"Europe can anew astonish the World", Sarkozy says, calling for a "New Renaissance"
Sarkozy's call in Strasbourg : People need Europe's ReNewal !
- For a Democratic and Political Rennaissance of an integrated and popular Europe : Not a Technocratic Dilution ..
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- "There are in Europe all the Spiritual Forces, all the Energies, for a Miracle to be achieved : It's up to us to set them in motion !".
- It's true that "Europe was at risk, undermined by repeated Crisis, by People's mistrust and by Doubts". But now, "it will be saved". Because "a political will to save her life, to start debating on Europe's aims and to overthrow usual dogmas, was expressed, at last".
This belief was strongly stressed by the new French President, Nicolas Sarkozy at an inspired Speech in Strasbourg on Europe's present and Future perspectives after the recent agreement on EU's "Simplified Treaty", and before imminent developments on the Monetary EuroZone, Turkey's controversial EU-bid, etc.
Brushing aside "Bureaucracy", "an endless Enlargement", and other "Technocratic drifts", who proved "unable to share Europe's aims with the People", becoming "the cause which provoked the "NO" at the Referenda in France, the Netherlands, and probably in other countries if they had a Referendum", Sarkozy launched a vibrant appeal for Europe's "rebirth", stressing that "Europe needs a New Rennaissance !"
With Focus on democratically elected Political Will, he painted a vast spectrum spreading from EU's Institutions, to Economy and Geopolitical aspects of EU Enlargement, but concluded will a call for "a policy of Civilisation".
Speaking in front of some 3.000 enthousiastic people who filled up Strasbourg's "Congres Palace", Sarkozy came "to give account for the commitments" he took at an Historic pre-electoral speech on Europe "here, in Strasbourg, last February 2007", and to confirm that "promises will be kept".
- "It seemed impossible. But it was achieved", he said, pointing at the agreement of "27" Member States to relaunch EU's Institutional reform in a "Simplified" version, focusing on what is strictly necessary to boost its decision-making capacity :
- "If things go as scheduled, from 2009 Europe will have New Institutions, with a stable President, a High Representative for Foreign Affairs", "a reinforced EU Parliament", "Majority-vote extended in many areas", and a "legally binding EU Charter of Fundamental Human Rights".
It's true that the Democratic principle of a "Double Majority" (of States and Citizens) in EU's decision-making, will only "enter into force on 2014, and definitively from early 2014", while the UK opted out of EU's Human Rights' Charter, due to some opposals by a few.
But, at the same time, "EU Commission's proposals will
be controlled by National Parliaments" to check that EU stays in its
area of competence, while "EuroGroup was legally recognized", and now,
it's time "to create an Economic Governance inside EuroZone", the
French President observed, citting facts which indicate new
possibilities at Europe's core, as some other EU leaders also ask,
including the experienced Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi...
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- "The cause for (2004) EU Constitution's failure, and for EU's
crisis", "was not so much in the Constitution itself, but in a
long-term incapacity to give a Meaning for the People" : "There was a
Drift towards substituting Technocratic choices to the Democratically
elected Political Will", "far away from the Spirit of the Founding
Fathers' ideal, that of Monnet and Schuman" :
- "Instead of saying to the People "what grandiose aims we can achieve together", they were only told that "we cannot do this, or that, because of Europe !". This "provoked unpolitisation, passivity, renunciation", and a "dangerous confusion", precisely "at the same moment that other Continents defended vigorously their interests".
- "It isn't the "NO" to the Referenda in France and the Netherlands, which provoked EU's crisis". On the contrary, "It's a Crisis of the European Spirit which provoked the "NO" to the Referenda", Sarkozy denounced.
- "No Technocratic machine can go on for long without the Legitimacy and the support of Values, Aims and Ideals, shared by the People", he stressed.
Nobody can deny the recent existence of a "growing disillusion and disappointment of the People vis-a-vis the EU", as Sarkozy reminded, expressed by 1999 and 2004 Majority Abstention in EU Elections, the "NO" to 2005 Referenda, earlier negative Polls in big countries, and many other facts.
But, "before coming to Strasbourg on February 2007, I visited Verdun's Battlefield", to "remind the Tragic Fatality of Wars preparing other Wars in the Past", and "the will born in Europe to do anything to save the Values of European Civilisation from destruction in European Civil Wars". This will, expressed by Churchill, De Gaulle, Schuman, Monnet, Gasperi, and others, forged a real European Conscience" : "Not to forget, but to overcome the sufferings of the past and look together to the Future". This "Common Will for a Peaceful Europe stems from the Franco-German reconciliation, which is at EU's origine and its cement, and that's why Strasbourg is Europe's capital for ever".
