Russian President Dmitry Medvedev delivered a major foreign policy speech on Tuesday July 15, singling out US and European policies on missile defense and Kosovo for criticism in a style reminiscent of his predecessor. In the speech given to Russia's diplomatic corps in Moscow, Medvedev said that US plans to site a missile defense system in Eastern Europe threatens the demise of the decades-old balance of power in Europe and added that Russia was prepared to execute "an adequate response" should the plans advance. "This common (security) heritage cannot survive if one of the sides destroys isolated elements of the strategic construction," Medvedev said in the sharply-worded speech which had echoes of Vladimir Putin at his most beligerent. "We are unsatisfied...National security cannot be based on spoken promises. "These installations ... only worsen the situation," he added. "We will be forced to respond to this adequately. The EU and US have been warned."
In the speech given to Russia's diplomatic corps in Moscow, Medvedev said that US plans to site a missile defense system in Eastern Europe threatens the demise of the decades-old balance of power in Europe and added that Russia was prepared to execute "an adequate response" should the plans advance.
"This common (security) heritage cannot survive if one of the sides destroys isolated elements of the strategic construction," Medvedev said in the sharply-worded speech which had echoes of Vladimir Putin at his most beligerent. "We are unsatisfied...National security cannot be based on spoken promises.
"These installations ... only worsen the situation," he added. "We will be forced to respond to this adequately. The EU and US have been warned."
Belgium woke up to a new political crisis Tuesday when it became clear that its five-party coalition government led by Prime Minister Yves Leterme had broken down after only four months in office. Flemish Christian Democrat Leterme handed in his resignation to Belgian King Albert II late Monday night after it became clear he would not be unable to broker an agreement on the basis of constitutional reform or a power-sharing deal that has split the country in two. But after a four-hour meeting with his prime minister, Albert rejected the resignation of the government, instead favoring a deliberation period where he would consider whether to accept the move. The royal palace said the king would begin consulting political leaders from both sides of the linguistic divide this week. Leterme's government apparently crumbled after failing to find common ground on a reform plan before the prime minister's self-imposed July 15 deadline. A contributing factor was the ongoing cultural differences between the Dutch-speaking Flemish people and the French-speaking Walloons.
Flemish Christian Democrat Leterme handed in his resignation to Belgian King Albert II late Monday night after it became clear he would not be unable to broker an agreement on the basis of constitutional reform or a power-sharing deal that has split the country in two.
But after a four-hour meeting with his prime minister, Albert rejected the resignation of the government, instead favoring a deliberation period where he would consider whether to accept the move. The royal palace said the king would begin consulting political leaders from both sides of the linguistic divide this week.
Leterme's government apparently crumbled after failing to find common ground on a reform plan before the prime minister's self-imposed July 15 deadline. A contributing factor was the ongoing cultural differences between the Dutch-speaking Flemish people and the French-speaking Walloons.
Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme has tendered his resignation, plunging the linguistically divided country back into political crisis. His cabinet had failed to agree on a constitutional reform that would have devolved more power to the regions. Belgium's Prime Minister Yves Leterme after offering his resignation to the king. Belgians woke up to a case of déjà-vu on Tuesday morning, learning that Prime Minister Yves Leterme had resigned overnight, plunging the country into yet another political crisis. Leterme had offered to resign after failing to meet a deadline to reconcile parties from both sides of Belgium's linguistic divide on a path to reform the federal state. King Albert II is now "weighing" whether to accept the resigination and has begun consulting with political leaders on how to resolve the crisis. Leterme said in a statement that the "communities' conflicting visions of how to give a new equilibrium to our state have become incompatible," adding that the "federal model has reached its limit."
Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme has tendered his resignation, plunging the linguistically divided country back into political crisis. His cabinet had failed to agree on a constitutional reform that would have devolved more power to the regions.
Belgium's Prime Minister Yves Leterme after offering his resignation to the king. Belgians woke up to a case of déjà-vu on Tuesday morning, learning that Prime Minister Yves Leterme had resigned overnight, plunging the country into yet another political crisis.
Leterme had offered to resign after failing to meet a deadline to reconcile parties from both sides of Belgium's linguistic divide on a path to reform the federal state.
King Albert II is now "weighing" whether to accept the resigination and has begun consulting with political leaders on how to resolve the crisis.
Leterme said in a statement that the "communities' conflicting visions of how to give a new equilibrium to our state have become incompatible," adding that the "federal model has reached its limit."
Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has urged his ministers to boycott EU meetings where no documentation is provided in Italian in a bid to promote the language of Dante. They should walk out of those meetings where they are forced to speak a language other than their own, Mr Berlusconi wrote in a letter to his colleagues, the Guardian reports. Mr Berlusconi has called for respect of "the dignity" of all EU languages It is essential that the EU also guarantees "the dignity" of those languages which are less spoken in the Union, the prime minister wrote. He said Italian officials should "counteract the practice, begun by the European commission... [of] introducing the ambiguous notion of 'working' or 'procedural' languages, with the effect of creating a trilingual hierarchy" with English, French and German as the main beneficiaries. The 27 member state bloc has 23 official languages, while English, French and German are the three working languages used for day-to-day business.
Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has urged his ministers to boycott EU meetings where no documentation is provided in Italian in a bid to promote the language of Dante.
They should walk out of those meetings where they are forced to speak a language other than their own, Mr Berlusconi wrote in a letter to his colleagues, the Guardian reports.
Mr Berlusconi has called for respect of "the dignity" of all EU languages
It is essential that the EU also guarantees "the dignity" of those languages which are less spoken in the Union, the prime minister wrote.
He said Italian officials should "counteract the practice, begun by the European commission... [of] introducing the ambiguous notion of 'working' or 'procedural' languages, with the effect of creating a trilingual hierarchy" with English, French and German as the main beneficiaries.
The 27 member state bloc has 23 official languages, while English, French and German are the three working languages used for day-to-day business.
EU- trade commissioner Peter Mandelson has called on member states to present a united front in crucial world trade talks next week as national governments divide into neo-liberal and protectionist camps ahead of the negotiations. The commissioner's call comes after French President Nicolas Sarkozy in an unusually direct attack earlier this month accused Mr Mandelson of contributing to the Irish rejection of EU Lisbon treaty through his trade stance and of making too many promises on reducing subsidies for EU farmers. "If, after seven years, you cannot complete a trade round, what does that say for your prospects of reaching a deal on climate change?" According to the International Herald Tribune, he told a gathering of journalists on Monday (14 July) that the 27 member states should make a "show of unity" and noted that France is "very mindful of its responsibilities as the presidency of the EU."
EU- trade commissioner Peter Mandelson has called on member states to present a united front in crucial world trade talks next week as national governments divide into neo-liberal and protectionist camps ahead of the negotiations.
The commissioner's call comes after French President Nicolas Sarkozy in an unusually direct attack earlier this month accused Mr Mandelson of contributing to the Irish rejection of EU Lisbon treaty through his trade stance and of making too many promises on reducing subsidies for EU farmers.
"If, after seven years, you cannot complete a trade round, what does that say for your prospects of reaching a deal on climate change?"
According to the International Herald Tribune, he told a gathering of journalists on Monday (14 July) that the 27 member states should make a "show of unity" and noted that France is "very mindful of its responsibilities as the presidency of the EU."
New data shows industrial production in Europe recorded its biggest fall in nearly 16 years in May, fuelling fears the continent's economy is weakening as it's buffeted by a string of global financial crises. Seasonally adjusted industrial production fell month on month by 1.9 per cent in the 15-member euro zone and by 1.4 per cent in the 27-member European Union, the EU statistic office, Eurostat said on Monday, July 14. It was the biggest fall in industrial production since December 1992. The slide comes against a backdrop of soaring inflation, surging oil prices and the fallout from a weakening global economy and credit crisis. Adding to the pressure on the 15 countries sharing the euro has been the strength of the common currency, which last week edged back up towards it all-time high of just over $1.60.
Seasonally adjusted industrial production fell month on month by 1.9 per cent in the 15-member euro zone and by 1.4 per cent in the 27-member European Union, the EU statistic office, Eurostat said on Monday, July 14.
It was the biggest fall in industrial production since December 1992. The slide comes against a backdrop of soaring inflation, surging oil prices and the fallout from a weakening global economy and credit crisis.
Adding to the pressure on the 15 countries sharing the euro has been the strength of the common currency, which last week edged back up towards it all-time high of just over $1.60.
FRANKFURT: Europe, which held the world's economic storms at bay for the last year, has finally succumbed. Spain, Ireland and Denmark are either in, or on the brink, of a recession. Italy is stagnating. France is weakening fast. And Germany, the sturdy locomotive of European growth, is suddenly faltering - dashing most residual hopes that Europe could escape the upheaval in the United States. On Tuesday, an influential poll of German investors by the Center for European Economic Research in Mannheim found that confidence has plummeted to its lowest level since the survey was started in 1991. Shares in Spain swooned after that country's housing crisis claimed its first big casualty: a property developer that filed for protection from creditors. And in Britain, the inflation rate surged - as it has elsewhere in Europe - to 3.8 percent because of soaring prices for food and fuel. "We've seen a sea change in Europe," said Thomas Mayer, the chief European economist at Deutsche Bank in London. "All the bad news around the world has finally come to us."
