Euroweenies In Panic Mode

Sarkozy warning on EU expansion
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said the European Union will not be able to expand further without ratification of the Lisbon Treaty.

An EU summit in Brussels has exposed divisions over how to proceed with the reform treaty - which was rejected by Irish voters in a referendum last week.

A decision on what to do next is expected to be postponed until October.

The leaders are now expected to discuss Zimbabwe. A draft statement threatens increasing EU sanctions on the country.

Wrong signal

Mr Sarkozy's comments about EU expansion came after clear divisions emerged over the future of the treaty and the meeting decided that the Irish should report back in October on possible ways out of the impasse.

"Without the Treaty of Lisbon there won't be any enlargement," he said.

"You can't say no to reforms and yes to enlargement."

The BBC's Jonny Dymond says one diplomat described Mr Sarkozy's comments as a threat - and the wrong signal to send to the Irish people - and those of Croatia and Turkey, who hope to join the 27-member bloc.

Mr Sarkozy did add that he would travel to Ireland when France takes over the rotating EU presidency in July to help find a solution.

The treaty must be ratified by all member states to take effect. Nineteen have approved it so far, the latest of which was the UK, where it passed through parliament on Wednesday.

Czech brakes

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso urged respect for the Irish "No" vote but said he was confident all the countries would complete the ratification process. He ruled out renegotiating the reform treaty.

"When a treaty is signed by 27 governments it's not just for fun," he said. "It's inconceivable that a government signs a treaty without the intention of ratifying it. It's a principle of international law."

And it's a principle of Euroean Union conventions that all member states must ratify a constitution treaty. Big difference, asshat. In a free, fair and transparent election, the people of Ireland said NO to the European Constitution Treaty of Lisbon. Get it?

Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, whose country is the current holder of the EU presidency, said enlargement should not be a victim of the delay in ratifying the treaty.

"I believe we'll find a way out of the situation before any candidate country is ready for a decision on accession to be taken in the EU," he said. "I don't think the commission wants to slow down the process."

In effect telling Sarkozy to go . . . himself.

Germany rejected the idea of moving ahead on Lisbon without Ireland, which won strong Czech backing at the summit.

Our correspondent says concern is swirling around the intentions of the Czech government.

Pressed on whether he intended to ratify the treaty, Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said that he was not going to put the brakes on to halt ratification.

But he added he would not bet 100 crowns (£3; $6) on a "Yes" from parliament.

[....]

Read the rest at The BBC

Preparing The EU For A Reality Check???

Czech PM in Israel supports peace efforts,fight against terrorism

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek backed Israel's fight against terrorism at a meeting with his Israeli counterpart Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem, and spoke in support of the Czech Republic's stronger involvement in the Middle East peace process.

Topolánek also expressed sympathy to Olmert over the gunfire in a Jewish school [Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav, ed.] in Jerusalem last Thursday that claimed the lives of eight.

"It is necessary to fight against terrorism but also secure peace that people wish for", Topolánek said.

He emphasised the readiness of the Czech Republic, a country with good relations with both Israel and its Arabic neighbours, and a country that will preside over the EU in the first half of 2009, to help a peace arrangement in the Middle East.

Topolánek said he would welcome the EU's much more closer cooperation on the Middle East peace process, according to a press release issued by the Czech Government Office.

The EU is not much active for the time being, "we must correct this," Topolánek said.

He said the enemy is not Palestinians, but terrorists intimidating both Israelis and Palestinians. Not even at the helm of the EU [during the Czech presidency] would he seek a change in the approach to the Palestinian radical movement Hamas, he said.

"We don't view it as an organisation to conduct negotiations with," Topolánek said.

Olmert said the Israelis continue fighting because their enemies keep fighting against them. After the terror is gone, Israel will have no reason to fight, Olmert added.

He said he is determined to continue fighting against Palestinian terrorism until the danger threatening Israeli citizens is over.

Topolánek said "Israel actually reacts to attacks. The fact that its reactions often meet with a stronger response in the world than the attacks of terrorists is rather a question for the world community [to answer] as I naturally agree with Israel's role as a defender," he said.

That comment most certainly caused diapers to be filled in Brussels & NYC.

Most people wish peace, safety and prosperity. It is up to the Czech Republic and the EU to help the peace process as accelerators of changes to the better, Topolánek added.

Another area the Czech-Israeli talks in Jerusalem focused on was bilateral scientific and technological cooperation.

Topolánek and Olmert signed an agreement on cooperation in running the Czech-Israeli fund in support of science and research.

"We simply haven't managed it due to time shortage," Topolánek said in reaction to a remark that European officials usually visit not only Israel but also Palestine.

:-)

At the weekend, nevertheless, Topolanek visited Jordan, which plays the role of a stabiliser in the region.

"I'll undoubtedly also visit other countries of this region, including the Palestinian self-rule," he pledged today.

