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I am a bit hesitant posting this next series but decided to go ahead with the addition of a disclaimer from the start.

What I am about to share is observation of current news as I feel it might relate to Bible Prophecy.   These are MY opinions only, and the reader is welcome to form their own conclusions.   Also, I am open to discussion, but NOT for debate.   As of this time, I believe it highly likely that these things are relevant to bible prophecy, but I could be wrong.   I encourage all to get into the word and seek these things out for yourselves and allow the Holy Spirit to guide and teach you on these matters.


Another line of current events I have been following closely involves the European Union and its High Foriegn Minister Javier Solana.   I firmly believe that the EU is the 10 horned beast of Daniel, the Revived Roman Empire.   I also believe a leader will arise out of the EU to become the Antichrist spoken of in the Bible.   That man might very well be Mr. Solana, but I am not completely convinced at this point.   He has a lot of similarities to what we expect from this inidvidual in scripture.


To understand Javier Solana, we need to view him in the framwork the European Union, and other events that have taken place recently.  

Gods promise...

Eze 36:22  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.
Eze 36:23  And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
Eze 36:24  For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.


Issued at Tel Aviv on May 14, 1948, Israel declared its independance!  

Quote from http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/mideast/israel.htm

Our call goes out the the Jewish people all over the world to rally to our side in the task of immigration and development and to stand by us in the great struggle for the fulfillment of the dream of generations - the redemption of Israel.

With trust in Almighty God, we set our hand to this Declaration, at this Session of the Provisional State Council, in the city of Tel Aviv, on this Sabbath eve, the fifth of Iyar, 5708, the fourteenth day of May, 1948.

What a Stunning fulfillment of Ezekiel 36!!!  God means exactly what He says in His word!   See my other thread regarding Israel.

So, we have Israel, one of the oldest nations on earth who was dispersed over 20 centuries ago, and has come back to its own land against all probability.

Back to Solana

Now, in 1992, Israel's priminister Yitzhak Rabin hoped for peace and safety and entered into negotiations with Arafat and the rest of the world, to begin a deal which would trade Gods land for peace.  The idea was, Israel would give up the west bank to the Palestinians, in trade for Arafat to suppress his terror groups from attacking Israel.  Land for peace!    If all went well, then Israel would agree to a Palestinian state.  This negotiation was called the Oslo accords which took place in Oslo Norway.  This peace agreement was breached due to an outbreak of hostilities between Israel and the palestinians shortly after it was signed.  Now that Arafat is gone, I am currious to see if the Oslo deal will return.  I have some doubts about that, but am watching the news very closely.  

So, what else do we know from scripture about whats suppose to happen?

In Daniel, scripture indicates there will be some form of a revived Roman Empire.  

Dan 7:7  After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

Also see Dan 2:41-42  the ten toes, Iron mixed with clay (strong yet brittle) Very discriptive of what we know about the EU today.  

Well, In 1995 a 10 nation military alliance appeared in Europe.  These are the 10 permanent members of the EU to this day.

Belgium
France
Luxembourg
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Germany
Italy
Portugal
Spain
Greece

There are, I believe a total of 25 rotating members, but these 10 are permanent and run the show.  If the this is the 10 horned beast, Daniel says a little horn will arise out of it, and subdue 3 of the other horns.  Heres where Mr Solana starts to raise my eyebrows.


In 1999, Mr. Javier Solana appeared on the scene to oversee the EU's foreign and security policy. The same year he also became head over the 10-nation alliance.


In 2000, the 10-nation alliance made themselves the official military wing of the EU and Mr.Solana was given emergency powers.  Well, guess what?  This all took place under EU recommendation 666!  
Read recommendation 666 here :  

http://www.assemblee-ueo.org/en/documents/sessions_ordinaires/txt/2000/rec666.html

Hair raising stuff indeed!  Not that this is the mark of the beast, but it is extremely currious.


In 2004, the rotating six-month presidency was to be replaced and the EU's foreign policy will be given entirely to one person.

On the 29th of June 2004  Javier Solana is approved as the EU's first, super Foreign Minister!!!
http://ue.eu.int/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/discours/81301.pdf

This man has risen to power very quietly within the EU.  He has ties to everything!  Yet we never hear about him in the news.  Anything that relates to his political workings is always referred to by the media as "EU".    Such as his recent negotiations to get Iran to halt its nuclear ambitions.  Rare news sources reveal that Mr. Solana had a large hand in that, althought the deal seems brittle.   Also interesting is his rise to power has come about by means of brokering peace deals between various leaders.   He certainly embodies much of what scripture tells us about the Antichrist.  Brokering Peace, rising from the EU, very involved in world politics etc etc.  He had a press conference with Ariel Sharon not too long ago and said that the EU would be involved in the Peace process whether Israel liked it or not.   Hmmm!!!

It should also come as no surprise that Mr. Solana has been in Romallah having talks with Queria the Palestinian priminister over the upcomming election.  Mr Queria was a key architec in the 1993 Oslo accords.  This brings to mind....

Dan 9:27  And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

This verse indicates the Antichrist will confirm a covenant.  This has me thinking about the 1993 Oslo accord which was never completed.  The current talks we hear on the news are basically the same sort of talk.....land for peace....and with Solana actually going to Romallah to meet with the architec of Oslo....Queria.  Definitely raises has me thinking about it.

For Mr Solana to fit the profile of the Antichrist, he will eventually pull down three leaders at some point in the future.  I am currious to see if this ever develops.

This may all be a bunch of hooey, and I could be totally wrong about all this, but I sense that something big is going on here.  Soooo many prophetic things are happening right now, its almost impossible to keep tabs on it all.  Jesus said the signs of the end times would be like birth pangs.  Birth pangs increase in intensity and frequency as birth approaches.  Current world events seem similar to this discription, as signs keep getting more intense and closer in frequency as we go along.   It sure seems like the world is getting close to inducing labor especially recently.   Again I might be wrong about all of this, but I can't help but wonder about all we are seeing right now.  

If these are indeed things foretold in scipture, we are very very close to the Lords return.   All I can say is, if you don't know the Lord, its high time to get right with God.  All signs seem to indicate that we are in the times Jesus spoke of right before He returns to collect His people, and judge the world.

Mar 13:33  Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.


Maranatha!


Addition links and info on Mr Solana.

Source: http://ue.eu.int/cms3_applications/applications/solana/cv.asp?cmsid=246&lang=EN
Includes more info on Mr. Solana.

Eruopean Union online : http://www.europa.eu.int/index_en.htm

Great post 2T, I think you already know my opinon. Yours follows along side of my own. Though I didn't know about Mr. Solana, till this week.

Well if I'm right about all this, we have to be close to the 3 horns being pulled down somehow.   That would seem to be where we are at this point (if this is really it).

Still watching!

Maranatha!

maybe things finally progressing after the cold war and WWI and WWII. Of course i don't actually know....you know rational catching up with the mad rush forward of science etc.

2nd Timothy,

Something else to ponder on this subject. There were two men that some people claim to have been prophets, Edgar Cayce and Nostradamus. Now understand first of all that I do not hold either one in any sort of regards. I do have an acquaintance that is really into them both. Anyway, something you said about Mr. Solano and the dates for him struck a cord, so I looked it up.

Edgar Cayce said the "Messiah" would show up in 1998. Nostradamus gave a date of 1999 and the seventh month for a major event to take place.

Coincidence or not?

That is interesting!   However, like you I have never put a lot into these two guys.   Did they actually say messiah, as in THE messiah, or were they speaking of a false messiah?  As we know the large number of people do give Nostro and KC a lot of clout.    Would make sense that false prophets under the direction of satans guidance would know who their man was, in an attempt lead the world astray.

Brings to mind...

Mat 24:23  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mat 24:25  Behold, I have told you before.

Let me know if they were trying to say the real messiah or not.

Grace and Peace!

Neither man can claim to be a prophet. Both have been wrong on several accounts. A true Prophet is always 100% right.

There are five outstanding characteristics that have to be met. The Bible teaches that Moses is different than all the other Old Testament prophets. To be the prophet like Moses of Deuteronomy 18, these five characteristics have to be met. These requirements follow:

1. God spoke directly to Moses. All other prophets received their revelation by visions or dreams. Moses' revelation was directly from the mouth of God. "And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" (Num. 12:6-8).
2. Moses was in the direct presence of God. He saw the similitude or form of the LORD. Moses glowed from being in direct presence of God's glory. "And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him" (Exod. 34:29-30).
3. Moses brought in a blood covenant relationship with God. The other prophets built upon this covenant, but no other Old Testament prophet brought in a different covenant. "And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words. Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God
of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness" (Exod. 24:8-10).
4. Moses did mighty signs and wonders. God used Moses to split the Red Sea. " And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left" (Exod. 14:21-22).
5. Moses prophesied of the future. Moses gave entire chapters of prophecy. His prophecy centered on the people and nation of Israel. "Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. ... And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God. But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD" (Lev. 26:42,44-45).
6. The prophet has to be a Jew. The Prophet like Moses will have to come from one of the tribes of Israel. The context of Deutromony 18 makes it clear that the brethren means someone from one of the 12 tribes of Israel.  Deuteronomy 18:1,2,7,15 The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel... 2 Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the LORD is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them. 7 Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the LORD.  15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

Since neither man was Jewish, they were pawns used by Satan.

If I understand you correctly Kalthzar, I think you have hit on something that Daniel spoke of.

Dan 12:4  But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

The words were sealed up in Daniels day, and no one really gave it much thought until much later.   In our day and age, knowledge in general as well as our understanding of propheices are becoming clearer as that time approaches.   We may not fully understand these things until they actually happen, but we can already discern the shadows on the horizon of what Daniel said 2500 years ago, because those events are starting to take shape in our day and age.   And many are trying to understand how it applies (running to and fro seeking to understand it).   I love studying this stuff.   Its beyond facinating!

Grace and Peace!

DW, Amen!   And I'm pretty positive the pastor would concur.   I think he was just pointing out an interesting point as it relates to Mr Solana coming to power in 1999.   If all this means anything, and those two refer to him as messiah, we know exactly where that is leading to.     Thats why its always nice to actually know the author of future history  ;)   He is never wrong!

Grace and Peace!

Amen 2T, God is never wrong. :)

"In this same pyramid did the Great Initiate, the Master, take those last of the Brotherhood degrees with John, the forerunner of Him, at that place. As is indicated in that period where the entrance is shown to be in that land that was set apart, as that promised to that peculiar peoples, as were rejected – as is shown in that portion when there is the turning back from the raising up of Xerxes as the deliverer from an unknown tongue or land, and again is there seen that this occurs in the entrance of the Messiah in this period – 1998."


If you take notice there is a "the" in front of Messiah, but it is not capitalized.

Those verses were in my thoughts also. I do believe that Satan can use these false prophets, giving them information to relay. It is possible to see the truth in the lies that they give.

Very very interestig Pastor Rodger.  


I'm going to add a post momentarily with some EU imagery to drive the point home a little further about the EU.

Stay tuned...

I think maybe I should bring back up. The threads, I did on the EU.

This new information, makes more sense to what I posted on them a while back.

DreamWeaver,

Amen, I do agree totally.

Just add a little depth to this thread about the European Union.   I collected this data a while back during my research on all this.   I think it is very compelling evidence.

Mythology
The supreme deity of Greek mythology was Zeus.  In the myths he fell in love with Europa, a beautiful daughter of Agenor, king of Phoenicia. Entranced by her, he assumed the shape of an animal or beast - a white bull, and mingled with the herds of Agenor while Europa was gathering flowers. When she came upon him she gently caressed him and had the courage to sit upon his back. Taking advantage of this situation, they went to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea where he whisked her over the sea off to Crete at which point he took on his normal form, raped Europa, and she bore him 3 sons.  Yipers!
 
Figurines of this lady riding the bull beast may be found throughout the eastern Mediterranean region.   Europa, according to one tradition, was the Great Goddess as mother of the continent of Europe.  The Canaanites were the original Babylonians, and as such the carriers of their religion. And the name of Europa indicates the possibility that the continent of Europe is deceived and seduced by her.


It is very interesting that the EU's official website is no other than - www.europa.com  hmmm  Are they really under the influence of they mythical god?  I think that is a highly likely.

The first is a coin minted in Greece, a member of the EU.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/2ndtimothy/Europa/2eurocoin.jpg)
This coin depicts a scene from a mosaic in Sparta (third century AD), showing Europa being abducted by Zeus, who has taken the form of a bull. Europa is a figure from Greek mythology after whom Europe was named.


Here is a cover of a European magazine called Der Spiegel.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/2ndtimothy/Europa/derspiegelcover.jpg)

This woman carry's the EU flag in her hands.  Seems to represent Europa riding the mythological bull.


This next photo appears on the cover of Time Magazine no less.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/2ndtimothy/Europa/timemagazine.jpg)

Speechless!


Here is an image of a German Phone calling card.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/2ndtimothy/Europa/phonecard.jpg)

Bizarre to say the least.


This one is a sculpture outside the Council of Ministers office in Brussels Belgium.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/2ndtimothy/Europa/sculpture.jpg)

Clearly the EU is either under the influence of Europa, or it has very strange fascination with scantily clad women riding Bulls.    ???

In pagan Rome, a bull was killed for the baptism of blood at the Roman Taurobolium in honor of the deities such as Mithra. In a trench, the blood of the bull dripped over the initiate and drenched his body. He even drank the warm blood. Afterwards he came from this literally bloody baptism, believing that he was purified from sins and ‘born again for eternity’   How's that for contrast to the Blood Jesus shed for our sins that WE might be born again?


I know what my impression of these things are, but I stll say, let the reader decide.

Grace and Peace!

Out of curiosity, I went to Alta Vista's free translation site and keyed in the 2000 cover of the German Der Spiegel magazine I sent in the last e-mail.   Here's what it returned.
 
"Good morning Europe, like the old continent the economic energy, which tackles (attacks) the USA."
 
 
Competing with the US economy for global dominance?  That stands to reason!   ;)
 
Just another fun little fact!


(edit to add, this was from an e-mail I had shared with my family)

A life-size statue depicting Prince Charles saving the world wearing nothing but a loincloth and a pair of wings is to be erected in a remote Amazonian town. Leaders in Palmas, the capital of Tocatins state on the edge of the Brazilian rainforest, are so impressed by the heir to the throne’s environmental activism that they have decided to place the bronze figure in the main square of the town. That in its self is harmless.


Prince Charles has agreed to allow a four-meter (13.1 Feet for us Americans) high bronze statue to be erected in the middle of Brazil's Amazon rainforest depicting him as "saviour" of the world in a loincloth with arms outstretched and suspended by giant wings.The statue is a tribute from the people of Tocantins State, the remote Amazon region. It was the region's affinity with Prince Charles' eco-friendly campaigning that inspired local sculptor Mauricio Bentes.

The statue showed him hovering over a sea of humanity, casting a benign look downwards with his arms in open embrace. "It is Prince Charles saving the world," said Tocantins' governor, The prince said he was "amazed" and "deeply touched".

(http://www.armageddonbooks.com/statue.jpg)

While the muscular physique of the statue, complete with bulging pectorals, may not immediately shout Prince Charles, the facial features are unmistakable, even if he has a full head of hair and small, pinned back ears.

At its feet is an untidy mass of human bodies, one drinking from a bottle of wine, which is said to represent the world in a mess which the Prince is busy saving.

Now I don't think it is possible for Prince Charles to be the Beast, but stranger things have happened.

I was doing research on the Beast tonight and this came up. Normally I would dismiss this but, I kept coming back to it. I started getting heavy of heart, since I know Prince Charles wants to do good. I don't know why, but since I started this post I have had a lighting of my heart.

http://forums.christiansunite.com/index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=3689

The EU is definitely becoming a world power of clay (diversity) and iron (power) with striking similarities to the fourth kingdom or fourth beast of Daniel’s prophecies. A world power of so many ethnic groups and representing so many states could easily become a very influential leader at the United Nations and the world. It’s possible that the U.N. is a beginning for this world government that will eventually be ruled by a revived Roman Empire and the Antichrist.

There are, however, other views on these prophesies that can be considered. Some think that the fourth kingdom is the revived Roman Empire (ten kings are the 10 nation military alliance of the EU) and the U.N. is the 4th beast (10 horns being the 10 bio-regions the UN has established for the globe). Only time will tell which is the case.

If the EU is the revived Roman Empire that will bring about the rise of Antichrist, then it is important to look at the religious symbolism of the EU. After all, riding on the beast’s back will be the harlot that represents a global pagan religious system that will unite the world and play a part in the persecution of the tribulation saints (Rev. 17).

The EU flag has a circle of 12 stars on a blue background. These stars were inspired by the halo of 12 stars appearing around the Madonna as depicted in Catholic pictures of her. Leon Marchal, former secretary general of the Council of Europe, confirmed that the stars are representative of "the woman of the Apocalypse". He expounded, "it’s wonderful that we have gotten back to the introit of the new Mass of the Assumption. It’s the corona stellarum duodecim of the woman of the Apocalypse". He is referencing the woman in Revelation 12 who appears with a crown of 12 stars. The Bible uses this symbolism to represent Israel, however the Catholic Church has always claimed that she represents the Virgin Mary, "the mother of God". A leaflet titled "Building Europe Together" states that "The European flag is a shared flag, blue with 12 gold stars symbolizing completeness. The number will remain 12 no matter how many countries there are in the European Union."

The anthem of the EU "Ode to Joy" also contains religious symbolism. "Ode to Joy" is the prelude to the last movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, which has religious implications. EU publications state that the anthem really is an "ode to freedom, community, and peace", however the lyrics, by Friedrich von Schiller, are actually about the entering of the shrine of a pagan goddess and the uniting of all men in brotherhood, by the power of magic.

Further evidence of a religious side to the European Union is a poster that was issued by the EU, showing the tower of Babel. The poster carried the slogan "Many tongues, one voice." As if the celebration of the pagan tower that led God to confuse the languages of a defiant people (Genesis 11) isn’t enough, a crane in the background was shown rebuilding the tower. Now, once again, a rebellious people are rebuilding mystery Babylon. In a parliament building in Strasbourg, France, you will find an enormous replica of the unfinished tower of Babel that the secular press has named "Eurobabel".

If that religious symbolism seems too obscure to be that significant, perhaps a snapshot of Revelation 17 will peak your interest in the religious symbolism of the EU. Revelation 17 depicts a great harlot riding on a beast. The beast in Revelation 17 represents the world government and the great harlot is a global religion that will ride in on its back. This harlot riding a beast was used when Britain issued a stamp to commemorate the first EU parliament election in 1979. It is now the official picture of the EU, and is painted on the dome of the parliament building in Brussels. It is also pictured on the same building that holds the "Eurobabel".

The EU constitution has also raised the ire of protestant leaders by banning the mention of Christianity as part of Europe’s cultural heritage, while at the same time, including references to the civilizations of Greece and Rome, and the philosophical heritage of the Enlightenment. EU government representatives excused this revisionist view of history by claiming any mention of Christian values would upset the Muslim population of the EU.
As you can see, the stage is being set for the emergence of a global political system(the EU and the UN), a global economic system(the Euro and WTO), and a global religious system (the interfaith movement). The EU would seem to fulfill many of the prophesies of the fourth kingdom that is to come, from which will arise the Antichrist of the end-times. Only time will tell, but as we are encouraged in the Bible to be aware of the signs, we should all be looking up. We may soon be with our Lord.

Post #11

Excellant posts 2nd Timothy and DreamWeaver,

I am always looking up and anxiously waiting. I am also anxiously waiting to see what else comes up on this thread.

