The Irish Times praises the current EU Council President Nicolas Sarkozy's diplomatic efforts in Syria: "Three tracks of diplomacy were on the table during President Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to Damascus this week: Syria's relations with Lebanon, Iran's nuclear enrichment programme, and attempts to get negotiations between Syria and Israel on a peace settlement under way. ... It took courage for Mr Sarkozy to venture into such a complicated but interlinked field without much assurance of making progress on any of them; and however limited the movement that actually occurred during his visit, it was undoubtedly worth the effort. ... Combining his role as French head of state with his current presidency of the European Union, Mr Sarkozy brought much-needed energy and some potential initiative to what has been a stagnant and neglected field of international politics for too long. ... For all the lack of visible movement yesterday, Mr Sarkozy's willingness to take risks is a refreshing change. ... If such initiatives produce results they will be welcomed. Mr Sarkozy is on a learning curve, but a necessary one." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » France, » Middle East

The Frankfurter Rundschau applauds President Sarkozy's mediation efforts in the Middle East. "Shaking hands with rogues? ... New dynamism has been brought to the well-worn system for identifying good and evil in the Middle East. Under the leadership of the agile French president [Nicolas Sarkozy], the EU is attempting to sound out new courses of action. Because Europeans have always gone along with the US idea of an 'axis of evil' rather against their will. And states like Turkey and Qatar, which enjoy the trust of both the Arab world and the Israeli-American side, have proved themselves as new mediators in peace efforts with Israel. Sarkozy, too, has positioned himself well. He has put an end to his predecessor Chirac's policy of isolating Sryria, and at the same time he has built up more trust in France's relations with Israel. ... If he could resolve the conflict with Syria, it could even result in a solution of the nuclear contention with Iran." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » France, » Europe, » Turkey, » Middle East
All available articles from » Martin Gehlen

The daily Diário de Notícias dedicates its leading article to Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to Damascus: "Sarkozy has once more used his political weight to seek a solution to an endless conflict. After the liberation of the FARC hostages and the ceasefire between Russia and Georgia, he is now helping Turkey's mediation efforts in the peace process between Syria and Israel. The meeting in Damascus between Sarkozy, Syria's president Bashar al-Assad, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa, led immediately to the announcement of the next round of talks between Syria and Israel in two weeks. ... France has historic relations with Syria and Lebanon. Sarkozy's visit to Syria puts an end to the freeze in political relations between France and Syria and fills the void created by the isolation policy ... of the Bush administration against Assad. This ongoing peace process will also lead Lebanon to improve its relations with Israel and reduce Iran's political influence on Syria." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » France, » Turkey, » Middle East, » Israel

The daily Le Figaro sees French EU Council President Nicolas Sarkozy's efforts as a good basis for cooperation with the US on the Middle East conflict. "In Damascus Nicolas Sarkozy paved the way for France's return to the debate on the future of the Middle East. ... If French diplomacy is spreading to all fronts this is because France currently holds the rotating EU presidency and wants to avoid a standstill after Ireland's No to the Lisbon treaty. ... However the rest of the world is waiting for the US elections on November 4. As George W. Bush's time in power ends it is obvious that there is a gap to be filled. ... In Damascus Sarkozy prepared the ground for the opening of direct negotiations between Syria and Israel. ... The relationship of trust he has been able to build with the United States and with Israel has given Sarkozy more legitimacy in these attempts to establish peace without offending those who are absent. ... No matter what the outcome of the US elections ... George W. Bush's successor will certainly not be able to complain that he lacks energetic partners in Europe." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Enlargement / Neighbourhood Policy, » France, » U.S.
All available articles from » Pierre Rousselin

Baltasar Garzón, a judge at the High Penal Court in Spain, is examining whether the crimes committed during the Spanish Civil War and under Franco's dictatorship can be subjected to a court inquiry despite the general amnesty law passed in 1977. Historian Ángel Viñas comments on the negative attitude of the majority of Spanish society towards this project: "What is it in Spain's past that must remain concealed at all cost? What does a democracy that is so proud of being such have to hide? ... Have our genes programmed us to be incapable of confronting the past? The South Africans, the Chileans, the Argentineans and the Russians, to name just a few, leave us Spanish, who were so proud of our exemplary transition [from dictatorship to democracy], standing empty-handed. ... Will the fundamentals [of our society] start to falter if the extent and depth of the repression under Franco during the Civil War and the establishment of the dictatorship are documented? The answer is no." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Crime and Law, » History, » Spain
All available articles from » Ángel Viñas

Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány recently declined again an invitation from his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico to pay an official visit to Bratislava. He explained his refusal citing the anti-Hungarian verbal attacks of Fico's coalition partner Jan Slota, leader of the Slovak National Party. On the website of the liberal daily Sme Dana Salajová writes: "Fico has shown a lack of understanding for the refusal instead of realising that Slota and his party do not belong in government. It is hard to believe that there could still be any Slovaks willing to vote for the pseudo-politician Slota, with his vulgar speeches. And if there were, it was up to Fico to choose his coalition partner responsibly. A boor has no place in the company of respectable people. But our prime minister does not appear to have understood this." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Hungary, » Slovakia
All available articles from » Dana Salajová

The long-standing restrictive immigration policy in Denmark has been challenged by a judgement recently handed down by the European Court of Justice on the free mobility of labour and family reunification. Yet Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen is acting as if nothing had happened and Denmark could persist in its restrictive policy, writes Politiken. "Here in Denmark 'Comical Anders' affirms that immigration policy remains in our hands - and that in the worst case the EU judgement could only influence a 'small corner' of our immigration policy: 'The Danish rules on family unification will remain in force. The decision by the EU Court of Justice does not affect Danish practice in the least'. These were the Prime Minister's words while bureaucrats in his own government were admitting that the ruling had annulled the Danish regulations. The statement that help could be found in Brussels was also exposed as a bluff. The EU Commission has given the right-wing liberal government the task of changing the illegitimate Danish rules and bringing them in line with the rest of the EU." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Policy, » Denmark, » Global, » Middle East

Concern that climate change could cause the sea level to rise by 1.3 metres this century has prompted the so-called Delta Commission in the Netherlands to present a plan to protect the country from flooding. The news magazine Elsevier comments: "The Netherlands needs to heighten its dikes and dunes anyway - regardless of how the climate will change. Therefore it makes sense for the Commission ... to put this topic at the top of the political agenda. It is also good that the Commission ... has proposed putting aside part of the proceeds from natural gas exploitation for this purpose. ... But although the measures proposed by the Delta Commission deserve support, its analysis of the rise in the sea level is simply absurd. ... In the past ten years the average temperature worldwide has gone down slightly, and experts are predicting that the global cooling will last at least another ten years." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Environmental Policy, » Netherlands
All available articles from » Simon Rozendaal

With an eye to the crisis in the Caucasus, Le Monde takes a closer look at prospective EU member states and the question of Europe's borders. "The crisis in Gerogia and its spread to other neighbours of Russia like Ukraine or Moldova gives new urgency to the question of Europe's borders. ... No doubt it is impossible to say in advance where the European Union ends, but the question nevertheless arises every time the [possible] candidacy of a new state is referred to more or less openly. Turkey's candidacy has been on the agenda for several years, as has that of the western Balkans. ... EU membership for these countries could be considered more seriously in response to Russia's attempt to reinstate its old spheres of influence. However any further enlargement is a long way off, since none of the countries concerned is ready to join. But the simple fact of holding the door open a crack ... would be a good way of demonstrating Europe's solidarity and above all of encouraging these countries to modernise and come closer to their prospective partner. The time seems to have come to send out a message of hope. ... Europe must consolidate its eastern borders as well as it can. ... That may weaken its identity, but it will strengthen its role in the world." (04/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Enlargement / Neighbourhood Policy, » Ukraine, » Europe, » South East Europe
All available articles from » Thomas Ferenczi

