With the Irish 'yes' in the bag, the Lisbon Treaty, which would create the post of EU president, has moved closer to becoming reality. Some say Tony Blair will get the job. Others say he's from the wrong country. Of the eight former heads of state or government whose names have been bandied about on and off since the European Union decided to create the post, Tony Blair has always been considered one of the strongest candidates. He has the support of his native Britain, Ireland, France and Italy. But not everyone is lining up behind him, as a letter released by the Benelux countries on Tuesday goes to show. In their missive, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg outlined what they would be looking for in a president. They said the successful candidate ought to "demonstrate his European engagement and a developed vision on all the Union's policies." One diplomat interpreted the statement as a polite way of telling Blair that they don't think he is "best placed" to get the job.
Of the eight former heads of state or government whose names have been bandied about on and off since the European Union decided to create the post, Tony Blair has always been considered one of the strongest candidates. He has the support of his native Britain, Ireland, France and Italy.
But not everyone is lining up behind him, as a letter released by the Benelux countries on Tuesday goes to show. In their missive, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg outlined what they would be looking for in a president.
They said the successful candidate ought to "demonstrate his European engagement and a developed vision on all the Union's policies."
One diplomat interpreted the statement as a polite way of telling Blair that they don't think he is "best placed" to get the job.
After Ireland's Yes vote on the Lisbon Treaty, many Britons see their former Prime Minister Tony Blair as a shoe-in to become the first president of the EU. But his appointment is far from certain. There are deep misgivings across the EU about handing the top job to the old friend of George W. Bush. "A spectre is haunting Europe," wrote London Mayor Boris Johnson in his column in the Daily Telegraph this week. But the op ed quickly departed from the original text of the "Communist Manifesto." "That spectre has a famously toothy grin" and "an almost diabolical gift of political self-reinvention." Johnson, of course, is referring to Tony Blair, British prime minister from 1997 to 2007 and the favorite foe of British conservatives. The electorate, Johnson wrote, thought they had "finally gotten rid of the fellow" only to have him return as a "kind of Euro-emperor" aboard a "Blair Force One Jumbo Jet." For much of the British press, whether they like or hate the idea, it is seen as a foregone conclusion that Tony Blair will become the first European Union president, a position called for by the Lisbon Treaty, which seems likely to clear the remaining ratification hurdles. "Tony could be named by the end of October," the tabloid Sun wrote last week, quoting an anonymous government source. The Observer also referred to Blair as the "clear favorite."
After Ireland's Yes vote on the Lisbon Treaty, many Britons see their former Prime Minister Tony Blair as a shoe-in to become the first president of the EU. But his appointment is far from certain. There are deep misgivings across the EU about handing the top job to the old friend of George W. Bush.
"A spectre is haunting Europe," wrote London Mayor Boris Johnson in his column in the Daily Telegraph this week. But the op ed quickly departed from the original text of the "Communist Manifesto." "That spectre has a famously toothy grin" and "an almost diabolical gift of political self-reinvention."
Johnson, of course, is referring to Tony Blair, British prime minister from 1997 to 2007 and the favorite foe of British conservatives. The electorate, Johnson wrote, thought they had "finally gotten rid of the fellow" only to have him return as a "kind of Euro-emperor" aboard a "Blair Force One Jumbo Jet."
For much of the British press, whether they like or hate the idea, it is seen as a foregone conclusion that Tony Blair will become the first European Union president, a position called for by the Lisbon Treaty, which seems likely to clear the remaining ratification hurdles. "Tony could be named by the end of October," the tabloid Sun wrote last week, quoting an anonymous government source. The Observer also referred to Blair as the "clear favorite."
For much of the British press, whether they like or hate the idea, it is seen as a foregone conclusion that Tony Blair will become the first European Union president[]
A former right-hand man of Tony Blair is to lead Britain's fight to draw up a global role for the EU's new president in the face of opposition from countries determined to limit the job -- and the possibility that Mr Blair will want it. Mr Blair sent Sir Kim Darroch to be Britain's Ambassador to Brussels in 2007. Sir Kim was at Mr Blair's side in No 10 for three years, acting as a Europe adviser and helping in tough negotiations to keep the British budget rebate. With the Benelux nations now seeking to curtail the president's role in a move seen as an attempt to wreck Mr Blair's candidacy, Sir Kim has the task of ensuring that the job lives up to the original vision -- and the expectations of his former boss. The pressure increased yesterday with the disclosure that Fredrik Reinfeldt, the Swedish Prime Minister in charge of drawing up a shortlist for the job, was wary of appointing a president who would put existing European institutions and small countries "in the shadows".
