http://www.neurope.eu New Europe News: The European News Source. en-us Copyright The Media Company S.A. info@neurope.eu (New Europe) kgougakis@neurope.eu (Kostas Gougakis) Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:22:00 +0200 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:22:00 +0200 New Europe New Europe 5 http://www.neurope.eu/images/logo.jpg http://www.neurope.eu 100 35 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95164.php text... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95164.php http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95394.php text... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95394.php http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95797.php text... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/95797.php http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96689.php text... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96689.php http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96870.php text... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/96870.php http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97810.php text... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/97810.php http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98516.php text... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98516.php http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99647.php Financial developments on both shores of the Atlantic Ocean during the past two years were a severe test of how the western world could go on producing the goods and services needed to maintain the level of welfare its peoples were accustomed to. When the credit crisis broke out first in New Yorkrsquo;s major banks the political and monetary authorities were under the spell of liberal economic ideas and actually left two of those banks to go bust. One of them disappeared completely from the financial charts. This was a natural reaction after 30 years of liberalization of home and world financial markets that permitted American British and some other banks make the globe work for them. As the crisis progressed however the phantom of a complete collapse of the western financial system forced the authorities to change their course. The banks themselves were clamoring to be saved by the state and central banks. This was exactly what the authorities did amply financing all major banks in order to avoid a repetition of the ldquo;unfortunaterdquo; Lehman Brothers incident. In reality the system could have sustained more bank insolvencies but nobody wanted to test the limits. Governments and central banks rushed to save each and every bank. At end of the day all the major banking institutions became totally dependent on public support. To cut this well-known story short some major British banks to this day remain nationalized while their American counterparts have managed to return to their previous status after having repaid state support. Presently the banks mainly American have persuaded western governments that nothing happened and business should continue as usual. On the face of it things are like this itrsquo;s business as usual because banks can do what they had been doing in the past and put send entire countries such as Greece on the verge of collapse. This totally true with one secret exception: interest rates. The US government pretending everything is about to return to normal is taking back the capital support given banks during the difficult times of the crisis - with one obvious exception. Central banks continue to finance the banking industry with almost zero cost capital while the banks use this ldquo;freerdquo; money to create more paper profits and give out lucrative bonuses to dealers and management. Central banks on both shores of the Atlantic were supposed to withdraw all special measures used during the crisis before the end of this year and they have started to do so with the exception of interest rates. Now both the European Central Bank and the Fed say that the cost of money they give banks will not increase and this will continue well into next year. The real reason is that nothing is as before and in reality banks have produced only paper profits that are not supported by the real economy which continues to oscillate between negative and slightly positive growth rates. This arrangement will continue in the foreseeable future with the cost of money to banks at nearly zero levels. They will go on using it to go to produce more paper profits until the next crisis breaks out. It is the first time in history that American and to a lesser degree European money savers will be ripped off of their wealth to make banks richer at such an unprecedented extent. Real interest rates on deposits are negative while banks lend this money all the more expensive as time passes. It is a queer set-up where the cost of money is less than zero to banks given that inflation now makes its appearance while borrowers find out that the cost of money to them becomes every day more of burden. This is the brave new banking world.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99647.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:48:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99648.php ldquo;Itrsquo;s when the tide goes out that you find out who has been swimming naked rdquo; the legendary investor Warren Buffet aptly remarked when the global economic crisis hit. And as we have found out in the meantime this is as true for countries as it is for companies. Following Ireland Greece is now the second Eurozone member to have gotten into massive payment difficulties due to the crisis almost to the point of national bankruptcy. Ireland was able to resolve its problems by itself through a restructuring policy that was painful yet unflinching. It could do so because its economy apart from its excessive debt burden following the collapse of an asset bubble was basically sound. The situation in Greece is different. A restructuring of the economy will be much more difficult because it will have to be more far-reaching. The fiscal deficit must now be redressed resulted not just from internal financial imbalances but also from a political system that for too long time has been in denial of reality allowing the country to live beyond its means. Nevertheless the European Union can neither allow Greece to slide into national bankruptcy nor hand it over to the International Monetary Fund since other Eurozone members ndash; namely Portugal Spain and Italy ndash; would probably be next in line to be attacked by the financial markets. In that case the euro would be in danger of failing for the first time seriously imperiling the entire project of European integration. The sliding euro The real problem at the heart of the Greek crisis is so grave because it involves the fundamental weakness of the euro: its lack of support by a government policy. The caps on Member Statesrsquo; budget deficits and public debt imposed by the Maastricht criteria have proven relatively early on to be of limited use in the real world and the same is true for the monitoring tools linked to these limits. In any case the Maastricht rules were never designed for a perfect storm like the one triggered by the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008. The euro which turned out to be the critical tool for defending European interests in this crisis will now be subjected to an endurance test directed at the soft political heart of its construction. Europersquo;s leaders ndash; first and foremost Germany and France which will play the deciding role ndash; must act quickly and put through new imaginative solutions. This will not come cheap and therefore will entail substantial political risks. But given a global economic environment that promises scant sustainable growth in the coming years things could otherwise get very tough very soon. The solutions that Europersquo;s leaders provide must go beyond Maastricht but without triggering new institutional debates which would lead us nowhere. Moreover new instruments like Eurobonds will have to be made available in order to reduce the affected Eurozone countriesrsquo; interest burden provided that they have taken serious steps ndash; subject to effective control mechanisms ndash; toward credible restructuring. The current crisis has however also shown that the Council of Finance Ministers Ecofin is unable to assert such control over EU member statesrsquo; fiscal policies. The direct leadership of heads of state and government is needed at least in these times of extreme crisis. No monetary EU One sign of hope is that following the recent Franco-German summit German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the first time did not publicly oppose the idea of a European economic government. Spelling out such a bodyrsquo;s structure costs decision-making procedures and control mechanisms as quickly as possible is now the order of the day. Indeed there is no time to lose. But even with one two or three steps forward the German and French governments will be taking great political risks domestically if the euro crisis in the Mediterranean worsens and a financial bailout there becomes necessary to save the common currency. The populations in the countries that will have to foot the bill are unprepared for the reality check ahead of them adding fuel to a years-long growth in Euroskepticism which now pervades all political camps. This applies increasingly to Germany as well making it very likely that we will see an extremely large political problem emerge there in the near future. Pay for the southern European countries or resign oneself to the end of the euro? The question alone makes clear what this crisis is about: the future of the European project. At the same time muddling through ndash; a typically European answer that limits political risk while not really changing anything ndash; will be difficult because the consequences of the global economic crisis have not yet been fully addressed. What is necessary now is statesman-like leadership ndash; and even more so stateswoman-like leadership. Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are facing the defining challenge of their respective terms in office. They must navigate the European ship safely through this storm. Only courageous thinking and action will enable them to steer clear of the rocks. Joschka Fischer a leading member of Germanyrsquo;s Green Party for almost 20 years was Germanyrsquo;s Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor from 1998 until 2005 Copyright: Project Syndicate/Institute of Human Sciences 2010. www.project-syndicate.org nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99648.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:48:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99646.php It was Greece more precisely its fiscal crisis that triggered the discussion for the creation of a European Monetary Fund a new Eurozone organization that will probably be annexed to the European Central Bank ECB which will act as the watchdog of the monetary zone and apply the strong measures usually needed to bring fiscal renegades like Athens back to normal. It must be reminded that almost all the Eurozone countries of South Europe before joining the Eurozone were accustomed to almost regular devaluations of their local currencies whenever the conjuncture was negative. The idea was that politically it was less detrimental to governments to devalue the currency than impose a strong fiscal policy to avoid deficits. Those governments were inclined to satisfy demands for more public spending and pay raises and then finance the gaps through increases of the local money circulation that is by printing new money. When things turned sour and the competiveness of the country was taking a downturn the government was ready to devalue the local currency in order to restore the balance. Greece for example created a whole ldquo;theoryrdquo; for this not to forget that the late prime minister Andreas Papandreou was a famous professor of economics. So the value of the late drachma was ldquo;slidingrdquo; all the time in order to continuously make up for the losses of competiveness. This arrangement was not the exception but the rule for Greece Italy Spain and Portugal for the decades preceding the creation of the Eurozone. The same was true albeit to a lesser extent for France Belgium and other countries. With the advent of the euro however things changed completely. The machine which prints money is out of a politicianrsquo;s reach. So the only thing left open to finance fiscal deficits was the issue of state bonds. But again this road was not free because the Maasticht Treaty provided that the Member States cannot for long periods support fiscal gaps larger than 3% of the GDP.nbsp; Unfortunately there was no limit to the volume of state bond issues because usually this financial medium is used to finance investments and it was not wise to put limits on this. So bond issues were used not only by Greece but by many other countries to finance their internal ldquo;political cycle rdquo; without taking repercussions to reduce the gaps in the good times.nbsp; Those policies were encouraged by international money and capital market players such as the Wall Street investments banks and the general bonanza that prevailed in the world credit markets until 2007. Until the summer of that year no borrower had to worry about anything. New loans were available whenever needed.nbsp; Unfortunately the good days are usually followed by rainy ones and now it is almost impossible for countries like Greece to refinance their huge state debts. nbsp;This was the standard case for Third World countries and the solution was provided by the International Monetary Fund IMF which intervened and straightenednbsp;nbsp; up the big spender with a strong diet that however was never applied to a ldquo;Firstrdquo; World countries such as Greece Spain or Italy. On top of this now those countries are members of the private euro club and nobody there wants ldquo;foreignersrdquo; from the IMF to intervene in their own house. So now after all that became clear the Eurozone has discovered that it needs a European Monetary Fund. It is not a bad idea. Incidentally along with this many people are insisting that the ECB should create a new credit rating agency.nbsp; Itrsquo;s more than certain that the ECB can create both organizations without needing to rediscover America. The ECB has the know-how and the people to look after both tasks. Actually some say that a skeleton service for both already exits within ECB and the Commission. It will be a disaster if Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou finally calls the IMF to help his country. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99646.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:47:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99644.php Two years ago on 15 March 2008 a blast at an ammunition storage site in Albania killed 26 people injured many more destroyed or damaged thousands of homes and buildings and caused extensive economic and environmental damage.nbsp; Last year seven workers died in a Serbian ammunition factory blast.nbsp; A 2006 explosion outside Niksic Montenegro destroyed the homes of many families. Could it happen in Bosnia and Herzegovina?nbsp; Sadly yes. The problem is huge.nbsp; BiH officials have designated for disposal an estimated 95 000 pieces of surplus military weapons and 25 000 tons of surplus ammunition.nbsp; These armaments are located at 19 storage sites throughout the country sometimes near population centers. The problem is expensive.nbsp; Hundreds of military and civilian personnel provide perimeter and other security to keep these materials from falling into the hands of criminals or terrorists diverting scarce resources from a BiH military already strapped for cash and personnel. The problem is worsening.nbsp; Some of the stockpiles are ldquo;wartime productionrdquo; made hurriedly during the 1990s war.nbsp; Others date back as far as the 1950s.nbsp; Storage and maintenance records are often missing.nbsp; The condition of the explosives is sometimes unclear.nbsp; Many are already leaking chemical components.nbsp; Some are too dangerous to move and must be destroyed in situ.nbsp; And with each passing day they become even more unstable. Why isnrsquo;t this threat being resolved?nbsp; BiH officials agreed in 2008 to dispose of the surplus arms and ammunition but implementation remains a problem and trends are going in the wrong direction:nbsp; less ammunition was destroyed in 2009 than 2008 despite a vigorous international program to fund and assist with that destruction.nbsp; Unbelievably the political gridlock that blocks fast destruction is apparently linked to a dispute about who would own the resulting scrap materials and which disposal methods would financially benefit which political interests.nbsp; Sound familiar? The OSCE Mission to BiH is reaching out its hand in friendship and support.nbsp; Like other international partners focused on this problem we are convinced that the surplus arms and ammunition have little if any financial value.nbsp; Legitimate buyers are not interested in aging and unstable stocks.nbsp; Illegitimate elements of course might be. For all these reasons we strongly recommend that a robust program move forward to destroy these arms and ammunition in a transparent process as quickly as possible.nbsp; We recognize that BiH has limited technical capability. Several OSCE participating States have therefore already offered assistance.nbsp; Additionally the OSCE Mission has on several occasions reminded BiH authorities that they can obtain assistance from the OSCE to upgrade storage facilities for weapons and ammunition of both the BiH Armed Forces and internal security forces. To date there has been no such request.nbsp; The primary responsibility of any government is to protect the security and safety of its citizens.nbsp; This is an issue crying out for political leadership.nbsp; The recommendations of the OSCE are practical and feasible.nbsp; The destruction of these arms and ammunition would not only make the country a safer place.nbsp; It would also demonstrate to the world that BiH is playing its proper role in fostering local regional and global security. In February I wrote of my hope that the people of BiH will use the October 2010 elections to elect representatives who will act in the public interest.nbsp; Can anything be a more fundamental interest than the safety and security of citizens?nbsp; Will BiH leaders act to reduce that threat before tragedy strikes the region again? nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99644.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:46:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99645.php .After on-again off-again debates over whether the burqa or niqab the Muslim full-body dress is a cultural and religious right or demeaning to women the balance in France ndash; led by President Nicolas Sarkozy ndash; has shifted definitively toward prohibiting it despite a warning from the Council of Europersquo;s top human rights official who said it would be counterproductive. As the world marked International Womenrsquo;s Day on March 8 Thomas Hammarberg the outspoken human rights commissioner for Europe said a ban would also force women into deeper isolation and create a wider rift with the Muslim community. The message came as debate is under way in a number of European states notably France on whether to ban the Muslim forms of dress. ldquo;Prohibition of the burqa and the niqab would not liberate oppressed women but might instead lead to their further alienation in European societies. A general ban on such attires would constitute an ill-advised invasion of individual privacy rdquo; he said in a statement. The council which is not related to the European Union was founded in 1949 to protect human rights and democracy in Europe. It has 47 members from Andorra to Russia and Turkey all of whom have signed the European Convention on Human Rights. Under the convention limitations on human rights can only usually be justified on the grounds of public health safety or morals. ldquo;Those who have argued for a general ban of the burqa and the niqab have not managed to show that these garments in any way undermine democracy public safety order or morals. The fact that a very small number of women wear such clothing has made proposals in such a direction even less convincing rdquo; Hammarberg argued. Full-body coverings have become volatile issues in many European states in recent years where they are interpreted as an assault on the wearersrsquo; rights. But Hammarberg argued that banning the clothing would not help to solve the underlying problems. Pushing women underground nbsp;ldquo;No doubt the status of women is an acute problem within some religious communities. This needs to be discussed but prohibiting symptoms like clothing is not the way to do it rdquo; he wrote. He also said that ldquo;the suggestion to ban the presence of women dressed in the burqa/niqab in public institutions like hospitals or government offices may only result in these women avoiding such places entirely rdquo; and furthernbsp; warned that public debates on the position and rights of women within Islam risked being hijacked by extremists. ldquo;Some of the arguments have been clearly Islamophobic and that has certainly not built bridges or encouraged dialogue rdquo; he wrote even as an anti-Islam political party which wants a burqa ban made giant strides in gaining power in The Netherlands. Rather than imposing new dress codes on their citizens European states would be better advised to launch debates on the underlying tensions between different religious and secular communities. ldquo;Attempts should be made to broaden the discourse to cover essential matters including how to promote understanding of different religions cultures and customs rdquo; Hammarberg wrote. That also means that religious and cultural minorities should accept that the majority will not always agree with their viewpoint he stressed. ldquo;In other words tolerance is a two-way street rdquo; he wrote. Hammarberg said that the view that burqa undermines democracy public safety or morals unconvincing was popularized by a few women who wear the veil mdash; around 1 900 in France which has the largest Muslim population. France hangs tough Earlier in France where Sarkozy said the burqa demeans women a ban on the dress and the niqab was called a French parliamentary report in Jan stating the women who wear the full Islamic veil pose posed an ldquo;unacceptablerdquo; threat to French values. Besides the Netherlands Austria and Denmark are considering a ban.nbsp; In February French Immigration Minister Eric Besson had transmitted a decree to the government that would ban from French citizenship any man who makes his French wife wear the all-body Islamic veil. In a statement Besson said that preventing a spouse from going around with her face unveiled would be equivalent to rejecting ldquo;the principles of secularism and equality between men and women.rdquo; The measure is the latest move in the continuing attempt by the French government to limit or ban women from wearing the garment which is known here by the Afghan term burqa.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99645.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:46:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99643.php Hello Ida Lupino wherever you are. Maybe this is all you need to know about how women are still viewed in society even when they reach the highest levels of achievement in business politics the media or Hollywood. The morning after Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win the Best Director Oscar at the Academy Awards ndash; for an Iraq war bomb disposal tale ndash; it was International Womenrsquo;s Day and just as much attention was focused on what the actresses and starlets were wearing on the red carpet in Los Angeles as her distinction made all the sweeter of course because she won the award over her former husband James Cameron for a computer-generated movie about aliens somewhere but donrsquo;t say that in Europe because FRONTEX the border guards will head for Malta and look for African immigrants trying to sneak into the European Union on rickety leaking overloaded boats. And it came just a few days a survey by the Inter-Parliamentary Union IPU found that only 10 women are heads of state among the worldrsquo;s 151 elected national leaders ndash; and five of them in the EU led by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and has also earned the number one spot of the Forbes Worldrsquo;s 100 Most Powerful Women list which is heavy with the names of women who are Chief Executive Officers CEOs of major companies around the world but light on politicians although the EU also boasts Irish President Mary McAleese #69 on Forbes; Finnish President Tarja Halonen 68; Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite and Swiss President Doris Leuthard although to that mix you can also now add Bosnia-Herzegovina President Borjana Kristo Icelandrsquo;s Prime Minister Johanna Siguroardottir 75; Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and even Antonella Mularoni Secretary of State for San Marino but not the recently-ousted Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko who held the number 47 spot. Curiously the former European Commissioner for Competition Neelie Kroes came in at 53 ahead of elected heads of state.nbsp; So while the EU can crow it has a handful of women in powerful positions thatrsquo;s just it ndash; only a handful and not in any of the major countries. The other countries headed by a woman although in the case of India in the number two spot are Chile whose President Michelle Bachelet stepped down on March 11; Argentina India Liberia and the Phillippines. Not there yet Women fared a little better in parliaments around the world. The United Nations had called for 30% of seats for women in legislatures. The IPU said women parliamentarians now average 18.8% compared to 11.3% in 1995 when an international conference on women in Beijing called for gender balance in executive and legislative bodies. There are now parliaments in 38 countries in which 30% of seats are occupied by women. Only seven countries reached that goal in 1995. ldquo;Things have certainly improved but not nearly as much as we would have wanted them to rdquo; said Anders Johnson IPU Secretary General. Johnson presented a Map of Women in Politics in 2010 to the international conference on women at UN headquarters in New York. This is quite a time for women at least when it comes to talking about them instead of giving them more power and authority. The European Commission on March 5 launched a new ldquo;womenrsquo;s charterrdquo; in a bid to fight gender inequality at home and at work in both Europe and around the world. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has made womenrsquo;s rights a key plank of his organizationrsquo;s policy pushing member states to appoint women to the body. Currently nine out of the EUrsquo;s 27 commissioners are women but he had to pushed into making sure there were that many. The charter launched at the beginning of the Commissionrsquo;s five-year mandate represents ldquo;a commitment to promoting gender equality in and beyond Europe rdquo; Barroso said as he presented it to journalists in Brussels alongside Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding. ldquo;Here you have a man and a woman presenting together as President and Vice-President a new womenrsquo;s charter ... It is only if we have men on board that equality between men and women can be put into practice rdquo; Reding who controls Commission policy on equality and human rights said. The main principles of the charter are to promote womenrsquo;s economic independence bring their pay closer to the level of menrsquo;s boost their representation at the top official levels crack down on all kinds of gender-related violence and push other countries outside Europe to do the same Barroso said. The Commission will take those principles into account in all its legislative proposals over the next five years Reding said. UN checks in The United Nations is in the midst of a two-week conference to continue work on strengthening womenrsquo;s rights globally which was to be attended by more than 2 000 representatives of womenrsquo;s groups from 50 countries. The 54th session on the Commission on the Status of Women at UN headquarters in New York was called also to mark the 15th anniversary of the historic adoption in Beijing of a Platform for Action to provide women the equality and opportunities given to men. The commission was to review progress made in the implementation of the platform. This yearrsquo;s commission meeting is under the theme Equal Rights Equal Opportunities: Progress for All pretty if facetious words. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in a prepared message for International Womenrsquo;s Day celebrated each year on March 8 that the landmark Beijing Declaration has had a ldquo;deep and wide-ranging impact.rdquo; He added that ldquo;It has guided policy making and inspired new national laws. It has sent a clear message to women and girls around the world that equality and opportunity are their inalienable rights.rdquo; He further said ldquo;The Beijing Declaration remains as relevant today as when it was adopted. On this International Womenrsquo;s Day let us look critically at the achievements of the past 15 years so we can build on what has worked and correct what has not.rdquo; The UN said progress was made particularly on education for women and girls but it was uneven between regions of the world and within countries. ldquo;The global averages on education also hide differences among women based on economic status ethnicity age disability and other factors rdquo; the UN said. It said major challenges remain on achieving gender equality and womenrsquo;s empowerment. The UN said governments should pay more attention to advancing programs on reducing maternal mortality rates violence against women and girls womenrsquo;s access to decent work and womenrsquo;s equal participation in senior decision-making positions. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99643.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:44:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99642.php The EU-Morocco summit held in Granada on 7 March set a double precedent. For one it was the first summit with a third country since the Lisbon Treaty came into force. European eyes turned to Granada as a test-run of the EUrsquo;s new institutional architecture. Almost surprisingly the summit passed without any major institutional faux pas. EU President Herman van Rompuy took the lead and King Mohammed VIrsquo;s non-appearance was tolerably balanced by the absence of the EUrsquo;s High Representative Catherine Ashton. Second it was the EUrsquo;s first-ever bilateral summit with an Arab country. Morocco has become Europersquo;s southern neighborhood laboratory. As the first and only country to enjoy a privileged relationship with the EU under the so-called advanced status the Moroccan experience could provide answers to a core European foreign policy question: what powerful reform incentives can we offer to neighbouring countries in the South that are ineligible for EU membership? In this light Moroccorsquo;s advanced status can be seen as an attempt to re-draft the EUrsquo;s best success formula in the more reluctant parts of its neighborhood. At the summit this upgraded partnership underwent its first major overhaul.nbsp; Granted to Morocco by the EU in October 2008 via the adoption of a generally formulated roadmap the advanced status foresees a substantial intensification of bilateral diplomatic and trade relations between the two parties. So far its added-value has been largely limited to an attractive political label. Accordingly the Granada summitrsquo;s main purpose was to single out Morocco as a reform champion and key EU ally in the Southern Mediterranean. The Moroccan regime has been advertising this trophy very successfully in the region and the EU has let it play that card. As the dust of this symbolic coronation starts to settle however the EU must ensure that its key interests are anchored in a detailed measurable and coherent roadmap worthy of its name. But does Morocco deserve an advanced status? Many in Europe have raised their eyebrows over the EUrsquo;s explicit coronation of an authoritarian regime. The overdue reforms of Moroccan political institutions insinuated by the Royal Palace in numerous solemn speeches have not gone past rhetoric. The European Commission increasingly stresses this structural time bomb in its writings on Morocco. Yet these assessments have yet meaningfully to inform EU policy-making. Moreover the EU still lacks clear criteria to determine what makes a country advanced. If human rights and democracy criteria are to be applied progress must be measured by objective benchmarks. Vague references to these principles only lay the groundwork for authoritarian regimesrsquo; smart public relations. However Morocco is not the only one failing to do its homework. Both Morocco and the EU still need to translate discourse into action EU member states have been unable or unwilling to provide strong enough incentives to increase their leverage over Morocco. Moroccorsquo;s wishes have been on the table for years. The full opening of the EU internal market for its agricultural products and visa facilitation for Moroccan workers rank highly on the Kingdomrsquo;s list. Yet these are precisely the things that protectionist European leaders are reluctant to provide. A recently concluded EU-Morocco agri-food and fisheries agreement is a good start but still does not overcome the fact that European politicians are most worried about protecting Spanish tomatoes and French courgettes. The Granada summit did conclude with measured statements about human rights and Western Sahara but above all it served to underline the symbolic weight of the upgrade. Breathing life into the advanced status by raising the hurdles for political reform will be the key challenge for Europersquo;s relations with Morocco in 2010. But EU member states can hardly expect Morocco to take major steps forward if they keep withholding the juiciest carrots. nbsp;Kristina Kausch is a researcher at FRIDE. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99642.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:43:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99641.php Europe is in the midst of the worst financial crisis in decades but investment in the digital world could be the key to get us out of it. Businesses need to be able to compete internationally and have professionals who posses world-class e-skills. The Europe 2020 plan unveiled by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso yesterday 3 March 2010 sets out a blueprint for Europersquo;s recovery and a sustainable social market economy that is competitive innovative and inclusive. Information and communication technologies ICT like mobile phones and the Internet are an essential part of this.nbsp; Regular Internet use in the EU has grown from 43% in 2005 to 56% in 2008 according to the EUrsquo;s Digital Literacy Report and the Digital Competitiveness Report. Some 43% of the population now use the Internet daily with higher rates among the young. However large gaps still remain. People aged 65-74 the economically inactive and those with the least education are the most digitally excluded. Demand for e-skills has boomed in the last decades - there are almost four million ICT professionals in Europe more than double the level of 1995. These experts increasingly work in fields like the automotive banking finance graphic arts and media sectors - and other ICT user industries - 54.5% and less than half now work in the traditional ICT industry 45.5% . While these numbers are a good basis for building a competitive knowledge economy they are not enough. With the e-skills required by industry varying constantly employers complain now about e-skills shortages as well as an insufficient level of professionalism and expertise. Far from being an ICT sector issue Europersquo;s growing e-skills shortage is affecting the productivity and the competitiveness of all types of organizations large and small across society.nbsp; But our education and training systems have not kept up with the exploding demand for e-skills leaving us with a shortage of home-grown computer scientists and advanced users. Facing competition from the United States and Japan but also increasingly from India and China Europe needs more highly e-skilled professionals of its own. Fewer young people have enrolled on computer science courses since 2003 leading to a decline in graduates. So far the breach is being made up by science engineering or humanities graduates who are becoming ICT experts for example non-ICT graduates make up 70% of Denmarkrsquo;s ICT workforce . A recent foresight study anticipates that the EU labour market may face an excess demand of 384 000 ICT practitioners by 2015. In addition according to a survey in five years time only 10% of the job in the EU will not require e-skills. The European Commission set out a long term strategy on e-Skills for the 21st Century in its Communication of September 2007 based on advice from stakeholders and governments in the European e-Skills Forum. The successful European e-skills Week 2010 from March 1-5 was one example of how we address these challenges.nbsp; Antonio Tajaninbsp; is European Commission Vice-President Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99641.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:42:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99640.php New EU Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs Laacute;szloacute; Andor faces an unenviable task in seeking to get people back to work and stimulate jobs and employment opportunities in a fragile economy. Eurostats own figures are predicting unemployment will soar in 2010 and peak at 10.3% of the EU workforce. As EU Employment Ministers prepare to meet for the Employment Council on 7-9 March Eurociett which represents the Agency Work sector across Europe urged the new commission to take the following steps in order to maintain people in work and create new employment opportunities in the short term while securing transitions towards growth sectors and a new economy including green jobs in the longer term: Push for the lifting of unjustified barriers to agency work in several member states.nbsp; Practices such as sectoral bans on the use of temporary agency workers in the construction and public sectors severely hamper the industryrsquo;s contribution to a more efficient labour market.nbsp; Also practices such as limitation on the range of services provided by private employment agencies and considerable discrimination of agencies as employers have a detrimental effect.nbsp; Calling an end to such practices would have the immediate effect of boosting employment and job creation. Create a level playing field for both companies and agency workers by reviewing the legal and administrative restrictions that limit the opportunities of agency work and establishing minimum EU-wide standards and equal treatment obligations.nbsp; The commission must strike a balance between protecting agency workers and enhancing the positive role that the sector can play in the EU labour market by reinforcing participation and diversity and enhancing competitiveness and job creation. Boost cooperation between public/private employment services and local authorities to facilitate mobility among sectors and match supply to demand through the provision of a lsquo;flexible layerrsquo; that will enable employers to take advantage of green shoots and adapt to the new economic reality. This will drive the competitiveness of European industry and provide it with a pool of talent that it can draw on to deliver the skills it needs when and where it needs them. Develop more flexible labour market structures and attendant social policies whereby workers can transition more easily between jobs and sectors and full-time and part-time work and can choose to work in a different way in order to accommodate family and other lifestyle choices and strike an appropriate work/life balance. Provide increased training and upskilling of workers in line with its New skills for new Jobs initiative to equip people to work in the new and emerging sectors and to facilitate transitions from unemployment to employment and then from temporary to permanent jobs.nbsp; Ongoing vocational training and skills enhancement ensures employees can meet market demand and transition between jobs and sectors.nbsp;nbsp; Increased public private partnership makes training schemes more widely available and focuses on vulnerable groups like youth and the long-term unemployed.nbsp; This is particularly important if Europe is to be well placed to train people in the new economy for green jobs and new technologies. Broaden access to labor markets for disadvantaged workers such as the young the long term unemployed and newly laid-off workers by offering flexible forms of employment and exposure to the workplace.nbsp; This will serve to drive higher employment rates and will guard against the wider social impacts of unemployment and the pitfalls of creating a lost generation. It will also support the changing demographics at the other end of the working life as workers nearing retirement choose to take a more gradual approach in winding down their working life.nbsp; By placing more people in work Europe will reduce the burden on public spending while increasing public revenues at a time when finances are severely stretched due the economic crisis. By recognising the new realities of employment and jobs the commission can play a key role in driving better functioning labor markets and creating more jobs and better jobs for citizens across the EU27. Denis Pennel is the Managing Director of Eurociett... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99640.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:41:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99639.php In 2020 the ldquo;goodrdquo; news will be that the rising anarchy in energy and climate policy in most of the previous decade did eventually produce a sharp response. By that time leading industrialists will be funding a turn in mainstream politics from social conservatism to mild forms of environmental authoritarianism. The politics of the environment will rule. Environmental crimes of the past will be punished with retrospective legislation and increasingly punitive damages imposed by the state. At the international level the agenda of the United Nations Security Council will be dominated not by this or that normal political crisis or war but by decision-making on how to reconcile economic and energy policies agreed among G20 countries with demands from most of the rest.nbsp; Well maybe not. But there is considerable value in contemplating the future political and social dynamics of the world and the state of its physical environment at ten year intervals from today. We are being told by numerous sources not least the UN Panel on Climate Change that warming of the atmosphere will probably produce by 2050 a number of catastrophic effects if certain remedial steps to reduce man-made carbon emissions are not taken now.nbsp; There is overwhelming consensus that average global temperatures are increasing. Yet many things remain uncertain about the way in which contributing factors interact. The limits ndash;nbsp; and the relative newness ndash; of our climate science provide a mix of uncertainty and risk that is almost impossible to decipher and estimate let alone manage at the political level for consensus-based legislative outcomes.nbsp; As we grope our way forward we will only be effective believable if we explicitly acknowledge the inherent uncertainty in our long term forecasts 40-50 years about broad outcomes. For example we cannot know today that by 2050 the global average temperature will be 2deg; higher than now. It may be higher it may be lower. nbsp; Within those broad parameters of high uncertainty we need to acknowledge the risks associated with possible alternative outcomes in certain segments of our estimations. For example if we concentrate on energy efficiency rather than on controlling carbon emissions can we produce more resilient economies that can better adapt to climate change. nbsp; We need to base our policies on rolling ten year forecasts. On that basis we can model in very broad terms how all of the drivers of climate change and adaptation human and non-human economic and social legislative and unlegislated might interact. On that basis we can shape our responses and maybe some of the outcomes more effectively. Ten years as a time frame gives us bite-sized chunks that allows us a little more credibility than claims about outcomes in 40-50 years. The more important element of ten year futures is that we can sensibly plan budgets and policy settings for scientific monitoring and policy response for such a period. 20 is as important a number here as ten. The G20 will as implied above become the main locus of global leadership in environmental policy because of decisions it takes on energy and economic development. Yet for each government in that group to move effectively it will need to be catalyzed for change by a highly disciplined and politically attuned ldquo;change agentrdquo; NGO in its own country. Each will need deep political roots and potential influence on the domestic front. They will need to work on the home front and internationally as an alliance ndash; the ldquo;Climate 20rdquo;. We will need this networked non-government sector including the business community and scientists to lead in the development of and public debate of ten year rolling forecasts. The forecasts will vary considerably from country to count. Someone will have to drive them into one joint policy assessment. The NGO network will drive a new form of global intelligence collection and assessment that traditional government agencies in the field cannot match. In this model 20 +20 can get us to 50 ndash; that is to 2050 ndash; with at least better climate defences than we now appear in prospect. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99639.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:40:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99638.php When will Afghanistan become truly self-sustaining?nbsp; The age-old question is still looming above the international community despite politiciansrsquo; attempts to set timeframe estimates of when outsiders could finally leave the country in the hands of an established and long-standing democratic system. When such a world for Afghanistan will actually occur is largely unknown and likely to be more than 15 years away though a key factor that could help speed up the process may still be being ignored by those involved in the rehabilitation efforts: enhancing the private sector. Since 2002 billions of international dollars have poured into Afghanistan to fund military expenditures development projects and humanitarian aid efforts. But now some are calling for an increased emphasis on building the countryrsquo;s private market to increase stability. One of the major players in pushing this idea forward has been Jaime McCampbell an economic expert who has devoted much of her life to informing people of why a private market system is vital to Afghanistanrsquo;s future as a stable nation. ldquo;My point of view is that long-term stability and sustainment of the economy and the country will only come if you have a very large involvement of the private sector; now whether the private sector is coming from Afghanistan itself or the outside thatrsquo;s not quite as important as the fact that they need to be there period in the planning stages and the execution states rdquo; she told New Europe in Brussels. McCampbellrsquo;s work at times has been an exercise in ldquo;extraordinary frustrationrdquo; as she tries to get foreign investors interested in one of the most unstable countries in the world. She is now transitioning back to the private sector after spending three yearsnbsp; at NATO where she served as the first person devoted to economic security in the organization that traditionally only thought in a military fashion. Her mission at first was to find European companies willing to invest in Afghanistan but she quickly learned they were simply not interested in doing business somewhere that is wrought with bureaucratic and corruption issues. Her struggle has been to make people who have only worked in the governmental their whole lives understand the need for the private sector as the driver of the economy. Despite the bureaucracy and complications surrounding Afghanistanrsquo;s future McCampbell remains positive about its possibilities. The country has many rich markets aside from poppy that have not begun to reach their potential from some of the worldrsquo;s greatest apples to the largest availability of quality marble across the globe. In addition there is an up and coming population of Afghan women eager to get to work. As the supplier of 92% of the worldrsquo;s heroine Afghanistanrsquo;s economic system has become famous for its focus on farming poppy seeds. But this Biblical country has much more to offer the world than this. It is home to minerals copper uranium gold fruits vegetables and high-value crops like pomegranates. It also has the largest amount of marble in the world. In the issue of marble the Pakistanis are quarrying the marble in a way that is unusable by western companies interested in using it for construction. McCampbell said technical assistance is needed for quarries to show them how to make it properly and in high-volume ways to get a good return for their money. Negotiating and setting up trade agreements with countries near its borders is going to be a vital next step for Afghanistan. Trade talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan right now are a bit contentious.nbsp; Pakistan has become accustomed to exporting almost all that Afghanistan needs to the Afghanistan sonbsp; if Afghanistan starts become self-sufficient and even exporting it threatens their economy.nbsp; Because Afghanistan has 80 billion liters of water flowing through it and with 60 billion going to other countries it could have the upper hand in future trade agreements using that as a negotiating tool. ldquo;As they are able to trade with each other itrsquo;s going to be safer for everybody rdquo; McCampbell said. The Karzai Government is also attempting to crackdown on corruption. After the London Conference on Afghanistan earlier this year they created an oversight committee to look into the drug trade and connection to government corruption. Karzairsquo;s brother is heavily involved with the drug cartel in the south and no prosecutions have been made so far.nbsp; McCampbell said she hopes it is a genuine effort and it could be thanks to very dedicated ministers put on the committee but also worries it may be too little too late. ldquo;He is looking to them to help him see his way through this corruption maze because if there isnrsquo;t something done about the corruption nothing else is going to make a difference. It will completely undermine all of our efforts.rdquo; In addition there is a lot of money that is being poured into Afghanistan but a lot of it is illicit. A recent poll conducted out of 677 Afghans half admitted they had given a bribe in the last year. The average bribe being 152 dollars. If that is true for all Afghanistan it would equal $2.5 billion in bribes per year ndash;a quarter of the GDP and equal to what is gained from the opium production. ldquo;Itrsquo;s a way of life and in many countries rdquo; McCampbell said. ldquo;No country escapes it but we have to be willing to get in there set up businesses teach them how to run the businesses how to read contracts how to get produce to market show them what the world demand is for their product. There are so many ways to give technical assistances to people who want to help themselves and trust me Afghans do not want handouts they are truly entrepreneurial people.rdquo; On each visit to Afghanistan McCampbell has seen more interest from women entrepreneurs who want to start their own business and help their country move forward. Since 2002 micro-loans have been available for women living in villages to start a small business or project but there isnrsquo;t a lot of funding available for women who want to do something larger than that in small or medium size enterprises. ldquo;They want to do something more than at the village level which is a force multipliernbsp;mdash; if you help a woman start a factory shersquo;s able to hire 40 or 50 other women rdquo; McCampbell said. In general Afghanistan must work to make itself more open and friendly to foreign investors and in some ways they have already started to do this. President Hamid Karzai and his government have passed and implemented a number of laws that are business friendly. It is now easier to get business licenses; the tax system is not as erroneous foreign investors can lease land longer and can take their profits out of the country. nbsp;What is still lacking is information to the private sector not just to the American private sector but all of the NATO contributing nation capitals need to dispense information to their general public about the opportunities available. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99638.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:39:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99636.php After weeks of denying that Greece struggling under the weight of 300 billion euros in debt and a 12.7% deficit would get any kind of a bail-out the European Union has fashioned a package that would provide loans or guarantees but only as a last resort if Prime Minister George Papandreoursquo;s combination of tax hikes and pay cuts for public workers doesnrsquo;t work the British newspaper The Guardian reported. The newspaper reported the deal was brokered by Germany and designed both to get around the EUrsquo;s ban on bail-outs and fierce opposition by the German public to help Greece as the two countries have been locked in a war of words with one German newspaper calling the Greeks ldquo;lazy cheats who should be thrown out of the Eurozone on their ear rdquo; referring to the 16 countries who use the euro as their currency and reports that Greek governments for years had lied when reporting the countryrsquo;s economic position to the EU. The Papandreou Plan has led to a series of nationwide strikes and clashes on the streets between workers and police. The Greek Dilemma threatened to undermine the Eurozone a determining factor in why the EU has now decided to ride to the rescue the new European Commission for financial matters Olli Rehn said outlining what could be anywhere from a 25-to-55 billion euros arrangement to keep Greece solvent. A key condition is that Greece and any EU country in financial trouble could have its books monitored and audited by the EU. ldquo;This is the essential lesson that has to be learned from the Greek case rdquo; Rehn told the Guardian and other European newspapers. ldquo;The Greek case is a potential turning point for the Eurozone rdquo; said Rehn in the interview. ldquo;If Greece fails and we fail this will do serious and maybe permanent damage to the credibility of the European Union. The euro is not only a monetary arrangement but a core political project of the European Union hellip; In that sense we are at a crossroads.rdquo; The Guardian reported that senior sources in Brussels said that Berlin had bowed to the bailout agreement despite huge resistance in Germany and that the finance ministers of the Eurozone who use the euro will finalize the deal on 15 March in Brussels. EU countries have reportedly agreed to share the burden between themselves and agreed on so-called ldquo;co-ordinated bilateral contributionsrdquo; in the form of loans or loan guarantees to Greece if Athens finds itself unable to refinance its soaring debt and requests help from the EU a senior European Commission official said. nbsp;ldquo;There have been quite intensive preparations under the eurogroup. We have the ways and means to do it rdquo; said the senior official asking not to be named because of the subjectrsquo;s sensitivity the newspaper reported adding that Berlin in particular has been worried that any bailout of Greece could be challenged in its constitutional court. Rehn said he would unveil new proposals next month enshrining a new single currency regime of ldquo;rigorous surveillance of national budgetsrdquo; and that Eurostat the EUrsquo;s statistical agency would need to be given formidable new auditing powers over the books of Eurozone member states a demand that may be resisted by EU governments The Guardian said. ldquo;Thatrsquo;s the hard core of our proposal. The surveillance should be automatic rdquo; said Rehn. ldquo;We have an immediate corrective instrument for the Greek case plus another framework to prevent new Greek crises.rdquo; The driving force behind the deal was said to be Germanyrsquo;s Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble who earlier called for a European Monetary Fund EMF to help economically-troubled EU countries especially inasmuch as Spain Ireland Italy and Portugal are in almost as bad shape as is Greece. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99636.