The Agonist - European Union

Italians outraged as European court rules against crucifixes

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:27:47 -0800

After a European court rules against crucifixes in Italian schoolrooms, Italians from across the political spectrum decry an assault on the country's Roman Catholic identity.

Christian Science Monitor, By Nick Squires, November 3

Rome - Italians reacted with outrage on Tuesday after a European court ruled that displaying crucifixes in the country's schools violated the principle of secular education.

Italy's education minister condemned the judgment by the European Court of Human Rights, saying that the Christian cross was a symbol of the country's Roman Catholic religion and cultural identity.

Mariastella Gelmini, a member of the conservative government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, argued that "no one, and certainly not an ideological European court, will succeed in erasing our identity," said

Other ministers said they were appalled by the ruling, calling it "absurd," "shameful" and "offensive."

Europe stoops to conquer the Uzbeks

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:17:11 -0700

M K Bhadrakumar | Oct 30

Asia Times - The worsening Afghan war has brought some good news for Uzbekistan. On Tuesday, the European Union announced it was lifting a four-year old arms embargo against Uzbekistan. The EU imposed wide-ranging sanctions in 2005 after Uzbek troops fired on civilians during an uprising in the city of Andizhan in Ferghana Valley, and Tashkent rejected calls by Western countries for an international inquiry into those killings.

Tuesday's decision completes an incremental process stretched over the past year or so on the EU's part to kiss and make up with Tashkent. The EU officials justified their decision with Tashkent's recently release of some political prisoners and abolishment of the death penalty. Amnesty International has promptly contradicted the claim with facts and figures.

Aside from the veracity of the EU claim, the reality is that Europe not only blinked first, it also bent its knees while doing so. Brussels kept a straight face, though, assuring the world audience that it would "closely and continuously observe the human-rights situation in Uzbekistan … [and] assess progress made by the Uzbek authorities."

All the same, the EU decision is a good thing. It underscores a new degree of realism often lacking in Western policy towards the strategic Central Asian region. The West has been far too prescriptive towards a region whose civilization dates back several centuries further than Europe's. Besides, the dogma regarding democracy and "regime change" was alien to the steppes and somewhat irrelevant at this point in time.

Are we seeing the end of the "regime change" ideology? The signals are tentative. Statements made by United States Vice President Joseph Biden during his tour this month of Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania, hark back to the former president George W Bush era. But then, Biden was grandstanding in front of people upset over President Barack Obama's reversal on the Anti-Ballistic Missile system deployment in Central Europe.

....The fact that EU was making an exception that it isn't ready to contemplate yet for China should drive home the fact that the Afghan war is hitting the European capitals where it hurts.

As one Moscow commentator put it, Biden's mission was to "provide comfort to the distressed ... to heal the wounds of upset allies", by explaining "that the US would abandon neither its defense commitments ... nor the strong friendship … there will just be a political order in which Russia's interests hold more weight than under the Bush administration".

Indeed, the first detailed articulation of the Obama administration's Central Asia policy, as available from the major speech made by the US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns in Washington, DC, a fortnight ago, all but threw the "Great Central Asia strategy" that the Bush administration proclaimed out of the window. Burns's speech almost made Tuesday's decision on Uzbekistan at Brussels inevitable.

Burns paid no attention to "regime change" or democratization and instead the emphasis was on "a focus on mutual interests" with the Central Asian states "in a spirit of mutual respect, which means that we [the US] won't pretend to have a monopoly on wisdom, or seek to impose our system or to preach or patronize".

He explained this "blend of mutual interest and mutual respect" in terms of energy cooperation, increased trade and security ties and "practical cooperation" was based on the recognition that the countries of the region are "unique, independent, sovereign states, each with its own distinctive national cultures, experiences, people and economies".

All the same, Burns stressed the high priority the Obama administration attaches to the region and revealed that Washington has initiated "an effort to construct high-level mechanisms with each Central Asian country, featuring a structured, annual dialogue." True, he sidestepped Biden's combative tone toward Russia but then he implicitly suggested that the Obama administration wouldn't accept the thesis of "sphere of influence". Burns made not a single reference to Russia in his entire speech.

Arguably, therefore, the EU's decision on Uzbekistan has been taken in a holistic spirit taking into account many factors such as the Obama administration's new approach to the region, the promise of "reseting" US-Russia relations, energy security, trade and investment, and China's surge in Central Asia.

All the same, it should be traced first and foremost to the imperatives of the Afghan war, and only reminds us how far the war has transformed as a "bleeding wound" - to borrow former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev's unforgiving words.

