The eurosceptic former Thatcher cabinet member, Lord Tebbit notes in his column that it was quite clear that the euro was also a political project that would lead to a political union:
Writing in the Financial Times of January 4th, 1993 Chancellor Kohl was perfectly clear. Having described the Maastricht Treaty as ‘an interim step, albeit an important one on the road to European Union,’ he continued, ‘The parts of the treaty dealing with political union are just as important as those concerning economic and monetary union. Everyone in Europe must realise that we can preserve all our economic achievements only if we also secure them politically. An economic union will survive only if it is based on a political union.’
At the press conference following Central Bank Council Session of the Bundesbank on 20th April, 1995, the Bundesbank’s president, Dr. Hans Tietmeyer, observed that ‘a currency union is in the long term an irrevocable community of solidarity. Every experience shows that it needs a continuing commitment in the form of a comprehensive political union for its survival. By 1999 Chancellor Schroder was even clearer when he spoke at The Hague on 19th January: ‘The introduction of the euro is probably the most important integrating step since the beginning of the unification process. It is certain that the times of individual national efforts regarding employment policies, social and tax policies are definitely over.’ ‘The internal market and the common currency demand joint co-ordinating action. This will require to bury finally some erroneous ideas of national sovereignty.’
Here is Tebbit´s take on why the the euro plan was launched ins spite of the knowledge that it would probably lead to a crisis:
If it was so obvious that without enforced convergence by the establishment of political union and a single euro treasury with tax powers it would be in danger of failure, why did the creation of the euro go ahead? The answer, I fear, is that the elite of Brussels saw it as a way of enforcing economic and political union. They knew the crisis would come and they intended to use it to grab power from the member states. Instead of resisting such a plan, our political leaders here (and some elsewhere) put their fingers in their ears, closed their eyes and buried their heads in the sand. They must have, or ought to have, known that the leaders of the euro project saw it as a way of enforcing fiscal and political union, that is the creation of the European Republic. They must have, or ought to have, known that a crisis would arise for the euro which would lead either to its collapse or to the ceding to Brussels of economic and tax powers.
http://www.critical-reaction.co.uk/2849/06-12-2010-dangers-seen-and-unseen
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Who are not attending the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony?
The list of countries which do not send a representative to this week´s Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo makes interesting reading:
China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Colombia, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Serbia, Iraq , Iran, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Venezuela, the Philippines, Egypt, Sudan, Ukraine, Cuba and Morocco.
Many of the countries on the list are not known for promoting free speech and treating dissidents decently.
But, what is even more interesting to note, is that the UN Human Rights chief Navi Pillay has chosen not to attend - or even send a representative. A representative for this year´s prize winner, Liu Xiaobo, had this to say:
In a statement released to the press, Yang Jianli, a Chinese dissident who represents Liu before the Nobel committee, accused the U.N. officials of neglecting their duties. "Ms. Pillay's decision is a clear and unequivocal abdication of her responsibilities as high commissioner, which I believe resulted from direct pressure from the Chinese government," Yang said. "It is especially concerning because it occurs in the wake of U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's refusal to raise Dr. Liu's case when he met with Chinese President Hu Jintao shortly Dr. Liu was announced as the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate."
http://turtlebay.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/12/06/un_human_rights_chief_declines_invite_to_nobel_peace_prize_ceremony
Not very brave, dear UN representatives!
China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Colombia, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Serbia, Iraq , Iran, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Venezuela, the Philippines, Egypt, Sudan, Ukraine, Cuba and Morocco.
Many of the countries on the list are not known for promoting free speech and treating dissidents decently.
But, what is even more interesting to note, is that the UN Human Rights chief Navi Pillay has chosen not to attend - or even send a representative. A representative for this year´s prize winner, Liu Xiaobo, had this to say:
In a statement released to the press, Yang Jianli, a Chinese dissident who represents Liu before the Nobel committee, accused the U.N. officials of neglecting their duties. "Ms. Pillay's decision is a clear and unequivocal abdication of her responsibilities as high commissioner, which I believe resulted from direct pressure from the Chinese government," Yang said. "It is especially concerning because it occurs in the wake of U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's refusal to raise Dr. Liu's case when he met with Chinese President Hu Jintao shortly Dr. Liu was announced as the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate."
http://turtlebay.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/12/06/un_human_rights_chief_declines_invite_to_nobel_peace_prize_ceremony
Not very brave, dear UN representatives!
Monday, 6 December 2010
A majority of Germans prefer the return of the D-mark
In Germany the goverment parties are getting nervous because of growing scepticism towards the euro. A clear majority of Germans would prefer a return to the old D-Mark. And a new euro-critical book by former president of the Federation of German Industries, Hans-Olaf Henkel (see also previous post) has further increased tension among mainstream politicians.
