The European Commission has raised the stakes in its tussle with Washington over visas by suggesting that from the beginning of next year US diplomats be required to apply for a visa for t ravel to the European Union. Brussels' move is prompting by frustration at the US government over the slow pace of talks on granting all EU citizens visa-free travel to the United States. Travel between Europe and the US is set to remain a hot topic for the coming months "No tangible progress has been made regarding the United States despite all efforts of the commission and individual member states," the commission said on Wednesday (23 July). "Therefore, the commission will propose retaliatory measures e.g. temporary restoration of the visa requirement for US nationals holding diplomatic and service or official passports as of 1 January, 2009 if no progress is achieved."
The European Commission has raised the stakes in its tussle with Washington over visas by suggesting that from the beginning of next year US diplomats be required to apply for a visa for t ravel to the European Union.
Brussels' move is prompting by frustration at the US government over the slow pace of talks on granting all EU citizens visa-free travel to the United States.
Travel between Europe and the US is set to remain a hot topic for the coming months
"No tangible progress has been made regarding the United States despite all efforts of the commission and individual member states," the commission said on Wednesday (23 July).
"Therefore, the commission will propose retaliatory measures e.g. temporary restoration of the visa requirement for US nationals holding diplomatic and service or official passports as of 1 January, 2009 if no progress is achieved."
In the latest salvo of the EU-US tug-of-war over visa requirements, the European Commission has announced that it will begin requiring visas from US diplomats in 2009 if there is no progress in negotiations. The EU would like a little reciprocity when it comes to visa requirements. Euroepeans are already used to a number of requirements imposed by the US Department of Homeland Security in the waké of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In a report released Thursday on "visa requirements in breach of the principle of reciprocity," the European Commission is proposing "retaliatory measures" that would force US diplomats to secure visas before entering EU countries. The report listed the United States among four countries - including Japan, Panama and Singapore - that had made no progress on reciprocity since the Commission's last report on the matter in September 2007. "Despite all efforts of the Commission and individual member states and the promises by the USA to include additional EU member states into the Visa Waiver Program this year," the report says, "no tangible progress has been made. Therefore, the Commission will propose retaliatory measures - e.g., temporary restoration of the visa requirement for US nationals holding diplomatic and service/official passports - as from 1 January 2009 if no progress is achieved."
In the latest salvo of the EU-US tug-of-war over visa requirements, the European Commission has announced that it will begin requiring visas from US diplomats in 2009 if there is no progress in negotiations.
The EU would like a little reciprocity when it comes to visa requirements. Euroepeans are already used to a number of requirements imposed by the US Department of Homeland Security in the waké of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In a report released Thursday on "visa requirements in breach of the principle of reciprocity," the European Commission is proposing "retaliatory measures" that would force US diplomats to secure visas before entering EU countries.
The report listed the United States among four countries - including Japan, Panama and Singapore - that had made no progress on reciprocity since the Commission's last report on the matter in September 2007.
"Despite all efforts of the Commission and individual member states and the promises by the USA to include additional EU member states into the Visa Waiver Program this year," the report says, "no tangible progress has been made. Therefore, the Commission will propose retaliatory measures - e.g., temporary restoration of the visa requirement for US nationals holding diplomatic and service/official passports - as from 1 January 2009 if no progress is achieved."
Personally, knowing the way US immigration now works, I'd rather be denied a visa than be denied boarding, let alone entry after landing. At least with a visa you can do some planning. A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith
Even though corporations could just get people visas just in case because they have the time and resources to do it they prefer visa-free travel.
This is not really about the average citizen or about protecting civil liberties since the Council came up with a regulation which was even worse than the one the Commission came up with the previous time, regarding data exchange. A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith
European Union foreign ministers on Tuesday (22 July) called for further diplomacy in dealing with concerns over Iran's nuclear programme and ruled out a military strike as an option. UK foreign secretary David Miliband said following the meeting: "We are 100 percent focussed on a diplomatic resolution to the Iranian issue." Uranium enrichment: Iran insists it is for peaceful purposes The EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said there was "no other route" apart from diplomacy. "The position of the European Union is clear," said Mr Solana according to the AP. "We want to find a diplomatic solution to this, in particular to clarify to the fullest the nature of their nuclear programme." Mr Solana outlined for the ministers the results of a meeting on Saturday between Iran and diplomats from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, and Russia, where Tehran was encouraged to halt its uranium enrichment in return for a package of economic and political carrots.
