Radihali, a voi la mia stretta di mano

News from Cyprus

AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

Greek PM to make first official visit to Turkey in 50 years

Greece announced Thursday an official visit to Turkey later this month by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, the first such trip in almost 50 years and the latest sign of a thaw in once tense relations. Karamanlis will begin his three-day visit on January 23 -- the first official trip by a Greek prime minister to Turkey since his uncle Constantine in May 1959. Karamanlis has visited Turkey several times in the past in an unofficial capacity. "Greece seeks a permanent improvement in relations, and we are working in this direction," deputy government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros told journalists. In Ankara, the office of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that "the entire range" of Greek-Turkish relations would be discussed along with regional and international issues during the Karamanlis visit. Frequently difficult relations between the neighbouring states have thawed over recent years with economic cooperation, but sovereignty issues in the Aegean and the large Turkish military presence on Cyprus remain thorny issues. Erdogan visited Athens in May 2004 and his Foreign Minister Ali Babacan laid the groundwork for the Karamanlis trip when he was in the Greek capital last month.

News from Cyprus

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

(Greek) Cypriot FM: EP’s Petition Committee draft on Famagusta unacceptable

Marcoullis has described as “unacceptable” a draft report by the European Parliament Petition Committee, adding that the Ministry has made representations to the European Parliament (EP). A Committee delegation visited Cyprus in November 2007 on a fact finding mission following efforts by the Famagusta Refugees Movement for the return of the city. The text refers to Talat as “the counterpart of the President of the Republic of Cyprus'' and as ''the President of the Turkish Cypriot Authorities'', while it states that Famagusta cannot be returned before a comprehensive solution of the Cyprus problem. ''We have read the unacceptable contents of this report and we immediately made representations demanding its withdrawal,'' Marcoullis said, pointing out that the current text is ''by no means'' the final text and explaining that ''it was entirely drafted by a member of the Committee's Secretariat.'' Marcoullis said that both the Cypriot government and the Cypriot MEPs are making representations not only to the Committee members who visited Cyprus but also to the other Committee members. Meanwhile “Famagusta Mayor”, Alexis Galanos expressed regret over the content of the draft report. ''Instead of dealing with the illegal presence of the Turkish occupation forces on European territory, instead of examining the rights Famagusta's European citizens, it deals with matters relating to the solution of the Cyprus problem, a matter that, with all due respect, does not fall within the competencies of the Committee,'' he said.

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

UN official briefs Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot parties

Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political party leaders and their representatives were briefed on the Cyprus issue on Wednesday by Michael Moller, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and UNFICYP Chief of Mission. A joint communique issued at the end of their regular meeting at Ledra Palace in the buffer zone, under the auspices of the Slovak embassy, and read by Slovakia’s Ambassador to Cyprus Anna Turenicova said the leaders “evaluated their bicommunal activities and initiatives during the past year in the process of rapprochement”. “In the second part of the meeting, the leaders have been briefed about the discussion on the Cyprus issue in the Security Council in December 2007 by Mr. Moller, and exchanged views on this issue with him”, Turenicova added. The next meeting will be held on 19 March, at 1030 Ledra Palace.

Is Tom Cruise a Good Actor?

Caro Foglio, non riconosce chi non conosce

Ieri il Foglio si fregiava di un editoriale dal titolo "Se i radicali dicono: denunciate!" che iniziava con qualcosa che caratterizza spesso le "critiche" dei finti "ex": "Carissimi radicali, non vi riconosciamo più." Con Rocco Berardo abbiamo dovuto far notare un paio di cose.

"Lo spot sulla pillola del giorno dopo preparato dall'Associazione Luca Coscioni per la libertà di ricerca scientifica che va in onda su Radio radicale non è in contrasto con quello che i radicali hanno sempre professato. Anzi, in linea con le lotte per affermare il principio di legalità, vuol far conoscere ai cittadini un loro diritto affinché essi, informati, possano esercitarlo appieno.

