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EU reacts to Yerevan police standoff, calls for restraint by police

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eu reactThe European Union on Thursday, July 21 commented on the recent situation in Yerevan following an armed police station takeover, stating that the use of force to achieve political change is unacceptable.

An armed group seized a police HQ and took everyone inside hostage. They are members of the Sasna Tsrer movement. One police officer was killed, and three more were wounded in a shootout that broke as the members of the group hit the gates of the police department with a Ural track. Several captives have been set free so far. The hostages include Armenia’s deputy police chief General Major Vardan Eghiazaryan and Yerevan deputy police chief Colonel Valeri Osipyan. The group demand the release of Jirair Sefilian, the founder of the Founding Parliament who was arrested on June 20, as he and a group of people had planned to seize premises and communication facilities, including the Yerevan TV tower.

“With concern we note reports on excessive use of force and mass arrests by the police,” the Union’s delegation to Armenia said in a statement.

“In this regard, we call on the authorities to observe the principle of proportionality in handling public rallies, including both peaceful and violent gatherings. Likewise, demonstrators need to refrain from violence as they make use of their civil rights.”

“We also take note of the statements issued by the Ombudsman and call for a full investigation of all cases of alleged wrongdoing by the police, including mistreatment, denial of access to lawyers and medical care,” the statement went on to say.

Turkey government seemed to have list of arrests prepared: EU’s Hahn

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list preparedThe swift rounding up of judges and others after a failed coup in Turkey indicated the government had prepared a list beforehand, the EU commissioner dealing with Turkey’s membership bid, Johannes Hahn, said on Monday.

Following a failed coup attempt on Saturday, Turkish authorities on Sunday rounded up nearly 3,000 suspected military plotters, ranging from top commanders to foot soldiers, and the same number of judges and prosecutors.

“It looks at least as if something has been prepared. The lists are available, which indicates it was prepared and to be used at a certain stage,” Hahn said.

“I’m very concerned. It is exactly what we feared.”

Armenia is approaching a major agreement with the European Union

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armenia eu copArmenia and the European Union hope to negotiate in the coming months a comprehensive agreement to deepen political and economic relations, said Wednesday the office of President Serzh Sargsyan.

Sargsyan discussed the issue with Herbert Salber, EU special envoy for the South Caucasus at a meeting in Yerevan. According to the presidential press service, Sarkisian and Salber agreed that the relations of Armenia with the block of the 28-nations have a “dynamic development.”

“The interlocutors expressed hope that negotiations on the new framework agreement EU-Armenia will be successfully concluded in the coming months,” said presidential press service said in a statement.

The new agreement will serve as an alternative to an association agreement negotiated by Yerevan and Brussels in the summer of 2013. Sargsyan prevented the signing of this major agreement unexpectedly in September 2013 to seek membership of Armenia an alliance of states of the former Soviet Union, led by Russia.

The replacement agreement should contain many political and even economic provisions, common with the Association Agreement canceled. But it will be no component related to free trade because of the accession of Armenia to the Eurasian Economic Union.

The négocations this agreement officially started in Brussels last December.

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan and several other senior Armenian government officials discussed the progress in these discussions at a meeting in Yerevan late last week. A statement from Abrahamian government asked them to ensure the effective conduct of the negotiation process. The agreement “lay a solid foundation” for closer ties between Armenia and the EU.

Statements of official Armenian sources have suggested that Salber meetings with Sarkisian and Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian focused on international efforts to end the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian President had informed the envoy of the EU on the next steps in the peace process provided by Armenia and the United States, Russia and French mediators. He also praised the EU’s efforts to create a “favorable atmosphere” for a settlement of Karabakh.

The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict was also the priority of the agenda of the previous Salber travel to Yerevan, which took place two months ago.

Thursday, July 7, 2016,
Claire © armenews.com

A Brexit for English as EU language?

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English could vanish as an official EU language if Brexit proceeds. EU Commission head Juncker has avoided using English, and a top EU parliamentary official has warned of language rules contained in EU treaties.