European Union foreign ministers on Tuesday (22 July) called for further diplomacy in dealing with concerns over Iran's nuclear programme and ruled out a military strike as an option.
UK foreign secretary David Miliband said following the meeting: "We are 100 percent focussed on a diplomatic resolution to the Iranian issue."
Uranium enrichment: Iran insists it is for peaceful purposes
The EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said there was "no other route" apart from diplomacy.
"The position of the European Union is clear," said Mr Solana according to the AP. "We want to find a diplomatic solution to this, in particular to clarify to the fullest the nature of their nuclear programme."
Mr Solana outlined for the ministers the results of a meeting on Saturday between Iran and diplomats from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, and Russia, where Tehran was encouraged to halt its uranium enrichment in return for a package of economic and political carrots.
What is this supposed to mean? That mighty Belgium will not attack Iran? What about the neofacists and their government fronts, the US and Israel? Is this article also speaking for them?
Think what another conflict would do for the war profiteers? Cheney must be drooling! When the music's over, turn out the light. Jim Morrison, the doors
For some reason the US government can still fool the US public by showing token political support from the UN or NATO, or even the UK, Australia and El Salvador (and let's not forget Poland). A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith
When a number of EU countries recognized Kosovo's independence early this year, Serbia withdrew its ambassadors. Now, Belgrade is thinking of sending them back. Are the Serbs giving up on Kosovo? REUTERS A Serbian demonstrator marching against Kosovo independence in February. First it was the announcement on Tuesday that presumed war criminal Radovan Karadzic had been captured just outside of Belgrade. And now, it looks like the Serbian government may soon resume diplomatic relations with those European Union countries which have recognized the independence of Kosovo. In an interview published in the Wednesday edition of the French daily Le Monde, Serbia's pro-Western Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said that he wants to resume diplomatic ties with those European Union countries which recognized Kosovo when the breakaway province declared independence in February. He said he planned to introduce the proposal to the Serbian cabinet on Thursday. "We have two absolute priorities," Jeremic told Le Monde, "the European integration of Serbia and pursuing diplomatic efforts to defend our sovereignty over Kosovo."
When a number of EU countries recognized Kosovo's independence early this year, Serbia withdrew its ambassadors. Now, Belgrade is thinking of sending them back. Are the Serbs giving up on Kosovo?
REUTERS
A Serbian demonstrator marching against Kosovo independence in February. First it was the announcement on Tuesday that presumed war criminal Radovan Karadzic had been captured just outside of Belgrade. And now, it looks like the Serbian government may soon resume diplomatic relations with those European Union countries which have recognized the independence of Kosovo.
In an interview published in the Wednesday edition of the French daily Le Monde, Serbia's pro-Western Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said that he wants to resume diplomatic ties with those European Union countries which recognized Kosovo when the breakaway province declared independence in February. He said he planned to introduce the proposal to the Serbian cabinet on Thursday.
"We have two absolute priorities," Jeremic told Le Monde, "the European integration of Serbia and pursuing diplomatic efforts to defend our sovereignty over Kosovo."
Radovan Karadzic, the Bosnian Serb genocide suspect captured earlier this week, has decided to defend himself before the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, his lawyer said today. Dr Karadzic, who stands indicted for genocide and crimes against humanity, was arrested in Belgrade on Monday evening after more than a decade on the run. He evaded capture by disguising himself as a heavily bearded alternative health guru by the name of Dragan David Dabic, and lived in the suburbs of the Serb capital.
Radovan Karadzic, the Bosnian Serb genocide suspect captured earlier this week, has decided to defend himself before the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, his lawyer said today.
Dr Karadzic, who stands indicted for genocide and crimes against humanity, was arrested in Belgrade on Monday evening after more than a decade on the run.
He evaded capture by disguising himself as a heavily bearded alternative health guru by the name of Dragan David Dabic, and lived in the suburbs of the Serb capital.
maybe an epiphany story and some testifying about health foods!
his identity transformation/camouflage could have taught saddam a thing or two-
what's next, osama bin forgotten as circus clown touring the bible belt?
surrealismus vincet omni alia The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it. Chinese Proverb.