A former right-hand man of Tony Blair is to lead Britain's fight to draw up a global role for the EU's new president in the face of opposition from countries determined to limit the job -- and the possibility that Mr Blair will want it.
Mr Blair sent Sir Kim Darroch to be Britain's Ambassador to Brussels in 2007. Sir Kim was at Mr Blair's side in No 10 for three years, acting as a Europe adviser and helping in tough negotiations to keep the British budget rebate.
With the Benelux nations now seeking to curtail the president's role in a move seen as an attempt to wreck Mr Blair's candidacy, Sir Kim has the task of ensuring that the job lives up to the original vision -- and the expectations of his former boss.
The pressure increased yesterday with the disclosure that Fredrik Reinfeldt, the Swedish Prime Minister in charge of drawing up a shortlist for the job, was wary of appointing a president who would put existing European institutions and small countries "in the shadows".
But there are four arguments for Mr Blair. First, notwithstanding Iraq, he has a track record as a successful politician. He brokered a peace deal for Northern Ireland, while his recent work on the Palestinian economy shows a commitment to settling the Middle East conflict. As for the EU, he invented its defence policy (with Jacques Chirac, the former French president), helped create the Lisbon agenda of economic reform, and ensured that climate change and energy security became priorities. Second, Mr Blair would give the EU credibility in other parts of the world. When the leader of a small country represents the EU - as sometimes happens with the current, rotating presidency - other powers do not always take it seriously. In January during the Gaza conflict, the Czech prime minister - then EU president - was not a big player in the diplomacy that tried to resolve it. The new EU president will take on that external role. Recently an Indian official said to me: "If you want us to respect your EU president, choose someone we have heard of, like Mr Blair, Angela Merkel or Nicolas Sarkozy. If you choose the prime minister of Luxembourg we may not find the time to meet him."Third, Mr Blair is a great salesman. One of the EU's big problems is that few citizens understand what it does, how it works or why it adds value. Mr Blair's communications skills would help the Union get its message across, within Europe and beyond.Finally, Mr Blair could help the EU to cope with the Conservatives, who seem likely to form a British government by mid-2010. They have yet to define their EU policies but may try to opt out of parts of the Lisbon treaty or the institutions of EU defence. If David Cameron, the Tory leader, does start to move against the EU, who better to argue back than President Blair? In private he would try to dissuade Mr Cameron but, if that failed, he would defend the EU eloquently before the court of British public opinion. Though Mr Blair's presence in Brussels would provoke eurosceptics, many Britons might start to see that the EU is not an anti-British project.The EU president will have to work with the Commission president (Mr Blair and Mr Barroso get on well) and with the new high representative for foreign policy. If Mr Blair becomes president, the high representative will need to be someone more interested in the nitty-gritty. Mr Blair would have to be modest enough not to provoke fears of empire-building among the governments, but strong enough to offer leadership and ideas, to help to forge a consensus and, when necessary, knock heads together. He would be a risky choice. But he might inspire the EU to shift its focus from sterile institutional debates towards global challenges such as climate change, energy security, nuclear proliferation and the Middle East.
But there are four arguments for Mr Blair. First, notwithstanding Iraq, he has a track record as a successful politician. He brokered a peace deal for Northern Ireland, while his recent work on the Palestinian economy shows a commitment to settling the Middle East conflict. As for the EU, he invented its defence policy (with Jacques Chirac, the former French president), helped create the Lisbon agenda of economic reform, and ensured that climate change and energy security became priorities.
Second, Mr Blair would give the EU credibility in other parts of the world. When the leader of a small country represents the EU - as sometimes happens with the current, rotating presidency - other powers do not always take it seriously. In January during the Gaza conflict, the Czech prime minister - then EU president - was not a big player in the diplomacy that tried to resolve it. The new EU president will take on that external role. Recently an Indian official said to me: "If you want us to respect your EU president, choose someone we have heard of, like Mr Blair, Angela Merkel or Nicolas Sarkozy. If you choose the prime minister of Luxembourg we may not find the time to meet him."
Third, Mr Blair is a great salesman. One of the EU's big problems is that few citizens understand what it does, how it works or why it adds value. Mr Blair's communications skills would help the Union get its message across, within Europe and beyond.
