the key-point of the Political "Turkish Deal" of 1999-2001 by former "Socialist" Governments in exchange of Greece's sooner than normal, unprepared entry to €uroZone (See supra), since we saw, standing aside, also Sarkozy's Political affairs Director, and thought that this point might be closer to his own competence. But, while admitting, indeed, that "all such issues, even of Economic nature, are also Political", as he agreed smiling, the French President's Political counselor, perhaps guessing eventual developments, kindly advised "EuroFora" to get back to Xavier Musca, who was also later brought by Sarkozy himself, at his side, in front of a Journalists' group around "EuroFora".

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Today's French President's decision to promote Musca up to the No 1 job inside Elysee palace, from where, according to the well-established practice and interpretation of the French Constitution initially forged by De Gaulle, is supervised all Governments' activities, focusing mainly on Foreign and Security/Defence Policies, etc., clearly indicates that, from now on, it will be absolutely natural and even necessary for him to deal with all aspects, not only Economic but also Political, of such composite issues, as that which "EuroFora" has just started to evoke with Xavier Musca, topically (See supra).

***

 (NDLR : Main Photo : Elysée French Presidential Palace's new Secretary General, Xavier Musca, f. Sarkozy's Economic counsellor and International Paris Club's President, together with the Head of Elysee's Press service, Sarkozy's faithful, Frank Louvrier, as well as his experienced, long-time International affairs' advisor, Pierre Regent, and other Elysee's agents).

***
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People in Europe and the World expect from CoE to make a succes of its "Monitoring" for Human Rights and Democracy, despite difficulties, said Finland's President Tarja Halonen to "EuroFora" at a crucial moment for the mecanism built 15 years ago by the paneuropean organization which celebrates its 60th Anniversary in 2009.

Halonen, known as "Mother" of CoE's "Monitoring" mecanism, a long-time MEP and former Foreign Minister before becoming Finland's President, holds a long experience in the mattter, after also serving twice as CoE and EU Chairwoman in the past. That's why she is well placed to judge how CoE's "monitoring" should deal today with some crucial issues of importance both to CoE and to the EU.

The move came just a Month before a crucial, last visit to Turkey, scheduled for June, by the President of CoE''s "Monitoring" Committee, Ukranian MEP Serge Holovaty, to finalize his Report on Ankara, the CoE Member State with the longest Monitoring procedure. From its results depends its overall credibility.

This is a Test-case, because, in fact, it's in order to avoid Sanctions threatened against Turkey by a CoE's Assembly's April 1995 Resolution for grave Human Rights violations, Democracy gaps, the continuing Military Occupation in Cyprus, the unresolved Kurdish problem, Aegean differend with Greece, etc., that MEPs decided to create, for the 1st time on April 1996, a "Monitoring" proces, allegedly destinated to check, without excluding Countries who did not fulfill all CoE's standards.

In the Past, the obliged withdrawal of Greece's Military regime and of its "Civil" cover-up out of the CoE had helped bring back Democracy in 1974. But, on the contrary, since April 1996, the idea was to "monitor" Human Rights' respect while keeping most concerned Countries inside the CoE. After Turkey's oldest example, this was extended also to several former "Eastern" European Countries, even if CoE's Assembly has imposed to some of them (fex. Ukraine, Russia, etc., after Belarus, Serbia, etc) various "Sanctions", that Ankara always avoided. Curiously more succesful even than .. USA itself, (a CoE "Observer" since 1995), which has been at least threatened with sanctions some years ago..

EU-effects of CoE's Monitoring process became obvious between 2001-2008, since the "closure" of this procedure, when CoE felt that a Country had met most of its Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law obligations, (i.e. the "Copenhagen Criteria" for the EU), helped trigger Negotiations with the EU for "Accession" or other closer relations : This occured already before the 2004 and 2007 EU Enlargements to former "Eastern" European Countries, as well as for the commencement of "accession" negotiations with Croatia, and of "open-ended" negotiations with Turkey in 2005.

