I. HERITAGEBLOG - Single European Currency: Single European Disaster
Although the feckless spending of successive Labour Governments has resulted in massive decline for Britain, there is one thing that Gordon Brown got right on the economics front: he denied Tony Blair’s plans to take Britain into the single European currency. Launched in 1999, the Euro has been the bedrock of European elites’ dream for a United States of Europe. And there’s the rub: founding a major economic program on the basis of a supranational political dream meant there was surely trouble ahead. Nowhere is this more visible than in Greece today (and in Portugal and Spain), where their governments’ desperately need national monetary and fiscal controls to restore some semblance of confidence in their economy. Instead, Greece is forced to endure the same interest rate as Germany, Cyprus, Finland, France, and Slovenia among others; unable to devalue their currency or enact measures that will restore economic competitiveness. EU leaders argue that the United States of America has a wildly successful single currency and Europe needs the same. However, the reason why a single currency works for America is precisely the reason why it won’t work for Europe – because America’s success is borne from its primary inherent strength: America is a single nation with one government, one language and despite political wrangling, one citizenry prepared to accept governance at each other’s hands. Europe is not – and never will be – a single country. It is surely only a matter of time before the single currency comes up against this reality with truly disastrous results.
II. KATHIMERINI - Citizenship rallies highlight division
The center of Athens was closed for several hours on Saturday as a protest by extreme nationalists against the government’s plans to grant citizenship to second-generation immigrants was countered by leftists who rallied in favor of migrants’ rights, highlighting the division in public opinion on the issue. Riot police were forced to intervene to keep protesters apart as the two groups gathered just a few meters from each other, at Kolokotroni Square and in front of the entrance to the University of Athens. There were no reports of injuries or arrests but the stand-off lasted for several hours, meaning that traffic and pedestrians had to use different routes. The rallies took place just a couple of days after PASOK unveiled stricter measures than originally planned for the awarding of Greek citizenship to children who have been born in the country to immigrant parents. Under the new provisions, a child born in Greece to immigrant parents will need to have had both his father and mother living in the country legally for five years before he or she can apply for citizenship. Originally, only one parent would have had to be a legal resident. Also, the children will have to prove they have spent at least six years in Greek schools rather than the three years originally proposed. Speaking to Kathimerini, former Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos said that during the upcoming debate on the bill in Parliament, New Democracy will insist that immigrants have to be living 10 years legally in Greece before they or their children can apply for citizenship. “The question is: Will we keep giving citizenship to immigrants that once entered the country illegally?” he asked.
III. FINANCIALMIRROR - Solution in Cyprus must be viable and functional to be accepted
The solution of the Cyprus problem must be functional and viable in order to be accepted by the Greek Cypriot side, President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias has stressed. Noting that neither today’s status quo on the island, nor Cyprus’ division can be accepted, he expressed his determination to do his utmost to reach a mutually acceptable solution on the island. President Christofias said that the solution must be to the benefit of all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Amernians and Latins. “The solution must end the Turkish occupation and Ankara's policy of bringing illegal settlers to the island. The solution must safeguard human rights and fundamental freedoms of our people”, he pointed out. He went on to say that the solution must be a Cypriot one and must give the people of Cyprus the freedom to decide on their future. This year 2010, he said, marks the 50th anniversary since the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus and added that “the international recognition of the Republic of Cyprus constitutes the most powerful guarantee for the continuation of our struggle”. He also referred to another important event in 2010, namely the forthcoming visit of Pope Benedict XVI in June. “This visit will seal the relation of friendship and mutual respect which has been successfully developed between the Republic of Cyprus and the Vatican”, he said. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Peace talks began in September 2008 with a view to finding a negotiated settlement to reunite the country.
Participants in the Assembly of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija yesterday rejected the so-called integration plan for northern Kosovo. The plan was announced by the ICO and the Kosovo Albanian government in Priština, and aims to bring the northern, Serb areas under control. The assembly demanded that the state organs make sure that Serbian institutions in the province are further strengthened, “and in this way demonstrate to NATO, KFOR and EULEX that they (the institutions) are not parallel”. SPC Bishop Artemije, who attended the gathering, said that Serbs in Kosovo expect authorities in Belgrade to strengthen their institutions in Kosovo, “instead of weakening them like before”. He also said that “if there are divisions between Serbs in Kosovo, they came as the result of the policy of official Belgrade”. “They are driving wedges between us, because every party in Serbia, whether in government or in opposition, wants to have a stronghold in Kosovo and Metohija, not in order to help us, but rather to manipulate us,” said the bishop. “The Assembly of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija is categorically rejecting the anti-Serb plan of Pieter Feith and Hashim Thaci about the so-called integration of the northern part of Kosovo and Metohija, and expects authorities in Belgrade to truly, and not merely rhetorically, defend Serb national interests in the southern Serb province,” one of the conclusions of the gathering read. The assembly also asked the government in Belgrade to clearly demonstrate that the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty are more important than its Euro-Atlantic integrations.