Henkels Buch ist ein Symptom. Es erscheint im Gefolge des Bestsellers von Ex-Banker Thilo Sarrazin über den Sozialstaat Deutschland. Es ist Ausdruck von Angst und Sehnsucht der Deutschen. Angst vor der Zukunft und Sehnsucht nach der scheinbar geordneten Welt, in der noch die D-Mark Sicherheit schuf. 57 Prozent der Bürger hätten der neuesten ARD-Umfrage zufolge die frühere deutsche Hartwährung am liebsten noch immer. 66 Prozent befürchten, der Euro würde in Zukunft weniger wert sein.
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,733115,00.html
Henkels Buch ist ein Symptom. Es erscheint im Gefolge des Bestsellers von Ex-Banker Thilo Sarrazin über den Sozialstaat Deutschland. Es ist Ausdruck von Angst und Sehnsucht der Deutschen. Angst vor der Zukunft und Sehnsucht nach der scheinbar geordneten Welt, in der noch die D-Mark Sicherheit schuf. 57 Prozent der Bürger hätten der neuesten ARD-Umfrage zufolge die frühere deutsche Hartwährung am liebsten noch immer. 66 Prozent befürchten, der Euro würde in Zukunft weniger wert sein.
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,733115,00.html
The downfall of the euro - not a catastrophy?
The former president of the Federation of German Industry, Hans-Olaf Henkel, does not think that the downfall of the present euro-cooperation will have catastrophic consequenses. Henkel is very critical of the euro bailouts:
Wenn wir eins aus der jetzigen Krise gelernt haben, dann dies, dass es schier unmöglich ist, politisch und wirtschaftlich unterschiedliche Nationen unter das Joch einer einheitlichen Währung zu zwingen. Bei uns in Europa hat der „Norden“ nun einmal eine andere Einstellung zu Inflation, Abwertung und allgemeiner Haushaltsdisziplin als der „Süden“, der sich beim Geldausgeben und -abwerten immer einfallsreich erwiesen hat. Beide Modelle waren vor der Einführung des Euro auf ihre Art erfolgreich – warum sollten sie es nach der Trennung nicht wieder sein? Nur, um diese höchst unterschiedlichen Blöcke zusammenzuhalten, werden immer neue Löcher gestopft, ohne die mindeste Gewähr, dass es sich nicht längst um ein Fass ohne Boden handelt.
http://www.welt.de/debatte/kommentare/article11406858/Wir-muessen-den-Gemeinschafts-Euro-los-werden.html
Wenn wir eins aus der jetzigen Krise gelernt haben, dann dies, dass es schier unmöglich ist, politisch und wirtschaftlich unterschiedliche Nationen unter das Joch einer einheitlichen Währung zu zwingen. Bei uns in Europa hat der „Norden“ nun einmal eine andere Einstellung zu Inflation, Abwertung und allgemeiner Haushaltsdisziplin als der „Süden“, der sich beim Geldausgeben und -abwerten immer einfallsreich erwiesen hat. Beide Modelle waren vor der Einführung des Euro auf ihre Art erfolgreich – warum sollten sie es nach der Trennung nicht wieder sein? Nur, um diese höchst unterschiedlichen Blöcke zusammenzuhalten, werden immer neue Löcher gestopft, ohne die mindeste Gewähr, dass es sich nicht längst um ein Fass ohne Boden handelt.
http://www.welt.de/debatte/kommentare/article11406858/Wir-muessen-den-Gemeinschafts-Euro-los-werden.html
A sad consequence of Wikileaks
It is sad that some of the ablest US diplomats will have to be removed due to the leaks:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/us-forced-to-shake-up-embassies-around-the-world-after-wikileaks-revelations-2152167.html
"We're going to have to pull out some of our best people – the diplomats who best represented the United States and were the most thoughtful in their analysis – because they dared to report back the truth about the nations in which they serve."
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/us-forced-to-shake-up-embassies-around-the-world-after-wikileaks-revelations-2152167.html
Sunday, 5 December 2010
The Last Mexican Wave of climate alarmism
Christopher Booker has en excellent piece in the Telegraph:
What we are seeing here is one of the greatest collective flights from reality in the history of the human race. As western Europe shivers to a halt and our energy bills soar through the roof, the time has come when we should all start to get seriously angry with our politicians for being carried away by all this claptrap.
Why, for instance, when our public debt is still rising by £3 billion a week, do we allow our Government to ring-fence £2.9 billion of our money to help the developing world to build useless wind turbines and solar panels?