=> Today, "in order also to urgently face the huge unheavals of World's Globalization, the only solution for Europe was to make a Synthesis between the "No" and the "Yes" : "This doesn't mean a middle point between them, but to overcome the contradiction by a new VISION of a Europe able to act and protect" :
- "For the 1st time, the recent EU Summit started doing that kind of politics at the highest degree", "by recognizing Citizens' protection as an EU's aim, that Competition is a means and not an aim, that Public Services have a specificity, and that the Charter of fundamental human Rights becomes legally binding".
(People filled up Strasbourg's Congres' Palace -soon "Pflimlin" building- leaving many eager for more seats)..
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A) On Economy :
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- Well beyond that, "the New Treaty, by recognizing EuroGroup's
real decision-making power, provides a basis for the Future Economic
Governance of EuroZone", added Sarkozy :
The move aims to revitalise a fundamental idea which was already aired in an Historic "State of the (European) Union" Debate, back in 1995 in EU Parliament in Strasbourg, when EU leaders warned that by creating "EuroZone" they expected to stimulate reactions leading to an EU Economic Governance.
- "The synthesis between the "Yes" and the "No" is in a Europe which is not naive but acts against any Dumping, sets up an EU preference and organises an Industrial Policy", "without staying idle in front of outsourcing and is not submitted to a pseudo-Dictatorship of Markets".
- "We created the EU in order to keep Factories, Industry in European land, and not in order to watch them leave for other Continents without doing anything : That's not Europe !"
- And "I said to the G-8 (Summit, at the beginning of June, in Heiligendam, Germany), in front of Mr Lamy (WTO's chief) : Europe should be open to free trade and globalization, but with Reciprocity : F.ex. Europe should not accept for the U.S. to get from WTO a derogation to help their SME, while Europe doesn't get that derogation in the same conditions : That's not a fair competition !"
- "I want to raise the issue of Monetary, Social or Ecologic Dumpings : Our Entreprises have to compete with countries who disregard Environment, violate Social Rights and practice Fiscal Dumping : This is not competition, but unfairness".
+ Moreover, "all Europeans need to have a strong and modern European AGRICULTURE, able to defend EU's Food Security and Independence" : "As I said to (U.S.) President Bush : - "Congratulations for defending American farmers. I'll do exactly the same for European farmers !"
- "As for EUROs over-rating : Will we be able to continue making Airplanes in Europe, when each time the Euro gets 10 cents higher, AIRBUS gets a deficit of one Billion ?", asked Sarkozy, pointing at the denunciation made by a German Manager of AIRBUS at the latest event organized in EU Parliament May 2007 in Strasbourg.
- And "how long Europe's Security can still be guaranteed by only 4 or 5 Countries who make a considerable effort on Defence, while respecting the same rules on Deficit as those who don't spend as much for defence ?" This "raises the question of Defence efforts in relation with the (Monetary) Stability Pact".
- "I believe in Euro, but not as a Tabou : Money must serve Growth and Jobs in Europe, and it's not only an issue reserved to Bankers".
The synthesis able to overcome the contradiction between the "Yes" and the "No" (to 2004 EU Constitution) is in a Europe, which, without being malthusian, is able to massively invest in the activities of the Future, in Infrastructures, Training, Research".
- "We can't ask an Economic Governance for EuroZone, without Politics being able to speak on Economy and Money, and without getting involved at the Highest Political level", he concluded, at the eve of his venue at July 9 EuroGroup's meeting in Brussels, before EuroGroup's President, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker speaks at a special EU Parliament's debate next week in Strasbourg.
(Who can deny that Sarkozy's stimulating criticism is Popular in Europe ?)
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B) On EU's Enlargement (Turkey, etc) :
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- "We (EU political leaders) have a duty to speak out at the
table of EU Council", when it comes to "certain very Big Issues", the
new French President went on to stress :
- In order "to overcome Europe's Crisis", by "a synthesis between the "No" and the "Yes" (to 2004 EU Constitution Referenda), the solution "is a Europe with Borders, which is not diluted by endless Enlargement".
- "The real pro-Europeans are those who want an Integrated Europe, which does not enlarge again and again until to become a mere UN Sub-Region"...