Sounds like we are seeing very similar things DW.   I'm still not completely clear on the UN's role in all this.  I do know that NATO is pretty much all the WEU members, and Mr. Solana has a seat there also.  I suppose either the UN or Nato could be relevant to Rev 13:1 where it talks about the ten crowns on the ten horns.   I don't think its full grown (or in its final form) yet, but it seems to be getting organized enough to where we can see vaguely where its going.

Since I can't find the other thread...........

Is The Roman Empire Revived?

January 1, 1993 member states of the European Economic Community (EEC) became members of the European Union (E.U.), an organization designed to ultimately create a European super-state or “United States of Europe.” Since 1993, steps have been taken to establish a central European government composed of a parliamentary and judicial system. All that currently remains is the creation of a permanent executive branch of government and other logistical details to cater to the demands of individual member states.

Many prophecy teachers believe that the European Union may be the organization or political bloc from whence the antimessiah will arise. Is it? We must consider the possibilities before us including the prophetic parameters surrounding the final world empire as well as some intriguing factors surrounding the European Union.

“In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel saw a dream and visions in his mind as he lay on his bed; then he wrote the dream down and related the following summary of it. Daniel said, ‘I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it’” [/b]Daniel 7:1-4[/b].

“After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it” Daniel 7:6.

“After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts” Daniel 7:7-8.

It is believed among many pre-millennialists, that this beast has not yet arisen, as the “little horn” [/b]Daniel 7:8[/b], KJV who arises from this beast “uttering great boasts” has not yet arrived, who most of the same will agree is the antimessiah/antichrist. In Daniel 7:23, we are told by God that “The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it.” We believe that this may imply that the fourth kingdom and the fourth beast are separate entities and may later merge at some time in the future.

“Then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet, and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three of them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts and which was larger in appearance than its associates. I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings’” Daniel 7:19-24.

Daniel 7:24 tells us that the fourth beast will be composed of “ten horns,” presumably ruled by “ten kings” or leaders. The verse ends with telling us that “another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.” This has commonly been interpreted to be a direct reference to the antimessiah/antichrist and the belief that he will subdue or dismiss three leaders who may not approve of his leadership or authority. Revelation 13:1 gives us some further clues:

“And he stood on the sand of the seashore. And I saw a beast ascending out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and upon its horns were ten diadems, and upon its heads were blasphemous names” Revelation 13:1.

It is commonly held that the fourth kingdom is a revived Roman Empire, possibly today’s European Union. Daniel 9:26 clearly tells us that the antimessiah will be descended from the people who destroy Jerusalem, the Romans

“Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.”

What if the fourth beast is a different entity than the fourth kingdom? According to Revelation 13:1, the beast will rise up out of the sea, perhaps symbolic of the nations or the world, with seven heads and ten horns. Could this mean that the fourth kingdom that has ten horns of which three are subdued Daniel 7:24 control the ten-horned fourth beast?

If the European Union is the fourth kingdom of which three kings (or leaders) are subdued, leaving seven heads, then is it feasible that the ten horns represent another world power or organization? If so, then should we believe it to be the United Nations? Notably, the U.N. has divided the world into ten bio-zone regions. Also consider the possibility of what happens if the European Union continues on its course towards a super-state. Is it possible that it may become the prominent state in the U.N.?  

Revelation 13:4-5
“And they worshipped the Dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who has the power to wage war with him?’ And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and authority to exercise for forty-two months.”

At the moment, the European Union has no definite leader. Every six months, the presidency of the European Council rotates between each member state. However, due to the launch of the new Euro currency, some political analysts have projected that only E.U. members that embrace the new monetary system will be granted the six-month presidency. Presently, only twelve member states compose the Euro-zone, exceeding the “ten” requirement. But the European Union is still a developing world entity and it is hard to tell how it will evolved in the coming decade.

Perhaps the European Union will evolve to eventually being led by a council or tribunal of ten, of which three leaders are subdued Daniel 7:24? If this is the case, then could the antimessiah who has with him seven heads (European leaders?) and ten horns (United Nations world regions?), allow those seven leaders, presumably Europeans, to rule with him for forty-two months Revelation 13:4 during their six-month terms? Six multiplied by seven does equal forty-two! We must consider this possibility before us.

As we know now, the European Union has now a definite leader.

Yes I just added this part.
The orginonal post was like 6 posts. I tried to shorten it up. I hope it still makes sense.

Very interesting read!   The whole corruption thing about the UN in the news as of late is also very intriguing.  No question the UN is corrupt to the core.   I just wonder with all thats happening if they will continue being a force in the world.

I used to wonder about Zec 5:3-11 and if that had anything to do with the UN.   Recent events even make it a bit more interesting with the references to thieves.   If they somehow are forced to go into Iraq (land of Shinar) by two nations (the two storks) due to the food for oil corruption scandal, I think we could peg Zec 5 to current news.   This is another one I am not sure about, but it is interesting to ponder.

Grace and Peace!

Zec 5:3-11, I think nails it down, to the UN. I thought and prayed over this last night. Sure looks as if the thieves have been pegged.

Hal Lindsey has made mention of this passage in regards to the UN.  I'm still not completely sure, but it seems very possible.   I guess we will know if the UN relocates to babylon...lol.   How ironic would that be?

Grace and Peace!

Well we will know, and we won't know. We will have lifted off (the Rapture) by then. ;D

Today wouldn't be soon enough DW!

Maranatha!

I happen to agree, it would be a nice day to fly. ;D

Just read Jack Kinsella's latest article.   much of it mirrors almost exactly what I said in the original post.  I think its fair to say He agrees with me....lol  Also some talk about the UN.

read entire article here : http://www.omegaletter.com/articles.asp?ArticleID=4116

The United States is the UN's largest cash cow. Although the US vote is no more important in the UN General Assembly than that of Micronesia, US tax dollars funneled into the United Nation accounts make up one-third of the UN's operating budget for global peace-keeping efforts.

And US contributions account for 25% of the UN's annual budget. There are 191 countries in the UN. America contributes one dollar for every three dollars contributed to the UN -- by the other 190 countries combined!

Since 1945, congressional records indicate that the United States has given $30 billion to the corrupt organization as it pursues a futile enterprise and undermines the sovereignty of the United States.

The United Nations does not need to be reformed or improved to correct its flaws.

It's very nature demands it remain diametrically opposed to the American system of government. It must consistently seek to increase its power and control at the expense of sovereign nations like the United States.

Consequently, the only viable solution is an American withdrawal from the United Nations altogether.

A US withdrawal from the UN would mean its end. And America's history vis a vis efforts at global government like the failed League of Nations and failing United Nations make it extremely unlikely that America would participate in any meaningful way with any global replacement.

But, for the other 190 countries of the world, the UN -- or something like it, is essential.

The World Health Organization, World Bank, UN Development Program, UN Environment programs, Economic Commissions, UN Agriculture programs, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Court, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, UNICEF -- all these programs are interdependent elements residing under the UN's global umbrella.

The collapse of the UN would mean these organizations, committees and programs would have to seek a new sponsor. The World Bank, for example, or the World Trade Organization or the International Monetary Fund -- they aren't simply going to disappear.

But a 'new' replacement UN is unlikely. It would take too long and the world is already too globally interdependent to operate for long without these organizations.

There is only one logical candidate to pick up the pieces left behind by an imploding United Nations -- especially in a world dominated by a non-aligned United States.

Europe already has the infrastructure in place to absorb the functions and functionaries of the existing United Nations.

And Old Europe has made no secret of its intention to stand as a counter-balance to US supremacy on the world stage. Jacques Chirac is fond of describing America's supremacy as 'unipolar' and has dedicated himself to a global effort aimed at balancing the scales.

The European Union is, in fact, the ONLY viable alternative to the United Nations, and, thanks to its predictable opposition to all things American, would enjoy almost unanimous global support for its assumption of the role.

The only nations likely to have serious objections to subordinating itself to the EU similarly to the way they did the UN would be the United States and Israel.

When Hal Lindsey wrote the Late Great Planet Earth in 1969, he noted that something would have to happen to reduce or remove both Soviet and UN global influence, since Bible prophecy assigns that role in the last days to a revived form of the Roman Empire.

A bit more than a decade ago, the United States and the Soviet Union were the world's two superpowers. Europe unification was yet an unfulfilled dream.

Today, the Soviets are gone. US global power and influence is at its lowest point since the end of World War II. Europe is not only united, it is expanding its influence beyond its current borders.

The ten-nation Western European Union met in Rome in 1992 to create subordinate tiers of membership. Since then the WEU has expanded to include six Associate Member States, five Observer States, and seven 'Associate Partner' states.

All are members of the Greater European Community, but the ten-nation WEU is where the power resides. The WEU became responsible for Europe's Defense and Security establishment following the failure of the European Defense Community Treaty torpedoed by France in 1954.

On November 20, 1999, Javier Solana, who is the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU, was also appointed Secretary-General of the WEU.

The EU and WEU were supposed to have merged in 2000, however, as of 2004 the WEU is however still alive and much European military planning takes place within its constituent cells.

Indeed, New York University's book, "Defending Europe", paints the situation as a "revival of WEU" rather than its absorption into the greater EU.

From a purely secular geopolitical perspective, then, we find the following: The UN's Oil For Food Scandal threatens US participation in the UN.

A US pullout would threaten the UN's very existence.

The EU is in place to pick up the pieces. Its political power resides with Brussels, while its security and military deterrent is entrusted to the ten Full Members of the WEU.

The most powerful states within the WEU are France and Germany, both of whom are dedicated to replacing the US with a WEU-sponsored European superstate overseen by its Ten Full Members.

Taken together with the EU's efforts to insinuate itself into the Arab-Israeli peace process, one finds every single element inherent to the prophet Daniel's outline of the seven-year reign of the antichrist during the Tribulation Period -- already either in place, or about to fall into place.

" . . .and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined." (Daniel 9:26)

The 'people of the prince who shall come' were the Roman Legions, who, in AD 70, destroyed the 'city and the sanctuary' (Jerusalem and the Temple).

Daniel's coming 'prince' is the antichrist. Daniel says that, after coming to power as the 'prince' of a revived Roman Empire, he will come up with a solution for the Arab-Israeli conflict that leaves Israel in at least part possession of the Temple Mount.

Both the WEU and the Greater European Union are currently under the control of the same maximum leader -- at this point in time, Javier Solana of Spain.

Revived Rome is in place and eagerly lobbying for a chance to play the role Daniel outlined for it 2500 years ago. Israel is in place, after 2500 years of occupation and exile.

The Arab Israeli conflict provides the backdrop for the seven year covenant Daniel said would be confirmed by the antichrist.

Astonishingly, even a prototype of the covenant is also in place. The Oslo Agreement remains an 'unconfirmed' [failed] seven-year agreement aimed at peace between the parties.

And if recent history is any indication, any agreement made between Israel and the Islamic world is unlikely to last more than the 3 1/2 years predicted by Daniel before collapsing.

Jerusalem is indeed the 'burdensome stone' the Prophet Zechariah predicted it would be in the last days.

The prophet said that 'all those who burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.' (Zechariah 12:3)

America 'burdened itself' by taking Israel's side in the conflict over Jerusalem and the Holy Land. The rest of the world has openly sided against Israel.

More UN resolutions have been passed condemning Israel since its rebirth in 1948 than against the rest of the global community combined.

Since September 2001, thousands of Americans have been killed in a war with Islamic terrorists. The cause of that war, according to our terrorist enemies, is America's support for Israel.

The global realignment of nations coincided with the implementation of the Oslo Peace Accords in 1993 and in the intervening decade, has deteriorated to the point that America and Israel now stand alone against an increasingly polarized global community.

At the heart of issue is the question of possession of Jerusalem.

How much more clear can it be? Bible prophecy has proved itself, in this generation alone, to be 100% accurate, down to the tiniest details.

There is no rational reason why the Bible's outline for the last days will not continue to unfold before our eyes with the same accuracy and attention to detail in the days ahead as it has until now.

We are living in the last days. We are the watchmen on the wall, assigned to give the warning to a lost and dying world.

Jesus is coming! And He is coming soon!

May God give us the courage to boldly proclaim His soon return.

And may God bless our efforts to lead as many as possible to Him -- while there is still time.

What is the UN, It's an attempt by man to bring peace and unity to the earth by means of a world organization, Please note we said it was an attempt by man, because God was left out to begin with. God's word plainly says, "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." II Tim. 3:13. "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom," Matt. 24:7. These conditions will characterize the age at the time of the appearance of the world power known to Bible scholars as the beast of Revelation 13 and Daniel 7:7.

Please note the following remarkable similarities of the UN to this last form of Gentile world power. The beast of Rev. and Dan., that will exercise such great power over the earth at the time of the return of Christ, will be on the world scene without men being aware of it. To begin with this great power will appear as the very thing the world needs to solve its difficult problems. Instead of appearing as a monstrous power to destroy and made desolate, it will appear as the Saviour of a bewildered world that is looking for a way out. Daniel 8:25 says the beast will "by peace destroy many."

This last Gentile world power will be Satan's masterpiece for deception. Many Bible scholars have taught the people to look for a revival of the old Roman Empire. Some are looking for some power such as Russia to take over by brute military force. Russia, it's true will be a part of this power, Ezekiel 38, and will play a leading role; but so will the whole Gentile world of organized nations. There will come a showdown and we find that 10 nations who will be of one mind are going to give their strength and power to the beast. Rev. 17:12-13.

God knows that non-spiritual students of the world would try to figure these things out without revelation from the Holy Spirit. It's true, His real anointed are going to see the truth as the prophecies unfold. Jesus would never said, "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door," unless He intended for someone to understand. The truth is, it won't be the great theological minds that the religious world is looking to. Isaiah 29:13-14. "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men; therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid." In contrast to this God's word says, II Cor. 1:26-29, "For ye see your calling, brethren, how not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are; that no flesh should glory in his presence."

Because of these facts the world as a whole (including the religious world) will not recognize the beast or world power that brings in the great tribulation upon the world. Jesus said in Luke 21:35, "For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth." A snare is a clever trap that catches its prey when it least expects it, Paul also gives the same warning in I Thess. 5:2-3, "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." Think of it, as a thief in the night. The thief comes while you are sleeping soundly; takes your valuables and is gone. This thing is going to take place in just such a manner. In fact everyone will be saying, "Now we are going to have peace and safety. Friend, did you ever stop to realize that the whole purpose of the UN is to bring peace and safety to the world.

Remember also that Daniel 8:25 says the beast will by "peace destroy many." Under the guise of being an organization whose purpose is to bring peace to the earth, the UN now has 80 nations of the world as its members and supporters. Remember also that Rev. 13:7 says, "and power was given him over all kindreds and tongues, and nations." Isn't it a strange coincidence that the UN has under its wings practically all kindreds and tongues, and nations.

According to Dan. 8:24, Rev. 13:7, and 17:13, the beast derives his power from other sources. Now that is exactly the case of the UN. It is entirely dependent upon its member nations to give it power. Only as they support it and stand back of its decisions can it assert itself.

According to Dan. 2:40-43 the beast, or kingdom, as it is called by Daniel, will be clay and iron, typifying dictatorship and democracy causing division and weakness. Isn't that exactly what has taken place between the Western powers representing democracy and Russia and her followers representing dictatorship. Also notice Dan. 2:43, which says, "they shall mingle themselves with the seed of man; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay." How true this is of the UN which is made up of 80 different nations. If this isn't also characteristic of the confusion and disunity that has prevailed in the UN, then I don't know anything.

In the beginning the beast doesn't have power to enforce its decisions. We find 10 of the nations who are of one mind getting together and giving their power and strength to the beast. Rev. 17:12-13. At this very moment while this article is being written, the leading nations of the UN are considering ways and means to give the UN power to enforce its decisions. The UN has its flag, its army, and is just waiting for the big powers to say, "I'll give you my power and strength." (Such as the Security council, which has 10 members.)

Rev. 17:3, we find the woman, the great whore, riding upon the beast. This simply means that the woman (the apostate church) will be sustained and supported by the beast (the last Gentile world power). Strange as it may seem but yet fulfilling the scriptures, the present Pope has spoken very highly of the UN and commended it for its role in world affairs. And if the UN continues to grow in power and influence (we believe it will) the whole apostate church world including Rome and her daughters will be only too glad to ride upon the back of the UN.

Rev. 13:3, 17:8, we notice that the whole world wondered after the beast. Isn't that exactly what is taking place today! The eyes of the world are upon the UN. You cannot pick up a newspaper that does not carry the news regarding the development in the UN. Also if the UN gets the Power to enforce its decisions the world will be saying, "Who can make war against the UN?" Rev. 13:4.

Rev. 13:3 and Rev. 17:8, we see that the beast had a deadly wound that was healed or it was and is not, and yet is. This means that this beast, or last world power, came into being, then died, and then revived again. Of all the amazing similarities between the beast and the UN this is the one that should convince the most skeptical. LOok and realize that the same spirit that conceived the League of Nations after World War I is responsible for the United Nations of today. The League of Nations died because it did not have the support of its member nations to carry out and enforce its decisions. The League of Nations was a man-made, satan-conceived, plan to bring unity and peace to the earth without following the plan of the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ. It died, but its deadly wound has been healed and today it's called the United Nations. It has the same spirit and the same purpose. Remember former President Herbert Hoover said, "the United Nations Charter follows every major pattern of the league of Nations."

2nd Timothy,

Thanks for the great post and the links. This has the makings of an excellent Bible study. Coincidence - I don't think so! There are far too many other signs to dismiss current events. We know beyond any doubt that all Bible Prophecy will be fulfilled to the letter. It makes me question more when a man with the power of Solana remains quietly in the background. That would seem to be right until the appointed time arrives.

I know that it's completely correct to say that we are at least seeing a preview of the end times. However, I really think that it's more than that. It makes me happy to think that our Lord and Saviour may come for us soon. The world is literally a powder keg, ready to blow. For me, this gives me a greater sense of urgency in sharing the GOOD NEWS of the Gospel of God's Grace. It should also be a time of prayer, Bible Study, and reaching out to everyone we can about how to be Saved and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.


It will be a glorious day, one of great joy, praise, and worship.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Hal Lindsey is not a Godly man

Ps 1:1
1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
KJV

Why do we search the newspapers for headlines why not look up  where in scripture do they say we are to " look" for an antichrist....

This is all the scriptures you will find defining antichrists

1 John 2:18

18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
KJV
1 John 2:22

22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
KJV

1 John 4:3

3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
KJV
2 John 7

7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
KJV

So many so called men of God have changed these few verses into a hugh money making power granting machine.


As Mr. Bepster says "keep looking up"  Up you will find Christ  why search for the anti? Do we know the true Christ as well as we should? I find it strange that so much time space etc is given to the 'other side'....

As I said in the very first post, the reader is entitled their own opinion on the speculative portions.    :)

The Bible however is quite clear on a world leader that will rise up in the end.  The signs of that age were also clearly described by Christ himself.   We also know that All scripture is given for our instruction and understanding.  

Mar 13:37  And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

This doesn't mean standing outside looking up.  It means watching for the signs that signals the Lords soon return.   While I agree with the phrase "looking up" and what we accept it to mean, we are commanded by Christ to watch.  The whole idea of the thread is not to praise the anti.....its to show that scripture is alive and well in the 21st century and proclaiming loud and clear that the Lord indeed is about return to this earth.  

So deffinately lookup!  Because the road signs are pointing in that direction.   But remember, we wouldn't know that if we didn't read the road signs now would we?

