PES Manifesto

1. World, EU and Balkans by arktika on Sunday, July 13, 2008 at 23:03

I think that EU should be somthing more than 51st state of USA.  In last years foreign policy USA has had too strong influence, its dominance has forced EU to make same mistakes that USA herselve has made.  Especially true this is in Balkans (as well in Iraq too).

Very interesting interview of John Bolton, former US Undersecretary of State and Ambassador to the United Nations popped to my eyes a ouple of weeks ago which gives more clear picture about US foreign policy. The highlights of Mr. Bolton´s comments in Interfax interview were e.g. following:

US recognition of severed Kosovo province was a serious mistake, leading to an escalation of tensions, instead of calming down the situation in the Balkans.“support to the independence of Kosovo is an atavism that might have made sense 15 years ago, but makes no sense today.”“consensus boils down to the fact that nobody knows where Kosovo is”

Extract from the interview you may find by copy/pasting following

 http://www.interfax.com/17/406278/Interview.aspx

Mr Bolton really hit the nail on the head. I also think that the cause to the main problems in Kosovo is hesitation to admit old mistakes. The solution would be starting from clean table. Shall we wait US elections or does someone courage start earlier.

Last week U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried said that the U.S. is satisfied with the progress Kosovo. He also add that:

“It is a place completely independent, regardless of whether a UN resolution says that exists or not. It is independent. Kosovo has been recognized by two-thirds of the EU sates, Europe, Japan and Australia. It is as an independent country. I feel sorry that Russia has chosen to make this thing more difficult rather than to ease it, risking the stability but also the European future of Serbia”.

Few comments:

Completely independent must be a joke. Kosovo is UN protectorate where UN and EU are arguing who has authority to supervise it, Kosovo is occupied by KFOR troops owns one of the biggest Nato bases in its territory and has all symptoms to come next “failed state” in World.Recognizing as argument fails also: 40 countries is not the world, some World´s biggest countries - Brazil, China, India, Russia have not recognized it are not planning to do it before new negotiations about status.Russia has indeed made thing more difficult because it has defended UN Charter and international law which US&allies have been breaking last decades.Strong arguments could be made that US Balkan policy has been risking the Balkan stability by creating a precedent to some 5000 ethnic groups scattered across the globe.

James Bisset was Canada’s ambassador to Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Albania. He is widely recognized as one of the foremost authorities on Balkan politics. I agree with most of his analysis and quote one of them here:

“United States policy in the Balkans has been dysfunctional since March 1992 when their Ambassador, Warren Zimmerman, persuaded Izetbegovic the Islamist leader of the Bosnian Muslims to withdraw his signature to the Lisbon Agreement. This decision which led to US acceptance of the results of an illegal referendum and recognition of the first Muslim state in Europe triggered civil war in Bosnia and led directly to the death and destruction that followed. In the following years US decisions have proven to be equally disastrous for the region.

The decision of the United States government to support the cause of the terrorist KLA in its armed rebellion to secede from Yugoslavia is another example of US policy making gone wrong.Their current policy supporting independence for Kosovo is but another chapter in an unfolding series of strategic errors.

United States policy in the Balkans has been characterized by cynicism, duplicity and short term tactical gain. By backing Islamist aims in the region and supporting terrorist groups in Kosovo there might be the immediate advantage of establishing a large military base in Kosovo or appeasing further Albanian demands by advocating independence for Kosovo but in the long term it will backfire.”

To me it is alarming, that this US policy has made both during democratic and republican US presidents and not only in Balkans but e.g. in Iraq also. Future shows if the change will come with new president, will he change old advisers also. And will US succeed to gain support for these actions either through the use of NATO or by persuading the European Community or the newly emerging states of Central and Eastern Europe to get on side.

More views about Balkan case e.g. in BalkanBlog:   http://arirusila.wordpress.com

2. Changing the world by carlosmoret on Monday, July 14, 2008 at 19:35

 

In your article you ask what we think about some proposals:

- We must spread a European vision in the world, especially in Africa.

I like the terms : « a European vision in the world, » although I see no reason to aim more at Africa than elsewhere.

After more than 2000 years of war-faring, 6 countries decided to put an end to war. The 6 became 9, then 10, then 12. Germany was reunited, and only recently when Romania and Bulgaria joined, we put a definite end to the cold war. Nevertheless we bear the effects of all those wars, and the best way to stabilize the region is to include the Balkans into our Union. In 50 years we went a long way, but there is still much to do. We have to help the poorer countries develop and reach the same standard of living that we enjoy. The challenge is huge, but worth it, and only once we unite, then we will share peace with our neighbors. Our european project can’t exclude the Balkans nor stop at the Dardanelles, the Middle East has to pacify, and Europe has to show the way.

-We must make clear choices in Africa: Shall we support the dictators or the social democrats?

Supporting dictators makes things easy ; you only deal with one man, and not with a a parliament, but in the long run it doesn’t pay. US policy in Latin America always supported dictators which was bad for everyone, especially latin american people. Europe does not impose itself through war, but by setting an example of peace and development.  

-We must do more to end poverty, working together with NGOs and trade unions. A clear commitment to (real) development aid is necessary.

Definitely

-In our paper we are too enthusiastic about the role of the NATO. We should rather advocate a stronger role of the United Nations.

NATO made sense during the cold war, but it is time that we change policy. We need a clear EU foreign policy, a policy of peace and development. Our philosophy is different from that of America ; war is not a means for us to advance. War is not a way to solve things, what is more, it seems to be a failure : the US is bogged in Iraq and Nato in Afghanistan. We need a european defense strategy independent from NATO.

The UN is important, but the Iraq war showed that it is sometimes helpless. Had we spoken of one voice at the time, maybe we could have avoided that useless inhuman war. Nevertheless as long as the palestinian situation continues, it will be very difficult to have peace in the Middle East.

In this beautiful sunny day, I hear the tanks rolling just under my window. It is not war, it is France’s national day and military hardware is rolling back to their barracks after the traditional parade. Isn’t it absurd to continue with that tradition ? A tradition which is meant to show military strength ?

- Do you agree with these points? What is concerning you the most regarding EU and the world?

 

I’m confident we will succeed. It is sometimes difficult, but all in all we are going in the right direction. Be it the Constitutional treaty or the Lisbon treaty, or some other way, we have to  get rid of unanimity, we have to take the next step. Our peoples need to see clear, to see a project clearly stated. We need a clear ambitious project, something to look up to. We have the project, and ambitious it is.

 

We are here to humanize globalization, that by itself should be enough to make us enthusiastic.

We are here to bring peace and prosperity to the world.

We are here to bring social justice to our society.

 

But we are in the opposition, so we have to work hard in order to have as many PES MPs elected as possible, in the coming elections. We want MPs that work hard and none of those who are mostly absent.