Europe
Irish poll shows support for Cowen is plummeting;
44% would vote 'No' to Lisbon
A poll for the Irish Sunday Independent by Quantum Research shows that if another referendum on the Lisbon Treaty were held, 44 per cent of Irish people would vote 'No' - a drop of 8 per cent since the paper's last poll four weeks ago. 42 per cent would vote 'Yes', a 1 per cent increase, while 14 per cent now say they do not know how they would vote, a 7 per cent increase.
Meanwhile, 45 per cent say they have confidence in Taoiseach Brian Cowen, down 5 points in a month, and down 34 points since he was elected in May. A leader in the paper argued: "Ireland did not turn its back on Europe, it rejected a poorly constructed treaty. It had better be improved before Mr Cowen thinks about asking for a second vote, because otherwise he risks making it his last vote."
The leader also argued, "Opinion polls show that a very large number of Europeans would have rejected Lisbon, if given an opportunity to do so. A number of states, too, would have had majorities opposed to the treaty, yet none of those views were represented in the parliaments that ratified the treaty. The fears of ordinary people were dismissed as irrelevant or as misinformed by the very people who are meant to represent them. In Ireland, the gap between citizen and politician on Europe is worryingly wide... In seeking to press ahead with ratification anyway, they [European leaders] have risked a situation where Ireland would be isolated by its democratic decision."
Today's Irish Independent reports that Cowen has been forced to abandon plans for a special cross-party body to examine the outcome of June's referendum defeat and decide the appropriate way to ratify the Lisbon Treaty. Cowen was forced to drop the plans following a series of disagreements among the 'Yes' (to the Lisbon Treaty) parties, with Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny instead wanting the debate to be conducted by the Oireachtas European Affairs committee, currently chaired by his party's backbencher, Bernard Durkan. The article notes that, "Although it is widely acknowledged there will have to be a second referendum, the Government is aware it needs to keep the other 'Yes' parties onside."
Irish Independent Irish Independent 2 Irish Independent Arnold Irish Independent leader Sunday Independent Sunday Independent-leader
Le Figaro reports that the EU Commission wants to extend minimum maternity leave from 14 to 18 weeks. Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimir Spidla will present a Directive on 8 October, which also proposes payment of the full salary throughout the entire period of leave.
No link
EU summit on Russia - UK will now push for "mini sanctions"
EU leaders meet today for an extraordinary summit to discuss policy towards Russia.
France insisted that there should be no talk of punishing Moscow. "The important thing is that Europe should talk in one voice, firmly but calmly," Jean-Pierre Jouyet, the French Europe Minister, said yesterday.
EUobserver notes that London will push for "mini-sanctions", such as an EU visa ban on South Ossetia and Abkhazia officials, as well as Russian citizens active in politics in the two Georgian regions.
In an article in the Observer, Gordon Brown said: "My message to Russia is simple: if you want to be welcome at the top table of organisations such as the G8, OECD and WTO, you must accept that with rights come responsibilities." He called for a "root and branch" review of the EU's relations with Russia, a strengthening of the transatlantic relationship, and an effort to "work on Europe's energy agenda."
In the Mail on Sunday David Miliband argued that the British approach would be to "highlight the importance of a common energy policy across Europe that uses Europe's strength to balance Russian power. Energy is an area where the EU, acting as one, can really make a difference."
Poland, Sweden, the Czech Republic, and the Baltic States are likely to take a tough line, but Germany struck a more conciliatory tone. According to Reuters, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said: "Moscow deserves criticism for its behaviour, but that doesn't change the fact that security and stability in Europe can only be achieved with and not against Russia."
Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb said on the BBC Today Programme that he was against economic sanctions, saying the EU position should be "tough talk and easy on the economics". He insisted, "It's not about cowardice, it's about mutual interdependence".
According to BBC Europe Correspondent Mark Mardell, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has said that he believes he can use his personal friendship with Vladimir Putin to reason with Moscow. Mardell notes on his blog: "It seems all but decided that there will be no sanctions against Russia. No punishment for the initial invasion, nor for failing to implement President Sarkozy's ceasefire, nor for recognising the breakaway republics. The likely form of words will be that the EU should 'keep under surveillance its relations with Russia'."