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:38:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99637.php Last weekend the Global Agency Responsible for the Amusement of the Masses or what some people call Hollywood were hosting their Oscars. An annual event that comes down to one thing whorsquo;s wearing the best dress. Oh yeah and who wins but that of course we hear all over the news the day after . George Clooneyrsquo;s co-star from Up In the Air said walking down the red carpet that shersquo;d chosen her lovely plieed and multi layered dress in a deep mauve that ldquo;it really reminded me of a peony in bloom and Irsquo;m just so sick of winter in New York.rdquo; I think all of us in Brussels can safely say the same thing and all those suffering the economic crisis still. New ideas and movements have been springing up before the season to be jolly all over Europe and across the Atlantic in the last week. Political leaders are dealing with the economy as per usual Germanyrsquo;s debts are rising Francersquo;s President has been accused of having an affair crsquo;est pas vrais! Sweden is in a tizzy with Turkey and Gaddafi is still Gaddafi of course. George Papandreou Socialismrsquo;s new poster boy is working hard at maintaining his countryrsquo;s well deserved legacy and a round of trips including Paris Berlin and Washington DC accredited him with a lot of verbal ldquo;solidarityrdquo;. Just one of those things the market needs to see and hear. But the question raised last week about who benefits the most out of the Euro tumbling has now surfaced on some other minds as there seems to be no other reasoning behind the attack on Greece. The European Commission had to assist Romania with one billion Euro this week in order to stabilize its economy before possible collapse and Finance Ministers are ready to hit Brussels this week for the ECOFIN focusing on Greece hedge funds the possibility of an European Investment Fund and if rumours are to be believed a Financial Transaction Tax. What is an FTT? You didnrsquo;t see our call for the Robin Hood Tax a couple of weekrsquo;s back? A miniscule amount charged to every financial transaction to help alleviate some of the pressures still lashing the EUs economyrsquo;s as the US and UK who initially caused the fall back seem to get back on their feet. CAN Europe Oxfam Friends of the Earth Europe and Action Aid support this idea of a Financial Transaction Tax at EU level.nbsp; Alongsidenbsp; 350 economists worldwide who signed a letter asking for world leaders to institute a Financial Transaction Tax FTT to raise revenue during this lengthy economic crisis. The money raised could be used for a variety of projects both domestic and international including poverty alleviation climate change and tackling national debt. The FTT would put the onus of payment on the institutions making the transactions rather than the public. Just in time for the ECOFIN on 16 March to consider the FTT for their agenda following a European Parliament motion passed last week urging the European Council and the European Commission to move forward on the FTT. I am signing this letter and joining with the hundreds of phd economists around the world because I think the transaction tax is technically feasible and morally essential to repair the mess made by the banks. I have long advocated for such a tax as a clear way to raise billions of dollars to fight climate change and to achieve the millennium development goals. Jeffrey Sachs said paying a visit to Brussels last week. Conclusions to be reviewed as soon as the Ministers ajourn. Follow Alia Papageorgiou on twitter @eurocentrique or email her alia@neurope.eunbsp; nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99637.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:38:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99635.php Icelandrsquo;s massive rejection of a deal with Britain and the Netherlands on paying back the losses caused by the collapse of an internet bank should be no bar to European Union accession talks the European Commission said. Some 93% of voters rejected a deal under which their government would have paid back the British and Dutch governments for money used to reimburse victims of the Icesave bank collapse who lost $5.4 billion. Only 1.6% agreed the country should repay what it owes. Iceland applied for EU membership at the height of last yearrsquo;s economic crisis but the controversy over the Icesave money threatened to derail the application process in a row between Reykjavik London and The Hague. ldquo;The referendum result is a distinct process from membership talks. We maintain our recommendation to Member States to open accession negotiations with Iceland rdquo; European Commission spokeswoman Angela Filote told journalists in Brussels. Under EU rules once a country has applied to join the bloc the Commission carries out a detailed study of its ability to bring its laws into line with EU rules and recommends to member states whether the country is advanced enough to be considered as a candidate and it is then up to other EU countries to decide whether launch accession negotiations a decision that must be unanimous. The Commission last month recommended that EU states launch the negotiation process but diplomats warned that the Icesave controversy could provoke British or Dutch politicians - both of whom face elections before the summer - to block talks. The resounding ldquo;nordquo; to plans to repay the British and the Dutch after the collapse of the Icesave bank surprised even one of the co- founders of a group which had pushed for the referendum. ldquo;We were expecting a lsquo;norsquo; vote but we did not imagine we could get a lsquo;norsquo; vote of over 90 per cent rdquo; Erikur Svavarsson of the In Defence group told the German Press Agency Deutsche-Presse-Agentur dpa. The referendum sent a ldquo;very strong messagerdquo; to the British and Dutch governments that the people of the North Atlantic country want an agreement that reflects ldquo;shared risk and shared responsibility rdquo; Svavarsson added. ldquo;Icelanders are not willing to pay an obligation of a private bank with their own welfare rdquo; he said.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99635.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:37:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99634.php Chinarsquo;s weight in global affairs seems to be mounting by the day. Not only is China about to become the second most important single economy in the world it recently also took over Germany as the worldrsquo;s leading exporting country. But China is not only growing economically. Its military clout is equally on the rise and the Peoplersquo;s Republic has now become the worldrsquo;s second highest military spender. On these accounts China is increasingly perceived as the only country emerging both as a military and economic rival of the US and thus generating a fundamental shift in the global distribution of power and influence. Yet as the leaders in Beijing keep on repeating China still shows many characteristics of a developing country and faces many weaknesses and challenges. Yang Jiechi Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Peoplersquo;s Republic of China recently pointed out: ldquo;Chinarsquo;s per capita GDP has just exceeded 3 000 US dollars ranking the 104th in the world. Uneven development remains a prominent problem. Big cities like Beijing and Shanghai can in no way represent the whole of China and many rural and remote areas are still very poor. One hundred and thirty-five million people are living on less than one dollar a day and 10 million have no access to electricityrdquo;. With its legitimacy all the time more deriving from performance the current regime can only maintain its position if it manages to resolve the many problems China faces within a reasonable timeframe. On closer examination China has a double identity. On the one hand it considers itself a developing country that was wronged by the imperialists and is therefore entitled to a great degree of consideration and support. On the other hand it sees itself as an emerging power that is well on its way to restoring the glory of the ancient dynasties and wants to be treated on an equal footing and warrants esteem. That is why Beijing is so sensitive to being respected and be treated as a peer. At the same time however the Chinese still count on consideration from the other side some exceptional treatment. China although growing fast is at a different stage of development and has to overcome a great number of internal problems as a result of which it cannot as yet take up the full scale of its international responsibilities. Increasingly however Beijing is facing an ever-harder quandary between its identity as a developing country and its identity as an emerging power. As Chinarsquo;s economic success continues the developed countries in particular expect it to take up greater responsibilities in supporting a sustainable global economy. As a result Beijing is pressured to strike a precarious balance between domestic economic development which it sees as the most pressing challenge and the evolution of China into a responsible great power which it sees as the longer-term ambition. While at present there is a marked propensity in Beijingrsquo;s foreign policy towards the notion of lsquo;China as a responsible global powerrsquo; there are some notable exceptions to this tendency. A prime example of this is Chinarsquo;s hunger for oil and strategic resources. Sustainable economic development is undoubtedly the final goal but it cannot be realised without the necessary energy and raw materials supplies. Should these not be sufficient the nationrsquo;s wholesale development will be compromised and consequently the outright survival of the regime would be at stake. This is indeed a tight corner to be in. It is very tempting to put onersquo;s own pressing interests first whenever possible in such circumstances. Those are the moments when sovereignty and the immediate national self-interest get to play first fiddle. And that in turn is exactly why Chinarsquo;s international behaviour seemingly comes across as erratic. It dutifully adapts to whichever circumstances it finds itself in so as to safeguard the interests of the Chinese heartland. Multilateral negotiations about regional stability and the further direction of global governance are after all very different from bilateral talks aimed at securing highly desired economic benefits or guaranteeing access to crucial strategic raw materials. In the case of the former Beijing has time on its side and the rhetoric of peaceful evolution civilized renaissance and a harmonious world comes in handy; in the case of the latter negotiations more often than not come down to serving the immediate national interest and driving home the best bargain. Gustaaf Geeraerts director of the Brussels Institute of Contemporary China Studies BICCS... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99634.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:36:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99632.php Already on the hot seat less than three months into her job as the European Unionrsquo;s new real Foreign Minister because of criticism about her lack of experience and handling of hotspots and catastrophes around the planet Catherine Ashton said the EU will have to prove it can stabilize and help reform the countries in its backyard from Belarus to Morocco if it wants to be taken seriously on the world stage. Her remarks came as she was addressing the European Parliament in a keynote debate on the EUrsquo;s foreign policy which she is expected to steer over the next five years. ldquo;Our wider international credibility depends on getting our neighborhood right rdquo; Ashton told members of the parliament MEPs. nbsp; As its first priority the EU must therefore ldquo;ensure greater stability in our neighborhood by promoting political and economic reform rdquo; she said. The EU already has a ldquo;neighborhood policyrdquo; designed to promote pro-democracy and free-market reforms in the states across its border but Ashtonrsquo;s task is to give the EU more influence by making its policy more coherent and assertive. ldquo;If we pull together we can safeguard our interests. If not others will make the decisions for us rdquo; she stressed. As an example of the new assertive EU regional policy she would like to see she singled out Georgia where in August 2008 the EU brokered a ceasefire to end the war between Georgia and Russia. After the war the EU sent the only international observation team still active in the region helped set up peace talks in Geneva and invited Georgia into a partnership which foresees trade and travel benefits in return for political and market reforms. ldquo;In this case we demonstrated what the EU can do when we mobilize all the resources we have. We need stronger structures more flexibility and better preparedness if we want Georgia to be a benchmarkrdquo; for future policies Ashton said. She also highlighted EU policy in the Balkans where the blocrsquo;s ability to offer benefits such as visa-free travel and open trade gives it enormous leverage to insist on political reform. And she offered as a further example the EUrsquo;s approach in the Horn of Africa where it combines economic development in Yemen and Somalia with military training for the Somali security forces and a naval operation against pirates. She also called on the EU to build more effective cooperation with the US and rising powers notably China. In the rising states ldquo;economic weight is translating into political self-confidence rdquo; but ldquo;the problems we face in the world cannot be solved by any single actor rdquo; she said. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99632.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:34:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99633.php The Lisbon Council an active think tank in Brussels organized recently The 2010 Innovation Summit in order to discuss with some experts the new challenges that Europe is facing for the future. It was the opportunity to listen for the first time to the new European Commissioner for Ramp;D and Innovation Maire Geoghegan-Quinn about the strategy for the New European Innovation Plan and its articulation with the EU 2020 strategy presented by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. The new commissioner presented an interesting new concept ndash; i-conomy strongly connected with that one of i-society. The idea of an i-conomy essential for a new future demands an effective partnership contract between all the actors states universities companies civil society in order to build a real strategy of confidence in the implementation of the different policies. The focus on innovation and knowledge as the drivers of creating added value with international dissemination is a unique challenge that may be the answer to a new way of interaction between those who have the responsibility of thinking and those that have the responsibility of producing goods and services. The i-conomy must be an Idea of Change. In the i-conomy there is a strategic challenge focused in the capacity of attracting new investments new talents and a new ambition for an agenda for the future. Thatacute;s why we also need a i-society. The design of a i-society with a new agenda cannot be made by law but must be built through a ldquo;broad and consistent partnershiprdquo; that is the platform for a collaborative network of the different operational actors of the continent. In the i-society the key word must be ambition. The state the municipalities the companies the universities in a word civil society must give the example. They must promote a new adventure in a complex world and there is a real sense of urgency in our capacity of being able to do it. Itacute;s time to believe in a new cycle for Europe. Reinventing the European Dream and giving the European actors states universities enterprises civil society the opportunity of developing new challenges focused on innovation and creativity is in a large sense giving a central contribution to the reinvention of Europe. The Reinvention of Europe is the reinvention of its people and institutions. More than everything it is a public demonstration of a positive answer to the future. This is the idea of the i-conomy. This is a challenge for the future that is the basis for our present. We must be able to win a new ambition for our land. For our people. For our citizenship. We must be able to effective construct a i-conomy mostly based in our individual attitude in an effective i-society. It acute;s a challenge we must be able to answer with success. Francisco Jaime Quesado is the General Manager of the Innovation and Knowledge Society in Portugal a public agency with the mission of coordinating the policies for Information Society and mobilizing it through dissemination qualification and research activities. It operates within the Ministry of Science Technology and Higher Education nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99633.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:34:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99631.php Unless yoursquo;re one of the millions of Europeans without a job or having lost a home to high mortgage interest rates the recession has wound back enough for the European Central Bank to retreat from some of the emergency monetary measures it introduced to shore up financial market confidence and keep its borrowing cost at the historic low of 1% this year because of some remaining trouble signs such as weak inflation and Greecersquo;s lingering financial crisis. The ECBrsquo;s analysis of the 16 countries in the Eurozone showed that the tough restrictions are no longer needed in most cases the bankrsquo;s chief Jean-Claude Trichet said although some remain such as the cost ofnbsp; regular three-month market operations and again making funds available at variable interest rates. But Trichet insisted the banking system in thenbsp; Eurozone will continue to receive special liquidity measures at ldquo;very favorable conditions rdquo; with the bank having already phased out its previous 12-month and six-month operations. With the ECB keen to normalize markets as the financial crisis slowly ebbs Trichet said the moves were part of the bankrsquo;s plans for ldquo;a gradual and timelyrdquo; withdrawal of emergency lending measures launched in the wake of the global financial firestorm. In London the Bank of England BoE announced that it had left interest rates on hold at a record low of 0.5% and had not increased the funds made available under its emergency monetary scheme the so-called quantity easing program. The moves had been expected by financial markets. Preliminary data released showed the Eurozonersquo;s annual inflation rate came in at 0.9% in February slipping from 1% in January. Moreover consumer prices in the Eurozone are forecast to remain well below the ECBrsquo;s 2% ceiling for annual inflation for the coming months. The ECB last changed monetary policy in May 2009 when it trimmed its benchmark refinancing rate by .25% The statements from the ECB governing council and the BoE monetary policy committee camenbsp; after Greece announced its third round of austerity measures aimed at slashing its ballooning deficit and debt levels.nbsp; Trichet said the ECB expects the Eurozone economy to grow ldquo;at a moderate pace in 2010 in an environment marked by continued uncertainty.rdquo; While the projection of a 0.8% growth in 2010 was in line with the estimates issued in December the predicted 2011 expansion rate has been raised slightly to 1.5% from 1.2%. Inflation should come in at 1.2% this year and 1.5% the ECBrsquo;s staff said in its ongoing economic analysis with the inflation rate this year of 1.3% this year and 1.4% next year.nbsp; The evidence of subdued inflation came in the wake of a series of key indicators and data that pointed to the Eurozonersquo;s recovery from recession losing steam as the new year got underway.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99631.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:24:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99630.php Irsquo;ve been pleased by the positive response from people in the Parliament and Commission to the idea of using comic strips as the main communication medium. However some webloggers have raised an interesting idea that is worth exploring. Writing for y ou the entertaining but appallingly titled blog of the Web Communications team of the EP point out the the US sitcom The West Wing is enjoyed by many people in the EU institutions. This shouldnrsquo;t surprise as professionals tend to watch programs about their field of interest. A British doctor once told me that the worst time to have a heart attack was when the BBC hospital soap Casualty was on television. So would an EU sitcom help connect the citizens to the institutions? What programme should be the model for such an adventurous enterprise? Some suggest the British classic Yes Minister! This focused on the relationship between Jim Hacker the hapless Minister for Administrative Affairs and the Machiavellian Civil Servant Sir Humphrey Appleby. The writing is tight and sometimes cruelly satirical such as this exchange of the European Union: Sir Humphrey: Minister Britain has had the same foreign policy objective for at least the last five hundred years: to create a disunited Europe. In that cause we have fought with the Dutch against the Spanish with the Germans against the French with the French and Italians against the Germans and with the French against the Germans and Italians. Divide and rule you see. Why should we change now when itrsquo;s worked so well? Hacker: Thatrsquo;s all ancient history surely? Sir Humphrey: Yes and current policy. We had to break the whole thing up so we had to get inside. We tried to break it up from the outside but that wouldnrsquo;t work. Now that wersquo;re inside we can make a complete pigrsquo;s breakfast of the whole thing: set the Germans against the French the French against the Italians the Italians against the Dutch. The Foreign Office is terribly pleased; itrsquo;s just like old times. Yes Commissioner could be a front runner. Others suggest Ricky Gervaisrsquo; comedy The Office suggesting that there are many Brent-a-likes in Berlaymont. Something more dynamic? Lets use the EU Counter Terrorism Strategy to produce our own Jack Bauer although in a nod to EU expansion we should call it 27 and not 24. Naturally he wouldnrsquo;t be allowed to go around shooting and torturing so wersquo;d have to concentrate on a quieter kind of action. Not quite right is it? Other ideas include In The Loop. the vicious British satire that got an Oscar nomination this year possibly the only screenplay that went past a ldquo;swearing consultantrdquo; who boosted the profanity potential of the protagonist Malcolm Tucker a spin doctor. The film All The Presidentrsquo;s Men could have potential but given how the EU is should be renamed All The Men Presidents. There is one program that can boost the appeal of the Union one that is cool and funky The Avengers also known as Chapeau Melon et Bottes de Cuir or Mit Schirm Charme und Melone. Lets see Van Rompuy as John Steed and Cathy Ashton as Emma Peel. Itrsquo;s a winner. For the Parliament there is only one choice. As so much is already televised why not go the whole hog. Cue Voice over; ldquo;Itrsquo;s day 17 in Hemicycle House and Nigel has been called to the Diary Room after a row with Jerzy. The housemates are preparing for their task of giving a speech in under one minute. Martin Schulz is finding it difficult...rdquo; nbsp; nbsp;ACarling@NEurope.eu nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99630.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:23:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99628.php After its major airline maker EADS pulled out of an attempt to win a $35 billion contract with an American partner Northrop Grumman to build refueling aircraft for the US Air Force the European Commission swiftly reacted with some ominous words for American interests suggesting they could now face a tough time in the World Trade Organizationrsquo;s dealings where the European Union has an important voice. ldquo;The European Commission would be extremely concerned if it were to emerge that the terms of tender were such as to inhibit open competition for the contract ... and will be following further developments in the case very closely rdquo; a Commission statement said. At the same time EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said that it was ldquo;highly regrettable that a major potential supplier would feel unable to bid for a contract of this type. Open procurement markets guarantee better competition and better value for money for the taxpayer.rdquo;nbsp; Especially vexing for the EU was the charge from EADS top executive Thomas Enders that the competition was unfair and tilted in favor of its US rival Boeing now the only bidder left.nbsp; The German government also expressed disappointment saying that US procedures offered Boeing ldquo;clear economic and financial advantages.rdquo;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99628.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:22:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99629.php At one point they had won a $40 billion contract to build the next generation of aerial refueling planes for the US Air Force but after domestic pressure in the United States led to a changing of the rules the European airline builder EADS and its American partner Northrop Grumman said they are giving up the fight and withdrawing their joint bid which leaves rival Boeing as the only company seeking the deal.nbsp; The Pentagon said it was disappointed by the decision which throws into further disarray the Air Forcersquo;s already troubled effort to replace its ageing fleet of tankers. Boeing and EADS the parent company of European plane maker Airbus had been locked for years in a bitter feud over the lucrative deal to build 179 tanker planes. Airbus head Thomas Enders in a telephone interview with the German Press Agency Deutsche-Presse-Agentur dpa accused the Pentagon of being ldquo;prejudicedrdquo; towards Boeing by introducing new guidelines that favored the Chicago-based company. Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn in a statement rejected the accusation: ldquo;We strongly believe that the current competition is structured fairly and that both companies could compete effectively.rdquo;The decision to withdraw came after Northrop Grumman Corp first pulled out of the partnership. The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co EADS then said it would not submit a solo bid. The Pentagon initially awarded the contract to the EADS-Northrop Grumman team. But a congressional oversight agency in June 2008 sided with a Boeing protest and the Defense Department formally reopened the competition last month. ldquo;The current bid is clearly tailored to the smaller and less capable refueler of the competition rdquo; Enders said. ldquo;The conclusion is clear: This is not about the best tanker and also not about a fair competition.rdquo; He added that ldquo;The current contract is clearly tailored to the competitionrsquo;s smaller and less capable aircraft rdquo; he said. Northrop Grumman is convinced ldquo;that we have no chance to win in the current environment no matter how good our bid is rdquo; Enders said. ldquo;Itrsquo;s clear to me that under the current conditions itrsquo;s not sensible for us to participate.rdquo; The US Air Force is the loser in the bidding process because it will have to accept ldquo;the second-best solution rdquo; Enders said. The long-running competition had provoked sharp political disputes in the United States that cut across party lines with some opponents of Northrop-EADS arguing the Pentagon should not be shipping jobs to Europe at a time when they are badly needed at home. Lawmakers representing the north-western United States backed Boeing because the bulk of the planes would be built at a plant in Everett Washington. Southern lawmakers supported Northrop-EADS because of its plan to build an assembly plant in Alabama. The two companies said 58% of the plane and its components would be built with US labor. Despite the accusations of favoritism Northrop Chief Executive Wes Bush said the companies did not plan to launch a court challenge or lodge a formal protest with Congress. ldquo;Americarsquo;s service men and women have been forced to wait too long for new tankers rdquo; Bush said in a statement. ldquo;Taking actions that would further delay the introduction of this urgent capability would also not be acting responsibly.rdquo; The decision by Northrop Grumman leaves the Pentagon in the uncomfortable position of possibly having only one source submit a proposal to build the planes leaving no one to compete against Boeing to offer the Air Force a better deal. The KC-X program had already been a pressing issue in the Pentagon as the Air Force has already outlined plans to retire its fleet of KC-135 tankers whose service stretches back five decades. Boeing has proposed a KC-767 design based on its commercial counterpart. Northrop-EADS had selected its KC-30 which is based on the Airbus A330.nbsp; EADS had sought to reduce its reliance on the euro zone by offering to build a tanker plant in the US Gulf Coast state of Alabama. Despite the setback ldquo;EADS will remain active in the US rdquo; Enders said. He pointed out that the company recently delivered its 100th helicopter to the US Army and continues to operate the Airbus Engineering Centre in Mobile Alabama. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99629.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:22:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99627.php In a time of two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan where American troops almost single-handedly are doing the worldrsquo;s fighting against terrorism and the ceaseless quest for oil to fuel luxury cars of rich people and politicians the chances of the French-Spanish-Russian shareholder majority European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co EADS of winning a $40 billion contract to build refueling tankers for the United States Air Force against its bitter American rival Boeing were the same as a gay atheist Albanian immigrant being elected Prime Minister of Greece. That would be zero the only number EADS was ever going to see despite aligning itself with another American company Northrop Grumman hoping that would offset the power and influence Boeing holds in the US Congress. What set off the alarm bells among the American jingoists was when the EADS-Northrop alliance actually DID win the contract in 2008 so the Europeans who fashion themselves as slick and suave when it comes to doing business found out they were no match for the down-and-dirty street tactics of Americans who play to win and gave the Europeans a boot in the ass to steal the deal from the real winners. The only way to make a game change was to change the rules so Boeing made a specious protest and bingo before you could say Catherine-Ashton-has-no-foreign policy-experience a Congressional oversight committee decided the first bidding process was unfair and the fix was in for Boeing to inevitably win the re-bidding. EADS should have walked away right then instead of waiting until now to throw in the towel because the rest of the world is amateurs compared to Americans when it comes to tilting the playing field in their own favor which means Boeing now is the only bidder and can practically set any price it wants. Whatrsquo;s lost here is the unmatchable power of competition to make people better but the real story is the ongoing behind-the-scenes battle between Boeing and EADS Airbus division to win supremacy of the commercial aircraft skies where nobody gets shot down unless they stray into Russian airspace so MIG pilots can have target practice against unarmed passenger planes. But even the Russians werenrsquo;t as accurate as Boeing in shooting down EADS and Northrop Grumman who pulled out two days before EADS pulled the plug. It couldnrsquo;t have been worse timing for EADS because cost overruns with its A400 military transport and A30 super-jumbo jet combined to give its subsidiary Airbus a 763 million euros loss last year so losing a $40 billion contract it had already won was adding insult to injury. Unseen but heard quietly in all this was US President Barack Obama who wanted to make sure an American company got the award although someone should have told him Northrop Grumman based in Los Angeles is American too. Itrsquo;s sweet revenge for Obama who under pressure from the EU and threats of trade retaliation had to back off his Buy American credo last year when the US was freefalling into a near-Depression and he wanted to protect US businesses so now it became Buy Boeing and he won as did Boeing bullying the government into saying it had won what it had lost and using a tactic that should be un-American: cheating. The Congressional committee which overturned the first bid set up the coming U-turn saying the Air Force had made miscalculations in awarding the contract to EADS and Northrop the first time. Yes they forgot itrsquo;s the US Air Force not European. Francersquo;s outraged European Affairs Minister Pierre Lellouche said ldquo;This has gone beyond acceptable rdquo; and said it wasnrsquo;t over so the next shot may come from Europe. nbsp;Andy@NEurope.eu nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99627.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:21:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99626.php Former British prime minister Tony Blair now a Special Envoy to the Middle East says the problem has become so intransigent that there is ldquo;no hoperdquo; for Palestinians unless they have an independent state an idea now rejected by a once-receptive Israeli government which exacerbated the idea of a peace in the region by allowing the continued building of Jewish settlements. Blairrsquo;s remarks after meeting Arab League head Amr Moussa came amid a fresh international push to restart Israeli-Palestinian talks which were suspended in 2008. ldquo;For people in Jenin Gaza and everywhere in the occupied territories there is no hope unless they have a state rdquo; said Blair who now represents The Middle East Quartet - an informal grouping of the United Nations the European Union the United States and Russia. The blockade of the Gaza Strip and disputes over the expansion of Israeli settlements would continue ldquo;unless we get direct negotiations which lead to an independent and viable Palestinians state rdquo; he said. His statements came just as US Vice-President Joe Biden arrived to announce a new round of indirect US-brokered ldquo;proximityrdquo; talks between Israelis and Palestinians following Arab statesrsquo; approval of the talks. Blairrsquo;s remarks also followed Israelrsquo;s approval Monday of plans to construct 112 new homes in the West Bank settlement of Beitar Illit not far from Bethlehem. ldquo;Whatever doubts there are regarding the talks there are no other options rdquo; Blair said. ldquo;Whether the talks succeed or fail we have to give them a chance.rdquo; US checks in again Obamarsquo;s special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell nbsp; made the long-awaited formal announcement that the sides had agreed to hold indirect talks despite Palestinian anger over an Israeli decision to give exceptional permission for the construction of thenbsp; new apartments in the Jewish settlement. ldquo;Irsquo;m pleased that the Israeli and Palestinian leadership have accepted indirect talks rdquo; Mitchell said in a statement from Jerusalem. He said he hoped the indirect negotiations would ldquo;lead to direct negotiations as soon as possible.rdquo; He added the ldquo;structure and scoperdquo; of the talks were still being discussed and he would return to the region next week to continue the discussions. The Palestinians want a four-month time frame to the talks and refused to enter into direct negotiations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the nationalist Likud party demanding a freeze of all Israeli construction in both the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem with no exceptions. Members of the Arab League in giving the nod to indirect Israeli- Palestinian talks backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbasrsquo; contention that there would be ldquo;no pointrdquo; in resuming direct talks while Israeli construction continued in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Blairrsquo;s comments also came amid new efforts to resume indirect talks between Israel and Syria one of main backers of Hamas which controls the Gaza Strip. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters in Damascus that his country was determined to restart indirect negotiations between Israel and Syria. ldquo;We will work hard to move from the indirect talks to the direct talks rdquo; Davutoglu told reporters after meeting Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian capital. Syria hosts senior members of Hamasrsquo; political leadership in Damascus and is widely seen as having influence over the group which has predicted that indirect talks would prove ldquo;futile.rdquo; Some movement The Palestinian leadership agreement to resume talks was hoped to resume the long-stalled Middle East peace process which broke down 15 months ago. Executive committee Secretary General Yasser Abed Rabbo told reporters that the committee had decided to give a chance to the US proposal for the indirect talks as a means of getting back to the negotiating table. The decision to go for the indirect negotiations taken at a meeting Sunday of the Palestine Liberation Organization PLO executive committee came just before Mitchell and Biden arrived.nbsp; The Israeli prime minister and US envoy held ldquo;good discussionsrdquo; concerning the advance in the peace process a statement released by the prime ministerrsquo;s office after a two-hour meeting. Fayez Abu Eita a spokesman for Abbasrsquo; Fatah movement the dominant party in the PLO said the indirect talks would be limited by a four-month deadline and would deal with the issues of land borders and security. If the US administration received an Israeli go-ahead for the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders - those of the West Bank at the start of the 1967 Middle East war - then the sides could begin holding direct talks he said. The Islamic Hamas movement which controls the Gaza Strip rejected the talks saying they would ldquo;end the political isolation of Israelrdquo; and endanger Palestinian rights.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99626.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:20:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99625.php Israel said it will allow United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton to enter the Gaza Strip when they each make Mideast visits later this month the Israeli Foreign Ministry said adding that the authorization for Ban and Ashton to enter Gaza was issued in response to ldquo;special requestsrdquo; by the two diplomats. ldquo;Israel has decided to facilitate their entry to the Gaza Strip in order to allow them to get a first-hand impression of humanitarian activities taking place in that area rdquo; the ministry said. Ashton the EUrsquo;s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy has announced plans to travel to the region starting14 March 14. Ban is scheduled to meet on 27 March in Libya with the League of Arab States with plans to urge the group to support an early resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Israel has largely blockaded the Gaza Strip since 2008 when the Islamist militant group Hamas seized control of the densely populated coastal territory. Recently Israel refused to allow Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin to enter Gaza from Israeli territory. The visits are part of the EUrsquo;s ongoing hopes of being a partner to new peace talks although all previous efforts have ended in frustration and failure and Israelrsquo;s new Right-Wing hard-line government has been rebuffing calls to stop building settlements and to get back to negotiations. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99625.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:18:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99624.php Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed said that his island country is looking at German scholarsrsquo; expertise in Islamic law to help consolidate its young democracy after meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. ldquo;I have done my homework and I am quite aware of the amount of German discourse in Islamic jurisprudence rdquo; Nasheed said adding that German universities had dominated in this area during the early 20th Century. Nasheed said adding that he would welcome German assistance in building up their own version of Sharia law in the Maldives. While Maldivian law was based on Sharia Nasheed warned against jumping to the wrong conclusions. ldquo;We are a more tolerant and free country and we want to keep it that way rdquo; the President said. Nasheed was speaking during his first official visit to Berlin where climate change topped the agenda as Germany called for tough action ahead of a United Nationsrsquo; summit set for November in Mexico City. Nasheed warned about the threat that global warning posed to his island nation. ldquo;We will simply not survive as a country if there is no agreement on cutting CO2 emissions rdquo; he said. He delivered a stirring call at a conference in New Delhi in October 2009 to fight climate change. For her part the German leader warned about the risk of deadlock at the Mexican climate change talks. ldquo;Germany along with the European Union will be again pressing for binding targets on greenhouse gas emissions rdquo; Merkel said adding that it remained open whether China and India could be convinced by then of the need to set goals. The new conference comes after the spectacular failure of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December 2009 where the EU was virtually shut out of the discussion. India and China which are two of the worldrsquo;s leading emerging economies have ruled out adopting binding climate change targets. What also mattered said Merkel was to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius by 2050.nbsp; The Copenhagen climate summit last December agreed to limit warming to 2 degrees but set out no plan no enforcement and said it was non-binding.nbsp; Considering the controversy surrounding the Copenhagen meeting Nasheed did not appear optimistic about negotiations on limiting greenhouse gas emissions and said the chances of forging a concrete agreement this year were not great.nbsp; ldquo;We will simply not survive as a country if there is no agreement on cutting CO2 emissions rdquo; Nasheed said at a press conference in Berlin following talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He said the failure could eventually leave his country underwater and last year he conducted an underwater cabinet meeting to highlight the fears. While the EU US India China Brazil and the United Nations have continued to bluster on about greenhouse gas emission and climate change it has been the relatively-unknown Nasheed who has emerged as the real conscience of the movement shaming other countriesrsquo; leaders into doing something other than posturing and speechifying the issue to death.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99624.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:17:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99623.php STRASBOURG France ndash; Members of the European Parliament MEPs have called for an effective EU foreign security and defense policy as well as funding for the creation of the European External Action Service EEAS and noted that a proposed US anti-missile system ldquo;should take account of a common European approach to protecting Europe against ballistic threats.rdquo; In a plenary session here the MEPs said that the EU must enhance its strategic autonomy and conduct a strong and effective foreign security and defense policy and mean to use their budgetary power and democratic right to scrutinize these policies including funding for the EU external action service under two resolutions adopted on 10 March. They stressed the need to increase the democratic legitimacy of common foreign and security policy CFSP to comply with the Lisbon Treaty e.g. by systematically consulting Parliament before common security and defense policy CSDP missions are launched. These views are set out in a report - drafted by Gabriele Albertini from Italy who chairs the Parliamentrsquo;s foreign affairs committee ndash; in an assessment on the EUrsquo;s foreign and security policy around the world. The other resolution approved drawn up by Security and Defense Sub-Committee chair Arnaud Danjean from France looks at how the Lisbon Treaty will affect the Common Security and Defense Policy CSDP and calls for enhanced strategic autonomy of the EU. MEPs backed the idea of setting up a Council of EU defense ministers within the Foreign Affairs Council and called for a permanent EU operations center to be established under the supervision of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs. Parliament also recommended setting up a new European External Action Academy to train diplomats. The proposed US anti-missile system ldquo;should take account of a common European approach to protecting Europe against ballistic threatsrdquo; and must be developed ldquo;in a dialogue on a continental scalerdquo; and ldquo;with efforts being made to involve the European defense industry in its development rdquo; MEPs said. Regarding Russiarsquo;s own proposal for a European security policy put forward by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev MEP Andrew Duff from the United Kingdom told New Europe that Moscow may have put it on the table ldquo;but that doesnrsquo;t mean we should accept it. But he noted that having an EU Foreign and Security Policy may ultimately help relations with Russia. ldquo;I think they want to know who they are talking to and thatrsquo;s why we should have the External Action EEAS with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in place.rdquo; Duff does not share some of his fellow MEPs view who describe EUrsquo;s relationship with Russia as strategic. ldquo;I donrsquo;t think we should describe it as such rdquo; he said. Meanwhile MEPs also called NATOrsquo;s tactical nuclear weapons in Europe a ldquo;strategic anachronismrdquo; that needs to be gradually eliminated in cooperation with Russia. On a resolution passed in the non-proliferation treaty MEPs drew attention to the strategically-outdated tactical nuclear weapons and the need for Europe to contribute to their reduction and eliminate them from European soil in the context of a broader dialogue with Russia. They also stressed that withdrawal of European tactical warheads could contribute to the vision of a ldquo;world without nuclear weapons rdquo; expressed last year in Prague by US President Barack Obama during his first trip to Europe. The debate on NATOrsquo;s nuclear policy will take place at the next foreign ministersrsquo; meeting in Tallinn Estonia on 22 April. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has urged member states to be pragmatic on the issue and to seek the balance between nuclear disarmament and nuclear deterrence. The talks will take place ahead of an international conference to be held in May in New York on the review of the Non-Proliferation Treaty NPT. Two days later in Warsaw Poland Rasmussen reiterated that reducing nuclear arsenals had to be carried out in a balanced manner but that atomic weapons were still needed for deterrence reasons. ldquo;Nuclear weapons will remain a major element of credible deterrence in the future rdquo; Rasmussen said. ldquo;A world without atomic weapons would be wonderful but as long as states and non-state structures exist which aim to gain atomic weapons then we should also maintain our nuclear capacities rdquo; he added. Any reduction in nuclear arsenals should be carried out in a ldquo;balanced manner rdquo; the NATO chief argued. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99623.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:16:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99621.php The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development EBRD increased its support for the creation of a modern power system in the Baltic region with a euro;150 million loan for the construction of a state-ofndash;the-art gas turbine facility in Latvia following the closure of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant the Bank said in a press release. The proceeds of the loan will be used to upgrade power plants run by Latviarsquo;s Latvenergo the state-owned group whose operations include generation transmission and distribution of electricity and heat energy. Structured under the Bankrsquo;s A/B loan scheme the EBRD is retaining euro;85 million of the total loan on its own account with the remaining euro;65 million to be syndicated by UniCredit DnB Nord and Nordea. Latvenergo produces around 95% of the total Latvian power capacity via its two combined heat and power facilities ndash; Riga CHP-1 and Riga CHP-2 and its hydroelectric power plants. The EBRD funds will help finance the completion of the Riga CHP-2 power plant rehabilitation program which includes the replacement of old generating facilities with two new state-of-the-art combined cycle gas turbine CCGT units. With the Bankrsquo;s support Latvenergo will build the second CCGT unit at Riga CHP-2 to replace the outdated conventional gas-fired units. The new facility will have a capacity of 400 MW electric and 270 MW thermal benefiting from significantly improved efficiency. The first CCGT unit was successfully commissioned by Latvenergo in 2008. The rehabilitation of the Riga CHP-2 power plant will improve the security and reliability of energy supply in Latvia and in Baltic region following the closure late in 2009 of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in Lithuania. The increased generation capacity of the upgraded plant will also help Latvia reduce its dependence on imported energy. In addition the rehabilitation of the power plant will also promote the development of the Common Baltic Electricity Market. ldquo;The EBRD is pleased to provide necessary financing for the implementation of this crucial project especially at a time when credit market conditions remain tight. The modernization of Latvenergorsquo;s facilities will enable the company to increase the competitiveness of its generating capacity and to significantly improve Latviarsquo;s energy infrastructurerdquo; said Peter Reiniger EBRD Managing Director for Central and South Eastern Europe. ldquo;This is a very important project for Latvenergo AS and its implementation implies that one of the most modern and effective cogeneration plants in the region will be put into operation by the end of 2013 after the reconstruction of Riga TEC-2. We would like to thank the EBRD for its continuous support and key role in the mobilisation of the necessary financing to complete this project in the current challenging economic environment in Latviardquo; said Karlis Mikelsons CEO of Latvenergo AS. The construction of the second CCGT unit at Riga CHP-2 is being co-financed by a euro;100 million loan from the European Investment Bank which was signed in October 2009. In February 2010 the EBRD signed a euro;71 million loan to AB Lietuvos Elektrine for the construction of a new modern power generation facility in Lithuania. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99621.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:15:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99622.php Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky on 10 March won libel damages of GBP 150 000 $223 000 after a court in London rejected a claim that he was implicated in the radioactive poisoning of ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa reported. London-based Berezovsky 64 a close friend of Litvinenkorsquo;s had gone to the High Court to challenge a claim allegedly made in a 2007 broadcast on a state-owned Russian TV which can be received via satellite in Britain. The Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Company RTR had never suggested that what it broadcast was true Judge David Eady told the court. However Berezovsky alleged that he had been identified as the silhouette figure featuring as ldquo;Pyotrrdquo; on the program. ldquo;I can say unequivocally that there is no evidence before me that Mr Berezovsky had any part in the murder of Mr Litvinenko. Nor for that matter do I see any basis for reasonable grounds to suspect him of it rdquo; judge Eady ruled. Berezovsky said after the ruling it had been the aim of the program - and the Russian authorities - to ldquo;underminerdquo; his asylum status in Britain by putting the investigations into the Litvinenko murder ldquo;on the wrong track.rdquo; The slow and very public death of Litvinenko poisoned by a radioactive substance alleged to have been administered with a cup of tea by Russian agents at a London hotel led to diplomatic tensions between London and Moscow at the time. ldquo;I am pleased that the court through its judgment has unequivocally demolished RTRrsquo;s claims. I trust the conclusions of the British investigators that the trail leads to Russia and I hope that one day justice will prevail.rdquo; The judge observed that Berezovsky was likely to face ldquo;formidable obstacles in recovering the moneyrdquo; he had been awarded in the court case. ldquo;This may indeed be a matter of only peripheral interest to Mr Berezovsky. I doubt that he brought the proceedings to make money rdquo; said the judge. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99622.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:15:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99619.php Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on 12 March that the US anti-terror war was just a pretext to control the energy resources in the Gulf region state media reported. ldquo;They claim to be here for restoring security but actually their presence has become the main root of insecurity rdquo; Ahmadinejad told a crowd of tens of thousands in the Gulf port of Bandar Abbas. He blamed the intervention of US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan for the current situation there. ldquo;What has been the result of their presence after almost 10 years in Afghanistan? Nothing but poverty and insecurity rdquo; Ahmadinejad said.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99619.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:14:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99620.php German energy giant RWE said on 10 March that it signed a memorandum of understanding for oil and gas exploration in Azerbaijan. RWE which is one of the six members of the consortium overseeing development of the Nabucco gas pipeline for Europe and Azeri state oil company SOCAR signed an MOU to explore the hydrocarbon potential in the Nakhichevan deposit. The deposit is in the Caspian Sea about 50 miles south of Baku the capital of Azerbaijan. Estimates of the structurersquo;s natural gas reserves top one trillion cubic feet. ldquo;Europe needs access to the immense oil and gas reserves in the Caspian Sea rdquo; said RWE Chairman Jurgen Grossmann. The European Commission last week said it would dedicate $270 million to the Nabucco gas pipeline. The 2 000-mile Nabucco is to deliver 1.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas to European markets each year. Gas deliveries are expected through Nabucco by 2014.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99620.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:14:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99618.php Construction of the Eastern-Siberia-Pacific Ocean pipeline to the Sea of Japan will be completed by the end of 2010 the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. ESPO would transit more than 2 000 miles from Eastern Siberia to move Russian oil to China. The first leg of ESPO is designed to carry 220.5 million barrels of oil per year along a route starting in East Siberia and then some 1 713 miles east. A second leg is envisioned to carry 367.5 million barrels of oil per year along a 1 300-mile route to the Pacific Ocean. ESPO would move 1.6 million barrels of crude oil per day to Asian customers. A 680-mile leg of the pipeline opened in October. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said during the weekend that construction would be finished by the end of the year Russiarsquo;s state-funded news agency RIA Novosti reported. Oil shipments from Eastern Siberia reach the region by rail currently. The Chinese official said the leg of ESPO running through his country would start shipping oil in 2011. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin inaugurated the ESPO oil pipeline during a ceremony at the Kozmino oil terminal Dec. 28 calling the ldquo;strategic projectrdquo; a victory for Moscow. Yang said the project was a symbol of the strong diplomatic ties between Beijing and Moscow.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99618.