... as Afghan war beckons

Stop him! Blair eyes new role as EU president

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 18:39:58 -0700

Brian Brady | Oct 4

The Independent -

A pan-European campaign was under way last night to stop Tony Blair becoming EU president, after the result of the Irish referendum made the creation of the powerful post almost inevitable.

The shadow Foreign Secretary, William Hague, cranked up the pressure against Mr Blair's return to a position of political power, warning European leaders: "There could be no worse way to sell the EU to the people of Britain."

The campaign starts as the Conservatives attempt to head off the embarrassment of David Cameron, if he wins the next election, being forced to deal with the former Labour prime minister on equal terms. Mr Hague is expected to lay bare his party's absolute opposition to Mr Blair during a series of meetings with EU leaders over the coming weeks.

Mr Blair's candidacy has been talked up in recent weeks, even though the post will not officially exist until the Lisbon Treaty is ratified. It was reported yesterday that his former chief-of-staff, Jonathan Powell, is leading a diplomatic campaign in European capitals to clear the way for his selection.

Several senior European figures, including the former Spanish prime minister Felipe Gonzalez and the French Prime Minister, François Fillon, have also made their interest known – but no one has yet made a public declaration.

With Scuffles, French Police Evict Migrants

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:46:09 -0700

Nadim Audi & Caroline Brothers | Calais | September 22

NYT - Advancing at daybreak, French police rapidly encircled a camp outside this English Channel port on Tuesday to round up almost 300 Afghans, Pakistanis and other undocumented migrants who have gathered for years in the hope of making clandestine journeys across 22 miles of water to Britain.

Hundreds of officers in dark blue uniforms scuffled with migrants and campaigners from a group called No Borders as the authorities closed down the camp, known as “the jungle” by migrants and Calais residents alike for its location among the thorn bushes and sand dunes of Calais.

Hours later, earth-movers began bulldozing the makeshift shelters used by hundreds of migrants seeking to smuggle themselves — or be smuggled by organized gangs of traffickers — across the Channel to Britain, which is itself seeking to tighten border controls against unwanted migrants.

The camp, with its huts and a mosque made of packing crates, blankets and tarpaulins, grew after the closure of a Red Cross shelter for migrants in nearby Sangatte in late 2002. The continued presence of migrants on the northern French coast has been an irritant to Britain, which is determined to halt their unauthorized passage through the port.

[...]

Interviews with residents of Calais, which has seen migrants flock to the region since Poles came to work in mines in the 1920s, indicated that few believed that a police action would put an end to clandestine arrivals in the port, from which England is visible across the water.

“They’re only taking the problem somewhere else,” said Fabrice Lecoustre, 52, a cafe owner in the center of the city. “Where are they going to go now? Downtown? At least in Sangatte they had showers and toilets.”

Oil stirs conflict on Black Sea

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:39:01 -0700

Roman Kupchinsky | Sept 1

Asia Times - Pipelines running along the bed of the Black Sea are the frontline for Russia in its attempt to impose its energy policies on the European Union. Now nationalism and alleged corruption over hydrocarbon resources beneath the seabed highlight energy anarchy on the EU's frontier.

Iceland says NO to Debt-Slavery

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 05:32:40 -0700

The People's Voice, August 22

Here in Iceland people say, that if the country´s government agrees to give in to British and Dutch blackmail to pay the debts of the private internet-subsidiary Ice-Save of the private bank Landsbanki, we all will become Ice-Slaves. So public opinion is forcing the parliament to refuse unconditional debt-payments. According to a new agreement payments are only to be made conditional as a percentage of economic growth.

Already a large group of international banks have come together to sue Iceland for full and unconditional payments. Joseph Tirado, from the British law-firm Norton Rose said that a large group of banks will be part of this law-suit. He did not want to give the names of those institutions neither would he say in what court the case would be heard. EU officials and others are threatening Iceland with international isolation.

Michael Hudson, economic professor, researcher and economic adviser to the Icelandic government calls the Parliament´s agreement a quantum leap, which might, if it succeeds to be implemented, change the world’s financial environment. He explains in his article The Specter of Debt Revolt Is Haunting Europe -Why Iceland and Latvia Won’t (and Can’t) Pay for the Kleptocrats’ Ripoffs

■ how Iceland, like Latvia and other east-European countries was tricked into the neo-liberal model of debt-accumulation and how this led to the financial melt-down;
■ how the Dutch and, most of all, the British government deliberately increased the damage and so the debt, which by now has become practically un-payable;
■ how the demand to pay the debt would lead to inevitable economic destruction;
■ how the British and Dutch government subservient to their country´s private financial institutions blackmailed the Icelandic government negotiators into a self-destructive agreement;
■ how even EU- and international financial and legal rules were broken in the process;
■ and how this all – with the help of the internet – was made public and so forced the Icelandic parliament to set tight limits on the debt-repayments, limits which connects the repayment with the real growth of the Icelandic economy, preventing also the whole-sale of Icelandic resources to foreign creditors as collateral of the debts.

