APRIL 8th PREDICTION

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Chirac 'weakened' after EU summit

20.06.2005 - 09:53 CET | By Elitsa Vucheva

French President Jacques Chirac is continuing to see a drop in his popularity with a poll showing 70 percent are dissatisfied with their leader.

An IFOP poll published in Sunday's Journal du Dimanche shows that only 28 percent of French citizens said they are satisfied with him in June, a drop from 40 percent in May.

Mr Chirac's drop in the popularity stakes emerged particularly in the run-up to the French referendum on the EU constitution.

The failure of EU leaders to find an agreement on the EU's budget last week is likely to deepen Mr Chirac's unpopularity, as French media present the summit as a clash between Mr Chirac and UK prime minister Tony Blair.

And Mr Chirac is the one to have lost the battle, according to French papers.

The French president was weakened and isolated, after the French No to the EU Constitution, and could not impose his vision of Europe, writes the left-wing daily Liberation.

By contrast, British prime minister Tony Blair is the one who presented "a modern vision of a 21st-century Europe", adds the paper.

And on Thursday (16 June), just before the start of the summit, Liberation headlined that Mr Chirac was "the sick man of Europe".

The two biggest French dailies, Le Monde and Le Figaro also present the EU summit as a "personal clash" between the French and British leaders, with Le Monde concluding that the French president will be "weakened" for a long time after the summit.

Mr Blair might be "a bit" isolated, but he appears to be the new strong man of Europe.

Jacques Chirac, on the other hand, comes home empty-handed, writes Le Monde.

A call for unity

And as Jacques Chirac appears to weaken politically, French European affairs minister Catherine Colonna on Sunday (19 June) appealed for more solidarity in Europe.

She said that the summit was not a success for anybody, not even for Mr Blair, and insisted that "we need to think together, and debate openly and in a consensual way, on what we want for Europe in five years, ten years, 30 or 50 years".

"We have to define together, and I mean together, all 25, what the Europe of tomorrow could be. All together and not at the will of a few", she told France Inter radio.

However, she reiterated the French position of blaming the British prime minister for the failure to reach a budget agreement.

"Some have kept their national egos, while it is only the European spirit that enables us to find the solutions together", she said.

http://euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=19372

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Tough days ahead for UK presidency of the EU

20.06.2005 - 09:05 CET | By Honor Mahony

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - With the bitter recriminations from last week's summit likely to reverberate for some time to come, Britain faces a diplomatic, ideological and political test when it takes over the EU presidency in just under two weeks.

The meeting of EU leaders saw prime minister Tony Blair not only estranged from the French president and the German chancellor but also from traditionally close allies such as Ireland and from the new member states - countries that normally share his free-market, less-regulation approach.

After the meeting, Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern said Mr Blair's arguments had been "simplistic" and that the whole meeting had been "pathetic and embarrassing".

The new member states, desperate for a deal on the budget so that EU money will get paid out to their poor regions on time, were incensed by Britain's stubbornness.

In a bid to force a deal and isolate Mr Blair, east European states, led by Poland, grouped together during the meeting and agreed to accept less money, but the meeting had become too entrenched by then.

Afterwards Polish prime minister Marek Belka said "my proposal was a reaction to what I perceived as the selfishness of some member states".

This vilification of Mr Blair comes not so far down the road from the crisis in Europe prompted by Iraq. At the time, Berlin and Paris also opposed Mr Blair's pro-war position, but, crucially, he was supported by the new member states.

The UK programme

But it is just at this time that London needs allies to get movement on EU issues that are dear to its heart like promoting a reform of Europe based on competitiveness and making sure the bloc

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Bush underlines support for strong Europe

21.06.2005 - 09:43 CET | By Honor Mahony

US president George W. Bush has underlined his support for a strong Europe following the collapsed EU summit last week that left the future of the constitution uncertain and the bloc's budget undecided.

Speaking at an EU-US summit in Washington, Mr Bush said the US supports a strong Europe.

"My message to these leaders and these friends was that we want a Europe strong so we can work together to achieve important objectives and important goals", said the president.

He also said he wants to see a "strong European Union" that can help Washington spread democracy in the world noting that the two sides share "common values and shared aspirations".

Reassuring Washington

The EU also did its bit to reassure the US, which has been concerned that following the crisis Brussels will become introspective only concerning itself with its internal decision-making and institutions.

