Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : War -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: hdl who wrote (15525)	6/24/2002 12:10:04 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 23908

Last update - 13:34 23/06/2002 EU leaders call for early Mideast peace conference By News Agencies Javier Solana: 'We need a quick initiative.' (Photo: AP) SEVILLE - European Union leaders, ending a two-day summit, called Saturday for the early convening of an international peace conference on the Middle East, warning the region had reached a "dramatic turning point." In a statement issued after a particularly deadly week in Israel and the Palestinian territories, the European leaders declared they stand "ready to contribute fully to peace-building" and the reconstruction of the Palestinian economy. It said an international peace conference - jointly hosted by the EU, the United States, the United Nations and Russia - was needed to discuss security, political and economic issues. It must also "re-affirm the parameters of a political solution and establish a realistic and well-defined timescale." "We need a quick initiative," Javier Solana, the EU's foreign and security policy chief told reporters after the summit. The statement said the EU "strongly condemns all terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians" and called on Israel to cease all "military operations in the Occupied Territories." It also called on Israel to end restrictions on freedom of movement for Palestinians. The EU leaders called on Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat to reform his administration, adding they expect the "Palestinian Authority to make good on its commitment to security reform, early elections and political and administrative reform." As the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush cannot decide on terms for launching a Palestinian state, the cabinet on Friday endorsed a plan to gradually reoccupy Palestinian land until a wave of terrorist attacks by Palestinians comes to a halt. The EU remained hopeful, however that international efforts can bring both sides to the peace table this summer even though the intensification of violence over the last week has dampened expectations. "Further escalation will render the situation uncontrollable," said the EU summit text. "The parties on their own cannot find a solution. There is an urgent need for political action by the whole international community." Palestinian suicide bombings, a shooting at a settlement and Israeli military strikes killed 33 Israelis and 12 Palestinians this week. The attacks have delayed plans by U.S. President George W. Bush to deliver a speech outlining U.S. views on Middle East peacemaking. In Washington, officials said the Bush administration's silence on the Middle East stems from a debate within his administration on how much democratic reform to require of Arafat before Washington can endorse the launch of provisional Palestinian state.

To: hdl who wrote (15525)	6/24/2002 12:10:31 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 23908

Blair suffers a double defeat on asylum seekers at Seville summit By Francis Elliott in Seville (Filed: 23/06/2002) European Union leaders yesterday moved to establish an EU border police force to patrol shores, ports and crossing points against illegal immigrants. The dramatic attempt to strengthen "fortress Europe" could mean foreign guards wearing an EU uniform patrolling in Britain. European leaders gather for a group photo at the end of the Seville summit The heads of government said that the moves were a stepping stone to the creation of a fully fledged European-wide force which would act in tandem with each nation's police. The proposals were launched at the Seville summit against opposition from Tony Blair. The Prime Minister suffered a double defeat as his own rival plan to counter illegal immigration - withdrawing aid from some Third World countries - was thrown out. In contrast, the move towards a common border force, to be called the European Union Corps of Border Guards, was given an enthusiastic welcome. The summit agreed to launch a series of working groups to hone proposals made by Italy for the new force, which would have its own uniform and badge and be drawn from all 15 member states. It could be in place by 2007. As an early step, co-operation between the existing police and immigration units of member states is to be enhanced immediately. Gerhard Schröder, the German Chancellor, confirmed that enhanced co-operation was a mere stepping stone to the corps. "The creation of a common police force to guard our border remains the long-term goal," he told reporters at the close of the two-day European Council. Antonio Vitorino, the EU's Justice Commissioner, said that he expected the border force to become a reality within five years. "It is a gradual process, that will start with the mere co-ordination of efforts that could evolve quickly so that in the medium term, in four to five years, it will be possible to have a European border guard force," he said. The proposal is the latest attempt to harmonise Europe's legal systems. It follows moves to create a common body of criminal law, corpus juris, across the EU and to increase the powers of investigation handed to the Europol agency, including search warrants. European leaders have been rattled by the growing controversy over illegal immigration and the rise of Right-wing parties in recent elections. The new plan was taken up after Italy unveiled the results of a detailed feasibility study drawn up over eight months. At its centre were the remarkable results of a 15-day trial, held last month, during which guards from all 15 member states joined forces to patrol borders in France, Italy and Spain, including 24 airports. Officers on the teams succeeded in stopping 4,500 illegal immigrants and arrested 34 alleged traffickers during the study. Italy and Spain are among several southern states which are desperate for the EU to pool its resources and to share the burden of guarding their immensely long coastlines against a flood of human traffic. The Italian interior minister, Claudio Scajola, said: "The work that has been going on for eight months has been coordinated by our experts." Ministers of EU member states and the 13 EU candidate countries agreed at a meeting in Lisbon last month to set up a "task force" to coordinate efforts to curb illegal immigration at Europe's busiest air and sea ports. The body is now expected to develop Italy's plans for a common force. The British Government had claimed before the summit ended that the idea would not be taken up. Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, made clear on Friday that he opposes the plan. "Such is the opposition to the principle of a European Union border police that it will not feature except as an acknowledgement that a discussion took place," said Mr Straw. In fact, the conclusions recorded that the leaders had "welcomed" the Italian plan and urged the creation "without delay" of a body to harmonise border controls. Eurosceptics said last night that moves towards a single EU border police were a prelude to a fully integrated EU force. Daniel Hannan, a Conservative MEP, said: "As usual, they are presenting something which, on the face of it seems reasonable, as a way of establishing a harmonising principle. "In this instance they are being particularly clever since they have chosen an area that has traditionally been a concern of the Right. "In fact the asylum crisis is the result of a previous integration of immigration policy and more of the same is not the solution." Failure to block the EU border police plan helped make the two-day summit one of Mr Blair's least successful. Having told other European leaders that it was "politically imperative" to agree a "tougher approach" on immigration he saw his rival plans unravel amid opposition from other EU countries, as well as from Clare Short, the International Development Secretary. Miss Short's comment that any moves to dock aid to poor countries was "morally repugnant" meant that Mr Blair had little hope of overcoming resistance led by President Chirac of France. telegraph.co.uk