Grace and Peace!

With out the signs, we wouldn't be able to gather those lost souls.

Signs of the end...........

Six signs given by Jesus Christ, indicating his coming and the end times.

Matthew 24:3
Jesus was asked, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?" Jesus told his apostles to look for the following signs prior to his second coming and the end of the age.

1. False Prophets and Christs
Matthew 24:5 "For many will come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and will mislead many."
Matthew 24:11 "And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many."
2. Wars
Matthew 24:6 "And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end."
Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes."
3. Famines
Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes."
4. Earthquakes
Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes."
5. Tribulations
Matthew 24:8-9 "But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of my name."
6. The GOSPEL will be preached through out the world.
Matthew 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come."

Go in peace with God.
Bob

UN staff to vote on no-confidence motion against Annan

UN staff are expected to make an unprecedented vote of no confidence in Secretary-General Kofi Annan, union sources say, after a series of scandals tainted his term in charge of the world body.

The UN staff union, in what officials said was the first vote of its kind in the almost 60-year history of the United Nations, was set to approve a resolution withdrawing support for Annan and senior UN management.

Annan has been in the line of fire over a series of scandals including controversy about a UN aid program that investigators say allowed deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to embezzle billions of dollars.

Staffers said the trigger for the no-confidence measure was an announcement this week that Annan had pardoned the UN's top oversight official, who was facing allegations of favouritism and sexual harassment.

The union had requested a formal probe into the official, Dileep Nair, after employees accused him of harassing staff and violating UN rules on the hiring and promotion of workers.

Top UN spokesman Fred Eckhard announced on Tuesday that Nair had been exonerated by Annan "after a thorough review" by the UN's senior official in charge of management, Catherine Bertini.

Annan underlined that he "had every confidence" in Nair, Eckhard said, but UN employees ridiculed the decision and claimed that investigators had not questioned the staff union, which first raised the complaints in April.

"This was a whitewash, pure and simple," Guy Candusso, a senior member of the staff union, told AFP.

Candusso noted that Eckhard's declaration to the press had said that "no further action was necessary in the matter."

But in a letter sent to the union, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, Annan's chief of staff Iqbal Riza said Nair had been "advised that he should exercise caution" in future to "minimize the risk of negative perception."

In a resolution set to be adopted on Friday, the union said Riza's statement "substantiates the contention of the staff that there was impropriety" and that there exists "a lack of integrity, particularly at the higher levels of the organisation."

The draft resolution, also obtained by AFP, calls on the union president to "convey this vote of no confidence to the secretary general."

Staffers who asked not to be named, afraid that speaking out could damage their future in the United Nations, said the Nair decision was an example of corruption by Annan and his senior staff.

They noted that Riza, UN undersecretary general for information Shashi Tharoor and other top officials had served directly under Annan at least since 1994, when he was head of UN peacekeeping operations.

At the time, the United Nations was widely criticized for failing to stop the Rwanda genocide that left 800,000 people dead, even though UN peacekeepers were on the ground -- a catastrophe for which Annan has publicly apologized.

Annan could not be reached for immediate comment. He is currently in Africa on a mission aimed at ending the long-running civil war in Sudan.

But he faces unprecedented calls to resign over the burgeoning scandal about "oil-for-food," a UN aid scheme that US investigators say allowed Saddam to siphon off billions of dollars.

The program has tainted UN officials like Benon Sevan, who oversaw the operation and is now accused of pocketing Saddam's money in exchange for turning a blind eye to the Iraqi dictator's abuses.

Annan stands accused of obstructing US investigators, especially since his hand-picked official Paul Volcker this week rejected calls from the US Senate to turn over documents from the program and waive UN staff immunity.

Eckhard, his spokesman, on Thursday said that Annan is expected to serve out his term, which ends in 2006.

Veteran UN staff said this was the first time that employees had risen up to make a vote of no confidence in a sitting secretary general.

"Kofi Annan is surrounded by corruption, a gang of criminals responsible for some of the worst things that happened to mankind in the 20th century," said one angry staffer, referring to the Rwanda massacres.

"It's possible that he doesn't know directly what has gone on," said the employee, who has worked for the United Nations for two decades. "But that's no excuse."
http://www.worthynews.com/zone.cgi?http://sg.news.yahoo.com/041119/1/3onv4.html


Now if Mr. Solana jumps..........

Go in peace with God

Let me reiterate this as plainly as I can to all...

I have no intention of debating these topics.   :)

Scripture does not say Debate to show yourself worthy!   ;)   My thoughts here are not to induce heated discussion.  It is to show that current events appear to be lining up with prophetic scripture as I understand it.   Not to prove that I am right!!!    As I said before, I encourage the reader to get into the word and re-search these matters for themselves.  If you have different views, by all means start your own thread and discuss them there.    I will Gladly discuss these matters, but I simply refuse to debate.   There is a forum specifically designated for debate if that is your wish.  

This forum is titled, Prophecy and Current Events.    That is what the interest of these topics are.

Grace and Peace!

11-23-2004


Annan Sees Opportunity for Mideast Peace

By SALAH NASRAWI, Associated Press Writer


source: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041123/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_conference


SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt - The coming Palestinian elections provide an opportunity to revive the Middle East peace process, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) said Tuesday, adding that Israel is ready for such a step.


Annan spoke at an international conference on Iraq (news - web sites) that has turned its focus to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The U.N. chief held a side meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites), Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.


The talks focused on the Jan. 9 elections for a Palestinian Authority (news - web sites) president to replace the late Yasser Arafat (news - web sites), Annan said.


Powell, who met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders before flying here Monday, had assured them that President Bush (news - web sites) intended to advance the peace process in his second term. Israeli leaders, who boycotted Arafat, told Powell they would ease travel restrictions on Palestinians to facilitate voting.


"We are all encouraged," Annan said, adding the U.N. would provide election monitors.


"There is an opportunity to move ahead with the road map," Annan said, referring to the peace plan sponsored by the United Nations (news - web sites), the European Union (news - web sites), the United States and Russia. "We believe the Israeli government is also ready."


The host of the Iraq conference, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said the Israeli-Arab conflict was as much a threat to the region as the insurgency in Iraq.


"Efforts to achieve stability in Iraq cannot be separated from strenuous efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East," Aboul Gheit said in an opening address.

<SNIP>

Entire story at source link.

Grace and Peace!

I was browsing through some articles today at the EU council site.   I found a few of them very interesting.

The following offers a glimps into the mind of Mr Solana as speaks on Iraq and regional security arrangment.  


Source: http://ue.eu.int/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/declarations/82784.pdf

Brussels, 23 November 2004
S0313/04


Statement by Javier SOLANA, EU High Representative for the CFSP, on Iraq and on a regional security arrangement for the region

Javier Solana, European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), made today the following statement at the International Ministerial Conference on Iraq, organised in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt:

"Thank you, Mr Chairman, for hosting this meeting, and for getting us all together in support of the stabilisation of Iraq. No one can deny the crucial role the neighbouring countries can play in this regard.

There are several Europeans around this table and that is a clear sign of how important Iraq and Iraq’s future is for us. Iraq is not only a strategic issue for the EU. It is much more than that. Iraq is in our neighbourhood. Indeed, Iraq will be a direct neighbour once Turkey joins the EU. Our engagement with Iraq comes from this fact: Iraq is our friend and neighbour.

My colleagues have – and will – mention some of the measures that the EU is carrying out in order to assist Iraq in the current difficult situation. When Prime Minister Allawi visited and met with EU leaders in Brussels several weeks ago we offered him a solid package of concrete proposals to
support the process of stabilisation of his country.

Let me turn now to the situation in Iraq. A lot has been said about the security situation, the political process, the reconstruction assistance, the national reconciliation process, the role of the neighbours and the international community at large. Instead of repeating such positions, let me try
to focus a little bit on the wider picture. It is important to try to find solutions for today’s problems, but we should never forget the need to look ahead for what is needed in the longer term.

We have had enough of wars in this region during the last decades. Many lives have been lost in Iraq, in Iran, in Kuwait and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. We should not forget, but we have to look forward. It must be a priority for us – for those countries, their neighbours, and the international community; all of us assembled here today – to avoid that it happens again. Bilateral relations are now being normalised, but a regional security structure or mechanism in this region is long overdue. We will not have a secure and stable situation in the long term without some kind of regional security arrangement which takes into account the legitimate
concerns of all the countries of the region.

Some people will say that this is not realistic, that the timing is not right, etc. I would rather say that it is unthinkable and unacceptable not to try. Will the timing ever be right? I don’t think we can afford to wait. And believe you me: I have no illusions that this will be easy, but we have to move in that direction. Clearly, the initiative has to come from the countries concerned. But I can assure you that the EU – and the rest of the international community, I would hope – will be there to assist and support any such initiative coming from the region. The EU considers this to be a priority.

Mr. Chairman, I end on that note. This has been a very useful and well-organised international meeting on Iraq, and I would like to thank my friend Ahmed Aboul Gheit and his colleagues once again for it. At the same time, I would not want us to meet again in a decade or so because we did not try to come up with a proper regional security arrangement. I look forward to pursuing this issue with you later."
**********************************************


Grace and Peace!

And heres just a small clip where Solana speaks on the limits of the EU.

S0310/04
ADDRESS BY JAVIER SOLANA
“THE LIMITS OF INTEGRATION –
WHERE DOES THE EUROPEAN UNION END?”

TO THE EUROPA FORUM VIENNA 19 NOVEMBER 2004


It is an honour to be at this prestigious gathering. The panel has been invited to discuss the theme of the limits of European integration – and in particular the question of where does the European Union end?

I want to offer a few thoughts of my own before giving way to the panel discussion. The boundaries of the Union – in every sense - take different forms and have evolved over time.

I want to share three quite simple thoughts with you this morning. First: borders matter less. Second: while the extent of states has become less relevant, so the content of the state has become more important. And thirdly: in a world where the most potent threats transcend borders, so must
the responses.

Part of the attraction of the European Union is that it has made borders less relevant. We marvel at the ease with which we cross frontiers. Where once we queued, today we barely slow down. Where once we needed passports, visas and currency exchange, today we need not worry. Lines on
maps that defined and divided us for centuries now seem barely perceptible.

Some worry that as the relevance of the Union's internal borders has diminished, so that of its external borders has increased. Our neighbours fear that, as we in the Union remove some borders, we will put up new ones in their place.


Te read the Entire article follow this link.  http://ue.eu.int/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/discours/82739.pdf

NOTE: Requires Adobe Acrobat readers.

Battlegroups are first step towards a Euro army
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard in Brussels
(Filed: 22/11/2004)
http://www.worthynews.com/zone.cgi?http://www.telegraph.co.uk/core/Content/displayPrintable.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/11/22/warmy22.xml&site=5

European Union defence ministers will today sign off plans for battlegroups of troops poised for instant action, in a significant move towards a European army.

The British and the French, the driving forces behind the scheme, will provide the first 1,500-strong battlegroup, or "expeditionary force", starting in January.

The unit is to be ready for action anywhere within 15 days of a decision by EU ministers. "These are combat troops in their barracks with their boots on ready to go," a British diplomat said.

The move comes as the EU takes on its first big military mission on Dec 2, replacing Nato in charge of the 7,000-man Bosnia task force.

Most of the troops will remain the same, merely switching from Nato to EU insignia, but the politics could change abruptly.

The EU has already deployed troops in Macedonia and Congo. The Bosnia operation is viewed as much riskier. One British diplomat called it a crucial test of Europe's military ambitions, fearing that hardliners could cause trouble after US Nato forces have left.

"We need to respond very quickly and robustly to incidents because they can spiral out of control," he said.

The Bosnia force will be commanded by a British general but report through Nato's command at Mons. The battlegroup plan was floated last year by Britain and France with German support. Italy will take over in the second half of 2005, then Germany.

By early 2007, the EU will have two battlegroups on call, giving Brussels a strike force of 3,000.

It is unclear whether Nato or the EU will have day-to-day battlefield command. Each country can choose whether to join an expedition, contributing what it can. Britain is offering its existing "Spearhead Battalion" for missions. The first tasks are likely to be in Africa, possibly in the Sudan.

"Neutral" states such as Austria, Ireland and Malta do not intend to prevent the others going ahead under an EU flag.

The battlegroups are more nimble than the EU's 60,000-man Rapid Reaction Force, which takes two months to assemble. Launched this year, it has a military staff of generals and colonels in Brussels, but little else. It needs American support to transport kit and carry out most operations.

Geoffrey Van Orden, MEP, the Tory defence spokesman, called the battlegroups a diversionary sham. "No new troops or resources are being produced, it just switches control to the EU. Does this do anything to help in Afghanistan and Iraq where more troops are really needed? The answer is no," he said.

He accused the Government of sacrificing Britain's forces to curry favour in Brussels and burnish Tony Blair's European credentials.

Britain and France launched the EU's military project at St Malo in 1998, each for different reasons.

By taking the lead, the British hope to keep European defence firmly rooted in the Atlantic alliance. But the French elite talks of escaping Nato tutelage, turning Europe into a military power that can stand up to the United States.

Sister Reba,

With or without possible signs of the end times, we should:

1.  Feel an urgency to share the GOOD NEWS of the Gospel of God's Grace.

2.  Study and enjoy God's Word.

3.  Know that our citizenship is in Heaven, not this world.

4.  Give thanks for our treasures in Christ.

5.  Enjoy fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Bible prophecy is a very difficult topic to study, but it should definitely lead us to LOOK UP and dwell on our riches in Christ.

Sister, with or without the study of Bible prophecy, I love to think about my HOPE in JESUS. My hope is actual REALITY to me, as I have complete assurance of Salvation and know that God will keep all of HIS promises to us. Studying Bible prophecy is just another way to understand the joy we have and will have in JESUS.

"KEEP LOOKING UP" is one of my favorite things to do. It has everything to do with JESUS and nothing to do with this world. It is a joy to know beyond any doubt that we will spend eternity with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour forever. That assurance makes this short and difficult journey on earth bearable. For those who love Jesus, we are and should be full of the joy and peace of Jesus Christ.


Love In Christ,
Tom

Brothers and Sisters,

There appears to be a common denominator with many things happening today. I've looked at many of the links mentioned here and read quite a bit of the work many of you have done. I would first like to tell you that I appreciate your work, and I'm glad you are sharing with all of us. The common denominator I mentioned is this:  everything is OK to mention and accept - EXCEPT CHRIST and the things of our Lord and Saviour.

It is becoming more and more obvious that the entire world is trying to silence Christians and keep the precious TRUTHS of our Lord and Saviour out of public view. This effort is greatly advanced in Europe, but the effort in America to do the same thing is most obvious. The little gods and goddesses are OK, but ALMIGHTY GOD is being shoved into the shadows. It is very sad to see the same thing being done in America, right now and right before our eyes.

It is already a reality that Christians are being persecuted and killed in many parts of the world, and that could easily be reality in America soon. If this is a preview of the end times or the actual end times, Christians will not be able to stop it. That does not mean that we should stop trying, JUST THE OPPOSITE. We should try harder now than ever before to share the GOOD NEWS of the Gospel of God's Grace. If this is not the end times, that does not change our urgency to share the GOOD NEWS.

Brothers and Sisters, I agree that we are either seeing a preview of the end times or the actual end times of Bible prophecy being unfolded before our very eyes, RIGHT NOW.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Tom said...

Very well said Brother...I agree 100%

Grace and Peace!

AMEN BROTHER!

I pray that God will give us strength and guidance to share the GOOD NEWS with the lost. I do believe that the time is short, but I also believe that sharing the GOOD NEWS is an urgent matter REGARDLESS of what is or isn't happening in the world RIGHT NOW.

I believe that Jesus will come for us soon and take us HOME with HIM for eternity. Just the thought is a matter of great joy, but there is still a sadness when thinking about all of the lost people who have rejected Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Amen Tom!  Point well stated.

Grace and Peace!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/11/25/wchris25.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/11/25/ixworld.html

This is the full address.  European Christian heritage being snubbed by the EU.  EU is definitely trying to cut the connection.

Link was at DrudgeReport today.

The EU, Revised Roman empire.
Daniel 2:32-33 "The head of the statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay."
Daniel 2:40-43 "Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. And in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have the toughness of iron, and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. And in that you saw the iron mixed with clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery."

The fourth kingdom of iron is the Roman empire according to Daniel's interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream. The two legs are the division of the Roman empire into an eastern portion called the Byzantine empire which ended in the 1400's and a western portion based in Rome which ended in the 400's. The nations of Europe since the Roman empire dissolved have never adhered or formed one empire but continue as separate nations, however, the European Union now has 25 Member States. Which is drawing these nations back to one.

II Cor. 1:26-29, "For ye see your calling, brethren, how not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are; that no flesh should glory in his presence."

Because of these facts a whole world will not recognize the beast or world power that brings in the great tribulation upon the world. Jesus said in Luke 21:35, "For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth." A snare is a clever trap that catches its prey when it least expects it, Paul also gives the same warning in I Thess. 5:2-3, "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." Think of it, as a thief in the night. The thief comes while you are sleeping soundly; takes your valuables and is gone. This thing is going to take place in just such a manner. In fact everyone will be saying, "Now we are going to have peace and safety. Friend, did you ever stop to realize that the whole purpose of the UN is to bring peace and safety to the world.

Resting peacfully in the arms of Jesus.
Bob

I highly doubt Javier Solana is the anti-christ, but who knows.  I doubt very much we will ever see the resurrection of christ.

I doubt very much we will ever see the resurrection of christ.
This part is already history.  ;)   Jesus was ressurected 3 days after his crucifixion.   Probably the most documented life in History.   His blood was shed for all our sin, and His life was raised that we might also have life.

It is pertinant to get that part correct before you can ever hope to understand the rest.  Without Christ, there is simply no point in even speculating on anything future.


Grace and Peace!

2nd Timothy,

AMEN BROTHER!

Our Lord and Saviour died for us and arose from the dead on the third day to be our LIVING LORD AND SAVIOUR FOREVER.

HIS SACRIFICE on the Cross for us was the most precious event in the history of mankind. HE is most definitely alive and IS COMING FOR US SOON to take us home to GLORY for eternity.

The Holy Bible gives us many signs to identify THE anti-Christ when the appointed time is here. Again, the key will involve Israel. The whole world will be shocked and amazed that one will finally be able to implement a 7 year peace with Israel. Could that person be Javier Solana? UM??? - Quite possibly so. Maybe yes and maybe no. Regardless, the facts and evidence are mounting that the end of this age draws near.

Love in Christ,
Tom

The deal in this article looks very suspect to me.   Many view ALL of Daniel 9 25-27 as completed.  I personally do not, because it ommits too many other events that did not happen, including the messianic Kingdom reign of Chirst on earth/1000 years of peace spoken of in Revelation, which will follow the 70th week.   The 70th week still lies ahead IMO, and I believe what we are seeing in the following article could very well be the catalist that kick starts it.


EU accord close to completion


Israel is only a word or two away from reaching an agreement that will give it many of the same rights afforded states within the European Union.

"We are close to concluding this chapter in the action plan. It's just a question of one or two words," said EU President Bernard Bot, who is also the Dutch foreign minister.

According to a Foreign Ministry spokesman there is only a small section of text, dealing with weapons of mass destruction in the region, that hasn't been agreed upon.

"It's up to Israel to make one little step and we will make a major step in accommodating the Israelis," Bot said at a two-day Euro-Mediterranean Partnership conference.