=> - "The Time has come to raise the crucial Question of Europe's Borders, ..and to set the Criteria and Principles which define Europe. ..Because otherwise there will be no European Identity, nor a strong Europe, and the European Will shall be condemned to endless Dilution", declared Sarkozy.
For that purpose, he refused the attitude of "those Experts who POSTPONE things for later".
"We (the EU) must avoid Misunderstandings, and apply on
relations with EU's neighbors the principles of Truth and Sincerity,
which are necessary for Friendship". And not do like "those who say one
thing behind, and another in front" of those concerned, he added.
(Indicating that, in fact, there are also other EU Countries opposed to
Turkey's controversial EU bid, but avoid to reveal it openly)...
In fact, "I think at all these countries who are EU's neighbors, and with which EU must build Special Relations, but who have not all of them a vocation to become Full EU Members", he added, extending to many countries, as a matter of general principle.
The appeal launched this week in Strasbourg by New French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, started to be confirmed by Prime Minister Francois Fillon, who formally announced first measures on Turkey, after obtaining a strong Majority in the French Assembly on a general policy statement including Sarkozy's call to "define Europe's Borders and Identity" :
- "It's clear that the Question of Turkey's accession to the EU must not be dealt in the way it was until now", Fillon stressed. - "We do not think that Turkey should enter in the EU", and, therefore, "France will maintain a firm stance on Turkey's EU accession demand".
=> "That's why we agreed with President Sarkozy that we (France) shall not accept to open any new Chapters in EU - Turkey negotiations which might lead to Accesion. We'll only accept those chapters which lead towards a "Privileged Partnership", as we have already proposed to Turkey", Fillon announced.
(Prime
Minister Francois Fillon, after gaining some 100 MPs' votes more than
the opposition, announced in a Chat concrete measures to start
realizing President Sarkozy's Strasbourg statements on EU Enlargement
and Turkey).
- Because "we believe that EU's Borders must be defined, and that a Debate on Europe's Identity should start", he added, referring to Sarkozy's earlier Statements in Strasbourg.
- "When I take commitments I keep them, and I'll do what I promised before the Elections", Sarkozy stressed, making many references precisely to his Historic pre-Electoral "Strasbourg speech on Europe, last February", where he had clearly refused Turkey's controversial EU bid, as contrary to EU's Geography and a risk against a Political Europe strongly supported by EU Citizens.
Later, during the electoral campaign, Sarkozy had picked the problem of Turkey as "an example of (his) Independence vis-a-vis the USA", who notoriously push for Ankara's entry to the EU "since President Bush's predecessors" (i.e. Clinton, etc.). And he had observed that "it's not EU's interest to make of the Kurdish problem a European problem", while "it's difficult to explain to a pupil that Europe's borders reach Irak"...
This point was also raised in Strasbourg this week, by the President of Serbia, Boris Tadjic, who chairs the Council of Europe from May to November 2007 :
=> - "Today, Europe has to take important decisions : - EU's Borders will be at Eastern Balkans, or at Eastern Turkey ?", Tadjic wondered, (pointing at Irak, Iran, etc).
Tadjic added that Serbia and other Western Balkan countries (as Croatia, FYROM, etc), have "no doubts" for their "vocation to European Integration", since they "always belonged to Europe's Geography, History and Culture".
Questions about Ukraine and other neighbouring countries vis-a-vis EU Enlargement, started to be discussed, this week in Strasbourg, during 2007 joint EU - CoE session for Political Democracy Schools, with some 900 participants.
- "In this framework, we think that Turkey is a big country with many relations to Europe, we want to help its development, as it plays a considerable role in the Mediterranean, but we don't think that it should enter in the EU", French Prime Minister Fillon explained.
The move was backed also by mainstream French EuroMP, Jacques Toubon, in comments made to "SENAS" after Sarkozy's speech : - "The President will certainly raise Turkey's issue at the December 2007 EU Council. And, at any case, France's EU Chairmanship follows in 2008", observed Toubon.
- "Most likely", the President could raise EU's Enlargement and Turkey issues "at Top Political Level", and in December 2007 EU Summit", agreed with "SENAS", Sarkozy's Press Attache, Veronique Wachet.
Sarkozy brushed aside reactions from some EU officials who search to avoid a Turkey and other "hot" debates in EU Council :
- "I didn't know that it was so "New" to simply say what we think at the Table of EU Council !". When it comes to "save Europe", "there will be No more Prohibited Debates, as in the past, when people didn't have the right to say anything"...