    But a stricking new development are Holovaty's recent findings that on core Human Rights issues as Torture and Freedom of Expression, Turkey, even "5 Years after" CoE closed its "Monitoring", back in 2004, inciting EU to start accession Negotiations in 2005, still presents grave problems.

    His findings are of crucial importance after a 2008 CoE Resolution called, "if need be", to "seriously consider the possibility of Re-Opening the Monitoring procedure for Turkey" : A move which might affect Ankara's controversial EU bid, since EU Accession Negotiations are based on the Hypothesis that the Candidate fullfils the "Copenhagen Criteria" (See above)..
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    Holovaty expressed his will to check  "Matters still Outstanding" and  those that he "didn't have an opportunity to discuss" at an earlier visit this year, "in order to discuss the more complex issues in greater depth", at his forthcoming New Visit to Ankara, before the December 2009 EU Summit.  This is all based on the 2004 CoE Resolution which stresses that, CoE "will continue.. post-monitoring Dialogue with the Turkish authorities,...in addition to a 12-points list,..and on any Other Matter that might arise in connection with Turkey’s Obligations as a CoE member state".

    CoE's Resolution also asks  from Turkey "to secure the proper Implementation of Judgements, particularly in the Cyprus v. Turkey InterState case", of 2001, which concerns also the plight of many Hundreds of MISSING People. It adds Turkey's obligations to "execute" ECHR's Judgements in the Loizidou case,..and in particular adopt General Measures to avoid repetition or continuation of Violations found by the Court" to the detriment of Refugees.

    Nevertheless, Holovaty said to "EuroFora" that "MISSING" persons,"might be included" and cannot be excluded, but he has yet to examine the situation "to find out  which issues will be raised" to the Turkish Government.

    Therefore, "EuroFora" asked Halonen, as the Historic "Mother" of CoE's Monitoring mecanism, if she thought that, "whenever there are grave Human Rights Violations, as fex. "MISSING" persons, attested even by ECHR's judgements, they should be always checked by a Monitoring process. Or could they be forgotten ?"
    
     - "We (CoE) must be, at the same time, Fair, Realistic, but not in the mind that "now we have Forgotten", etc., replied to "EuroFora"'s question Halonen, speaking as a matter of general principle.

    - "When we think of those People that are suffering from the lack of Democracy, of Human Rights, and of the Rule of Law", "we should find a base on how to deal with the (Monitoring) system more rapidly"', she stressed.

    - "Sometimes it's very difficult to combine Transparency and Effectivenes together, particularly in this specific case", she went on to say. But, "I have not found a (CoE Member) Country who could be insensitive in this sens", Halonen answered concerning grave Human Rights violations attested by the ECHR.

    - "I have no ready-made answer. I have the expectations that you, in the CoE, will, step by step, find the different types of the monitoring systems."

    Also "because this is a part of the UN's Post-Conflict system, (fex. when it comes to Cyprus' MISSING persons), and it's a more Global system". So that, "If we make a succes in Europe, the others will follow", throughout the World.  "But they expect that we (Europe) are this opportunity, this Opportunity to make a Succes", Halonen concluded.

    In addition, she advised to extend CoE's Monitoring to all its 47 Member States, "because, as long as we hear that, all these monitoring systems are "OK for the neighbor, but not for me", "it's very difficult" to understand. Something which could make easier to Compare...

    Finnish MEP Jaako Laakso, former CoE Rapporteur on the Occupied Territories of Cyprus and one of the 5 Signatories of the Historic CoE's call to create the "MONITORING" mecanism since 1996, was more specific :  - "We (CoE Assembly) have to find a way for the issue of Cyprus' MISSING People to be better followed", he stressed, anouncing his intention to "speak to Mr. Holovaty" about that. "There might be also other ways", added Laakso.

    - The 2008 "Year had been a very Bad one for Turkey with regard to Human Rights in general, and Freedom of Expression in particular", denounced, meanwhile, Holovaty's preliminary Post-Monitoringh Draft Report by Holovaty, published by the CoE on April 2009.