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:13:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99617.php Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin thanked his Swedish counterpart Fredrik Reinfeldt for the approval of the Nord Stream project. ldquo;The new gas pipeline is bound to provide sustainable deliveries to European consumers in the upcoming years and Germany Denmark France and the United Kingdom will receive additional amounts of energy resources rdquo; he said. Nord Stream will transport up to 55 billion cubic meters of gas each year. Nord Stream is a 1 220-kilometer-long offshore natural gas pipeline stretching through the Baltic Sea from Vyborg Russia to Greifswald Germany which is to be built by Nord Stream AG. Nord Stream AG has received all the permits required to commence construction on the pipeline through the Baltic Sea. Sebastian Sass head of Nord Streamrsquo;s representation to the EU who was in Strasbourg on 9 March to brief MEPs on the project told New Europe that ldquo;the European character has been understood by the EU community and debated have been less intense.rdquo; Nord Stream is a joint project of four major companies: Gazprom BASF/Wintershall Holding AG E.ON Ruhrgas AG and N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99617.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:12:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99616.php STRASBOURG ndash; The European Commission will present a road map pointing out how the 30% reductions of carbon emissions it promised could be put into practice EU Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said in Strasbourg where she presented a document setting out a strategy to restore momentum to international climate change. ldquo;Before the June European Council of EU leaders we will come up with an analysis of how exactly we could intelligently achieve the 30% target and how could we do it in a way that benefits at the same time our energy security job creation growth innshy;ovation and climate change rdquo; she told a press conference here. ldquo;Irsquo;m sure it would not be as difficult to achieve as some would fear rdquo; she added. However the EUrsquo;s current pledge of 20% reductions by 2020 did not elicit comparable responses from the US or China. After the failure of global climate change talks in Copenhagen in December some EU Member States argued that the bloc should no longer promise to raise its offer to 30% if other key CO2 emitters failed to come forward with ambitious proposals. The Commissioner sent a clear message to the international climate negotiations that ldquo;the EU is readyrdquo; and will honor its pledges of the most ambitions reduction targets by 2020. ldquo;I see no region in the world that has been specific in regard of agreeing how to live up to pledges also up to 2020 rdquo; Hedegaard told the press conference. She also said that the Commission should lay out a 2030 milestone for the Union to achieve its long-term target of 80 to 95% carbon emission reductions by 2050. The Commissioner said that the EU is not the problem in the international climate negotiations. The EU is ready to move forward and to do so fast in order to get a legally-binding international agreement which has always been and still is a European objective she said. Fast-track financing is also very important Hedegaard told the press conference. The EU and its Member States should deliver on the pledges being given in Copenhagen to provide euro;7.2 billion in 2010-11-12 combined. ldquo;We have to fast to get this money out working. Thatrsquo;s a very high priority rdquo; she said adding that this money should be given unconditionally. She said that a specific roadmap should be agreed at a ministerial meeting starting in Bonn Germany in late May to lay the ground for the Cancun summit. On challenge for Cancun is how to get the Copenhagen accord and its content into formal negotiations she said. ldquo;We now have to secure the momentum and to do our utmost to get specific and substantial results out of Cancun and to secure no later than in South Africa an agreement on the legal form.rdquo; She also said she was about to embark on an ldquo;outreach effortrdquo; with key international partners to keep the momentum going. ldquo;It is very important to try to restore trust to this process also after the last days and nights in Copenhagen rdquo; she said. Climate change can be controlled only if all major emitters take action she said. ldquo;The priority of the European Union should be that other major emitters are equally bound as we are internationally. Sometimes we should not be the ones taking all the blame when we are not the ones who are creating the problem and Europe is not creating the problem to Kyoto. We can live with Kyoto.rdquo; Asked by New Europe is the EU will be able to meets its CO2 reduction targets Greenrsquo;s MEP Rebecca Harms of Germany told New Europe that the EU has the capacity and the need to go for stronger and more ambitious targets. ldquo;If Mr. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and key players in his Commission and the Council really go for innovation under the aspect of resource efficiency energy efficiency and climate protection then the EU could make a huge jump forward that would not only help the climate but also help better economic development in the EU Member States. The problem is that it is a Catch-22 situation. They do not dare really to go for ambitious climate policies and they do not dare really to go for sustainable eco-friendly technologies but this is combined. They are very anxious and I would say if they do not jump now they will lose the future.rdquo; nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99616.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:11:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99614.php Korea Electric Power Corp. signed a cooperation agreement with Turkeyrsquo;s Elektrik Uretim to build a nuclear energy reactor on the Black Sea coast. Korea Electric Power Corp. will bid along with a Turkish construction group in a partnership to build the four-reactor 5 600-megawatt facility in northern Turkey. The Financial Times quoted Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz as saying that his country wanted to use nuclear power to meet 10% of its energy demand by 2020. This would reduce Turkish dependency on foreign oil and gas he added. Turkey has tried to make moves in the nuclear power sector since the 1960s. The Turkish deal is part of an effort by Seoul to seek greater revenue from nuclear reactor sales. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99614.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:10:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99615.php US greenhouse gas emissions fell 2.9% in 2008 amid a recession and record high petrol prices according to a preliminary estimate Tuesday from the US Environmental Protection Agency EPA . Lower demand for electricity and petrol helped drive down energy use over the course of the year in the United States which along with China is the worldrsquo;s largest polluter. Total greenhouse gas emissions which are blamed for global warming have climbed nearly 13.6% in the US between 1990 and 2008 but emissions have fallen 2.43% since 2005 the EPA said. The United States pledged during the United Nations-backed Copenhagen climate summit in December to cut its emissions 17% below 2005 levels by 2020 and roughly 80% by 2050. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99615.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:10:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99612.php The European Union is set to achieve its self-imposed target of deriving at least 20% of its energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020 the European Commission said on March 11. The target is part of the EUrsquo;s so-called 20-20-20 strategy which also foresees a 20% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels and a 20% increase in energy efficiency all by 2020. On the basis of what it billed as ldquo;very preliminary forecastsrdquo; from national governments the European Commission said ldquo;the EU will reach an overall share of 20.3% renewables rdquo; surpassing its target. ldquo;This is a very positive sign for the environment as it will help us to cut CO2 emissions and at the same time enhance our energy security rdquo; Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger commented. However an EU official admitted that projections offered by member states was taken ldquo;at face valuerdquo; adding that Brussels is set to receive more details plans in June on which it will pass judgment in October. The 20% figure is an EU average of the targets set for each of its 27 member states. Germany for example has to reach 18.7% while France was asked to go up to 23%. Countries overshooting their targets - as Spain and Germany are planning to do - are set to profit by selling their excess renewables production to EU partners expected to fall short. According to the documents published on March 11 only Italy Belgium Denmark Luxembourg and Malta are set to fall in that category leaving them obliged to import renewable power to meet their EU target. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99612.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:09:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99613.php Germanyrsquo;s biggest power group E.ON AG said on 10 March its full-year profit for 2009 dropped 4.8% as the global recession energy undercut demand from industry. The company said adjusted net income which it uses to calculate its dividend fell to euro;5.33 billion from euro;5.6 billion in 2008. However E.ON expects its 2010 adjusted earnings before interest and taxes EBIT to come in between 0% to 3% above the 2009 level and its 2010 adjusted net income to be in line with last year. Adjusted EBIT fell 2.3% to euro;9.6 billion last year. But E.ON warned that as a result of the economic crisis its 2010 business forecast was again subject to uncertainties. Last yearrsquo;s sales were down by 6% to about euro;82 billion which E.ON said was due in part to lower prices in the gas wholesale business. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99613.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:09:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99610.php A coalition of environmental groups announced on 9 March that it are suing the European Commission alleging that it has refused to hand over documents on the environmental impact of plant-based biofuels. The EU is committed to drawing 10% of its energy needs from renewable sources including biofuels by 2020. But environmental groups fear that the policy will do more harm than good by encouraging farmers in developing countries to cut down rain forests so they have more land to farm. According to environmental groups the Commission holds a considerable body of research into the environmental impact of biofuel production but has refused to release the documents. ldquo;The commission is withholding time-sensitive and critical environmental information necessary for meaningful public participation in biofuel policymaking rdquo; the groups said in its submission to the European Court. The coalition of environmental pressure groups asked the commission to make the documents available on 15 October invoking an EU rule which allows the public to access EUnbsp;papers.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99610.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:08:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99611.php Hosting a meeting at the headquarters of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OECD in Paris French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on 8 March that international organizations such as the World Bank should begin financing the non-military use of nuclear energy. ldquo;I donrsquo;t understand and I donrsquo;t accept the exclusion of nuclear energy from international finance rdquo; Sarkozy a proponent of nuclear power said at the opening of a two-day conference in Paris on making atomic power more widespread. Representatives from some 60 nations gathered at the Paris nuclear energy conference.nbsp;Iran whose nuclear program is the target of international concern was not invited to the talks. But Syria whose nuclear interests have stirred controversy was present. The French President noted that international organizations do not finance nuclear energy. ldquo;This condemns countries to using energies that are more expensive and dirtier rdquo; Sarkozy said. France has 58 nuclear reactors - and two modern EPR reactors under construction - which currently meet about four-fifths of the countryrsquo;s electricity demand. He said that financing for countries that want to build nuclear reactors would help Francersquo;s nuclear energy industry including Areva and EDF. The French president told more than 700 conference participants from 65 countries that ldquo;the responsible development of non-military nuclear energyrdquo; was vital to combating global warming. Sarkozy made a number of proposals to promote the availability and use of nuclear power including the allocation of carbon credits to non-carbon emitting energy projects after 2013. He also said that France plans to set up an international institute of nuclear energy to produce skilled engineers and technicians in addition to establishing a Franco-Chinese centre with a campus in Canton. Sarkozy also proposed the creation of an independent authority on nuclear safety and an evaluation system to rate available reactors on their safety. Meanwhile French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said all responsible countries have a right to civil nuclear technology. ldquo;All countries have an equal right to development and to growth. All have an equal right to energy which is needed to achieve these rdquo; he said at the conference. ldquo;All countries provided they respect their obligations to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons have an equal right to civil nuclear energy .rdquo; ldquo;We do not believe in negative growth rdquo; he added. ldquo;As General [Charles] de Gaulle said the solutions to tomorrowrsquo;s problems will not be solved by going back to oil lamps and sailing ships.rdquo; De Gaulle was the leader of Free France during the Second World War and the first President of the Fifth French Republic . Sharing civil nuclear technology among the nations of the world will be necessary if the challenges of the contemporary world are to be met. ldquo;We all realize that we wonrsquo;t be able to meet these [development and growth] objectives with only renewable energies rdquo; Fillon said. ldquo;Civil nuclear technology is part of the response. It is not a miracle solution it is not the only solution. In France nuclear is part of a strategy which comprises three priorities: the strengthening of our nuclear capacity the development of renewable energy and the encouragement of energy efficiency.rdquo; He pointed out that the French model was not the only model and that France needed to encounter different ways of thinking and to exchange experiences with other countries. Of course non-proliferation of nuclear weapons is essential. ldquo;We would guarantee broad international cooperation with all countries that wish to develop civil nuclear and which take all the measures necessary to prevent the turning of this technology to military ends.rdquo; Fillon identified four areas in which international cooperation was ldquo;essentialrdquo;. They are safety funding training and security of fuel supply. Regarding the last he highlighted that France supports the creation of a nuclear fuel bank under the aegis of the International Atomic Energy Agency. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99611.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:08:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99609.php STRASBOURG ndash; As global warming will open up new sea routes and make it possible to exploit oil and gas resources in the North Pole MEPs discussed developing the EUrsquo;s Arctic strategy at the Strasbourgrsquo;s plenary session last week. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton continued what was started by the Commission and followed up by the European Council last autumn launching a debate on EUrsquo;s Arctic strategy. ldquo;Environmental changes are having an effect on Arcticrsquo;s people biodiversity and landscape rdquo; Ashton said. ldquo;We seek the support of the parliament to make sure that the European Union is recognized as responsible and respected player in the Arctic rdquo; she added. MEP Michael Gahler from Germany rapporteur on a report still to be drafted on this project told the plenary that given the question of raw materials there is a potential for cooperation but if the EU does not approach this carefully there is also the potential for conflict. ldquo;The EU will probably not be going to the bottom of the sea in order to plant its flag as Russia has done rdquo; he said. ldquo;But we should at least seek dialogue with the contracting parties. What is important for the region is to make sure that we protect resources stop exploration of resources and also improve living conditions there rdquo; Gahler added. MEP Charles Tannock from the United Kingdom said Russia has left the EU in little doubt about its own desires in the Arctic. ldquo;Only a united front by other members and the observers on the Arctic Council working through the EUrsquo;s northern dimension will keep the Kremlin in check rdquo; he said. Tannock said that as countries with territories in the Arctic -- the US Canada Russia Norway and Iceland -- all defend their interests vigorously. The EU should not hesitate now to do so as well. And the Arctic Council is the best arena to do so he said. On one hand the EU tries to prevent global warming but on the other hand it does not want to miss out on the new Eldorado. ldquo;The interests around all these resources which you might explore easier because of global warming could drive us in a very negative development around the Arctic rdquo; Greenrsquo;s MEP Rebecca Harms of Germany told New Europe. Asked by New Europe if the EUrsquo;s Arctic strategy is conflicting with the EUrsquo;s Climate policy EU Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard told a press conference in Strasbourg where she set out a strategy to restore momentum to international climate change talks that it doesnrsquo;t have to be a contradiction. ldquo;There is a reality that if the sea ice is melting then for instance you could pass through the northwest passage and maybe we could do that much earlier than we expected and that creates new junctures and that would have to be addressed but that does not necessarily contradict what we have to do in the field of climate change.rdquo; On the morning of 11 March a snow storm turned Strasbourg into a winter wonderland prompting people make jokes wondering: Is this global warming? ldquo;Sometimes things are more complex that just what you see when you look out the window rdquo; Hedegaard said adding that in any case it is very good to become much more energy and resource efficient in a world where energy would see increases prices and many resources would be scarce. nbsp;KGeropoulos@NEurope.eu nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99609.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99608.php A few years ago the European Commission selected the company Hudson/DeWitte amp; Morel to organize an Assessment Centre for Senior Officials. The idea was for administrator level officials to spend one day at the centre and be tested by its staff on management issues on the basis of test cases simulations and numeric exercises. All candidates Directors Special Advisors and Directors General have to go though this center even if they are in-house permanent personnel. It has happened very often that highly-experienced officials were not short-listed because they failed the tests of the center. Indeed there are persistent rumors that the center has often eliminated very good candidates in case the post is destined for a ldquo;pre-selected protegeacute;rdquo; or somebody from within the inner circle of the ldquo;system.rdquo; In this context despite there being several candidates for top jobs the name of the ldquo;successfulrdquo; candidate was known weeks before the final judgment. The center would make sense for external candidates as the internal ones are annually assessed and their career development is well-known to the Commission. Moreover the staff of the center does not have the experience nor qualifications to assess senior Commission officials who especially in the top positions are the cregrave;me-de-la-cregrave;me of the civil servants at a global level. As a matter of fact the ldquo;outsidersrdquo; judging the ldquo;insiders rdquo; are mostly HR or psychology specialists assessing personnel for marketing and sales positions in private companies. This is not only nonsense but it is distasteful for the successful candidates. Indeed just think of the HR specialist of a private company who probably was interviewing tupperware sale housewives to make the short list of the candidates that will apply for the post of the director general of hellip; OLAF.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99608.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:06:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99607.php The former leader of the European Tories Conservative party was ejected from after defeating the official ECR Group candidate for the Parliament Vice Presidency Michal Kaminski from Polandrsquo;s Law and Justice Party. Edward McMillan-Scott said he was motivated to make the challenge because of the Kaminskirsquo;s alleged anti-Semitism and extremist past. Since having the party whip removed the British politician was expelled from the party he joined in 1967 and has been appealing against his dismissal. Many expected him to sit with the Center-Right European Peoplersquo;s Party but pulled a surprise by announcing he has joined the Liberal Democrats saying ldquo;I have been around the higher circles of the Conservative party for long enough to fear that on Europe British Conservative Party leader David Cameron says one thing in opposition and will do another in government. I have long fought against totalitarianism and the extremism and religious persecution it brings. It was wrong of Cameron to associate with MEPs who have extremist pasts in his new European alliance.rdquo; Supporting the United Kingdom Liberal leader he said that ldquo;in Nick Clegg they have a leader whom I like admire and respect. They are internationalists not nationalists. They are committed to politics based the values of fairness and change.rdquo; In return Clegg described his newest recruit as ldquo;someone of principle he has refused to cozy up to Right Wing extremists despite pressure from the Tory Machine.This flies in the face of David Cameronrsquo;s claims of a change. It shows that people of principle who believe in fairness and want real change for Britain are at home here in the Liberal Democrats.rdquo; The announcement came after Conservative Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said in an interview that in government the Conservatives would work very closely with their European allies though it is argued that after leaving the EPP they have very few allies and little goodwill towards them in Brussels. Hague also stated that they accepted Lisbon and the EUrsquo;s new Foreign Minister Catherine Ashton and would work in the new situation. The announcement comes as the Liberals start their Spring Conference the last major gathering before the UK election this spring. What is apparent is that Labour will exploit the rebelrsquo;s comments hoping to show that Cameron will isolate Britain from Europe to the nationrsquo;s disadvantage. This defection happened after French President Nicolas Sarkozy visited UK Premier Gordon Brown in London. Speaking to the press Sarkozy said he ldquo;regrettedrdquo; the conservatives leaving the EPP Group and that ldquo;I remain convinced that the position of our British friends is bang in the middle of Europe. We need you.rdquo; Although the French leader said he didnrsquo;t want to ldquo;play politicsrdquo; before a UK election the remarks are being interpreted as another blast at Cameron. McMillan-Scott outlined his reasons in a letter to Cameron: 12 March 2010 Dear David I am resigning today from my appeal against expulsion from the Conservative party and from the party itself to join the Liberal Democrats for three reasons: 1. I have been around the higher circles of the party long enough most recently serving on both the Euro-election and general election strategy committees at CCHQ to know that Euroscepticism is in the hearts of most Conservatives. Your decision to split from the mainstream EPP and create the new ECR group has been universally condemned even by rightwing commentators such as the Economist as a ldquo;shoddy shaming alliancerdquo;. You say you will not ldquo;bang on about Europerdquo; and your spokesman make warm noises. But I fear that on Europe you say one thing in opposition and will do another in government. 2. You continue to refuse to accept that Micha#322; Kami#324;ski who now leads the ECR and against whom I stood and won re-election as vice-president of the European parliament last July has had ldquo;antisemitic homophobic and racist linksrdquo;. You say that you are against extremism at home yet you propitiate it abroad. 3. My family friends and those who work with me will all confirm that I have sought in good faith an amicable resolution of my dispute at all levels in the party. I have written to you on several occasions without a reply and have pursued the appeal process to which you submitted me in the diminishing expectation of fairness. I have stated my case modestly in the media. Last weekend your lawyers made clear that the appeal would continue to be rigged by you despite your public pretensions to decency and fairness. As my friend Henry Porter put it in the Observer your response has been ldquo;thuggish and panickyrdquo;. You say one thing in public and do another in private. My reasons for joining the Liberal Democrats are that in Nick Clegg they have a leader whom I like admire and respect. They are internationalists not nationalists. They are committed to politics based the values of fairness and change but you are committed to power for its own sake. Yours sincerely Edward McMillan-Scott MEP Vice-president of the European parliament responsible for democracy and human rights nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99607.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:05:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99606.php As Bart Staes a Member of the European Parliament MEP from Belgium and the Group of Greens/European Free Alliance finishes his report that blasts the Parliamentrsquo;s spending and controls opposition is mounting against him and his conclusions that could open up the lawmakers finances to public scrutiny. More than 200 amendments have been tabled including no fewer than 50 from German Christian Democrat Ingeborg Grauml;ssle who said she believes the report paints a picture of the lawmakers as corrupt and out to line their pockets at every opportunity something she describes as ldquo;nothing to do with reality in the Parliament.rdquo; After New Europe wrote about MEPs having paid back several million euros in expenses we received a letter from the Parliamentrsquo;s Press Spokesman complaining about our coverage. We asked him some follow-up questions about MEPs expenses and you can read the answers he gave below. Readers are invited to make up their own minds about the replies and to note what questions were left unanswered. Another issue that upset the Press Office was our coverage over the secretive second pension fund that is causing concern with a reported deficit of over 100 million euros. The Bureau brought in a tightening of the fund that was intended to lower the future financial cost taking measures such as raising the retirement age and so on. A group of 65 current and former MEPs are taking the decision to the Court Of Justice hoping to get it overturned and keep pocketing the perks of this second pension fund. New Europe for the first time publishes the full list of those bringing the case. It is stated that the euro;3.4 million that has been repaid so far is just normal accounting practice. This amount appears to be significantly higher than in previous years. Why this might be? As the figure only represents monies that have been actually repaid what amount was requested to be repaid but has not yet been received and how many MEPs are involved? The total figure is always going to vary from year to year since in the large majority of cases these repayments result from the different between advance payments based on estimated expenditure and actual expenditure covering a range of different circumstances. During 2007-8 improvements were made to the process for finalizing the technical term is ldquo;regularizingrdquo; these dossiers which enabled a backlog of cases pending from 2004 onwards to be resolved. This may be one reason why the level of repayments was higher in those years than in say 2009. The system involved has also been refined and in addition from mid-2009 onwards covers a much smaller set of staffing payments than in the past. It was also stated that when doubt arises the Parliament services request further information. How many MEPs has such further information been requested from? What has been the response? Such requests cover a range of possibilities and are often completely routine. They may refer to nothing more than a missing signature or those where the documents initially provided are not complete ndash; a contract for an assistant is missing for example. Further rounds of requests for information are made if necessary. Parliament does not keep a running total of the number of such requests and each issue is treated separately. However as an example it was previously calculated in early 2009 that 99.5 per cent of the payments made during the period 2004-2007 had been ldquo;regularizedrdquo;. It is stated that the Parliament can and does refer MEPs to OLAF. How many MEPs have been referred to OLAF in the last two parliamentary terms? Tom Wise MEP was not referred to OLAF. Why not? Would the same course of action be taken if a similar situation arose again? Parliament does not in general comment on referrals to OLAF; a referral to OLAF is not a final conclusion of wrongdoing. Since this particular case is already in the public domain we can confirm that there was an OLAF investigation into the case of the former MEP Tom Wise and Parliamentrsquo;s services actively cooperated with it as always. In that particular case allegations made in the press prompted OLAF to launch an investigation so the question of referral by Parliamentrsquo;s services did not arise. The pension fund had a reported shortfall of euro;125 million. This is an old figure what is the current shortfall? Mr Duch Guillot also makes clear that the Parliament is taking measures to reduce liabilities in the pension scheme. By how much would the shortfall will be reduced if these measures are implemented? First a linguistic point but an important one. There is no ldquo;shortfallrdquo; in the pension fund. It is perfectly able to meet its current obligations and those for the coming years. What is at issue is an actuarial deficit based on the likely future obligations to members of the scheme and this inevitably changes from month to month as the value of investments vary most notably in line with economic circumstances. The EP Press Service does not have details of the day-to-day value of the fund; it is established as a not-for-profit private company under Luxembourg law. It is widely believed that the cost saving measures will not eradicate the deficit. If this is the case where will the rest of the money come from? If the court case goes against the Parliament how will it prevent a ldquo;bail outrdquo; by the European taxpayer? We are not sure on what you base your assertion in your first sentence. Nor can we say what decision might be made by the Parliamentary authorities at some point in the future if the hypothetical situation you posit should come to pass. Parliament is defending its position before the Court and again the Press Service cannot predict what decision the Parliament might take in the second hypothetical situation you posit. MEPrsquo;s who are suing to keep their lucrative second pension BRITAIN: 18 Current: Robert Atkins Conservative ECR Giles Bryan Chichester Conservative ECR famously paid euro;540 000 to a company of which he was a director Roger Helmer Conservative ECR Robert Sturdy Conservative ECR Former: Richard Balfe Conservative EPP-ED now ECR - initiator of the case David Bowe Labour Samp;D - now a public affairs consultant James Glyn Ford Labour Samp;D - now a lobbyist for G Plus William Richard Inglewood Conservative EPP-ED now ECR also a Baron Caroline Jackson Conservative EPP-ED now ECR - Her husband Robert a former MEP isnrsquo;t part of the case Graham Christopher Spencer Mather Conservative EPP-ED now ECR - now President of the European Policy forum William Miller Labour Samp;D Ashley Mote UKIP/NI - convicted of benefit fraud in 2007 Christine Margaret Oddy Labour/NI - was suspended by the party for not working hard enough John Robert Purvis Conservative EPP-ED now ECR -caught paying staff in his parliamentary office through a company of which he was a director Robin Teverson Liberal Democrat ALDE also a Baron Gary Titley Labour Samp;D - former Leader of the British Labour Party in the EP Mark Watts Labour Samp;D - now a public affairs lobbyist Thomas Wise UKIP/NInbsp; - jailed for expenses fraud FRANCE: 14 Current: Guy Bono Socialist Samp;D Bruno Gollnisch Front National NI - fined by a French court for remarks questioning the Holocaust Franccedil;oise Grossetecirc;te Union pour un Mouvement Populaire EPP Veacute;ronique Mathieu Union pour un Mouvement Populaire EPP Former: Georges Berthu Mouvement pour la France IEN/EDD Marie-Arlette Carlotti Socialist Samp;D Brigitte Douay Socialist Samp;D Catherine Guy-Quint Socialist Samp;D Carl Lang Front National NI Patrick Louis Mouvement pour la France IEN/EDD Elizabeth Montfort Rassemblement pour la France EPP Pierre Schapira Socialist Samp;D Margie Sudre Union pour un Mouvement Populaire EPP Nicole Thomas-Mauro Rassemblement pour la France EFN POLAND: 7 Former: Urszula Krupa Liga Polskich Rodzinnbsp; ID Stefan Kuc Samoobrona RP UEN Zbigniew Ku#378;miuk Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe UEN Bogdan P#281;k Liga Polskich Rodzin UEN Gra#380;yna Staniszewska Unia Wolnosci ALDE Witold Tomczak Liga Polskich Rodzin ID Bernard Wojciechowski Liga Polskich Rodzin ID PORTUGAL: 7 Current: Elisa Maria Ferreira Socialist Samp;D Ana Maria Rosa Martins Gomes Socialist Samp;D Former: Vasco Graccedil;a Moura Coligaccedil;ao Forccedil;a Portugal EPP Sergio Marques SDP EPP Luis Queiro SDP EPP Joseacute; Ribeiro E. Castro PP EPP Joseacute; Albino Silva Peneda SDP EPP SPAIN: 4 Former: Juan Manuel Fabra Valles Partido Popular EPP Javier Areitio Toledo Partido Popular EPP Joan Colom I Naval Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya Samp;D Joseacute; Javier Pomeacute;s Ruiz Partido Popular EPP nbsp; ITALY: 4 Current: Gabrielle Albertini Il Popolo della Libertagrave; EPP Member of the Bureau Former: Michl Ebner Uniti nellrsquo;Ulivo-Suuml;dtiroler Volkspartei EPP Vincenzo Viola Patto Segni EPP Riccardo Garosci Forza Italianbsp; EPP FINLAND: 2 Former: Henrik Lax Svenska folkpartiet ALDE Reino Paasilinna Finlands Socialdemokratiska Parti Samp;D GERMANY: 2 Former: Angelika Beer Green EFA Ozan Ceyhun Buuml;ndnis 90/die Gruuml;nen Samp;D nbsp; AUSTRIA: 1 Former: Herbert Bosch Sozialdemokratische Partei Samp;D IRELAND: 1 Former: Avril Doyle Fine Gael Party EPP SLOVAKIA: 1 Former: Milos Koterec Smer Samp;D GREECE: 1 Former: Minerva-Welpomen Malliori Panellinio Socialistiko Kinima Samp;D ESTONIA: 1 Former: Marianne Mikko Sotsiaaldemokraatlik Erakond Samp;D HUNGARY: 1 Current: Paacute;l Schmitt Fidesz-Magyar Polgaacute;ri Szouml;vetseacute;g-Kereszteacute;ny Demokrata Neacute;ppaacute;rt EPP Member of the Bureau NETHERLANDS: 1 Former: Maartje van Putten Partij van de Arbeid Samp;D nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99606.php Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:04:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99605.php Two interesting moves towards equality today. In 1881 Andrew Watson makes his debut as the worlds first black international football player and captain. He played for Scotland and helped beat England 6 - 1. In 1994 The Church of England ordains its first female priests. Another debut was the selling of Coca-Cola in bottles for the first time in 1894 at the Biedenharn Candy Company in 1891.nbsp; The original bottles were very different from the much later hobble-skirt design that is now so familiar. Asa Candler who obtained control of the recipe allegedly with the aid of some forged signatures was tentative about bottling the drink but two entrepreneurs from Chattanooga proposed the idea and were so persuasive that Candler signed a contract giving them control of the procedure for only one dollar. Candler never collected his dollar.nbsp; nbsp; Events 1913 ndash; Canberra Day: The future capital of Australia is officially named Canberra. Melbourne remained temporary capital until 1927 while the new capital was still under construction. 1918 ndash; Moscow becomes the capital of Russia again after Saint-Petersburg held this status for 215 years. 1930 ndash; Mahatma Gandhi leads a 200-mile march known as the Dandi March to the sea in defiance of British opposition to protest the British monopoly on salt. 1934 ndash; Konstantin Pauml;ts and General Johan Laidoner stage a coup in Estonia and ban all political parties. 1938 ndash; Anschluss: German troops occupy Austria. 1940 ndash; Winter War: Finland signs the Moscow Peace Treaty with the Soviet Union ceding almost all of Finnish Karelia. Finnish troops and the remaining population are immediately evacuated. 1993 ndash; Several bombs explode in Bombay Mumbai India killing about 300 and injuring hundreds more. 1993 ndash; North Korea nuclear weapons program: North Korea says that it plans to withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and refuses to allow inspectors access to its nuclear sites. 1999 ndash; Former Warsaw Pact members the Czech Republic Hungary and Poland join NATO. 2003 ndash; Zoran #272;in#273;i#263; Prime Minister of Serbia is assassinated in Belgrade. nbsp; Birthsnbsp; 1831 ndash; Clement Studebaker American automobile pioneer d. 1901 1832 ndash; Charles Boycott British land agent and source of the term to boycott d. 1897 1835 ndash; Simon Newcomb American astronomer and mathematician d. 1909 1881 ndash; Mustafa Kemal Atatuuml;rk first President of Turkey d. 1938 1895 ndash; William C. Lee U.S. Army general d. 1948 1938 ndash; Dimitri Terzakis Greek composer 1940 ndash; Al Jarreau American singer 1940 ndash; M.A. Numminen Finnish singer and writer 1942 ndash; Ratko Mladi#263; Republika Srpska leader 1946 ndash; Liza Minnelli American singer and actress 1953 ndash; Carl Hiaasen American journalist and author 1970 ndash; Dave Eggers American writer editor and publisher 1979 ndash; Pete Doherty English musician nbsp; Deathsnbsp; 1628 ndash; John Bull English composer 1930 ndash; Alois Jiraacute;sek Czech writer b. 1851 1946 ndash; Ferenc Szaacute;lasi Hungarian politician executed b. 1897 1947 ndash; Winston Churchill American novelist b. 1871 1955 ndash; Charlie Parker American jazz saxophonist b. 1920 2002 ndash; Spyros Kyprianou Cypriot politician b. 1932... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99605.php Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:50:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99604.php Gareth Evans co-chairman of the International Commission on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament described 2010 as a watershed year for dealing with nuclear weapons stocks and ending nuclear proliferation. Speaking at a briefing on his committees latest report Eliminating Nuclear Threats he looked ahead to the forthcoming review in May of the 1968 Non Proliferation Treaty. nbsp; He stated that he was convinced that US President Barack Obama had a real commitment to address the issues but there were immense obstacles to progress even though failure to reach agreement would mean a return to the dark old days of policy paralysis and indifference. He described one obstacle as the French government whom he described as dragging their heels and appearing unwilling to publicly commit to moves towards disarmament. It was critical for the US and Russia to show leadership as if they werent serious nobody else would be. he also said that the EU needed to agree on a common position on disarmament. Although he saw encouraging signs from North Korea progress needed to be made at a regional level. nbsp; The Middle East was another area that caused concern and he said it would be difficult to make progress whilst Israel refused to admit the existence of its 200 strong arsenal. He was saddened by a horrible record of missed opportunities by not engaging with Iran saying that he believed they wished to keep their enrichment facilities but could have settled for a lower capacity in 2003 but negotiators were focusing on removing all enrichment. He expressed concern at Pakistans command and control systems and added that he understood their annoyance at India being treated as a favourite son but said their previous track record on nuclear development was very different to Pakistan. nbsp; Evans previously an Australian Foreign Affairs Minister pointed out that the world had over 23 000 nuclear weapons 95% under the control of the US and Russia and explained that the situation was inherently dangerous citing several examples of misunderstandings and technical hitches bringing the world to the brink of a nuclear strike and that a President has only 4 to 10 minutes to evaluate a report of launches by an opposing power and deciding how to respond not having much time to judge if a threat was real or not. He said that It is sheer dumb luck that theres not been a catastrophe in the last 65 years. Furthermore he explained the importance of addressing proliferation The risk cannot be ignored. Along with climate change nuclear disarmament is one of two great global issues although it has to be said that nuclear bombs can kill a hell of a lot faster than CO2. In the comprehensive 230 page report the authors argue that maintaining the status quo is not an option and advocates a phased approach to disarmament urging all states as a starting point to sign a no first use treaty agree to deep reductions in the START talks and to join the Non Proliferation Treaty by 2012. In the medium term to 2025 they want to see the number of weapons reduced to 2 000. In the long term they set no date for complete disarmament but the date of 2045 would be highly symbolic a hundred years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The final step would be the most difficult to achieve said Evans claiming that states would have irrational arguments for keeping weapons including pride and testosterone. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99604.php Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:25:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99603.php A great day for the press! In 1702 The Daily Courant the UKs first national daily newspaper is published for the first time. It was based in a time honoured journalistic tradition in a pub The White Hart Inn on Fleet Street. Some would say that this was a bad day for the press as in 1931 Rupert Murdoch was born. It was also a day of debuts for the composer Verdi who premiered Rigoletto in 1851 and Don Carlos in 1867. This was also an important day for the Soviet Union. In 1941 President Roosevelt signed the Lend-Lease Act enabling vital shipments to aid the Russian defenders against the German invasion. In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev became the Soviet leader. One man kept a promise today. In 1942 General MacArthur abandoned Corregidor promising to return. He did. In 1990 Chile elected Partico Aylwin as their first democratically chosen leader since 1970. In 2006 Chile elected Michelle Bachelet as their first female president. Today is also the anniversary of the 2004 Madrid Train Bombings that killed 191 people. Events middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1917 ndash; World War I: Baghdadfalls to the Anglo-Indian forces commanded by GeneralStanley Maude. middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1945 ndash; World War II: The Imperial Japanese Navy attempts a large-scale kamikaze attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet anchored at Ulithi atoll in Operation Tan No. 2. middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1977 ndash; The 1977 Hanafi Muslim Siege: more than 130 hostages held in Washington D.C. by HanafiMuslims are set free after ambassadors from three Islamic nations join negotiations. middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1978 ndash; Coastal Road massacre: At least 37 are killed and more than 70 are wounded when Al Fatah hijack an Israeli bus prompting Israels Operation Litani. middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1990 ndash; Lithuania declares itself independent from the Soviet Union. middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1999 ndash; Infosys becomes the first Indian company listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 2005 ndash; Brian Nichols goes on shooting rampage at Fulton Countycourthouse in Atlanta Georgia killing three. He kills a fourth person before surrendering to the police the next day. middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 2009 ndash; Winnenden school shooting ndash; 17 people are killed at a school in Germany. Births middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1787 ndash; Ivan Nabokov Russian general d. 1852 middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1811 ndash; Urbain Le Verrier French mathematician d. 1877 middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1822 ndash; Joseph Louis Franccedil;ois Bertrand French mathematician d. 1900 middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1885 ndash; Malcolm Campbell English race car driver d. 1948 middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1903 ndash; Lawrence Welk American musician d. 1992 middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1916 ndash; Harold Wilson Prime Minister of the United Kingdom d. 1995 middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1931 ndash; Rupert Murdoch Australian-born entrepreneur middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1952 ndash; Douglas Adams English writer d. 2001 middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1955 ndash; Nina Hagen German singer middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1965 ndash; Jesse Jackson Jr. American politician middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1971 ndash; Johnny Knoxville American television personality Deaths middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1847 ndash; Johnny Appleseed American pioneer agronomist b. 1774 middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1949 ndash; Anastasios Charalambis Greek general and interim Prime Minister of Greece b. 1862 middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1955 ndash; Sir Alexander Fleming Scottish scientist Nobel laureate b. 1881 middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1969 ndash; John Wyndham English author b. 1903 middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1984 ndash; Kostas Roukounas Greek rembetiko singer and song writer b. 1903 middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 2002 ndash; James Tobin American economist Nobel laureate b. 1918 nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99603.php Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:49:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99602.php As the unofficial election campaign in the UK hots up the signs are that Team Brown are winning hands down. Recent allegations of a culture of bullying inside Downing Street that should have been highly damaging but were easily controlled by the fearsome spin team of Lord Mandelson Alistair Campbell and John Prescott. Mandelson needs no introduction and has been leading the public face of the machine Campbell the inspiration for the TV satire programmes Malcolm Tucker has been working behind the scenes and Prescott who is one of only a few politicians to beat up a member of the public on the election trail has revived the spirit and aggression of the party members. Between them they managed to neutralise the allegations assisted by the hapless Christine Pratt of the National Bullying Helpline which seemed to be close to the Conservative Party who made allegations that led to investigations of her leading all the charitys trustees to resign and the effective closure of her outfit. It is probably more correct to say that Brown doesnt bully people he crushes those that oppose him. Recent Labour challengers have retired broken from their encounters many leaving politics and announcing their rediscovery of the pleasures of family life. There is only one possible significant challenger left David Milliband the likeable Foreign Secretary and object of Hillary Clintons affections. He has been too terrified to challenge Brown. With the Labour Party coming from terrifyingly low poll figures to looking like they could win the coming election the Conservatives are busy shooting themselves in the foot. The recent headlines about Tory financier Lord Ashcroft and his tax status that the party kept secret for a decade got even worse over the weekend. Firstly they picked up a celebrity endorsement from Robert Mugabe then their Shadow Arts Minister Ed Vaizey said that David Camerons wife may be a Labour voter adding that She would be going into this poll thinking Is Cameron the real deal or should I stick with Brown? It gets even worse. Tory lobbyist Peter Bingle sent an email to supporters criticising the Tory election team and strategy that got leaked. In it he describes the campaign as shambolic and unless somebody of quality and experience takes control of it now there is a real danger of the Tories throwing away what should be an inevitable election victory. He raised the Ashcroft affair I have already observed that the sleaze from Belize is a toxic issue. Didnt David Cameron or his colleagues understand that it should have been sorted out years ago rather than in the middle of a general election campaign? As one Labour special adviser pointed out to me yesterday: Wouldnt it be ironic if the man tasked with winning the marginals becomes the reason they lose them .... Spot on. He also targeted the government in waiting Somebody seems to have persuaded David that talking about change is enough. It is not. People are naturally conservative. They will vote for change only if they believe that change means that their lives will get better. Looking at the two rows of the shadow cabinet scared me. Is that really the best that the Tory Party can deliver? ... I havent mentioned the lack of a consistent policy agenda because it is simply too depressing. Lets take health and education as an example. Andrew Lansleys core message is one of stability. Michael Goves is one of radical change. I despair. Bindles right hand man is Tim Collins former Conservative MP and ex Tory Communications Director. Collins managed between 1997 and 2001 to convert the second safest Tory seat into a Liberal one. There is considerable unease among the Conservatives and some are urging Cameron to have a night of the long knivesto get read of underperfomers. Two names keep being mentioned in this context top spin doctor Steve Hilton and Shadow Chancellor George Osbourn. However some in the party are pleading that William Hague Shadow Foreign Secretary should go. Hague is the object of ridicule amongst the public who have never forgotten his doomed 2001 election campaign and his rallying call of Only ten days left to save the pound! Hague is seen as a prime eurosceptic and behind the Conservative move away from the EPP and into the margins of European politics. It may be significant that the Pro-Europe Business Secretary Ken Clarke is appearing more and more often. Lord Mandelson has said that because of his bankrolling of the party Lord Ashcroft has David Cameron by the balls others are wondering if Cameron in fact possesses such items.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99602.php Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:28:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99601.php With only five years left to achieve the MDG and for UN members development experts and politicians gathered in Brussels for a conference held by Action For Global Health. Keynote speaker Andris Piebalgs the Commissioner for Development told the meeting that although much had been achieved there was a lot more that needed doing. He pointed out that child mortality in Sub Saharan Africa had barely reduced and poor health also affected Africas ability to develop. He also wanted more funds saying that every euro spent is a euro invested. The Commissioner also noted the large number of organisations involved in development describing it as fragmented saying that such multiplication of resources and number of partners involved was not sustainable. Action for Global Health is a coalition of 15 NGOs pressing the EU to meet the MDG focusing on three of the goals; reducing infant mortality by 66% reducing deaths during childbirth and reversing the spread of communicable diseases such as malaria AIDS. They argue that almost 9 million children 25 000 a day die each year before they are five years old mostly from preventable diseases. 99% of maternal deaths occur in developing countries andin 2008 nearly three million people became infected with HIV and 1.7 million died from TB. The conference chair Nigel Chapman Chief Executive of Plan International and a former Director of the BBC world Service spoke with New Europe There isnt much time left on the clock for the Millennium development Goals how close are we to achieving them? I think theres a long way to go. If you look at the facts the health goals are making some progress we have some way to go on child mortality a long way to go on maternal mortality where were only reached 10% of the goal and weve only five years to go to reach the 90%. It will only be brought about if those who have promised funds meet their commitments. There are countries that are passionately committed to do so and others that are a long way off and have little inclination to meet their targets. Cash is important because it buys capacity up to a point but you have to make sure youre spending your money wisely. Im often struck by how Ministers in developing countries are trying to develop strategies for national health care but without funds its hard to make progress. The third issue is fairness. We think its a basic human right to have access to health care When you have people paying for that access sometimes women and children are discriminated. Societies have an obligation to see that sick and dying people get access to the health care they need. Something like a malaria epidemic can have an economic effect on a whole community Yes and the irony is that malaria prevention doesnt require a Fleming to invent penicillin to cure it malaria nets and basic prevention is pretty cheap and providing that you distribute it properly those nets can do an awful lot of good. Its not as though we have to invent anything we know what the answer is its doing it better that matters. If families do have to spend their time looking after sick children then that sickness can be the thing that pushes people over the edge so there are knock on effects. Weve also heard about how EU immigration can cause an exodus of trained medical staff are we taking too many professional people from the developing world? Yes there is a real risk of that. One thing that attracts health professionals is not money but they want to be in a good working environment where things run well. If they have a choice between working in a society like Europe where the health services are in general very good and working in some developing countries where the systems dont work very well then that is something that drives them away from their home country. this leads to scarce resources being further undermined by migration and its even harder for the country to build its own capacity. What are you asking the EU for? We would like to see first of all a commitment to meet the targets secondly to see that the aid is spent in a way that develops capacity inside the developing world under a coherent strategy. There is an issue about capacity and strategy We need to help with that. Thirdly is the issue of the core principle of access as a human right free at point of need. The barrier of payment among vulnerable people means that they wont be able to access health care and we wont meet the goals. Access is important because fragile communities are often far from heath services They are and one of the tests of a mature health care system is how those furthest from the capital can access care. There are a lot of communities without a basic clinic never mind more sophisticated services so its a huge hurdle to climb. The EU is complex and there are hundreds of organisations working in the field how can we simplify this? Are there too many organisations? that is a big issue I accept that it isnt easy to simplify it. Were got programmes operating at different speeds different funding streams and it is difficult. I was struck by the issue of target setting and that it is difficult for countries to meet them. Rwanda had tens of targets around different issues. Too complex. The amount of time and energy in just providing that data and how you analyse and use it seems disproportionate. My instinct is that was too complex. We have to get people to account for their work but it must be proportionate. There is a risk that the value is not strong and the amount of work to produce the data is too huge.