Naturally, the forthcoming EU "debate" and "Reflection" on EU Enlargement, including Turkey, are to be done "with all 27" EU Member States, Sarkozy observed.
But, since EU decided to shift from a "Constitution" to a "Treaty", "all EU Acquis is preserved", including "the Luxembourg compromise", (where De Gaulle guaranteed each Member State's right to "Veto" decisions affecting its vital interests). "This is of Essential importance, because it means that .. each (EU Member) Country remains Master of its own Destiny". It proves that "EU is founded on sharing, and not abandoning power, and on a constantly reaffirmed will to act together for common aims, without keeping anyone prisoner in a chain", Sarkozy warned.
- "You already know President Sarkozy's position
on Turkey. He is due to speak anew on this and other related issues, as
Cyprus, etc, once EU's No 1 priority for an Institutional Treaty has
been agreed", alerted earlier "SENAS" French President's Spokesman
David Martinon.
Martinon added later that, "on
Turkey, the President has an absolutely clear idea about what he wants
to do". "Until now, he did not want to complicate the negotiations on
(EU's) Treaty. But there is absolutely no change in the President's
stance on Turkey's EU accession bid : He still considers that there is
no room for Turkey inside the EU".
- "A first Step would be EU Commission's 2007 Report on Turkey, due on October of November", Sarkozy's deputy Spokesman, Pierre-Jerome Henin told "SENAS".
At the eve of such important EU decisions on Turkey, Sarkozy, together with the entire New French Government, will return in Strasbourg for exceptional meetings on September, between EU Parliament's and CoE Assembly's sessions. Meanwhile, "we already started to prepare during this Summer France's mid-2008 EU Presidency draft program", revealed the Minister for Health, Youth and Sport, Roselyne Bachelot, (former vice-President of French Governing UMP party), who spoke earlier to "SENAS".
It's in this context that CoE's Parliamentary Assembly decided, earlier this week, to invite the New French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in Strasbourg the day that it will debate "States' Duty to cooperate with the European Court of Human Rights" (ECHR).
- "UE and CoE will cooperate more and more closely on Human Rights, after an Agreement according to Luxembourg Prime Minister Juncker's proposal, for EU Commission to consult CoE's Human Rights Commissioner or Legal Experts when it prepares decisions which may affect Human Rights", said to "SENAS" the New EU Ambassador-Representative in Strasbourg, Luisa Pavan-Woolfe.
The moves came while ECHR and Amnesty International
revealed this week that Impunity of Tortioners still persists in
2007 Turkey, even when victims are Women : Jailed young girls, or an
old woman "arrested in her home"...
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=> "Politics of Civilisation"
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- "EU is also founded on the will to preserve and keep alive
Europe's Cultural Heritage and Human Rights' ideal, and to share it
with the World", Sarkozy stressed in his Strasbourg's speech.
- "It's a Political approach which unblocked Europe", the French President observed in conclusion. Previously, "political paralysis had left room for Bureaucracy".
That's why, "I want to go well beyond that : Europe is not only about Money, Budgets and Competition or Voting methods, nor only about Borders : Above all it's a Civilisation Project".
=> "Europe needs a New Renaissance", Nicolas Sarkozy declared.
- "It needs to create the Conditions for that Renaissance", by "creating the Moral, Intellectual and Psychological Ambiance", to give anew to the People of our old Nations a belief that his Dreams can be realized, that there are endless Possibilities, and make him Trust himself and Europe's Future".
- "This Renaissance will start from Knowledge, Education, Culture, through Schools, Universities and Research, raising the awareness of all European Young People".
(Sarkozy with Strasbourg's Young -and less young- People...)
That's why, "in the middle of any difficulties and huge upheavals of the World, Europe needs a Policy of Civilisation".
- "The biggest challenge is to imagine Policies able to bring Life, Creation, Spirit of Conquest everywhere, and to change any conservatisms in order to put it into real practice", with "Audace, Intelligence, Heart and Courage, so that Europe will anew astonish the World".
Sarkozy expressed his belief that "Europe can do it, if it wants".
- "But is there a real Will to do that ?", he wondered. "From the Reply to this Question, depends all our Future, .. and that of the World. Because the World will not be the same if Europe will achieve its Renaissance, or not", he concluded.
(A "Renaissance Civilisation" famous painting :
"Raphael's School of Athens depicts contemporaries as Classic scholars, with Leonardo da Vinci central as Plato").
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