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Highest Ambitions

From Anne Palmer 2006/09/25

BERLIN

(Own report) - Last weekend, at a conference in the “World Room” of the Foreign Ministry, representatives from nearly all EU states were briefed on Berlin’s European policy guidelines.

The focus was on the further elaboration of the EU Constitution Treaty, the development of a European state “leadership” as well as “major projects” in the so-called field of security. This is in reference to the establishment of a “European army,” with simultaneous development of the intra-European surveillance systems. German foreign policy is suggesting a transnational campaign to overcome the resistance of EU skeptics, in which “Europe” is being presented as a “realm with a common fate and future.”

Through the “personification of the European leadership structure” - a sort of political-star public relations - and the deliberate “stage managing of the European election campaign” it must become possible to create a new EU “founding logic,” write the authors of the official conference text.

In attendance at the meeting in the Foreign Ministry in Berlin, were presidents and prime ministers of several Eastern European states, the presidents of numerous parliamentary lower houses, foreign ministers and ambassadors of the most influential EU member states, bank presidents and CEOs of transnational enterprises, as well as their political advisors. The chancellor, the minister of defense, top level officials of the foreign ministry, as well as the current and former directors of the foreign intelligence service, BND (Federal Intelligence Service), were among those in attendance from Germany.

Because of the significance of this meeting, which offers an idea of the weight of German steering of European policy, german-foreign-policy.com publishes the list of participants.

Nominal host of this conference was the Bertelsmann Foundation, convening another of its numerous “international Bertelsmann Forums” in the Foreign Ministry.

The conference took place under the title “Europe’s Strategic Answers.” Bertelsmann sent among others, the supervisory board chairmen of the giant enterprises Bayer-Schering and BASF, which hold leading positions in Bertelsmann, the world’s largest media enterprise. Events put on by Bertelsmann, in the prelude to official activities, aid German foreign policy and make possible a consolidation between the draft plans, originating in various branches of the government. The amassed display of governing foreign dignitaries, meeting in the “World Hall” of the Foreign Ministry of Germany, with German top level policy makers, raises the conference to the level of an informal summit meeting.

Not To Vote

The paper,[1] that laid the guidelines for the conference, set out to define “Europe’s Strategic Answers” in three complexes of themes, albeit without divulging who raised the questions, in the first place, and why these German authors, from the Bertelsmann Foundation, are speaking in the name of “Europe” in the “World Hall” of the German Foreign Ministry. The paper threatens with an ominous vision, should the “future political order of the continent” continue to remain in dispute. In such a case the “Europe of the 25, and soon to be more states, could erode and possibly even disintegrate.” This scenario of disaster, served to put the participants in the mood for a devious solution to the question of a constitution.

To implement this abortive EU treaty system, despite its several referendum defeats, it was recommended in Berlin, that the “key elements” of the rejected constitution be transferred to an agreement between states - thereby avoiding the annoying referenda (”Treaty to the Treaty of Nice”). Thus the voters will be deprived of a say in any further decision.

In an obvious inversion of the facts, the conference text refers to this act of disenfranchisement, as an “application of the basic tenets of the constitutional reforms.” Particularly to be kept out of reach of the citizens’ votes, are questions of the militarization of the EU (the armaments agency, the “new structures in the field of the European Security and Defense Policy”).

Voted

The contents, of what the authors call a “trimmed down constitutional text,” meaning a text eviscerated of the dubious and contested aspects, would then, according to the paper of the conference in Berlin, be suitable for the vote, as long as the text contains only declarations of intent (”central constitutional regulations”), whereas the practical “implementation regulations are removed to a text below the constitutional level” - for this, the democratic authentication (”the treaty’s two part division”) is obsolete. The EU citizens must have a “readable constitutional document,” appropriate to their needs and proficiencies and everything else should be left “to the needs of those governing Europe.”