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99601.php Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:20:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99600.php Today is the birthday of the French Foreign Legion formed in 1831 and there was another first in 1879 when Alexander Grahame Bell said the immortal words Mr. Watson come here I want to see you. What made it remarkable is how he said it as this was the worlds first phone call. In 1922 Ghandi was arrested for sedition and sentences to six years imprisonment. Similar resistance in 1959 when 300 000 Tibetan monks surround the Dali Lamas palace fearful that the Chinese were about to abduct him. In 1969 James Earl Ray who was also born today plead guilty to assassinating Martin Luther King Jr and a year later Captain Ernest Medina is charged with My Lai war crimes. In 1977 scientists discover rings around Uranus making Saturn jealous and in 2006 the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter begins orbiting the planet. It paves the way for future spacecraft by monitoring daily weather and surface conditions studying potential landing sites and hosting a new telecommunications system. Oh. Happy Birthday Osama bin Laden where would you like your card sent to? Events nbsp; nbsp; 1905 ndash; Eleftherios Venizelos calls for Cretes union with Greece and begins what is to be known as the Theriso revolt. 1906 ndash; The Courriegrave;res mine disaster Europes worst ever kills 1099 miners in Northern France. 1945 ndash; The Army Air Force firebombs Tokyo and the resulting firestorm kills more than 100 000 people mostly civilians. 1952 ndash; Fulgencio Batista leads a successful coup in Cuba and appoints himself as the provisional president. 1975 ndash; Vietnam War: North Vietnamese troops attack Ban Me Thuot South Vietnam on their way to capturing Saigon. 1977 ndash; Rings of Uranus: Astronomers discover rings around Uranus. 1980 ndash; Madeira School headmistress Jean Harris shoots and kills Scarsdale diet doctor Herman Tarnower 1980 ndash; Formation of the Irish Army Ranger Wing 1990 ndash; In Haiti Prosper Avril is ousted 18 months after seizing power in a coup. 2000 ndash; The NASDAQ Composite stock market index peaks at 5132.52 signaling the beginning of the end of the dot-com boom. Births 1903 ndash; Bix Beiderbecke American musician d. 1931 1925 ndash; Manolis Anagnostakis Greek poet d. 2005 1928 ndash; James Earl Ray American assassin d. 1998 1936 ndash; Sepp Blatter Swiss FIFA President 1940 ndash; Chuck Norris American actor and martial artist 1952 ndash; Morgan Tsvangirai Prime Minister of Zimbabwe 1956 ndash; Robert Llewellyn Writer Actor Presenter 1957 ndash; Osama bin Laden Islamist and leader of al-Qaeda 1958 ndash; Sharon Stone American actress 1964 ndash; Neneh Cherry Swedish musician 1964 ndash; Prince Edward Earl of Wessex 1976 - Ariti-Marina Alamanou Greek Lawyernbsp; Deaths 1982 ndash; Minoru Shirota inventor of Yakult b. 1899 1985 ndash; Konstantin Chernenko General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union b. 1911 1988 ndash; Andy Gibb English-born singer b. 1958 1998 ndash; Lloyd Bridges American actor b. 1913 1999 ndash; Oswaldo Guayasamin Ecuadorian painter and sculptor b. 1919 2003 ndash; Barry Sheene British motorcycle racer b. 1950 2005 ndash; Dave Allen Irish comedian b. 1936... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99600.php Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:50:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99599.php Yes! Tonight Josaphine! Napolean married her today in 1796. Another premiere was Verdis opera Nabucco the story of the plight of the Jews as recorded in the Bible in 1842. The opera becomes a masterpiece. Today the EU in a poetic spirit used the title for an oil pipeline project. Fly thought on wings of gold indeed. Another Italian masterpiece was founded today in 1908 Inter Milan following a schism from the Milan Cricket and Football Club now known as A.C. Milan. 1959 saw the introduction of the Barbie Doll. Her full name is Barbie Millicent Roberts and has had a troubled relationship with her boyfriend Ken Ken Carson who first appeared in 1961. A news release from Mattel in February 2004 announced that Barbie and Ken had decided to split up but in February 2009 they were back together again. Belize celebrates Baron Bliss Day. The Baron was born into a wealthy Suffolk family and was rumoured to have been disinherited for keeping a hansom cab waiting. He subsequently made a substantial fortune speculating in petroleum shares. Unfortunately he contracted polio and decided to travel the world in a luxury yacht. After spells in the Bahamas Trinidad and Jamaica he arrived in Belize harbour where he found a climate which suited him. He was extremely fond of the local people and despite the fact that because of his physical infirmity he never set foot on Belizean soil he bequeathed the bulk of his fortune for the benefit of the people of British Honduras. He was buried in a lighthouse one of his projects. Events nbsp; nbsp; 1841 ndash; The U.S. Supreme Court rules that captive Africans who had seized control of the ship carrying them had been taken into slavery illegally. 1896 ndash; Prime Minister Francesco Crispi resigns following the Italian defeat at the Battle of Adowa. 1959 ndash; The Barbie doll makes its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York. 1967 ndash; Trans World Airlines Flight 553 a Douglas DC-9-15 crashes in a field in Concord Township Ohio following a mid-air collision with a Beechcraft Baron killing 26. 1976 ndash; Forty-two people die in the 1976 Cavalese cable-car disaster the worst cable-car accident to date. 1991 ndash; Massive demonstrations are held against Slobodan Miloscaron;evi#263; in Belgrade. Two people are killed and tanks are in the streets. 1993 ndash; Rodney King testifies against the four LAPD officers accused of violating his civil rights when they beat him during his 1991 arrest. 1997 ndash; Comet Hale-Bopp: Observers in China Mongolia and eastern Siberia are treated to a rare double feature as an eclipse permits Hale-Bopp to be seen during the day. Births 1763 ndash; William Cobbett English journalist and author d. 1835 1814 ndash; Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian poet d. 1861 1890 ndash; Vyacheslav Molotov Russian politician d. 1986 1892 ndash; Vita Sackville-West English writer and gardener d. 1962 1918 ndash; Mickey Spillane American writer d. 2006 1934 ndash; Yuri Gagarin Soviet cosmonaut and the first human in space d. 1968 1942 ndash; John Cale Welsh musician The Velvet Underground 1943 ndash; Bobby Fischer American chess player d. 2008 1945 ndash; Robert Calvert English singer Hawkwind d. 1988 1954 ndash; Bobby Sands IRA member d. 1981 1958 ndash; Martin Fry English pop singer ABC 1975 ndash; Roy Makaay Dutch footballer 1983 ndash; Ioannis Masmanidis Greek-German footballer Deaths 1945 ndash; Margot Frank German-born Dutch Jewish holocaust victim b. 1926 1989 ndash; Robert Mapplethorpe American artist b. 1946 1992 ndash; Menachem Begin Prime Minister of Israel recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize b. 1913 1994 ndash; Charles Bukowski American writer b. 1920 1994 ndash; Fernando Rey Spanish-born actor b. 1917 1997 ndash; The Notorious B.I.G. American rapper b. 1972 1997 ndash; Jean-Dominique Bauby French Journalist amp; Author b.1952 The Diving Bell and the Butterfly 2000 ndash; Ivo Robi#263; Croatian singer and songwriter b. 1923 2004 ndash; Albert Mol Dutch actor b. 1917 2006 ndash; John Profumo British cabinet minister b. 1915 2006 ndash; Geir Ivarsoslash;y Norwegian programmer co-founder of Opera Software ASA b. 1957... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99599.php Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:00:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99495.php The Commission are sometimes accused of making propaganda especially when engaging with children but their latest efforts are likely to provoke confusion. Commissioner Piebalgs has just announced the fourth international drawing competition on Gender Equality. Eight to ten year old children in developing countries are invited to express in a drawing their vision on the theme of gender equality. Last years competition winners were selected at at the European school in Brussels that most egalitarian of institutions. This is likely to produce sketches of baffled kids wondering what on earth the grown ups are talking about. What next? A show and tell for five year olds on subsidiarity and co-decision?... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99495.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:49:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99494.php It is said that a week is a long time in politics and this week has been as long as it has been difficult for the Conservative Leader. The partys Deputy Chairman Lord Ashcroft has after ten years of pressure admitted that he is a non-dom meaning he pays no tax on his considerable earnings outside the UK. This admission didnt come willingly it only came after a freedom of information request was about to reveal the secret. The billionaire has donated many millions to party since the 1980s and is now believed to be funding the election campaign concentrating on marginal seats. Ashcroft has been Tory deputy chairman since 2005 having previously been party treasurer from 1998 to 2001. He is a dual national also having citizenship of Belize where he also owns a bank. Unusually for an office holder of a British political party he also found time to be Belizes Ambassador to the UN between 1998 and 2000. He is rumoured to have bankrolled the Belize opposition who when they came to power later passed legislation that proved benificial to the good Lords business. Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague nominated Ashcroft for a peerage in 1999 but it was rejected because of his being domiciled outside of the country. It is said that he finally received his elevation to the House of Lords after giving guarantees that he would become resident in the UK. However serious questions are being asked about what the Tories knew about his true tax and residence status especially as key figures in the party are involved. Hague has admitted that he knew the truth some time ago David Cameron said in December 2007 that ldquo;Irsquo;m satisfied that the undertakings he gave are being met and Irsquo;ve had reassurances . . . that [he] is resident in the UK and pays taxes in the UKrdquo;. Of course if everything was entirely above board why was the secret kept for a decade? One of Ashcrofts companies is being cleared over donations be the UK Electoral Commission but mainly because of lack of evidence but suspicions remain and Ashcroft is asked to appear before a Parliamentary Committee on 18 March to explain the circumstances behind his peerage. Can we expect an imminent leak from sources close to Blair?... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99494.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:47:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99493.php In 1655 John Casor becomes the first legally-recognized slave in what will be the United States. A mere 120 years later Thomas Paines African Slavery in America becomes the first article in the U.S. calling for the emancipation of slaves and the abolition of slavery to be published. On the subject of freedom in 1911 International Womens Day is launched in Copenhagen Denmark by Clara Zetkin leader of the Womens Office for the Social Democratic Party in Germany. Zetkin joined the German Communist Party and sat in the Reichstag untill the 1933 fire when she went to exile in Russia and in buried in the Kremlin Wall. In 1920 she interviewed Lenin in a conversation that seems surreal and absurd today in which Red Len states It seems to me that these flourishing sexual theories which are mainly hypothetical and often quite arbitrary hypotheses arise from the personal need to justify personal abnormality or hypertrophy in sexual life before bourgeois morality and to entreat its patience. This masked respect for bourgeois morality seems to me just as repulsive as poking about in sexual matters. Meanwhile for all those who understand the significance of 42 celebrate today because in 1978 the first-ever radio episode of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams is transmitted on BBC Radio 4. 1996 saw the death of Fighting Jack Churchill a British soldier who fought the Second World War armed with a bow arrows and a claymore. He once said any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed. He volunteered for the Commandos after fighting at Dunkirk. Churchill was not sure what Commando Duty entailed but he signed up because it sounded dangerous. In May 1940 Churchill and his unit the Manchester Regiment ambushed a German patrol near lEpinette France. Churchill gave the signal to attack by cutting down the enemy Feldwebel sergeant with his barbed arrows becoming the only known British soldier to have felled an enemy with a longbow in the course of the war. Churchill was second in command of No. 3 Commando in Operation Archery a raid on the German garrison at Varing;gsoslash;y Norway on December 27 1941. As the ramps fell on the first landing craft Churchill leapt forward from his position playing The March of the Cameron Men on his bagpipes threw a grenade and began running towards the bay. Churchill was said to be unhappy with the abrupt end of the war saying: If it wasnt for those damn Yanks we could have kept the war going another 10 years! nbsp; 1722 ndash; The Safavid Empire of Iran is defeated by an army from Afghanistan at The Battle of Gulnabad pushing Iran into anarchy. 1844 ndash; King Oscar I ascends to the thrones of Sweden and Norway. 1921 ndash; Spanish Premier Eduardo Dato Iradier is assassinated while exiting the parliament building in Madrid. 1957 ndash; Egypt re-opens the Suez Canal after the Suez Crisis. 1957 ndash; Ghana joins the United Nations. 1963 ndash; The Baath Party comes to power in Syria in a Coup deacute;tat by a clique of quasi-leftist Syrian Army officers calling themselves the National Council of the Revolutionary Command. 1966 ndash; A bomb planted by young Irish protesters destroys Nelsons Pillar in Dublin. 1974 ndash; Charles de Gaulle Airport opens in Paris France. 1979 ndash; Philips demonstrates Compact Disc publicly for the first time. 1980 ndash; The first festival of rock music kicks off in the Soviet Union. 1983 ndash; President Ronald Reagan calls the Soviet Union an evil empire. 1985 ndash; A failed assassination attempt on Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah in Beirut Lebanon kills at least 45 and injures 175 others. 1999 ndash; The Supreme Court of the United States upholds the murder convictions of Timothy McVeigh for the Oklahoma City bombing. 2004 ndash; A new constitution is signed by Iraqs Governing Council. Births 1714 ndash; Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach German composer d. 1788 1859 ndash; Kenneth Grahame English author d. 1932 1865 ndash; Frederic Goudy American type designer d. 1947 1907 ndash; Constantine Karamanlis Greek politician d. 1998 1926 ndash; Francisco Rabal Spanish actor d. 2001 1936 ndash; Gaacute;bor Szaboacute; Hungarian guitarist d. 1982 1937 ndash; Juveacute;nal Habyarimana President of Rwanda d. 1994 1943 ndash; Lynn Redgrave English actress 1944 ndash; Pepe Romero Spanish guitarist 1945 ndash; Micky Dolenz American musician The Monkees 1948 ndash; Jonathan Sacks Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Commonwealth 1949 ndash; Karel Lismont Belgian athlete 1949 ndash; Antonello Venditti Italian singer-songwriter 1958 ndash; Gary Numan British singer 1977 ndash; Johann Vogel Swiss footballer 1982 ndash; Leonidas Kabantais Greek footballer Deaths 1869 ndash; Hector Berlioz French composer b. 1803 1889 ndash; John Ericsson Swedish inventor b. 1803 1917 ndash; Ferdinand von Zeppelin German aircraft manufacturer b. 1838 1961 ndash; Thomas Beecham English conductor b. 1879 1971 ndash; Harold Lloyd American actor b. 1893 1986 ndash; Kersti Merilaas Estonian author poet b. 1913 1999 ndash; Joe DiMaggio American baseball player b. 1914 2004 ndash; Abu Abbas founder of the Palestine Liberation Front b. 1948 2005 ndash; Aslan Maskhadov Chechen leader b. 1951 2009 ndash; Ali Bongo President of the Magic Circle b.1929 2009 ndash; Zbigniew Religa Minister of Health of the Republic of Poland b. 1938... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99493.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:43:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99492.php Any visit of a Greek Prime Minister to Washington carries special weight and it is usually surrounded by extreme expectations and over-analysis of the smallest possible detail. The Prime Ministerrsquo;s Washington visit has the appearance of a rushed nature. Since there are only a few days to pull the George Papandreou visit together I would like to offer preliminary observations about what is likely based on my time as an ldquo;insider rdquo; as Senior Desk Officer for Greece at the State Department at the end of the Clinton Adminishy;stration. Ten days is not optimal but is still adequate to arrange a short Washington visit. The complicating factor for the Greek side is the need for the Prime Minister to meet with the U.S. Government Congress the IMF and the press all in a short time.nbsp; I do not envy the schedulers.nbsp; The White House Dance:nbsp; We need protocol details but here we can expect a standard Presidential ldquo;working meeting rdquo; normally with the head of the National Security Council and the Secretary of State in attendance. In these circumstances it would not be unusual for the Secretary of the Treasury or other senior White House economic advisers to be in attendance. It remains to be seen if the Federal Reserve Bank will be included in the meeting not a normal occurrence.nbsp; We can expect at least one-third of the meeting to focus on economic issues something absolutely unusual for a Greek Prime Minister Meetings regarding the Economic Crisis:nbsp; We will need to review the program to see if separate meetings are being requested for PM Papandreou on the Greek economy or Eurozone finances; based on who is included in the Obama meeting. It is not inconceivable that a separate detailed meeting on economic issues could be arranged at the White House since the Treasury and National Economic Council are exactly next door. IMF Stop-Obligatory:nbsp; Although the possible role of the International Monetary Fund IMF is related to the PMrsquo;s negotiations with German Chancellor Angela Merkel we should expect a session at the IMF located a few blocks from the White House. In good times PM Papandreou would consider this session as optional but not this time. U.S. support for Greek requests for assistance from the IMF should be taken as agreed already ndash; in the current situation the U.S. Executive Director at the IMF who receives orders directly from the Treasury Department will be as helpful as possible.nbsp; Role of the State Department; Watch out George:nbsp; There will certainly be a meeting with Secretary of State Hilary Clinton the ldquo;counterpartrdquo; to ldquo;Foreign Ministerrdquo; Papandreou. The focus will be on regional issues rather than economics. This is probably the most dangerous meeting for Greece as officials there and only there will actually try to press for ldquo;progressrdquo; on Greecersquo;s national issues and more Greek participation in Afghanistan. The U.S. will probably have little new to say on Aegean issues or regarding Cyprus but will probe for Greek flexibility on the FYROM name issue. The U.S. is unlikely to press Greece in its current weakened state to make concessions in favor of Skopje but it cannot be excluded that there will be some ldquo;secret messagerdquo; from Skopje waiting in Secretary Clintonrsquo;s office. Any U.S. diplomat worth the name - and ours are quite good - will be spending this week trying to convince PM NikolaGruevski up in Skopje to deliver a new message. It will be up to Foreign Minister Papandreou to decide if he will give Washington the right to inject itself right now. If Washington can actually deliver new flexibility from Skopje instead of the same tired old rhetoric the Foreign Minister may be in for a pleasant surprise.nbsp; We can always hope. Extra-curricular Activities: A meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has already been arranged. Any Washington visit at the Prime Minister level would normally include something similar. We will need to see how many press events expect a focus on economics and side meetings ndash; such as with the Hellenic Caucus on Capitol Hill mdash; can be crammed into the visit. The ldquo;watchersrdquo; will be watching: Many foreign observers but especially the Embassies of Turkey and FYROM will be monitoring the visit carefully especially the protocol elements for signs that Papandreou has more or less access than their respective leaders. These will reported home through those embassies and via the press and who knows what conclusions they will draw but it would be worrisome if something important were dropped from PM Papandreoursquo;s program due to the rushed nature of the trip. And of course there will be requests for ldquo;equalrdquo; treatment if PM Papandreou is seen to have received any form of ldquo;special favors.rdquo;nbsp; Papandreou has a really tough schedule that is substantially different from past visits of Greek PMs to Washington when most of the times we were watching protocol-oriented meetings or at worst low value political and public relations agendas. Papandreoursquo;s superb English and unsurpassed familiarity with Washington power politics allow him a significant advantage in his efforts. There are many who feel that a better time could have been selected for such a trip when better planning for a renew agenda would allow Greece to re-position its image in Washington and enhance its role. However the Prime Minister has demonstrated a unique capability to cope with complex and emerging challenges and to surpass long term misalignment in Greecersquo;s foreign relations. Good luck! Alec Mally is currently Director for Global Economic Affairs at IPEDIS ndash; Institute for Regional Dialogue amp; Strategy. He has served more than seven years in various positions in the US Mission in Athens and Thessaloniki including as Consul General. In preparing this article he drew his experience as Senior Desk Officer for Greece at the State Department in the period 1999-2001 nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99492.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99497.php Serbias slim chance of preventing other European countries from recognizing its once-upon-a-time province Kosovo which declared its independence in 2008 is slip sliding away now that France has assured the government of the former Serbian territory that it is a sovereign country and that Serbia has to recognize that. France said if Serbia could find its hopes of joining the European Union blocked if it keeps pushing on the Kosovo question. Kosovos independence is irreversible visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told Kosovos parliament. Your independence is not to be questioned it is a historical step that no one can change and everyone should accept said Kouchner a former United Nations administrator for Kosovo. The independence of Kosovo with its Albanian majority was quickly recognized by big Western powers. Backed by Russia Serbia continues to fight the secession of its one-time province diplomatically and by exercising its influence among Kosovo Serbs. Kouchner visited Serbia and met with its highest officials to discuss Kosovo. France is not asking Serbia to recognize Kosovo but to begin the process of a dialogue engagement relaxation and normalization of relations Kouchner told Belgrades TV B92. Kouchner who met with Serbian President Boris Tadic Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and other officials told Serbian media that Belgrade must accept Kosovo as its neighbor even if it refuses to recognize it diplomatically. I am not saying there is preconditioning that you must resolve the problem of Kosovo he told TV B92 but what is required is an atmosphere that will - once you join the EU - allow everything to be resolved. In an interview with the daily Vecernje Novosti over the weekend before last Kouchner said Serbia must as any other candidate resolve its problems with neighbors all its neighbors. Kouchners was just the latest in a series of warnings that Serbia must stop fighting Kosovos independence as aggressively as it has in the past. Serbias foreign minister was defiant in the face of Western pressure saying in an interview that his country will not reconcile itself to the loss of the breakaway province of Kosovo dismissing Kouchners message even though the French have quietly been backed up by other diplomats. Belgrade continues to insist that the secession of Kosovo is unlawful and has tried to renew negotiations on the status of what it considers its province. Serbias Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said in an interview with the daily Blic that Kosovo Is not showing any interest regarding the search for a compromise solution for the status of Kosovo. He added that I do not expect Kosovo to be willing for talks until the International Court of Justice ICJ issues its opinion but I believe after that they will have no choice. Jeremic also said that Kosovo can be represented only by the UN in international conferences. Because of Serbias refusal to recognize Kosovos independence and its boycott of events that Kosovos leaders attend Serbian politicians have recently missed some important international events. Recently the French and German ambassadors in Belgrade made similar remarks calling on Serbia to turn to practical issues such as fighting rampant organized crime in cooperation with Kosovo instead of investing all of its energy to reverse the provinces irreversible secession. Serbia has challenged the legality of Kosovos secession at the United Nations International Court of Justice and has lobbied globally against the recognition of independent Kosovo. So far 65 nations have recognized the former province. Belgrade is fighting Kosovos independence on more than just the diplomatic front. It also encourages Serbs living there to resist central authorities in Pristina and finances their parallel structures of authority. Belgrade opposes the plan of the EU representative in Kosovo Peter Feith aimed at taking control of the Serbian enclave of Mitrovica. The EU deployed a law-enforcing mission the Eulex to Kosovo in late 2008 to help it develop its fledgling institutions. Albanians and Serbs remain mutually hostile and mistrustful more than a decade since NATO ended a war there by ousting Belgrades security forces from the province. Kosovo has similarly been pushing more countries around the world particularly in the EU to recognize it officially and to understand that it is not going to be a Serbian province again.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99497.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99498.php The board of Elgi Equipments EEL an Indian manufacturer of industrial compressors has approved the acquisition of Belair France local media reported last week. Belair is engaged in assembly sales and service of industrial compressors piping fittings and accessories for more than 25 years. The cost of the acquisition was 700 000 euros which EEL said would be funded from internal accruals. EEL MD Jairam Varadaraj said in a statement on March 2 that In Europe and other developed markets we follow a model of multi-local acquisition of small-to-medium companies with strong brand names and supporting them with the Elgi Inside strategy of providing key technologies and product extensions. In line with this strategy we have purchased 100% of Belair. Belair principally serves as a supplier of compressors to the French industrial segment accounting for about 3% of the local market. It is located at Alby Sur Cheran in the southern part of France about 100 kilometers South of Lyon. The company has sales of around 6.5 million euros per year with 34 employees. In December 2009 Elgi without disclosing the target company said it signed an agreement to buy100 percent shares of the company. It expected to close the transaction by February-end subject to customary regulatory approvals and other negotiated conditions of closing. Currently nearly 30 percent of EEL products are exported to the US Europe Australia South-East Asia and the Middle East. Besides exports Elgi has been expanding its global footprint aggressively by setting up subsidiaries in China Gulf and Brazil. Its products are used in a wide range of applications in areas ranging from mining defence transport pharmaceuticals power oil railways chemicals textiles printing to ship building paper electronics telecommunications medical food beverages and plastics. The Elgi board also adopted the proposal for the merger of Elgi Industrial products formerly Elgi Finance based on a valuation report. This would secure and enhance the brand value of Elgi and enhance the intrinsic value of the shares held by the shareholders at large the company said.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99498.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99499.php The number of foreign nationals living in Germany fell in 2009 largely due to new laws making it easier to become German according to data released last week. At the end of 2009 around 6.7 million foreigners were living in Germany - 32 800 fewer than in the previous year. The national statistics office said this was the second consecutive drop in figures. The main reason was thought to be a change in law which makes it easier for the children of migrant families to take on German citizenship. Children born to non-German parents since 2004 automatically receive dual nationality if their parents have lived in Germany for several years. At the age of 18 they have to decide which nationality to keep. About 50 000 dual nationality children are born annually in Germany under the new ruling. Germanys largest group of foreign nationals are Turkish citizens who make up a quarter of all foreigners. They are followed by Italians who are 8% of Germanys foreign population while 6% of foreigners are from Poland.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99499.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99500.php A man believed to have planned the theft of the historic Arbeit macht frei sign from the former Auschwitz concentration camp may be extradited to face charges abroad Swedish prosecutors said. Deputy Chief Prosecutor Agneta Hilding Qvarnstrom asked the Stockholm district court to rule that the 35-year-old suspect may be extradited to Poland Swedish radio news reported. Swedish police arrested the man in February after Polish authorities issued an international arrest warrant for him. The Auschwitz camp sign was stolen on December 18 and recovered by Polish law enforcers two days later. Police returned it to the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum on January 21. Metal lettering in the sign reads in German Work sets you free. Two of five Polish men in custody on suspicion of carrying out the theft reportedly told police they were asked to steal it by Anders Hogstrom a Swedish former neo-Nazi. The sign hung over the entrance of the camp where Nazis killed some 1.1 million people mostly Jews during Germanys World War II occupation of Poland.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99500.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99501.php Two German converts to Islam have been sentenced to jail for 12 years each after being convicted of heading a home-grown Islamist conspiracy to blow up US army bases and other targets on German soil. Police who had been tapping their phones arrested them and two other plotters in 2007 and seized nearly a ton of chemicals to make bombs before they could act. The four confessed their allegiance to the Islamic Jihad Union during a 10-month trial in Dusseldorf. Converts Fritz Gelowicz and Daniel Schneider were each jailed for 12 years avoiding the maximum 15-year term because of their confessions. The third man arrested with them in a quiet village in the Sauerland hills Adem Yilmaz was given 11 years. They were convicted of membership in a terrorist group and of conspiracy to commit multiple murders. A helper Atilla Selek was jailed for five years for supporting a terrorist group. The main trio were detained after stockpiling more than 700 liter of hydrogen peroxide to make car-bombs. They discussed attacking supermarkets on US airbases German nightclubs and airports with the aim of forcing Germany to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99501.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99502.php The European Commission has cleared the proposed merger of Orange UK and T-Mobile UK respectively France Télécoms FT and Deutsche Telekoms DT UK subsidiaries. The decision is conditional upon the amendment of an existing network sharing agreement with Hutchison 3G UK 3UK to ensure that there remain sufficient competitors in the market and the divestiture of a quarter of the combined spectrum of the merging parties in the 1800 MHz band which is one of three frequency bands currently used for mobile communications in the UK. In light of these commitments the UK Office of Fair Trading OFT withdrew its request to refer the case for review by the UK Competition Authorities. I am happy that we managed to resolve the competition issues in this case quickly in close cooperation with the Member State concerned said European Competition Commissioner Joaquín Almunia. Orange UK is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the French incumbent telecommunications operator France Telecom. It provides mobile telephony services in the UK and to a lesser extent broadband internet access services on a fixed network. T-Mobile UK is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the German incumbent telecommunications operator Deutsche Telekom. It provides mobile telephony services in the UK. In the course of the investigation the Commission identified no direct concerns in relation to the market for the provision of mobile telecommunications services to end-consumers the wholesale market for access and call origination on public mobile telephone and the wholesale market for international roaming and related markets. However the Commission investigation showed that the transaction as initially notified could put at risk the future of T-Mobiles Radio Access Network sharing agreement with 3UK the Radio Access Network being one of the main infrastructure elements of a mobile network which is the smallest mobile network operator MNO in the UK owned by Hutchison Whampoa. This could threaten 3UKs viability on the market and possibly eliminate a competitor. With the merger of the subsidiaries of FT and DT there will be only four players in the UK hence the concerns about the fate of 3UK. Second the investigation also revealed that the combined amount of contiguous spectrum held by the parties at the 1800 MHz level 60 MHz would be significantly larger than that of their competitors. This could result in the new entity being the only MNO in the UK able to offer next-generation mobile data services through Long Term Evolution LTE technology at the best possible speeds within the medium term. In order to address the competition concerns identified by the Commission the parties concluded a revised agreement with 3UK which will secure its position as a competitive force on the market and offered to divest 15 MHz of spectrum at the 1800 MHz level. The Commission concluded that the commitments offered by the parties remedy the identified competition concerns. The Commission cooperated closely with both the OFT and the UKs telecommunications regulator OFCOM throughout the investigation. On 2 February 2010 the OFT submitted a request to the Commission to refer to it the examination of the proposed transaction pursuant to Article 9 2 a of the EU Merger Regulation. In light of the commitments offered by the parties the OFT withdrew its referral request on 1 March 2010.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99502.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99503.php Eircom has reported a profit of 327 million euros for the six months to the end of December down 3% on the same period a year earlier RTE Ireland reported early last week. CEO Paul Donovan said business conditions in Ireland had not improved and its revenues were down by nine percent. He said profits had fallen despite a 13% drop in costs and warned that further cost cuts would be needed in the coming months. Eircom also said it had reached agreement with its unions on a set of proposals aimed at eliminating the deficit in its defined benefit pension scheme. The deal will impose agreed limits on future pensionable pay while Eircoms contributions to the scheme will rise. The telecoms company said it now had more than 750 000 broadband customers. Earlier this year Eircom was acquired by Singapores STT. A breakdown showed that lower voice traffic levels and price discounts led to a fall of 10% in revenue from fixed line telecommunications to 723 million euros with profits in this division down 2% to 276 million euros. Profits at mobile arm Meteor were also down six percent to 51 million euros as revenue fell seven percent to 239 million euros. Customer numbers grew to more than one million but average revenue per user fell due to the impact of new price structures.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99503.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99504.php Following allegations that some of the Uks largest publishers had used phone tapping materials the countrys media watchdog has suffered allegations of weakness and inactivity. A report prepared for the International Federation of Journalists into a controversy over illegal telephone hacking in the tabloid press says that the countrys self-regulator is in need of urgent reform to enhance the reputation of British journalism. The report was commissioned by the IFJ after the British Press Complaints Commission carried out two inquiries following claims of illegal tapping of the telephones of celebrities by journalists at The News of the World the flagship title of the Rupert Murdoch press in Britain. The claims made by The Guardian were dismissed by the PCC which accepted the tabloid managements view that the actions of two employees who were jailed in January 2007 for illegal hacking were an isolated incident. However fresh Guardian claims following extensive and secretive payouts to the victims of the hacking system last year led to a second inquiry. The PCC again accepted the News of the Worlds view and this time rebuked The Guardian sparking a row which led The Guardians editor to resign from his place on the PCC.  The IFJ Report prepared by Belgian journalist and writer Jean-Paul Marthoz has found that the actions of the PCC have weakened its credibility and revealed major failings in its mandate and its ways of operating. A critical moment has arrived and the case for reform of the PCC appears to be unanswerable says Marthoz in his report which is published today and comes only a week after a Select Committee of the British Parliament issued its own damning report backing the view that the hacking has been more widespread than officially acknowledged and condemning the collective amnesia and deliberate obfuscation by the News of the World in its evidence to the Select Committee inquiry into illegal phone hacking. The Committee also lambasted the PCC qualifying its investigation into phone hacking as simplistic surprising a further failure of self-regulation. It is clear that the PCC got itself into the no-mans-land of ethical journalism said Aidan White IFJ General Secretary today. Our report shows that it was hopelessly caught between two forces at work in journalism that pull in diametrically opposing directions. In doing so it exposed its own profound weakness as a credible self-regulator.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99504.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99505.php Following a European Directive dissalowing prices fixed on tobacco product the European Commission has brought a case against Ireland for setting minimum prices for tobacco products. Ireland has countered that the minimum prices are necessary to protect public health by ensuring that tobacco products are not excessively cheap. The Manufactured Tobacco Tax Directive contains a number of general provisions applicable to all manufactured tobacco products. One of the principles in the Directive is that manufacturers and importers are free to determine the maximum prices for manufactured tobacco products. The Courts Advocate General had been of the opinion in October 2009 that the Court find against Ireland. She argued that setting a minimum price impeded the manufacturers ability to set a maximum price as that maximum price could not be lower than the limit set by the State.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99505.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99506.php Against a backdrop of anger and opposition from religious and other groups Spains senate has approved a bill that eases womens access to abortion giving a final stamp of approval to the law which will now enter into force within four months. The lower house of parliament had earlier approved the bill which had been vehemently opposed by the countrys Catholic Church. The Senate approved the law by a vote of 132-126. Currently more than 100 000 abortions are performed annually in Spain nearly always on grounds of damage to the mothers psychological health. The new law will free women from having to justify abortions in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy making them available on demand. The most controversial part of the initial draft law allowed girls as young as 16 to terminate pregnancies without their parents knowledge. That part was watered down allowing minors not to inform at least one of their parents only in extreme cases such as the threat of domestic violence. Leire Pajin from Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapateros Socialist Party said the law paid a debt that society had owed women. Conservative Carmen Duenas whose Peoples Party PP voted against the law accused the government of not protecting life in an attack against the family as one of the pillars of Spanish society. Abortion is opposed most fiercely by Spains Catholic Church which has threatened to excommunicate anyone involved in terminating pregnancies. Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated against abortion last year.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99506.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99507.php Thousands of Spaniards recently marched against the governments plans to raise the retirement age from 65 to 67 years. The protest was intended to urge Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero to preserve the countrys social security system in the face of the economic crisis. The trade union confederations UGT and CCOO had called demonstrations in Madrid Barcelona and half a dozen other large cities. The government said it wants to raise retirement age in an attempt to finance future social security in a country with an aging population because todays workers are funding current pensioners but at the current rate those working today could face pension shortages when they retire. Officials are also concerned about Spains growing budget deficit which now stands at about 11%. CCOO leader Ignacio Fernandez Toxo said the planned pension reform went in the long direction while Zapatero promised to listen to the unions in order to reach a social consensus to back the reform. The percentage of Spaniards aged over 64 will double to around 30 % of the population by 2049 according to the National Statistics Institute. The demonstrations were the first major ones by trade unions since Zapatero a Socialist became prime minister in 2004. Spain is one of the Western countries most affected by the economic crisis and is widely expected not to come out of recession before 2011 and also has a staggering near20% unemployment rate. The move to raise the age for retirement mirrors that in Greece which is also facing drastic financial problems and is also imposing wage freezes and cuts raising a number of key taxes as well as holding the line on pension benefits.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99507.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99508.php Meetings between the Spanish king and government officials are usually kept under wraps - but recently the royal palace has embarked on a campaign of openness in an attempt to cement support for the monarchy. Spaniards previously knew little about whom 72-year-old King Juan Carlos received at his office with the Zarzuela palace only releasing information on high-level royal activities with photo opportunities. However the monarchys position is deemed by some to have become weaker in recent years and now Juan Carlos wants all Spaniards to know about his work as new palace communications chief Ramon Iribarren recently told the daily El Pais cited by the German Press Agency Deutsche-Presse-Agentur dpa. The media have consequently been able to report on the recent meetings held between the king and Economy Minister Elena Salgado as well as with bank and trade union representatives. Iribarren told El Pais about the new media policy at the same time as the palace faced criticism over what was perceived as the kings interference in politics and over the divorce of Princess Elena Juan Carlos and Queen Sofias eldest child. The monarchy is not regarded as having particularly solid foundations in Spain which has experienced two republics and the right-wing dictatorship of General Francisco Franco in the past 140 years. Juan Carlos became king after the 1975 death of Franco who had picked the prince to succeed him as head of state. Initially seen as the dictators puppet the young king only won the full trust of his subjects after thwarting a coup attempt in 1981. Spaniards are often described as juancarlists rather than monarchists.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99508.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99509.php Italian authorities recently issued an arrest warrant for the founder of Telecommunications Company Fastweb along with dozens of others suspected of involvement in a massive international money laundering scam. Silvio Scaglia who in 2007 sold his remaining stake in Fastweb to Swisscom is believed to be abroad. A billionaire entrepreneur who pioneered broadband internet provision in Italy and who currently owns online television platform Babelgum Scaglia had reportedly denied any wrongdoing. Among those targeted by the 56 arrest warrants issued by the authority was Nicola Di Girolamo a senator in Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconis conservative People of Freedom party. Di Girolamo also denied any wrongdoing. The senator is suspected of having had ties with Mafia bosses who allegedly helped him win votes. Some of those arrested in connection with the elaborate international scam - allegedly involving dummy companies and wide-scale value added tax fraud - were taken into custody abroad including the United States Britain and Luxembourg.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99509.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99510.php The Italian government recently put a new set of rules in place to regulate the amount of advertising that can be carried on pay TV as well as the inclusion of product placement in TV shows. According to observers the new regulations would reduce the amount of advertising per hour from 18% last year to 12% in 2012 on pay-TV services. SKY Italia is expected to be hardest hit by the new cap. Free-to-air Mediaset meanwhile is expected to be able to up its advertising to 20% per hour from 18%. The new rulings also allows product placement on television shows and has introduced a ban on adult programming during the day. A statement from Industry Minister Claudio Scajola said of the decree: European rules foreseeing more flexibility for advertising are introduced including product placement in TV programs; as well as rules that strengthen safeguards for under-aged viewers .... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99510.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99511.php Zon Multimedia SGPS SA a company that spun off from Portugal Telecom PT in November 2007 recently posted its fourth quarter figures reporting a further drop in its customer numbers. That meant the company suffered consecutive drops in the fourth straight quarter. Comparing the figures released by the company and that from PT it was clear that Zon lost significant numbers to its former parent company. Zons share declined to 64.4% in the fourth quarter of 2009 from 66.6% in the previous period while Portugal Telecoms share increased to 23% from 20.7%. Lisbon-based Zon had 72.3%t of the market at the end of 2008. Portugal Telecom the countrys biggest telephone company started a TV service in 2008 to compete with Zon selling Internet and telephone services alongside TV subscriptions. Cabovisao owned by Canadas Cogeco Cable Inc saw its market share drop to 10.2% from 10.6%. Sonaecom SGPS SAs share rose to 1% from 0.9 percent. The countrys total number of pay-TV clients increased 3.5% from the prior quarter to 2.52 million.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99511.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99512.php Austrias Raiffeisen Zentralbank RZB recently announced that its net profit rose nine-fold last year as the bank was mulling whether to merge again with its less successful Eastern European subsidiary. RZBs net profit grew to 433 million euros $588 million in 2008 the bank said in a preliminary earnings report that also incorporated Raiffeisen International one of Central and Eastern Europes major bank holdings. The groups core capital increased by 17 % to 8.9 billion euros. However RZB had to nearly double its provisions for non- performing loans to 2.25 billion euros with 1.74 billion euros allocated to Raiffeisen International. Raiffeisen International saw its net profit plummet to 212 million euros 78 % less than in 2008. RZBs management denied it was considering to fold its Eastern European subsidiary back into the group because of bad business performance. An integrated refinancing structure coupled with the stock- listing of the merged bank would create broader means of accessing the capital money and debt markets Raiffeisen International Chief Executive Herbert Stepic said. Unlike RZB which has increased its capital base with the help of government funds Raiffeisen International is currently not a bank but a holding for institutes in Central and Eastern Europe and therefore has had no access to such aid.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99512.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99513.php Survey on liquidity conducted in February by the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry GZS showed that 29% of Slovenian companies recorded a more than 30% drop in revenue in 2009 over the year before. On the other hand a quarter of the companies turned the crisis to their advantage as 20% increased revenue by up to 20% and 5% even by 20%-30% suggests the survey presented at GZS as part of a debate on liquidity. When is comes to the volume of orders compared to September 2009 the situation is worse on the domestic market than on markets abroad. At home orders are up for 17% of companies and down for 43%. Abroad an increase has been recorded by 24% while foreign orders are down for 19%. Access to loans has improved since September last year GZS executive director for legislation and policies Alenka Avbersek noted. On the other hand liquidity is deteriorating dramatically especially for SMEs. Even more exposed are all companies that are indirectly or directly involved in construction Avbersek summed up for STA. Unfortunately the government has not responded even in segments where it could have and where it was in a position to contribute by paying bills sooner...by being a good manager of public contracts she added.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99513.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99514.php Malta welcomed the results of the European Commissions latest Internal Market Scoreboard which was published on 2 March. In its press release on the subject the European Commission emphasised that this is the third time that Malta has been in first position. Twenty Member States are either at or below the target while Lithuania and Malta were overall the best performers being three Directives away from a perfect score the European Commission said in report. This result is further evidence of the sound internal structures that are in place within the administration of the Maltese Government which is coping well with the demands of EU membership and faring better than the administrations of other Member States he Maltese government said. The European Commissions Internal Market Scoreboard No. 20 takes into account all notifications of directives with a transposition deadline until 31 October 2009. There are 1521 such directives and Malta has transposed 1518 of them thus bringing down barriers and simplifying rules to enable Maltese individuals consumers and businesses make the most of the opportunities offered to them by having direct access to 27 countries and 480 million people.  In the meantime Malta has fully transposed the provisions of the three directives which the Commission refers to in the scoreboard as being still outstanding.  Member States have never performed better in writing agreed Internal Market rules into national law on time but still need to improve the way those rules are applied in practice according to the European Commissions latest Internal Market Scoreboard. On average 0.7% of Internal Market Directives for which the implementation deadline has passed are not currently written into national law down from 1% in July 2009. This means that Member States are well below the 1% target agreed by Heads of State which was to be achieved by 2009 at the latest.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99514.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99515.php Austrias Erste Group Bank AG recently published its full year figures for 2009 reporting a 5.1 % leap in net profit despite having almost doubled its safety buffer for bad loans in Central and Eastern Europe. Erste a major lender in Europes eastern countries made a net profit of 903 million euros $1.23 billion with all subsidiaries in the region turning in positive results except in the Ukraine. The bank said the upswing was due mainly due to gains in its net interest income which grew by 6.3 % to 5.22 billion euros. The second reason cited was a 4.9 % decline in operating expenses. Erste reduced its staff by 5.5 % in Central and Eastern Europe. Meanwhile credit risk provisions soared to 2.06 billion euros 92 % more than in 2008. The lender raised 1.76 billion euros in new capital in 2009 of which 1.22 billion euros was signed by the government.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99515.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99516.php An embellishment project for the surrounding area of the Marsa Power Station and the Enemalta Administration building is in its final stages. The modernization project was organized by Enemalta with the collaboration of the Marsa Local Council and ADT. Church Wharf road leading to the Power Station was in a deplorable state with potholes which would get worse every time it rained. Even though light maintenance work such as repatching was done this wasnt sufficient as the road is heavily used. This project started on the 4 January with an estimated timeline of five weeks but was finished in 4 weeks thanks to the organization of Enemalta employees in charge of the coordination.  The program of works includes the resurfacing and relaying of the access road reorganisation of the parking bays and the repairing of curbs. Great care was taken in the management of the project and access to the Marsa Power Station was only closed down for two days while alternative parking was provided. This project is part of Enemaltas Corporate Social Responsibility agenda 2010/2011 towards the community.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99516.