Finally, Mr Blair could help the EU to cope with the Conservatives, who seem likely to form a British government by mid-2010. They have yet to define their EU policies but may try to opt out of parts of the Lisbon treaty or the institutions of EU defence. If David Cameron, the Tory leader, does start to move against the EU, who better to argue back than President Blair? In private he would try to dissuade Mr Cameron but, if that failed, he would defend the EU eloquently before the court of British public opinion. Though Mr Blair's presence in Brussels would provoke eurosceptics, many Britons might start to see that the EU is not an anti-British project.
The EU president will have to work with the Commission president (Mr Blair and Mr Barroso get on well) and with the new high representative for foreign policy. If Mr Blair becomes president, the high representative will need to be someone more interested in the nitty-gritty. Mr Blair would have to be modest enough not to provoke fears of empire-building among the governments, but strong enough to offer leadership and ideas, to help to forge a consensus and, when necessary, knock heads together. He would be a risky choice. But he might inspire the EU to shift its focus from sterile institutional debates towards global challenges such as climate change, energy security, nuclear proliferation and the Middle East.
his recent work on the Palestinian economy shows a commitment to settling the Middle East conflict
helped create the Lisbon agenda of economic reform
When the leader of a small country represents the EU - as sometimes happens with the current, rotating presidency - other powers do not always take it seriously. In January during the Gaza conflict, the Czech prime minister - then EU president - was not a big player in the diplomacy that tried to resolve it. The new EU president will take on that external role.
One of the EU's big problems is that few citizens understand what it does, how it works or why it adds value. Mr Blair's communications skills would help the Union get its message across
If David Cameron, the Tory leader, does start to move against the EU, who better to argue back than President Blair?
In private he would try to dissuade Mr Cameron but, if that failed, he would defend the EU eloquently before the court of British public opinion.
The EU president will have to work with the Commission president (Mr Blair and Mr Barroso get on well) and with the new high representative for foreign policy. If Mr Blair becomes president, the high representative will need to be someone more interested in the nitty-gritty.
Mr Blair would have to be modest enough not to provoke fears of empire-building among the governments, but strong enough to offer leadership and ideas, to help to forge a consensus and, when necessary, knock heads together.
He would be a risky choice.
But he might inspire the EU to shift its focus from sterile institutional debates towards global challenges such as climate change, energy security, nuclear proliferation and the Middle East.
Energy Security? Don't make me laugh. The Scottish oil and gas fields in the North Sea peaked under his watch and he had not bothered to commission forecasts when he came into office, or to act on them, and all he did afterwards was scream that it was the bloody Russians' fault (or the bloody French or Dutch for not sharing).
Nuclear Proliferation? To Blair Trident was non-negotiable. He wasn't even arguing to keep them as a bargaining chip for negotiating disarmament at some global forum or other.
The Middle East? Just because he was appointed "quartet envoy" doesn't mean he's done anything. Or that the "quartet" is an impartial or effectual player anyway.
Climate Change? Much talk and no action. The UK still lags behind most of the rest of Europe in exploiting its wind resource, which is better than most others'. And the British government is one of the first to mention the need to protect "growth" as an excuse to do nothing on the environment. En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma
Resistance is growing to the idea of Tony Blair securing the future EU president's post, with federalist Benelux countries loath to hand the job to the former prime minister of eurosceptic Britain. Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands this week presented a joint letter sketching out their ideal future president of the European Council, a post foreseen under the Lisbon Treaty which Irish voters endorsed last week. The successful candidate must "demonstrate his European engagement and a developed vision on all the Union's policies," the three Benelux countries stated. "This is not a categorical veto on Blair, but a polite way of saying that he is not the best placed" candidate, said a European diplomat, decrypting the letter. The EU president job will not even come into force before the Lisbon Treaty is ratified in all 27 member states and, after last week's Irish vote, the Czech Republic and Poland are still to complete the process. Nevertheless Blair has emerged as the early favourite for the key post, with support not only from the British government but also from France. But his path is hampered by his own country's ambivalence to European construction. Seen as having one foot in Europe and the other out, Britain is neither a member of the single currency eurozone nor the passport-free Schengen area.
Resistance is growing to the idea of Tony Blair securing the future EU president's post, with federalist Benelux countries loath to hand the job to the former prime minister of eurosceptic Britain.
Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands this week presented a joint letter sketching out their ideal future president of the European Council, a post foreseen under the Lisbon Treaty which Irish voters endorsed last week.
The successful candidate must "demonstrate his European engagement and a developed vision on all the Union's policies," the three Benelux countries stated.
"This is not a categorical veto on Blair, but a polite way of saying that he is not the best placed" candidate, said a European diplomat, decrypting the letter.
The EU president job will not even come into force before the Lisbon Treaty is ratified in all 27 member states and, after last week's Irish vote, the Czech Republic and Poland are still to complete the process.
Nevertheless Blair has emerged as the early favourite for the key post, with support not only from the British government but also from France.
But his path is hampered by his own country's ambivalence to European construction. Seen as having one foot in Europe and the other out, Britain is neither a member of the single currency eurozone nor the passport-free Schengen area.
Italy's top court has begun reviewing a law that grants Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi immunity from prosecution while in office.The immunity law enabled Mr Berlusconi to withdraw from a number of court cases, including one where he was accused of corruption. Opponents say immunity violates the principle that all citizens are equal before the law. If Mr Berlusconi loses, his advisers say he may have to resign. Observers say that is unlikely, though a ruling against Mr Berlusconi could leave him weakened.
Italy's top court has begun reviewing a law that grants Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi immunity from prosecution while in office.
The immunity law enabled Mr Berlusconi to withdraw from a number of court cases, including one where he was accused of corruption.
Opponents say immunity violates the principle that all citizens are equal before the law.
If Mr Berlusconi loses, his advisers say he may have to resign.
Observers say that is unlikely, though a ruling against Mr Berlusconi could leave him weakened.
The top court in Italy is assessing an immunity law passed by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's conservative alliance shortly after returning to power in 2008. The government is confident the ruling will stand. Under Italian law Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is protected from prosecution while he is in office. The law, which Berlsuconi's conservative alliance passed last year, also protects the country's president and the speakers in both houses of parliament. The country's top court is investigating this law to see if it complies with the Italian constitution, but the ruling parties are optimistic. "We await with confidence the decision of the (Constitutional) Court," Justice Minister Angelino Alfano said. The law is currently shielding Berlusconi from potential lawsuits that might become active if the court decides to overturn it. Berlusconi is suspected of having paid 600,000 euros ($880,000) to his former tax lawyer, Briton David Mills, in return for false testimony in two trials in the 1990s.
Under Italian law Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is protected from prosecution while he is in office. The law, which Berlsuconi's conservative alliance passed last year, also protects the country's president and the speakers in both houses of parliament.
The country's top court is investigating this law to see if it complies with the Italian constitution, but the ruling parties are optimistic.
"We await with confidence the decision of the (Constitutional) Court," Justice Minister Angelino Alfano said.
The law is currently shielding Berlusconi from potential lawsuits that might become active if the court decides to overturn it. Berlusconi is suspected of having paid 600,000 euros ($880,000) to his former tax lawyer, Briton David Mills, in return for false testimony in two trials in the 1990s.
Italy's embattled prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, could face a raft of new prosecutions when the country's highest court rules on Tuesday whether a law which shields him from criminal prosecution should be repealed. If the court rules that that the law is unconstitutional, several cases involving the scandal-prone media tycoon will become active again. Mr Berlusconi pushed through the controversial law, which grants immunity to himself and Italy's three other most senior office holders, shortly after being elected prime minister last year for the third time.
If the court rules that that the law is unconstitutional, several cases involving the scandal-prone media tycoon will become active again.
Mr Berlusconi pushed through the controversial law, which grants immunity to himself and Italy's three other most senior office holders, shortly after being elected prime minister last year for the third time.
Then there are the mafia investigations that have opened up a whole new scenario with the confessions of the Mafia Boss, Gaspare Spatuzza. Spatuzza now reveals that he was the one who robbed the car which was used to blow up Judge Borsellino and his guards. The flip side is that Spatuzza worked for the clan that had relations with Berlusconi's group through Cinà and Dell'Utri. It appears that the group that confessed the theft and charging the vehicle with explosives may have done so to lead investigators and the court away from the actual executors of the assassination.
As a recent comment goes (Massimo Fini), Fellini once remarked that Italy excedes the imagination.
Fortunately, the Lodo Alfano does not suspend investigations. That's all we need.