At the close of his visit to Israel, Topolánek saw the Yad Vashem memorial to the Holocaust victims.

While departing for Prague, Topolánek wanted to invite a young Palestinian who studies in Prague to join him aboard the government plane. However, the plan fell through as the student had got stuck in the Gaza strip blocked by Israeli soldiers.

Via ČeskéNoviny.cz

It remains to be seen if the current Israeli government understands what Topolánek said.

Or, Condi Rice.

Memo to Putie: Up Yours

New Europe™

Prague doesn't want return to Russian sway
The Czech Republic will not ask Russia for permission to site a U.S. radar station on its soil and rejects returning to Moscow's sphere of influence, Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said on Tuesday.

On a visit to Washington to discuss details of a plan to host part of a U.S. anti-missile defense system, Topolanek said the Czech Republic would cooperate with Russia on many issues but would decide its internal affairs alone.

Heh. Undoubtedly the Left will view this man as an eeeevil, mean-spirited right-wing extremist who's trying to start a war. Or something.

The U.S. administration wants to deploy 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic as part of a global shield against long-range ballistic missiles from "rogue" nations such as Iran or North Korea.

Kremlin officials, saying they believe the shield would be directed against Russia, have threatened to target any parts of the defense system deployed in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Topolanek said Moscow was trying to sow confusion among NATO allies, especially those like the Czech Republic that once were members of the old Moscow-dominated Warsaw Pact and were occupied by Soviet forces during the Cold War.

"We do not want to belong again to the sphere of Russian influence," he said. "We do not want to belong to a group of countries which have to ask Russia for permission if they want to ensure their own defense."

Being part of NATO, which the Czech Republic joined in 1999, allowed Prague to have "at least an equal position with Russia" in such matters, he said.

[...]

Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski, on a visit to Washington earlier this month, said his country had agreed in principle to host part of the system after getting assurances that Washington would help Poland with other defense needs.

Topolanek, in a speech to the conservative Heritage Foundation on Tuesday, said some opposition to the missile defense project had been stirred in Europe by "very skillful propaganda of the Russian federation."

He warned against complacency he said was too common among Europeans who think they will never have to again defend themselves. "Unfortunately I think we are again seeing another ghost in Europe, the ghost of appeasement," he said.

The Nazi Party building at Arcisstrasse 12 (Munich) was built as an office building for Hitler himself, called the Führerbau. In this view, the Führerbau is decorated with French and British flags, for the signing of the Munich Accords in September 1938. (National Archives, RG 242-HB)

Read it all at Reuters

Photo & description courtesy of Geoff Walden's excellent Third Reich in Ruins

EU Summit: View From The Czech Lands

Although he's an avowed Eurosceptic, President Vaclav Klaus of the Czech Republic, the most trusted political leader, is often 'misunderestimated' by international media and the renowned foreign leaders Jean-Pierre had hallucinatory delusional conversations with.

Such misunderestimations continue to be made because Klaus will sometimes be rather forceful with his opinions; and at other times will somewhat understate his position.

Czech president welcomes summit brake on EU super state
(PRAGUE) - Czech President Vaclav Klaus cautiously welcomed the outcome of the EU's summit on Sunday, saying that a brake had been put on moves towards creating a European super state.

"This train that was before heading ever faster in one direction has to some extent braked and slowed down and we can try to get it moving somewhere else. This is a great victory for which we can all be thankful," Klaus said in an interview on the Czech commercial broadcaster Prima.

Klaus added that it was "a victory for reason" that moves towards the creation of a European super state enshrined in the former constitution had been blocked.

But he cautioned that some basic formulations from that treaty, derailed by French and Dutch referendum rebuffs in 2005, had still found their way into the text of the new agreement about the future functioning of the EU hammered out by European leaders on Saturday.

"Of course, I still have some fears that some of the (summit) changes might be more cosmetic than fundamental," he said, adding that German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier had reportedly declared the summit a victory because the basis of the constitution had been saved.

Klaus, a former right-wing prime minister, founder of the Civic Democratic Party and admirer of former British premier Margaret Thatcher, said he had only had a chance to read the 66-page preliminary conclusions of the summit in English.

Because Klaus is a firm believer in the free-market economic model, he is branded a right-winger, [Nazi, wink, wink]. Someday, but obviously not today, the MSM will exercise some intellectual and journalistic integrity and admit that the Austrian corporal and his minions were avowed Socialists.

Klaus sidestepped a question of whether Czechs should vote in a referendum on the new agreement, cautioning that it would be difficult to boil down the summit's conclusion into one question to put to voters.

"I hope, however, that there will be a serious public discussion about this," he added.

Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said on Saturday that he did not think a referendum should be held on the new EU agreement, adding though that parliament would have to decide.

