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"Hi, I'm Jack Boots, and if you say anything about the EU constitution that looks unfavorable, I'll be kicking in your door and pistol whipping you and your family."

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Rehn: US should not interfere on Turkey issue
by Marit Ruuda
Jan 19 2004
The United States should not interfere with Turkish EU membership talks as the negotiations are a matter between Brussels and Ankara only, Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has warned. US involvement could spark anti-Turkish reactions in EU member states, the commissioner said in an interview with Finnish television YLE. The Finnish Commissioner's comments come shortly ahead of a visit by US President George W. Bush to Europe in February... Last year, the US urged the EU several times to speed up membership talks with Ankara.

The only reason for an anti-Turkish reaction in EU member states is anti-US paranoia in Europeans. Rehn should be told to go "be fruitful and multiply, but not in those words." [bon mot lifted from Woody Allen]

oops, sorry, those dates should have been 2005. [blush]

Translation errors in Polish EU Constitution to delay ratification
by Lucia Kubosova
Jan 20 2005
The Polish Foreign Ministry told journalists that it has identified over 40 mistakes which are expected to take a further three to four months to correct... The government will apparently fail to submit the translated document to the parliamentarians in early February as planned, and so the date for a national vote on the Constitution is likely to be postponed too... While the ruling left-wing parties would like to see the poll this autumn along with the presidential elections which usually spark great emotions, the right-wing opposition has called for more time for citizens to learn about the document and vote on it later in 2006.

oops, sorry, those dates should have been 2005. [blush]

Straw says rift over China arms must be managed
by Lisbeth Kirk
Jan 19 2005
Despite US opposition, the UK foreign secretary backed the EU lifting of the arms embargo because it would be linked with a new code of conduct... The current EU embargo is not legally binding and also appears not to be very effective... [T]he EU almost doubled its approvals for arms sales to China between 2002 and 2003... In 2003, France granted E171m licences for arms sales to China, Italy E127m and the UK E112m, according to information in the EU's Official Journal last month, quoted by the Financial Times... The Chinese government defended this week the 15-year-old decision to stop the demonstrations in the Tiananmen Square and also turned down appeals to rehabilitate the former general secretary of China's Communist Party Zhao Ziyang. Zhao Ziyang refused to endorse the crackdown. He died this week at age 85, having spent the last 15 years of his life under house arrest.

A couple of related stories:

Lobbyists clash over crucial chemical laws
by Richard Carter
Jan 19 2005
Powerful lobby groups clashed on Wednesday in the European Parliament over a crucial piece of legislation which aims to improve regulation in the chemicals industry... Environmental groups and human health lobbyists such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Greenpeace believe that a strong piece of legislation is needed that will ensure that potentially toxic chemicals are tested and, if necessary, replaced or banned, before damaging human health or the environment.
Commission prepares to relaunch Lisbon agenda
by Richard Carter
Jan 20 2005
The European Commission is preparing a wholesale revamp of the beleaguered Lisbon Strategy - its ambitious goal to become the most competitive economy in the World by 2010 - in a bid to restore momentum to the process. An draft internal Commission document, seen by the EUobserver, aims to refocus the Lisbon Strategy around three core themes: creating jobs, improving knowledge and innovation and "ensuring that Europe remains an attractive location for employment". According to the document, the relaunch could be summarised as "more and better jobs in an innovative and attractive Europe".

And soon, they'll pass a law defining every day as "a nice day". ;')

NATO to be marginalised by the EU
by Lisbeth Kirk
Jan 17 2005
NATO is set to be marginalised by the EU as the primary institution for Europe, says a report compiled by US intelligence experts... [A]n EU-China alliance, though still unlikely, is no longer unthinkable. However, the 120-page report also warns that the EU could break down within the next 15 years if no major economic reforms are carried out... In general, the emergence of China and India as new global actors will transform the geopolitical landscape of the globe, the report predicts. The world economy is projected to be about 80 percent larger in 2020 than it was in 2000, and average per capita income to be roughly 50 percent higher.