In Hudsons opinion, if Iceland succeeds with this strategy, if the country can protect it´s sovereignty, then it will become a precedent for all other debtor countries all over the world and will end the unlimited powers of exploitation of the global banking kleptocracy...

Nymphs and classics help Europe bridge its language divide

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:41:53 -0700

Brussels | Aug 27

DPA - If you thought that English is the language of the 21st century, think again. In Europe, the future could be Latin.

'It's not practical if you have to translate the name of an EU programme into 23 languages, so if you have a Latin word which can be pronounced in all 23 and means something at the same time, it's practical,' European Commission translator and classical linguist Wolfgang Jenniges said.

In the EU, languages are big political business. Each member state fights fiercely for its national tongue, with EU texts routinely translated into all 23 of the bloc's official languages.

As long as the EU has enough computer memory and printer paper to handle 23 versions of every text, it is a perfect political solution.

But trouble starts when there is only room to use one word from one language - such as when creating an internet domain name.

Lithuania will probe claims of secret CIA prisons

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:20:56 -0700

Sabina Casagrande | Aug 27

Deutsche Welle - US media has named Lithuania as a further European country to have allegedly hosted secret CIA prisons. But clarifying the matter is proving to be challenging, as some officials appear to be stalling investigations.

Lithuania has promised to investigate the latest allegations of hosting a secret CIA prison for al Qaeda suspects on the outskirts of the capital Vilnius, said its new president Dalia Grybauskaite.

The parliament of the former Soviet country was already putting together a special committee to look into the case, Grybauskaite told reporters during an official visit to Brussels on Tuesday. However, she said she had no confirmation of the claims.

"It is regretful that my country's name is on the list," said Grybauskaite. "It will be for us to prove if it is true or not."

Last week, former CIA officials directly involved or briefed on the highly classified program told US television network ABC News that Lithuania was the third country in Europe to provide the CIA with such facilities. Sources have previously named Poland and Romania, as well.

The Czar Makes Up With the Sultan Analysis

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:55:37 -0700

Hilmi Toros | Istanbul | Aug 12

IPS - Once the worst of enemies, involved in 12 wars in three centuries, Turkey and Russia have suddenly become the best of friends, forging strong bonds that could be a counterpoint to the European Union if it freezes Turkey out of full membership.

The countries call their ties "multi-dimensional co-operation," somewhat short of a "strategic partnership", but that too may be in the offing.

On an eight-hour visit to Turkish capital Ankara last week, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signed 20 deals with his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. These are mostly commercial contracts in energy, collectively worth some 40 billion dollars.

The two leaders also declared that rival gas pipelines Nabucco and South Stream to bring natural gas to European markets would be "complimentary" rather than "conflicting".

In the end, conflicting or complimentary, if both projects are realised, Russia and Turkey would play a major role in meeting Europe's growing gas needs. For Europe, either an unfriendly Turkey or Russia would endanger energy security - and it would be much worse if both were ever to gang up on the EU together.

Nabucco, the 7.9 billion euro project backed by the EU and the United States, would bypass Russia in bringing gas from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Iraq and potentially also from Iran to Europe via Turkey. It is due to be operational by 2014.

The Russian proposed South Stream, to become operational by 2016, would carry gas from Russia to Europe through Turkey's territorial waters in the Black Sea and onward to Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Serbia, Hungary and Slovenia to Austria. Its objective is to bypass Ukraine, currently the conduit for 80 percent of Russian gas pumped to Europe.

Albania plans to allow gay marriage

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:32:31 -0700

Tirana | August 1

Reuters - Albania’s homosexuals won more than they had hoped for after the government said it planned to allow same-sex marriages despite opposition from religious leaders and politicians.

The proposal put forward by Prime Minister Sali Berisha on Thursday faces a tough fight in Parliament.

But should he make good on his plans, Albania would join European Union members the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain in giving gay couples the same rights as heterosexual couples and would be the first country in the Balkans to do so.

“This is not only a step to be taken for European integration, but primarily for the emancipation of the Albanian society,’’ the Alliance Against Discrimination Against Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgenders said yesterday.