Colonel Gaddafi has launched a bizarre diplomatic assault on Switzerland -- including closing Swiss businesses, arresting Swiss nationals and throwing diplomats out of Libya -- after his son, Hannibal, was arrested for assaulting a member of staff at a Geneva hotel. The European country's Foreign Ministry claims that Mr Gaddafi has launched a single-minded campaign against Swiss interests in general ever since Hannibal, 32, was detained on July 15. It says that the Libyan Government was guilty of initiating "retaliatory measures" in place against Switzerland from two days after the arrest. Libya's envoy in Switzerland has been recalled and Libyan authorities have suspended the issuing of visas to Swiss citizens. Air links between Switzerland and Libya have been reduced, two Swiss nationals have been placed in police custody since Saturday, Swiss businesses in Libya have received closure orders, and Libya has threatened to cut its oil supplies.
Colonel Gaddafi has launched a bizarre diplomatic assault on Switzerland -- including closing Swiss businesses, arresting Swiss nationals and throwing diplomats out of Libya -- after his son, Hannibal, was arrested for assaulting a member of staff at a Geneva hotel.
The European country's Foreign Ministry claims that Mr Gaddafi has launched a single-minded campaign against Swiss interests in general ever since Hannibal, 32, was detained on July 15.
It says that the Libyan Government was guilty of initiating "retaliatory measures" in place against Switzerland from two days after the arrest. Libya's envoy in Switzerland has been recalled and Libyan authorities have suspended the issuing of visas to Swiss citizens.
Air links between Switzerland and Libya have been reduced, two Swiss nationals have been placed in police custody since Saturday, Swiss businesses in Libya have received closure orders, and Libya has threatened to cut its oil supplies.
BERLIN: This month, the Czechs discovered the beauty of sovereignty. Defying Russia, the government in Prague signed an accord with the United States to accept on its territory a radar tracking system for the Pentagon's controversial anti-ballistic missile defense system. Soon after Condoleezza Rice, the U.S. secretary of state, had completed the signing ceremony in Prague, the Kremlin announced it would retaliate. Oil deliveries, which Russia sends to the Czech Republic through the Druzba, or Friendship, pipeline were reduced as much as 40 percent. Officially, Russia denied that the decision was a response to the missile shield agreement. "The Russian side said it was due to technical reasons," said Tomas Bartovsky, a spokesman for the Czech Trade and Industry Ministry. No further explanations were given, he said. Full deliveries have yet to be resumed, but there has been no outcry in Prague. There also has been no shortage of energy. Within a day of the Russian cut, additional oil supplies were flowing through the IKL pipeline from Germany. This was possible because the Czech Republic is the only former Communist country in Eastern Europe that has access to alternate sources of energy, thanks to a decision made back in the early 1990s.
BERLIN: This month, the Czechs discovered the beauty of sovereignty.
Defying Russia, the government in Prague signed an accord with the United States to accept on its territory a radar tracking system for the Pentagon's controversial anti-ballistic missile defense system.
Soon after Condoleezza Rice, the U.S. secretary of state, had completed the signing ceremony in Prague, the Kremlin announced it would retaliate. Oil deliveries, which Russia sends to the Czech Republic through the Druzba, or Friendship, pipeline were reduced as much as 40 percent.
Officially, Russia denied that the decision was a response to the missile shield agreement. "The Russian side said it was due to technical reasons," said Tomas Bartovsky, a spokesman for the Czech Trade and Industry Ministry. No further explanations were given, he said.
Full deliveries have yet to be resumed, but there has been no outcry in Prague. There also has been no shortage of energy. Within a day of the Russian cut, additional oil supplies were flowing through the IKL pipeline from Germany. This was possible because the Czech Republic is the only former Communist country in Eastern Europe that has access to alternate sources of energy, thanks to a decision made back in the early 1990s.
The Cold War frame of this article by Judy Dempsey is striking. Smells of mothballs round here? Well, sure, isn't that Cheney over in that dark corner? When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind
the government in Prague signed an accord with the United States to accept on its territory a radar tracking system for the Pentagon's controversial anti-ballistic missile defense system.
Yes, having another great power's military hardware and soldiers on its territory is a sure sign of sovereignty.