Imperial

Among these needs is a “domestic arms market” which could come in handy for the “stabilization of the (East European) neighborhood” as well as in the context of “the participation in the political reorganization of the world.” The paper calls for an “extension of the EU beyond the West Balkans”, mentions the need for a “genuine Belarus strategy” and the creation of a “Black Sea dimension.” The EU should even show a “reinforced” interest in “Central Asia.”

Last weekend, in the “World Hall” of the Foreign Ministry, it was acclaimed that a “European Army” could confront disruptions to the EU expansion.[2] “That would strengthen the profile of the EU, on the international stage, enabling Europe to be able to intervene, with a sense of responsibility and self-confidence, in concert with the international powers and could secure a distinct creative relevance”, is how imperial militarization was circumscribed.[3]

Hierarchical Structure

If differences of opinion should arise among the EU governments, the “Big Three” [4] (Germany, France, Great Britain) [5] will act, under German leadership, as “potential key powers” [6]: “through closer cooperation in a smaller circle.” A goal is to be able deal with the USA ” eye to eye, as equal partners.”

These details signalize the further development of an intra-European hierarchical structure, where conflicts with the weaker EU members are taken for granted. Thus this exclusive EU “Big Three” is to unlock the door to the main western competitor of German world politics - in a Triumvirate, with Berlin as the leader. Completely ignored is the fact, that British loyalty to the USA, forbids such a three-way unity, therefore the “potential key nations” are reduced to Germany and France.

16 Million

The partially threatening, partially unrealistic and delusional visions expressed in the Berlin conference paper, are propped up with appeals to the leadership abilities of the “European elite.” They are to bundle the “European thought (…) into a new founding logic,” requiring a “major project.” It is being recommended, that feelings of being threatened, be awakened, (threats of “transnational criminality, illegal migration, terrorism”), which, within the “scope of external security” could contribute to the justification “for a European army,” an “equivalent project in the field of internal security” is still being sought. So far the EU administration has made 16 million Euros available, for measures leading to similar PR projects, that allow a configuration of the civilian public opinion.

Confirmed

During the two-day conference, in which US observers, among them the former Foreign Minister, Henry A. Kissinger, also participated, there were no disagreements, no precipitated departures or other forms of serious diplomatic protest. The conference document’s acceptance confirms the highest ambitions of German foreign policy, which, next spring, assumes the presidency of the EU Council.

german-foreign-policy.com documents the list of subscribers of the conference here.

[1] Die strategischen Antworten Europas. Strategiepapier für das X. International Bertelsmann Forum 2006, Berlin/Gütersloh 2006; www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de
[2] s. auch Die großen Drei
[3, 4] Die strategischen Antworten Europas. Strategiepapier für das X. International Bertelsmann Forum 2006, Berlin/Gütersloh 2006; www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de
[5] Im Original: “Deutschland, Frankreich und Großbritannien”
[6] Die strategischen Antworten Europas. Strategiepapier für das X. International Bertelsmann Forum 2006, Berlin/Gütersloh 2006; www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de

© Informationen zur Deutschen Außenpolitik

Yesterday I commented on a leaked document seen by The Times outlining a set of proposals, drawn up by chief police officers and Home Office officials, for an extension of instant fines to include crimes such as assaulting a police officer.

It would now seem that these suggestions did not go down well with ordinary police officers, magistrates or ministers who according to the Home office had not seen the document “Ministers have not been consulted about these proposals. Most of the suggestions have come from police chiefs. The Home Secretary will never approve any lessening of the punishments for violent crimes.”

The outcries of alarm from Magistrates and the police have nothing to do with removing the rights of the people to be protected from summary justice, but are made on the grounds that the fines are not strong enough for the crimes of assault. Cindy Barnett, chairman of the Magistrates’ Association, makes the point when she said; “that the proposals made a mockery of the criminal justice system and downgraded the gravity of offences that should go before the courts.”

So as I understand it the police and Magistrates are quite happy about the erosion of our rights, but not about the suggested level of fines. Thanks chaps and chapesses we now know who not to look to in order to protect the common mans basic rights.