The new EU constitution treaty must be ratified by all 27 member states. Given the statement by Irish Premier Bertie Ahern that Ireland would hold a referendum and the outrage in Britain over Tony Blair's transition to French Poodle, methinks ye olde pig will first take flight.

The Dawn Compromise

Angela Merkel demonstrated her skills as a tough negotiator, as did Lech and Jaroslav Kaczynski.

Tony Blair turned into a French Poodle as Nicolas Sarkozy had no trouble out-smarting Blair.

The Czechs, Slovaks and Lithuanians subtly demonstrated that New Europe will be a force to be reckoned with.

But who really came out a winner from the EU's Brussels summit?

Europe's Marathon Talks Clinch a Deal
[....]

A showdown between Merkel and Kaczynski brought the summit to the brink of failure. Merkel heaped on the pressure by saying that she would launch treaty negotiations without Poland, but once a compromise deal was reached, she had to deal with other countries' resistance to what they felt had been too many concessions to Britain.

Once a deal was finally hammered out, all the heads of states pronounced themselves pleased. Polish President Lech Kaczynski praised the diplomatic skill and "solidarity" of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Tony Blair. Sarkozy said he had worked hand in hand with Merkel and described the deal as "good news for Europe." He said it was a key achievement to have struck a deal with Poland. "After all, we didn't want to leave the biggest country in Eastern Europe behind."

The agreement is crucial for the EU. After the collapse of the constitutional project, following its rejection by France and the Netherlands in 2005, the bloc was caught in a state of paralysis. But Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel had been determined to revive the plans to streamline the EU when Berlin took over the presidency in January. She has spent the past six months trying to hammer out a deal for a slimmed down treaty that could be accepted by all 27 members. And she finally succeeded. The member states have agreed to an intergovernmental conference which will give the deal a legal framework. The treaty will then be ratified by the member states and should come into force by 2009.

Poland Wins Concessions

As expected, the biggest hurdles to overcome were Poland and Britain. Poland felt that its role in the future European decisions would be diminished while bigger countries, in particular Germany, would have a greater say under the new "double majority" voting system. Under the new system, decisions made by the European Council will no longer be made unanimously but rather by a combination of 55 percent of EU states, which have to represent at least 65 percent of the total EU population.

In the run up to the summit Poland's undiplomatic rhetoric, including its repeated references to the Nazi occupation during World War II, shocked and enraged many EU leaders. Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski said Poland's population would have been much bigger than its current 38 million if it weren't for the fact that millions of Poles died during the war.

The compromise with Poland includes the postponement of the new voting system until 2014, and it will now not be fully implemented until 2017. In essence, it means the Poles can maintain their current level of influence in the EU for another 10 years. Under the current system Poland has 27 votes on the EU's decision-making council, compared with 29 for Germany, although its population is twice as big.

Warsaw was also offered pledges of solidarity in the event of any future energy crises, a major concern as Poland is dependent on Russia for much of its energy supplies. Indeed, German-Polish relations took a dramatic turn for the worse when former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder* signed a Baltic Sea pipeline deal in 2005 that bypassed Poland. The Poles felt Germany and the EU was ignoring their concerns about being over-reliant on Russia for energy supplies.

The agreement was only reached after a dramatic struggle the likes of which has not been seen at an EU summit for many years. Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who did not travel to Brussels, seemed to be calling the shots from Warsaw. When he rejected Merkel's first compromise offer, which included a delay to the voting system until 2014 and more seats for Warsaw in the European parliament, it looked as if Germany's dream of a summit success would end in tatters.

A Surprise Ultimatum

But Merkel's reaction was swift: She presented Warsaw with a surprise ultimatum, threatening to move ahead with the treaty without Poland. Her move was a gamble, with Poland's allies the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Slovakia rushing to defend Warsaw, but it prompted a last-minute rush of mediation and finally Poland was convinced by Blair, Sarkozy and Luxembourg Primer Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, who played the good cops to Merkel's bad cop. The German chancellor then presented her last offer to the Poles, and they accepted.

There's more.

*Just prior to leaving office, Gerhard Schröder signed a deal with Russia to build the Nord Stream pipeline. Shortly after leaving office, der Gerhard accepted a lucrative position with a consortium that is controlled by Russian energy monopoly Gazprom --- which is building the pipeline.

European Revolution On The Horizon?

Anger at Blair's 'secret deal' to sign new EU constitution

Tony Blair has been engulfed in a row over Europe after it became clear he is under huge pressure to sign a "son of constitution" treaty next week.

A leaked letter by current EU president Angela Merkel revealed that a deal is being drafted to revive almost all the controversial elements of the flopped European Constitution.

Kind of sounds like Trent Lott, The Fat Drunk, John McCain and the Amnesty Bill.

The disclosure sparked demands for a UK referendum on the new treaty - and angry claims that EU leaders were trying to smuggle in a massive new extension of Brussels power "by the back".