Fifteen judges will start their deliberations today to determine whether Silvio Berlusconi can be immune from prosecution in a decision that has the potential to cripple the Italian Government. The Constitutional Court will debate a controversial law passed by the Italian Prime Minister that gives legal immunity to himself and three other top state positions. If the so-called Lodo Alfano, named after Angelino Alfano, the country's Justice Minister, is rejected as legally invalid Mr Berlusconi could be back on trial. He is charged with paying the British lawyer David Mills $600,000 in 1997 to withhold incriminating details of his business dealings. Mills was convicted of taking bribes to give false testimony to protect the Prime Minister. The case against Mr Berlusconi, a co-defendant, froze when the law was passed. It is understood that the ruling will hinge on the decision of two or three judges who are said to be undecided. A verdict is expected later this week.
Fifteen judges will start their deliberations today to determine whether Silvio Berlusconi can be immune from prosecution in a decision that has the potential to cripple the Italian Government.
The Constitutional Court will debate a controversial law passed by the Italian Prime Minister that gives legal immunity to himself and three other top state positions. If the so-called Lodo Alfano, named after Angelino Alfano, the country's Justice Minister, is rejected as legally invalid Mr Berlusconi could be back on trial. He is charged with paying the British lawyer David Mills $600,000 in 1997 to withhold incriminating details of his business dealings.
Mills was convicted of taking bribes to give false testimony to protect the Prime Minister. The case against Mr Berlusconi, a co-defendant, froze when the law was passed.
It is understood that the ruling will hinge on the decision of two or three judges who are said to be undecided. A verdict is expected later this week.
Until there is a constitutional overhaul, Berlusconi is no different from any other person indicated by the president to form a government regardless his de facto electoral campaigns based on his person. He can write all he wants on his campaign posters "Berlusconi for president." Legally it has no value. Therefore, given that he is no different than any other minister, why should he be exempt while the other ministers are not?
As for the argument by the State Advocate about two weeks ago, I found it ironic. The argument went that if there were not such a law, a Council President could be forced to resign, thus going against popular vote. One, as above, until the constitution is changed, it's the coalition that is elected, not a person. The coalition can simply suggest another name to lead the coalition. Two, in almost all democracies, mobsters are not elected to position of power. Usually they are fairly law-abiding citizens- save France and Italy. There is simply no reason for such a law in a mature democracy that scrutinizes the records of its elected officials before election day.
Further, a similar law ironically encourages criminals to run for office. Already parliament grants immunity of some sort- parliamentary authorization is necessary to proceed against an MP. It is no wonder that Berlusconi's personal political entity elected some 70 odd MP's who have been incriminated or condemned. With a law like this we can look forward to an uninterrupted stream of criminals as Council President, that is once Berlusconi has ceased to be President-for-Life.
Sunday's elections in Greece have put the social democratic PASOK party back in power after a five-year hiatus, and new Prime Minister George Papandreou promises to lead the country out of the economic abyss. But few German commentators think he will have either the means or the will to carry out the reforms the country really needs. Recent elections in Europe have seen center-left parties take a beating from their conservative competitors. But two countries have bucked the trend. Portugal's Socialists held on to power in an election in late September. And now Greece's social democratic party PASOK, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, has trounced the ruling conservative party, the New Democracy, led by Costas Karamanlis. The elections held Sunday saw PASOK take 43.92 percent of the vote -- which will give it 160 of the parliament's 300 seats -- as compared to the 33.48 percent won by New Democracy. On Tuesday, PASOK leader George Papandreou was sworn in as prime minister and will announce his cabinet choices. The 57-year-old former foreign minister belongs to one of Greece's major political families. Both his father and grandfather served several terms as prime minister for PASOK, which ruled Greece for most of the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s.
Sunday's elections in Greece have put the social democratic PASOK party back in power after a five-year hiatus, and new Prime Minister George Papandreou promises to lead the country out of the economic abyss. But few German commentators think he will have either the means or the will to carry out the reforms the country really needs.
Recent elections in Europe have seen center-left parties take a beating from their conservative competitors. But two countries have bucked the trend. Portugal's Socialists held on to power in an election in late September. And now Greece's social democratic party PASOK, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, has trounced the ruling conservative party, the New Democracy, led by Costas Karamanlis.
The elections held Sunday saw PASOK take 43.92 percent of the vote -- which will give it 160 of the parliament's 300 seats -- as compared to the 33.48 percent won by New Democracy. On Tuesday, PASOK leader George Papandreou was sworn in as prime minister and will announce his cabinet choices.