Why do we tolerate a Parliament which blithely commits us to spending £18.3 billion every year for 40 years under the Climate Change Act, without having the faintest idea how we are going to keep our lights on?
The global warming scare may have been fun for the children while it lasted. But the time has come for the joke to be declared well and truly over.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/8181558/Cancun-climate-conference-the-warmists-last-Mexican-wave.html
PS
The same kind of questions could and should be asked in most other EU countries.
Cancun climate conference: the warmists' last Mexican wave
What we are seeing here is one of the greatest collective flights from reality in the history of the human race. As western Europe shivers to a halt and our energy bills soar through the roof, the time has come when we should all start to get seriously angry with our politicians for being carried away by all this claptrap.
Why, for instance, when our public debt is still rising by £3 billion a week, do we allow our Government to ring-fence £2.9 billion of our money to help the developing world to build useless wind turbines and solar panels?
Why do we tolerate a Parliament which blithely commits us to spending £18.3 billion every year for 40 years under the Climate Change Act, without having the faintest idea how we are going to keep our lights on?
The global warming scare may have been fun for the children while it lasted. But the time has come for the joke to be declared well and truly over.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/8181558/Cancun-climate-conference-the-warmists-last-Mexican-wave.html
PS
The same kind of questions could and should be asked in most other EU countries.
Saturday, 4 December 2010
The Cancún meeting looks promising - from a climate realist´s point of view
The latest reports from Cancún are promising:
And there will be a considerably smaller CO2 footprint at this year´s meeting:
Few heads of state are expected to attend this year's talks – in sharp contrast to the summit in Copenhagen. However, Hugo Chávez, president of Venezuela, Rafael Correa, president of Ecuador, and Bolivia's Evo Morales have said they will be there. All were accused by Gordon Brown of "holding the world to ransom" at the Copenhagen talks. They will be joined by the presidents of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil and Guatemala.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/04/cancun-climate-talks-kyoto-latin-america
The German Daily Die Welt also has noted the almost nonexistent intererest for the Cancún meeting:
Aus Kopenhagen sandten die deutschen Nachrichtenagenturen täglich bis zu 50 oder 60 Meldungen zum Thema, aus Cancun kann man sie an einer Hand abzählen. Nichts zu melden. „Verschwunden ist die Feierlichkeit, der Hype, die Erwartungen“, klagt eine englische Aktivistin, die für ihr Netzwerk „Global Campaign for Climate Action“ die Verhandlungen beobachtet, „verschwunden auch die Menschenmengen und die Medien. Stattdessen haben wir ein leeres Konferenzzentrum und Minister, die mit wenig Erwartung kommen.“
PS
Let´s hope that the end result of this climate change madnesss will be an increased interest in fighting real pollution and real environmental problems.
The potential crisis was provoked by Japan stating earlier this week that it would not sign up to a second period of the Kyoto Protocol.
Other countries, including Russia, Canada and Australia are thought to agree but have yet to say publicly that they will not make further pledgesAnd there will be a considerably smaller CO2 footprint at this year´s meeting:
Few heads of state are expected to attend this year's talks – in sharp contrast to the summit in Copenhagen. However, Hugo Chávez, president of Venezuela, Rafael Correa, president of Ecuador, and Bolivia's Evo Morales have said they will be there. All were accused by Gordon Brown of "holding the world to ransom" at the Copenhagen talks. They will be joined by the presidents of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil and Guatemala.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/04/cancun-climate-talks-kyoto-latin-america
The German Daily Die Welt also has noted the almost nonexistent intererest for the Cancún meeting:
Das Interesse am Klimaschutz ist deutlich gesunken. Die Konferenz in Cancún wird kaum wahrgenommen. In die Debatte kehrt Pragmatismus ein.
Aus Kopenhagen sandten die deutschen Nachrichtenagenturen täglich bis zu 50 oder 60 Meldungen zum Thema, aus Cancun kann man sie an einer Hand abzählen. Nichts zu melden. „Verschwunden ist die Feierlichkeit, der Hype, die Erwartungen“, klagt eine englische Aktivistin, die für ihr Netzwerk „Global Campaign for Climate Action“ die Verhandlungen beobachtet, „verschwunden auch die Menschenmengen und die Medien. Stattdessen haben wir ein leeres Konferenzzentrum und Minister, die mit wenig Erwartung kommen.“
PS
Let´s hope that the end result of this climate change madnesss will be an increased interest in fighting real pollution and real environmental problems.