President Dmitry Medvedev said Moscow would sign deals providing military aid to Georgia's breakaway provinces. Georgia says Russia has set up 23 checkpoints "deep within sovereign Georgian territory", manned by more than 900 Russian troops and 73 armoured vehicles.
Moscow still stands alone in recognising the breakaway Georgia territories so far. Venezuela, Belarus and Central Asian states have given rhetorical support but stopped short of recognition. Two other separatist enclaves - Transniestria in Moldova and Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan - have however recognised South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Times Guardian Guardian 2 Independent BBC DW BBC Today IHT Observer Sunday Telegraph FT FT2 Irish Times Telegraph EUobserver EUobserver2 AFP
Development MEP attacks EU Commission negotiations with developing countries
In a letter to Saturday's Guardian, Glenys Kinnock MEP attacked the Commission's approach to negotiating economic partnership agreements with African, Caribbean and Pacific nations, arguing "There remains no clarity as to whether poor countries will have longer to adjust than richer ones, or that the agreements have been tailored to meet the ACP's development needs and objectives. All along the ACP has been told that it has 'no choice'." She called for Peter Mandelson to "look again at these crucial agreements" and for a more participatory, flexible and pragmatic approach.
Cornish fisherman gives away free fish to protest against EU fishing quotas
A Cornish fisherman has decided to give out free fish in protest at EU fishing rules - which require fishermen to throw fish they catch above their quota back into the sea. Speaking to the BBC over the phone while at sea, Mick Mahon said: "I'm worried obviously about being prosecuted over this but I'm so angry. I feel betrayed by my own politicians. In this country we have the richest fishing grounds in the world around our coast, yet we have an industry on the verge of collapse."
Sweden calls for "Eastern European Union"
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt has said the EU should speed up plans for a partnership with former Soviet republics in order to help them prepare for eventual membership. He said: "I hope the initiative for an Eastern Partnership will gain new momentum now after the tragic events of recent weeks."
Saturday's Irish Independent reported on warnings that an EU regulation requiring the publication of details of EU grant payments to 130,000 Irish farmers could make some of them targets for criminal gangs.
EU-Russia: Comment round-up
In the Sunday Telegraph Sir Malcolm Rifkind called for "a tough reaction by the United States and Europe", urging European leaders to "resolve to develop a much more substantial military capability for the difficult years ahead. And they must be willing to share their military experience and capability in a more substantial way."
A leader in the FT argues that "The old EU members should show more solidarity with the new members who are threatened. One way would be to beef up energy security. Intensifying work on alternative energy to oil and gas, and finding new sources of supply is one thing. Building cross-border links and storage facilities inside the EU to guarantee that no member can be threatened by a Russian gas cut is most urgent. All EU members should work harder to reduce reliance on Russian supplies." It also asks "why has Russia not been suspended from the Council of Europe, an organisation based on respect for human rights?"
In the Sun Trevor Kavanagh argues, "There will be plenty of hot air at today's talks but Britain will pay dearly for any outcome which involves a common energy policy. Unity may mean strength, but UK dependence on the joint goodwill of 26 other member states would mean a final surrender of our sovereignty over defence, foreign and eventually economic affairs."
In a letter to Saturday's Telegraph, Roland Rudd, Chairman of Business for New Europe, argued that "In our relations with Russia, this is a classic area where Britain can amplify its weight by working not only bilaterally, but also through the EU."
Observer-Brown Sunday Telegraph-Rifkind Mail on Sunday-Miliband FT-leader Irish Times-leaders Sun Kavanagh BBC Mardell
UK
A leader in the Weekend FT argued that "campaigning" UK think-tanks should concentrate more on analysis and research in order to provide politicians with more policy support from outside government.
1 comment:
David, surely the Irish Independent has got it wrong: the Treaty itself was not poorly constructed - it was astonishingly well constructed in its main aim to pull the wool over the eyes of the electorates and indeed politicians in national parliaments. The Irish rejected their politicians' poor presentation, and their failure to explain the Treaty..and of course, if the Treaty had been explained, the No vote would be even higher! This is the real reason why the political class in in such a bind all over Europe. They can only campaign on vague generalities and on smears against those who oppose them, using tame media to do so.
Post a Comment