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99517.php Austrian steelmaker Voestalpine AG said in a recent statement that it saw positive developments in the quarter ending in December as profits more than doubled from the previous quarter. However Voestalpines net profit of 71.5 million euros $ 96.3 million fell by 18 percent compared to the last three months of 2008. Sales decreased from 2.79 billion to 2.08 billion Euro year-on-year the company said in its quarterly report for its 2009/10 business year ending in March. Operating profit tumbled by a nearly a third to 132 million euros. But Voestalpine stressed that revenues rose for the first time after decreases in the five preceding quarters as the global economy started recovering. Profits increased by over 150% from the previous quarter. The company has cut investments by nearly 50% in its business year so far and slashed its workforce by 11 percent during 2009. Voestalpine said it was expecting to end its business year with a profit. In the first three quarters the company made a profit of 51.6 million Euro down from 606.1 million Euro in the previous year.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99517.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99518.php Carrefour Belgium SA the Belgian arm of the French retailer acknowledged on 2 March that it had badly misread its market and said it would begin a drastic austerity drive of store closings and worker layoffs. The company said it would close 21 hyper and supermarkets lay off at least 1 700 workers and sell 30 of its outlets to slash costs and reverse a steadily dropping market share the Fresh Plaza reported citing Business week on 2 March. Chief Executive Officer Gerard Lavinay said his company had consistently misjudged Belgian tastes and shopping patterns. We waited too long to adjust our strategy to the Belgian market he told a news conference. We must conclude Belgians consume differently than the French. As the company announced its austerity program striking workers shut down Carrefours shops across Belgium. Carrefour employs 15 000 people in Belgium where it has 56 hypermarkets in Belgium supersized outlets selling anything from food to shoes to insurance that do well in France where they are popular destinations for family outings. In all Carrefour said it will shut down as of 30 June 14 hypermarkets and seven supermarkets in Belgium. The announcement caps 25 difficult years for Carrefour in Belgium where its market share has fallen to 24.9 % from more than 30 % a decade ago.  ... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99518.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99519.php AEGON the Dutch insurance company posted a sharp rise in its profits for the fourth quarter early last week as markets improved and measures taken by the company over the past year further strengthened its financial position. AEGONs underlying earnings before tax rose 22 % from the third quarter to 427 million euros while net income more than doubled to 393 million euros the fourth straight quarterly increase and AEGONs highest quarterly net income for two years. New life sales were up 13 % at 549 million euros as most of AEGONs businesses reported an increase for the quarter. The figures shows that AEGONs cost measures saved 250 million euros last year well ahead of the companys target of 150 million euros and released another 800 million euros in capital in the last quarter. AEGONs excess capital now totals 3.7 billion euros an important buffer given current uncertain market conditions. The companys earnings were also boosted by gains from investments and the lowest quarterly write-downs since the middle of 2008 a further sign of improving market conditions. In a statement CEO Alex Wynaendts said the companys measures had delivered solid results a return to profit reduced expenses and continued customer confidence. Wynaendts however warned that the business environment remains uncertain and said AEGON would not be declaring a dividend for common shareholders since write-downs over the past year had lowered the companys cash flows. Wynaendts said that as market conditions gradually improve the companys strategy will continue to reinforce AEGONs strong position.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99519.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99520.php Cashing upon the further stability of Australian dollar AD against USD and the weakening of the USDs dominant position the Luxembourg-based bank KBL Kredietbank Luxembourg recently announced the launch of a money-market sub-fund in AUD KBL EPB Monetary Fund AUD which aims to produce a positive yield in AUD giving you a return close to that of the AUD money market. Assets denominated in AUD are invested mainly in cash including regularly traded money market instruments. The average duration of assets in the portfolio may not be more than one year and the residual duration of each investment three years. The sub-fund is aimed at investors wishing to invest in a diversified AUD-denominated portfolio comprising top quality very liquid cash instruments. The KBL EPB Monetary Fund AUD sub-fund will be up to 100% invested in money-market deposits. These deposits will be with internationally known and first class counterparties. Their terms will be spread to ensure diversification on maturity. A maximum of 30 % of the assets may be lent to a counterparty to diversify debtors. The Australian dollar is more stable than the US dollar and fluctuates in a narrower range spreads are respectively 6.4 % and 15 % between 1995 and 2009 . Australian money-market rates RBA are structurally superior to European and US rates offering a substantial carry trade . On the other hand the RBA has already begun to raise its rates with three hikes 3 % to 3.75 % . Australia is the worlds 14th economy with solid economic fundamentals: low indebtedness sustained and stable economic growth and stable inflation at around 3 %.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99520.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99521.php The general meeting of Assuralia the trade association of Belgian insurance companies elected Fortis CEO Bart De Smet as its chairman for a two-year term. The Board of Directors congratulates Bart De Smet on this appointment. Jozef De Mey Chairman of the Fortis Board of Directors commented: Bart De Smet is an experienced top manager who has devoted his entire career to the insurance business. The Board of Directors views this appointment as confirmation that Bart De Smet is the right man in the right place to continue Fortiss development as an international insurance group.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99521.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99522.php Early last week KBC a large employer in Belgium and Central and Eastern Europe sold its US reverse mortgage portfolio previously held by a subsidiary of KBC Financial Products. While reducing KBCs risk profile the financial impact of the transaction remains limited and will free up liquidity resources of $0.8 billion. On 18 November 2009 KBC presented its updated strategic plan and detailed the direction KBC aims to take in the years to come. KBC is focusing on retail and private banking customers and small and medium sized enterprises in its core markets in Belgium and Central and Eastern Europe.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99522.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99523.php On the initiative of Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen the Netherlands Belgium Germany Luxembourg and Norway have asked NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen to put non-proliferation nuclear disarmament and arms control on the NATO agenda. Verhagen thinks the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Estonia at the end of April will provide an excellent chance for serious talks about the usefulness necessity and role of NATOs nuclear capability. In consultation with our NATO allies the Netherlands would like to consider ways of ridding the world of nuclear weapons the Dutch foreign minister was quoted as saying on February 26. Disarmament is a complex matter that requires wisdom and sound policy. We cannot just say from now on count us out.  ... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99523.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99524.php The Luxembourg Stock Exchange welcomed Luxembourgs members of the European parliament on 26 February 2010. During the meeting officials of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange presented the main activities of the company especially in the field of the listing of securities in which the Exchange occupies a leading position. The meeting was also the occasion to discuss opportunities and challenges that the Luxembourg Stock Exchange is facing as a participant of the Luxembourg financial centre particularly in terms of regulation. The current crisis and its implications for future capital markets were extensively discussed at the meeting as well.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99524.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99525.php The European Commission has sent a Statement of Objections SO to the Polish telecoms incumbent operator - Telekomunikacja Polska S.A. TP . The SO outlines the Commissions preliminary view that TP has abused its dominant position by refusing to supply remunerated access to its wholesale broadband services. On 17 April 2009 the Commission initiated proceedings following indications that Telekomunikacja Polska was abusing its dominant position in the Polish wholesale broadband services market. Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union prohibits abuses of dominant positions. In the SO the Commission outlines its preliminary conclusion that TP has refused to supply remunerated access to its network at various stages of the process. Access to TPs wholesale broadband services is crucial for alternative operators wishing to provide retail services to end-users in Poland. As a result of TPs conduct they have had to undergo a lengthy and burdensome process to access the network of the Polish incumbent operator. Alternative operators were faced with delaying tactics and unreasonable conditions among others and TP also refused to provide the information they needed to be able to make sound business decisions and operate efficiently. This has hindered the development of the broadband retail market in Poland. The telecommunications market was fully open to competition in 2002 in the EU and since accession in 2004 in Poland. Under the liberalization and competition rules new market entrants so-called alternative operators - may need to have access against remuneration to the network and services of the incumbent operator. Market opening and competition allow greater choice of services and more competitive prices for consumers as well as the creation of more companies and job opportunities. TP has eight weeks to reply to the SO and will then have the right to be heard in an Oral Hearing. If the preliminary views expressed in the SO are confirmed the Commission will require TP to cease the abuse and may impose a fine.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99525.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99526.php Hungarian telecoms group Magyar Telekom is in talks to take over Romanias Siveco in a bid to further enhance its IT services Portfolio Hungary reported on 1 March.  High language and IT skills coupled with low costs makes Romania a new haven for outsourcing such as call centres help desks IT and payroll sources said. The article also mentions software developer customiser and integrator Siveco Romania with the author mentioning almost like a by the way issue that Hungarys Magyar Telekom has set its eyes on the company and is currently in negotiations to take it over. Sivecos marketing and communication manager however denied the deal was in play. When asked whether the software provider is in sale discussion with other companies Anca Crahmaliuc said: I do not have such information. Siveco posted 49 million euros revenues in 2009 down from 66.55 million euros in 2008 according to its website. For 2010 Sivecos management expects a 25 % increase in turnover. According to an International Data Corp IDC study Siveco Romania had a 21.2 % share of the EAS Enterprise Application Software local market in 2008 being the leader of the Romanian houses suppliers of business solutions and 8.9 % of the IT services local market. Siveco Romania is owned by Siveco Netherlanden BV 42.2 % Intel Capital Corporation 10 % Enterprise Investors 22.5 % and management of Siveco Romania 25.3 % . From Magyar Telekoms perspective Siveco appears to be a juicy bite given one of MTels key strategic goals is to boost its presence in the IT sector. And Siveco boasts very nice positions on its home turf in this segment.  ... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99526.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99527.php Telefonica O2 Czech Republic T-O2 the Czech unit of the Spanish telecommunications major recently indicated that a handset deal with US based handset maker Palm Inc was likely. Local media said citing a company spokesman that T-O2 was still interested in adding Palm Pre a touch-screen cellular phone to its local offering. The cell phone model Palm Pre is an interesting product and it would fit into our portfolio Martin Zabka was quoted as having said. The indication came as a healthy back-up for the troubled US company as it recently issued a profit warning that its sales for fiscal third quarter would fall below company expectations. Palm has been slow in bringing its Palm Pre smartphone model which offers features such as Internet browsing e-mail and third-party applications to markets outside North America. In Europe Telefonica is currently selling Palm Pre in Spain and through its O2 mobile units in the UK and Germany. Earlier in February SFR launched Palm Pre sales in France. Paris-based Vivendi SA owns 56% of SFR with Vodafone Group PLC holding 44%. However for Czech Republic it was altogether a new story according to the T-O2 spokesman. Although other Telefonicas O2 units are selling Palm Pre elsewhere in Europe its always necessary to get a separate contract with Palm for each new country Zabka said adding that the decision was up to Palm. Wed certainly love to have the phone he said.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99527.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99528.php The executive body of the European Union the European Commission recently confirmed that it was launching a probe on the 94 million euros government loan given to Czech Airlines. The commission would investigate whether the money was granted as illegal state subsidy going against the EU norms an EC statement revealed. The loan was granted to the airline by the state-owned entity Osinek AS in April 2009. It was initially backed by some of the airlines assets but the Czech government subsequently decided to free up the assets to allow the airline to use the collateral to secure other commercial loans and continue to operate the commission noted. At this stage the commission considers that these measures favoring the airline may constitute an illegal government subsidy giving it an advantage over its European competitors it said. During the in-depth investigation the commission would look in detail at the exact nature and conditions of these measures in particular whether a private investor would have acted in the same way as the Czech government... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99528.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99529.php The Hungarian unit of Austrian retail chain Spar generated consolidated sales of HUF 397.3 billion in 2009 up 6.2 % year on year. According to the parent companys data Spar Hungary posted 1.47 billion Euro turnover last year 4.7 % more in Euro terms than in the base period Portfolio Hungary reported on March 2. Spar Group aims to increase its market share from slightly above 14 % to over 15 % this year Peter Feiner managing director of the Hungarian arm said. Spar acquired 177 Plus stores in July 2008 and has completed their integration in 2009 at an expense of several hundreds of millions of forints Feiner said. This process will continue in 2010 with costs expected to be largely on the same level he added. Spar Hungary whose parent is the Amsterdam-based Spar holding founded in 1932 operates 367 supermarkets and 31 hypermarkets in Hungary and plans to open three to five supermarkets and one Interspar hypermarket this year. The ratio of Hungarian products is 78-80 % at the local Spar units while the national average is around 70 %. Spars own brands take up 21 % of its total offering.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99529.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99530.php Capital Intelligence CI the international credit rating agency announced that it has affirmed PKO Bank Polski PKO BP s foreign currency long-term rating at A- its short term rating at A2 and its financial strength rating at BBB+ early last week. All ratings carry a Stable outlook. The additional capital raised through the Banks October 2009 rights issue will enable PKO BP to effectively address asset quality issues and finance further expansion. CI amends the support factor to 1 from 2 reflecting the very strong likelihood of official support if required as recently demonstrated by the Polish state taking up its full entitlement in the Q4 2009 rights issue. The Polish economy has remained relatively resilient by comparison with those of some neighbouring countries which had to resort to IMF emergency funding facilities.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99530.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99531.php Swedens GDP declined by 1.5 % in the fourth quarter making 2009 the worst year for growth since World War II according to a new report from Statistics Sweden SCB The Local reported on March 1. Swedens GDP fell by 4.9 % for the full year 2009 in comparison with 2008. The development in the fourth quarter was significantly below expectations with a survey of analysts forecasting a drop of only 0.1% in the period. Household consumption increased by 1.8% while general government consumption expenditure climbed by 2.1%. A weak figure. But I do not think that it changes the picture in any dramatic way. It is primarily inventories and investments that have been surprisingly negative said Henrik Mitelman at SEB Merchant Banking. Mitelman forecast that the tide would turn for Swedish GDP in the first or second quarter 2010. Both exports and imports decreased by 5.7% while industrial production decreased by 2.3%. Total goods production decreased by six percent and service sector industries by 0.1 percent the SCB statistics showed. Total employment measured as the number of hours worked decreased by 2.4% while the numbers of employed decreased by 2.1%. Stefan Hornell at Handelsbanken also expressed surprise over the report. The figures are weaker than we had expected especially private consumption he said. Hornell added that the figures could impact Riksbankens base interest rate policy.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99531.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99532.php The tax on electric vehicles will remain zero Danish crowns up to and including 2015. The decision to suspend the tax increase has just been made by the Danish government and is very important for Denmarks possibilities as a green nation Copenhagen Capacity reported on 1 March. The Renault importer is very pleased. Denmark became the first European country to offer consumers a Renault electric car which should already be available next summer.  But part of the governments decision also entails a gradual decrease of the tax exemption after 2015. Danish Director of Renault Henrik Bang also finds to be a perfectly logical step with the decision. New technology is expensive at first. But it is just a matter of time before it can compete with more traditional technologies. And electric vehicles are no exemption. Renault will produce several hundreds of thousands electric cars per year. Initially an electric car may be almost twice as expensive to produce compared to a conventional car but eventually the difference in costs will level itself out. And I think that the time horizon set out by the government is sufficient said Bang.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99532.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99533.php Finlands Supreme Administrative Court upheld the Helsinki administrative courts dismissal of complaints early last week against two local councils statements in favour of new nuclear stations in Loviisa in southern Finland News room Finland reported. Finnish utility Fortum is planning building what would be its third nuclear power station in Loviisa. The court ruled that the Loviisa and Ruotsinpyhtaa councils statements on Fortums and Fennovoimas plans remained valid even though the two councils merged this year. Fennovoima announced in December last year it had eliminated Ruotsinpyhtaa as a potential nuclear power station site narrowing its choice to Pyhajoki and Simo. Matti Vanhanen the Prime Minister responded to the court ruling by saying it meant Parliament could take a decision on the nuclear power station permit applications by June.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99533.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99534.php The Council of Europes Group of States against Corruption GRECO published their Third Round Evaluation Report on Denmark where they recommended more severe penal sanctions for corruption offences and further transparency in party funding among other measures a statement from the Council said. The report focuses on two distinct themes: criminalization of corruption and transparency of party funding and addresses 14 recommendations to Denmark. GRECO assesses the implementation of these recommendations in early 2011. Regarding the criminalization of corruption overall Danish criminal legislation complies with the standards of the Council of Europe Criminal Law Convention on Corruption and its Additional Protocol. However the offence of trading in influence is not criminalized as such and the bribery provisions are not always as explicit as required by the Convention. GRECO considers that the penal sanctions for corruption offences are generally low. It recommends the authorities to consider criminalising trading in influence and to increase the criminal sanctions for bribery offences. GRECO also recommends that Denmark improves its possibilities to prosecute corruption abroad and that it gives high priority to the introduction of criminal legislation against corruption in conformity with the Convention also in Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Concerning transparency of party funding GRECO acknowledges that the electoral system in Denmark is dominated by few political parties and that political funding is to a large degree funded by public means. GRECO appreciates that the existing legal framework concerning political financing has been amended in recent years to provide for more transparency; for example by publishing party accounts.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99534.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99535.php Finnish bus commuters faced disrupted services starting on March 2 when members of the Transport Workers Union AKT set a strike following failed wage mediation efforts. The industrial action affects two-thirds of regional bus links and a similar portion of the bus services in the capital Helsinki operated by private transport companies. Other areas impacted by the strike include fuel transports - including to petrol stations and airlines - as well as garbage collection and in a few days supermarkets expect fruit and dairy products to be in short supply. Some 12 000 members of the AKT union were to join the strike. Bus services operated by municipalities were not to be affected. In the Helsinki area the metro trams and commuter trains were also not impacted. Taxi companies said they planned to mobilize all available drivers and advised potential customers to telephone taxi stands or pre-book rides. The Employers Federation of Road Transport ALT has said the unions wage demands were too high while the AKT union rejected the national conciliators bid. The employers said the bid would give wage increases of two to three % during a two-year period while the transport workers union said the rise was some 0.30 % in the first year. Finlands nationwide bus coach and lorry drivers strike was expected to affect aircraft refuelling causing delays and some cancellations Finnish flag carrier Finnair said early last week. Finnair added that domestic and short-haul services would be affected more than long-haul and charter flights.  ... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99535.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99536.php As the most severe winter for a century finally retreats from Riga preparations are already underway for a highlight of the spring season: the Latvian capitals annual Blonde Parade. On May 29 blondes of all shapes and sizes will parade through Riga as part of the citys deeply unpolitically-correct annual Go Blonde festival which starts on May 28. The 2009 inaugural event was conceived to uplift the public mood during the Baltic states severe economic crisis. Tourists in Riga were left open-mouthed as hundreds of leggy blondes dressed in pink - some accompanied by blonde men and children - paraded through the streets of the medieval old town. The festival proved to be a huge hit with media worldwide. Germanys TV1 produced a documentary about the organisers the Latvian Association of Blondes and features appeared in famous titles such as Marie Claire and Grazia. Such was the level interest generated that this years parade is expected to involve tens of thousands of blondes organisers hope. The plan for 2010 is to capitalise on last years exposure and give a boost to Latvias recession-hit tourism industry. Marika Gederte president of the Latvian Association of Blondes came up with the original idea and has high hopes that this years Go Blonde event will be bigger and better. Frankly speaking I didnt expect such a response from media all over the world Gederte told the German Press Agency dpa. Blondes in Latvia are a unique brand she said. Go Blonde will soon be as important a project for Latvia as the carnivals in Brazil and Italy which are of great interest to thousands of tourists. Latvias national airline airBaltic is enthusiastic attempting to lure tourists to Riga by advertising the greatest blonde party the world has ever seen featuring a crowd of blindingly beautiful attendees.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99536.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99537.php The Lithuanian statistical office Statistics Lithuania recently published an upwardly revised estimate of the countrys fourth quarter gross domestic product GDP . According to the revised data in the last three months of 2009 GDP at current prices amounted to 23 801.4 million litas and against the same period in 2008 dropped by 12.8 % while against the third quarter by 4.6 %. The previously published first GDP estimate for the fourth quarter amounted to 23 billion litas a 13 % plummet year-on-year while against the previous quarter of 2009 the figure was down by 4.9 %. Explaining the change the statistics office said that the last count included recent and more comprehensive business and price statistics as also it additionally estimated GDP components by production expenditure and income approaches. Although the GDP estimate for the fourth quarter had been revised the annual GDP growth rate estimate remained almost unchanged -15 % ; nominal GDP in 2009 was estimated at 92.35 billion litas against the previously announced 92.45 billion. Based on provisional data in the final three months negative results were observed for all business activities and non-market services the data showed. The hugest drop in the value added was observed in construction 43.2 % trade transport and communication 13.2 % financial intermediation real estate and other business services 11.6 % industry and energy 8.7 % .... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99537.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99538.php The Estonian central bank Eesti Pank released an upbeat assessment on March 3 of the Baltic states chances of become the 17th member of the Eurozone next year. In its latest economic policy statement the bank said Estonia is expected to meet all the Maastricht criteria by the spring assessment and to join the Euro area in 2011. Bigger-than-expected tax revenues at the end of 2009 should keep Estonias budget deficit within than the 3 % of GDP limit specified by the Maastricht rules governing Euro adoption the bank said. Eesti Panks assessment is that fiscal deficit remained clearly below 3 % it said. Officials from the European Central Bank and European Commission are due to scrutinize Estonias Euro credentials in April and May before recommending whether or not it will be allowed to ditch its currency the kroon and adopt the Euro from January 1 2011. A research paper released by Deutsche Bank Research on February 26 said that Estonia was a long way ahead of other candidates and has a good chance of becoming the 17th country to join the Eurozone. But Tallinn fears that the economic crisis in Greece - which already uses the Euro may make existing Eurozone members reluctant to admit a new member particularly one that witnessed a 14 % contraction in its economy in 2009. To counter any suggestion that Estonia should wait a little longer officials were already stepping up efforts to prove they have earned the right to enter the Eurozone after introducing a range of hard-hitting austerity measures including wage reductions and tax hikes.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99538.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99539.php The Export-Import Bank of the US recently agreed to provide a $20 million loan guarantee to back the sale of GE Energys LM6000 Aeroderivative gas turbine generator set for a power plant in Povazska Bystrica Slovakia. It marked the first long-term financing of US exports to Slovakia. The buyer of the generator Istroenergo Group AS a Slovakian engineering and construction firm would transfer the equipment to end-user Teplaren AS a subsidiary of Grafobal Group Energy. It is Ex-Im Banks first transaction with the Grafobal Group a holding company involved in the energy media printing and packaging businesses. Teplaren will use the equipment to modernize its existing central heating system to a combined heat and power station able to supply up to 60 megawatts of electricity and heat approximately 8 000 households in the town of Povazska Bystrica the Ex-Im Bank reported in a statement. This transaction can lead to more opportunities for US capital-equipment and energy companies to successfully compete in Slovakia and other growing Central and Eastern European markets noted Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg in the statement. It will sustain US jobs and can help Slovakia meet power needs he added.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99539.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99540.php The Confederation of Lithuanian Industrialists recently inked a protocol with the Independent Industrialists Businessmens Association Musiad of Turkey aimed at establishing a joint chamber of commerce to facilitate bilateral business local media reports revealed. The decision was made during a recent visit by members of the Musiad to Lithuania Latvia and Estonia with the aim of boosting trade volumes with these three countries. Turkey-Lithuania trade volume was $ 110.9 million in the first nine months of 2009 with a decrease of 37.4 % from $ 177.2 million in the same period 2008. Turkey and Lithuania signed an agreement to encourage investments mutually in 1994 and another agreement to prevent double taxation in 1998.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99540.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99541.php Wages in Latvia shrank by 12 % in the fourth quarter of 2009 according to data published on March 2. Latvias unemployment level is already the highest in the EU at nearly 23 %. The government of Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis has been in power for nearly a year and has used wage cuts and layoffs to try and streamline the economy following a decade long boom that saw wages soar by up to 30 % a year. Average monthly gross wages and salaries comprised 440 lats USD 838 down 12.1 % on the same period in 2008 and down 3.5 % on figures for the preceding quarter of 2009 the data showed. Though both public and private sectors have witnessed wage reductions the biggest pay cuts have been seen among government employees who have seen wages slashed as part of a government austerity plan. As a result of wage and salary optimisation and abolition of bonuses and holiday allowances in state and local government institutions monthly average gross wages and salaries in the public sector diminished by 23.7 % said .  ... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99541.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99542.php Estonias industrial output increased a working day adjusted 0.3 % year-on-year in January compared to the 10.7 % fall in the previous month the Statistics Estonia announced on March 3. Manufacturing output fell 2.8 % on an annual basis in January while mining output rose 0.6 %. Energy production was up 24.3 %.On a monthly basis industrial output climbed a seasonally adjusted 4.5 % in January while manufacturing output grew 2.3 %. On an unadjusted basis industrial output decreased 2.4 % year-on-year in January compared to the 8.3 % fall in the previous month.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99542.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99543.php AF AB a Swedish technical consultancy recently bagged a major Lithuanian contract. As part of the deal the company would provide complete engineering and project management services for a new combined heat and power CHP plant of Finnish energy company Fortum Oyj in Lithuania. The exact value of the contract was not revealed but local reports indicated that it would be several million Euro. The plant to be located in Klaipeda on the northern Baltic coast will be the first waste-to-energy plant in Lithuania. After it becomes operational in January 2013 the plant is expected to generate 50 MW of district heating and 20 MW of electricity for the Klaipeda municipality.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99543.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99544.php The consensus coalition that Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou thought he had forged earlier this year to get unanimity even from his political opponents in fighting the countrys record deficit has rapidly unraveled. After a third round of austerity measures to cut and freeze wages raise taxes and freeze pension benefits were announced the opposing parties to Papandreous ruling PASOK came out swinging in defiance to the measures. The new leader of the main opposition and former ruling party Antonis Samaras of New Democracy the measures are not a salvation mixture for the economy but paralyze it and injure the social fabric. He sharply criticized the government stressing that the ruling PASOKs handlings over the past five months brought us above all to the threshold of bankruptcy what it did and mainly what it did not do adding that this is the responsibility of todays PASOK that it cannot transfer to others. He added that the countrys problems are very serious and all the parties that ruled and of course New Democracy as well have a longstanding responsibility. When Papandreou took office last October he said he quickly found out that the economic problems were severe and blamed New Democracy for them but Samaras said while he acknowledged his party had made mistakes and paid for them today it has turned page I am not apologizing for anyone I am looking at the future. The problem is the prime ministers who instead of looking at the future is dealing only with yesterday. He said if Papandreou had taken the measures earlier they would have been milder less painful and would not be imposed by the European Union auditors while claiming that until now borrowing with increased interest rates has cost Greece about 300 million euros. He assessed that the measures will aggravate recession because 25 to 30% of the purchasing power of households will be lost and that if measures to boost the economy are not taken immediately the government will be obliged to take new decisions that will be painful for the people.The ND leader said what is needed is a different policy mixture of policy for us to exit from the crisis and public extravagance must be curbed stressing that ND rejected the Value Added Tax VAT increase hikes in taxes for gas and eliminating a months annual bonus higher fuel taxes and the cutting of the 14th salary Greek workers get. He proposed instead higher taxes for taxation for tobacco and alcohol luxury products an increase in revenues from the utilization of the public sectors property and greater cutbacks in the states operational expenditures. Samaras emphasized that for us the red line is the protection of the low wage earners and the low pensioners and support for the middle class with measures that give breathers to the market. He proposed as being in a positive direction a bolder restriction of public extravagance the boosting of the market the taking of measures for the repatriation of capital from abroad as well as the utilization of the countrys comparative advantages in tourism and shipping. Left blast Right support Other criticism came from Coalition of the Radical Left SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras the Communist KKE party but Right-Wing LAOS party leader George Karatzaferis said Greeks had no choice but to embrace the plan and sacrifice. Karatzaferis accused the countrys political leadership trade union leaders and the public figures in general of failing for years to meet the challenges presented while adding that individual patriotism should set aside any personal benefits to have the countrys badly hurt prestige restored. He also said that the measures announced should have been taken sooner and stressed that the government should not have waited for the last minute to take action. Tsipras said the new measures were pushing the Greek society and its gains into the fire. The Greek government decided to surrender the Greek society and its conquests to the pyre Tsipras said in Brussels where he was attending a meeting of the European United Left-Nordic Green Alliances GUE/NGL European Parliament group. However what the government appears to be open-handedly giving to the speculators does not belong to it but to the Greek working people and which were achieved with struggles and sacrifices in the last decades he added. The Communists called on workers to join in a struggle to force the government to take back the economic measures it has announced saying that developments had borne out its predictions of the coming storm against workers. This storm in now underway. The war launched by the government and the European Union against the people with the consent of New Democracy and the Popular Orthodox Rally LAOS is being waged on behalf of the Greek and European plutocracy. Also under the same attack are the peoples of Europe and more generally a KKE announcement said. The partys announcement said that the working classes had a responsibility and a duty to reject the terrorist dilemmas and lies of the government the EU and plutocracy and to rise up. Patriotism is the struggle to stop the people becoming impoverished. Everyone must take to the street and join the struggle to stop the new savage taxation in VAT and fuel the drastic reduction of wages and pensions. We must avert the slaughter of the Easter/Christmas bonuses and the holiday benefit. KKE asserted that it was a lie that the cut in these bonuses would only be in the public sector saying that the ultimate target was to do away with them entirely in both the private and public sectors. We must stop the dismantling of social insurance and pensions the facilitating of lay-offs and the abolition of collective agreements measures that are ready and will form the next wave of the attack the party announcement continued warning that the measures were not temporary nor the last ones and that similar inroads into social gains will continue and become ever more savage unless these measures came up against a strong popular reaction right now.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99544.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99545.php The Bank of Cyprus Group achieved the target for 2009 with profit after tax reaching 313 million euros. Profit before provisions for 2009 reached 612 million euros recording a decrease of only 6% from 2008 despite the adverse economic conditions and intense competition. Net interest income and commissions for 2009 reached 1.091 million euros compared to 1.010 million euros for 2008 recording an annual increase of 8% which the banks said confirmed its ability to achieve high recurring income even under adverse economic conditions noting that that net interest income increased by 7% reaching 848 million euros in 2009. The groups net interest margin reached 2.39% for 2009 compared to 2.52% for 2008 while net interest margin improved significantly during 2009 reaching 2.51% in the fourth quarter 2009 versus the low of 2.13% in the first quarter 2009. The bank said it had a strong liquidity position with a loans-to-deposits ratio of 90%. It enjoys strong liquidity in the two main geographic markets in which it operates with loans to deposits ratios in Cyprus and Greece of 83% and 87% respectively.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99545.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99546.php The head of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament Martin Schulz of Germany came to Cyprus to tell President Demetris Christofias that Cyprus has the full support of his members. Speaking to journalists after the meeting Schulz said that he had an excellent meeting with the President and added that I gave President Christofias the full support of the Socialists in Europe to go ahead with the negotiations. We are behind him and we think that the Cyprus problem is one of the last big unsolved problems in the world and especially in the EU and we need a solution. It is important that the President of the Republic of Cyprus knows that in the European Parliament the Social Democratic Group is completely behind this strategy and behind the line of the President. On the Cyprus Socialist party EDEK´s decision to withdraw from the government Schulz said he fully respects the decisions of EDEK and the full sovereignty of the party in the country but the country is a part of the EU and I as a group leader in the European Parliament must deal with the decisions here in the country. And that was the reason why we have an exchange of views. I have my position and I have to respect the position of EDEK.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99546.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99547.php The Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations Minas A. Hadjimichael has strongly protested what he said were continued violations of the international air traffic regulations and the national airspace of Cyprus by military aircraft of the Turkish Air Force recorded from 4 December 2009 to 29 January 2010. He told Turkey to stop doing it and said the actions should be included in the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations operation in Cyprus according to Cypriot government sources. He said what he called Turkeys policy of non-observance of rules and regulations governing international aviation continues to gravely jeopardize flight safety and perpetuate insecurity and apprehension on the island and that what he alleged were Turkeys systematic attempts to undermine the sovereignty and unity of Cyprus by promoting an illegal secessionist entity the right to control part of the airspace of the Republic of Cyprus further complicate the efforts to build trust and confidence between the two communities.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99547.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99548.php Romanias telecom operator Romtelecom said previous Saturday it had urged several of its business partners to hire some of its 600 employees who will be laid off in May Romanian Times reported on 1 March. About 400 employees were transferred to Ericsson Romania in January following a five-year partnership agreement between the two companies. Romtelecom said sacked employees would receive severance payments worth double the amount provided for in the collective labor contract adding payments could amount to as much as 14 000 Euro depending on seniority. Unionists at Romtelecom majority owned by Greeces OTE protested for two hours in front of the companys headquarters on February 27 disgruntled with its plan to sack 600 employees in early May. Romtelecom employees began protests two weeks ago and picketed the companys regional offices countrywide. Romtelecom which operates approximately three million phone lines in Romania had a few more than 10 000 employees at the end of 2009.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99548.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99549.php While Greece is hoping to rein in its massive deficit with a combination of spending cuts and tax hikes Bulgarian officials are anxious that austerity measures in its neighboring country could reach Greek-owned Bulgarian banks and drain them of their resources although bank officials said that wont happen. In Sofia Bulgarian National Bank Vice-Governor Roumen Simeonov said in an interview with Bulgarian-language mass-circulation daily 24 Chassa that the crisis in Greece and its banking system bore no risks to Bulgaria the Sofia Echo reported and he said he believed that the country could actually benefit by attracting more business. He said that as Greece cuts salaries limit state subsidies and increase taxes the business climate in Bulgaria could look better from the point of view of taxes and interest rates on deposits and get investors more interested in a country without Greeces crushing problems and lower wages. Greek parent banks were more net contributors to their Bulgarian subsidiaries than net withdrawers he said. Bulgarias banking system is stable according to Simeonov. Meanwhile the financial daily Pari quoted by Focus said that managers of Greek banks and BNB officials had said that there had been no cash leakage from Bulgaria to foreign financial institutions. Piraeus Bank Bulgaria said that Piraeus Group had made a strategic decision to keep its profits in Bulgaria and use it for capital increases and further development on the local market. The bank said it made a net profit of 45.9 million leva 23.46 million euros for 2009 a bank statement said adding that it experienced strong in all areas of business reinforcing its relatively strong position despite the economic downturn in the country. The banks statement cames two days after it was announced that Bulgarias Finance Minister Simeon Dyankov had requested additional technical assistance from the European financial institutions on whether there was liquidity drain to Greece from Greek banks operating on the Bulgarian banking market. Prime Minister Boyko Borisov told news agency Reuters that Bulgarian banks had taken steps to prevent Greek banks from withdrawing liquidity from their Bulgarian subsidiaries. Officials from Greek banks operating in Bulgaria told Bulgarian-language Dnevnik there was no liquidity outflow. Theres no such outflow of deposits from Postbank to our main shareholder EFG Eurobank Postbank Executive Director Assen Yagodin told Dnevnik. At the end of last year the Greek-owned Bulgarian lenders - United Bulgarian Bank UBB Postbank Piraeus Bank Bulgaria Emporiki Bank Bulgaria and Alpha Bank Sofia Branch - had assets of about 20.5 billion leva 10.48 billion euros which represented 29% of the sectors total. Despite the difficulties in world and regional economies Piraeus Bank Bulgaria managed to maintain and enhance its market position as by far one of the best performing banks in the country in this respect Piraeus Bank Bulgaria Chief Executive Athanasios Koutsopoulos said. Total assets of the bank stood at 3.6 billion leva 1.84 billion euros at year-end confirming the position of one of the leading financial institutions among top 10 commercial banks in Bulgaria the statement said. Deposits grew by 3% reaching 1.3 billion leva 664.6 million euros with the biggest growth being in the retail area where the newly-attracted funds reached 144 million leva 73.6 million euros and net interest income was 135 million leva 69 million euros. Network expansion continued in 2009 with the opening of seven new branches and two dedicated Business Centers in Sofia and Varna on the Black Sea. The total network of the bank now reached 101 branches nationwide covering all strategic towns. The banks key performance indicators remained stable and well above the market average the statement said. Non-performing loans at the end of 2009 rose to 2.4% compared to 1.1% at the end of 2008. Return on equity stood at 9.4% at the year end return on assets was 1.2% and the cost/income ratio decreased to 42.9%. The net profit of the bank and the decrease of total assets are mainly due to securitisation of assets outside of the country and when added the result of Piraeus Bank Bulgaria changes to 56.9 million leva. Piraeus Bank will definitely be among the leading banks in Bulgaria towards the exit of the crisis Koutsopoulos said.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99549.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99550.php Former Formula 1 champion Niki Lauda will visit Bucharest in two weeks to officially inaugurate Bucharest-Vienna flights by his discount airline FlyNiki it emerged on March 2 Romanian Times reported. Lauda will meet with the local press on 16 March at the Austrian embassy in the Romanian capital. FlyNikis Bucharest-Vienna flights began on February 1 from international airport Henri Coanda in Bucharest. There are six flights a week with none on Saturdays airport officials said. Lauda launched FlyNiki in 2003.  ... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99550.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99551.php Romanian beer producer InBev Romania has announced the change of its name to Bergenbier SA the name of one of its popular beer brands in Romania Romanian Times reported on March 1. The company will keep its organizational structure business and products the company said. The decision to change its name comes after the companys exit from the Anheuser-Busch InBev Group in December last year when CVC Capital Partners investment fund acquired all its operations in nine countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Bergenbier SA will be part of the newly-created StarBev Group. Bergenbier SA has two breweries in Ploiesti si Blaj and more than 730 employees.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99551.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99552.php The newly-elected President 37-year-old former prosecutor defeated the leader of the Social Democratic Party to become the opposition partys new leader early last week. Victor Ponta beat Mircea Geoana in a 856-781 vote that was completed in the last month following a tense party congress that began the day before. Geoana lost to President Traian Basescu in December presidential elections. He had been expected to easily win re-election. Ponta is a protégé of former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase. And was first elected to the Romanian Parliament in 2004. He will be visiting the European Parliament and other high ranking stakeholders on his first official trip.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99552.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99553.php The woes of the administer of former prime minister Sergei Stanishev are starting to mount around a series of scandal-starred accusations now with allegations by prosecutors that former defense minister Nikolai Tsonev improperly approved a deal to buy an UBM metal construction production line even though the budget made no provision for the purchase. The request for the purchase of the production line came from General Zlatan Stoykov the former chief of staff of the Bulgarian army officials said and the Defence Ministry budget had to pay a total of 8 025 825 leva 4.1 million euros for the production line although there was no economic logic for such a move an indictment against Tsonev read.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99553.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99554.php Norwegian aluminium producer Hydro has discontinued production and closed the doors at its aluminium tubing plant in Michigan ending 70 years of manufacturing operations at the Adrian site Norway Post reported on 1 March. Activities related to the closure which Hydro announced last March included the transfer of products and manufacturing equipment from the Adrian plant to Hydros two other aluminium tubing sites in North America in Florida and in Mexico. The Adrian plant made its final product deliveries previous week. Hydro has donated the property to the local township for future development. Hydro acquired the plant from Bohn in August 1990. Demolition work and clean-up operations will begin immediately with as much of the waste as possible being recycled. Plant manager Greg Hall who is leading the process says he expects these activities to last through September 2010. Hydro is a global leader in the development of aluminium solutions for automotive and non-automotive heat transfer applications including air-conditioning systems. Its precision tubing unit has about 1 200 employees at manufacturing facilities in Asia Europe North America and South America.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99554.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99555.php The City of Reykjavik has established a fund of $1.2 million to stimulate the local employment market. The largest part $800 000 million will be used for projects that are undertaken in cooperation with the Directorate of Labor Iceland Review reported on 1 March. These projects include vocational training innovation projects a special employment reinforcement initiative and experimental hiring of unemployed individuals who will be able to work for the City of Reykjavík for 2-6 months. The remaining amount will be used for the benefit of special groups. We are looking at the effect of unemployment on many groups. The young people for example we are very concerned about them said Oddny Sturludottir chairperson of the Reykjavik City Employment Affairs Council. Therefore we are putting some amount in a special fund for young people Sturludottir added. It is both intended for employment creation for their benefit and to support projects. It was advertised publicly and everyone can apply for funding young people individuals organizations and city institutions. Sturludottir explained that there is also a group of people who dont qualify for unemployment benefits but are instead given financial support from Reykjavík City. 20 million Icelandic crowns will be used to stimulate their employment prospects and welfare. Also part of the fund is especially intended for innovation projects for students and for workers with disabilities. There will be disbursements from the fund a few times a year and the first disbursement will be made shortly; applications for funding must be handed in by March 1 June 1 and September 1.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99555.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99556.php The Georg Fischer engineering group has announced that sales last year fell by more than a third as the global economic crisis had a far-reaching impact Swiss info reported on March 2. Sales fell by 35 % to 2.91billion Swiss Francs $2.69 billion resulting in a net loss of 238 million Francs compared with a net profit of 69 million in 2008. The AgieCharmilles division which provides machines and services to the tool and mould making industry was the hardest hit while the automotive business unit was also seriously affected in the first half the Schaffhausen-based company reported on 2 March. The downturn which affected these two divisions was the worst in 70 years a statement added. Georg Fischers Piping Systems unit was less affected and managed to limit the sales drop to 13 %. The board of directors is proposing to the annual shareholders meeting taking place later in March to forgo any dividend owing to the loss and uncertain market conditions. At the end of 2009 staff had been reduced by 1 845 in line with the companys restructuring plans calling for a reduction of 2 300 employees by mid 2010.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99556.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99557.php FMC Technologies Inc has announced that it has signed an agreement with Total Exploration and Production Angola for the manufacture and supply of subsea production equipment. The award is valued at around USD 65 million Norway Post reported on March 1. The equipment will support Total Angolas Block 17 development located offshore Angola West Africa. FMCs scope of supply includes the manufacture of subsea trees controls and associated equipment. The systems will be manufactured and assembled at FMCs facilities in Dunfermline Scotland; Kongsberg Norway; and Luanda Angola. FMC has supported a number of Totals projects in Block 17 including Girassol Rosa and Pazflor said Tore Halvorsen FMCs Senior Vice President of Global Subsea Production Systems and we are pleased to continue our support of their deepwater efforts with todays announcement.