Comment du Jour

                                   (Reims City Hall and the stone in front of the Cathedral
                                     commemorating Franco/ German reconciliation)




Franco/German Treaty--1963-2013

Peace in the Heart of Europe

Fifty years ago, France and Germany signed the Elysee Treaty, a
pact formalizing a long overdue reconcilliation between two rivals which 
had fought three wars in less than a century.   

Two statesmen, French President Charles de Gaulle and German Chancellor
Konrad Adenauer saw peace as the only path forward for the two neighbors. The path to this amazing friendship throughout the 1950's, saw its culmination in July 1962 with the visit of Konrad Adenauer to Reims in France which laid the philisophical cornerstone for the Treaty at the Cathedral which had seen the coronations of French Kings but had also witnessed the  carnage of WWI. The formal Treaty would be signed in January 1963 in Paris.

Over the past half century the Elysee Treaty has become a pillar in Franco/German relations, and moreover, a building block of the wider European Union.   Over 2,000 agreements between Paris and Berlin deal with everything from defense and diplomacy to culture and youth programs.

On the anniversary of the Treaty,  22 January, French President Francois Hollande and his cabinet went to Berlin for festivities including a joint meeting in the German Parliament with Chancellor Angela Merkel.  The events were marked by symbolism and emotion.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle described the Treaty as a "gem in the European treasure chest."  He cites the "exciting evolution" of the relationship which is based not only on formal government ties but the friendship between citizens and young people.  

Significantly, the French and German government mints have jointly issued a 2 Euro coin which commemorates the landmark treaty.

Comment du Jour

French Forces Tackle Al-Qaida in Mali

French fighter jets screamed into action pounding rebel targets while ground forces deployed in the capital Bamako and provincial towns in Mali, a West African state partially under the control of Al Qaida backed terrorists.

The lightning action came as the Islamic rebels, who already hold half of this land- locked country, were making a move to seize more territory in this former French colony.

The Mali crisis started last year when rebel Tuareg tribesmen and Al- Qaida militants of the shadowy Ansar Dine movement seized the north of Mali, a land in the midst of political turmoil.  The rebels soon enacted an austere form of Islsmic fundamantalism which evoked the Afghan Taliban.

World attention focused on the Islamic militants trashing mosques and monuments in the legendary city of Timbucktu, as to enact a rigid fundamantalist regime.

The world watched.  France in the midst of its presidential election did not act.

Though French governments of the Gaullist right or Socialist left have traditionally intervened when the National Interest was at stake, the new government of Socialist President Francois Hollande did shamefully little.

In December the UN Security Council passed a tough resolution which allowed an African peacekeeping force of 3,300 troops to intervene by September--too little and too late. France acted.

As this writer suggested elsewhere early in the crisis, Mali is the perfect place and operational arena for the famed French Foreign Legion.  Units of the Legion are spearheading operations in Mali, and along with government and other African units, will attempt to beat back the fundamentalist rebels.

As a French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian stated sagely, "Rebels in Mali threatened to create a terrorist state on the doorstep of France and Europe."

Comment du Jour

Ireland Assumes EU Presidency


The Republic of Ireland has assumed the Presidency of the European Union for a six month period between January and June.

This marks the 7th time the Dublin government has led the EU since joining in 1973.

The theme of the Irish Presidency is "For Stability, Jobs, and Growth," topics very poignant to the recent Irish experience as well as the current Euro-wide economic downturn.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade,  Eamon Gilmore stated at the onset of the Irish tenure;
"As Ireland takes on the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union this week, our road to economic recovery is clearly mapped out.
These are challenging times for Europe – and for our Union – as the aftershocks of the economic crisis continue to make themselves felt. The EU is still working through the difficult questions thrown up for the single currency, and the European economy is struggling to provide jobs and good living standards for our peoples. Too many young Europeans in particular do not have a job – a challenge to which the European Union simply must rise."

He added, "For Ireland, the experience of the past few years has been particularly difficult. Yet it is precisely because of that experience that we are well-placed to take on the work of the Presidency as we begin 2013. The over-riding theme of our Presidency is clear – stability, jobs and growth.

While Ireland has made enormous strides in restoring economic and financial stability, we have also managed to restore economic growth. Having a strategy for growth and job creation is central to our own progress, and we firmly believe that the same logic applies for Europe."

As Dublin prepares to shepherd the 27 country union, a press statement added,"The presiding member state to some extent gets the chance to influence the EU agenda."
The historic Dublin Castle will be the venue for many EU events and conferences.

I recall during Ireland's last presidency in 2004, the country braved political gales from the Iraq war.   Nonetheless those were also the days of thhe roaring "Celtic Tiger" economy.  This time round, Ireland shall have to focus on Europe's economic doldrums and the way out of the maze.

Happily in recent months Ireland's export-oriented economy is showing vigor and hopefully the Emerald Isle has turned the page on recession.

As a new focus for Transatlanticecho.blogspot, each time a European member state takes the EU helm, we shall do an introductory feature.

Given the strong and friendly transatlantic ties between Ireland and the USA, we wish the Irish Presidency Godspeed in solving the problems confronting Europe.

For further information you may wish to contact the official website  EU2013.ie