Danuta Hubner, a Polish politician and chair of the European Parliament’s English language affairs committee, has come out with a warning that a British exit from the European Union could also delete English from the EU’s list of 24 official languages. That possibility reverberated Tuesday far beyond the administrative levels of Article 50 – the provision allowing a member state to leave the bloc under EU treaty rules.

Addressing the European Parliament on Tuesday, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker spoke only in French and German, clearly avoiding the use of English. During past crises, on the euro zone, for example, he had used English prominently as well.

“We have a regulation … where every EU country has the right to notify one official language,” Hübner had told a press conference late on Monday.

“If we don’t have the UK, we don’t have English (as an official language),” she warned, adding that keeping it would require assent by all remaining member states.

The chairman of the European Parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee (AFCO) was referring to the Treaty on European Union in its consolidated version published in early June that incorporates wordings of the Maastricht and Lisbon treaties of 1992 and 2007 respectively.

Her remarks prompted the Wall Street Journal to observe that the European Commission had begun using French and German more often in its external communications since Britain voted to leave the EU last Thursday.

Main working language

English is the main working language of EU institutions and officials in Brussels and Strasbourg, and – to avoid misunderstandings – at the European Central Bank. It’s also one of three languages used for EU patent applications.

English-speaking Malta on EU entry in 2004 picked Maltese. Ireland chose Irish Gaelic in 1973. French was the EU’s dominant official language until the arrival from the 1990s of Sweden, Finland and Austria, and then eastern European nations.

Article 50 of the consolidated Treaty on European Union allows “any member state” to withdraw from the bloc.

Translations required

Article 55 of the Treaty on European Union – dating back to Maastricht – stipulates that the treaty must be “equally authentic” in each of the EU’s 24 official languages, with English currently included.

That article also states that member states may determine that the treaty “also be translated into any other languages” – one of the many tasks for the European Commission with its permanent staff of 1,750 linguists and 600 assistants.

Article 20 under the headline “Non-Discrimination” says citizens of the Union have the right via the treaty to petition and address the European Parliament, EU institutions and the European Ombudsman “in any of the Treaty languages and to obtain a reply in the same language.”

An add-on treaty protocol states in its Article 4 that any draft legislation originating from a member state or EU council president must be translated into the other “official languages of the Union” within eight weeks.

Another treaty protocol (number 3) on the European Court of Justice states that its “language arrangements shall be laid down” by European Council “acting unanimously,” after consulting the European Parliament and Commission.

Post-Brexit: do-it-yourself translations?

Hübner on Monday said that if Britain quit the EU, Article 55 listing the EU’s treaty languages would have to be expanded unanimously by the remaining member states to retain English as one of the bloc’s official languages.

Otherwise, postulated the news agency Reuters, Britons – and by implication English-speakers outside the EU – “would have to do translations themselves.”

French and German officials have long lobbied for their mother tongues to be more widely used in Brussels. English has been hard to dislodge as Europe’s lingua franca.

ipj/kl (Reuters, AP)

Frexit Friction: What Does Sarkozy Mean Talking About New European Treaty?

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FRexit sarkoziOn Sunday, amid the fallout of the British vote to leave the EU, former French President Nikolas Sarkozy, the leader of the center-right Republicans party, proposed a French referendum on a new European Treaty. Meanwhile, former Sarkozy cabinet minister and Republicans’ member Alain Juppe seemed to suggest that such a move would be ‘irresponsible’.

In a Sunday interview with the French television channel France 2, Sarkozy suggested that a French referendum on a new European treaty could be possible before the end of the year, adding that “we must not be afraid of the people.” In apparent response, speaking to Le Monde on Monday, Alain Juppe suggested that “holding a referendum in France today would be totally irresponsible.”

Asked whether the apparent divergence of opinion indicates a split in the party, Republicans MEP Constance Le Grip told Sputnik that Mr. Juppe’s remarks have been misunderstood.

“Mr. Sarkozy reintroduced his proposal to reform the European Union,” the politician said. “After the victory of Brexit, it’s impossible to pretend that nothing happened. We must return to a new project, given that the people no longer support the current European project. The new treaty would be ratified in France only by referendum.”