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99557.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99558.php Kühne Nagel one of the worlds largest logistics companies has posted a 20 % drop in net profit for 2009 following a global slump in the industry Swiss info reported on March 1. With sales down by 19.4 percent to 17.4 billion Swiss Francs $16.03 billion net profit for the year was 467 million Franks according to results posted by the canton Schwyz-based group on March 1. The group said the logistics industry had suffered unprecedented declines in turnover and volume in the first half of 2009 both in international and national freight forwarding and in contract logistics but demand started to recover in the second half of the year. The biggest turnover decreases were in the Americas the Asia-Pacific region and in Europe. Operations in the Middle East Central Asia and Africa experienced the least impact turnover decreasing by 6.1 %. Kuhne Nagel has also made provisions of 35 million Francs to cover all potential costs in relation to investigations by competition authorities. The group nevertheless described the annual results as solid and said it was well positioned for the expected global economic upswing. Kuhne Nagel employs around 55 000 people in 900 locations in more than 100 countries.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99558.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99559.php Efforts to avert a referendum in Iceland on terms for the repayment of $5.4 billion to British and Dutch investors following the collapse of an Icelandic bank appeared bleak early last week following failure to reach a new settlement. We had hoped to be able to reach a consensual resolution of this issue on improved terms but this has not as yet been possible Finance Minister Steingrímur J Sigfusson said. The statement was issued after a new round of talks in London with the British and Dutch governments adjourned without agreement. The compensation plan has generated controversy in Iceland and polls have suggested that a majority of voters would vote against it in a 6 March referendum. Parliament approved the compensation deal in December but the president refused to sign the bill into law and called a referendum after 61 000 people - or a quarter of the electorate - signed a petition against the deal.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99559.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99560.php Drazen Breglec the State Secretary at the Ministry of the Sea Transport and Infrastructure said that the Croatian ICT market alongside many European countries excepts the access in the area of the broadband Internet. However Breglec also warned that despite the above-average results There was below-average investment the data from the year 2007th show that the Croatian ICT investment was in less than half was invested in EU countries. Croatia he added currently is positioned at the 41st place in order of the 161 countries that implamanted the use of the broadband internet access. Croatia currently has a total of 2.5 million Internet users which is 56 %of the population HAKOM will continue to work on the intensive growth especially in the investment in general but also in the investments in research and development announced Krvisek. 3Currently Croatia has recorded about 940 000 broadband users of which more than 630 000 users was registred to the fixed network but a long as we go to the mid-year we expect that number to reach one million users said Breglec while delivering his speech at the sixth Telecom Arena - Conference on Electronic Communications on 1 March.  Croatian market Information and Communication Technology ICT is entered into their adulthood although the crisis is felt in this market segment it was noted in the Conference.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99560.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99561.php French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner met with Serbian President Tadic and also with Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Delic. In the presence of Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic Tadic and Kouchner discussed bilateral relations continuation of Serbias European integration and Kosovo and Metohija Beta news agency reported. Both sides agreed that no additional conditions will be imposed on Serbia regarding its EU membership. According to Tadic Serbia expects that the opinion of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo independence will pave the way for the reaching of a sustainable and compromise solution for Kosovo. France strongly expressed support for Serbias EU membership added Tadic. It was reported that the negotiations on the agreement on strategic partnership between France and Serbia have been successfully completed and the document will be signed during a future visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy to Serbia. Durignt alks with Delic the French minister discussed Serbias European integration process plans for the next steps to be undertaken and cooperation between the two countries. Kouchner reiterated that France fully supports Serbias European integration process and that it will support all further initiatives and activities that Serbia will be going through in this process.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99561.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99562.php The Albanian central bank retained its base rate at 5.75 % after inflation in January remained within a 3.6 % target and the annual average inflation rate was 2.4 % AENews reported. In January the central bank lowered its base rate for the first time in two years to 5.75 % amid global crisis from 6.25 % in order to help stimulate the economy. In 2008 the rate remained at 6.25 % throughout as monetary authorities followed a neutral policy contributing to a balance between lending growth and stimulus for consumption and credit. Albania had last raised the rate in November 2007 after five successive increases since July 2006.The Bank of Albania said in a statement that it had continued in January to inject liquidity to lower rates and ease monetary conditions.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99562.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99563.php The European and for Reconstruction and Development provided a financial package of 100 million Euro to Intesa Sanpaolo Groups subsidiaries in Bosnia and Herzegovina Hungary and Serbia for on-lending to small and medium enterprises SMEs reads a press release. Through this transaction the EBRD is supporting a systemically important banking group in the region. The EBRD financing offered to Intesa Sanpaolo Group is part of the Joint IFIs Action Plan a joint initiative of EBRD the World Bank Group and the European Investment Bank Group to provide 24.5 billion euros in support of banking systems and lending to the real economy in central and eastern Europe. Amid growing difficulties in securing fund for businesses this project will help ensure a continuous flow of financing to small and medium-sized companies a sector that has gravely affected by the crisis. Subject to completion of legal documentation the facility includes three SME credit lines of 20 million euros to Intesa Sanpaolo Bank in Bosnia and Herzegovina 30 million euros to Banca Intesa Beograd and 50 million Euro to CIB Bank Hungary . Nick Tesseyman EBRD Managing Director for Financial Institutions said that through this project the EBRD affirms its commitment to help the economies of the region tackle the impact of the financial crisis. The funds provided to the three subsidiaries of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group will facilitate the access to much-needed financing for businesses in Bosnia and Herzegovina Hungary and Serbia in the current tight credit markets said Tesseyman.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99563.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99564.php The Croatian construction firm Dalekovod has on March 1 2010 signed a project financing contract with Societe General Splitska Banka for the wind farm project of total investment 16.24 million euros in which project Dalekovod participates as investor and contractor for electrical works the value of which electrical works for this project is 1.05 million euros. Wind farm shall include 4 Siemens wind turbines 2.3 MW each. Total installed power shall be 9.2 MW and the expected production is on average 26.000.000 kWh per year. This is the first realized project of many Dalekovods renewable energy projects in preparation phase.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99564.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99565.php The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development EBRD recently announced a loan to Albania to provide financial assistance for the project of Local and Regional Roads. The loan agreement was approved by the Council of Ministers reads a press release. The government of Albania has undertaken implementation of an important project on secondary and local roads. Overall the cost of the project is $300-400 million. The main objectives of the program are to improve access to markets and essential services through facilitation of movement throughout the year for the citizens the improvement of the priority segments of the local network and strengthening of management of the regional and local road network included.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99565.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99566.php An Egyptian delegation led by Minister of Trade and Industry Rachid Mohamed recently paid a visit to Serbia to explore possibilities for investing in Serbia and for improving economic cooperation between the two countries Beta news agency reported. Serbian Minister of Trade and Services Slobodan Milosavljevic said that this is not only a delegation of business leaders of Egypt but of the Middle East and Africa as well. Speaking at a Serbian-Egyptian business forum held at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce Milosavljevic said that this is the most important delegation of Egyptian businessmen that has ever visited Serbia.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99566.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99567.php The World Bank has approved a 11 million euros loan for a social protection and employment project in Bosnia Fars news agency reported. The announcement came only hours after the parliament of Bosnias Croat-Bosniak Bosnian Muslim region passed a set of laws reforming and cutting cash transfers to war veterans and families of fallen soldiers. The adoption of the laws was a pre-requisite for the release of the second installment of the International Monetary Funds 1.2 million euros three-year loan for Bosnia and a World Bank budget support loan of some 82 million euros.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99567.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99568.php Speaking at the Eurochambres Associate Members Committee meeting in Istanbul Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan stated that a lack of concrete plans by developed nations to reverse stimulus plans and an increase in fiscal deficits was a source of anxiety for the increasingly externally dependent Turkey. Citing increasing public debt and a reversal of stimulus plans Babacan expressed concern over the sustained recovery of the global economy Zaman reported.  There is a slow recovery in the markets right now because of the extraordinary stimulus plans by developed nations but this recovery didnt come about own its own and is not accelerating by itself either said Babacan. He stressed that the several governments adopted measures to buttress the financial sector along with fiscal as well as monetary support packages. He questioned whether reversing the plans would dwindle the recovery. There are serious uncertainties about this and right now we are talking about a global recovery that has yet to accelerate of its own accord Babacan noted. Babacan also stressed that the recovery has also spread unequally among regions stating that Asia is growing rapidly much faster than the US and Europe. The region that concerns us most Europe was more deeply affected by the crisis and will take longer to recover. Europe is Turkeys largest export market. Commenting on the dismal state of public finances Babacan noted that the average budget deficit in developed countries was only 1 % in 2007 but increased to 9 % last year. He also added that public debt stock increased from 70 % of gross domestic product GDP to nearly 90 % of the GDP on average in developed nations. Speaking about the global banking sector Babacan noted that the problems in the sector which arose due to the global financial crisis are long-term problems and it will take some time before their operations are back to normal. Pointing put the recent instability in EU economies such as Greece Babacan stated that some countries will have to make hard decisions as soon as possible otherwise it will lead to major problems.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99568.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99569.php A Croatian consortium led by Split company Konstruktor claimed to have a written bank guarantee for construction of a highway in Montenegro which will cost 2.77 billion euros. Hwoveer construction companies Tehnika and IGH other members of the consortium had already won a bid for 188 kilometers of highway between Bar and Boljare in March 2009 Montenegro times reported. Croatian Construction Company Institute IGH has confirmed to HANFA Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency and the Zagreb stock exchange that the UniCredit Group did not submit a bank guarantee to the consortium for construction of a highway in Montenegro. The Croatian consortium will lose the deal if it does not provide a bank guarantee. According to our knowledge the lead member of the consortium the firm Konstruktor is still in the process of completion of financial documents required by provisions of the concession agreement on the Bar-Boljare highway project. IGH also stated that the government of Montenegro provided no new information enabling it to verify the fulfillment or non-fulfillment of conditions prescribed by provisions of the concession agreement on the project. Moreover IGH could not provide assurances that the conditions of the agreement would be continued or terminated.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99569.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99570.php At the third session the National Bank of FYROM Council passed a decision on adopting the Annual Account of the National Bank of FYROM for 2009 and the Independent Auditors Report of PricewaterhouseCoopers Revizija DOO Skopje on the financial reports of the National Bank of FYROM for 2009 MRTOnline reported. According to the opinion of the independent auditor the NBRM financial reports for 2009 provides a fair view of the financial position financial performance and cash flows in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards. Information on implementation of the Financial Plan and the Information on fulfillment of the Plan for Investments in Fixed Assets of the National Bank of FYROM for 2009 were other issues discussed at the session. The Council was also presented with the macroeconomic developments stated in the last Monthly Report 02/2010 . The Report recognizes continuation of the relatively favorable foreign exchange market developments also demonstrated by the net-purchase of foreign currencies by NBRM.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99570.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99571.php The opposition parties of Montenegro alleged that the work of Montenegrin Foreign Minister Milan Rocen has had a negative effect on the image of Montenegro and relations with neighboring countries Montenegro Times reported. Rocen dismissed the allegations that he is hampering the image of Montenegro and affecting relations with Serbia. Rocen said that said that the current tensions between Serbia and Montenegro in the Saric case will not affect the general relations of the two countries. Regarding the Saric case Rocen will be evaluating the entire situation before the Parliament for which he claims that Serbia wants to transfer its responsibility to Montenegro. Rocen added that official Belgrade and its institutions worked on the Saric case in a way that warned the suspect to avoid getting arrested and at the same time accused Montenegro of that act.Serbia has a problem not Montenegro. We will see how this will unfold in Serbia.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99571.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99572.php Official data unveiled that trade between FYROM and Greece declined in 2009. Last year in January-August period FYROMs exports to Greece amounted to 160 million Euro compared to 340 million euros in the aforesaid period of 2008 MRTOnline reported. The import also decreased from 290 million euros in 2008 to some 210 million euros last year. FYROMs Finance minister Zoran Stavreski met with representatives of Greek companies on March 1. During the talks the minister said that the Greek economy currently facing financial crisis will affect the economy of FYROM. However he assured that the Greek businesses still linger in FYROM. I do not expect serious negative influences in that respect. FYROM with its business environment and low taxes provides good conditions for the Greeks and other investors Stavreski pointed out. With its vicinity to Greece FYROM is considered to be an attractive business hub for Greek investments. The official statistics also showed that in the first nine months of last year over 70 million euros of Greek capital left the country.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99572.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99573.php Turkish ambassador in Bucharest Ayse Sinirlioglu recently announced that his country would like to see large number of Romanian investors. He stressed that Turkish and Romanian entrepreneurs can jointly invest in healthcare and tourism. According to him Romania with a good level of expertise can invest in other sectors of Turkey such as energy transport as well as the construction and maintenance of hydroelectric terminals Zaman reported. It should be recalled that more than 5 000 Turkish entrepreneurs has so far invested in Romania and the current value of their investments together with the ones coming through third countries exceed USD 5.5 billion. The ambassador said that Romania has always been an attractive hub for Turkish investors. However the Turkish ambassador agreed that the global financial crisis has gravely affected the Turkish investments in Romania which has slowed down in 2009.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99573.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99574.php According to the National Bank of Ukraine in January Ukraine had a positive amount in its current account $229 million. but at the same time negative results in the balance of payments has increased up to $1.1 billion. because of deficit at financial account. The main reason remains the same low foreign direct investments and external debts within the banking system. A drop in exports due to the winter season and in comparison with the previous month it was equal to 27%. Because of low bases of the previous year export of goods has increased by 23.5% from the last year number. Import of goods in January 2010 was three times less in comparison with December 2009. With seasons factors here drop in the volume of import of natural gas played the role 13.6% of decrease. Import was affected by increase in gas price from $208 up to $305 per cubic meter. Positive balance of services trading $382 million. was mainly created by increase in the price of natural gas transit through the territory of Ukraine from $1.7 to $2.78 for 1 000 cubic meters per 100 km. During the first month of the current year the volume of foreign direct investments in Ukraine was the lowest for the whole period of the crisis $142 million. This is 2.7 times less than the average volume of investments in 2009 and twice less if to compare with previous month. The main drop was in investments to the banking sector. The estimated sum of currency in cash which is not in the banking sector is $867 million. this sum is less if to compare with previous month. The level of coverage of new credits by bonds rollover was only 63%. Less than 50% of external banks payments were covered by debt capital. Good results had companies in real sector. They had positive balance in operations with external credit instruments net results in January is $54 million. by Iryna Demko... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99574.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99575.php The next ordinary consultations on the Transnistrian conflict settlement in the 5+2 format will be held in Astana city on the invitation of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office the State Secretary/Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kanat Saudabayev the OSCE press service has reported. This years first such consultations on the Transnistria problem ended in Vienna early last week and the participants have agreed to hold such meetings regularly and possibly frequently so as to eventually restart the full-scale Transnistrian negotiations that have not been held since 2006. In Vienna the parties agreed upon a work plan for the current year aimed at resuming the negotiations to achieve a mutually acceptable political settlement of the Transnistria conflict. Bolat Nurgaliyev the Special Representative of the OSCE Kazakhstan presidency said the chief condition and chief problem for launching real negotiations is to create an atmosphere of trust between the conflicting sides. According to the Moldovan Bureau for Country reintegration Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Issues Victor Osipov presented in Vienna full information about the actions undertaken lately by the Communist authorities in the context of promoting trust-building measures. Osipov supported the idea of speedy resuming of regular 5+2 negotiations to reach a political settlement of the Transnistria conflict. He highly appreciated the constructive position demonstrated by Vienna consultation participants which has enabled outlining work directions for 2010.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99575.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99576.php Frances Societe Generale SC is considering increasing the capital of BelRosBank informs the press service of the Belarusian bank. Jean-Louis Mattei Head of SG International Retail Banking announced these plans at a recent meeting with chief of Belarus National Bank Piotr Prokopovich informs the banks press service. The sides considered the prospects of Societe Generale investing in the banking system of Belarus further development of Belrosbank as a member of SG Group and also SG assistance in attracting foreign companies to Belarus. The Russian assets of SG Group have been recently merged into one universal bank RosBank Group which is now one of the top five banks of the Russian Federation. The shareholders of the Belarusian BelRosBank are now expecting positive changes too. According to Jean-Lois Mattei SG Group is ready to build up its presence on the Belarusian market. In particular Societe Generale is considering an opportunity of increasing the capital of BelRosBank a member of the Societe Generale Group. Loans will be made more accessible for Belarusian companies and individuals. Operating representative offices in 82 countries Societe Generale is ready to promote Belarus abroad and attract foreign businessmen to the country. A new effective system which will base on the Societe Generale high international standards will help secure long-term competitive advantages of BelRosBank on the Belarusian financial market. BelRosBank is expected to be rebranded as a member of the Societe Generale Group. Registered on 22 July 2003 BelRosBank is one of the leading banks of the Republic of Belarus according to the major business indicators assets corporate and individual loan portfolios fixed-time deposits . RosBank one of the largest banks of the Russian Federation keeps a 99.99% stake in the bank. The acquisition of 58% of RosBanks shares by Europes third largest financial group Societe Generale enabled the Russian bank to receive the highest international rating among the banks of the Russian Federation BBB+ according to the Fitch Ratings Agency and make it into the Societe General Group.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99576.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99577.php The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported a resolution on vote of no confidence to the government of Yulia Tymoshenko. According to an UNIAN correspondent 243 out of 286 lawmakers registered in the session hall supported this decision. 10 lawmakers voted against this decision. 172 lawmakers from the Party of Regions seven lawmakers from the BYUT 15 lawmakers from the OU-PSD 27 lawmakers from the CPU 19 lawmakers from the Lytvyns Bloc and 3 out factional lawmakers voted for this resolution.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99577.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99578.php At the last meeting the Balti Municipal Council BMC changed the privatization conditions of Teleradio-Balti Company TVB . Councilors decided to put to privatization the building of the institution. They motivated in this way the building will become more attractive for potential investors DECA-press Agency informs. The privatization conditions laid out before stated the object of privatization is the package of shares and assets of the Company. The Deputy Mayor of Balti Lilia Gutul chairperson of the TVB Privatization Board said quoted by Monitor Media Agency a number of investors from Chisinau are interested in privatizing the institution. Gutul avoided giving their names. TVB may be privatized on condition the building is also put to sale Gutul said.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99578.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99579.php Belarus will submit the data on oil export from its territory to third countries to Russia. The relevant agreement on data exchange is planned to be signed by the State Customs Committee of Belarus and the Federal Customs Service of Russia as stipulated in Resolution No. 280 of the Council of Ministers of Belarus BelTA learnt from the office of the Council of Ministers. The resolution reads as follows: Agree with the proposal of the State Customs Committee coordinated with the Foreign Ministry and Justice Ministry concerning the agreement between the State Customs Committee of Belarus and the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation on the exchange of data on oil export from Belarus to third countries.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99579.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99580.php Belarusian companies are expected to increase the efficiency of the activity of the foreign trade and marketing services. The issue is envisaged in Resolution No 284 of the Council of Ministers of Belarus BelTA learnt from the Council of Ministers Office. The organizations subordinate to the Ministry of Construction and Architecture the Communications Ministry the Food and Agriculture Ministry the Transport Energy Ministries the concerns Belbiopharm Belgospishcheprom Bellegprom Bellesbumprom Belneftekhim oblast executive committees and the Minsk City Hall are to intensify the work of their foreign economic and marketing services.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99580.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99581.php Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi recently met with visiting Kazakhstans Secretary of State and Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev Gazeta.kz reported. In the course of talks the sides exchanged views on bilateral relations and issues of common concerns and reached comprehensive consensus. Jiechi said that China was ready to work with Kazakhstan to deepen bilateral cooperation in various fields such as transportation economy and trade. Jiechi said that China is willing to enhance coordination and collaboration with Kazakhstan under the framework of the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. He also commended both countries for the achievements in the development of bilateral ties. Saudabayev said Kazakhstan would maintain its efforts on furthering the strategic cooperation with China and firmly support Chinas stance on Taiwan and Tibet-related issues. Kazakhstan would work closely with China in combating the three forces that engage in terrorism separatism and extremism he said. He noted that relation between the two countries have the character of a true partnership adding that Kazakh-Chinese cooperation reflects high trust relationships of Presidents of both countries. According to him Beijing attaches great importance to this visit. An opportunity is given to exchange views extensively on further expansion of China-Kazakhstan strategic partnership and cooperation on a range of important bilateral and multilateral issues. The sides stressed the dynamic development of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. The Ministers noted that the task set by senior management of Kazakhstan and China to reach the amount worth 15 billion Euro turnover by 2015 will be achieved ahead of schedule press-secretary of the Foreign Ministry said.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99581.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99582.php The international scientific conference titled Issues related to the use of alternative energy sources in Turkmenistan recently opened in Ashgabat. The conference garnered participants from 27 countries including Australia Japan Asian European American Africa and other countries Turkmenistan.ru reported. The list of foreign participants comprised of feature scientists members of the Academies of Sciences heads of universities research organizations and companies representatives of the International Solar Energy Center the International Council of Solar Energy and others. The Turkmen side was represented by specialists of research institutions universities and other entities relevant to the topic of the conference. Durign the conference the participants discussed issues related to the use of solar and wind energy and alternative energy sources. Delivering an inaugural speech at the forum Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said We view alternative energy source rightly referred to as energy of the future as a priority area for the further modernization of the national fuel and energy complex. Speaking on the prospects of green technologies in Turkmenistan the Turkmne Head said that the range of use of alternative sources of energy in the active development of desert areas adjacent to the man-made sea in the Karakum desert - the Turkmen Lake as well as the implementation of such large-scale project as the establishment of the national tourist zone Avaza on the Caspian Sea coast will expand further.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99582.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99583.php Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarfii recently welcomed new Charge dAffaires of the Republic of Korea to Tajikistan Ro Sun-min Asia-Plus learnt from the MFA information department. During the meeting both sides said they were pleased with the present level of bilateral cooperation between the countries. They exchanged views on ways to overcome effects of the global financial crisis and creating favorable conditions for expansion of cooperation between the business communities of the two countries. Other issues were related to Tajik projects which will foster improvement of the situation in Afghanistan the information department said. Tajik minister noted that Tajikistan was ready for cooperation with the Republic of Korea on all issues being of mutual interest including cooperation with the Korean International Cooperation Agency. The Tajik minister also received Latvian Ambassador to Tajikistan Igors Apokins according to the MFA information department. The two discussed sate and prospects of further expansion of bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Latvia as well as issues related to regional cooperation and cooperation within international organizations. They also discussed the upcoming parliamentary elections in Tajikistan and cooperation within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe OSCE and transportation cooperation between Tajikistan and Latvia.Recent achievements in bilateral cooperation cited by the sides included direct air links between Dushanbe and Riga and use of Latvian seaports by Tajikistan for cargo shipments.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99583.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99584.php The Association of Independent Lawyers of Turkmenistan and Turkmen Initiative on Human Rights recently prepared a report entitled Penitentiary institutions of Turkmenistan Turkmenistan.ru reported. The authors of the report highlighted overcrowded Turkmen jails colonies detention centers violation of prisoners rights and their humiliation corruption among the representatives of penitentiary institutions and the absence of public control. Besides the facts and statistics the report outlines full list of penitentiary institutions of Turkmenistan. The penitentiary institutions in Turkmenistan host the number of prisoners exceeding the capacity by 3.3 times. The Turkmen human rights advocates stated that the Turkmen prison index stood atr 534 one of the highest in the world compared to index in Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan and European countries equals to 348 285 and 80-90 respectively.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99584.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99585.php During a recent visit to Astana foreign Islamic bankers announced that Kazakhstan is strongly interested in developing Islamic finance. The central Asian nation is emerging strongly as the most proactive and advanced Islamic finance market Gazeta.kz reported. President Nazarbayev is keen to develop diversified economic relations with both traditional partners such as Russia but also with the West and the Middle East Muslim nations. Kazakhstan is a member of the OIC Organization of the Islamic Conference and the IDB. A delegation from Malaysias International Islamic Financial Centre MIFC visiting Kazakhstan at the end of January was encouraged by the developments in the Islamic finance in the CIS country. The visit was part of the MIFCs objective of consolidating Malaysia as the international hub for Islamic finance and its efforts to foster bilateral ties and cross-border cooperation in Islamic finance. The MIFC visit in January also coincided with the Islamic Finance Forum which was addressed by key MIFC initiative stakeholders.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99585.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99586.php An Asian Development Bank ADB delegation representing the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation CAREC Programme recently paid a visit to Dushanbe Asia-Plus reported. The delegation comprised of Shigeko Hattori Director of ADBs Regional Cooperation Division and Ushio Tashibu Regional Cooperation Specialist. The delegation met with senior government officials to discuss regional economic integration and prospects for Central Asia; CAREC transport energy and trade strategies; and preparations for the upcoming CAREC Senior Officials Meeting scheduled for April in Manila. At a press conference in Dushanbe Hattori noted that CAREC occupies a special place in the regional cooperation though there are many other initiatives in the region as well. The Program is collaborating with six partners in the region that means that we have resources to finance suggested regional cooperation initiatives Hattori said.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99586.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99587.php The World Bank is preparing a review of the Real Estate Register Project in Azerbaijan being realized by the State Real Estate Register Service under the State Committee for Property Affairs formerly the Service for State Real Estate Register of Azerbaijan Trend news agency learnt from the Baku-based WB resident office. The project curator Gevin Adlington will arrive in Baku on 1-12 March to conduct standard consultations on project realization. The project will cover the whole of Azerbaijan and consists of the four following components such as provision of more effective and efficient customer services in the registration of property rights through the improvement of the physical condition of the registration office premises and installation of automated systems and on-line services; support of improvements in the management of state property; provision of the basic geodetic mapping and cadastral data for the automated property registration and state property management systems; support of project implementation and monitoring and to coordinate joint activities relating to training developing a joint information technology/information management strategy and  policy and legislative development. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development Bank will provide a financial assistance of 30 million euros credit for the project. The loan will be given for 20 years with 5 year grace term. The overall cost of the project is 38.57 million euros of which 8.57 million euros will be allocated by the Azerbaijani government. The project finances will be apportioned equally between agriculture finance housing finance and real estate markets telecommunications and general public and administration sectors.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99587.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99588.php According to a new report of companies and markets Uzbekistan continues to retain its position of the most promising and risky pharmaceutical markets in Central and Eastern Europe CEE and the Commonwealth of the Independent States CIS . The report predicts that the market will grow by a compound annual growth rate CAGR of 10.24 % between 2009 and 2014 reaching a value of $516 million by 2014. Increased state spending on healthcare might be responsible for the growth but the bulk will be driven out by out-of-pocket spending and the growing economy as the report expressed doubt over the effectiveness and consistency of state programmes in the sector. For now the countrys risk levels remain unacceptably high for most potential foreign investors in the pharmaceutical sector. The market lacks transparency and the authoritarian government is publicly committed to import substitution. The latter trend has led the dominant state holding Uzpharmsanoat to pursue foreign partnerships as well as a widely publicised green-field project by Singapores Beacons Pharmaceuticals. Despite cheap labor in Uzbekistan Kazakhstan and Russia offer a greater degree of political stability and lower levels of political risk as well as better infrastructure. Uzbekistans sheer poverty and potential for violent instability when the current president leaves the scene are major disincentives. The report reads The president has decreed that maternal health is to be a focus of the 2010 State Programme. In late October 2009 Abdulla Oripov the deputy prime minister responsible for overseeing the telecommunications sector had healthcare social security and education added to his responsibilities. In the production sector the governments focus is to see local production by foreign and local players. Beacons and a joint-venture between Uzpharmsanoat and a Hungarian investor will invest USD 10 million to construct a vaccine plant.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99588.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99589.php The government of Kyrgyzstan was forced to cut subsidies and increases the price of electricity and central heating. This move was taken to tackle the effects of the global financial crisis and to build up funds to invest in the energy sector Irinnews.org reported. The price for electricity has already doubled this year and the cost of central heating has increased by 500%. The electricity hikes have left many people in Kyrgyzstan difficult to survive. According to Kyrgyz officials it costs more to generate electricity and provide hot water than business and domestic customers pay. At a January meeting in the energy ministry Prime Minister Daniyar Usenov acknowledged the governments move of increasing electricity price was not pleasing to the common man. Today every family in Kyrgyzstan is cursing Usenovs government because it introduced radical measure for increasing tariffs Usenov added. The latest step by the government also envisage that groups identified as vulnerable such as pensioners and public sector workers  who earn less than the monthly average will receive payments from a 60 million euros government fund. However the compensation payments work out at just 4 euros a month over the 4 winter months to help with heating costs. Ibragim Junusov a member of parliament from the ruling Ak Jol party says the government is considering allowing pensioners and businesses to spread their winter electricity payments over the whole year.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99589.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99590.php The Azerbaijani delegation headed by Economic Development Minister Shahin Mustafayev recently visited Budapest to attend the meeting of Azerbaijan-Hungary inter-governmental commission within which Azerbaijan-Hungary business forum and B2B meeting business-to-business took place Trend news agency reported. B2B meetings covered the sectors such as agriculture and food industry medicine pharmaceuticals logistics tourism ICT alternative energy textiles construction and finance. Citing ample opportunities between countries to cooperate in developing IT-sector and alternative energy sources Mustafayev invited the Hungarian companies to strengthen cooperation. At the end of the session of the joint commission a protocol was signed. Hungarian Secretary of State for National Development and Economy Zoltan Mester outlined security of supply petrochemical industry agriculture tourism and construction sectors as priority areas for cooperation between the two countries. According to Hungarian statistics the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Hungary reached 81 million euros in 2009 99 % of which accounted Hungarian exports.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99590.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99591.php President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov recently inked a Decree On measures to further improve the system of antimonopoly regulation and development of competition Uzbekreport.com reported. The document approved the creation of the Association of Enterprises of Small Business and Private Entrepreneurship. The decision was taken on the initiative of State Property Committee Economy Ministry Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations Investments and Trade Chamber of Commerce and Industry and business entities of Uzbekistan. The new association was assigned to render assistance in modernization and technological re-equipment of small business and entrepreneurship entities wide attraction for these purposes of foreign investments and credit resources. The Association also aims to organize marketing researches rendering assistance in mastering by small enterprises of the production of new types of products competitive in the local and foreign markets its promotion in the world and regional markets.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99591.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99592.php Kyrgyz-Russian Inter-governmental Commission on trade economic science technical and humanitarian cooperation was recently held in Moscow Irinnews.org reported. During the session Kyrgyz Prime-Minister Daniyar Usenov said that Russia and Kyrgyzstan agreed on the probe of the Kyrgyz hydrocarbons market. No solid details are provided so both countries agreed to probe the question. He mentioned that Russia for the first time mentioned the need to explore hydrocarbons market with Belarus. Russia has export duties of oil products for far-abroad countries that are not applied to post-soviet countries. It means that post-soviet countries buy gasoline at a low price than other states do Usenov said.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99592.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99593.php Russian President Dmitry Medvedev marked the halfway point of his four-year term in office on 2 March. Medvedev 44 marked the anniversary on a state visit to France. Today is the 2nd anniversary of the election of President Medvedev and although the inauguration was not until May 08 it is effectively mid way through his four-year term Chris Weafer chief strategist at Moscows Uralsib Bank wrote in a note to investors. This anniversary is at least a happier one than last year when the governments priority was crisis management while waiting for the external environment to improve. Today the governments fiscal position is much better and the outlook for the next year a lot more positive. This day last year Russia earned about $375 million from oil and gas exports. Today the export earnings will be worth approximately $650 million. The RTS Index this time last year closed at 539 or two and a half times lower than todays level. Russias Liberal Democratic Party led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky praised Medvedev on the second anniversary of his election for listening to the opposition - in contrast to Vladimir Putin his predecessor as president.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99593.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99594.php Russias justice system is still mired in violence and arbitrariness despite reforms promised by Kremlin chief Dmitry Medvedev jailed oil executive Mikhail Khodorkovsky said in a newspaper article on 3 March. The assembly line criminal justice system every year destroys dignity and faith of thousands of people and as a result produces a massive number of persons who hate it the Kremlin critic and former head of the battered Russian YUKOS oil company wrote in remarks published in the Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper. Khodorkovsky was sentenced in 2005 to an eight-year sentence for tax fraud. He has claimed the Russian governments legal actions against him and other YUKOS management were politically motivated. Truth is not among the objectives of the Russian justice. The presumption of innocence enshrined in the constitution is ignored said Russias most famous jail prisoner in the full-page newspaper post. The Russian state does not realize that through violence it is digging its own grave. Strong resistance is growing in society ... and is already reaching critical mass he said. The jailed Khordokovsky 46 is currently on trial on new charges of money laundering an accusation carrying a potential 22-year prison sentence upon conviction. The Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg on Thursday is scheduled to begin hearings on whether the Russian state in a 2004 forced sale of Yukos assets violated the rights of the owners including Khordokovskys. The hearings involve a claim the Russian government illegally transferred nearly $100 billion of YUKOS energy reserves to corporations loyal to the Kremlin. German and US officials have publicly questioned the legality of the procedure. Russian officials have accused Khodorkovsky of having become wealthy by stealing state property for YUKOS. Khordokovsky in past statements has said he was targeted by the Kremlin because he attempted to go into politics to reform the Russian government. Meanwhile the former owners of YUKOS are demanding $98 billion in compensation from the Russian government the European Court of Human Rights heard on 5 March. The ex-owners accuse the Russian government of driving the highly profitable company to ruin and of forcing it to sell its assets to state-owned companies. Russia had forced the oil giant to its knees in order to increase government control over the oil industry YUKOS lawyer Piers Gardner argued in Strasbourg. The lawyer representing the Russian government Michael Swainston in turn accused YUKOS of extensive tax evasion.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99594.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99595.php Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said his country is ready to consider new sanctions against Iran if persuasion fails to stop it from enriching uranium. Medvedev made the threat against Tehran after talks with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy at the start of a major two-day diplomatic and commercial visit to France. Our appeals for Tehran to work on a peaceful nuclear programme under the control of the international community have not borne any fruit so far Medvedev said. Medvedev insisted that Russia would still see sanctions as a last resort but said that if no breakthrough comes in talks with Iran Russia is ready together with our other partners to consider introducing sanctions. These sanctions should be calibrated and smart. These sanctions should not target the civilian population he said.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99595.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99596.php Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has been making serious attempts to sever links between the Russian and Georgian peoples the Messenger Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as saying. He made it clear that Russia will not cooperate with Saakashvili but wont avoid contacting the Georgian people. Lavrov said The Russian Federation has never ceased to cooperate with Georgia by means of public figures the intelligentsia and the Church. We have no doubts that lasting relations with Georgia will remain above all the political butterflies blown by the wind. The Georgian side asked us to resume charter flights during the Christmas period. We felt that this was the right decision and are still ready to resume regular flights. Its up to the relevant institutions of the two countries to discuss the issue Lavrov said. He added that Russia is ready to follow all the treaties signed by relevant institutions on this particular issue. Giorgi Bokuchava the head of the Georgian Transport Administration said that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and other official bodies have made similar pledges like Lavrov to resume regular flights with Georgia but followed no results.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99596.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99597.php IFC a member of the World Bank Group is training Georgian bankers on managing risks and improving their credit portfolios to alleviate the impact of financial crisis and expand lending to the real economy Civil Georgia reported. The training focused on transfer of distressed assets with a view to stimulating new lending and also included portfolio management. IFC in collaboration with ErnstYoung and the National Bank of Georgia hosted a one-day workshop in Tbilisi for senior bankers from 14 financial institutions. The seminar is a part of IFCs broader crisis-response initiative which aims to buttress local banks and companies to help them cope with the consequences of the financial crisis. Zurab Gvasalia the President of the Association of Banks of Georgia said IFCs experts today delivered a very useful session on the best international practices on risk management and distressed assets recovery. The sooner the Georgian banking sector is able to fully resolve the problem of non-performing loans and clear banks balance sheets the sooner we move to a new stage of development. Garth Bedford IFCs Financial Market Crisis Response Project Manager said that the main problem of the banking sector is bad assets management.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99597.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99598.php Tatul Manaseryan adviser to Armenian Parliament Speaker recently stated that Armenia can enjoy two times higher than the economic growth planned for 2010 if it uses natural and human resources properly Armenia Liberty.org reported. He predicts 1.2 % growth outlook and there is more room for stabilizing and developing its economy. Just like other countries around the globe Armenia also recuperated from the peak of the economic crisis. Manaseryan finds it important to distinguish between objective circumstances such as the global economic crisis and local problems that drove the national economy 14.4% down in 2009.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99598.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99491.php NEW YORK ndash; A wave of fiscal austerity is rushing over Europe and America. The magnitude of budget deficits ndash; like the magnitude of the downturn ndash; has taken many by surprise. But despite protests by the yesterdayrsquo;s proponents of deregulation who would like the government to remain passive most economists believe that government spending has made a difference helping to avert another Great Depression.nbsp; Most economists also agree that it is a mistake to look at only one side of a balance sheet whether for the public or private sector. One has to look not only at what a country or firm owes but also at its assets. This should help answer those financial sector hawks who are raising alarms about government spending. After all even deficit hawks acknowledge that we should be focusing not on todayrsquo;s deficit but on the long-term national debt. Spending especially on investments in education technology and infrastructure can actually lead to lower long-term deficits. Banksrsquo; short-sightedness helped create the crisis; we cannot let government short-sightedness ndash; prodded by the financial sector ndash; prolong it. Faster growth and returns on public investment yield higher tax revenues and a 5-to-6% return is more than enough to offset temporary increases in the national debt. A social cost-benefit analysis taking into account impacts other than on the budget makes such expenditures even when debt-financed even more attractive. Finally most economists agree that apart from these considerations the appropriate size of a deficit depends in part on the state of the economy. A weaker economy calls for a larger deficit and the appropriate size of the deficit in the face of a recession depends on the precise circumstances. Financial weathermen It is here that economists disagree. Forecasting is always difficult but especially so in troubled times. What has happened is fortunately not an everyday occurrence; it would be foolish to look at past recoveries to predict this one. In America for instance bad debt and foreclosures are at levels not seen for three-quarters of a century; the decline in credit in 2009 was the largest since 1942. Comparisons to the Great Depression are also deceptive because the economy today is so different in so many ways. And nearly all so-called experts have proven highly fallible ndash; witness the United States Federal Reserversquo;s dismal forecasting record before the crisis. Yet even with large deficits economic growth in the US and Europe is anemic and forecasts of private-sector growth suggest that in the absence of continued government support there is risk of continued stagnation ndash; of growth too weak to return unemployment to normal levels anytime soon. The risks are asymmetric: if these forecasts are wrong and there is a more robust recovery then of course expenditures can be cut back and/or taxes increased. But if these forecasts are right then a premature ldquo;exitrdquo; from deficit spending risks pushing the economy back into recession. This is one of the lessons we should have learned from Americarsquo;s experience in the Great Depression; it is also one of the lessons to emerge from Japanrsquo;s experience in the late 1990rsquo;s. UK is struggling These points are particularly germane for the hardest-hit economies. The United Kingdom for example has had a harder time than other countries for an obvious reason: it had a real-estate bubble though of less consequence than in Spain and finance which was at the epicenter of the crisis played a more important role in its economy than it does in other countries. The UKrsquo;s weaker performance is not the result of worse policies; indeed compared to the US its bank bailouts and labor-market policies were in many ways far better. It avoided the massive waste of human resources associated with high unemployment in America where almost one out of five people who would like a full-time job cannot find one. As the global economy returns to growth governments should of course have plans on the drawing board to raise taxes and cut expenditures. The right balance will inevitably be a subject of dispute. Principles like ldquo;it is better to tax bad things than good thingsrdquo; might suggest imposing environmental taxes. The financial sector has imposed huge externalities on the rest of society. Americarsquo;s financial industry polluted the world with toxic mortgages and in line with the well established ldquo;polluter paysrdquo; principle taxes should be imposed on it. Besides well-designed taxes on the financial sector might help alleviate problems caused by excessive leverage and banks that are too big to fail. Taxes on speculative activity might encourage banks to focus greater attention on performing their key societal role of providing credit. Over the longer term most economists agree that governments especially in advanced industrial countries with aging populations should be concerned about the sustainability of their policies. But we must be wary of deficit fetishism. Deficits to finance wars or give-aways to the financial sector as happened on a massive scale in the US lead to liabilities without corresponding assets imposing a burden on future generations. But high-return public investments that more than pay for themselves can actually improve the well-being of future generations and it would be doubly foolish to burden them with debts from unproductive spending and then cut back on productive investments. These are questions for a later day ndash; at least in many countries prospects of a robust recovery are at best a year or two away. For now the economics is clear: reducing government spending is a risk not worth taking.nbsp; Joseph E. Stiglitz is University Professor at Columbia University and recipient of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics. His most recent book Freefall: Free Markets and the Sinking of the Global Economy is available in French Le Triomphe De La Cupiditeacute; Liens Qui Liberent and will be available shortly in Japanese Spanish German and Italian. Copyright: Project Syndicate 2010. www.shy;project-syndicate.org nbsp; nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99491.