The program, known as the European Neighborhood policy, offers free access to goods, services, people and capital to countries outside the European Union in exchange for economic and political reform.   ;)

Other countries slated to attain this status are Moldova, Ukraine, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and the Palestinian Authority.

The Netherlands on Monday agreed to outlaw Hizbullah, adding it hoped its EU partners will follow suit.

Bot announced the step at a meeting with Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.

Shalom welcomed the Dutch move and urged the other EU nations "to place Hizbullah on the European list of terrorist organization." He called Iran-backed Hizbullah "one of the leading forces threatening the effort to bring stability and calm to the Palestinian Authority."

The EU so far has not agreed to this proposal, although Bot has submitted a request that it do so.

Both the EU and Israel spoke of the good relations between them.

"I do not accept the formula that Israel can live without Europe and Europe can live without Israel," said Shalom.

"Israel and Europe share deep-rooted values, the close relationship between us is a strategic asset to both sides," said Shalom.

Still, he said, "I would like to see the Europeans have a more balanced attitude toward the conflict."

Bot said he didn't understand Shalom's statement. "We have been very balanced in our approach," he said.

The EU chief policy adviser on foreign affairs, Javier Solana, said, "we will play a role whether our good friend Shalom likes it or not."

source: Jerusalem Post (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1101709702660)


I'm still not positive, but its looking more and more realistic to me.

Keep watching!

2nd Timothy,

Brother, I've read the on line version of the Jerusalem Post several times recently. I find it to be an excellent source of Middle East news from the perspective of Israel.

In following this study and doing my own, it's becoming apparent that the end of this age could be now. You made an excellent point about what little there is yet to fulfill and how quickly the final events could take place.

Brother, we may not be here to finish this study. In the meantime, I'm enjoying this study.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 62:7  In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

 ??? Talk about setting a false trail. ???

Dec. 1, 2004 1:29
Estonia: EU should be easier on Israel
By HERB KEINON

The EU should behave "more reasonably" in regards to United Nations resolutions on Israel, visiting Estonian Prime Minister Juhan Parts told The Jerusalem Post Tuesday.

Parts, whose country was one of 10 nations that joined the EU in April, said he feels there should be "fewer resolutions dealing with the Palestinian question. I think that the EU can be more critical about those resolutions."

Israel had hoped that the inclusion of the 10 new countries, eight of them from eastern Europe, would lead to a more balanced EU policy toward the Middle East, and less support for anti-Israel resolutions in the UN – a hope diplomatic officials say has not been realized. The 25 EU countries vote as a bloc in the UN.

Parts, 38, who became prime minister in 2003, said these resolutions "don't solve any issues." Parts, who concludes a two-day visit early Wednesday morning, admits that his country of 1.4 million people is not a dominant voice inside the EU on Middle East policy, but added that "the EU is a union of member states, and each member has a voice. If you have [strong] arguments you can be influential in the EU."

Parts said one of the reasons he came to Israel was to be able to increase Estonia's contribution on the Middle East issue – to learn more about the region and develop contacts.

Parts met Tuesday with President Moshe Katsav and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

The Estonian leader called on his EU colleagues to place Hizbullah on the EU list of terror organizations, something that has not yet been done.

"The EU can't ever justify or accept terror," he said. "No doubt we need to be 100 percent intolerant of terror and terrorist organizations. I can announce the Estonian position, which is very clear, we are for including Hizbullah on the list of terror organizations, and I hope this decision will be adopted [by the EU] as quickly as possible."

Parts denied that there is an anti-Israel bias in the EU, and pointed to the strong Israeli-EU economic relations as proof. But, he said, he knows there is a lot of criticism in Israel that the EU's polices are not balanced, and said this is something that needs to be examined.

"As a new country we are eager to study and try to support a more balanced EU policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian question," he said.

Asked whether he feels that what US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld referred to as "Old" and "New" Europe have different perceptions and approaches to Israel, Parts said that "New Europe," made up of countries like Estonia, Poland and Hungary, has had different experiences than those like France, Belgium and Spain – experiences that may draw them closer emotionally toward Israel.

"We have had the experience of fighting for independence, and have suffered from communist terror, and these are experiences that have made us understand other nations fighting for their security and peace, fighting for the very elementary needs of human life," he said.

Estonia's experience with the Soviet Union makes him wary of Russia's current designs, and – after a long pause – he said "yes" when asked whether he is concerned Russia is trying to re-establish control over certain former Soviet areas.

Parts said he is "very concerned" about the situation in Ukraine, and the type of influence the election crisis there could have in the region. "We are for democratic elections and real democracy," he said. "Not only Estonians, but also Europeans and Russians who have declared a democratic direction, must be for fair democratic elections." He refused to venture a guess how he feels the crisis will play itself out.

Parts rejected criticism of his country leveled by Efraim Zuroff, director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Jerusalem office, who said Estonia is "dragging its feet" on bringing two Nazi war criminals to trial.

The two are Harri Mannil, a wealthy Estonian now living in Venezuela, who was allegedly part of an Estonian police unit that arrested communists and Jews later killed by the Nazis and Estonian collaborators, and Mikhail Gorshkow, an Estonian who is believed to have participated in the murder of Jews in Belarus, and who was stripped of his naturalized US citizenship and deported to Estonia.

Zuroff said that there were some 4,500 Estonian Jews before the war, of which 3,500 escaped and about 1,000 were killed. Thousands of other Jews, however, were killed in concentration camps on Estonian soil.

Parts said that the Estonian authorities "have done all they can to investigate all the crimes against humanity. At the same time we are a country ruled by law, and it is impossible to judge anyone without necessary evidence. We have big problems getting evidence against them, and possibly against others, from the Russian archives."
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1101830895427

Nov. 30, 2004 8:39
A tentative effort to foster Jewish-Muslim dialogue begins in Paris
By JEWISH TELEGRAPH AGENCY
Paris

Although French Jews and Muslims have launched an organization to promote dialogue between them, the path to true friendship remains rocky.

An interfaith gathering last month at Paris's City of Sciences and Industry marked the launch of the Jewish-Muslim Friendship Association, a group its founders hope will usher in a new era in relations between France's Jewish and Muslim communities.

The group – whose patrons are to be Simone Weill, president of France's Holocaust Foundation and a former president of the European Parliament, and Lebanon's former ambassador to France, Stetie Salah – has set up a 12-person executive committee, six members from each faith.

The absence of official backing from the French Muslim Council, whose two leading factions – the Federation of French Muslims and the Union of French Islamic Organizations – have touchy relationships with mainstream Jewish groups, put a slight blight on what was widely regarded as a successful and well-attended gathering.

Based on a model that already exists between Jewish and Christian groups, the organization is the brainchild of Rabbi Michel Serfaty, the leader of an Orthodox congregation in Paris and a longtime advocate of interfaith dialogue.

Serfaty, the victim of a racially-motivated attack last year, was able to bring together an impressive list of Jewish and Muslim clerics for the event, including Paris Chief Rabbi David Messas and Dalil Boubakeur, the rector of the city's Grand Mosque.

However, Boubakeur, a moderate known for his close ties with Jewish groups, attended only in his capacity as head of the mosque rather than as an official representative of the council, of which he is president.

Discussions and debates on religious and cultural themes took place throughout the November 21 event, while various local Muslim and Jewish groups welcomed visitors to some 30 stalls dotting the hall, highlighting such varied themes as circumcision rites, wedding ceremonies and philanthropic initiatives.

Speaking to JTA shortly after the rabbis and imams were replaced on the stage by Jewish and Muslim musicians in a concert culminating the event, Serfaty described the gathering as "a great success." "This is the first path toward greater understanding between Muslims and Jews in France," he said.

Many of those attending also expressed hope that the event could be the catalyst for more positive dialogue.

Claudine Frand, an executive member of the Abraham Brotherhood, an interfaith group, said it is a pity that such an initiative had taken so long to come about.

"There's always been dialogue between Jews and Christians and between Christians and Muslims, and there's such a great atmosphere here," she said. "Of course, there's always going to be people who want to pour oil on the fire, but religion can be used as a tool for us all to build solidarity and fraternity." Talk about being lead astray. DW

That spirit of brotherhood was well illustrated at a stall where members of the Jewish and Muslim scout associations were engaged in friendly banter.

Muhammad Rouahbi, a senior chaplain with the French Muslim Scouts, described the event as "an historic day," adding that "we have to build on this to pass this message of tolerance on to the youth who have lost their way."

At the back of the hall, Ben Omar Taif, who heads the French Muslim Council's halal committee in Marseille, was busy chatting away with Daniel Messiha, a kosher food trader from Paris.

Messiha had suggested to Taif that he come up to the capital for the event after the two worked together at a recent ethnic food show. Here, they jokingly exchanged gifts: Taif's official halal listings and Messiha's kashrut guide from the Paris Consistoire, French Jewry's main religious group.

Taif said that food is a good place for dialogue to start because, "When you come together around a table, you don't just eat, you talk, you negotiate."

Many organizations at the event welcomed the opportunity to provide a showcase for positive elements of their respective faiths.

For Roger Cukierman, the president of the CRIF umbrella organization of French Jews, the event showed that "things are moving in the right direction," while the absence of some of the more radical Muslim groups was "just a little argument among factions in the council and shouldn't concern us."

"The fact that the principal organizers are the Paris Mosque and the Consistoire shows that there is a tradition of cooperation in this city," he said.

Serfaty, too, said that "we can only work with those who want to work with us."
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1101709701598

Nov. 30, 2004 9:56
170 EU officials to monitor Palestinian elections
By JPOST.COM STAFF
       
Some 170 European Union officials will observe the Palestinian elections scheduled for January 9, 2005.

The EU election observers will join a Palestinian team to make sure the elections are 'free and fair,' ITIM reported on Tuesday. All in all, some 6,000 observers will monitor the PA elections, PA chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said.

Registration for the elections ends on Wednesday.

According to Palestinian reports, 1,200,000 Palestinians have registered to vote.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1101788151176&p=1078397702269

EU optimistic for peace in Middle East
By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chances for peace in the Middle East appeared promising, the European Union said Monday during talks with Israel and its Arab neighbors, citing a conciliatory attitude by Israelis and Palestinians after the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

"There is a chance for a fresh beginning. There was a completely different atmosphere," Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU foreign affairs commissioner, said of a Monday night dinner of foreign ministers from the 25 EU nations, Israel and eight of its neighbors.

She said both Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and Nabil Shaath, his Palestinian counterpart, showed a "constructive attitude" about moving toward peace.

On Monday, Shalom pledged to help ensure a high turnout and violence-free elections when Palestinians vote for Arafat's successor on January 9.

Shalom, who met with Shaath Monday, said the long-stalled peace process may be resuscitated soon, and described the post-Arafat era as "a great time of opportunity and hope for our region."

EU officials said trouble-free Palestinian elections and a "coordinated" withdrawal by Israel from the Gaza Strip were key to future peace.

The EU has committed 14 million (US $18.5 million) toward election monitoring, while the 25-nation bloc plans to provide Palestinians with 250 million (US $331.18 million) in humanitarian and other aid next year, Ferrero-Waldner said. A debt, that will never be repaided. Making the palestinians a puppet to the EU.  DW

But Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, urged caution.

Despite "encouraging signals ... we should be very cautious, going step by step" toward implementing the "road map" peace plan drafted by the United Nations, the United States, the EU and Russia.

The plan, which envisions a Palestinian state alongside Israel, stalled shortly after its launch in June 2003.

Shalom's comments contrasted with the harsh tone that has emanated from Jerusalem in recent years, when Israel discounted Arafat as a credible partner and virtually imprisoned him in his West Bank compound in the last years of his life.

Mahmoud Abbas, the interim Palestinian leader, is the leading candidate to succeed Arafat, and Shalom expressed hope that dialogue will follow the elections. He said the two sides "agreed we have a window of opportunity."

There has been a lull in violence since Arafat's death on November 11. Terrorist groups have signaled to Abbas they would not try to disrupt the run-up to the elections.

Shalom and Bot also said Israel and the EU were close to reaching an accord on a political and economic "partnership agreement" that would provide for an EU role in Middle East peacemaking and a code of conduct on such sensitive issues as human rights and the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

But the EU and Israel disagree on wording that stresses the importance of diplomacy to resolve regional disputes. Shalom said the EU was "fully aware of the threat" to Israel's security from Iran, which has been flirting with nuclear technology that may eventually give Tehran nuclear weapons.

The Euro-Mediterranean meeting was also an opportunity for Libya - which for years has been cold-shouldered by the EU and the United States who accuse it of sponsoring terrorism - to show it wants to improve ties and join the EU's economic and political Mediterranean outreach program.

Since 1995, the EU has been at pains to increase economic growth and cooperation among countries on the southern and eastern rims of the Mediterranean. It aims to establish a Euro-Mediterranean free trade zone by 2010. I bet the Euro-Mediterranean free trade zone, never happens. I think God will have something to say about that.  DW

The EU's Euro-Mediterranean trade and aid program has funneled 3 billion (US $4 billion) a year into Mediterranean nations since 1995. It plans to soon complete "neighborhood" accords with Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Israel, Syria and the Palestinian Authority, providing for economic and political cooperation.

Egypt, Lebanon and Algeria are on a slower track.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1101788151640&p=1078397702269

Tom I could not agree more.  I am however cautious.  We certainly know from scripture that no man knows the day nor the hour, which I would never speculate on, but its becoming extremely evident the storm clouds are gathering...with haste!   There is nothing left to fulfill IMO for the Christ to return for His bride.   At present, current events could not be more ready for rapid fulfillment of the rest that is written in Daniel and Revelation.

We have 10 nation alliance in WEU, seeking world dominance.
The alliance has a powerful leader overseeing them.  
The world is focused on peace in Israel.
Gog(Magog) is in place. Russia.
The kings from east are in place (2,000,000 man army.)
Technology is available for cashless transactions, and ID via chip implants.
Temple items are prepared and ready for use...just missing a Jewish temple.

If the rapture happened tonight, its not hard to see the stack of dominoes running its course in the items mentioned above.   The pieces are clearly set up...just waiting for God to set it in motion.  

May God put a fire in our hearts to bring in lost souls while there is still time.

Grace and Peace!

Brothers,

Something else, when Roman empire was in Israel. The EU needs Israel to hold the same terriorty as the orginal Roman empire. Russia needs to become a major player again. Which I believe is happening right now.

Resting in the Lords arms, and looking up.
Bob

tidbit of info, the next ruler (president of the un) will be the 8th! The UN is the wiorld power. What if the next leader becomes the beast thru possession?

Also the rapture debate can be looked at differently, by seeing 2 groups, rather than one, thus the pre trib, mid trib, post trib, confusion goes away....

There is the woman, bearing the manchild, if not seen as mary and Jesus, it could be the bride, among the church (the woman, laodicia)...How? well song of soloman shows the bride in the wilderness leaning upon the beloved (Jesus)...And he takes her back too her Mother (the church) who says "Who is your beloved?"

Also the book of rev is a book of Prophecy...(future events) not past...as in Jesus birth and mary and Israel...Just a thought...

December 03, 2004 Kislev 20, 5765

 Moratinos: Barghouti candidacy a mistake    
By Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondent

The European Union will spare no effort to ensure that the disengagement from Gaza takes place within the framework of the road map peace plan and leads to full implementation of this plan, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos told Haaretz on Thursday.
Moratinos, who helped draft the road map in his former capacity as the EU's envoy to the Middle East, was on his first visit to Israel since becoming foreign minister.

Moratinos stressed that he views disengagement as a positive step. But to ensure continuity and stability, he said, it must become part of the road map. Gaza will be the train's first stop, but it must not be the last: The train must keep moving toward the final destination of a Palestinian state, he said.

Moratinos expressed unreserved support for new Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, saying that Europe is "preparing a red carpet for him" - including economic aid. He urged Israel to help Abbas as well, by removing all closures and checkpoints not essential for security.

Moratinos believes that it would be a mistake for Marwan Barghouti to run against Abbas for the post of Palestinian Authority chairman, but said he expects the Fatah movement, to which both men belong, to persuade Barghouti to drop his candidacy. Moratinos personally urged several members of the Palestinian leadership to do so, he said, telling them that they must ensure that Abbas receives full legitimacy as a leader so that he can persuade the Palestinian public to stop the intifada.

Moratinos also believes that other Arab leaders are trying to build a new, more positive strategy, because they know that they are under the West's scrutiny. For instance, he said, he recently met with Syrian President Bashar Assad, and he believes that the positive messages Assad has sent to Israel are not mere public relations, but rather reflect Assad's understanding of the new international reality created by President George Bush's reelection, problems in Syria's relations with France, and the situation in Iraq. Assad needs Europe, Moratinos said, and he understands that to obtain Europe's help, he needs to demonstrate movement.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/509710.html

By the way, it's Secretary-General not president.
For those that don't know who has been S.G. Here is a short bio., on the 7 Secretary-Generals.

Trygve Lie was the United Nations first Secretary-General. In 1946, he was appointed Secretary-General. Lie was known to be an internationalist and this was in his favour when the UN came to appointing its first Secretary-General. Lie resigned from his position in 1953.

Dag Hammerskjöld was the second Secretary-General of the United Nations.  In April 1953, he succeeded Trygve Lie as Secretary-General of the United Nations.  Hammerskjöld was re-elected to this position in 1957.  He was killed in a plane crash near Ndola on the borders of Zambia.

U Thant was the UN's third Secretary-General. He was appointed full Secretary-General in November 1962. U Thant resigned in 1971

The fourth Secretary General Kurt Waldheim was appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations for a five-year term beginning on 1 January 1972.

The fifth Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar assumed office as Secretary-General of the United Nations on 1 January 1982. On 10 October 1986, he was appointed for a second term of office, which began on 1 January 1987.

Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali became the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations on 1 January 1992, when he began a five-year term. At the time of his appointment by the General Assembly on 3 December 1991

Kofi Annan  of Ghana is the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations. The first Secretary-General to be elected from the ranks of United Nations staff, he began his first term on 1 January 1997. On 29 June 2001, acting on a recommendation by the Security Council, the General Assembly appointed him by acclamation to a second term of office, beginning on 1 January 2002 and ending on 31 December 2006.

Surveillance and fingerprinting EU

Compulsory fingerprinting for EU citizens is set to be fast-tracked by Europe’s justice ministers on Thursday.

The move has angered MEPs after national governments linked quick European Parliament approval for digital ‘biometric’ passports to new justice powers.

Ministers are also to push through controversial measures compelling data retention of telecoms traffic data.

The move will depart from existing EU privacy law to allow access to SMS, mobile phone and internet records by police and security agencies.

MEPs are angry that both measures are being pushed through during heightened anti-terrorist scares and without proper democratic scrutiny by national or the EU parliaments.
 
“The 25 EU governments are using their untrammelled powers to push through these measures on a dodgy basis, meeting in secret and bypassing full scrutiny of both MEPs and national MPs,” said Liberal MEP Sarah Ludford.

“These measures may well be disproportionate to the threats they are supposed to counteract. But the costs and security claims are withheld from proper scrutiny, and data protection safeguards are not spelled out.”

Civil liberties watchdogs and MEPs are concerned that meetings of EU ministers are bypassing parliaments to agree draconian legislation.
 
“Once they are pushed through, national parliaments will be unable to stop the consequences, which could include widespread access to our personal data and further discrimination against ethnic minorities through 'stop and search',” said Ludford.

“The way EU law is currently made in the internal security field is a democratic scandal, showing how desperately we need more open and accountable methods, as the EU constitution will ensure.”

The introduction of ‘biometric’ facial and fingerprint digital data on EU passports will see the mandatory fingerprinting of Europeans without proper debate.