The 57-year-old former foreign minister belongs to one of Greece's major political families. Both his father and grandfather served several terms as prime minister for PASOK, which ruled Greece for most of the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Several thousand dairy farmers from across the continent on Monday drove their tractors to the heart of the European quarter in Brussels, where EU agriculture ministers were meeting informally to discuss a response to the crisis in the milk sector. While the Schuman roundabout, home to the Council of Ministers building, was filled with black, acrid smoke from a pair of bonfires of straw-filled rubber tyres, agricultural vehicles draped in angry banners and flat-bed trucks bearing German black-red-and-gold fibre-glass cows blocked the streets. The younger farmers hurled bottles, bags of grain and potted plants at a phalanx of riot police with shields and gas-masks at hand, while razor-wire barricades protected the council building and water cannon lay ready in case the trouble escalated. Following a peak in milk prices in mid-2008, world markets have seen a sharp decline. A recent drop of some 40 percent has pushed milk prices to 1992 levels. The development will have robbed European dairy producers of some €14 billion by the end of the year, according to Copa and Cogeca, the European farmers' associations.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Several thousand dairy farmers from across the continent on Monday drove their tractors to the heart of the European quarter in Brussels, where EU agriculture ministers were meeting informally to discuss a response to the crisis in the milk sector.
While the Schuman roundabout, home to the Council of Ministers building, was filled with black, acrid smoke from a pair of bonfires of straw-filled rubber tyres, agricultural vehicles draped in angry banners and flat-bed trucks bearing German black-red-and-gold fibre-glass cows blocked the streets.
The younger farmers hurled bottles, bags of grain and potted plants at a phalanx of riot police with shields and gas-masks at hand, while razor-wire barricades protected the council building and water cannon lay ready in case the trouble escalated.
Following a peak in milk prices in mid-2008, world markets have seen a sharp decline. A recent drop of some 40 percent has pushed milk prices to 1992 levels. The development will have robbed European dairy producers of some €14 billion by the end of the year, according to Copa and Cogeca, the European farmers' associations.
Dairy farmers across Europe have been protesting against falling milk prices for months. The small-scale Alpine farms of Switzerland are among the producers hard hit by the dairy crisis. At a recent protest in the Swiss town of Fribourg, hundreds of tractors stopped traffic and angry dairy farmers swung cow bells and waved banners saying "ca suffit" (that's enough). It is one of just many demonstrations which have taken place over the past months throughout Switzerland. The farmers are angry about tumbling milk prices, caused by a combination of high production, decreased demand and a phasing out of milk quotas. Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Dairy farmers are angryAccording to Valentina Hemmeler from the farmer's union Uniterre, Swiss dairy farmers, once regarded as the backbone of the country's agriculture, can't even afford to feed their cattle."We are here to demand a fair price for milk," she said, adding that the farmers were being paid approximately half of what they needed to cover the costs of production.
At a recent protest in the Swiss town of Fribourg, hundreds of tractors stopped traffic and angry dairy farmers swung cow bells and waved banners saying "ca suffit" (that's enough). It is one of just many demonstrations which have taken place over the past months throughout Switzerland. The farmers are angry about tumbling milk prices, caused by a combination of high production, decreased demand and a phasing out of milk quotas. Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Dairy farmers are angryAccording to Valentina Hemmeler from the farmer's union Uniterre, Swiss dairy farmers, once regarded as the backbone of the country's agriculture, can't even afford to feed their cattle."We are here to demand a fair price for milk," she said, adding that the farmers were being paid approximately half of what they needed to cover the costs of production.
As 1 billion people in the world go hungry, European farmers filled up their manure tankers with milk and dumped it on their fields to protest the low price of milk. The milk protest illustrates a much bigger problem with food prices in the globalised world.Farmers all over continental Europe joined in milk strikes over the past month because, they say, they are forced to sell their dairy at half the price it costs to make it and they are being put out of business. The protests have forced an emergency meeting of European agriculture ministers on Monday in which France and Germany are asking the others to support raising milk subsidies. While there is sympathy for the farmer's position, many people are offended by the waste of perfectly good milk. "It is a sad picture at a time when a billion people are hungry," Dutch Labour member of parliament Harm Evert Waalkens says. But the farmers say they are not to blame for this. "Hunger is a political problem," Sieta van Keimpema, the leader of the protesting Dutch Dairymen Board, said at a recent 'milk strike' rally in The Hague. "Policians have never lifted a finger to solve the problem of hunger," the dairy farmer said. She dismissed the suggestion that the millions of litres of milk should be made in to butter and be shipped to Africa instead of dumped. "That would only disrupt the local markets and make their farmers obsolete."