David Cameron, leader of the British Conservative Party, explains in The Independent his philosophy of "liberal conservatism": "Liberal because I believe in freedom, human rights and democracy, and I want to see more of these things in our world. But Conservative, because I believe strongly in the continued relevance of the nation state and because I am sceptical of grand utopian schemes to re-make the world according to a politician's timetable. My instinct is to work patiently with the flow of culture, tradition and history. For me, democracy is not just a goal in itself. It is our best available mechanism for lasting good government that delivers economic, social and environmental progress. ... Not losing confidence in freedom, human rights and democracy: that is the liberal part of liberal Conservatism, and we should welcome the opportunity to make the case for the open and plural society once again. But we should also remember the Conservative part. We should accept that we cannot impose democracy at the barrel of a gun; that we cannot drop democracy from 10,000 feet – and we shouldn't try. That was what was wrong with the 'neo-con' approach, and why I am a liberal Conservative, not a neo-Conservative." (05/09/2008)

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All available articles from » David Cameron

The eastwards expansion of the EU has neither brought a great wave of immigrants to Austria nor led Austrian companies to relocate in Eastern Europe, Die Presse newspaper writes: "This is not good news for the fearmongers: Even if it opens its labour market Austria will not be flooded with people from Central and Eastern Europe. ... Austria's neighbouring states will soon need their own workers thanks to their positive economic development and aging workforce. And they will have to pay these people increasingly high wages because the problem of a shrinking workforce is even more acute in these countries than in Austria. ... Despite all the fears following the eastward expansion Austria is far better off than many believed. This is because opening up the market has never been a one-way street but has helped and continues to help reduce the imbalances." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Labour market / Services, » Austria
All available articles from » Wolfgang Böhm

"Romania has not managed to build even a hundred kilometres of motorway in the past 20 years of transition," writes the business paper Capital. "I believe there is not another European country that has built less. We always had other priorities, and infrastructure was never among them. Then there was the lack of money, poor legislation and incompetence in the area of infrastructure. Now the lack of infrastructure is slowing down the country's development. A single example illustrates this: Mercedes built its plant in Hungary even though our country was among the favourite candidates. Because the roads and motorways that the Germans at Mercedes need exist only on the drawing board the Hungarians seemed the better option. And this is a case that got media attention: God only knows how many other investors have steered clear of Romania without a fuss being made simply because our infrastructure cannot meet the needs of industrial development. ... Another problem is the unresolved distribution of property. ... The few projects on which work has begun are therefore on a bumpy course: for instance, to widen streets you need the permission of the people who own the land, but you need to know whose land you are going to expropriate for that ... The studies provide clear evidence that countries that have developed economically have two things in common: a legal system regulating the distribution of property and the corresponding infrastructure." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Infrastructure / Travel and Transport, » Economic Policy, » Romania
All available articles from » Ionut Popescu

The Danish daily Jyllands-Posten turns its attention to so-called Freetown Christiania, the alternative neighbourhood founded in 1971 in the borough of Christianshavn in the Danish capital Copenhagen. For years the government tolerated the consumption of soft drugs like hashish and marijuana there. Under pressure from the liberal right-wing government, the hash dealers demolished their stalls in 2004 and since then the drug dealing has moved underground. Jyllands-Posten notes that in recent times Christiania has increasingly come to be associated with drug consumption and other types of crime. "Over the years the residents of Christiania have become so accustomed to lax and fearful authorities that the confrontation with a resolute man like director Carsten Jarlov [of the real estate authorities] came as a shock. He has announced that the party is over and that charges will be brought against a number of private individuals in the so-called Freetown unless public order in accordance with the law of the land is established." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Social movements, » Denmark

Compared with the rest of Europe Slovenia is among the countries with the lowest number of women in politics and women in leading positions at large organisations are also a rarity there. In an opinion piece in the daily Večer, teacher Danica Jordan examines why this is the case: "In Slovenia the concerns of the women's movement are seen to only be relevant for certain women and above all in established circles are perceived as uninteresting. ... But what is happening on the periphery could take centre stage and bring a turnaround if activists and academic initiatives for women left their relatively closed circles and moved into the limelight; if by applying their theoretical and specialist knowledge they sought to bridge the gap between theory and practice and thus exert a global influence on the diverse and cultural relations within civil society where politics plays a key role." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Education, » Slovenia
All available articles from » Danica Jordan