I radicali non sono mai stati per il diritto all'obiezione di coscienza per qualsiasi legge. Come da ordinamento, l'obiezione di coscienza non può essere estesa a ogni normativa, essa può valere solo ed esclusivamente per quelle materie definite precisamente dal legislatore. Il medico può fare obiezione di coscienza quando gli venisse richiesta un'interruzione di gravidanza, come previsto con tutta una serie di bilanciamenti, dalla 194. Ma l'obiezione di coscienza è un istituto che rappresenta un'eccezione precisa e non la si può prevedere come diritto assoluto per qualsiasi legge dello Stato. Questa non sarebbe più obiezione di coscienza, al contrario ci troveremmo di fronte ad un'interruzione di pubblico servizio (se non a uno Stato parallelo).

Visto che la pillola del giorno dopo non è un farmaco abortivo, ma è scientificamente riconosciuta come contraccezione d'emergenza, non vi sarebbe quindi per legge la possibilità di obiezione, così come non vi è possibilità di farla sugli altri contraccettivi (preservativo incluso).

Se questo avvenisse, se un farmacista dovesse imporre la propria coscienza alla richiesta di un farmaco da parte di una persona come ci dovremmo comportare? Lasciando correre, oppure chiedendo che la legge venga applicata appieno? E se domani un medico, per motivi di coscienza o fede, decidesse di non praticare una trasfusione, oppure di non toccare una donna o un uomo in gravissime condizioni come ci dovremmo comportare?

I Radicali, da attivatori di democrazia, sono convinti di dover continuare a fare, oggi e domani, quello che hanno fatto fino a ieri: rispettare, e far rispettare le leggi - come dimostrano ad esempio le decine di denunce contro la Rai TV - oppure disobbedirle quando liberticide, assumendosene tutte le responsabilità, anche quella di andare in galera.

Lo spot sulla pillola del giorno dopo, proprio come quello sulla Legge 40, il testamento biologico e la cannabis terapeutica dovrebbero essere divulgati dal servizio pubblico di informazione radio-televisiva, perché forniscono un vero e proprio "soccorso civile" in risposta a leggi che utilizzano la proibizione come metodo di controllo di fenomeni in atto. La moratoria necessaria all'Italia del terzo millennio è quella relativa all'illegalità delle istituzioni e del potere costituito; essa è possibile solo attivando gli strumenti concreti che appartengono a qualsiasi democrazia liberale che si basi sullo stato di diritto: il rispetto della legge anche tramite denunce civili e penali.

Chi ora parla di sospendere gli aborti, non dovrebbe forse far di tutto per diffondere quanto più possibile tutti i mezzi contraccettivi volti a scongiurarli? E se anche si volesse difendere a tutti i costi il diritto all'obiezione di coscienza per i medici relativamente alla pillola del giorno dopo, non sarebbe opportuno operare per abolire la ricetta, oggi inutilmente obbligatoria, per questo farmaco?

News from Cyprus

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

PACE President: we can contribute to a Cyprus solution

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) can contribute towards a political settlement in Cyprus, Assembly President Rene van der Linden has stressed. According to a PACE press release, speaking Tuesday at the end of his official visit to Turkey, van der Linden cited the “historic meeting of religious leaders from both communities, held under his auspices in February 2007, as well as the fact that the Assembly is the only European institution to associate elected representatives of the Turkish Cypriot community in its work, as concrete example of the Assembly's contribution so far.” Van der Linden said that he chose Turkey for his last official visit as PACE President “to underline the importance of this country for the future of Europe. Turkey will play an increasing role, both in economic and geopolitical terms, and it is in the interest of all to have Turkey as a partner committed to European values,'' he noted. “I praise the strong commitment of the Turkish authorities to continuing democratic reforms,'' Van der Linden declared, pointing that Artcile 301 of the Criminal Code must be brought into conformity with Council of Europe standards. “If Turkey fulfils its democratic commitments, the EU must also keep its promises as regards Turkish membership in the EU,” he said. The parliamentary and presidential elections in 2007confirmed the stability of Turkish democracy and resulted in a more pluralistic and representative Parliament with an increased participation of women and MPs from the South-East of Turkey, he noted. “However, discussions must continue on lowering the ten per cent threshold for the Parliament, which remains the highest in Europe,'' he added. Furthermore he noted that the democratic reforms must be stabilised and strengthened by corresponding constitutional and legislative measures, as called for by the Assembly upon the closing of the monitoring procedure in 2004. ''These measures must, among others, strengthen the guarantees of the freedom of expression and religion, the independence of justice, the fight against corruption and establish an effective Ombudsman's office,'' van der Linden added.