"It's no surprise that in this process some problems may occur, but the European Union is there," said European commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.

"We are on business. We are deciding. We are taking decisions every day internally and externally, and we are committed to this very close relation with the United States", he added.

Luxembourg prime minister and current head of the EU Jean-Claude Juncker, said: "We made clear. . . that the European Union is not on its knees".

Following the summit last week, Mr Juncker had sarcastically remarked that he was off to Washington to convince Mr Bush of the "vigour and force" of Europe.

But the agenda and the issues agreed on Monday (20 June) appeared to show that business was continuing as usual with talks focussing on Iran, Iraq and China.

A joint EU-US statement said "We remain united in our determination to see the proliferation implications of Iran's advanced nuclear programme resolved".

On China, Mr Bush said that both sides agreed that Beijing should move to a more flexible exchange rate and allow more foreign imports to level the playing field in trade.

Washington and Brussels also said they would work on reducing regulatory barriers that hinder transatlantic business.

But the old differences continue as well, such as on climate change.

Mr Barroso said that Mr Bush "has a different approach to climate change regulations".

http://www.euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=19381

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Iraq summit to showcase transatlantic diplomacy

21.06.2005 - 17:36 CET | By Andrew Rettman

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The Iraq summitin Brussels on Wednesday (22 June) is set to give political kudos to Baghdad's fledgling government, but the event will also showcase Brussels' and Washington's reconciliation over Iraq as well as the EU's capacity to handle major foreign policy issues despite recent infighting.

"This is the first time that the Iraqi government has a chance to put its political strategy to the international community", an EU diplomat indicated at a recent pre-summit briefing. "It's an opportunity for them to set out their stall clearly on their priorities and a chance for the international community to respond".

An official at Luxembourg's EU presidency added "We are trying to reintegrate Iraq into the international community".

The large Iraqi delegation, which includes transitional prime minister Ibrahim al-Ja'afari and foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari, will meet with over 70 foreign ministers from the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia and Japan as well as neighbouring states such as Iran, Syria, Turkey, Jordan and Kuwait.

Luxembourg's outgoing EU president Jean-Claude Juncker, Brussel's foreign affairs chief Javier Solana and UN secretary general Kofi Annan have also confirmed their seats at the table.

The discussion will focus on Iraq's attempts to draft a constitution that is acceptable to both Shiite and Sunni muslims, to rebuild its economy and to re-establish law and order in line with UN resolution 1546.

The Iraqi parliament's 55-strong constitutional committee began work on a draft charter on 19 June, with a finished text due in October that will form the basis for general elections establishing a permanent government in December.

Meanwhile, the US has refused to give a pull-out date for troops, with defence chief Donald Rumsfeld recently reporting that insurgency levels are just as bad today as they were in the immediate aftermath of Saddam Hussein's fall in 2003.

Low expectations

Following the EU's budgetary debacle on 16 and 17 June, international diplomats were careful to set low expectations for the Iraq summit, stressing that the meeting is neither a donor's gathering nor a security conference, so much as an academic debate and an expression of political goodwill.

"This is not a conference about military issues, but it's a conference that recognises the important role that judges, and the police forces are playing. To see what needs to be done to fill in the gaps", a senior US official explained.

"It's not an operational conference but an enabling conference", he added.

The US source said the meeting might pave the way for a donor's conference in July or might stimulate some countries to cut Iraq's debt - the Paris Club of international creditors has already wiped out $32 billion of Baghdad's $40 billion overdraft, but non-Paris Club debt is estimated to be a further $70 billion.

Washington also hopes that the gathering will lead to wider diplomatic recognition, with Iraqi embassies eventually reopening around the world while foreign delegations set up camp in Baghdad.

But Luxembourg underlined that the summit could bring little more than handshakes and words of encouragement.

"We're not going to be sad if on Wednesday night we can't sit down and say what people have pledged", the EU presidency source noted.

All in the same boat

Coming hot on the heels of a cordial EU-US summit in Washington on Monday, the Iraq event is also set to sound a positive note on transatlantic relations and to underline that the Franco-British budgetary row has not crippled European diplomacy.

US foreign affairs chief Condoleezza Rice is set to co-chair the opening assembly with Luxembourg's foreign minister Jean Asselborn in an atmosphere of solemnity and solidarity in contrast to the exchange of insults that marked Franco-American diplomacy going into the Iraq war two years ago, or that marked the Franco-British EU budget row five days ago.