Friday, 3 December 2010
Merkel: "If this is the sort of club the euro is becoming, perhaps Germany should leave,"
According to this newspaper report chancellor Angela Merkel mentioned the possibility of Germany leaving the euro at a recent EU summit:
"If this is the sort of club the euro is becoming, perhaps Germany should leave," Merkel replied, according to non-German government figures at the dinner. It was the first time in the 10 months since the euro was plunged into a fight for its survival that Germany, the EU's economic powerhouse and the lynchpin of the euro's viability, had suggested that quitting the currency is an option, however unlikely.
Ukraine
From a western point of view, things do not look promising in Ukraine:
Mr. Yanukovych, however, has again proved the adage that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. He is a Russophile thug who is slowly forging an authoritarian state. His government has centralized power, repealing amendments to the constitution - without public debate or any kind of vote - that substantially weaken parliament. Media censorship is on the rise. Journalists critical of the regime have disappeared mysteriously. In recent regional elections, opposition parties were harassed. Ballot tampering and voter fraud were rampant.
Mr. Yanukovych's base is in the Russian-speaking parts of Ukraine - the Sovietized industrial east. His Party of Regions seeks to make Russian an official language; in fact, its website refuses to use Ukrainian. He has put joining NATO and the European Union on the back burner - bowing to Moscow's demands. Slowly, but surely, he is splitting Kiev from the West. In short, he is Mr. Putin's poodle.
Read the whole article here.
Mr. Yanukovych, however, has again proved the adage that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. He is a Russophile thug who is slowly forging an authoritarian state. His government has centralized power, repealing amendments to the constitution - without public debate or any kind of vote - that substantially weaken parliament. Media censorship is on the rise. Journalists critical of the regime have disappeared mysteriously. In recent regional elections, opposition parties were harassed. Ballot tampering and voter fraud were rampant.
Mr. Yanukovych's base is in the Russian-speaking parts of Ukraine - the Sovietized industrial east. His Party of Regions seeks to make Russian an official language; in fact, its website refuses to use Ukrainian. He has put joining NATO and the European Union on the back burner - bowing to Moscow's demands. Slowly, but surely, he is splitting Kiev from the West. In short, he is Mr. Putin's poodle.
Read the whole article here.
Thursday, 2 December 2010
US embassy cables: Russia is virtual 'mafia state'
Leaked US embassy cables do not paint a very nice picture of Putin´s Russia:
Grinda stated that he considers Belarus, Chechnya and Russia to be virtual "mafia states" and said that Ukraine is going to be one. For each of those countries, he alleged, one cannot differentiate between the activities of the government and OC groups.
The second reason is the unanswered question regarding the extent to which Russian PM Putin is implicated in the Russian mafia and whether he controls the mafia's actions. Grinda cited a "thesis" by Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian intelligence official who worked on OC issues before he died in late 2006 in London from poisoning under mysterious circumstances, that the Russian intelligence and security services - Grinda cited the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), and military intelligence (GRU) - control OC in Russia. Grinda stated that he believes this thesis is accurate.
Grinda said that according to information he has received from intelligence services, witnesses and phone taps, certain political parties in Russia operate "hand in hand" with OC. For example, he argued that the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was created by the KGB and its successor, the SVR, and is home to many serious criminals. Grinda further alleged that there are proven ties between the Russian political parties, organized crime and arms trafficking. Without elaborating, he cited the strange case of the "Arctic Sea" ship in mid-2009 as "a clear example" of arms trafficking.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/247712
US embassy cables: Russia is virtual 'mafia state', says Spanish investigator
Grinda stated that he considers Belarus, Chechnya and Russia to be virtual "mafia states" and said that Ukraine is going to be one. For each of those countries, he alleged, one cannot differentiate between the activities of the government and OC groups.
The second reason is the unanswered question regarding the extent to which Russian PM Putin is implicated in the Russian mafia and whether he controls the mafia's actions. Grinda cited a "thesis" by Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian intelligence official who worked on OC issues before he died in late 2006 in London from poisoning under mysterious circumstances, that the Russian intelligence and security services - Grinda cited the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), and military intelligence (GRU) - control OC in Russia. Grinda stated that he believes this thesis is accurate.
Grinda said that according to information he has received from intelligence services, witnesses and phone taps, certain political parties in Russia operate "hand in hand" with OC. For example, he argued that the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was created by the KGB and its successor, the SVR, and is home to many serious criminals. Grinda further alleged that there are proven ties between the Russian political parties, organized crime and arms trafficking. Without elaborating, he cited the strange case of the "Arctic Sea" ship in mid-2009 as "a clear example" of arms trafficking.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/247712
Wednesday, 1 December 2010
Where the EU money goes
This makes interesting reading:
As Europeans face the uncertainty of swingeing government cuts, the European Union continues to spend. Its structural fund programme distributes €347bn of European taxpayers’ money across 271 regions in 27 countries.