FRANKFURT: Europe, which held the world's economic storms at bay for the last year, has finally succumbed.
Spain, Ireland and Denmark are either in, or on the brink, of a recession. Italy is stagnating. France is weakening fast. And Germany, the sturdy locomotive of European growth, is suddenly faltering - dashing most residual hopes that Europe could escape the upheaval in the United States.
On Tuesday, an influential poll of German investors by the Center for European Economic Research in Mannheim found that confidence has plummeted to its lowest level since the survey was started in 1991.
Shares in Spain swooned after that country's housing crisis claimed its first big casualty: a property developer that filed for protection from creditors. And in Britain, the inflation rate surged - as it has elsewhere in Europe - to 3.8 percent because of soaring prices for food and fuel.
"We've seen a sea change in Europe," said Thomas Mayer, the chief European economist at Deutsche Bank in London. "All the bad news around the world has finally come to us."
Shares in Spain swooned
Unless it's a typo for "swooped", which would still be an abuse of language.
Dicho sea de paso, el significado de 'Maracatu, and here too! "Beware of the man who does not talk, and the dog that does not bark." Cheyenne
See also: Some short notes on Indian cooking. by Metatone on March 19th, 2006 When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes
MADRID, Spain: The Spanish government filed a lawsuit Tuesday with the Constitutional Court to block plans by the Basque region to hold a referendum that many see as a move toward independence. State lawyers acted after the Basque regional government on Tuesday published its plan to hold the referendum Oct. 25, the Justice Ministry said in a statement. Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's Socialist government says the referendum is unconstitutional because only the central government, not a regional administration, can authorize such a vote. The lawsuit automatically suspends plans for the vote while the court deliberates. The Basque government insists the nonbinding vote is a popular consultation, and not a referendum. With it, the regional government seeks the views of Basque residents on the separatist group ETA's armed conflict and the region's future political status.
MADRID, Spain: The Spanish government filed a lawsuit Tuesday with the Constitutional Court to block plans by the Basque region to hold a referendum that many see as a move toward independence.
State lawyers acted after the Basque regional government on Tuesday published its plan to hold the referendum Oct. 25, the Justice Ministry said in a statement.
Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's Socialist government says the referendum is unconstitutional because only the central government, not a regional administration, can authorize such a vote.
The lawsuit automatically suspends plans for the vote while the court deliberates.
The Basque government insists the nonbinding vote is a popular consultation, and not a referendum. With it, the regional government seeks the views of Basque residents on the separatist group ETA's armed conflict and the region's future political status.
I'll try to find the referendum questions... When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes
A LETTER writer to the London Times put his finger on it. "Can anybody explain to me," he asked, "what is the difference between democracy in Zimbabwe and democracy in the European Union?" In Zimbabwe, back in March, Robert Mugabe called an election which he was sure he would win. But despite widespread intimidation and vote rigging, he lost. His Zanu-PF party lost its majority in parliament, and Mugabe himself was defeated by Morgan Tsvangirai in the presidential race. But Mugabe refused to accept the result and organised a rerun. This time he made sure the result would be the right one. The point the letter writer was making is that something similar keeps happening in European Union referendums. Whenever voters reject a proposal put forward by Europe's political elite, they either get ignored, or they are told to vote again until they get it right. It happened to the Danes in 2000 when they rejected the Maastricht Treaty and a second referendum was called. The Irish then rejected the Nice Treaty in 2001 and had to have a rerun. And now it's happening again after French, Dutch and Irish voters have rejected the Lisbon Treaty. This latest democratic charade began in 2005, when the European Commission published plans for a new constitution creating the structure for a European federal superstate.
A LETTER writer to the London Times put his finger on it. "Can anybody explain to me," he asked, "what is the difference between democracy in Zimbabwe and democracy in the European Union?"
In Zimbabwe, back in March, Robert Mugabe called an election which he was sure he would win. But despite widespread intimidation and vote rigging, he lost. His Zanu-PF party lost its majority in parliament, and Mugabe himself was defeated by Morgan Tsvangirai in the presidential race.
But Mugabe refused to accept the result and organised a rerun. This time he made sure the result would be the right one.
The point the letter writer was making is that something similar keeps happening in European Union referendums. Whenever voters reject a proposal put forward by Europe's political elite, they either get ignored, or they are told to vote again until they get it right. It happened to the Danes in 2000 when they rejected the Maastricht Treaty and a second referendum was called. The Irish then rejected the Nice Treaty in 2001 and had to have a rerun. And now it's happening again after French, Dutch and Irish voters have rejected the Lisbon Treaty.