"We are all in the same boat here. We want Iraq to be based on a stable environment, based on the rule of law", an EU official noted at the pre-summit presentation, adding "It's a European concern".

He pointed out that the European Commission has earmarked

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Juncker in blistering attack on Blair

23.06.2005 - 07:57 CET | By Honor Mahony

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS

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Hard words from Schroder against Blair

22.06.2005 - 09:53 CET | By Honor Mahony

German chancellor Gerhard Schroder has put himself on confrontation course with prime minister Tony Blair following strong comments about his British counterpart on Tuesday (21 June).

While not referring to Mr Blair directly by name, the chancellor said that the EU's "values" were under threat since the collapse of the summit last week.

"There is a special European social model to protect that has developed on the continent," said Mr Schroder.

"Those who want to destroy this model due to national egotism or populist motives do a terrible disservice to the desires and rights of the next generation" the chancellor added.

The words were another reference to accusations levelled at Mr Blair directly after the summit that all London wants out of the EU is a free market zone.

The talks collapsed after Mr Blair refused to accept a compromise deal on the annual British rebate unless EU leaders agreed to look into reforming the farm subsidies in 2008.

The current EU president, Luxembourg leader Jean-Claude Juncker, attributed the collapse of the talks on the budget to the clash of two opposing visions.

Speaking before the Luxembourg parliament on Tuesday (21 June), Mr Juncker compared Mr Blair's vision of Europe to a "large shop where all the products are white" and where one is unaware of the "origin and composition".

His own vision, by contrast, is of a "Europe of solidarity where the richer countries support the poorer countries".

Blair on the attack

But despite the harsh words emanating from Germany and Luxembourg and supported by France, Mr Blair is holding tough.

In a guest comment for mass-selling German Bild newspaper on Wednesday, the British leader once again outlined why he believes the common agriculture policy is outdated and how more money needs to be spent in other innovative areas.

He also strongly rejected the accusation that he sees Europe just as a free trade zone.

But it is not an entirely lonely front, he has strong support from Sweden, another country that had threatened to veto the talks unless there was some movement on farm subsidies.

Swedish prime minister Goran Persson visited the British leader in London on Tuesday and emerged after the meeting full of praise.

According to Swedish papers, Mr Persson said "He is a world politician, no other European politician can speak to the people in the 25 countries like Blair can".

He also indicated that Stockholm is firmly on London

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Blair takes helm of stormy EU

It is a somewhat bitter irony probably not lost on British Prime Minister Tony Blair that while in Britain he is often reviled as an arch-europhile, elsewhere in the European Union he is being blamed for plunging the bloc into crisis.

A summit of EU leaders last week collapsed over Blair's refusal to countenance giving up Britain's treasured budget rebate except as part of a wider inquisition into spending.

Blair was castigated by other leaders, notably French President Jacques Chirac, for being willing to sacrifice the good of the EU for petty national interests.

While unwelcome, such criticism at least has some novelty for the 52-year-old British leader, elected last month for a third consecutive term in office.

At home, when Europe comes up, notably in Britain's rumbustious tabloid press, the prime minister is usually portrayed as a vanguard federalist seeking to sell out Britain's national interests to Brussels.

Even on a more balanced view, Blair is markedly pro-European by the standards of his country.

He came to power in 1997 publicly determined to integrate London closer with the European mainstream, notably in pushing for Britain to join the euro at some point.

This made him considerably more pro-Europe than many in his Labour Party, not to mention the main opposition Conservatives, who generally take a far more hostile stance.

Repeated opinion polls have also showed a significant majority of Britons wanting to keep the pound, meaning even Blair would have been unlikely to have won the issue had he put it to a referendum.

As it turned out this was never necessary in June 2003, Blair's Finance Minister Gordon Brown announced that five self-imposed economic tests on the benefits of joining the euro zone had not been passed, putting off any decision.

Blair was also notably more enthusiastic about the now-scuppered EU constitution, originally insisting it should be approved by Britain without a referendum, only backing down after it become clear public opinion was against him.

Yet Blair's positive feelings for the EU stem as much from a desire to re-shape the bloc to his own image as fondness for the existing status quo.

On a number of occasions, notably the Iraq War, Blair has pointedly backed the "new Europe" of economically vibrant Eastern European states over the traditional powerhouses of France and Germany.