Yet a web of bureaucracy has hidden this spending. Even MEPs have not had a truly transparent view of the organisations getting the funds.
Over eight months the Bureau and the FT have collected data relating to billions of euros to reveal, for the first time, the 646,000 recipients that have received the funds.
Our research reveals:
No wonder that voters in most EU countries are getting more and more critical.
It is also good to remember that for more than 16 years in a row the Court of Auditors has been unable to give a clean bill of health to the ovarall EU budget. But nobody seems to care.
One German MEP at least showed some interest:
"We have to ask ourselves if we can continue to allocate more and more money to the EU commission, if year after year it is uncapable of managing the funds efficiently," said German Liberal MEP Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, responsible with drafting the Parliament position on this report.
http://euobserver.com/886/31233
Europe’s hidden billions: Tracking the EU’s Structural Funds
The Bureau, in collaboration with the Financial Times, has created the only comprehensive database tracking every penny distributed through the EU’s Structural Funds to date.As Europeans face the uncertainty of swingeing government cuts, the European Union continues to spend. Its structural fund programme distributes €347bn of European taxpayers’ money across 271 regions in 27 countries.
Yet a web of bureaucracy has hidden this spending. Even MEPs have not had a truly transparent view of the organisations getting the funds.
Over eight months the Bureau and the FT have collected data relating to billions of euros to reveal, for the first time, the 646,000 recipients that have received the funds.
Our research reveals:
- How Italy’s most dangerous mafia, the ndrangheta, has become an expert at getting its hands on these funds
- A decentralised, cumbersome and weak system allows, and rarely punishes, fraud and misuse
- Millions of euros are going to multinational companies to help them move factories within the union despite guidelines discouraging this practice
- Funds have been used to finance a hotel building boom on protected nature reserves in Spain
- The lack of thorough checks means money is being wasted
- Some of the world’s largest companies are receiving funding despite the programme being aimed at small and medium-sized companies
No wonder that voters in most EU countries are getting more and more critical.
It is also good to remember that for more than 16 years in a row the Court of Auditors has been unable to give a clean bill of health to the ovarall EU budget. But nobody seems to care.
One German MEP at least showed some interest:
"We have to ask ourselves if we can continue to allocate more and more money to the EU commission, if year after year it is uncapable of managing the funds efficiently," said German Liberal MEP Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, responsible with drafting the Parliament position on this report.
http://euobserver.com/886/31233
Russia: “an oligarchy run by the security services”
Vladimir Putin is not pleased to hear that he leads a country that is described by US defense secretary Robert Gates in in this way: “an oligarchy run by the security services,”. He is evidently not used to hearing the truth.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/02/world/europe/02putin.html?src=twrhp
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/02/world/europe/02putin.html?src=twrhp
Erdogan´s Turkey - not so suitable for the EU
Turkey under the leadership of Tayyip Erdogan is not - if US diplomats are to be believed - a very promising candidate for EU membership:
US diplomats claim that Erdogan gets almost all of his information from Islamist-leaning newspapers -- analysis from his ministries, they say, is of no interest to him. The military, the second largest among NATO member states, and the secret service no longer send him some of their reports. He trusts nobody completely, the dispatches say, and surrounds himselves with "an iron ring of sycophantic (but contemptuous) advisors." Despite his bravado, he is said to be terrified of losing his grip on power. One authority on Erdogan told the Americans: "Tayyip believes in God ... but doesn't trust him."
Accusations of Corruption
Erdogan took office as prime minister in 2003, two years after having founded his party, the Islamic-conservative AKP. During the campaign Erdogan announced his intention to tackle corruption.
Since 2004, however, informants have been telling US diplomats in Turkey of corruption at all levels, even within the Erdogan family.
Read the whole piece here.
US diplomats claim that Erdogan gets almost all of his information from Islamist-leaning newspapers -- analysis from his ministries, they say, is of no interest to him. The military, the second largest among NATO member states, and the secret service no longer send him some of their reports. He trusts nobody completely, the dispatches say, and surrounds himselves with "an iron ring of sycophantic (but contemptuous) advisors." Despite his bravado, he is said to be terrified of losing his grip on power. One authority on Erdogan told the Americans: "Tayyip believes in God ... but doesn't trust him."
Accusations of Corruption
Erdogan took office as prime minister in 2003, two years after having founded his party, the Islamic-conservative AKP. During the campaign Erdogan announced his intention to tackle corruption.
Since 2004, however, informants have been telling US diplomats in Turkey of corruption at all levels, even within the Erdogan family.
Read the whole piece here.
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