Portugal is the only EU country to routinely fingerprint its citizens, with fingerprinting limited to criminal investigations in other European states.

National governments have told MEPs that new moves to extend the European Parliament’s will come after a rubber stamp for biometrics.

German, Hungarian and Slovakian data protection commissioners have joined campaigners in Statewatch, Privacy International and European Digital Rights to urge MEPs to reject ‘biometric’ passports.

“This is an unnecessary and rushed policy that will have hazardous effects on Europeans' right to privacy,” said a joint letter.

“We are calling on the European Parliament to reject this policy… We urge the parliament to oppose the creation of an EU-wide database of personal data.

“We further urge the parliament to oppose mandatory fingerprinting as an unnecessary and disproportionate act.”

http://www.eupolitix.com/EN/News/200412/9dfb8a4f-0b98-4a9f-a251-8775fbfd441b.htm

Hmmmmmm.........
Resting in the arms of Jesus.
Bob

French Socialists say 'yes' to Constitution
02.12.2004 - 08:17 CET | By Richard Carter

French Socialists have overwhelmingly voted in favour of the Constitution with a massive turnout, according to party officials.

Over 95,000 of the possible 127,027 eligible to vote turned out to cast their ballot and indications are that the "yes" camp received between 55 and 60 percent of the vote.

In Paris, the "yes" camp won 65 percent of the votes, according to media reports. And in the crucial area of Pas-de-Calais, the party’s biggest region, which the "no" campaign had hoped to win, 59 percent of people voted "yes", with 85 percent of the vote counted.

Party members were asked to reply "yes" or "no" to the simple question "Do you agree with the European Constitution".

The leader of the "yes" camp, party leader Francois Hollande told AFP, "this victory is a rallying cry to others" and said that the Socialists could be "genuinely proud of themselves and their party".

Admitting defeat
Admitting defeat, Laurent Fabius, the deputy leader who led opposition to the Treaty said, "I take note of the vote but I certainly regret it".

The official results will not be available until Friday (3 December), but the result of the vote is in no doubt.

And the overwhelming "yes" – which follows months of fierce debate within the Socialist party – is likely to boost French President Jacques Chirac’s campaign for a "yes" in the national referendum, to be held as early as May next year.

Both main parties will now be campaigning in favour of the Constitution, although neither will be completely united on the issue. Eurosceptic parties, along with Communists and the far-right Front National party will campaign against.

Opinion polls currently show that the French people are broadly in favour of the Constitution, but France has a history of producing close votes on European issues.

The Constitution must be ratified by all 25 Member States before it can come into force.
http://www.worthynews.com/zone.cgi?http://www.euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=17891

Continuing to watch this agreement very closely.

source:  http://www.euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=17914

Spanish foreign minister backs 'virtual membership' for Israel
03.12.2004 - 09:55 CET |

By Andrew Beatty Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos has said the EU should offer Israel a privileged partnership, offering all the benefits of EU membership, without participation in the institutions.

Mr Moratinos – formerly the EU’s representative in the Middle East – told an audience in Tel Aviv on Thursday that current links between the EU and Israel are not enough.

"If Turkey is going to receive the green light to start negotiations for full integration into the EU, Israel should obtain the same benefits, with the single difference that we respect that Israel will not become a full member of the Union", he said.

Mr Moratinos backed a partnership with Israel which is more than the Association Agreement which currently governs relations.

The EU and Israel are currently locked in talks to negotiate a new agreement under the EU’s European Neighbourhood Policy.

However, that agreement stops well short of what ex-Commission President Romano Prodi described as "everything but institutions", offering all the benefits of the EU except representation in the Council, Commission and Parliament.

Mr Moratinos’ proposal appears to take up Mr Prodi’s interpretation.

He backed full Israeli participation in the EU’s internal market as well as free movement of citizens.
END article
**********************************************

Virtual membership?  Very interesting indeed!!!

Mr Moratinos being the Spanish Foreign Minister  (which Javier Solana once was), and prior EU envoy to the middle east in all likelyhood worked for Mr Solana previously.   The question should be asked, is this deal coming from Morantinos, or is it really coming from Solana?   ;)

And even more importantly is....does Dan 9:27 loom within this agreement?    I have a strong hunch about this, but we shall see soon enough.  

Maranatha!

Continuing to follow this, I came across the following link to an interview on another website.   I litterally had to pick my jaw up off the floor several times as read it.   An author by the name of Bat Ye'or is interviewed by frontpage magazine in regards to her new book Eurabia: The Euro-Arab Axis.   The interview is too long to post here, but it is simply a must read if you want to begin to understand what is happening as the world takes a harder stand against America and Israel.   Also makes sense of why the Euro nations refuse to help in Iraq and desire to take the lead in the Israeli peace process.

This interview covers it all...

Solana, Europe, Arabs, Israeli's, America, jihad, President Bush, Senator Kerry, oil, economics, Christians, etc etc.   The main theme presented is that America's plan of democracy in the mid-east and the nation of Israel are the real threat, not the Islamic Jihad.   The connection between Arab nations and Europe (Eurabia) begins to make total sense in light of whats happening globally, and what we have been learning about Solana, Europe and America in Bible prophecy.  America is already more at war than we realize.

All I can say is, read it for yourself and you will see what I mean.  

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=15044


Friends, I have little doubt now that we are headed straight for home plate.   Its time to take inventory in our lives and insure that we are bearing fruit for the Lord.   He is coming very soon.

Maranatha!

After snooping around a bit more on the European Neighborhood Policy (http://europa.eu.int/comm/world/enp/index_en.htm) info site, I have discovered that the EU has a 7 year budget term for this program which Mr Solana heads up.   It comes as no  surprised to me that Mr Solana will be giving a mid term report on the status of each member nations compliance to the action plan.    ;)

Here's a small clip...


The Commission will draw up periodic reports on progress and on areas requiring further efforts, taking into account assessments made by the authorities of the partner country. The Action Plans will be reviewed and may be adapted in the light of progress towards meeting the priorities for action. It is suggested that a “mid-term” report be prepared by the  Commission, with the contribution of the High Representative on issues related to political co-operation and the CFSP, within two years of the approval of an action plan and a further report within three years. These reports can serve as a basis for the Council to decide the next step in contractual links with each partner country. These could take the form of European Neighbourhood Agreements whose scope will be defined in the light of progress in meeting the priorities set out in the Action Plans.

Entire article in adobe acrobate form here: http://europa.eu.int/comm/world/enp/pdf/strategy/Strategy_Paper_EN.pdf

BTW, the next budget cycle is set to begin in 2007.   Not date setting here, just making an observation.

I am wondering though, how a virtual member state figures into this program  ???  And why is Israel only being considered on a virtual basis  ???

Maranatha!

"A Nation that Dwells Alone":
The UN-ique Lock-Out of Israel from the Global Arena

"Believe it or not, Israel is the only one of the 185 member countries ineligible to serve on the United Nations Security Council, the key deliberative group of the world body.  Even Iraq is eligible. So is Iran. And so, too, are Cuba, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria.  Why is it that these seven nations, all cited by the U.S. State Department as sponsors of terrorism, are eligible to serve rotation terms on the Security Council, yet Israel, a democratic nation and member of the UN since 1949, is not?
     "To be eligible for election, a country must belong to a regional group. Every UN member state - from the smallest to the largest - is included in one of the five regional groups.  By geography, Israel should be part of the Asian bloc, but such countries as Iraq and Saudi Arabia have prevented its entry for decades.  As a temporary measure, Israel has sought acceptance in the West European and Others Groups (WEOG), which includes not only the democracies of Western Europe but also Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Turkey and the United States.  Here, too, despite the support of several countries, including the U.S., Israel still has not been admitted.
     "Thus without membership in a regional group, Israel can never be elected to serve a term on the Security Council or, for that matter, to the other most important bodies of the UN system, such as the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the World Court, UNICEF and the Commission on Human Rights.
     "The United Nations Charter proclaims, 'the equal rights... of nations large and small.' But only Israel, among all the UN members, is denied the right to belong to any regional group.
<snip>

What Does This Mean for Israel as a UN Member?
The UN's discriminatory behavior against Israel is nothing new. However, the Jewish and Israeli public are largely unaware of this unique ostracism which that country has endured for its entire membership in the UN.

The Regional Groups: Working Cells of the UN
The five Regional Groups are the member-pool from which are chosen all voting members of ALL United Nations commissions, councils and other decision-making committees. In other words, Israel -- and only Israel -- is prohibited from every single meaningful contribution of which a UN member is capable. In terms of past, present and future impact on the world community through its prime agency, Israel does not exist.

Before exploring how and why this happened, we first need to appreciate what it means to be the only UN member state so handicapped.  The point is driven home by focusing on the first group mentioned by the AJC as off-limits to Israel: the ECOSOC, or Economic and Social Council.

(1) Membership in the ECOSOC currently numbers 55 seats. Council members work closely with the Secretary General, who has referred to them as second in importance only to the Security Council.  UN reform proposals include plans to further expand ECOSOC governing powers.  But the process of winning a term on the ECOSOC is something of a mystery. What qualifications are necessary to be one of these 55 movers-and-shakers in the UN?  A stand against terrorism?  At least two ECOSOC members sponsor terrorism: Cuba and Korea.  It can't be size or economic clout - current members include Saint Lucia (not even 3% of Israel's size, its location unknown to most).  A pledge to fight extremism?  Not with Pakistan and Algeria serving.  Perhaps it is a function of what the Soviets used to call "proteksia" - friends in high places.  But then how did America's old nemesis Vietnam get elected, while their "most stable ally and the only democracy in the Middle East" has never served - and never can?  It seems ECOSOC members seem to have nothing in common besides inclusion in one of the Regional Groups.

(2) The ECOSOC controls considerable UN activity beyond its own. A recently published agenda of ECOSOC (April 98) shows that this year they elected fellow-member states to a total of nearly 230 seats on at least 20 UN Commissions and Committees, including Human Rights, Natural Resources, the Status of Women, Sustainable Development, and Non-Governmental Organizations (the CNGO itself controls a 1600-strong forum of global activist organizations). All of these are involved in shaping, evaluating and/or enforcing UN policy beyond the ECOSOC itself.

Yet Israel will never have input in tackling those issues.  Israel does not officially belong to any Regional Group.

It's a queer clerical error, no doubt, which has escaped the attention of this august body for an amazing length of time.  [Although Israel's presence certainly has not escaped UN notice, which judging from the number of negative resolutions constitutes an obsession!  The Israeli Mission to the UN estimates that roughly 25% of all UN debates and resolutions relate to only one of their 185 members.]

Beyond Politics
One other possibility exists for Israel to have a say in the pivotal ECOSOC.  It is found under the heading "Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations" (CNGO, one of the 20 committees mentioned above). Perhaps here, through the time-honored strategy of "a back-door, low-profile" involvement, Israel might still make her voice heard in ECOSOC, filtered through a non-political "Jewish" presence.  It might be expected that if politics is the offending element, the UN would be even more eager to receive contributions from apolitical, humanitarian channels supported by centuries of Jewish tradition. And yes, there does appear to be a Jewish "representation" among the NGOs. But again, some explanation is necessary to appreciate our true global standing.

The CNGO is described as a significant group "in consultative status [to the UN] as a result of action taken by the ECOSOC". In plain language, the 55-member ECOSOC decides whose input is appropriate for the CNGO; the criteria are not published, only the results. Securing a copy the CNGO members' list from July 1997, I searched for clearly identifiable Jewish NGOs, any group ranging from world-famous to obscure.  In anticipation of the challenge that perhaps religious representation in general is discouraged in the CNGO, I have listed other religions for comparison. "Pan-Eastern" refers to religions that proclaim "all ways lead to God", which includes faiths of the Far East. [But now I must confess to cheating: in order to improve the Jewish showing, I counted both ethnic and religious orgs, whereas I ignored other ethnic-religious associations such as "Arab" in the case of "Moslem".]  Even though this survey is rough and unofficial, the reader will have no trouble sizing up the Jewish people's chances of influencing the UN in a non-governmental context.
---------
Group 1 ("General Consultants", numbering 88) -  Catholic: 1. Other Christian: 1. Pan-Eastern: 4. Islamic: 3. Jewish: 0.

Group 2 ("Special Consultants", numbering 602) - Catholic: 15. Other Christian: 24. Pan-Eastern: 13. 6. Islamic: 8. Jewish: 10.

Before we congratulate ourselves on our showing among the "Special Consultants" to the UN, it must be noted that this category includes such global heavyweights as the International Federation of Beekeepers, the International Black Sea Club, the Federation of European Motorcyclists, and the International Kolping [sic] Society.

Group 3, "The Roster", appears to be the real influence in the CNGO.  The UN document makes only passing reference to the first two Groups.  It then describes in detail the three ways in which NGOs may qualify for the Roster, and lists them according to the way they were admitted.  So how did Jewish groups fare in the prestigious Roster"?

Group 3 ("The Roster", numbering 666) [sic!]:

  Subgroup 3a (appointed by ECOSOC with CNGO's recommendation) - Catholic: 1. Other Christian: 7. Pan-Eastern: 12. Islamic: 2. Jewish: 1.
[Sidenote: A notable member of this Roster subgroup, since 1988, is Lucis Trust, originally founded as Lucifer Trust. Their mission in life is to promote the religious teachings of the blatantly antisemitic occultist, Alice A. Bailey. Their influence as UN consultants is summed up in the fact that Bailey's teaching is the backbone for the UN-sponsored, UN-prizewinning World Core Curriculum, the new global model for education.]
  Subgroup 3b (appointed by the Secretary General) - no obvious religious groups at all.
  Subgroup 3c (appointed by virtue of association with other UN bodies) - Catholic: 8. Other Christian: 1. Pan-Eastern: 4. Islamic: 3. Jewish: 1.

<snip>
http://searchlight.iwarp.com/articles/UNandIsrael.html

German Opposition: Immigrants Must Adapt

2 hours, 45 minutes ago
Europe - AP

By TONY CZUCZKA, Associated Press Writer

BERLIN - Immigrants must adapt to Germany's majority Christian-influenced culture because efforts to create a multicultural society are doomed to failure, the country's main opposition leader said Monday.

Angela Merkel laid out her position at a party meeting that re-elected her as head of the Christian Democratic Union amid a national debate over how to integrate foreign residents — particularly Turks and Arabs — into German society.

"We always knew it: The idea of a multicultural society cannot succeed," Merkel said. "It is doomed to failure from the start."

German culture is open to outside influences, "but it is a culture in which we celebrate official Christian holidays, not Muslim holidays," she told some 1,000 national convention delegates in Duesseldorf.

A long-dormant debate over immigration and integration of 7 million foreigners living in Germany — about half of them Muslims — has erupted sharply since last month's murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh in the Netherlands.

A critic of Islam, van Gogh was stabbed to death Nov. 2 in Amsterdam. Islamic radical Mohammed Bouyeri, a dual Dutch and Moroccan citizen has been charged with the murder.

Van Gogh's killing and an ensuing wave of attacks on Dutch mosques and churches raised fears for some German politicians that the strife may spill across the border.

Merkel reiterated that her party opposes giving European Union membership to Turkey and prefers negotiating a "privileged partnership" with the secular Muslim country.

She also sought to strike patriotic tones, saying she favors a national day of remembrance for ethnic Germans who were expelled or fled eastern Europe after the Nazi defeat in World War II.

The CDU, the party of former Chancellor Helmut Kohl, narrowly lost federal elections in 2002 to Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats.

Merkel's convention speech was a key chance to rally her conservative party before two state elections in the first half of next year, following poor showings in several state elections this year. She is also positioning herself as a possible challenger to Schroeder in fall 2006 elections.

Later Monday, convention delegates voted by a margin of 839 to 110 to re-elect Merkel as party chairwoman for another two years. That gave Merkel, who ran unopposed, the support of 88.4 percent of delegates.

In her speech, Merkel attacked Schroeder's economic record, pointing to sluggish growth and a jobless rate stuck around 10 percent. Playing to Germans' pride in their country's economic might, she pledged to make Germany the engine of Europe's economy again.

"I want German interests to be respected again," she said. "I am sick of reading everywhere that we are the 'sick man of Europe.' I am not going to be satisfied with mediocrity instead of place at the top."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=518&ncid=732&e=7&u=/ap/20041207/ap_on_re_eu/germany_opposition

This WEEK in the European Union
06.12.2004 - 09:41 CET | By Lisbeth Kirk

EUOBSERVER / WEEKLY AGENDA (6 Dec – 12 Dec) – This week the Dutch presidency is coming closer to ending with a number of Council meetings and high-level summits on the agenda.

On Wednesday the seventh summit meeting between the EU and China will be held at the Binnenhof, the political centre of The Netherlands.

This issue of lifting the 15-year old ban on arms sales - put in place following the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 – has been on the EU’s agenda for months, with no agreement so far.

Ahead of an EU-China summit, Chinese diplomats have warned that a decision not to lift the embargo could have consequences for future ties.

Premier Wen Jiabao of the People’s Republic of China is to meet a total line up of EU top figures ranking from President of the European Council, Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, the EU’s High Representative Javier Solana, European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bernard Bot.

Powell to meet Troika
On Friday, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard Bot will host the semi-annual ministerial meeting between the European Union and the US, also at The Hague.

This meeting will be held in the so-called ‘Troika format’ with the participation of the US Secretary of State Colin Powell, High Representative Javier Solana and the European Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

Transatlantic relations is one of the priorities of the Dutch Presidency.

Three Council meetings
The week will also see three Council meetings.

On Monday and Tuesday the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs ministers are to meet in the Justus Lipsius Building in Brussels with a packed agenda ranging from food, medicines, Aids to organisation of working time and working conditions for temporary workers.

On Tuesday Economic and Financial Affairs ministers gather for their regular monthly meeting in Brussels expected to deal with a reform of the Stability and Growth Pact and the legal proceedings against Greece for under-reporting its budget deficit by billions of euro since 1997.

And on Thursday Transport, Telecommunications and Energy ministers will meet.

Parliament prepares for Turkey decision
The European Parliament will devote activities to meetings of the political groups and to preparations for the Strasbourg plenary session next week which is to vote on the opening of EU membership negotiations with Turkey.

On Thursday, the heads of the political groups in the European Parliament meet to discuss continuation of proceedings against Leyla Zana and a proposal for setting up an ad-hoc delegation to Turkey.

The Kurdish campaigner and human rights activist Leyla Zana was in Brussels in October to collect the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize which she was awarded in 1995. She was released from Turkish prison in June.

On Monday Graham Watson, Leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) will open a conference in the European Parliament on Turkey and its application for membership of the European Union.

The conference is organised by the NGO, No Peace Without Justice.

On Thursday, the ventre-right EPP-ED group in the European Parliament is hosting an expert hearing on the Services directive and on Tuesday the same group has organised a hearing on Roma people in an enlarged Europe.

Launch of Anna Lindh Programme on Conflict Prevention
On Monday Javier Solana, High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and President of the Madariaga European Foundation, will address journalists on conflict prevention to mark the official beginning of the Anna Lindh Programme on Conflict Prevention.

The programme bears the name of late Swedish foreign minister Anna Lindh, who was murdered in September 2003.

The Committee of the Regions turns the spotlight on financing of trans-European transport networks at a seminar on Monday in Riga.

On Tuesday, a one-day International High-level European Policy Summit in Brussels organised by Friends of Europe, in partnership with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung will focus on "The Politics of the New Balkan Economy".