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:05:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99489.php Ollie Rehn European Commissioner for the Economy and Finance came to Athens last week and had an exhaustive day meeting the entire government. The next day George Papandreou the Greek Prime Minister addressed his countryrsquo;s people and told them that they had to endure a large cut off their welfare if the country is not to go bust. Rehn had addressed the Greek people wishing them ldquo;good luckrdquo; in the difficult times that lie ahead of them. On the internal front the Greek governmentrsquo;s new measures announced last week have created a totally new political environment. The public opinion is stupefied and on high alert at the same time. At the slightest government fault thousands will take to the streets and protest over all their problems. In any case Greece has taken it to the limits and the new government measures are the most the country can do in the short term in order to restore its credibility vis-agrave;-vis the credit markets and the European Authorities. It was not only the European Commission which asked Greece to take such severe steps and deliver a hard package. The head of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament Martin Schulz was also in Athens at the same time and told his Greek Socialist compatriots that Greece should be helped by the European Union after the countryrsquo;s austerity measures start to show effect. In short Greece is being made an example because the same kind of problems - multiplied many times over - may arise in Spain Portugal and Italy. In that case probably not even Germany France Holland and Luxembourg together might not be able to save face. The dreadful possibility is that the South of the EU may create such a big hole in the Eurozone that it may take down the whole edifice. The solution to the state debt refinancing problem of Europe must be sought within each country with the outmost severity. The economic measures to be taken by the countries in question must therefore be of the strongest character. The showcase in this is Greece a country accustomed to an easy-going life. All that has as a main target is to protect the euro which was under pressure over the past weeks losing a lot of ground in relation to the dollar. This is not however the major problem of the Eurozone countries. Their worries are concentrated on the fact that the 16 governments are obliged to borrow at higher rates than the United States despite the fact that the Eurozone has a positive foreign balance in its trade of goods and services with the rest of the world while its fiscal deficits are much lower than that of the US. Incidentally the Eurozone does not possess eight major naval war fleets patrolling all over the seven world seas as the Americans do. Taking this analysis a bit further we arrive at Britain. The Pound Sterling was the next victim last week and the British currency is losing its value mainly against the dollar but also the euro. In the case of Britain the country suffers from a much larger financial problem than the Eurozone and has huge deficits in both accounts of foreign trade and government spending. Britain however has managed to support its currency on political grounds as the US does with the dollar. At the end of the day though the political leverage of Britain is not like the US and the Pound Sterling is now facing severe problems. Summing up we can arrive at the conclusion that the world financial markets are not at all left to the well-known market forces but are heavily influenced by political considerations which distort the price level in favor of those who can influence the offer. That is why the US can borrow with a much lower interest rate that the EU. Even Britain has so far profited from its association with American interests nbsp; but also from the leftovers of its empire.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99489.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:04:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99490.php Any visit of a Greek Prime Minister to Washington carries special weight and it is usually surrounded by extreme expectations and over-analysis of the smallest possible detail. The Prime Ministerrsquo;s Washington visit has the appearance of a rushed nature. Since there are only a few days to pull the George Papandreou visit together I would like to offer preliminary observations about what is likely based on my time as an ldquo;insider rdquo; as Senior Desk Officer for Greece at the State Department at the end of the Clinton Adminishy;stration. Ten days is not optimal but is still adequate to arrange a short Washington visit. The complicating factor for the Greek side is the need for the Prime Minister to meet with the U.S. Government Congress the IMF and the press all in a short time.nbsp; I do not envy the schedulers.nbsp; The White House Dance:nbsp; We need protocol details but here we can expect a standard Presidential ldquo;working meeting rdquo; normally with the head of the National Security Council and the Secretary of State in attendance. In these circumstances it would not be unusual for the Secretary of the Treasury or other senior White House economic advisers to be in attendance. It remains to be seen if the Federal Reserve Bank will be included in the meeting not a normal occurrence.nbsp; We can expect at least one-third of the meeting to focus on economic issues something absolutely unusual for a Greek Prime Minister Meetings regarding the Economic Crisis:nbsp; We will need to review the program to see if separate meetings are being requested for PM Papandreou on the Greek economy or Eurozone finances; based on who is included in the Obama meeting. It is not inconceivable that a separate detailed meeting on economic issues could be arranged at the White House since the Treasury and National Economic Council are exactly next door. IMF Stop-Obligatory:nbsp; Although the possible role of the International Monetary Fund IMF is related to the PMrsquo;s negotiations with German Chancellor Angela Merkel we should expect a session at the IMF located a few blocks from the White House. In good times PM Papandreou would consider this session as optional but not this time. U.S. support for Greek requests for assistance from the IMF should be taken as agreed already ndash; in the current situation the U.S. Executive Director at the IMF who receives orders directly from the Treasury Department will be as helpful as possible.nbsp; Role of the State Department; Watch out George:nbsp; There will certainly be a meeting with Secretary of State Hilary Clinton the ldquo;counterpartrdquo; to ldquo;Foreign Ministerrdquo; Papandreou. The focus will be on regional issues rather than economics. This is probably the most dangerous meeting for Greece as officials there and only there will actually try to press for ldquo;progressrdquo; on Greecersquo;s national issues and more Greek participation in Afghanistan. The U.S. will probably have little new to say on Aegean issues or regarding Cyprus but will probe for Greek flexibility on the FYROM name issue. The U.S. is unlikely to press Greece in its current weakened state to make concessions in favor of Skopje but it cannot be excluded that there will be some ldquo;secret messagerdquo; from Skopje waiting in Secretary Clintonrsquo;s office. Any U.S. diplomat worth the name - and ours are quite good - will be spending this week trying to convince PM NikolaGruevski up in Skopje to deliver a new message. It will be up to Foreign Minister Papandreou to decide if he will give Washington the right to inject itself right now. If Washington can actually deliver new flexibility from Skopje instead of the same tired old rhetoric the Foreign Minister may be in for a pleasant surprise.nbsp; We can always hope. Extra-curricular Activities: A meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has already been arranged. Any Washington visit at the Prime Minister level would normally include something similar. We will need to see how many press events expect a focus on economics and side meetings ndash; such as with the Hellenic Caucus on Capitol Hill mdash; can be crammed into the visit. The ldquo;watchersrdquo; will be watching: Many foreign observers but especially the Embassies of Turkey and FYROM will be monitoring the visit carefully especially the protocol elements for signs that Papandreou has more or less access than their respective leaders. These will reported home through those embassies and via the press and who knows what conclusions they will draw but it would be worrisome if something important were dropped from PM Papandreoursquo;s program due to the rushed nature of the trip. And of course there will be requests for ldquo;equalrdquo; treatment if PM Papandreou is seen to have received any form of ldquo;special favors.rdquo;nbsp; Papandreou has a really tough schedule that is substantially different from past visits of Greek PMs to Washington when most of the times we were watching protocol-oriented meetings or at worst low value political and public relations agendas. Papandreoursquo;s superb English and unsurpassed familiarity with Washington power politics allow him a significant advantage in his efforts. There are many who feel that a better time could have been selected for such a trip when better planning for a renew agenda would allow Greece to re-position its image in Washington and enhance its role. However the Prime Minister has demonstrated a unique capability to cope with complex and emerging challenges and to surpass long term misalignment in Greecersquo;s foreign relations. Good luck! Alec Mally is currently Director for Global Economic Affairs at IPEDIS ndash; Institute for Regional Dialogue amp; Strategy. He has served more than seven years in various positions in the US Mission in Athens and Thessaloniki including as Consul General. In preparing this article he drew his experience as Senior Desk Officer for Greece at the State Department in the period 1999-2001 nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99490.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:04:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99488.php The credit crisis which has sent the world spinning into a major real economy recession has not subsided. The depth and width of the financial leverage to the real economy in the Atlantic economic volume comprising the US the European Union and a number of other OECD countries like Canada is still deep and wide. The borrowing is so extended that the lenders must either forgive a good part of their loans through a long inflationary period or accept that borrowers are not in a position to resume their economic activities and be punctual with their liabilities at the same time. The idea is very simple. Western borrowers were offered low cost loans andnbsp; could not resist the temptation to get over being deeper in debt during the past decade. Any major investment or consumption decision by individuals and companies was so amply and cheaply financed that nobody seemed to care about the limits of real markets to continue producing enough income and profit to safeguard future activities and at the same time pay the interest and their monthly capital installments. The first crack in this careless practice appeared in the American real estate market in 2008 where the over-indebtedness was so acute that borrowers were falling into arrears even during the first year of their mortgages. The problems spread all over the world and governments were forced to get indebted themselves in order to bail out the financial system of their own territory. Some of those countries are now more in debt than others because their own banking system was more negligent. In any case the burden of debt has now shifted from the financial sector to governments. Many analysts last year noticed that the new turning point in the western financial system will be the ability of particular states and governments to turn around their newly hoarded debts. In this ldquo;game rdquo; the US and Britain are more able to play because they possess their own money printing machines and on top of that they also possess increased political pressure power compared to Europe. In reality the rate of interest that is being charged for new loans to governments is nowadays connected more to political categories than capital market play. Actually the more able a government is to borrow the higher its main stock exchange goes. This is acutely real in the case of Greece where its stock market is falling deeper and deeper in loss as the interest rate for the government borrowing is going higher and higher. Greece however is not South Korea or Argentina. The country belongs to the heartland of the Eurozone that is in the first world league of sovereign borrowers. If Greece goes bust then the burden will fall on Spain Italy and Portugal almost half the Eurozone. The tremors of such an appalling possibility will be felt all over the West. It was not by coincidence that the Wall Street stock exchange was going up and down in reverse correlation with the interest rate on Greek state bonds. The problems of Greece are much greater than the size of this country just because the same kind of problems is common all over the West. The Greek over-indebtedness was the result of the super offer of cheap credits over the past 10 years aided by Mediterranean carelessness. A good part of the responsibility has to be attributed to major Wall Street banks which offered complicated debt products so that governments could actually hide their total indebtedness. The credit crisis has now visited the sovereign states. That is why everybody is afraid of Greeks even if they are bearing gifts. More so when they ask for new loans at a low cost. In any case the way out would surely include the first bail-out of a Eurozone country because there is no other substitute to maintain a short-term equilibrium in the world financial system and more so in the European monetary zone.nbsp; nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99488.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:03:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99487.php With European ndash; as well as American and worldwide ndash; attention focused on the melodrama in Greece whose 30 billion euros deficit for this year threatens to undermine the Eurozone and where the government has planned a series of austerity measures surveys show that after a slight surge in recent months the economies of European Union countries is stuck in neutral. But why? Analyses show a range of reasons despite a series of government stimuli packages but one constant is that banks many of which received huge taxpayer bail-outs and are rebounding with record profits have enriched themselves with bonuses and speculative investments instead of lending to consumers and businesses while EU officials wring their hands and say they canrsquo;t do anything about it. The EUrsquo;s top economic official said he was concerned as economic forecasts showed Gross Domestic Product GDP will grow by only 0.7% this year despite a stronger-than-expected pick-up in key trading partners in Asia. EU Member States are struggling to reform their economies in the wake of the global downturn to make them more competitive and their social systems less costly amidst fears that rising economic powers like China and India are about to eclipse Europersquo;s former dominance. ldquo;We should certainly be concerned about this and I think it is a further factor which underlines the necessity of modernizing our economies in line with enhanced productivity and higher levels of employment rdquo; the EUrsquo;s newly-installed Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn told journalists in Brussels. ldquo;This will require more investment in innovation and education it will mean a focus on a resource-efficient economy and it will mean a focus on higher productivity. This should now be the first and foremost challenge for the EU rdquo; Rehn said as he presented an interim forecast for the EUrsquo;s economy this year based on an analysis of the blocrsquo;s seven biggest economies: Britain France Germany Italy the Netherlands Spain and Poland. The seven countries together account for some 80% of the EUrsquo;s total economic output but have been overlooked with the concentration of interest on Greece. Eurozone inflation should come in at 1% while overall EU inflation should hit 1.4% the European Commission has estimated. The era of Asia? That forecast came two weeks after the EUrsquo;s statistical arm Eurostat estimated that EU economic growth in the fourth quarter of 2009 fell to just 0.1 % drastically undercutting a tentative third-quarter pick-up that showed perhaps a stronger recovery was underway. Worrying for European countries it also came as economic data from states such as China and Malaysia show that Asiarsquo;s economies are already accelerating away from the crisis - leaving Europe in the fiscal dust. According to the commissionrsquo;s report industrial production in the emerging Asian economies is already some 15% higher than it was in 2008 while EU production is some 15% lower than in the same year. ldquo;We must be worried about this rdquo; Rehn said. Moreover EU countries are falling behind their global rivals both in price competitiveness and in their productivity and ability to enhance the added value of their products he warned. ldquo;That will be the key challengerdquo; for the Commission to face when it presents a series of proposals on a hoped-for EU 10-year plan to reform and modernize the economy he said. ldquo;We need reinforced economic policy coordination and country surveillancerdquo; to make the plan work Rehn said adding that the commission will make proposals to that effect soon. The new forecast repeated almost verbatim the conclusions of a larger study based on an analysis of all 27 EU states in November 2009 but it stressed that there was a high degree of uncertainty as to further developments with soft indicators such as business confidence starting to pick up but hard figures such as GDP and industrial orders still weak. ldquo;This interim forecast is a bit like todayrsquo;s weather in Brussels: clearly we have some brighter and lighter elements emerging but there are still quite some dark clouds in the air rdquo; Rehn said. EU countries are set to decide on the main lines of the 10-year plan in March. The Commission is due to present a full set of economic forecasts in May. ldquo;Perhaps by our spring forecast in May we will have stronger brighter and lighter elements and they will have been reinforced ... as spring weather should do rdquo; Rehn said even as the Commission released a survey showing that the 10-month rise in EU economic sentiment had finally leveled off but stressed that the figure was now ldquo;not far off its long-term average.rdquo; That did little to assuage the 20% of Spaniards who are out of work and fears that Greeks could find themselves in the same sad queues before long as the EU pressures Greece to make deep cuts in public spending to rein in the runaway debt that was fueled by years of over-borrowing. The figures also showed that the EU is struggling to get out from under the long-lasting recession a problem exacerbated by what threatens to be a generation-long inability to get people back to work especially in productive jobs while Asia runs away from Europe.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99487.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:02:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99486.php Prospects for European cooperation on global collective security. Early during the presidency of the OSCE the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev nbsp; published an article that provides anbsp; commentary on the state of the world and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe from international perspective. The development of the OSCE as well as its cohesion and influence depend for most of the yearnbsp; on the policy and institutional diplomacy of Kazakhstan and has the ability to spawn innovation in an organization that has existed since 1973.nbsp; The OSCE has since grown from 33 states on the 56 today. The objectives of the Presidency come at a crucial moment of change in the international system as it evolves towards greater pluralism and toward a broader area of security in Eurasia. Kazakhstan is the first state in the former USSR to hold the presidency of the organization and is implicated innbsp; the same security concerns as those of the Euro-Atlantic relationship and the from the northern Eurasian hemisphere all the way to the Far East.nbsp; The most important role that the OSCE can play a major role in attenuating the international tensionsnbsp; which continue to be key to Kazakhstanlsquo;snbsp;nbsp; agenda as president of the OSCE. These concerns form a threefold intellectual break away from XXI century geopolitics: one in terms of preventing nuclear threats nbsp; a second in demonstrating a successful dialogue between East and West in terms of the nature of the OSCE as an organization founded on a bipolar ideology and world-view . In his analysis the President of Kazakhstan passes quickly from a review of the realities of current geopolitics and elaborates a visible a rift between multilateral and transnational relations in terms of the architecture of economics finance and security- and in particular the dynamics of regional and global security. The President makes a valuable point of the necessity to contruct security policies throughout Europe and Asia and to maintain their inclusive dimension. We cannot ignore Kazakhstan effort to findnbsp; a resolution to the Afghan conflict to introduce peace building measures and introduce aid and development to the country. In the paper President Nazarbayev presents the projects and the ambitions of the Kazakhstan Presidency with regards to thenbsp; key role the country can play with regards to its political and physical rapprochement to Western Europe and Western China resulting from the introduction of a project for a transport corridornbsp; as well as the general improvement of conditions that create constructive dialogue between the 56 member countries of the OSCE. In this effort to give a new impetus to Euro-Asian relations the President also stresses the importance the environment in the region. In terms of reform modernization and democratization policies in Kazakhstan he cites the creation of measures under the 2009-2012 Action Plan and emphasizes the importance of Kazakhstanrsquo;s contribution to the continued coordination programme that the Presidency has set for itself in the OSCE. The words of the President reflect the desires and expectations of OSCE member countries as well as members of thenbsp; EU. Professor Irnerio Seminatore is the President of the IERI The European Institute of International Relations nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99486.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:54:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99485.php NATO welcomes President Nazarbayevrsquo;s article on the occasion of Kazakhstanrsquo;s assumption of the OSCE Chairmanship on 14 January. We are confident that Kazakhstan will carry out this important mission with a sense of great responsibility in line with the fundamental principles and values of this organisation. We believe that this chairmanship will further contribute to the growing cooperation in all fields including security between the Eastern and Western members of the OSCE as well as present an ample opportunity to highlight the challenging issues faced by Central Asia and Afghanistan. As mentioned in President Nazarbayevrsquo;s article Kazakhstan has strong interest not only in the security of its immediate neighborhood but also in global security issues through forums such as the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia CICA and on issues including nuclear disarmament and Afghanistan. As the first Central Asian country to hold the OSCE Chairmanship we are glad to see that Kazakhstan has launched its chairmanship enthusiastically and vigoroslynbsp; with a strong focus on Central Asia and Afghanistan. In this context we are particularly grateful for Kazakhstanrsquo;s support in the stabilization of Afghanistan and look forward to their leadership and contribution to the international efforts. NATO has close working relations with the OSCE and we look forward to continuing and strengthening this relationship under the Kazakhstan Chairmanship. Robert Simmons is NATOrsquo;s first ever Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99485.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:53:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99484.php The OSCE has emerged in the new world order as the worldrsquo;s largest security organization positioned uniquely in the contemporary global security environment. President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan the country currently holding the rotating Chairmanship of the OSCE noted wisely in his article Fate and Prospects of OSCE that the organization has lost some of its sparkle in recent years. President Nazarbayev regards Kazakhstanrsquo;s year in office as an opportunity to restore that sparkle and rekindle the dynamism of which the OSCE is capable. Unquestionably President Nazarbayev is the person ideally suited to this task. He is a builder. In under two decades he has built Kazakhstan into the most dynamic and buoyant nation in Central Asia. He has built a new exciting capital city in Astana. And he has built an international reputation for his country as a multi-national and multi-religious state committed to inter-cultural and inter-ethnic harmony. In this light I fully agree that the Chairmanship of the OSCE by Kazakhstan offers an exceptional opportunity to tackle the global problems of economic recession the fight against extremism and terrorism the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and the issues of freedom democracy and human rights. As the first Central Asian state to hold the OSCE Chairmanship Kazakhstan is strategically placed and opens the window to engagement in new developments in Central Asia. In particular Kazakhstanrsquo;s decision despite the global economic meltdown to allocate $50 million to educating Afghan students in leading Kazakh colleges and universities is a classic example of President Nazarbayevrsquo;s core belief that the pen is mightier than the sword and that military intervention alone cannot resolve the smouldering conflict in Afghanistan. As President Nazarbayev said in his article the environment and ecology is a field where the impact of mismanaged natural resources may quickly spill over and exacerbate inter and even intra-state tensions. Nowhere is this more evident than Central Asia. From land degradation to water management infrastructure the ecological problems involving Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan Turkmenistan and Tajikistan are manifold. We have seen the dramatic degradation of the Aral and Caspian Seas. But water use trans-border supply issues and their impact on agriculture industry and human consumption are key issues which I will study in my role as Personal Representative on Ecology and Environment to the OSCE Chairman in Office. I will also look at soil contamination and waste from uranium mining and the catastrophic legacy of the Soviet nuclear tests in the Polygon around Semipalatinsk in Eastern Kazakhstan. As President Nazarbayev pointed out in his article it is 10 years since the last OSCE summit and the time is now ripe for another major summit meeting bringing together the 56 member states of the OSCE to sum up the progress and discuss current global issues in Astana. President Nazarbayev has seized the torch of OSCE leadership with enthusiasm. Now is our chance to build on those solid foundations. Struan Stevenson MEP is a Conservative Euro MP for Scotland Personal Representative on Ecology and Environment to the Chairman in Office of the OSCE nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99484.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:52:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99483.php The future is taking shape today. OSCE with its vast territory that stretches from Vancouver to Vladivostok has to resolve the most complex and urgent global issues. I consider our chairmanship of the OSCE as our strategic national project and opportunity to give it a new breath a new impetus and a new sparkle. Kazakhstan fully realizes that a 12 month period is not enough to address the whole range of issues that the OSCE faces. Todayrsquo;s OSCE challenges include among others modification of military and political balance in the Continent lsquo;frozenrsquo; and lsquo;protractedrsquo; conflicts and the status of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe among others. The global financial economic crisis highlighted the ongoing need for the OSCE and the necessity to bring together efforts from all countries for creating of a new fairer and more stable world order with G-8 and G-20 to reinforce such a positive message. Today the OSCE is considered one of the most authoritative platforms to represent a vast geographical and political space and to evolve through collaboration with new ambitious and dynamically developing regional organizations. Active collaboration with such organizations and projects as CIS CSTO EurAsEC SCO and CICA can give a new impulse to OSCE activity and open new horizons and map out new goals. I firmly believe that through the Kazakhstan chairmanship of the OSCE a foundation can be laid for enhanced relationship between East and West whilst strengthening mutual trust. OSCE is an optimal platform to bring the Corfu process to the fore whilst opening a forum for strategically important initiatives including the European Security Treaty. As a trans-national organization that unites Europe Asia and North America OSCE is responsible to comprehend and offer support for cross-border security issues. We cannot treat security issues of our states separately from those of our neighbors and Kazakhstan cosponsors anti-terrorist projects for strengthening of the borders. We strongly believe that stabilization in Afghanistan can be implemented through active involvement and closer cooperation of regional organizations. OSCE acts as a link to support humanitarian projects. We already allocated USD 50 million to teach 1 000 Afghans at primary Kazakhstani universities and colleges. Under auspices of the OSCE chairmanship we will encourage the other OSCE member countries to develop similar programs. During its chairmanship Kazakhstan will focus on environmental security issues including the Aral Sea and the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test range issues. Development of the OSCErsquo;s transport and communications potential will also be among the priorities of Kazakhstanrsquo;s chairmanship. Due to geographical historical and economic juncture Central Asian countries possess a huge trade and transit potential. Central Asia is a vast and promising region that can turn into a stable and secure bridge between the West and the East. Successful implementation of the Path to Europe state program to focus on urgent issues of transit transportation and logistics is of critical need. Up to date Kazakhstan has taken decisive steps to modernize its legislation on elections political parties mass media and local administration for securing of its commitment to adhere to democratic values; it adopted the National Human Rights Action Plan for 2009-2012 passed the law on Gender Equality; and raised awareness of domestic violence including protection of childrenrsquo;s rights. Today the issues of inter-ethnic and inter-faith relations as well as illegal labor migration stand high in the OSCE agenda. As a multi-national and multi-religious state Kazakhstan is fully committed to the ideas of inter-cultural and inter-civilization dialogue and intends to use the OSCErsquo;s influence to overcome nationalism religious intolerance racism xenophobia and anti-Semitism. Kazakhstan aims to achieve these objectives in collaboration with CICA SCO EurAsEC OIC and TURKSOI. OSCE Summit provides member states with a unique opportunity to define the most important priorities of the Organization for the foreseeable future. Next OSCE summit in Astana will discuss development of common security architecture implementation of the Corfu process rehabilitation and reconstruction of Afghanistan. Kazakhstan proposes including of progress of the Action Program to ensure inter-ethnic and inter-faith harmony. Kazakhstan has carefully appraised its ambitious goals and objectives and considered them critical for achieving of more developed international and legal status of the OSCE. Kazakhstan calls on all OSCE states to show their readiness to act in favor of common interests and for the sake of collective goals and priorities implementation of which will support and strengthen the OSCE and foster trust and respect for the Organization. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99483.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:51:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99482.php ldquo;Cyberspace today is like the Wild West. It does not enjoy the international communityrsquo;s setting of basic agreements rules and procedures.rdquo; This is how EastWest Institute President John Mroz stated the problem at the opening of an international consultation on cybersecurity at the European parliament on 17 February. The international regulation associated with defending information security and modern levels of network and internet connectivity is dismally poor. And this is in spite of high quality definition of what needs to be done. It is both urgent and essential to forge new international mechanisms of collaboration and awareness-raising for a multitude of cybersecurity problems. The sorry state of diplomatic efforts to date can be seen almost daily in newspapers around the world with Russia and China typically being painted as villains when according to the experts convened by EWI the picture on the ground may be very different. The main threats are likely to be non-governmental and more globalized. Africa ndash; with almost no international regulation of internet services ndash; was identified as a major potential source of new threat. A straw poll of the 45 international participants in the consultation showed more feared the United States as a source of cyber attack than feared Russia or China. By contrast leading United States intelligence figures have recently revealed their fears that the country could lose a cyber war if attacked. The controversy about the right next steps to begin to bring ldquo;law and orderrdquo; to cyber world has been evident through the Institutersquo;s discussions on many occasions. At the Brussels consultation it was all too visible in disagreements even amongst Europeans about the authority to be accorded policy frameworks canvassed in a report by a high level experts appointed by the International Telecommunications Union ITU . So if the UNrsquo;s international framework for governing global connectivity cannot reach agreement then what are the next steps?nbsp; More importantly who will lead? Here are the initial conclusions from EWIrsquo;s work. bull; Breakthrough solutions will require the effective integration of technical business legal defense and international policy competencies on a level that has not happened so far bull; Current diplomatic assets assigned to the problem are inadequate to the task and reflect a lack of political commitment at high levels bull; The commercial drivers for building security into network equipment networks and services are not adequate.nbsp; This is the result of a lack of consumer awareness of the risks and a lack of leadership and commitment from those in control bull;nbsp; There needs to be a clear and agreed definition of cyber peace and cyber security bull; States are thinking too parochially about their online security to collaborate on crafting global cyber regulation. There was a clear agreement at EWIrsquo;s consultation that Track 1 diplomacy on worldwide cybersecurity is not working well and practically non-existent at the strategic level. One delegate argued that ldquo;We are quickly running out of time. Technology is developing at such a rapid pace that policy makers are playing a catch up game. Politicians and technical experts are not talking to each other.rdquo; The results of the meeting in Brussels confirmed the view that new Track II efforts are needed to stimulate the much needed and overdue breakthroughs at official level. In May 2010 a group of Texans will help to make that happen. Leading corporations like ATamp;T and Dell Services both headquartered in Texas have joined the effort led by the EastWest Institute to bring a new cooperative spirit and practical progress to the ldquo;lawless cyber worldrdquo;. At that meeting in Dallas through 36 hours of deliberations some 400 people from around the world will try to forge practical new mechanisms for official action and the new private-public partnerships that are needed to help secure cyberspace. But the process does not start nor finish in Texas. EWI is working with leading governments United States Canada Russia China India as part of a new group called the ldquo;Cyber 40rdquo; the top 40 countries in the field to stimulate fresh action in this domain on a continuing basis. Leading media organizations like the Financial Times and this newspaper New Europe are supporting the effort.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; International harmonization of national approaches will be important. Another field of cooperation must be lsquo;authentication requirementsrsquo; electronic signatures . Authentication has been plaguing policy makers in almost all countries but certain leading states have diametrically opposed views. ldquo;Geek diplomacyrdquo; is here. Are the diplomats ready and engaged with a view to positive results? nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99482.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:50:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99481.php It would not be an understatement to say that some major events have transpired in worlds political and actual since our last meeting. Aside from the Chilean earthquake the aftershocks the damage ravaged and the multitude of infliction on the area plus the threat of tsunamis in 10 different countries which eventually ended up being nothing but smallish waves which even the crazy surfers in Hawaii wouldnrsquo;t have encouraged their kids to learn on still that was one hell of a weekend. In the meantime Gaza violence flared up with an ever so adamant and arrogant Israeli Foreign Minister appeared to believe nothing of ill harm could ever be done by Israel and the world turned with further intrigue. US and UK economic lsquo;speculatorsrsquo; continue to badmouth the Euro simply and purely for their own selfish reasons ie ndash; three dot pyramid - To get their currencies back up into a seemingly normal rate at the bank tally where the euro had been towering over them for so long and will continue to do so with itrsquo;s weighty gold coins ndash; as Europe doesnrsquo;t go for silver . The European Parliament saw eurosceptic accords be penalized for 10 days for misconduct. A positive move. The EU now has a forestry communication and at a WWF event hosted and moderated by a great ndash; great granddaughter of one of the founders Princess Le of the Netherlands Commissioner for the Environment made his first public appearance on the job. A heartening one at that. A man obviously well studied and mannered and passionate about the environment and science he seems ready to talk to all and take some hard choices to make sure that sustainability and biodiversity stay on in our minds past this year of biodiversity that is 2010 yes as well as the year against poverty there could be more Irsquo;ll have to check . France suffered an awful hurricane which I think I heard embers of all day staying away from the outdoors as rain and wind pelted Brussels as well only to wake up and discover that 50 people in France and one in Liege Belgium had lost their lives friend had found it difficult to return to Brussels from the coast and Luxembourg on the Sunday and Nicolas Sarkozy and Philip Filion were calling the areas afflicted a natural disaster. On a final note of last weekrsquo;s wrap up if that wasnrsquo;trsquo; enough Genetically Modified Potatoes were allowed past the European Commission approved by Commission President Juan Manuel Barroso and ndash; aid money to Ethipoia was found to be going to buying arms. Next week- a review of Europe 2020 ndash; snipets of what twitterers responded when I requested thoughts on the topic: @philipebels sure: Lisbon 2010 failed miserably also due to absence binding sanctions. Now lets try the same thing all over again. about 1 hours ago via web in reply to Eurocentrique Retweeted by you @Maitea6 Europe 2020 is that a new concept to restore confidence in the EU in the middle of a terrible social and financial crisis? about 1 hours ago via web in reply to Eurocentrique @Nosemonkey My take: Sod the green focus should be *entirely* on Ramp;D amp; energy security. Green amp; economic boost will follow naturally. Suffice it to say NGOs PES WWF ALDE and others were hoping for morehellip; Follow Alia Papageorgiou on twitter @eurocentrique or email her alia@neurope.eu nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99481.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:49:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99480.php In Brussels for their General Assembly the Architects Council of Europe President Selma Harrington found some time to talk with Alia Papageorgiou on how she became involved in Architecture what it still means to be a European architect and how the profession is coming out of the economic crisis. Being a female President of the Architects Council how would you describe the role of women in architecture today? In the last years there are more and more girls actually in schools of architecture and because Irsquo;m involved in teaching myself I can see that in the classes often that you do have more women students. When they graduate and go into work practices partly because perhaps of traditional roles and demands of the family and because probably still the perceptions that architecture and all its relations to the construction industry it is largely male dominated somehow that bigger number of students of architecture gender defined as female disappear and seem to be lost and then on the building sites or in the positions probably of more prestigious or influence - you do see less women. Itrsquo;s a matter of staying and pursuing the profession for female architects. Itrsquo;s not down to anything else but staying on and demonstrating skills equally. Is this a big moment for architecture in the world? I know politics is very much in favor of green jobs greening the economy.. We are the right profession to oversee and motivate this process of greening jobs because by our training and professional profile and our problem solving skills and our contextual thinking I think we are equipped well to bring together all the necessary components in this process of greening of the economy so maybe it is our opportunity. It remains to be seen because we are witnessing a very hard time for our profession in a recession lack of opportunities to engage in project work maybe itrsquo;s another opportunity to rethink review and re-imagine what our profession is.nbsp; We are the ones who should be asked to participate in strategic living how our spaces should be created and how that reflects on human behavior or even conflicting situations in relation to migration or urban poverty or crime prevention. We believe that the spaces we create can alleviate some of these problems and can help human life and life of society at large. We would wish to see ourselves involved more in planning and urban development but on a strategic level with the decisions are being made or conceived of how to go about a longer term projection. How would you describe a green building? There are a couple of very frequently used terms in relation to climate change environment and Co2 emission reductions. Sustainability eco buildings green buildings and in one sense there is a fashion or a need to stick these words on to justify almost any action or project or process that somebody is undertaking these days but I suppose to me a green building greening of building can be kind of perceived as a process of creating this space with materials and resources that are in harmony with its natural environment that are safe for use that have a longer term efficiency in the way these materials products and resources that the buildings uses. But I think if buildings fit the space and and are used in a similar fashion then we can talk about green buildings the buildings that are healthy in harmony and balance with the user and the environment. Is that the same as a sustainable building? Again there are a lot of uses of sustainability ndash; it is a fashionable word. In that sense I also like the way the French say ndash; architecture durable ndash;translated into English ndash; enduring long-lasting architecture. If you think of buildings in Europe in particular which is full of old buildings our buildings are long-lasting - they all have longer life than humans. What would be the immediate differences between architecture associations across Europe? Whatrsquo;s the main thing theyrsquo;re looking for from you? Our organization consists of members from over 27 countries now with different types of statuses as well and 46 national organizations representing architects they come from all regions of Europe. Members of this organization are also a product of diversity in Europe both cultural climatic traditional historical we have somewhat different practices we have somewhat ways of being educated and accessing the profession this all comes at a variety of issues that we bring forward in our discussions and in our aims to first identify what are the practices and how we maintain the diversity in one way but agree on a common platform and agree on a harmonized approach to a variety of issues. What makes a good architect what does architecture mean to you? Architecture is also a reflection of socioeconomic conditions of a time to me to be a good architect or to say that something is good architecture I would see it as an adequate response or adequate solution between a very pragmatic analysis and a resolution to needs of the client human needs needs of user and occupier and then subtle elements of creation of the space of sort of integration within the existing context which very often in the really good works of architecture has this element of ldquo;awerdquo; and excitement perhaps fun surprise a sort of innovation if you want. It also educates it makes us feel better behave better very often that in its self resultsin the many other things that can result and penetrate through society. There is a very nice saying that applies to all design you know - ldquo;a good design enables a bad design disablesrdquo; - the topic of universal access itrsquo;s a good caption and we feel it even though we donrsquo;trsquo; have to have a trained eye as architects. What is contemporary European architecture? I sometimes see Europe and European architecture as if itrsquo;s a distinguished mature elegant lady with a couple of deep character wrinkles and charming shiny eyes and elegant appearance there is an element of being there and knowing it for ages because after all we do live on an old continent. So what is contemporary architecture; there are fantastic examples ndash; we have very good architects in Europe because they are product of that experience and diversity and they are inspired. We donrsquo;t fear for our architecture; we just need a bit more nourishment. I hope that we will be entering into new age of enlightenment where architectural design and that art and culture will be seen as celebrated as a major contributor to the well-being of European citizens. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99480.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:48:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99479.php It took 14 years but German chemical giant BASF has finally won approval to start growing its Genetically Modified Potato GMO called Amflora for industrial purposes to make starch but the decision drew immediate scorn and anger from an activist group and a European lawmaker. The decision to give the go-ahead came from the EUrsquo;s new consumer chief John Dalli of Malta through a statement issued by the European Commission which shuns news conferences. While the company had received the necessary safety approvals the EU had delayed its decision prompting BASF to file court challenges. Environmental groups had lobbied against Amflorarsquo;s approval saying GMO foods pose long-term risks for humans and crops although BASF said the potato is safe and environmentally friendly and complained it was losing as much as 30 million euros each growing season because of the delay. Opposition to the approval was swift led by Friends of the Earth Europe which said the potato carries a controversial antibiotic resistant gene which it cannot be guaranteed will not enter the food chain. Heike Moldenhauer GMO spokesperson for Friends of the Earth Europe said:nbsp; ldquo;This is a bad day for European citizens and the environment. The new Commissioner whose job is to protect consumers has in one of his first decisions ignored public opinion and safety concerns to please the worldrsquo;s biggest chemical company. This decision puts profit before people or the environment and will do little to increase public confidence in the Brussels bureaucracy.rdquo; German Green MEP Martin Hausling a Member of the European Parliament MEP from Germany the Green Party and the EU Parliament Agriculture Committee said he was shocked at the decision and said Dalli had caved in to the chemical industry in one of his first and most critical decisions. Dalli did not issue any reaction even as Hausling said Dalli had shown ldquo;such flagrant support for industry interests rdquo; adding that the decisionnbsp; ldquo;flies in the face of the 70% of consumers who are against GM food as well as the anti-GM position of the European Parliament. There are serious concerns about an Amflora gene that is resistant to antibiotics including one recognized by the World Health Organisation and others essential to medicine for example in the treatment of tuberculosis. Serious doubts remain on possible consequences for human health and the environment. Since certain non-GM varieties have already proved to have the same characteristics designed in Amflora I can only conclude that its authorization is at best unnecessary and at worst dangerous.rdquo; Dallirsquo;s Defense The bureaucratically-worded statement from Dallirsquo;s office said that the approval ndash; including another to allow three GMO maize products for food and feed only ndash; ldquo;were subjected to the highest scrutiny ensuring all concerns regarding the presence of an antibiotic resistance marker gene are fully addressed rdquo; and said it was ldquo;based on a considerable volume of sound science.rdquo; In a press release Dalli said: ldquo;Responsible innovation will be my guiding principle when dealing with innovative technologies. After an extensive and thorough review of the five pending GM files it became clear to me that there were no new scientific issues that merited further assessment.rdquo; He added that ldquo;Any delay would have simply been unjustified rdquo; and that his decision was based on a series of favorable safety assessments carried out over the years by the European Food Safety Authority EFSA. rdquo; The Amflora potato he said would be cultivated with a process that saves raw materials energy water and oil-based chemicals words that didnrsquo;t evoke any support from critics even though the EU said the GMO potatoes will not remain in fields after harvest and their seeds would not be allowed to be used for any other food purposes. But Moldenhauer added that ldquo;There are clear health concerns surrounding this GM potato. The antibiotics affected by Amflora are vital tools against illness and despite growing resistance to these life saving drugs industry has added them to potatoes with no guarantees that they will not get into the food chain. This is nothing less than a crass decision that puts the public at risk.rdquo; Moldenhauer continued: ldquo;With this decision Commissioner Dalli has not only snubbed European citizens the vast majority of who reject GMOs he has snubbed member states as well. The new Commission promised to let national governments decide on whether to grow GM crops on their own territory but at the first possible opportunity they have broken this promise. Dalli has introduced himself as a Commissioner who canrsquo;t be trusted.rdquo; Amflora is highly controversial mainly due to its antibiotic resistant gene. The potato was given official approval by the European Food Safety Authority but for the first time the judgment of the scientific body wasnrsquo;t unanimous. Two EFSA scientists stated that the possibility of a transfer of antibiotic resistant genes to bacteria within the gastro-intestinal-tract cannot be predicted. Two other conventional potato varieties already on the market have the same characteristics as Amflora ndash; one developed by German plant breeder Europlant the other by Dutch company Avebe. The existence of these non-GM alternatives means that there is no reason for farmers to have to cultivate Amflora for the European starch industry and no need to introduce the risk of spreading antibiotic resistance. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso earlier signaled his support for GMO foods despite opposition from a majority of EU countries and a meeting of the EUrsquo;s Science Committee in February couldnrsquo;t agree on whether GMO corn should be allowed to be grown. GMOs contain genetic material obtained by other means than natural crossbreeding.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99479.