    "Amnesty International believes that freedom of expression is not guaranteed given the various articles of the Criminal Code that restrict it. .. "For example, 1,300 Websites are said to have been closed down by the (Turkish) authorities in 2008" ! While "the new Turkish Criminal Code was used to bring a total of 1,072 proceedings between June 2005 and April 2008, and led to the conviction of 192 people", for expressing views. "Representatives of the Özgür Gündem newspaper, which specialises in Kurdish affairs, ..complained about Numerous Attacks on their Freedom of Expression ...as was everyone who advocated a settlement to the question by means other than the intervention of the army" "According to their figures, 19 Newspapers had been suspended 43 times between 4 August 2006 and 4 November 2008" !...

    Moreover, on 2008,  CoE's "Ministers adopted its 4rth Resolution on the execution of the judgments of the ECHR, ...and outstanding issues regarding 175 Judgements and decisions relating to Turkey delivered between 1996 and 2008...  concerning Deaths resulting from the excessive use of force by members of the Security forces, the failure to protect the right to life, the DIisappearance and/or death of individuals, Ill-Treatment and the Destruction of property". CoE's " Ministers urged the Turkish authorities ...to ensure that members of Security forces of all ranks can be prosecuted without administrative
authorisation" for "serious crimes". Holovaty reminded.

"Nonetheless", Holovaty heard anew of "Several cases of Violence committed last year (2008) by the (Turkish) security forces". Amnesty International speaks of Many Cases of ill-treatment and Torture in the prisons and by the police". "Including, fex."'the death of Engin Ceber, a young man of 29 who died on October 2008 as a result of the TORTURE allegedly inflicted on him by police officers, prison staff and members of the gendarmerie. He was part of a group of people arrested on September 2008 during a demonstration and Press Conference in Istanbul'. Proceedings against suspects are "on-going" in this case.

- " I therefore noted an Obvious Contradiction between the Government’s stated “zero tolerance” policy.... of Torture and other forms of ill-treatment, and the different testimonies given", denounced CoE's Rapporteur.  Turkish "authorities must make considerable efforts to guarantee that proper investigations are carried out into allegations of abuses by members of the security forces and that perpetrators are effectively punished" "In this respect, I have requested detailed Statistics on the number of Investigations, acquittals and convictions in cases involving allegations of abuse in order to show the positive impact of the measures taken to date", Holovaty said, repeating a permanently unsatisfied CoE's demand to Turkey since a Decade...

    - "The Political Crisis that shook the country in the spring of 2008 highlighted the Weaknesses of the (Turkish) Constitution", which comes from the Military regime of 1982, "and the Urgent Need of Reforms", stressed from the outset CoE's Rapporteur in 2009. In particular, "the ...Democratic functioning of state institutions, including the independence of the judicial system, are crucial", he observes.

    But, "the Electoral  system and the ways in which it is circumvented do not appear to give those elected complete Legitimacy, and tend to pervert the course of direct universal suffrage", denounces Holovaty, observing that, even 5 Years later, Turkey did not yet change the 10% nationwide Threshold for a party to take any seat, which is "far higher" than the "3%" maximum in Europe and already condemned as contrary to European Standards by the CoE.

    + Moreover, EU Parliament's 2009 Report on Turkey, drafted by Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten and adopted in Strasbourg on March, expresses "Concern over the Failure of the (Turkish) Judiciary to prosecute cases of Torture and Ill-treatment, the Number of which is Growing". EU also "is concerned about continuing Hostility and Violence against Minorities" in Turkey. It also "calls on the Turkish Government to launch, as a matter of Priority, a Political Initiatve favouring a lasting Settlement of the Kurdish issue, (while "condemning violence.. and terrorist groups"). EU "regrets that No progress has been made on establishing full, systematic Civilian suprevisory functions over the (Turkish) Military".

    The final results of Holovaty's 2nd and last visit to Turkley will be known later this year, and, at any case, before EU's December 2009 Summit.

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