As for Mr. Juppe’s comments, Le Grip explained that “when Alain Juppe said that it would be irresponsible to hold a referendum at the moment, he was not speaking of the referendum proposed by Mr. Sarkozy. Mr. Juppe was referring to the referendum of the kind which just took place in the UK, the one which Ms. Marine Le Pen is insisting on: on membership in the European Union. Such a referendum would be totally irresponsible, and Mr. Sarkozy agrees with this view.”

At the same time, Le Grip explained, like Sarkozy, Juppe “also advocates for reform: for the reform of the European project.”

On Sunday, speaking to Le Journal du Dimanche, and commenting  on the political situation in Europe following Brexit, Sarkozy said that if he was the French leader in the present situation, he “would suggest that France and Germany put on the table to the heads of state and government [of the European Union] a draft five-point plan prohibiting the Brussels technocracy from turning into a legal monster.”

He added that he would propose that the leaders of the 27 EU member nations gather for a three day meeting with the aim of jointly developing a “simple, clear” project and policy, including a Euro-Schengen II and the harmonization of social assistance for foreigners, requiring five years of residence to qualify and no benefits for illegals.

Perhaps most significantly, Sarkozy suggested that the new basic treaty, put up to referendum, should limit “Europe’s powers to a maximum of ten strategic priorities.” Finally, the new treaty would need to “clearly say that the enlargement of Europe is finished,” ending “the hypocrisy which prevails today in our relations which Turkey, which is not intended to enter Europe.”

On Friday, soon after the results of the Brexit referendum became clear, Sarkozy suggested that “the European Union can no longer function as before. Its deep restructuring is urgent and had to be considered long ago. In this regard, I call on the EU heads of state and governments to decide to devise a new basic treaty, which will demonstrate to our people that Europe is ready to take their destiny into their own hands.”

On the eve of the Brexit referendum, the politician insisted that a joint Franco-German initiative would have to be made “in the coming months,” regardless of the results, aimed a fundamental rethink of the EU project.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, speaking with major French opposition leaders about the results of Brexit, President Francois Hollande met with Front National leader Marine Le Pen, who asked him to hold a referendum similar to that held in the UK on France’s future in the supranational union.  

“We have called for the implementation of a referendum to ask the French if they want to remain in the European Union. He said no,” Le Pen told journalists, adding that she was disappointed with the president’s remarks. “It’s almost as though we said a dirty word; the people have really become the last wheel of the cart.”

On Thursday, the UK held a referendum to determine whether or not the country should leave the EU. According to the final results, 51.9% of voters, or 17.4 million people, decided to support Brexit, while about 16.1 million opposed it. Total voter turnout was 72.2%.

‘Now get out!’ Start Clause 50 exit process NOW, EU chiefs urge UK

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get outEU chiefs want to be rid of Britain as soon as possible, if a statement from the European Council released in the wake of the UK’s shock Brexit is anything to go by.

It was released following a meeting of dignitaries including EU president Donald Tusk, parliamentary president Martin Schulz, Dutch PM Mark Rutte and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker.

The EU’s top dogs told the UK to get out of the 28-member union quickly. They delivered a stark warning that until such a time as the political divorce goes through, Britain will be subject to all the treaties and agreements that go with membership.

“We now expect the United Kingdom government to give effect to this decision of the British people as soon as possible, however painful that process may be.”

They said “any delay” would “unnecessarily prolong uncertainty.”

“We have rules to deal with this in an orderly way. Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union sets out the procedure to be followed if a Member State decides to leave the European Union.”

David Cameron resigned at 8am on Friday, saying the process of an actual legal exit would fall to his successor, who would be appointed by autumn.