Blair Thursday spelt out his vision for the EU, and Britain's six-month stint at its rotating presidency beginning next month, at a speech in Brussels.

Speaking to the European Parliament, Blair said those who wanted change in Europe should not be accused of betraying European Union ideals.

"The issue is... modernization," Blair said.

"I am a passionate pro-European, I have always been," Blair said to strong applause - and some heckling from members of the European Parliament.

Blair added he was not seeking to scrap EU farm subsidies overnight but to reduce them gradually after the failure to agree a long-term EU budget last week but, "a modern budget for Europe is not one that, 10 years from now, is still spending 40 per cent of its money on the Common Agricultural Policy."

Fears among fellow EU members that Blair wanted to drastically scale back the EU were a complete misreading of his beliefs, according to Denis MacShane, until last month Blair's minister for Europe.

"He supports European foreign policy, he supports social dimensions, he supports (common) defence," MacShane told reporters earlier this week.

"The idea that Britain under Tony Blair is going to go to a reversion of a Europe of nation states without a strong European Union is simply not the case."

Much of Blair's position was marked out by public, and political, opinion, said Michael Brutter, a lecturer in European politics at the London School of Economics.

"I think Blair is a true pro-European but he is also very pragmatic and I think he will basically achieve whatever he thinks is going to be acceptable to the rest of the Labour Party and the British public," he said.

"At the moment it is very difficult for him."

But having pledged to step down at the end of his third term, some pundits believe Blair could now outline a more bold vision.

"You have two sides in Blair," said Alasdair Murray from London-based think tank the Centre for European Reform.

"On one side he is very pragmatic... another side of him is much more messianic, he has a vision, he uses language that has almost a sort of religious imagery in it."

Deal approved

Meanwhile, the European Parliament reached a pay-and-perks deal for its 732 members on Wednesday, ending salary disparities and a practice of letting lawmakers claim expenses without proper receipts.

The parliament approved a proposal by the 25 EU member states for a 7,000 euro (US$8,630) monthly salary for all lawmakers regardless of nationality in a deal it hopes will get rid of the assembly's "gravy train" reputation.

Under the plan, approved by a 403-89 vote with 92 abstentions, deputies' salaries would be paid by the EU, and not member states, and they would pay income tax to the EU budget, although member states would be allowed to apply additional taxation.

Legislators' salaries currently vary by nationality, as they earn the same as their colleagues in national legislatures.

"This statute was written in the name of transparency, it brings about a change to a long-standing anomaly," said Luxembourg's Deputy Foreign Minister Nicolas Schmit, whose country hands over the EU presidency to Britain next week.

Last year, EU governments rejected a proposed monthly base salary of 8,600 euro (US$10,520) as too generous, leading to the current slimmed-down pay and perks deal, which will take effect in the next term starting in 2009.

Undocumented expenses have long allowed legislators to claim for full-fare plane tickets between the EU assembly in Strasbourg, France, and Brussels or their home constituencies, while actually flying no-frills carriers or going by car and pocketing the difference.

http://english.people.com.cn/200506/24/eng...624_192135.html

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Quartet urges Israel, Palestinians to seize the moment for peace

23 June 2005

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Europe's UN Security Council Ambitions

While Germany is forming global alliances to gain a permanent UN Security Council seat, the EU is less likely to be represented as a body. Cooperation of EU foreign ministers before Council meetings is more realistic.

Representing Europe at the UN Security Council is something Spain's Javier Solana, the EU's current high representative for common foreign and security policy, can imagine doing once he becomes the first foreign minister of the European Union after the bloc's proposed constitution has been ratified.

But a permanent European seat on the Security Council probably won't become reality in the foreseeable future: EU members Britain and France are unlikely to forfeit their veto right as permanent members of the Council in favor of the EU. To downplay talk about a permanent seat for the union, both countries are supporting Germany's desire to obtain the prestigious seat at the table.

Italy, on the other hand, opposes this vehemently and is calling for an EU seat -- mainly to prevent Germany from getting its place at the table. Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi even wrote to US President George W. Bush, asking the latter to prevent any UN reform that would harm Italy's interests.

The Netherlands have also rejected the idea of adding more permanent national seats to the Council and has said it backs the EU seat proposal. As a permanent member, the European Union could be represented by all 25 EU member states on a rotating basis -- a proposal that's viewed as impractical by some of Solana's staff who are critical of the plan.