Other countries can do more to help the anti-Taliban fight in Afghanistan, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says. Speaking Sunday at an annual security conference in Munich, Germany, Rasmussen called on countries such as China, Russia, India and the republics of central Asia to do more in terms of helping NATO to train Afghan troops, providing equipment and spare parts and battling drug trafficking, the Financial Times reported. "What could be the harm for countries such as China, India, Pakistan and others to develop closer ties with NATO?" Rasmussen said. "If Afghanistan becomes a safe haven for terrorists they could easily spread through central Asia to Russia. Of course Afghanistan is not an island. There is no solution just within its borders." The Financial Times said Rasmussen's call came as NATO officials were negotiating with Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and the central Asian republics to establish a rail link to be used by NATO as a supply route to Afghanistan. It said Diego Ruiz-Palmer, head of planning at NATO's operations division in Brussels, told attendees at an India-NATO meeting in New Delhi the route would be an alternative to current supply lines through Pakistan, which are vulnerable to Taliban attacks.
VI. RT - France OKs carrier sale to Russia
France has agreed to sell the Mistral helicopter carrier to Russia. The Russian Navy also has its eyes on three more similar vessels in the future. The approval of the defense deal was announced Monday by Jacques de Lajugie, the international development director of France’s armaments board Delegation Generale pour l’Armement (DGA). He added the possible addition of three more helicopter carriers has only been discussed on the technical level, not on the political. Russia’s Navy voiced its intention to buy a helicopter carrier last year. The goal is to study the technology and tactical advantages of such a ship. The French warship Mistral is the main candidate for the purchase, and she even paid a three-day visit to St. Petersburg in November so that top brass could examine it personally. However, the final decision has not yet been made and Russia is considering alternatives. France currently has two vessels of this class deployed, which means additional warships will have to be commissioned if Russia wants an extra three. Some Russian Navy officials also speculated that the Mistral can go with a license to build similar vessels in Russian shipyards.
A variety of issues affecting traditionally Orthodox Christian lands -- among them, the situation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey in light of His All Holiness, Patriarch Bartholomew's widely acclaimed December 2009 interview on "60 Minutes"; the plight of Orthodox Christians in Kosovo and Coptic Christians in Egypt; human trafficking; and other human rights issues -- were the topic of discussion between members of the Holy Synod of Bishops and a number of congressmen during a late-January 2010 meeting in the US capital. Congressman Christopher "Chris" Smith [R-NJ] and other members of Congress welcomed His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah and other Synod members on Thursday, January 21. The hierarchs also attended a Congressional session, at which they were introduced by Congressman Smith. "I do want to welcome His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah of the Orthodox Church of America, here, and his brother bishops," Mr. Smith said in his introductory remarks. "Matthew 25 [is] where our Lord said, 'Whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren, you do likewise to me.' His Beatitude Jonah lives that, as does his Church and as do, God willing, all of us. But they do it in such a superlative way, and I thank them for their example. It is awe inspiring." Mr. Smith chairs the House International Relations Africa, Global Human Rights, and International Operations Subcommittee, serves as vice-chair of the Committee on International Relations, and co-chairs the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (also known as the US Helsinki Commission), which works to promote and foster democracy, human rights, and stability in Eastern and Central Europe. Among the other congressmen whom the hierarchs met were Mr. Frank Wolf of Virginia, a senior Republican on the Appropriations Committee, author of the International Religious Freedom Act, and a strong voice on many human rights issues; Mr. Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania, chair of the House Values Action Team; Mr. Trent Franks of Arizona, chair of the Taskforce on International Religious Freedom; Mr. Gus Bilirakis of Florida, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee; and Mr. Jeff Fortenberry from Nebraska and Mr. Bob Inglis from South Carolina, both members of the Foreign Affairs Committee.