Irony fails. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
LONDON: Only days before he is to meet in London with Senator Barack Obama, Prime Minister Gordon Brown outlined a tentative plan on Tuesday for withdrawing most of Britain's remaining troops from Iraq early in 2009. Brown told Parliament that Britain planned a "fundamental change of mission" at the turn of the year for the 4,100 troops it has in its Iraq contingent, the second largest group of foreign troops serving in Iraq. About 140,000 Americans will be deployed there after current American troop withdrawals are completed. The prime minister gave no fixed timetable for British withdrawals, and left open the number of troops who would be returning home. He also said troop reductions would depend on the "advice of our military commanders on the ground" when detailed decisions are made. A spokesman at 10 Downing Street said the British leader was reluctant to give details because of a recognition that security conditions could deteriorate in southern Iraq, where most of the British soldiers are based. But Defense Ministry officials said the aim was to withdraw most of the troops in the first half of 2009, if the security improvements of recent months are sustained. They said more details would be announced in the fall by the defense minister, Desmond Browne. Current British troop strength in Iraq is a fraction of the force of more than 40,000 troops who took part in the invasion of 2003. Britain has 8,000 troops in Afghanistan, and has said that it intends to concentrate on its future combat role there.
LONDON: Only days before he is to meet in London with Senator Barack Obama, Prime Minister Gordon Brown outlined a tentative plan on Tuesday for withdrawing most of Britain's remaining troops from Iraq early in 2009.
Brown told Parliament that Britain planned a "fundamental change of mission" at the turn of the year for the 4,100 troops it has in its Iraq contingent, the second largest group of foreign troops serving in Iraq. About 140,000 Americans will be deployed there after current American troop withdrawals are completed.
The prime minister gave no fixed timetable for British withdrawals, and left open the number of troops who would be returning home. He also said troop reductions would depend on the "advice of our military commanders on the ground" when detailed decisions are made. A spokesman at 10 Downing Street said the British leader was reluctant to give details because of a recognition that security conditions could deteriorate in southern Iraq, where most of the British soldiers are based.
But Defense Ministry officials said the aim was to withdraw most of the troops in the first half of 2009, if the security improvements of recent months are sustained. They said more details would be announced in the fall by the defense minister, Desmond Browne. Current British troop strength in Iraq is a fraction of the force of more than 40,000 troops who took part in the invasion of 2003. Britain has 8,000 troops in Afghanistan, and has said that it intends to concentrate on its future combat role there.
A member of the European Parliament, German politician Silvana Koch-Mehrin would like to see a decentralized Europe that puts its citizens first, she writes in an exclusive essay for DW-WORLD.DE. Silvana Koch-Mehrin, a member of the European Parliament, belongs to Germany's free market liberal party, the FDP, and heads up its European Parliament group. My vision of Europe includes lasting diversity. Herein lies its potential. Diversity has characterized Europe for centuries, and diversity feeds the common European identity. It is absurd to think that Europe will ever flourish if its roots are enforced equality and shared values dictated from above. A liberal Europe of the future is based on recognition of diversity, and it will continue to promote this principle. Business long ago realized that competition is healthier than monopolies, and the same principle applies to politics. Decentralization encourages this competition, which needs to permeate every level of politics. Take competition among business locations. Competition allows citizens and companies to identify where to base the services their taxes help provide. If these are to be tied to a region or a country in the long-run, their hosts need to budget well and meet their responsibilities. Decentralization is a way to prevent governments from collecting extortionate taxes only in order to dole out subsidies and create mountains of debt.
Silvana Koch-Mehrin, a member of the European Parliament, belongs to Germany's free market liberal party, the FDP, and heads up its European Parliament group.
My vision of Europe includes lasting diversity. Herein lies its potential. Diversity has characterized Europe for centuries, and diversity feeds the common European identity. It is absurd to think that Europe will ever flourish if its roots are enforced equality and shared values dictated from above. A liberal Europe of the future is based on recognition of diversity, and it will continue to promote this principle. Business long ago realized that competition is healthier than monopolies, and the same principle applies to politics.
Decentralization encourages this competition, which needs to permeate every level of politics. Take competition among business locations. Competition allows citizens and companies to identify where to base the services their taxes help provide. If these are to be tied to a region or a country in the long-run, their hosts need to budget well and meet their responsibilities. Decentralization is a way to prevent governments from collecting extortionate taxes only in order to dole out subsidies and create mountains of debt.
Diversity has characterized Europe for centuries
War too. When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind
Business long ago realized that competition is healthier than monopolies, and the same principle applies to politics. Decentralization encourages this competition, which needs to permeate every level of politics.
Decentralization encourages this competition, which needs to permeate every level of politics.
For that matter, many of the subsidies doled out by local and regional governments come in the form of packages to attract firms to shift to their city or region.