“We are proud that our country is joining so many others in embracing equality and rejecting discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people,’’ it added.

Winners, Losers and the Future of the Balkan Visa Ghetto

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:20:31 -0700

16 July 2009 | By Gerald Knaus and Alex Stiglmayer

Balkan Insight - Europe’s decision to grant three Balkan countries visa-free travel, while leaving three others out in the cold, is regretable and – in Kosovo’s case – an unmitigated disaster.

** EU gives Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia visa-free travel from January 2010
** EU opens borders to some Balkan states - but not all
** EC green lights visa-free travel for Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro
** European Union leaves Bosnian Muslims in the cold, once again(image)

Turkmenistan indicates interest in EU Nabucco gas pipeline

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:46:20 -0700

Ashgabat | July 11

DPA - Gas-rich Turkmenistan has indicated an interest in the Nabucco gas pipeline, just days before an accord for the multi-billion-euro European Union project is due to be signed in Turkey, reports said Saturday.

Geologists have determined that Central Asian country has enough natural gas to become involved in the supply of gas to Europe, President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov told Parliament, according to a report by the RIA Novosti news agency.

The countries involved in Nabucco pipeline - Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey are due to sign an agreement in Ankara on Monday.

The EU intends to use the pipeline to reduce its dependency on Russian gas.

According to Berdymukhamedov, Turkmenistan has 'a surplus of natural gas that can be sold abroad. Local geologists had confirmed 'colossal' natural gas reserves, he said.

BNP leader: sink boats with African migrants on board

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:46:12 -0700

Nicholas Watt | July 9

The Guardian - Boats carrying illegal migrants to Europe should be sunk Nick Griffin, the leader of the British National party, said yesterday.

In a provocative intervention, Griffin, elected to the European parliament last month, called on the EU to introduce "very tough" measures to prevent illegal migrants entering Europe from Africa.

"If there's measures to set up some kind of force or to help, say the Italians, set up a force which actually blocks the Mediterranean then we'd support that," Griffin told BBC Parliament's The Record Europe.

"But the only measure, sooner or later, which is going to stop immigration and stop large numbers of sub-Saharan Africans dying on the way to get over here is to get very tough with those coming over. Frankly, they need to sink several of those boats. Anyone coming up with measures like that, we'll support, but anything which is there as a 'oh, we need to do something about it' but in the end doing something about it means bringing them into Europe we will oppose."

Shirin Wheeler, the programme's presenter, interrupted him to say the EU did not murder people. "I didn't say anyone should be murdered at sea – I say boats should be sunk, they can throw them a life raft and they can go back to Libya," Griffin said. "But Europe has, sooner or later, to close its borders or it's simply going to be swamped by the third world."

Georgia-Russia war: EU blames Saakashvili

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:37:26 -0700

Brussels | June 19

UPI - Confidential documents written by the EU team investigating last year's Russian-Georgian war assign much of the blame to Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.

A majority of EU experts say the Georgian president, and not the Kremlin, ordered the first military strike against two breakaway provinces, according to the documents obtained by German news magazine Der Spiegel. The Georgian offensive into South Ossetia and Abkhazia escalated into a five-day war with Russia that the powerful neighbor won.

That doesn't mean the Kremlin is entirely innocent. A senior member of the EU experts' commission tasked with probing the conflict, Otto Luchterhandt, a German international law expert, argues the Kremlin was legally entitled to counterattack but violated "the principle of proportionality" with its massive intervention in Georgia. Other commission members are also arguing that Russia is to be blamed.

** Der Speigel:EU Probe Creates Burden for Saakashvili

EU leaders reassure Irish to revive Lisbon treaty

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:44:33 -0700

Ian Traynor | Brussels | June 19

The Guardian - European leaders tonight sought to revive the ill-fated Lisbon Treaty reforming the way the EU is run by delivering pledges shoring up Irish independence in the hope of securing a Yes vote in an Irish referendum in October.

But Brian Cowen, the Irish prime minister, told a summit of 27 government chiefs in Brussels that he would not win the referendum, expected on 2 October, unless the "guarantees" were legally enshrined in a new protocol that could cause problems for Gordon Brown and other European leaders by reigniting old feuds over the treaty.

In June last year, the Irish derailed the Lisbon project by rejecting the treaty in a referendum. The rest of the EU has agreed to assure Ireland that the new regime will not affect Irish military neutrality, abortion laws, taxation policy and the Irish are also guaranteed a seat in the European Commission.

The summit planned to issue a "legally binding" declaration on the promises to the Irish, on the assumption that they vote Yes to the treaty which would then come into force next January.<!--break--<