However, Boris Johnson – a Leave advocate currently favorite to be the next Tory PM – said there was no rush to leave, a point picked up by former Swedish PM Carl Bildt on Twitter.

https://youtu.be/6rCfDn_NlHE

EU says UK must not delay leaving

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eu uk must leaveEU leaders have insisted that the UK must move swiftly to negotiate leaving the organisation, saying any delay would prolong uncertainty, BBC News reports.
European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker stressed the “Union of the remaining 27 members will continue”.
The UK voted by 52% to 48% to leave the EU, and David Cameron has announced he will step down as PM by October.
He has said it will be up to the new PM to invoke the article that will begin the UK’s withdrawal.
Global stock markets fell heavily on the Brexit news and the value of the pound has also fallen dramatically.

BREAKING NEWS: Britain has voted to exit the E.U. It is a historic decision sure to reshape the nation’s place in the world.

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UK Leave EUBritain’s EU referendum looks to be headed towards a Brexit outcome. Markets are volatile, with the pound on a rollercoaster ride as results come in from around the UK. Read the latest from our teams.

Britain has voted to leave the European Union, a historic decision sure to reshape the nation’s place in the world, rattle the Continent and rock political establishments throughout the West.
With 309 of 382 of the country’s cities and towns reporting early on Friday, the Leave campaign held a 52 percent to 48 percent lead. The BBC called the race for the Leave campaign shortly before 4:45 a.m., with 13.1 million votes having been counted in favor of leaving and 12.2 million in favor of remaining.
The value of the British pound plummeted as financial markets absorbed the news.

 

EU referendum live – Britain has voted on leave or remain

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UK LeaveEarly results in Britain’s EU referendum showed stronger-than-expected support for Brexit. But votes will be counted throughout the night until a final result is declared in the morning. Read the latest from our teams.

While two different polls put “Remain” ahead of “Leave,” some of the first results declared in the EU referendum were disappointing to the Remain campaign. Unlike in general elections, there is no exit poll and the referendum’s final result is not expected until Friday morning. So here’s some key background information as we go into the night:

– The British enclave Gibraltar, located at the southern tip of Spain, became the first to declare, and came out with a overwhelming majority for “Remain.” Yet other council results appeared to point to a “Leave” direction.

– After initial gains, the pound plummeted in trading, reflecting trader beliefs Britain might in fact have decided to leave the EU.

– Roughly 46.5 million people were eligible to vote. Preliminary assessments indicated a very high voter turnout – as high as 80 percent in some areas.

– Rain and thunderstorms were impacting ballot casting early in the morning as well as in the evening: A few polling stations had to close because of the rains, and voters were re-directed to other stations. With public transport hampered in London in the evening, some voters were stuck, which may have impacted turnout among those intending to cast their ballots after work.

– German Chancellor Angela Merkel, among other European leaders, has said she would “like for Britain to remain in the EU.”

DW’s online and TV teams in London and Brussels will keep you abreast of developments during counting night and into Friday as the UK and EU’s futures become clear. Scroll down to our live blog below.

Turkey returns EU progress report over Armenian Genocide reference

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turkey-genocide returnPermanent Delegation of Turkey to the European Union returned Friday, June 17 the European Parliament’s (EP) 2015 Turkey progress report over the mention of theArmenian Genocide, Daily Sabah says.

Diplomatic sources said that the report, which the EP passed in April by 375 votes in favor and 133 against, was rejected without even being opened due its request to recognize 1915 mass killings of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire as genocide.

Turkey also returned a previous report in spring 2015 for the same reason.

“Turkey will reject the European Parliament Progress Report on Turkey if it includes any mention of an Armenian Genocide,” Turkey’s then-EU Minister Volkan Bozkir said.

Photo. The Independent
The Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres, and deportations involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million.

The majority of Armenian Diaspora communities were formed by the Genocide survivors.

Present-day Turkey denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide, justifying the atrocities as “deportation to secure Armenians”. Only a few Turkish intellectuals, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk and scholar Taner Akcam, speak openly about the necessity to recognize this crime against humanity.

The Armenian Genocide was recognized by Uruguay, Russia, France, Lithuania, the Italian Chamber of Deputies, majority of U.S. states, parliaments of Greece, Cyprus, Argentina, Belgium and Wales, National Council of Switzerland, Chamber of Commons of Canada, Polish Sejm, Vatican, European Parliament and the World Council of Churches.