Ending the week, Turkish Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdo&#287;an will appear as key-note speaker at the fourth gathering of Turkey Platform on Friday in Brussels.

http://www.euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=17917

Well now that I have picked myself off the floor.

Here are some <snips>
 

Resolution of the Arab/Israeli conflict is a strategic priority
for Europe

Building Security in our Neighbourhood Even in an era of globalisation, geography is still important. It is in the European interest that countries on our borders are well-governed. Neighbours who are engaged in violent conflict, weak states where organised crime flourishes, dysfunctional societies or exploding population growth on its borders all pose problems forEurope.

The integration of acceding states increases our security but also brings the EU closer to troubled areas. Our task is to promote a ring of well governed countries to the East of the European Union and on the borders of the Mediterranean with whom we can enjoy close and cooperative relations.

The importance of this is best illustrated in the Balkans. Through our concerted efforts with the US, Russia, NATO and other international partners, the stability of the region is no longer threatened by the outbreak of major conflict. The credibility of our foreign policy depends on the consolidation of our achievements there. The European perspective offers both a strategic objective and an incentive for reform.

It is not in our interest that enlargement should create new dividing lines in Europe. We need to extend the benefits of economic and political cooperation to our neighbours in the East while tackling political problems there. We should now take a stronger and more active interest in the problems of the Southern Caucasus, which will in due course also be a neighbouring region. Resolution of the Arab/Israeli conflict is a strategic priority for Europe. Without this, there will be little chance of dealing with other problems in the Middle East.

The European Union must remain engaged and ready to commit resources to the problem until it is solved. The two state solution - which Europe has long supported- is now widely accepted. Implementing it will require a united and cooperative effort by the European Union, the United States, the United Nations and Russia, and the countries of the region, but above all by the Israelis and the Palestinians themselves.

It is a condition of a rule-based international order that law evolves in response to developments
such as proliferation, terrorism and global warming. We have an interest in further developing
existing institutions such as the World Trade Organisation and in supporting new ones such as the
International Criminal Court. Our own experience in Europe demonstrates that security can be
increased through confidence building and arms control regimes. Such instruments can also make
an important contribution to security and stability in our neighbourhood and beyond.

As a Union of 25 members, spending more than 160 billion Euros on defence, we should be able to sustain several operations simultaneously. We could add particular value by developing operations involving both military and civilian capabilities.

We need to be able to act before countries around us deteriorate, when signs of proliferation are detected, and before humanitarian emergencies arise. Preventive engagement can avoid more serious problems in the future. A European Union which takes greater responsibility and which is more active will be one which carries greater political weight.

In almost every major intervention, military efficiency has been followed by civilian chaos. We need greater capacity to bring all necessary civilian resources to bear in crisis and post crisissituations.

Stronger diplomatic capability: we need a system that combines the resources of Member States with those of EU institutions. Dealing with problems that are more distant and more foreign requires better understanding and communication.

Conclusion
This is a world of new dangers but also of new opportunities. The European Union has the potential to make a major contribution, both in dealing with the threats and in helping realise the opportunities. An active and capable European Union would make an impact on a global scale. In doing so, it would contribute to an effective multilateral system leading to a fairer, safer and more united world.

http://ue.eu.int/uedocs/cmsUpload/78367.pdf

I was searching for something else when I ran across this........
You will need pdf reader. 2T, you need to read this.

Resting in Gods arms.
Bob

DW, this is exactly what I have been hammering away at in my last few posts.   This article lies en-couched within The European Neighborhood Policy.   I am not sure how the UN  in its current form have any credibility.  I think there has to be some changes there if they are going to play any meaningful role, and this article seems to address that in some detail, as to how the EU wants to empower them with the right tools and structure in order to do what they are suppose to be doing now.

From what I have been seeing in most of these documents, if we are as close as I think we are, I believe the ENP will likely be the covenant with many.

A few verses that keep coming to mind as I read these are....

Dan 7:23  Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, [......]

No question the EU fits this to a tee.

Dan 7:25  [.....speaking of the AC] and think to change times and laws: [...]

Also fitting exactly what the EU is attempting to do with UN and Solana's ENP program.

Dan 9:27  And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:[....]


Confirm a covenant with who?  MANY!  Not necessarily just Israel.   The ENP would do just that.  An agreement with 25 EU member states and 17 non member states....definitely a covenant with many...and how odd is it that Israel would be the only Virtual member of that deal?  

I'm trying to be open minded as I follow this, but the more I look into the ENP, the more it makes sense.   No choice but to continue watching at this point.   I might be wrong, but the co-incidentals are getting difficult to overlook as all this evolves.

Maranatha!

As everyone knows, the EU is against terrorism.

Javier Solana
Brussels, 2 December 2004
S335/04
Javier SOLANA,
EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, welcomes the decision by the Colombian Government to pardon a group of guerrillas High Representative Solana welcomes the important decision by the Colombian government to pardon twenty-three members of the FARC. He considers it a significant gesture. The High Representative restates the EU's calls for the immediate and unconditional release by illegal armed groups of all detained hostages. Such an act could be undertaken in the framework of a humanitarian agreement, which hopefully would contribute to the peace process in Colombia.

This statement is attributable to Cristina Gallach, Spokesperson of HR Solana.

http://ue.eu.int/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/declarations/82935.pdf

Now since I didn't know what FARC was, I googled.............

Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarios de Colombia - FARC

Description

Growing out of the turmoil and fighting in the 1950s between liberal and conservative militias, the FARC was established in 1964 by the Colombian Communist Party to defend what were then autonomous Communist-controlled rural areas. The FARC is Latin America’s oldest, largest, most capable, and best-equipped insurgency of Marxist origin. Although only nominally fighting in support of Marxist goals today, the FARC is governed by a general secretariat led by longtime leader Manuel Marulanda (a.k.a. “Tirofi jo”) and six others, including senior military commander Jorge Briceno (a.k.a. “Mono Jojoy”). It is organized along military lines and includes several units that operate mostly in key urban areas such as Bogota. In 2003, the FARC conducted several high profile terrorist attacks, including a February car-bombing of a Bogota nightclub that killed more than 30 persons and wounded more than 160, as well as a November grenade attack in Bogota’s restaurant district that wounded three Americans.

Activities

Bombings, murder, mortar attacks, narcotrafficking, kidnapping, extortion, hijacking, as well as guerrilla and conventional military action against Colombian political, military, and economic targets. In March 1999, the FARC executed three US Indian rights activists on Venezuelan territory after it kidnapped them in Colombia. In February 2003, the FARC captured and continues to hold three US contractors and killed one other American and a Colombian when their plane crashed in Florencia. Foreign citizens often are targets of FARC kidnapping for ransom. The FARC has well-documented ties to the full range of narcotics trafficking activities, including taxation, cultivation, and distribution.

http://www.fas.org/irp/world/para/farc.htm

Now if they are against terrorism, what are they doing appulading the release of terrorist?

2T, I think both you and I are on the same trail. We are just following different paths.

Resting in the Lord's arms.
Bob

06.12.2004 - 09:55 CET   | By EUobserver.com

http://www.euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=17922

1. Turkey debate
2. Ukraine
3. China
4. Constitution
5. Foreign Affairs
6. Economy
7. News Round-Up

Turkey debate

France has set three conditions for Turkey
French President Jacques Chirac has put down three conditions for Turkey: if the membership talks fail, Turkey has to settle for less, even if the talks succeed French people should still have a right to reject it in a referendum and the talks should not start until the second half of 2005, writes the FT. Chirac wants to make sure that the Turkey issue will not dominate the European Constitution referendum, expected to take place in spring next year.

Accession negotiation with Turkey should start 2005, says Italian Foreign Minister
Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini confirmed that Italy will agree to open accession negotiations with Turkey at the decisive Summit on December 17. If it would be up to Italy to decide, negotiations could start as early as 2005, Fini said on Saturday in Parliament. Membership, however, could take place only in 2014. There will be a consensus in Europe that Turkey cannot become a member earlier than that, Fini said, according to Italian news wire AGI.

German opposition up rhetoric against Turkey
The German Christian Democrat opposition has become louder in its opposition to Turksih EU membership. The leaders of the CDU and CSU, Angela Merkel and Edmund Stoiber, have sent a letter to the German Chancellor, "in great concern" about Europe’s future. In it they ask Gerhard Schröder to prevent the membership negotiations with Turkey, due to be agreed at the end of next week, from leading to full EU membership.

Ukraine

EU to send observers to Ukrainian re-election
The European Union is planning to send 500-800 observers to monitor the Ukrainian elections, according to Elmar Brok, head of the European Parliament foreign affairs committee. Speaking to Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung Mr Brok indicated the initiative had been agreed with the EU foreign affairs chief Javier Solana.

A re-run of Ukrainian general elections is scheduled for 26 December following weeklong protests over alleged fraud in the first poll. The opposition has demanded changes of the election committee ahead of the new poll, reported Financial Times Deutschland

Polish MEPs clash over Ukraine elections
Gazeta Wyborcza reports that Polish MEPs, Micha&#322; Kaminski and Filip Adwent, have locked horns over the Ukraine. The spat began when Kaminski, from the Law and Justice Party, accused Adwent, from the League of Polish Families, of peddling Russian propaganda about Yushchenko’s alleged anti-semitism. Meanwhile, Polish president Aleksander Kwasniewski, is set to fly in to Kiev today to mediate between the orange and blue camps in the run up to the new elections.

Ukraine would be "too much" for us
In an interview with FAZ, Günter Verheugen, the former European Commissioner for enlargement, says that beginning accession negotiations with the Ukraine would be "too much" for the EU. He said that Kiev’s eventual membership of the EU cannot be excluded. "We cannot categorically say to any European land that they will never be taken on in the European Union", said Verheugen. However, he added that Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Russia and the Caucasus are not on Brussels’ agenda at the moment.

China

Division over Chinese arms embargo
As the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, begins a visit to China, his coalition government remain divided by his wish to see the arms embargo ended. The situation with Tibet as well as human rights concerns are the main reasons for opposition to lifting the embargo.

Meanwhile, the FT reports that most of the EU member states want to lift the arms embargo on China. The issue will be discussed on Wednesday during the EU-China Summit. However it will be impossible to lift the ban this week - it is likely that the ban will be removed during the first half of next year.

Constitution

Madrid fears low turn out for Constitutional poll
The Spanish government has warned Brussels up to 60% of Spaniards may not vote in the referendum on the European Constitutional Treaty.

French Socialist leadership has no benefits from EU Constitution poll
Francois Hollande, the leader of the French Socialists who last week saw victory when his party voted in favour of the European Constitution, is not reaping the political benefits. A poll for Liberation, carried out by BVA and France Inter, shows that a majority in the party still favour Lionel Jospin as a candidate for the general elections in 2007. Meanwhile, other French papers report on how the party is repositioning itself after the ‘yes’ vote.

Foreign Affairs

France and Poland strive to warm up relations
Gazeta Wyborcza indicates that president Jacques Chirac is set to visit Kraków and Auschwitz on January 27, while French and Polish leaders have tabled a major summit for late February or early March in France. The move is aimed at improving Franco-Polish relations, which Chirac damaged in 2003 by saying the Poles should keep their mouth shut on Iraq.

Bush calls for cooperation
The US President, George W. Bush has written to his European Commission homologue calling for the EU and US to work together on "key issues" on the international agenda, according to Correio da Manhã.

Economy

Barroso aims for June budget deal
Commission President Jose Manuel Durão Barroso has said he wants to have an agreement of the EU’s budget for 2007-2013 before June 2005 according to
Correio da Manhã.

Washington offers truce with Europe on Airbus-Boeing
The EU Commission for Trade, Peter Mandelson, will meet his US counterpart Robert Zoellick for the first time on Monday amid signs of a temporary truce in the row over government aid for rivals Boeing and Airbus, reports Les Echos.

UK to protect its companies from EU laws
The UK government is preparing to change the corporate tax system in order to protect its companies from the possible future European Court of Justice rulings. According to the Financial Times, recently in number of cases ECJ has decided that member states national rules are illegal under EU laws.

Spain loses out on enlargement
A reduction in aid from the EU since last May’s enlargement has prompted Spain’s GDP per capita to fall by nine points according to Cinco Dias.

Polish unemployment rate set to stay sky-high
Rzeczpospolita indicates that Polish unemployment is unlikely to reach the EU average of 9% in the next few years. The country’s jobless rate, which currently stands at 19%, is the worst in the EU and second only to Bulgaria in central Europe. The findings are based on a new UN study.

News Round-up

Anti-Terrorism Coordinator criticises Italy
In an interview with the Berliner Zeitung, European Anti-Terrorism Coordinator Gijs de Vries, has criticized Italy for the slow implementation of the twelve measures European governments agreed on after the attacks of March 11 in Madrid. "It is not satisfactory that there are delays when it comes to the security for citizens", de Vries said referring to Italy and Greece. So far, Italy has implemented only three out of twelve measures, Italian news wire AGI writes.

UK worried about EU healthcare plan
An EU directive, which allows European health companies to service in any EU member states, has sparked a debate in the UK. Some believe it would threaten the safety of British patients, while the others think that it would give a good chance to UK companies to compete anywhere in Europe, reports the Guardian.

Hungarians vote on citizenship
Due to low participation in two referendums held this weekend in Hungary, both have been annulled. Hungarians were deciding whether to grant citizenship to more than two million people of Hungarian origin living in foreign countries as well as to privatise the health system. The voter quorum was 25 per cent.

Italians fear inflation and poverty
In Italy far more people than in the EU as a whole are concerned about price inflation and fear to become poor. According to the 38th annual report of Italian national pollster Censis, 45 percent of Italians share these fears against 18 percent of Europeans according to Eurobarometer figures. 34 Percent of Italians fear to become unemployed, Il Corriere della Sera writes.

Portugal gears up for poll
Portugal’s papers this morning are in full electoral swing, Publico reports that Socialist campaign leader Jorge Coelho is calling for voters to turn out in order to obtain an absolute majority, meanwhile his PSD (Social Democrat) counterparts have not ruled out forming a coalition with other parties.

Serbian president promises more Europe
Publico reports that Serbian President Boris Tadic may look to call fresh elections before pressing ahead with ‘difficult decisions’ to put Serbia on the path to EU membership.

Talk about sneaking in the back door.

EU-NATO: THE FRAMEWORK FOR PERMANENT RELATIONS AND BERLIN PLUS

1. The comprehensive framework for EU-NATO permanent relations, which the Secretary General/High Representative and NATO Secretary General concluded on 17 March 2003, was a landmark in the relations between the two organisations.

2. This framework of relations built upon NATO's Washington Summit in 1999 and the conclusions of the European Council at Nice in December 2000 as well as the EU-NATO joint declaration of 16 December 2002. The EU has established adequate modalities to involve closely in EU-led operations the non-EU European NATO members. Five countries belong to this group: Bulgaria, Romania, Iceland, Norway and Turkey (the first two are, in addition, candidates for accession to the EU).

3. The EU and NATO have built a genuine strategic partnership that is now well established and deep-rooted. For this partnership to work, both organisations ensure effective consultation, cooperation and transparency at all times. This partnership is also about ensuring efficient crisis management and working together in order to identify the best possible response to a crisis. For this purpose, the EU and NATO agreed on mutual crisis consultation arrangements that are geared towards an efficient and rapid decision-making in each organisation in the presence of a crisis. Such EU-NATO consultations involve the EU's Political and Security Committee and NATO's North Atlantic Council, the EU and NATO Military Committees as well as the Secretary General/High Representative and NATO Secretary General.

4. In order to foster these consultations by guaranteeing a secure physical environment and enabling the exchange of classified documents and information, the EU and NATO concluded an agreement on the security of information.

5. When a given crisis gives rise to an EU-led operation making use of NATO assets and capabilities, the EU and NATO will draw on the so-called "Berlin Plus arrangements". These arrangements cover three main elements that are directly connected to operations and which can be combined: EU access to NATO planning, NATO European command options and use of NATO assets and capabilities.

6. First, NATO guarantees that the EU has access to NATO planning. At the early stages before the EU even knows whether an operation will eventually take place, this may involve a NATO contribution (by SHAPE in Mons) to the work carried out by the EU Military Staff on the definition of options (these are known as "military strategic options"). Subsequently, should the operation take place with use of NATO assets and capabilities, NATO will provide the operational planning required.

7. Second, the EU may request that NATO makes available a NATO European command option for an EU-led military operation. In this case, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) is the primary candidate for EU Operation Commander. He will remain at SHAPE where he establishes the EU OHQ. The remaining command elements determined by the EU (such as the EU Force Commander and EU Force Headquarters deployed in theatre or the EU Component Commands) may either be provided by NATO or by EU Member States.

8. Thirdly, the EU may request the use of NATO assets and capabilities. To this end, NATO has established a first list of its assets and capabilities that, in strong likelihood, NATO would decide to make available to the EU should the EU need them. In addition, NATO has defined a number of principles as well as financial and legal considerations applicable to the release of its assets and capabilities to the EU. On this basis, a specific EU-NATO agreement setting out the conditions for use of NATO assets and capabilities is drawn up for a given operation. Such agreement provides in particular for a possible recall of assets due to unforeseen circumstances, for example due to the emergence of a NATO Article 5 contingency (this means an attack against a NATO member).

9. Another important element of the EU-NATO relation is related to the development of military capabilities. More specifically, it is about how the EU and NATO and their Member States should develop in a mutually reinforcing way and deliver the military capabilities they need for crisis management. It addresses the way in which the EU and NATO could fill in those capabilities where both organisations have the same  equirements and similar shortfalls. Work is currently underway in order to improve the synergy between the EU and NATO in certain capabilities areas where both have pilot projects.

10. EU-NATO relations proved to work well in connection with the first ever EU-led military operation. This was Operation CONCORDIA in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, in which the EU used NATO assets and capabilities and where the EU Operation Commander was Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR).

11. Before and during the second EU-led military operation, ARTEMIS in the Democratic Republic of Congo -an operation conducted autonomously by the EU- NATO was regularly and timely informed of the EU’s intentions, in full respect of the spirit and of the letter of the crisis consultation arrangements.

12. The CME-CMX03, a joint EU-NATO crisis management exercise (19-25 November 2003), provides further experience to consolidate EU-NATO relations in crisis management.

http://ue.eu.int/uedocs/cmsUpload/03-11-11%20Berlin%20Plus%20press%20note%20BL.pdf

You will need a pdf reader to read the document.

Resting in the Lord's arms.
Bob

In the last years, civilian aspects have acquired a crucial importance in crisis management. Conflicts between states were until recently the main concern of the international community. The response used to focus on the stabilisation of the situation through the deployment of interposition forces, with a view to finding political solutions. Today, most conflicts are internal. Although the deployment of forces may still be necessary in some cases, the objective is usually wider and more complex: the reinstatement of a legitimate government and of the rule of law.

State reconstruction has both a political and a military  dimension, but it also requires the setting up of institutions that the population can trust. Ensuring security is necessary so that a conflict-stricken state can embark upon a course of development. Conversely, without development there will be no security. Those are difficult goals to reach, but striving for them is as important for our security today as the deployment of armed forces was in the past.

The European Union is convinced that it can and must make a significant contribution. The European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) was poised from the start to provide the EU with the means allowing it to deploy both military and civilian instruments, with a view to replacing or helping to strengthen the capabilities of the country benefiting from this support.