Farmers all over continental Europe joined in milk strikes over the past month because, they say, they are forced to sell their dairy at half the price it costs to make it and they are being put out of business. The protests have forced an emergency meeting of European agriculture ministers on Monday in which France and Germany are asking the others to support raising milk subsidies.
While there is sympathy for the farmer's position, many people are offended by the waste of perfectly good milk. "It is a sad picture at a time when a billion people are hungry," Dutch Labour member of parliament Harm Evert Waalkens says.
But the farmers say they are not to blame for this. "Hunger is a political problem," Sieta van Keimpema, the leader of the protesting Dutch Dairymen Board, said at a recent 'milk strike' rally in The Hague. "Policians have never lifted a finger to solve the problem of hunger," the dairy farmer said. She dismissed the suggestion that the millions of litres of milk should be made in to butter and be shipped to Africa instead of dumped. "That would only disrupt the local markets and make their farmers obsolete."
It's one of Europe's longest-running disputes, but the icy relations between Turkey and Armenia could be thawing out. Turkey has said an agreement to re-establish diplomatic ties with Armenia will be signed on Saturday. Ana, a nanny for a Turkish family in Istanbul, is one of thousands of Armenians forced to look for work abroad because of Turkey's trade embargo against Armenia. She says life in Istanbul is hard, because of the closed frontier between the two nations. "We are illegal and earn very little money, and you always have to avoid the police as you could be arrested at any time and deported," she said. Ana was overjoyed at the news that Turkey was prepared to re-establish ties with Armenia. In 1993, Turkey severed ties and closed its border after Armenia fought a war with Turkish ally Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno Karabakh enclave. "I can't wait for the embargo to be lifted," she said. "It will change everything, for both our countries. We just want peace and normalcy."
Ana, a nanny for a Turkish family in Istanbul, is one of thousands of Armenians forced to look for work abroad because of Turkey's trade embargo against Armenia. She says life in Istanbul is hard, because of the closed frontier between the two nations.
"We are illegal and earn very little money, and you always have to avoid the police as you could be arrested at any time and deported," she said.
Ana was overjoyed at the news that Turkey was prepared to re-establish ties with Armenia. In 1993, Turkey severed ties and closed its border after Armenia fought a war with Turkish ally Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno Karabakh enclave.
"I can't wait for the embargo to be lifted," she said. "It will change everything, for both our countries. We just want peace and normalcy."
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The British Conservatives' notoriously tortuous relationship with the European Union came to the fore once again on Monday as the party appeared to back away from the idea of holding a referendum on the EU's planned treaty to trying to renegotiate specific policy areas. "We think that the social and employment legislation, we think that's an area that ought to be determined nationally rather than at the European level. There are many things in the Lisbon Treaty - giving more power over home affairs and justice - that we don't think is right," Conservative leader David Cameron told the BBC. "We think Lisbon, the problem with it, is that it's taking powers away from the nation states, centralising them in Europe. We don't think that's the right approach." The Conservatives, holding a four-day long party conference in the northern city of Manchester, are trying to find their way to a policy on Europe that will satisfy hardline opponents of the EU but not completely alienate other member states in the 27 nation Union.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The British Conservatives' notoriously tortuous relationship with the European Union came to the fore once again on Monday as the party appeared to back away from the idea of holding a referendum on the EU's planned treaty to trying to renegotiate specific policy areas.
"We think that the social and employment legislation, we think that's an area that ought to be determined nationally rather than at the European level. There are many things in the Lisbon Treaty - giving more power over home affairs and justice - that we don't think is right," Conservative leader David Cameron told the BBC.
"We think Lisbon, the problem with it, is that it's taking powers away from the nation states, centralising them in Europe. We don't think that's the right approach."
The Conservatives, holding a four-day long party conference in the northern city of Manchester, are trying to find their way to a policy on Europe that will satisfy hardline opponents of the EU but not completely alienate other member states in the 27 nation Union.