EU majority backs Germany

According to a survey by Financial Times Deutschland, 15 EU members support the German claim to a seat in the UN's top decision-making body: Apart from Britain and France, supporters include Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Greece, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Belgium, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Estonia and Latvia.

Among the undecided are Portugal, Spain, Austria, Slovenia, Sweden and Lithuania. Poland is also pushing for a permanent seat for eastern European countries.

It seems as if German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer (photo) has as majority of EU countries on his side. Fischer himself has bid farewell to his Green party's original proposal to add Council seats for world regions rather than national states.

Brussels officials believe it will likely take years before a UN reform -- in the works for 11 years -- is implemented. In the meantime, Solana is pushing for Europe's foreign ministers to better coordinate positions. Britain, France and other non-permanent Council members from Europe should then represent such a common EU view at the body.

In some ways system has already been moving towards greater cooperation, with the UN Security Council resolutions on Iraq being an obvious exception. Nevertheless, the EU is the only international organization that regularly participates in all UN conferences.

Bernd Riegert

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1336765,00.html

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Christian Neverland

Last night we watched a movie titled, Finding Neverland. Starring two of Hollywood's biggies, Johnny Depp and Dustin Hoffman, the movie is about what its title suggests -- finding Peter Pan's Neverland.

How do we find Neverland? According to the movie, we find Neverland through the exercise of our faith. In other words, if we believe in Neverland, we can go there. If we don't believe in it, we can't. We're stuck down here in this world of pain and death.

Friends, that's the way some understand the Christian faith. They see our belief in a spiritual war between the forces of good and evil as a Christian Neverland. They think heaven and hell only exist in our minds. And, of course, this is the way they see God's coming judgment.

Unfortunately, something continues to prove them wrong. It's called Bible prophecy. You see, the spiritual conflict that they think only exists in our Christian Neverland may now be revealing itself in the real world. And, in real time.

The angel told the Apostle John:

Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six (Revelation 13:18 New American Standard Bible).

What did the angel say to John? I think he said that those who properly understand prophecy and world affairs will be able to calculate -- or logically construct -- the series of events that will identify the end-times. In other words, when the prophecies are fulfilled, faith will have little to do with it. The fulfillments will be in our face, whether we like it or not.

Please don't get me wrong. I'm not saying faith isn't necessary. It takes faith in God, His Word, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to learn the difficult subject of Bible prophecy in the first place. What I'm saying is, once the prophecies are understood, it will take logic, not faith, to recognize their fulfillments.

Here's the reason I say this. The word, "calculate," in the passage above from Revelation chapter 13, carries the meaning of calculation, as in using stones. In the Apostle John's day, small, smooth stones were used to calculate in much the same manor in which we use our modern computers. If the stones were lined up, placed in their proper order and counted, one would always come to the same answer.

Our first stone of Bible prophecy was the rebirth of the nation Israel. The next stone was the revival of the Roman Empire. Next came the 10-nation military alliance and Office of High Representative. Then came the astounding revelation that the holder of this Office, in two places, is historically identified with the number 666.

Need more stones? How about the EU's coming seven-year budget period? Not enough? Take a look at the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership for Peace. It's a covenant with many nations -- including Israel -- that the High Representative negotiated back in 1995. His objective is to breathe new life into this covenant through the use of his new European Neighborhood Policy. In other words, the High Representative wants to confirm his covenant with many over a coming seven-year period.

Still need more stones? How about China -- the waking dragon? According to these reports (Read about it here)>>>> http://www.washtimes.com/specialreport/200...22138-1088r.htm

(And here)>>>> http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/26/business...agewanted=print

China is desperate for oil and is becoming a serious threat. In fact, the Pentagon even thinks China may attack Taiwan in 2007 or 2008. Friends, that's the beginning of the seven-year period that some may interpret as the tribulation period.

Speaking of the seven-year period, this report says the EU "big three, " Germany's Schroeder, France's Chirac and Britain's Blair, are "dead men walking." Not only that, it says that Europe is in a leadership void, awaiting a strong leader (Read about it here)>>>> http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story...?StoryID=373579

No, the spiritual conflict between good and evil doesn't only exist in some far-away Christian Neverland. As the prophecies of the Bible continue to be fulfilled, this battle is revealing itself right here, in our real world, in real time. And, once you understand the prophecies, it doesn't even take faith to see it.

All it takes is logic.

06-26-2005

http://fulfilledprophecy.com/christian_neverland.html