This latest democratic charade began in 2005, when the European Commission published plans for a new constitution creating the structure for a European federal superstate.
"Can anybody explain to me," he asked, "what is the difference between democracy in Zimbabwe and democracy in the European Union?"
No one sets your family on fire if you vote the wrong way?
I know it's a small point, but it could be somewhat relevant.
I am neither a Russia-basher nor a China-basher. But there was something truly filthy about Russia's and China's vetoes of the American-led U.N. Security Council effort to impose targeted sanctions on Robert Mugabe's ruling clique in Zimbabwe. The U.S. put forward a simple Security Council resolution, calling for an arms embargo on Zimbabwe, the appointment of a U.N. mediator, plus travel and financial restrictions on the dictator Mugabe and 13 top military and government officials for stealing the Zimbabwe election and essentially mugging an entire country in broad daylight. <...> Perfect we are not, but America still has some moral backbone. There are travesties we will not tolerate. The U.N. vote on Zimbabwe demonstrates that this is not true for these "popular" countries -- called Russia or China or South Africa -- that have no problem siding with a man who is pulverizing his own people. So, yes, we're not so popular in Europe and Asia anymore. I guess they would prefer a world in which America was weaker, where leaders with the values of Vladimir Putin and Thabo Mbeki had a greater say, and where the desperate voices for change in Zimbabwe would, well, just shut up.
I am neither a Russia-basher nor a China-basher. But there was something truly filthy about Russia's and China's vetoes of the American-led U.N. Security Council effort to impose targeted sanctions on Robert Mugabe's ruling clique in Zimbabwe.
The U.S. put forward a simple Security Council resolution, calling for an arms embargo on Zimbabwe, the appointment of a U.N. mediator, plus travel and financial restrictions on the dictator Mugabe and 13 top military and government officials for stealing the Zimbabwe election and essentially mugging an entire country in broad daylight. <...>
Perfect we are not, but America still has some moral backbone. There are travesties we will not tolerate. The U.N. vote on Zimbabwe demonstrates that this is not true for these "popular" countries -- called Russia or China or South Africa -- that have no problem siding with a man who is pulverizing his own people.
So, yes, we're not so popular in Europe and Asia anymore. I guess they would prefer a world in which America was weaker, where leaders with the values of Vladimir Putin and Thabo Mbeki had a greater say, and where the desperate voices for change in Zimbabwe would, well, just shut up.
Creidibility and popularity are not a zero-sum game.
Oh, it's Friedman. Why do I even bother? In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Oh, it's Friedman. Why do I even bother?
Because he makes a lot of sense at other times, such as on the environment and green industry.
And because he raises a good example of what the world may start to look like as the Western influence on the world begins to cede to non-Western powers. ... all progress depends on the unreasonable mensch.(apologies to G.B. Shaw)
Lithuania has stepped up pressure on the European Commission by deciding to hold a referendum on whether to extend the lifespan of the Ignalina nuclear power plant, despite having agreed - as a condition of entry into the EU - to shut the station down at the end of 2009. On Monday (14 July), 88 out of 141 Lithuanian parliamentarians supported a call for a non-binding plebiscite on the issue, while five MPs were against and eleven abstained. The referendum is due on 12 October, the same day as the general parliamentary elections. The signing of Lithuania's EU accession treaty, which lays out a timetable for closure of Ignalina "Our motive is the difficult situation facing Lithuania," Vytautas Bogusis, who tabled the referendum idea, told AFP. He added that the situation after Ignalina is closed was likely to be "catastrophic" as electricity prices would "rise fourfold". The chair of the parliament economic committee, Birute Vesaite, told Reuters that the country "should not remain silent and wait until the others take [its] electricity market share".
Lithuania has stepped up pressure on the European Commission by deciding to hold a referendum on whether to extend the lifespan of the Ignalina nuclear power plant, despite having agreed - as a condition of entry into the EU - to shut the station down at the end of 2009.
On Monday (14 July), 88 out of 141 Lithuanian parliamentarians supported a call for a non-binding plebiscite on the issue, while five MPs were against and eleven abstained. The referendum is due on 12 October, the same day as the general parliamentary elections.
The signing of Lithuania's EU accession treaty, which lays out a timetable for closure of Ignalina
"Our motive is the difficult situation facing Lithuania," Vytautas Bogusis, who tabled the referendum idea, told AFP. He added that the situation after Ignalina is closed was likely to be "catastrophic" as electricity prices would "rise fourfold".
The chair of the parliament economic committee, Birute Vesaite, told Reuters that the country "should not remain silent and wait until the others take [its] electricity market share".
So now time is running out. Because they put all their repalcement eggs in one basket! In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