This prescription is precisely wrong. High mobility of businesses has a destructive effect on local economies. Governments need to focus on fostering local businesses and value chains from the bottom up, not on attracting and keeping big firms.
I think we can call what Koch-Mehrin proposes the broader neoliberal vision for Europe. Destructive jurisdictional competition to disempower government, destroy small business and local economies, and shift wealth upwards.
But it's cleverly framed to read as if it's bottom-up populism.
When we're having a debate about presentation, it's worth remembering that this is how the Right lies - by making comments which seem inclusive and reasonable if you skim over them, but which hide the real agenda.
A member of the European Parliament, German politician Silvana Koch-Mehrin would like to see a decentralized Europe that puts its citizens first
Only if by "citizens" you understand "big business" and by "decentralised" you hear "powerless" In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has won parliamentary backing for a crime package critics say discriminates against immigrants. Under new laws approved by the Senate, illegal immigrants convicted of crimes will now face jail sentences a third longer than those for Italians. Courts will be able to jail illegal immigrants for up to four years rather than simply deport them. Property rented to illegal immigrants can also be confiscated.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has won parliamentary backing for a crime package critics say discriminates against immigrants.
Under new laws approved by the Senate, illegal immigrants convicted of crimes will now face jail sentences a third longer than those for Italians.
Courts will be able to jail illegal immigrants for up to four years rather than simply deport them.
Property rented to illegal immigrants can also be confiscated.
I have pointed out that the present fear fad in Italy is only a matter of perceiving it as such, exploited to the hilt by the rightwing press. There is no security problem in Italy beyond organized crime. Petty criminality has gone down over the long term. Were we to compare the Italian situation to Germany we would expect Merkel to set up a totalitarian state for the higher crime levels there.
What the law seeks to do is to further Berlusconi's anti-illuminist, ancien régime project of a two-tiered judiciary system in which the modern "royalty" (assorted white collar mafia, starlets, economic criminality, corrupt politicians) are judged by their social position rather than their actions. The hoi polloi are now obliged to undergo summary trials with rights to appeal curtailed.
While the annual budget law drastically reduces resources for the police forces over the next three years, a big vaudeville hullaballoo is made over using 3000 military to police the cities presumably against perceived bogeymen (the usual black, brown, beady-eyed clandestine immigrant).
With this new law it is a crime to be clandestine. All crimes committed by a clandestine will be punished by harsher sentences than if they were committed by a person with papers in order. It is precisely these sort of laws that fill prisons with illegal immigrants giving grist to the argument that illegal immigrants are the major cause of crime. If one subtracts crimes related to a person's political status, the incidence of crime as compared between the general population and clandestines is on par. Actually, legal immigrants have a lower crime incidence than Italian nationals.
Detention camps will no longer be called "Centers of Temporary Detention" but "Centers for Identification and Expulsion."
France's parliament has passed a law which effectively ends the country's compulsory 35-hour working week. The new law will allow companies to strike individual deals with unions on working hours and overtime. Since coming into office last year, President Nicolas Sarkozy has blamed the 35-hour week for damaging France's economic competitiveness. Introduced 10 years ago by the then Socialist government, polls show most French still support the 35-hour week.
France's parliament has passed a law which effectively ends the country's compulsory 35-hour working week.
The new law will allow companies to strike individual deals with unions on working hours and overtime.
Since coming into office last year, President Nicolas Sarkozy has blamed the 35-hour week for damaging France's economic competitiveness.
Introduced 10 years ago by the then Socialist government, polls show most French still support the 35-hour week.
Aimed at cutting unemployment, it was credited with creating some 350,000 new jobs between 1998 and 2002 - but the state had to provide billions of euros in aid.
Funny that they should not mention that it will now - yet again - cost billions in State aid to eliminate the 35-hour week.
And funny how a measure "credited" with significant job creation (a 15% drop in unemployment all on its own) is seen as such a horrible thing everywhere...
Unions say the new measures will mainly affect smaller and medium-sized firms. "In the big companies, no-one wants to renegotiate the 35-hours and re-open Pandora's Box," said Philippe Jaeger, of managers' union CFE-CGC.
"In the big companies, no-one wants to renegotiate the 35-hours and re-open Pandora's Box," said Philippe Jaeger, of managers' union CFE-CGC.
Eliminate protection for the weak, while the strong manage fine: the right in a nutshell. Funny that frame doesn't get mentioned. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