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:47:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99478.php The approval of the genetically modified Amflora potato for use in making starch got harsh criticism from Greenpeace but was supported by the European Peoplersquo;s Party which has the ruling majority in the European Parliament. The potato is not designed to be edible. The approval for a GMO crop was the first from the European Commission since 1998 and Greenpeace said that the decision by Commissioner John Dalli with the backing of Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso was engineered to avoid further debate and the chance they could be overruled by European lawmakers. Greenpeace said the potato by German agro-chemical company BASF contains a gene that confers resistance to certain antibiotics. ldquo;By hiding behind bureaucratic formalities the EU Commission is essentially force-feeding Europeans with products that they donrsquo;t want. This GM crop poses an unacceptable risk to human and animal health as well as to the environment .Such a decision is shocking and sets a dangerous precedent that the profit-driven agro-chemical companies will undoubtedly take advantage of rdquo; said Greenpeace EU Agriculture Policy Director Marco Contiero. Greenpeace said the GMO anti-biotic resistance potatorsquo;s ldquo;has the potential to transfer from plant material to microbes in the soil during cultivation or afterwards as potato juice is to be used as a fertilizer. Gene transfer would increase bacterial resistance to these antibiotics reducing their effectiveness and increasing an already serious problem.rdquo; Under existing EU law nbsp; antibiotic resistance marker genes ARMG which may have adverse effects on human health and the environment should have been phased out by the end of 2004. Despite this the European Food Safety Authority gave a positive opinion on the BASF potato. ldquo;Such a technology is almost not anymore in use since other methods are used by biotech companies nowadays. Any unnecessary use of antibiotic resistance genes in plants is therefore irresponsible because it poses a direct threat to human and animal health rdquo; Greenpeace said. ldquo;Barroso and Dalli decision disrespects public opinion member states will EU law. Moreover the decision goes against scientific opinions of European and international medical organizations such as the World Health Organisation or the European Medicines Agency. The decision is based on an opinion of the European Food Safety Authority EFSA which is woefully inadequate. Essential EU legal requirements on risk assessment have not been metrdquo; said Contiero. But the Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament Joseph Daul of France and the Head of the German Delegation CDU in the EPP Group Werner Langen said the decision to allow the cultivation of the GMO potato was ldquo;a positive step which was long overdue.rdquo; They said that ldquo;The Commission took a decision based on scientific advice and sets an important signal for the innovation and use of new technologies in European agriculture. This will strengthen the competitiveness of European agriculture as well as the position of Europe as a centre of knowledge and innovation.rdquo; It is important however to apply the principle of subsidiarity Daul and Langen underlined.nbsp; ldquo;European farmers need the same access to modern technologies as farmers in other regions of the world rdquo; Daul and Langen continued. ldquo;Biotechnology must be the key technology for a competitive and sustainable agricultural sector in Europe creating jobs in agriculture as well as in research and development. Europe has to retain its leading role in biotechnology.rdquo; They said that Amflora has numerous advantages for the starch industry which increasingly relies on potatoes as a source. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99478.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:46:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99476.php In 2000 the European Union set an ambitious plan to make the bloc one of the most competitive economies in the world but it didnrsquo;t work. So now the EU says it will try again with another 10-year plan aimed at reviving growth after officials said the barely modest gains since 2000 were wiped out by the global financial crisis blaming business conditions. The document - dubbed Europe 2020 - is meant to replace the so- called Lisbon strategy a 10-year economic blueprint adopted in 2000 that failed to transform the EU into ldquo;the worldrsquo;s most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economyrdquo; by 2010. This time Europe 2020 is said to contain specific aims such as raising the EU employment rate from 69% to 75% and lifting research and development spending from 1.9% to 3% of Gross Domestic Product GDP - one of the targets on which the Lisbon strategy failed to deliver. The final version of the plan under the aegis of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso also aims reaffirm the EUrsquo;s climate change commitments if only in rhetoric. The EU pledged to reduce its carbon emissions by 20 % by 2020 - but is ready to raise the cut to 30% if other major powers make comparable commitments. Some EU governments - with Italy and Poland leading the pack ndash; said they believe the 30% offer should be dropped after it failed to entice the US and China to raise their game at the Copenhagen climate change talks last December but Barroso isnrsquo;t backing down. The EU executive also wants to push for increased investments in information technologies liberalization of energy markets cutting red tape and cross-border barriers as well as proposing new education and poverty-reduction initiatives. But the central problem - key to the Lisbon strategyrsquo;s failure - is that the Commission has few tools at its disposal to make Member States stick to those targets which means all EU officials can do is plead persuade cajole or hope EU countries go along. If not there is little the EU can do to prevent this 10-year plan from failing also. Europe 2020 calls for EU member states to exercise much tighter supervision of one anotherrsquo;s economic plans - including potentially offering extra funding to states which make the most effort to improve their performance especially crucial now that Greece has exposed the weak underbelly of the EUrsquo;s inability to be an economic union but only a political entity further shown in the lack of sanctions against EU countries which miss their goals. EU leaders are expected to debate the strategy at a meeting this month and finalize it in June. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99476.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:45:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99477.php Europe is celebrating the Time of Lisbon. Lisbon Callingnbsp; means the opportunity of developing new challenges focused on Change and Creativity in order to give a central contribution to a New Europe. Lisbon Callingnbsp; is an open appeal to the reinvention of Europe to the reinvention of its people and institutions. An active commitment in which the focus in the participation and development of new competences on a collaborative basis must be the key of the difference. The Time of Lisbon will not stop. It demands an effective participation from all the European Citizens in an Agenda of Change for the future. Lisbon is calling for a collective commitment of everyone with this idea of excellence for the future: nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 1- The Excellence of the People - Europe must know how to integrate in a positive way its citizens. Social cohesion is done with the constructive participation of the citizens and it is more and more necessary an effective attitude of mobilization for this effort. Education must be the right tool for this strategic ambition for Europe. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 2- The Excellence of Innovationnbsp; ndash; Innovation and Technology are the ldquo;enablersrdquo; for competitiveness in Europe. Universities and Companies must perform a new strategic partnership centered in the objectives of the added value creativity and knowledge. This is the basis for a future effective implementation of the Lisbon Agenda. Europe has still a strong opportunity to implement an agenda of innovation ndash; the opportunity is more and more know and it canacute;t be lost. 3 - The Excellence of the Regionsnbsp; ndash; The excellence of Europe is more and more the excellence of its Regions. The development of strategic projects like the Poles of Competitiveness Clusters of Innovations and Knowledge Cities and Regions is the effective confirmation that the basis for a new agenda in Europe depends on the capacity of its regions. A New Europe is more and more the confidence of the development of New Regions. nbsp; 4 ndash; The Excellence of the Culture ndash; Europe has a unique identity based on its strong culture. The European Culture is a unique asset. Europe must be able to involve other global partners in the construction of integrated projects focused on the development of culture as a driver for development. The reinvention of culture is itself a very innovative way to involve more and more the European actors in this project for the future. 5 ndash; The Excellence of the Institutions ndash; We want a Europe of the citizens. Where people know who they are and have a strong commitment with the values of freedom social justice and development. This is the reason to believe that New Europe more than a possibility is an individual and collective necessity for all of us effective European citizens. nbsp;Lisbon Calling is an invitation to be different. Different in our thinkings nbsp; different in our individual and collective attitudes toward the future ofnbsp; Europe. We must be very positive to this new wave of change that will be the basis of our distinction as a modern society. Francisco Jaime Quesado is the General Manager of the Innovation and Knowledge Society in Portugal a public agency with the mission of coordinating the policies for Information Society and mobilizing it through dissemination qualification and research activities. It operates within the Ministry of Science Technology and Higher Education nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99477.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:45:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99475.php European Union member states can revoke a refugeersquo;s protected status if the circumstances in their homeland change permanently the European Union Court of Justice ECJ has ruled in a case brought by a group of Iraqi refugees. But the EU state in question must first assess whether the change in the refugeersquo;s homeland is permanent and whether the threat to their safety is indeed gone the ECJ said. ldquo;A person loses refugee status when following a change of circumstances of a significant and non-temporary nature in the third country concerned the circumstances which had justified the personrsquo;s fear of persecution no longer exist and he has no other reason to fear being persecuted rdquo; a statement from the court read. The case concerned five Iraqi citizens - Aydin Salahadin Abdulla Kamil Hasan Ahmed Adem his wife Hamrin Mosa Rashi and Dler Jamal - who were given refugee status in Germany in 2001 and 2002 because they feared persecution by Iraqrsquo;s ruling Baath party. But in 2005 following the US-led overthrow of Saddam Husseinrsquo;s Baathist regime the German authorities revoked the refugee status arguing that the five were now safe from Baathist persecution. The five appealed to Germanyrsquo;s highest administrative court which asked the ECJ for its opinion. In the judgment the ECJ ruled that an EU state can revoke refugee status if it holds that the reason for which the refugee claimed that status has been removed.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99475.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:44:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99474.php People who lie to obtain a new nationality can lose it when they get found out even if they risk becoming stateless as a result the European Unionrsquo;s Court of Justice has ruled. ldquo;A member state of the European Union may withdraw its nationality granted by way of naturalization from a citizen of the union when that person has obtained it by deception rdquo; the court said in a statement. The judgment refers to the case of Janko Rottmann an Austrian national by birth who broke German laws by not declaring he had been investigated by Austrian authorities before he successfully applied to become a German citizen. When it found out the German state of Bavaria decreed that his citizenship should be withdrawn with retroactive effect.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99474.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:36:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99473.php One of the odder aspects to the EUrsquo;s communication strategy is its use of comic books perhaps inspired by Belgiumrsquo;s reputation in the field. These have inspired outrage from Euroskeptics and bemusement from Euro-watchers. The European Commission has just published Hidden Disaster by Belgian artist Erik Bongers not as it sounds a tale of woe from the Court of Auditors but the human interest story of how ECHO the European Commissionrsquo;s humanitarian aid arm responds to disaster. It has received criticism for its print run of 300 000 copies at a cost of around euro;0.75 each and been described as propaganda. However ECHO say that it is a useful tool to teach people especially children how the organization functions. The book tells the story of an earthquake in the fictional country of Borduvia and Zana a dusky maiden in a flak jacket who is the EU field expert sent to evaluate the situation. Here she battles with officialdom works with other agencies with a local translator and goes off in search of rebels with a rugged journalist at her side. She manages to persuade the rebel leader to allow aid and gets the situation under control. Butnbsp; is the book any good? Itrsquo;s not bad. It does often seem stilted and some of the dialogue has the dead hand of a bureaucrat such as the following; -Tesjang a local charity worker: ldquo;So are there many people from the European Commission here?rdquo; -Zana: ldquo;No the aid is channelled through organisations like UNICEF or Oxfam. When the Commission finances them they become what we call our lsquo;implementing partners.rsquo;rdquo;nbsp; There are other quibbles: The text is often unclear set too small in large speech balloons. In particular the letters R and D are sometimes confused leading to mis-readings like ldquo;we have deceived many requests for fundsrdquo; and although the book is in a diary form from ldquo;Day 1rdquo; these indications are so small many will miss them. More importantly it could look like the EU is actually doing very little. Our heroine arrives to a scene where a massive aid operation is already underway and spends several days wandering around gathering information before filing a report. But the book does succeed pretty well with its objectives. Comic book affectionados say it is ldquo;surprisingly good.rdquo; It does tell a story one with an emotional punch that will inform about some of the complexities involved in dealing with major disasters and just how difficult it can be to get the information to deliver targeted aid. The tale is also focused on people the story of lives devastated by disaster. Is this propaganda? No. If anything it undersells ECHO who are such a massive player in development and can get teams in place very quickly and have an excellent reputation.nbsp; The author Belgian artist Erik Bongers discussed the book with New Europe What advice did you receive from the EC on the storyline? The story was meant to illustrate how the EU responds in case of a natural or not disaster or humanitarian crisis. They specifically requested to include a number of key characters. A ldquo;field expert rdquo; a ldquo;desk officer rdquo; local aid workers etchellip; The story had to explain their tasks in a typical disaster situation. The personal lives of some of these characters also had to be briefly touched in the story. All persons places and events had to be fictitious. Neutrality was important for obvious diplomatic reasons. If you had a free hand how would the book differ? I wrote the story myself and about 80 to 90 percent of it remains my initial story. So in case of lsquo;a free handrsquo; it wouldnrsquo;t differ that much. Remember this is basically a school book that explains humanitarian aid in a fairly simple and straightforward way. I might have focused a little less on meetings in Brussels but then again during these meetings quite a number of important decisions are made so they are relevant. Itrsquo;s in those meetings that is decided what budget will be made available and which organizations and projects will be funded. As I was researching this story I came across some stories where the aid was badly distributed or where the proposed solutions were not suitable for the given geography or weather. All these stories that I came across in the margin of this project would actually be interesting spin-offs and I may pick these up in stories of my own but I couldnrsquo;t and wouldnrsquo;t fit them in this story. So if I wanted to make a story about humanitarian aid that is one that is NOT meant as a school book I would probably focus on a personal tragedy of a humanitarian aid worker his doubt and self-doubt. What did you learn about ECHO whilst doing the book? The most important thing I learned is that the EU does not have an army of humanitarian aid workers but depends mostly on cooperation with so-called implementing partners which are NGOrsquo;s that are funded for specific projects in specific regions. Also ECHO does not focus on development aid. Which reminds me that in the initial story I focused too much on a scene in slums. This was the major thing they wanted me to drop as itrsquo;s outside ECHOrsquo;s scope. The walk through the heavily struck hillsides around the city is the altered version of the slums scene. Any comments on the negative reaction from some quarters? I think there are two issues with the negative reactions. First one is that one should realize that itrsquo;s important that any democratic institution ministry or commission should inform the taxpayers about what they are doing. Itrsquo;s good that a fraction 0.04%! of the budget of the EU Commission for humanitarian aid is used to create awareness and to inform if not inspire the next generation of taxpayers journalists politicians and humanitarian aid workers. Secondly a comic is a very efficient way of getting the message out and through. Folders flyers and informational brochures would have ndash; in comparison to a comic book - the attractiveness and thus efficiency of hellip; a damp rag. What positive reaction have you had? The people that Irsquo;ve met and that already read the book say they actually liked the story and it seemed they werenrsquo;t just being polite. More official critique in newspapers and on blogs often mention that my style is much like that of Tintin both in drawing style as well as the lsquo;politenessrsquo; of the characters. But perhaps the best positive reactions are the orders that are being placed. Note that of all countries the UK were the first to place large orders for books to be distributed amongst teachers at a number of conferences. But the really most positive reaction that Irsquo;m perhaps naively hoping for is this book to be inspirational for young people. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99473.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:35:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99472.php There has been a storm of protest over the EC Humanitarian Aids production of a graphic novel to promote their activities. In the book Hidden Disaster see story on left the main character an ECHO field officer has adventures and illustrates how ECHO operate and what they do in disasters. To be honest this has been the most enjoyable read of any EU document that I can recall. Each day I wade through a small mountain of paperwork directives drafts agendas press releases and similar. Its just a huge pile of paper with ink. I would say words but this dry drivel is the stuff that kills off language. Heres an example from a glossy leaflet something they actually thought the general public might want to read; This new policy framework will strengthen bilateral relations between the EU and the partner countries and also promote better cooperation open dialogue and exchange of best practice multilaterally. Lord alone knows how many innocent trees gave their lives so two pages of that sort of nonsense could be thrown at the public. Its easy to complain but Ive got an idea. Wouldnt it be better if all EU communications were done by comic strips? Wouldnt people prefer to read say a directive on the Herring industry if it was illustrated in comic form? I would even suggest that this would go down well with the public and MEPS. What politician sitting in the Hemicycle spending happy hours listening to members from obscure states bring up points of order or whilst counting the hours till they can get on their feet and deliver their explanation of vote to the echoing chamber can fail to see the beauty of this idea. During this time they could whip out some crayons and enjoy colouring in a comic strip. This will be creative and relaxing. Wouldnt it generate excitement in the Post-Lisbon word if the principle figures comic book stars? Why not recast Van Rompuy in some sort of Robo Cop outfit as The Hermanator? Lets recast Cathy Ashton as a Modesty Blaise figure The Baroness an enigmatic figure who is rarely seen in public. Wouldnt that be an improvement. we might even get excited about Project Europe again if we could follow their adventures: SWOOSH - The Hermanator zooms off to a remote Spanish mountain hideaway with his team of henchmen KAPOW - As he takes on new powers THUNK - See him table a working draft on 2020 I think that any reasonable person can see that this is the way forward. But we need to spice it up a bit. Lets add another character El Presidente - a persuasively charming Portugese President who will try to seduce The Baroness away from The Hermanator. This man is only seen in darkened rooms casually stroking his white cat. We will add a supporting cast of MEPs some of whom like Mr Cohn-Bendit already have their super hero alter egos and then we shall let battle commence. Although many political figures write memoirs it is odd that so few have used the EU for more creative work. Bill Questorman Newton-Dunn wrote a racy thriller The Devil Knew Not about an MEP fighting extremism and an earlier comic book Troubled Waters had a female MEP as its heroine fighting for clean water against evil polluters. Lets stimulate some creativity; we already have the European Union Prize for Literature why not have a prize for the best work of fiction featuring an MEP or functionary as the protagonist? nbsp;ACarling@NEurope.eu nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99472.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:34:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99471.php Inbsp;am glad my blog has been considered for the top 20 womenrsquo;s blogs that promoting EU. I would also like to give my thanks again for the prize of ldquo;best blogger among the politicians rdquo; which I was given for the second consecutive year. I have mixed feelings about the blogosphere. First it is the joy of communicating. I have been a journalist; I have been a spokesperson for the President of Romania. Therefore for me the political activity and implicitly the blog as a part of it came by itself especially the contact with the citizens. In addition as Member of the European Parliament I feel it is my duty to keep the people who have chosen me informed about the way in which I intend to represent them. In this regard I believe that the blog represents a very useful means of communication that works both ways. It helps me to always stay connected to the pulse of the Romanian society and to the opinions of a very active segment in terms of citizenship such as bloggers. In a country where civil society is still at an early stage even after two decades of democracy the blogosphere now plays a much-required part as the voice of criticism of the citizens. There have been attempts at coagulation which I find promising from the point of view of the impact that the blogosphere has on a concrete reality. I try as well to use my blog to bring the European issues closer to the Romanian people and it is not easy taking into consideration the fact that there is a discrepancy between the Euro-enthusiasm of the Romanians on one hand and the interest and knowledge about the EU on the other hand. Now more and more blogs with a political theme are trying to connect the Romanian society to the great ideas as well as to the punctual European concerns. Finally yet importantly I would like to point out one fact: if women in the blogosphere are relatively represented in the political environment there is a growing interest by more and more women towards policy issues. I find this gratifying with a view to improve the participation of women in the exchange on ideas and in the political life. Corina Cretu is a Member of the European Parliament Vice Chairwoman of the Committee of Development the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats the Special Committee on the Financial Economic and Social Crisis and the Delegation for Relations with the United States... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99471.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:33:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99470.php ICT skills are the global currency of tomorrow. The job market will increasingly require significant ICT skills and people possessing these skills will continue to be the most marketable. We cannot afford to undervalue skills and human capital and ensuring affordable and equal access to ICT skills is imperative in any innovative economy.nbsp; To help Europe emerge from the recent economic crisis we must act to meet the challenges of a global knowledge-based society by ensuring our people have the skills that keep Europe competitive.nbsp; There is some good news:nbsp; the importance of e-skills competency to Europersquo;s economy and society is increasingly and broadly recognised.nbsp; The new EU Commission for example continues with its long-term e-skills strategy to boost the productivity and the employability of its workforce enabling a response to global competitive challenges. Europe is not a homogenous region however.nbsp; Central and Eastern Europe has in some ways one of the longest journeys ahead.nbsp; There are two key issues that have significantly affected labour force potential and competitiveness in the Central and Eastern Europe region in particular: the current economic crisis and an aging demographic.nbsp;nbsp; The number of unemployed in the EU increased by more than eight million in the 2007-2010 period; CEE countries are among the hardest hit in the deepest global recession for generations. Emerging from this difficult economic state will not be easy. But we also know that the people from these countries are resilient and driven.nbsp;nbsp; Key to dealing with current challenges is retraining people so they are equipped with the skills that will make them not just employable but dynamic drivers of recovery.nbsp; I believe e-skills will be the differentiating factor for how this region transforms itself how it creates new ideas products and services and how it prospers in a global digital economy.nbsp; New technologies are - and will increasingly be - a dynamic tool for workforce efficiency but skills to use these tools also then becomes critical. A recent IDC employersrsquo; survey found that in five years time 90 percent of all jobs will require ICT skills. Never has there been a more critical time for the region to invest in developing and enhancing e-skills. To this end the knowledge skills competences and creativity of the CEE workforce and citizens need to meet the highest standards and be constantly updated. In addition to helping professionals advance their skills it is vital that we focus on helping the vulnerable in our societymdash;young or old unemployed or disabledmdash;to acquire the critical skills needed to participate in the knowledge economy as productive and engaged citizens. Lifelong learning opportunities must be seized and supported.nbsp; To achieve this there must be collaboration between governments academics industry partners and non-governmental organisations to find innovative ways to use the power of technology for improved social and economic development.nbsp; Microsoft is committed to the EU Commissionrsquo;s e-skills strategy and Digital Agenda and has already launched the Skills for Europe project.nbsp; Through the European e-Skills Association formerly known as the ILB we are also partnering with public authorities industry SMEs and other relevant stakeholders on the development and implementation of a long term e-skills and digital literacy agenda. At the grass roots and community level across Central and Eastern Europe we work with the members of Telecentre-Europe to promote effective skilling programmes and advocate for impactful investment in digital inclusion.nbsp; Together wersquo;ve accomplished a lot ndash; just this week wersquo;ve helped to support over 55 000 first-ever users get on-line.nbsp; But we must do much much more; for Europe to recover and remain globally competitive we must help everyone to truly embrace the digital economy. Vaheacute; Torossian Vice President Microsoft Central and Eastern Europe... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99470.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:32:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99469.php Even as Greeks face wage freezes and cuts higher taxes and a longer wait for retirement to keep the country from going under in an ocean of debt they have been hit with a new report that identifies one of the main culprits for the countryrsquo;s reputation for graft and excessive spending: that everyone from doctors to lawyers to civil servants to government officials are on the take costing Greeks $1 billion a year to pay them. The findings were in a report from Transparency International Greece which showed that Greece is awash in corporate government and private thievery a dagger in the heart of Greece as it was released the same day last week that Prime Minister George Papandreou announced further piling-on of wage cuts and higher taxes even at pensioners who stood outside his official residence and screamed ldquo;You give money to the rich but nothing to us rdquo; which did nothing to make him change his mind. The report said the amount Greeks paid to the corrupt was up 5% from 2008 with workers in state hospitals urban planning and tax officesnbsp; including inspectors charged with going after tax evaders ndash; the biggest offenders of corruption and bribery laws compounded by an air of impunity in the country in which only the poor and immigrants seem to go to jail. Under previous prime minister Costas Karamanlisrsquo; administration from 2004-2009 there were so many scandals involving politicians and priests Greeks needed a score card to keep track but almost nobody was convicted of anything. Transparency International estimated the cost of petty corruption at about 800 million euros $1.08 billion last year an increase of 39 million euros compared to 2008. Costas Bakouris head of the anti-corruption watchdogrsquo;s Greek office said the findings helped explain Greecersquo;s ailing economy and deep debt. ldquo;Itrsquo;s tax evasion which has caused a big deficit in state coffers rdquo; Bakouris told reporters urging the government to set up an anti-corruption authority as part of measures to overcome its debt crisis and regain credibility. ldquo;If we donrsquo;t take action we cannot overcome the fiscal crisis rdquo; he said. Papandreou also identified corruption and impunity as a key cause of Greecersquo;s debt crisis and said the country should deal with them urgently in order to overcome its fiscal problems. In recent years Greece has dropped several notches on Transparency Internationalrsquo;s corruption index and continues to rank as the most corrupt state in the Eurozone of the 16 countries which use the euro as their currency. The organization said its poll of 6 000 people carried out by pollster Public Issue found that the average bribe last year was 1 355 euros in the public sector and 1 671 euros in the private sector for public services such as speeding up the issue of driverrsquo;s licenses and construction permits getting admitted to public hospitals or manipulating tax returns. Some 13.4% of people surveyed reported cases of corruption compared with 13.5% in 2008 ranging from paying doctors to insure better care or access to health care at all even though the country has a Socialist system giving free treatment in most cases. The National Survey on Corruption in Greece carried out by TI-Greece the Greek chapter of the international NGO Transparency International measures the extent of corruption phenomenon in the public amp; private sector in Greece. The overall results in 2009 survey pointed a small deviation compared to last year outcomes which verifies both the reliability and the validity of the methodology and the outcome process. The highest scorers of the most corrupted Greek public services are as usual the public national hospitals followed by the construction-license authorities and the tax-offices the two last reversed their positions compared to 2008. Among the top five are the largest Social Security Organisation IKA and the municipal government prefectures where people routinely have to bribe civil servants to get papers approved or else they will find they have been filed away and ignored. The survey found that 65% of the total corruption reported incidents were spotted in the highest scorers of the public sector hospitals construction-license authorities tax-offices and that health services led the list. The report stated that Greeks may be getting the message even if they have few alternatives other than paying.nbsp; ldquo;The Greek society has comprehended in depth the corruption reality and the necessity for fighting it rdquo; asking once again for stronger government measures against corruption which Papandreou promised ndash; as did Karamanlis. TI-Hellas said thatnbsp; 98% of Greeks believe that enforcing the law is vital in the fight against corruption and that 96% of Greeks want strict punishment of those who have violated the law. ldquo;The issue of the evasion of taxes public fees or tax fraud such as avoiding paying Value Added Taxes is highly reflected in our survey. The efficient treatment of these problems will both increase Greek income resources overcoming the necessity for hard-core measures and restore global status of Greece. Stemming corruption requires greater transparency and zero tolerance rdquo; Bakouris said the kind of words that Karamanlis expressed as well even as he failed to root out corruption in his own staff. The report carries more weight this year because of the dilemma in which Greece finds itself as the troubled economy is making waves in Europe and across the world as headline news of a country charged with being a nation of lazy tax cheats and corrupt officials all adding to the toll Greeks are paying today. There was a small window of opportunity for change and optimism though as the report found most people believed that Papandreou could finally reverse generations-long trends in which the government ignores bribery and corruption cases that even extend to driving school workers having to pay off officials who give driving licenses. Sixty percent of respondents said Greece could become corruption-free after last yearrsquo;s election compared with 51% in the previous poll. But the bad news got worse when Bakouris said the report only measures small-scale corruption and doesnrsquo;t finger bribes going into the millions or more for bigger projects such as those involved in the scandal involving the German engineering firm Siemens. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99469.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:31:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99468.php More than 140 Members of the European Parliament and Members of the Parliament from 30 countries as well as members of the Israeli Knesset took part in an emotional visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau camps on the occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.nbsp; The European Friends of Israel EFI an organization whose objective is to foster dialogue and a deeper understanding between Europe and Israel organised the mission for the third consecutive year.nbsp; Founded in 2006 EFI brings together parliamentary national-Israel friendship groups from the EUrsquo;s 27 member-states. With some 1 000 members of parliament from all of Europersquo;s mainstream political parties EFI represents one of the largest pan European parliamentary groups of its kind.nbsp; EFI organizers explained that this yearrsquo;s mission was dedicated to ldquo;remembering the past in order to foster a peaceful future.rdquo;nbsp; The Parliamentarians who joined the two-day mission came together with a common vision to stand united against anti-semitism racism and xenophobia. In 2005 the United Nations declared January 27 International Holocaust Remembrance Day.nbsp; The date was chosen as it was on 27 January 1945 that Auschwitz was liberated thus signaling an end to the campaign of systematic murder which saw the extermination of over six million Jews and the loss of millions of other innocent citizens of Europe.nbsp; Call for tolerance The EFI mission opened with a three panel symposium focusing on the fight against anti-semitism and the promotion of dialogue and tolerance in the post-Holocaust world. Among the speakers the two Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament the Spanish Alejo Vidal-Quadras and the Greek Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou as well as numerous presidents and vice-presidents of national parliaments including Per Westerber Sweden Petra Pau Germany Jorge Fernandez Diaz Spain and Rodoula Zissi Greece. Other participants in the symposium were Sulejman Tihic Speaker of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina Yasar Yakis former Foreign Minister and current Chair of the European Union Harmonization Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and Jose Ribeiro e Castro Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Portugal. On Holocaust Remembrance Day itself the mission visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau camps and held a moving ceremony of commemoration for the victims. Reflecting on the mission MEPs stressed how meaningful and important the EFI initiative was. Romanian MEP Vasilica Dancila said ldquo;It was very shocking to see the camps in which about 1.1 million people mostly Jews were exterminated. This grim place is terrifying rdquo; adding that ldquo;It is very important to preserve the memories of the victims and to teach the younger generations this shameful and sad part of history so that it will happen never again.rdquo;nbsp;nbsp; Gunnar Hokmark of Sweden EFI Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the European Peoplersquo;s Party group at the European Parliament said in a message to the participants ldquo;understanding our past remembering the Holocaust is so important to understanding each other today and working together in the future. And so for the past years on the occasion of the Holocaust Remembrance Day EFI has led the delegation of Parliamentarians from around Europe to Auschwitz-Birkenau Camps.rdquo; A total of 1.3 million people perished at Auschwitz-Birkenau mdash;- 1.1 million of them Jews from across occupied Europe mdash; mostly killed in gas chambers but also from shooting hanging starvation disease slave labour and pseudo-medical experiments. Showing the flags Carrying European and Israeli flags the delegation entered Block 27 in Auschwitz. There the European parliamentarians along with Israeli members of the Knesset participated in EFIrsquo;s memorial ceremony: moving traditional songs were played by Violinist Maestro Michael Guttman while distinguished representatives of the group including Alejo Vidal-Quadras Vice-President of the European Parliament and Petra Pau vice president of the German Bundestag lit six candles in memory of the six million Jews from across Europe who were exterminated in the Holocaust. The Jewish prayer of mourning Kaddish was recited and the ceremony closed with the singing of Hatikva the Israeli national anthem. During the visit to the camps Parliamentarians had the opportunity to hear the stories of the survivors who accompanied the delegation on the second day. ldquo;We were landing on another planet when we were reaching the campsrdquo; said Mr. David Brin a survivor of the Holocaust.rdquo;nbsp; Spanish MEP Garriga Polledo observed: ldquo;Actually this planet was governed by people who did not belong to the human race. I do believe that Auschwitz is a lesson to Europe in terms of solidarity reconciliation and forgivenessrdquo;.nbsp; nbsp;ldquo;The EFI mission to Auschwitz was a grim solemn and moving occasion in the bitter cold of a Polish winter rdquo; said Dr. Charles Tannock a British Member of the European Parliament. ldquo;The phrase lsquo;whoever forgets the past is condemned to repeat itrsquo; sprang to mind being a reason why all Western leaders should visit the location of manrsquo;s greatest inhumanity to main in the last century - yet impunity still prevails for those criminals behind these atrocities and in the same way that in the past the vast bulk of those Nazis and collaborators who executed the Holocaust got away unpunished. Itrsquo;s extraordinary that in our current timeframe enormous barbarities ndash; albeit not on the scale of the Holocaust ndash; still occur from the genocide of Darfur Cambodia and Bosnia to the insanity of Rwanda. This is something the World must address for the future rdquo; he added. A European Parliament written declaration on accepting responsibility for the Holocaust was opened for signatories on 8 February. The declaration which was co-authored by MEPs Marek Siwiec of Poland Richard Howitt of the UK Boguslaw Sonik of Poland Alexander Graf Lambsdorff of Germany and Cornelis de Jong of the Netherlands has so far been supported by 46 signatories.nbsp; The text recognizes ldquo;the Holocaust as a unique part of European history; also recognises that in accepting what happened in the past across countries of todayrsquo;s European Union we accept our responsibility to ensure that the horrors of the Holocaust never happen againrdquo;.nbsp; nbsp; nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99468.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:30:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99465.php The European Union said that its allocation of 17.25 million euros $23.4 in humanitarian aid for Myanmar is supposed to go to the countryrsquo;s ldquo;vulnerable peoplerdquo; this year although critics of the military-ruled dictatorship said the generals there keep jailing and killing people at will. Most of the aid to be provided through the European Commissionrsquo;s Humanitarian Aid department ECHO is to go to ethnic minority groups living in Myanmarrsquo;s frontier areas and refugees located in camps in Thailand the EU office in Bangkok said. ldquo;Vulnerable communities especially those living in the remote border areas continue to be in dire need of assistance rdquo; EU Ambassador in Bangkok David Lipman said. ldquo;The objective of ECHOrsquo;s activities in Burma/Myanmar is solely humanitarian and it will address the most pressing needs of people at risk rdquo; he said. An estimated 1.2 million people are expected to benefit directly from the support which is due to see 9.25 million euros allocated to health and food programs in remote rural frontier areas in the Rakhine Shan Mon Kayah and Kayin states and Thanintaryi divisions of Myanmar which was once known as Burma. The remaining 8 million euros is to go to 150 000 Karen refugees living in camps in Thailand. The EU has been funding relief programs in Myanmar an outcast state among Western democracies since 1994. ECHO opened an office in the Yangon in October 2005 to help the delivery of European humanitarian aid to the military-run country. Myanmar has faced economic sanctions on Western aid trade and investments since its armyrsquo;s brutal crackdown on a pro-democracy movement in 1988 that left an estimated 3 000 people dead.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99465.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:26:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99466.php With the economic world tilting toward China and India and other emerging Asian countries the European Union should look toward the east to expand trade opportunities that could help insure growth and prosperity for future generations the EUrsquo;s new trade chief Karel de Gucht said he believes. In a recent appearance before the European Parliamentrsquo;s Trade Committee de Gucht said that while the 27-country 480 million population EU is the worldrsquo;s largest economic grouping and it has not yet managed to convert that wealth into political influence making European leaders keen to strengthen their international clout. The EUrsquo;s trade policy should ldquo;mark ... a shift to economically important markets particularly in Asia as well as a deeper level of integration with our neighborhood rdquo; he said. ldquo;India Canada Ukraine Latin America the Mediterranean area are likely to dominate our agenda over the next two years ... together with upcoming talks with Singapore and the updating of our trade relationship with China rdquo; he added calling for a ldquo;higher levelrdquo; of cooperation with China on matters of trade and investment. China is the EUrsquo;s second largest trading partner. One prerequisite for that to happen however would be a move by China to allow its currency to appreciate. EU leaders regularly complain that the Chinese yuan also called renminbi is undervalued hampering European efforts to export to China a country he said ldquo;must show its responsibility by being able to address thorny questions of trade such as currency misalignment.rdquo; The EUrsquo;s trade commissioner is responsible for carrying out trade negotiations on behalf of the 27-member bloc and dealing with China is perhaps his trickiest assignment as critics have said the EU should do more to push China to improve its human rights record. Good morning Vietnam Underscoring his own beliefs De Gucht visited Singapore Vietnam and India last week to talk about trade and Free Trade Agreements FTA with those countries. The EU has been unable to conclude an FTA with India despite long talks that keep getting pushed back. ldquo;Asia represents enormous growth potential for our exporters and I want to tap into new exporting and investment opportunities in this region. Many of the emerging Asian markets have high entry barriers and ambitious free trade negotiations are the best way to tackle these rdquo; de Gucht stressed. Since he was sworn in on February 10 the Belgian Commissioner has visited Morocco and the World Trade Organization WTO in Geneva but EU officials said the Asian mission was his most significant. He said the EU wants to begin negotiations for an FTA with Vietnam and told a press conference in Hanoi that he had made an offer to ldquo;engage as soon as possible in formal negotiations on an FTA.rdquo; De Gucht made the offer in a meeting with Vietnamrsquo;s Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang ahead of seeing Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. De Gucht said European anti-dumping tariffs on Vietnamese shoes would continue because inspections had shown that Vietnamese firms were still exporting shoes at below-market prices. ldquo;Either there is dumping or there isnrsquo;t rdquo; he said. The EU decided in December to extend anti-dumping tariffs imposed in 2006 against Vietnamese and Chinese shoes for 15 months. In February China filed a suit at the WTO requesting that the tariffs be struck down. Vietnam has not yet indicated whether it is to join the suit. De Gucht said negotiations on the FTA were not explicitly linked to the EUrsquo;s assessment of Vietnamrsquo;s human rights performance but that ultimately any pact would have to be ratified by the European Parliament which does consider such issues. European lawmakers have sharply criticized Vietnam in recent months for a crackdown on democracy activists and for restrictions on Internet freedom. The EU is Vietnamrsquo;s second-largest export market after the US. In 2009 Vietnam exported goods worth $9.3 billion to the EU down 14.4% from 2008. Major export categories include footwear garments and seafood. De Gucht said bilateral FTAs had become a priority in the region because ongoing talks on an FTA between the EU and the Association of South-East Asian Nations ASEAN had been complicated by the disparity in development levels between different ASEAN members. Donrsquo;t forget the US While the emphasis now for the EU should be Asia de Gucht also called for closer commercial ties with the United States which is still the EUrsquo;s number one trading partner. ldquo;With the US the real challenge is not tariffs at the frontier but the barriers behind the border predominantly owing to differences in regulation ... tackling non-tariff barriers will be my primary focusrdquo; in talks with the US he said. He also called for a renewed impetus in trade talks with Russia warning that the Eastern giantrsquo;s decision to launch a customs union with Belarus and Kazakhstan had hampered its move towards World Trade Organization WTO membership something the EU has long advocated. Russia is ldquo;presently acting contrary to the engagements it has taken with the EUrdquo; by putting up tariffs which it had earlier pledged to lower De Gucht said. He added that he was ldquo;optimisticrdquo; that the Doha round of WTO talks would come to a deal by the end of 2011 though not necessarily this year as leaders of the Group of Eight G8 leading economies demanded in July. ldquo;I personally am confident that we are going to conclude the Doha round. I donrsquo;t know if it will be in 2010 or 2011 rdquo; he said. ldquo;We agree on 90% of the topics in Doha ... We are not going to tackle all the problems of world trade in the Doha round there is still time afterwards rdquo; he stressed. At the same time the Belgian - a former member of the European Parliament MEP former EU development commissioner and one-time Belgian foreign minister - rejected calls by EU states such as France for an import tariff on goods from countries which do not have strict climate-protection laws.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99466.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:26:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99467.php The European Union said that its allocation of 17.25 million euros $23.4 in humanitarian aid for Myanmar is supposed to go to the countryrsquo;s ldquo;vulnerable peoplerdquo; this year although critics of the military-ruled dictatorship said the generals there keep jailing and killing people at will. Most of the aid to be provided through the European Commissionrsquo;s Humanitarian Aid department ECHO is to go to ethnic minority groups living in Myanmarrsquo;s frontier areas and refugees located in camps in Thailand the EU office in Bangkok said. ldquo;Vulnerable communities especially those living in the remote border areas continue to be in dire need of assistance rdquo; EU Ambassador in Bangkok David Lipman said. ldquo;The objective of ECHOrsquo;s activities in Burma/Myanmar is solely humanitarian and it will address the most pressing needs of people at risk rdquo; he said. An estimated 1.2 million people are expected to benefit directly from the support which is due to see 9.25 million euros allocated to health and food programs in remote rural frontier areas in the Rakhine Shan Mon Kayah and Kayin states and Thanintaryi divisions of Myanmar which was once known as Burma. The remaining 8 million euros is to go to 150 000 Karen refugees living in camps in Thailand. The EU has been funding relief programs in Myanmar an outcast state among Western democracies since 1994. ECHO opened an office in the Yangon in October 2005 to help the delivery of European humanitarian aid to the military-run country. Myanmar has faced economic sanctions on Western aid trade and investments since its armyrsquo;s brutal crackdown on a pro-democracy movement in 1988 that left an estimated 3 000 people dead.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99467.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:26:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99464.php Munich Re the worldrsquo;s biggest reinsurer has become the latest German firm to pull out of Iran as pressure grows for new sanctions against the Islamic republic over its nuclear program company officials said. The company said in a brief statement that due to the ldquo;political situationrdquo; it has decided not to renew any existing contracts when they expire or to write any new business. For a firm generating close to 40 billion euros $54 billion in premiums each year the loss of an estimated 10 million euros is small but the move is politically significant. The announcement follows a similar move by German engineering giant Siemens last month and comes amid pressure from Germanyrsquo;s partners to cut its business ties with Iran. Germany which recently lost its crown to China as the worldrsquo;s top exporter exported almost four billion euros worth of goods to Iran in 2008 mainly machine tools and industrial equipment a rise of nearly 9%. In the 11 months to November 2009 the latest figures available exports fell nine percent a spokesman said last month but this was less than the 19% recession-fueled slump that Germany recorded overall. Chancellor Angela Merkel said in January that German-Iranian trade had ldquo;declined considerablyrdquo; while acknowledging that the two countries had a ldquo;long tradition of economic cooperation.rdquo; At the same time Germany is one of six countries negotiating with Tehran over its nuclear program along with permanent UN Security Council members the United States China Russia Britain and France. In addition according to press reports the German government is applying pressure on Chambers of Commerce not to organize seminars on Iran or business trips there. The 10-page document which is to be discussed by IAEA governors thisnbsp; also confirmed Tehran had begun enriching uranium to higher levels theoretically bringing it closer to the levels needed for an atomic bomb. nbsp;... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99464.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:25:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99462.php US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clintonrsquo;s overture to Argentina for American help to resolve the South American countryrsquo;s dispute with Great Britain over the Falkland Islands has been politely rebuffed by the British who said they donrsquo;t need any assistance thank you very much. Clintonrsquo;s suggestion was widely condemned as an unwelcome interference with the London Times saying she had ldquo;poured oil on troubled watersrdquo; with remarks she reportedly made during a meeting in Buenos Aires with Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. It said Clintonrsquo;s response to a request from Fernandez de Kirchner for lsquo;friendly mediationrsquo; could be interpreted as a diplomatic coup for Argentina but warned that Clinton should ldquo;tread more carefullyrdquo; on the issue. ldquo;Wersquo;re not interested in and have no real role in determining what they decide between the two of them. But we want them talking and we want them trying to resolve the outstanding issues between them. But if we can be of any help in facilitating such an effort we stand ready to do so rdquo; Clinton reportedly said. Her remarks also brought a cool response from the British government which dismissed the need for mediation. ldquo;We donrsquo;t think thatrsquo;s necessary rdquo; a spokesman for Prime Minister Gordon Brown said. Tensions between Britain and Argentina over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands have been re-ignited recently over Britainrsquo;s decision to start drilling for oil off the shores of the disputed islands.... info@neurope.eu (New Europe) News http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99462.php Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:24:00 +0200 http://www.neurope.eu/articles/99463.php Changing its tune somewhat for constant calls for talks with Iran over that countryrsquo;s burgeoning nuclear program ndash; which the United States and Israel believe is really a disguised plan to build an atomic bomb ndash; the European Union said it will now support new sanctions after Tehran thumbed its nose at requests for more negotiations.nbsp; Echoing the EUrsquo;s stance at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA board US envoy Glyn Davies called on Tehran to change its course and start negotiating with world powers. ldquo;Not doing so leaves the international community no choice but to pursue further deeper sanctions to hold Iran accountable rdquo; Davies said. Western powers are currently trying to pass a fourth round of sanctions targeting Iran at the UN Security Council after the country boosted its uranium enrichment program. Now the EU said it shares the IAEArsquo;s concern about possible ongoing work related to nuclear weapons in Iran and criticized the countryrsquo;s plans to build 10 additional uranium enrichment plants a project the group called a ldquo;further provocation.rdquo; The EU and US envoys said Iran had breached Security Council demands to halt such activities which many countries fear are geared not towards making nuclear weapons rather than for civilian uses. By starting to enrich uranium to 20% Iran had taken ldquo;an escalatory move in blatant and direct violation of the UN Security Council and IAEA Board requirements rdquo; Davies said. The US and EU said that Iran had broken its legally binding inspection agreement with the IAEA by not giving the agency the necessary advance notice before boosting enrichment. Although Iranian leaders say they took this step to make fuel for a medical-use reactor the EU pointed out that the Islamic country does not have the technology to manufacture actual fuel elements. ldquo;The reasons given for these enrichment activities are questi