In a short period of time we have formulated concepts and established structures capable of upholding the deployment of civilian resources. The EU Member States have committed capabilities in different civilian areas (5000 police forces, more than 200 specialists in the strengthening of the rule of law, various public officials and civil protection means). We have carried out operations, training programmes for experts, etc. Moreover, since the EU announced three years ago its operational crisis management capacity, out of the six operations undertaken so far, three are civilian (two police missions and one in the field of the strengthening of the rule of law), and a seventh mission, also police, in the Democratic Republic of Congo is in the planning stages.

But a lot still remains to be done. The recruitment of civilian personnel to be deployed during crisis management operations proves to be more difficult than that of military staff. Our societies should review the recruitment and operational criteria for civilian staff, which until now are focused on strictly domestic requirements.

As stated in the reflection document submitted by the Presidency of the Security Council, we also have to develop new mechanisms, as well as a new culture of civilian-military co-ordination. Synergies must be enhanced and obstacles avoided.

The EU is for its part particularly well placed to meet these challenges, given its wide variety of instruments and its specific nature. Bosnia-Herzegovina is perhaps the most illustrative example of our capacity for action: not only do we have the European Commission’s co-operation programmes and the prospect of a strong association process, we also have a police mission and very soon we will have a military operation as a follow-up to the NATO mission.

Furthermore, to give a more comprehensive response to the civilian-military co-ordination needs, the EU will soon have a “Civil-Military Cell” which, among other things, will allow us to implement an integrated planning of crisis management operations.

The EU’s action on the last years has had as its main goal the strengthening of what we have agreed to call effective multilateralism, with the UN at its heart. The UN is the only framework that allows the international community to exist, however imperfectly, in the framework of parameters of legal security and justice without which international relations would amount to nothing more thandestructive competition.

Last year, around this time, the EU signed a joint declaration with the UN Secretary-General to promote such co-operation further. The EU’s expertise and capabilities are at the service of the international community. Today, I want to highlight in particular the EU’s decision to support the efforts of the African Union in crisis management.

The challenges are many and we must face them together. The EU wants to contribute with all means to make this world a safer and a better place for everybody. I am confident that today’s debate - held in this Council which has the highest responsibility for keeping the international peace and security - will help us achieve further progress in this direction.


http://ue.eu.int/uedocs/cmsUpload/UN%20Security%20Council%20Debate%20on%20Civilian%20Crisis%20Management.pdf

Annan Opens Islamophobia Summit
Wednesday, December 08, 2004

UNITED NATIONS — Secretary-General Kofi Annan (search) opened the first U.N. seminar on confronting Islamophobia with a plea not to judge Muslims by the acts of extremists who target and kill civilians.

The daylong forum on Tuesday came six months after a U.N. seminar devoted to confronting anti-Semitism, also a first for the world body. Both were part a series entitled "Unlearning Intolerance," sponsored by the U.N. Department of Public Information.

The summit was announced on the same day that Annan rebuffed calls for his resignation amid allegations the Iraq Oil-for-Food program is rife with corruption.

In announcing the Islam summit, Annan told Islamic scholars, writers and religious leaders that, "the few give a bad name to the many, and this is unfair."

Annan urged people to condemn terrorist and violent acts carried out in the name of Islam but which "no cause can justify."

"Muslims themselves, especially, should speak out, as so many did following the September 11 attacks on the United States, and show a commitment to isolate those who preach or practice violence, and to make it clear that these are unacceptable distortions of Islam," he said. And what about the Arab-American college students, who threw 9-11 parties the night of the attack?  DW

Annan said, "it is essential that solutions come from within Islam itself" and suggested and suggested that the Islamic scholarly principle of "ijtihad," a process of critical inquiry, could foster free debate into what is good and bad in Muslim cultures as well as others.

He stressed that Islam "should not be judged by the acts of extremists who deliberately target and kill civilians."

"We should not underestimate the resentment and sense of injustice felt by members of one of the world's great religions, cultures and civilizations," he said.

"And we must make the re-establishment of trust among people of different faiths and cultures our highest priority," Annan added, saying that failure to do this threatens world peace and development.

Seyyed Hussein Nasr, professor of Islamic studies at George Washington University, said Islamophobia was a question not only of fear but also of hatred — often by people who know little about the religion.

In the keynote address, Nasr spoke of the role of fanaticism in conflicts and said there would there would be no Islamophobia without "mistakes" made by Muslims. ???

Nasr said most people view Islam as an intolerant, monolithic religion bent on ruling the Western world when in reality, there are various schools of Islamic thought, the religion is not anti-Western and the Islamic dynasties over the centuries accepted both Jews and Christians fleeing persecution.

Fighting Islamophobia, Nasr argued, requires swift action from those in the West who understand that hatred breeds more hatred. Muslims must also take the lead in speaking out against extremism — steps that should be complemented by educational reforms and more effective use of the media.

Ahmed Kamal Aboulmagd, a law professor at Cairo University and vice president of the Egyptian Council for Human Rights (search), called for "an undistorted mirror" for Muslims and non-Muslims to examine themselves and others.

He said many Muslims for the first time were feeling part of a larger world and abandoning isolationism. Many Muslims also recognized their negligence in not highlighting Islam's commitment to democracy and respect for human rights, he said.

R. Scott Appleby, director of the Joan B. Kroc Institute (search) at the University of Notre Dame, said that in the United States and much of Europe, terrorism had created anxiety about the vulnerability of Western societies, drawn unwanted attention to Muslims, and elicited intolerance and hatred among some Americans. This is what terrorists wanted, he said.

In the United States, Appleby said, patriotism should require a willingness to recognize differences and honest self-criticism, not condescension towards people cast as "the other."

Annan Pledges Reform at U.N. Amid Corruption Allegations
Annan has come under fire recently by critics of the United Nations' role in Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

Annan rejected calls for his resignation from several U.S. lawmakers, saying Tuesday he will "carry on" at the helm of the United Nations for the next two years.

Five Republican members of the House of Representatives on Monday backed a GOP senator's call for Annan to resign amid allegations of corruption in the U.N. Oil-for-Food program. But outside the United States, there is no clamor for the secretary-general to step down, and he has picked up support from many of the 191 U.N. member states.

Annan said he plans to concentrate on reform of the United Nations in the last two years of his term, a process that began last week with the release of a report by a high-level panel that analyzed global threats in the 21st century and made 101 recommendations on how to tackle them.

"I have quite a lot of work to do and I'm carrying on with my work," Annan said when asked when he would respond to those calling for his resignation. "We have a major agenda next year, and the year ahead, trying to reform this organization. So we'll carry on."

Was he definitely saying no, he would not resign?

"I think you heard my answer," Annan replied.

Although President Bush refused to back Annan last week, his closest international ally, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, gave the secretary-general a strong endorsement Monday, saying he is doing "a fine job ... often in very difficult circumstances."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,140861,00.html

I still think the USA should get out of the UN. I haven't seen anything good come out of the UN.

Resting with God
Bob

I agree. This is something I was saying many years ago.

Brussels approves 'neighbourhood' deals
09.12.2004 - 14:58 CET | By Andrew Beatty

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – The European Commission has approved agreements with seven of its neighbours, in a bid to spread stability on the EU’s borders.

The Commission met on Thursday and approved wide-ranging deals with Israel, Ukraine, Moldova, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.

"[The deals] will prevent a new dividing line being drawn across Europe after enlargement", External Relations Commission Benita Ferrero-Waldner told Journalists on Thursday (9 December).

In spite of the turbulence in Ukraine the commission approved the "joint action plan" with the country, however diplomats say that implementation will have to wait until there is more stability.

This also leaves the door open for broadening the agreement with a new Ukrainian government.

Israel too poised problems for the EU.

Delay
Disagreement over the scope of EU-Israel talks on WMD held up all seven ‘action plans ’ for weeks.

However, the Israeli government on Wednesday (8 December) approved the EU-Israel action plan, committing Israel to talks on its adherence to international non-proliferation norms, breaking a long-standing taboo in Israeli politics.

The deal was held up for over Israeli acceptance of "two and a half words", according to diplomats.

One EU diplomat said: "The words might not seem like much but to non-proliferation experts they are very important", explaining that the exact terms will dictate how non-proliferation talks proceed.

Israel is suspected of having between 100-200 nuclear weapons and much of its nuclear programme remains beyond International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

One of the key points of the EU’s Security Strategy is to combat proliferation of WMD.

Although Israel is not signed up to international non-proliferation treaty diplomats hope that the EU-Israel dialogue help EU attempts to slow and eventually reverse proliferation in the Middle East.

Shadow talks
"One of the things in the last year that has been interesting is that Israel has been stressing the way it implements international norms in its own legislation", says Ian Anthony, an expert on the EU non-proliferation policy at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, described the move as a significant one.

"It would be a break in past practice", he said speaking before the formal adoption of the plans.

Although Israel has effective export controls, other aspects of the talks may prove difficult, "They will have to dance around their own nuclear programmes", he said.

Implementation
Foreign Ministers are expected to approve the deals on Monday when they meet in Brussels.

The deals will then be formally adopted at bilateral meetings with the countries concerned.

Talks on expanding the policy to cover Egypt, Lebanon Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia will begin in February.

http://www.euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=17950

And it looks like we are begining to start a new wave, 2T.

Resting with the Lord.
Bob

Dec. 10, 2004 2:52
French envoy criticizes Israel
By HERB KEINON

French Ambassador Gerard Araud can't seem to decide whether to serve Israel teaspoons of sugar or tablespoons of vinegar.

Two days after he broke from France's traditionally harsh public pronouncements toward Israel and told The Jerusalem Post he felt Israel "has tried to show the utmost restraint" in its recent conflict with the Palestinians, Araud did an about-face and slammed Israel for what he called its "anti-French neurosis."

In an Army Radio interview broadcast Thursday, he went on to characterize the relationship between the countries as "very difficult" and said recent polls in Israel show the public likes Saudi Arabia more than France. "You just love to hate France," he complained.

Araud criticized the media, and made special mention of a column Yair Lapid wrote in Maariv after Yasser Arafat's death in France. Lapid wrote, according to Araud, "this is proof that the French are sh**s."

"Saying the French are sh**s is totally unacceptable," said Araud.

The ambassador said that if the same thing was written about Jews in France, "you would immediately say it is anti-Semitism." For Israelis, he said, the French are "good targets."

He said that two synagogues were burned elsewhere in Europe in June but the incidents weren't covered in the Israeli press, while the next day a report about anti-Semitic graffiti in Paris made Haaretz's front page.

Araud also singled out comedian Eli Yatzpan for criticism. "Everyone knows that Yatzpan has chosen France as his usual target, and he is always making fun of the people of France," he said.

Yatzpan responded that "[French President Jacques] Chirac has always been pro-Arab. I would like to see how President Chirac would act if buses were exploding on the Champs Elysees. [The French] are always the big patrons of the Arab states and always know everything.

"They preach morality to everyone, perhaps because they know French and English, so it sounds better. Definitely not – it sounds ugly. They should not then wonder why the Jewish people don't love them."

Araud's comments came a day after Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told the Post that the ambassador's praise of Israel's military restraint may indicate an acknowledgment in Paris that a more balanced approach toward Israel is the price for greater involvement in the region.

Araud's evident change of heart Thursday, however, caused a parallel change of sentiment in the Foreign Ministry. Deputy director-general Ran Curiel, who heads the ministry's Europe division, issued a statement protesting Araud's comments.

Curiel termed the ambassador's comments "unacceptable," and a "departure from protocol" that "don't contribute to the efforts by Israel and France to improve their relations." Unfortunately, Curiel said, "these comments only feed ill feelings."

But Araud was not without his defenders inside the Israeli diplomatic corps. Israel's ambassador to France, Nissim Zvilli, told Army Radio "There is a lot of truth in what the French ambassador said. I understand his anger and I think that he is very close to being correct."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1102563045684

Mixed signals for further EU enlargement
10.12.2004 - 16:13 CET | By Honor Mahony

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - As the EU looks set to open membership negotiations with Turkey at the end of next week, over a third of its citizens are opposed to further enlargement of the 25-nation bloc.

Conducted in October and November, just months after the Union expanded by 10 countries, the poll shows that 35% of citizens are against further enlargement - with 53% in favour and 12% saying they do not know.

Those against enlargement rises to 43% when citizens only from the 15 'old' member states are considered, according to a eurobarometer poll published on Friday (10 December).

Austrians and Germans have the highest percentages of citizens against enlargement (62% and 57% respectively) - both countries have common borders with new member states.

In France, where President Jacques Chirac has been fighting rising sentiment against Turkish EU membership - fifty-one percent said they are against further enlargement.

This contrasts starkly with new member states, which tend to be strongly in favour of more EU expansion - with Poland at 78%, Lithuania at 76% and Slovenia at 75%.

Replying to a question about whether respondents had been specifically asked about Turkey, EU Communications Commissioner Margot Wallström, who was presenting the results, said no.

However, she added all EU institutions will have to "invest in creating more information and building the cultural bridges between Turkey and the European Union".

"To me that is the absolute key to success for further enlargement because there is so much ignorance and lack of information", said Mrs Wallström.

The EU is expected to take on Romania and Bulgaria in 2007 while Turkey is not expected to join until at least 2015 - a decision on whether to open negotiations with Ankara will be taken at the EU summit on 16-17 December.

The survey also showed that 56% of respondents thought that membership of the EU was positive.

They were also more prepared to trust the European Parliament (57%) than the European Commission (52%) - while unemployment was their biggest worry.

The survey was conducted by eurobarometer between 2 October and 8 November 2004.

http://www.euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=17965

EU Invites U.N.'s Annan to Summit to Show Support
Fri Dec 10, 2004 07:56 AM ET
By Paul Taylor

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has invited Kofi Annan as a special guest to its summit next Friday to demonstrate support for the U.N. secretary-general amid a campaign in the United States to force him out.

A Dutch EU presidency spokesman confirmed the 25-nation bloc's invitation but declined comment on the political message.

However an EU diplomat said: "The intention is for the EU as a whole to give clear public support to the secretary-general."

The surprise move was decided after the head of a U.S. congressional panel investigating alleged corruption in the United Nations oil-for-food program in Iraq, Republican Senator Norman Coleman, last week called for Annan to resign.

The Bush administration broke its silence on Thursday to express confidence in Annan and say he should stay in office, in a belated rebuff to demands from Republicans in Congress for his resignation.

The Republicans accuse Annan of presiding over corruption in the program under which Iraq was allowed to import food and medicines and sell oil under U.N. supervision in an exception to economic sanctions imposed on former president Saddam Hussein.

After Coleman's statement, President Bush pointedly refused to defend Annan, saying he wanted a "full and open accounting" for the now-defunct program launched in 1996.

In reaction, the 191-member U.N. General Assembly gave Annan a standing ovation on Wednesday and leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Russia and Australia telephoned him to voice support.

The United Nations is conducting its own probe, set up by Annan, into allegations that U.N. employees received bribes from Iraq and that contract prices under the scheme were inflated.

EU diplomats said Annan would meet the European Council of EU leaders and hold a joint news conference with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, who will chair the Dec. 17 summit, and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

Annan will be present in Brussels on the day when EU leaders are expected to take a landmark decision to open membership negotiations with Turkey.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7051839

As days go by, I see more and more, prophecy coming in line.
Bob

INTERVENTION
BY JAVIER SOLANA
EU HIGH REPRESENTATIVE FOR CFSP
FORUM FOR THE FUTURE
OPENING SESSION
RABAT, 11 DECEMBER 2004


Let me first thank the Kingdom of Morocco for hosting this meeting. In its wisdom, Morocco decided long ago to take the bold path of reform and received strong international support. Today many others are making similar efforts. They are receiving and they will continue to receive the support of the European Union.

In establishing this Forum for the Future we agreed that it would be "a vehicle for listening to the needs of the region". That tells me two things. First, that we must look to the Ministers from the
Area to drive our debate today, and secondly that I am here to listen rather than to lecture. I will therefore limit myself to three points:

I. Yes, reform must originate in the countries concerned but time is of the essence.
II. There is a convergence of objectives in broad terms and much is already being done. The EU values its existing structures of co-operation and is already taking them to a new level in response to new realities.
III. The Forum for the Future was not launched blind to the broader political context, and it should not become so

I. Yes, reform must originate in the countries concerned but time is of the essence For a decade and a half the EU has been fostering the political, economic and social reform of eight states from Eastern and Central Europe as well as two Mediterranean island states. As a result of that Process for six months now I have the pleasure to act on behalf of twenty-five rather than fifteen member states. Looking back it is clear that the EU played a central role in fostering efforts in these countries to reform their societies politically, economically and socially.

It is no secret that the EU is also keen to strengthen its relationship with several countries beyond its immediate neighbourhood of the Southern Mediterranean particularly with respect to the countries around the Gulf. The EU recently endorsed a Strategic Partnership with the Mediterranean and the Middle East, which is relevant also to countries outside the Barcelona Process. It sets out the philosophy of Partnership that it would like to see inspire its relations with the region, including with countries with whom it has not traditionally enjoyed very developed relations.

What is perhaps less apparent is that none of the EU's efforts would have produced results were they not based on a strategic decision on the part of those countries to reform themselves. We invested much in terms of time, money and energy but not nearly as much time, money and energy as was invested in the new member states themselves. We succeeded together but only because they realized that reform was not being sought simply to satisfy EU norms, but because reform was necessary if their societies were to be sustainable, irrespective of the prospect of membership of the Union.

It also emerged that countries reformed at their own pace; but those who reformed first often created comparative advantages that still serve them well today. A reputation for being at the
forefront of reform is valuable in itself. Put succinctly one can say that reform must come from within not from without, but if it is to come it were best if it came sooner rather than later. Otherwise, it has been said, History has a habit of  punishing those who arrive late.

II. There is a convergence of objectives in broad terms, and much is already being done.
Through the Arab League Tunis Declaration on Reform and Modernisation and other initiatives many countries present here expressed their belief that the time is indeed ripe for reform. The
Declaration set out the broad parameters for that process that in no way contradicts our own thinking.
I think it is fair to say that even if sometimes we don't couch our aims and objectives in precisely the same terms we are indeed all working in the same direction.
This Forum is a recognition that the G8 and its unique membership has also got something to bring to the table in support of the process of reform and modernization in the area. It is also a recognition of the stake its members have in the success of the endeavour.

III. The Forum of the Future was not launched blind to the broader political context, and itshould not become so. It would be difficult to argue that there is no link between the EU's strengthened interest in the Gulf and the events that have taken place there in the last years, both in Iraq and elsewhere.

Similarly it would be difficult to argue that the task  of reform that brings us together today could be successfully completed if it is divorced from the political realities on the ground, not least in the Middle East.

The truth is the Forum for the Future was not launched blind to the broader political context, and it should not become so. I will not dwell on whether reforms can wait for the resolution of conflict. I simply don't believe we have the luxury to wait and find out.

We must busy ourselves pursuing the political, economic and social reform that will give young people the education, opportunities and jobs they need to thrive. But we must do so in the knowledge that we will not truly secure their future until we resolve the conflicts that that continue to challenge us. In that task there is no one here without a role to play.
Thank you.

http://ue.eu.int/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/discours/83054.pdf

You will need pdf reader to read the report.
Bob

Turkish leader warns of terror wave if EU rejects membership
By Suna Erdem

Summit must decide whether to open talks

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, the Turkish Prime Minister, has told European Union leaders that they will pay a heavy price in continued and escalating violence from Islamic extremists if the EU rejects Turkey as a member and confirms itself as a Christian club.

“Accepting a country that has brought together Islam and democracy will bring about harmony between civilisations. If, on the other hand, it is not welcomed, the world will have to put up with the present situation,” he said, referring to terrorism by such groups as al-Qaeda — whose local affiliates hit Turkey last year, bombing the British consulate and three other targets in Istanbul.