Yet, it was just two days ago that Blair, during a joint news conference with Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, told reporters that in his opinion, "the decisive member states agree that the rejected European constitution cannot be revived".

Today Downing Street, which has already made plain that Mr Blair will not sanction a referendum, played down the fears and insisted that the final shape of the deal was unclear.

But the Merkel letter, which was leaked in Brussels, made plain that there is already broad agreement that "much of the substance" of the defunct constitution should be resurrected.

Writing to fellow leaders as part of the pre-summit exchange of views, she said it had been agreed to drop the term " constitution" to appease those who thought the EU was taking on the trappings of a state. But that was seen as "a major concession" - and most countries wanted "as much of the substance of the Constitutional Treaty as possible" to be saved. The implication was that the constitution would be revived in all but name, but this time without voters getting a choice.

Hmmm. Seems to me that Germany's been down that autobahn before.

Tory Europe spokesman Mark Francois said: "This is all being done in secret behind the back of the British people and the Parliament. If any further powers are given away, there must, absolutely must, be a referendum".

The constitution was controversial because it proposed scrapping national vetoes in dozens of areas, including policing and justice; the creation of a permanent elected president and foreign minister, and a legally binding Charter of Fundamental Rights that would increase trade union influence.

It was abandoned after being rejected in referendums in France and Holland. Britain had promised a referendum but Mr Blair says the new document will be just "an amending treaty" and need not be put to a vote.

In other words, the peasants are too stoopid to know what they'd be voting on.

He is expected to demand an opt-out from the Charter of Fundamental Rights and No 10 insisted that nothing had been agreed yet. "This document is a private report and we should not read too much into it at this stage" said a spokesman.

However, German officials were yesterday boasting that the new deal would give the European Union a "single legal personality".

Now that your Big Lie has been exposed, Tony, be not surprised when the Czechs tell you to kiss their ass, along with Poland and a few other EU members from New Europe.

Ironically, Blair and Merkel have provided an inconvenient truth to the opinion of the European Union recently put forth by Czech President Vaclav Klaus.

I am frustrated that the people in Europe do not see this fundamental metamorphosis sufficiently clearly and especially do not think about its inevitable consequences. I am angry with politicians and their fellow travelers that they do maximum to hide it and to make it fuzzy.

I consider it wrong. I am not satisfied with making only cosmetic changes. I am, therefore, in favour of redefining the whole concept of the European Union.

Mr. President, your wish just may have come true.


Have a question for Czech Republic President Vaclav Klaus?.

UPDATE: The Daily Mail is running a poll.

More at EU Referendum

Blair In Agreement With Czech Republic

Czech, British PMs discuss EU summit

British Prime Minister Tony Blair expects tough negotiations at the EU summit in Brussels next week, but in his opinion the decisive member states agree that the rejected European constitution cannot be revived, he said after a meeting with his Czech counterpart Mirek Topolanek today.

Topolanek (Civic Democrats, ODS) said he and Blair agree on many approaches that they would try to push through at the summit in Brussels.

Blair said he supports the right of individual European countries to negotiate with the United States on the possible stationing of the U.S. missile defence shield on their territory.

Washington plans to station a radar base in the Czech Republic, while the missile part is to be in Poland.

It is up to the government of the respective country to solve this matter, said Blair.

He added he supports the Czech Republic as a good partner in the EU and a strong partner in NATO.

Blair stressed that the U.S. missile defence system is not aimed against Russia, but it should serve as a protection against the countries violating international law and developing nuclear weapons.

Topolanek said that in his opinion the recent Russian proposal to place part of the defence system in Azerbaijan can complete, but not replace the current plans.

Soviet Russian president Vladimir Paranoid was busy looking for phantoms.

Someone's Going To Be 'Offended'

Euroweenies and the Leftisphere are sure to call it a deliberate provocation.

If I were to pick two words from George Walker Bush today that characterize our cooperation and friendship, I would call it active partnership. Thank you.

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek
June 5, 2007

European Perspective

Once again, a voice from New Europe provides analysis of Europe's dilemma.

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said Thursday that plans to place missile defense bases in the Czech Republic and Poland will test Europe's willingness to defend itself.

The U.S. made a formal request in January to place a radar base in a military area southwest of Prague and 10 interceptor missiles in neighboring Poland as part of plans for a missile defense shield that Washington says would protect against a potential threat from Iran.

The U.S. plans, however, have raised concerns throughout much of Europe that placing bases in former Warsaw Pact countries could spark a new arms race with Russia. Moscow has strongly opposed the plans.
"It's not primarily about a radar and 10 interceptors, it's mainly about expressing the willingness to defend ourselves," Topolanek told a conference in Prague Thursday.

President Klaus and Prime Minister Topolanek will be meeting with President Bush during his visit to Prague prior to his attending the G-8 summit in Germany.