Il Papa sta a casa, giustizia è fatta

Certo povero Papa, cattivoni questi che non lo fanno parlare.

(very) Good Question on Afghanistan

Could Afghan poppy be used to produce biodiesel?

Published in the Financial Times: January 14 2008 02:00

From Mr Marc Grossman.

Sir, Edmond Phelps and Graciana del Castillo (“A strategy to help Afghanistan kick its habit”, January 4) make an important contribution to the discussion of how best to help Afghans stop growing poppy for narcotics and start growing something legal that can provide a decent living.

Perhaps those working on this question should consider using the poppy already grown in Afghanistan to produce biomass for biodiesel. Biodiesel is made using plant oils and can be a fuel in its pure form with some engine modifications, although it is usually blended with regular diesel.

In a small Australian pilot programme in 2005, Tasmanian farmers used biodiesel produced from poppy seed, which is about 50 per cent oil, to run their tractors.

Given the stakes in Afghanistan, Nato should propose a crash programme of international research to determine whether opium poppy can be economically used as biomass for the large-scale production of biodiesel. Assuming the technical questions can be tackled, there will be other issues.

Can the Afghan government ensure, perhaps through subsidies as Prof Phelps and Dr del Castillo propose, that the price for poppy will equal or exceed the price that narco-traffickers are willing to pay? Assuming that some illegal market will continue to exist in parallel with the legal one, what government controls, including a continuing eradication programme to deter cheating, will be necessary to ensure the vast majority of the crop is sold for production of biomass fuel?

Since truck drivers in Afghanistan and south Asia use diesel, the Afghan government could set up biodiesel plants in Afghanistan to process the poppy, providing much-needed jobs. Other countries with drug production problems, such as Pakistan or Colombia, might also adopt the process if it is successful and simultaneously reduce drug production, create jobs and promote a more sustainable environment.

Marc Grossman,
Vice-Chairman,
The Cohen Group,
Washington, DC 20004, US

Sarkò en Arabie

«La politique de civilisation, c’est ce que fait l’Arabie Saoudite sous l’impulsion de sa majesté le roi Abdallah, c’est ce que font tous ceux qui s’efforcent de concilier le progrès et la tradition, de faire la synthèse entre l’identité profonde de l’Islam et la moderniser sans choquer la conscience des croyants»...

Portishead's Comeback

Il Futuro della musica nell'era digitale

e tanta altra roba courtesy of Wired Magazine
David Byrne and Thom Yorke.

News from Cyprus

Sunday, January 13

SUNDAY MAIL

Kasoulides takes lead in latest poll

DISY presidential candidate Ioannis Kasoulides has overtaken Papadopoulos in the polls, according to the latest one published today in Politis. Although Papadopoulos regained half a percentage point since the December poll, bringing him up to 30.3 per cent, Kasoulides has gained three points in a month and now stands at 30.5 per cent, according to the Noverna poll. According to the Politis poll, in June Kasoulides was polling at only 26.2 per cent but has been increasing steadily and in December polled 27.3 per cent. Papadopoulos had been showing 31.2 per cent in June but by December had slipped for the second month in a row to 29.8 per cent. Meanwhile AKEL candidate Demetris Christofias, who was also showing steady increases since June when he was at only 23.1 per cent, has slipped slightly since December when he was polling with 29.5 per cent. Today’s results give Christofias 29.1 per cent. Previous Noverna polls have shown that both Kasoulides and Christofias are far more popular with the 18-24 age group of voters than Papadopoulos. Some 15,000 of those due to vote in the elections will be first-time voters. But according to today’s poll, Kasoulides owes his sudden surge to women voters. The results show that since December his popularity with women has risen from 24 per cent to 27 per cent, while his popularity among men increased from 31 per cent to 32 per cent. Another surprise in the Politis poll was maverick politician and MEP Marios Matsakis, a latecomer to the race who only announced on Christmas Eve that he would be running for President. He bills himself as the only candidate that “tells it like it is”. In his first poll, Matsakis, as an independent, pulled a respectable 2.2 per cent compared to Costas Themistocleous who has been in the race since the beginning. Themistocleous polled only 0.1 per cent in today’s poll while 7.8 per cent of voters said they were still undecided.