After its worst election result in the postwar period, Germany's center-left Social Democratic Party has hastily replaced its leadership with a younger generation of politicians. But the new leaders will struggle to find an identity for the SPD, which has lost half its voters since 1998. It is 5 p.m. on Monday Sept. 28 as the politicians on whom Germany's center-left Social Democratic Party is pinning its hopes meet in a room on the fifth floor of party headquarters in Berlin. Andrea Nahles, Olaf Scholz, Klaus Wowereit and Sigmar Gabriel are sitting at a round table in Nahles' office. The last few rays of sunshine on an otherwise gray day shine through the window. "Well, let me begin," says Nahles, a rising star in the party's left wing who is also the youngest member of the group. The three men nod politely. "You know that it's up to us now," says Nahles. More nodding. The meeting of the trustees of the Social Democratic Party's estate can begin. IMAGE GALLERY
After its worst election result in the postwar period, Germany's center-left Social Democratic Party has hastily replaced its leadership with a younger generation of politicians. But the new leaders will struggle to find an identity for the SPD, which has lost half its voters since 1998.
It is 5 p.m. on Monday Sept. 28 as the politicians on whom Germany's center-left Social Democratic Party is pinning its hopes meet in a room on the fifth floor of party headquarters in Berlin. Andrea Nahles, Olaf Scholz, Klaus Wowereit and Sigmar Gabriel are sitting at a round table in Nahles' office. The last few rays of sunshine on an otherwise gray day shine through the window.
"Well, let me begin," says Nahles, a rising star in the party's left wing who is also the youngest member of the group. The three men nod politely. "You know that it's up to us now," says Nahles. More nodding. The meeting of the trustees of the Social Democratic Party's estate can begin.
IMAGE GALLERY
n the summer of 2002, Edelman, still going strong, intervened in Israel's show trial of the now jailed Palestinian resistance leader, Marwan Barghouti. He wrote a letter of solidarity to the Palestinian movement, and though he criticised the suicide bombers, its tone infuriated the Israeli government and its press. Edelman had always resented Israel's claim on the Warsaw Ghetto uprising as a symbol of Jewish liberation. Now he said this belonged to the Palestinians. He addressed his letter to "commanders of the Palestinian military, paramilitary and partisan operations -- to all the soldiers of the Palestinian fighting organisations".
He wrote a letter of solidarity to the Palestinian movement, and though he criticised the suicide bombers, its tone infuriated the Israeli government and its press. Edelman had always resented Israel's claim on the Warsaw Ghetto uprising as a symbol of Jewish liberation.
Now he said this belonged to the Palestinians. He addressed his letter to "commanders of the Palestinian military, paramilitary and partisan operations -- to all the soldiers of the Palestinian fighting organisations".
Many of the survivors of the uprising who settled in Israel could not forgive Edelman for his frequent criticism of Israel. When on my return from Warsaw I tried to convince a number of Israeli universities to award Edelman an honorary doctorate in recognition of his role in the Warsaw ghetto uprising, I ran into stubborn opposition led by Holocaust historians in Israel. He had received Poland's highest honor, and at the 65th commemoration of the Warsaw ghetto uprising he was awarded the French Legion of Honor medal. He died not having received the recognition from Israel that he so richly deserved.
The European Union has drawn up secret plans to establish itself as a global power in its own right with the authority to sign international agreements on behalf of member states. Confidential negotiations on how to implement the Lisbon Treaty have produced proposals to allow the EU to negotiate treaties and even open embassies across the world. A letter conferring a full "legal personality" for the Union has been drafted in order for a new European diplomatic service to be recognised as fully fledged negotiators by international bodies and all non-EU countries .... Lorraine Mullally, the director of Open Europe, described the move as "a huge transfer of power which makes the EU look more like a country than an international agreement".
Confidential negotiations on how to implement the Lisbon Treaty have produced proposals to allow the EU to negotiate treaties and even open embassies across the world.
A letter conferring a full "legal personality" for the Union has been drafted in order for a new European diplomatic service to be recognised as fully fledged negotiators by international bodies and all non-EU countries ....
Lorraine Mullally, the director of Open Europe, described the move as "a huge transfer of power which makes the EU look more like a country than an international agreement".
A restricted document circulated by the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, seen by The Daily Telegraph, spells out the need for legal changes to set up a European External Service (EEAS), an EU diplomatic and foreign service with "global geographical scope"
Lorraine Mullally runs a screaming propaganda shop.