“That is the very clear and present danger and it is all around us today. There is nothing we can do if the EU feels that it can live with being simply a Christian club . . . but if these countries burn their bridges with the rest of the world, history will not forgive them.”

Mr Erdogan’s powerful warning came just days before the EU summit that will decide whether to start formal accession talks with Turkey and against a furious European debate about the effects of incorporating Turkey’s 70 million, mainly Muslim, population into the Union.

He was speaking before opening Istanbul’s first modern art museum — an event he had ordered to be brought forward from early next year to help to project a modern image of his country ahead of the summit. After knocking on the EU’s doors for four decades, Turkey is painfully aware that it is viewed abroad as a poor and backward country and that, despite its secular constitution, much of the West is currently afraid of its Muslim tradition.

Mr Erdogan is a declared “conservative democrat”, but his background as an Islamic firebrand has led to so many questions that his face broke into a “not again” smile at the mere mention of the problem.

“We are Muslim, we are Turkish, we are democratic and our country is secular,” he said, emphasising every phrase. “Nothing else need be said.” Nevertheless, he believed that the EU, in trying to add safeguards and get-out clauses in the draft for the talks, was discriminating against Ankara.

“I am of the opinion that Turkey is being faced with tougher criteria compared to other candidate countries,” he said. “No other country had to wait for 41 years at Europe’s door. We have fulfilled all the criteria, but despite this Europeans are hesitating.”

Although loath to say so, he feels upset, maybe even betrayed, by suggestions from some, including France, that Turkey might be offered an alternative form of association with the EU if talks fail.

“There are 400,000 Turks already living in France . . . what have we done to make them so afraid? We find it hard to understand what it is the French do not understand about us that makes them so wary. There is no such thing in the EU as privileged partnership. No other country has been offered this and there is no way that we will accept such an option for Turkey,” he said.

He also rejected suggestions that talks could be open-ended. “At the end of membership negotiations either there is full membership or there is nothing. Full membership is not automatic anyway — it may be that we don’t manage to fulfil our side of the bargain and it all ends in failure. So why hobble the process from the start?” Conditions other than the existing political and economic criteria would be unacceptable, he said, especially any permanent brake on the freedom of movement of Turks, millions of whom were already economic migrants in Europe.

Turkey’s economy has been transformed after a crisis in 2001, while numerous reforms, including the abolition of the death penalty, have improved the human rights situation and reduced the power of the military — an institution that staged three coups between 1960 and 1980 and effectively wrote the present constitution. Mr Erdogan acknowledged that the more difficult phase of implementing all these reforms lay ahead, but he was adamant that Turkey had done enough so far to begin negotiations.

A former semi-professional football player, he resorted to sporting terms to describe the situation: “We are not bringing any conditions to this ourselves. But we are seeing here that new rules are being introduced while the game is being played. As this is unacceptable in a game of football, it is equally wrong in a process like this.”

Despite his criticism, he remains optimistic, saying that he expected to be offered a start date within the next year for talks with the goal of full membership. He said: “In the last days of the Ottoman Empire we were then called the sick man of Europe. Note, of Europe, never the sick man of Asia. You said so yourself.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0%2C%2C3-1401625%2C00.html

Worlds Apart on the Vision Thing
by Jeremy Rifkin
 

In a partisan America, where virtually every value has become fair game for criticism and controversy, there is one value that remains sacrosanct: the American Dream -- the idea that anyone, regardless of the circumstances to which they're born, can make of their lives as they choose, by dint of diligence, determination and hard work. The American Dream unites Americans across ethnic and class divides and gives shared purpose and direction to the American way of life.

The problem is, one-third of all Americans, according to a recent U.S. national survey, no longer believe in the American Dream. Some have lost faith because they worked hard all their lives only to find hardship and despair at the end of the line. Others question the very dream itself, arguing that its underlying tenets have become less relevant in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world. For the first time, the American Dream no longer serves as the rallying point for everyone in America.

A new European Dream, meanwhile, is beginning to capture the world's imagination. That dream has now been codified in the form of a draft European constitution, and Europeans are currently debating whether to ratify its contents and accept its underlying values as the core values of a new Europe. Europe's vision of the future may have greater resonance -- a kind of grand reversal, if you will, of what occurred 200 years ago when millions of Europeans looked to America in search of a new vision.

Twenty-five nations, representing 455 million people, have joined together to create a "United States" of Europe. Like the United States of America, this vast political entity has its own empowering myth. Although still in its adolescence, the European Dream is the first transnational vision, one far better suited to the next stage in the human journey. Europeans are beginning to adopt a new global consciousness that extends beyond, and below, the borders of their nation-states, deeply embedding them in an increasingly interconnected world.

Americans are used to thinking of their country as the most successful on Earth. That's no longer the case: The European Union has grown to become the third-largest governing institution in the world. Though its land mass is half the size of the continental United States, its $10.5-trillion (U.S.) gross domestic product now eclipses the U.S. GDP, making it the world's largest economy. The EU is already the world's leading exporter and largest internal trading market. Sixty-one of the 140 biggest companies on the Global Fortune 500 rankings are European; only 50 are U.S. companies.

The comparisons are even more revealing when it comes to the quality of life. In the EU, for example, there are 322 physicians per 100,00 people; in the United States, it's 279 physicians per 100,000 people. The United States ranks 26th among the industrial nations in infant mortality, well below the EU average. The average lifespan in the 15 most developed E.U. countries is now 78.2 years, compared to 76.9 years in the United States.

When it comes to wealth distribution -- a crucial measure of a country's ability to deliver on the promise of prosperity -- the United States ranks 24th among the industrial nations. All 18 of the most developed European countries have less income inequality between rich and poor. There are now more poor people living in America than in the 16 European nations for which data are available.

America is also more dangerous: The U.S. homicide rate is four times higher than the EU's. Even more disturbing, the rates of childhood homicides, suicides and firearms-related deaths in the United States exceed those of the other 25 wealthiest nations. Although the United States has only 4 per cent of the world's population, it contains one-quarter of the world's entire prison population.

Europeans often say Americans "live to work," while they "work to live." The average paid vacation time in Europe is now six weeks a year. By contrast, Americans, on the average, receive only two weeks. When one considers what makes a people great and what constitutes a better way of life, Europe is beginning to surpass America.

Nowhere is the contrast between the European Dream and the American Dream sharper than when it comes to the definition of personal freedom.

For Americans, freedom has long been associated with autonomy; the more wealth one amasses, the more independent one is in the world. One is free by becoming self-reliant and an island onto oneself. With wealth comes exclusivity, and with exclusivity comes security.

For Europeans, freedom is not found in autonomy but in community. It's about belonging, not belongings.

The American Dream puts an emphasis on economic growth, personal wealth and independence. The new European Dream focuses more on sustainable development, quality of life and interdependence. The American Dream pays homage to the work ethic and religious heritage. The European Dream, more attuned to leisure, is secular to the core. The American Dream depends on assimilation. The European Dream, by contrast, is based on preserving one's cultural identity in a multicultural world.

Americans are more willing to use military force to protect what we perceive to be our vital self-interests. Europeans favor diplomacy, economic assistance to avert conflict, and peacekeeping operations to maintain order. The American Dream is deeply personal and little concerned with the rest of humanity. The European Dream is more systemic in nature and, therefore, more bound to the welfare of the planet.

That isn't to say that Europe is a utopia. Europeans have become increasingly hostile toward newly arrived immigrants and asylum-seekers. Anti-Semitism is on the rise again, as is discrimination against Muslims and religious minorities. While Europeans berate America for having a trigger-happy foreign policy, they are more than willing, on occasion, to let the U.S. armed forces safeguard European security interests. And even its supporters say the Brussels-based EU's governing machinery is a maze of bureaucratic red tape, aloof from the European citizens they supposedly serve.

The point, however, is not whether the Europeans are living up to their dream. We Americans have never fully lived up to our own dream. What's important is that a new generation of Europeans is creating a radical new vision for the future -- one better suited to meet the challenges of an increasingly globalizing world in the 21st century.

Canada finds itself caught between these two 21st-century superpowers. Sharing a common border with the most powerful economy in the world makes Canada more vulnerable to U.S. economic and political influence, and some observers even suggest that Canada might be forced eventually to become part of a greater American transnational space. The North American free-trade agreement may be the first step down that road.

On the other hand, Canadians' own deeply felt values are more closely attuned to the emerging European Dream. Could Canada lobby to become part of the European Union? In a world of instant communications, fast transportation and global economic integration, the prospect of Canada's enjoying at least a special associational partnership with the EU is not inconceivable. The EU and Canada laid the foundation for such a possibility in their 1996 joint political declaration on EU-Canada relations, designed to focus on economic, trade, security and other transnational issues. Canada could edge ever closer to its European soulmate in the decades to come.

Jeremy Rifkin, founder and president of the Washington-based Foundation on Economic Trends, is the author of 14 books, including his latest, 'The European Dream'.
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0817-08.htm

EU Works on Turkey Membership Talks

1 hour, 54 minutes ago
Europe - AP
By ROBERT WIELAARD, Associated Press Writer

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Union (news - web sites) edged closer Monday to giving Turkey the green light on membership talks, but jitters over bringing the relatively poor Muslim nation into the fold prevented a decision on a starting date.

Photo
AP Photo

   

EU leaders will have the final say at a summit in Brussels later this week, after foreign ministers from the 25-nation bloc failed Monday to set a start date and duration for talks.

French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, whose country is skeptical of Turkey's joining the bloc, said "negotiations will be long, open-ended and difficult" and stressed that membership was not yet a done deal.

The draft text of a declaration for the two-day summit starting Thursday, obtained by The Associated Press, hails Turkey for having made "decisive progress" in economic and political reforms.

Leaders also express confidence in Turkey's sustained reforms, "and vow to monitor Ankara's commitment to "fundamental freedoms and to full respect of human rights, (especially) the zero-tolerance policy relating to torture and ill-treatment" of prisoners.

Of particular concern to the EU is that the Turkish parliament approve laws on criminal procedures and the judicial police.

Four other laws, including one enacting a new penal code, have been adopted by the legislature, but must yet take legal effect.

The EU foreign ministers debated possible dates for talks to start, and conditions to attach to them to assuage fears in Western Europe of bringing Turkey into the bloc.

Opposition to Turkey's joining has come from Austria, Slovakia, Denmark and France.

"An exact date should not be set too early," Barnier said. France wants the talks to begin in late 2005 or 2006.

Entry negotiations with Ankara will likely last 10 or 15 years.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a German newspaper that his country wants a fair chance to meet the EU's membership criteria

"We want justice," the Passauer Neue Presse daily quoted him as saying. "We are trying to open a society and an economy that until now was very inward-looking."

The EU foreign ministers also delayed membership talks with Croatia until at least March to give Zagreb three months to bring an indicted war criminal, Gen. Ante Gotovina, to justice.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=518&ncid=732&e=3&u=/ap/20041214/ap_on_re_eu/eu_turkey

urope Jittery on Turkish Membership

37 minutes ago
Business - AP
By LAURENCE FROST, AP Business Writer

PARIS - An impoverished backwater that will drain the EU's resources and flood its labor markets with unskilled jobseekers? Or a dynamic economy whose youthful population will help offset a looming pensions crisis? The economic case for Turkish membership of the European Union (news - web sites) is anything but clear cut.

EU leaders are expected to set a date for launching Turkish membership negotiations when they meet Friday. But the outcome of that process — one likely to last up to 15 years — looks ever more uncertain as a highly charged debate over letting in Turkey gathers pace.

Opponents argue that Turkish accession would create 70 million new EU citizens — only a few million short of the combined population of the 10 mostly eastern and central European states that joined on May 1.

In population terms, bringing in Turkey would be like doing the last wave of enlargement all over again.

The economic challenges appear even more daunting. Turkey's per-capita income stands at roughly one-third of the EU average prior to May 1, compared to about 40 percent of the pre-enlargement average in even the poorest new members — Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.

"On economic grounds there's not much of a case for letting them in, let's be honest," said Alan Marin, a senior lecturer at the London School of Economics.

Turkey would be a major drain on EU development aid, which has proved a powerful motor of economic improvement in countries such as Ireland and Portugal. Even if Turkey joined in 15 years' time, Marin said, the bloc's new eastern members would still be drawing heavily on EU aid, placing "immense strain" on one of Europe's main tools for achieving economic convergence.

On the other hand, Turkey's economic growth has averaged about 8.5 percent over the last two years as it emerges from its 2000-2001 financial crisis. Inflation is below 12 percent for the first time in recent memory.

The head of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Donald J. Johnston, recently said Turkey's economic progress "can only be described as stunning."

Many Turks, however, complain that European politicians and media are weighing the potential cost of their EU membership far more carefully than they did for the 10 recent entrants.

"The economic arguments are often a smoke screen for political ones," said Samim Akgonul, who works as a university researcher in the French town of Strasbourg, close to the border with Germany. "They cancel themselves out, it's a draw."

Opponents of Ankara's membership have stoked public fears — particularly in countries where unemployment is already high — about the prospect of Turkish workers flocking to European cities in search of work.

But supporters say access to Turkey's younger work force is just what Europe needs to rebalance its aging societies and help make up for the resulting shortfall in public pensions through tax contributions.

Those who do make the trip, economists say, often take work that resident jobseekers turn down or aren't offered, even in times of high unemployment. Rather than take jobs, they create them.

"In France's hotel, catering and construction sectors there are millions of unfilled jobs despite the (10 percent) unemployment rate," said Christophe Bertossi of the French Institute of International Relations.

"You don't win elections by saying you're going to open the borders to more immigrants," Bertossi said, "but we nevertheless do need more of them in order to cope with labor market deficiencies."

Widespread fears that Paris, London and Berlin would be swamped with migrants from Spain and Portugal proved unfounded after the two countries joined the bloc in 1986.

   

Furthermore, any lifting of entry restrictions for Turkish workers is probably two decades away. Most EU states negotiated long exemptions to free movement rules with new eastern members and are bound to do the same again with Ankara.

Job outsourcing, on the other hand, could happen from day one — or even sooner, as companies anticipate Turkey's entry.

Highly publicized threats by French and German companies to transfer jobs to eastern Europe have led to public anxiety that EU enlargement is becoming a jobs drain.

Turkey's membership could similarly raise incentives for firms to base production there, combining cheaper labor with guaranteed access to EU markets.

But Vural Oeger, a Turkish-born member of the European Parliament for Germany's governing Social Democrats, says the EU's richer states have nothing to fear and everything to gain from such investment decisions.

Oeger, the founder of a successful German charter company, said Germany's car industry created more jobs at home over the last decade than it had in the previous one — thanks largely to efficiency gains made through outsourcing to eastern Europe.

"Better to produce parts in Turkey than in China," he said. "They can be at your European factory in 36 hours. From China it takes weeks."
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=509&ncid=732&e=1&u=/ap/20041214/ap_on_bi_ge/turkey_economic_impact

Hamas: We're Still in Contact With EU

Mon Dec 13, 9:05 PM ET
Europe - AP

LONDON - The leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas said his organization is still in contact with the European Union (news - web sites) even though the 25-nation bloc considers it a terrorist group.

Khaled Mashaal also said in a television interview broadcast Monday that the United States had made contact "in past months," but he did not specify how or when.

"The European Union, which put Hamas on a list of terrorist organizations, is still continuing communications and meetings," Mashaal told the British Broadcasting Corp.

"They recognize Hamas' authority and that there is no understanding or stability in Palestine without a dialogue with Hamas," he added.

Cristina Gallach, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, said there were no EU-Hamas meetings.

Hamas on Sunday carried out its deadliest attack on an Israeli military outpost in more than four years of fighting, killing five Israeli soldiers by blowing up 1.5 tons of explosives in a tunnel dug beneath an army post on the Gaza-Egypt border.

Last month, Solana denied having had direct contact with Hamas after he told the BBC he had seen representatives from the group.

"I have had contacts with Hamas but not in the last few days," Solana said in the original interview. He added, "these meetings were not long." His office later said the comments had been misinterpreted.

The EU added the entire Hamas organization to its terrorist list in September 2003 following dozens of deadly attacks in Israel. The EU list had previously included only Hamas' military wing.

Mashaal, who is based in Damascus, Syria, also told the BBC's "Newsnight" program that the United States had been touch with Hamas but did not elaborate.

"The American administration, which also put us on terror lists and criticizes us, contacted us in past months," he said.

"The Arab countries are continuing meetings with Hamas despite pressure from the American administration," he added.

The BBC said it interviewed Mashaal under heavy security in Lebanon, near the Syrian border.

Mashaal said upcoming Palestinian elections would not be truly democratic, which is why Hamas will not participate.

He added that he believed "100 percent" that the late Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat (news - web sites), died from poisoning.

"There is a lot of evidence that Yasser Arafat was poisoned, his health deteriorated suddenly without a reason, the symptoms which Yasser Arafat suffered were similar to poisoning," Mashaal said.

Arafat died in a French hospital on Nov. 11.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=518&ncid=732&e=6&u=/ap/20041214/ap_on_re_eu/britain_hamas_eu

EU's Solana voices hope Palestinian vote will give Israel peace partner

09/01/2005

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Sunday said the landmark Palestinian election should give Israel a partner to push forward the stalled Middle East peace process.

"I hope very much that by the end of the day, tonight, tomorrow morning we will have a president for the Palestinian Authority legitimised by a high turnout of people and therefore, also, an interlocutor for the peace process," Solana told reporters in Amman before flying to Ramallah.

"I think that these days are going to be days of optimism, days of hope that a new avenue for peace will be open," he added.

Solana, who arrived overnight in Jordan for a week-long tour of the region, had talks with King Abdullah II and Foreign Minister Hani Mulki on how Europe and Jordan can help the Palestinians in the post-election environment.

"I am sure that both Palestinans and Israelis will take advantage of this opportunity," he added. "They can count on their European friends."

Text and Picture Copyright © 2004 AFP. All other copyright © 2004 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable.

http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/050109131004.s6p4eblw

AHA!--->Prince Felipe of Spain<--- successor to his father Juan Carlo's throne<---??? I'm still doing research on this daunting task of the 'anti-christ hunt'!  So, far I'm going with Felipe of Spain. Definetely the prince from Spain has the charming looks....never heard him speak as the bible says he will be a powerful speaker

672 in the EU and one seat to fill, which is #666:
(the 11th member The eleventh nation to join the EU is to have great powers - Daniel 7:8,20,24. Spain was the eleventh nation to enter the European Union in 1986) see fifth picture down:  

http://www.un.org/av/photo/sgtrips/spain/sg_spain.htm

Do some researching on his father King Juan Carlos of Spain. Very interesting info on his father....not much YET though on his son!

Something to chew on.   :-\

Rolah30

The 4th Beast Kingdom is different from all the rest.......and has been quietly gobbling up the whole world.  In my opinion the world elite bankers have been quietly running things since the time of the French Revolution.  This kingdom is different because there are no visible kings as in years past.  They have been ruling in secret and becoming very wealthy over time.  The original family is the Rothchilds.  There are currently in my opinion 10 great international banking families running things......and the politicians are merely there puppets......bought and paid for. 

The man of evil will be a past leader.....well recognized......who will come back to life.  Many will marvel and follow after him.  He will make a deal with the 10 current leaders and bring down 3 of them. 

"The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be DIFFERENT from all other kingdoms, and shall DEVOUR THE WHOLE EARTH, TRAMPLE IT AND BREAK IT IN PIECES. 

"The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom, and another shall arise after them;  He shall be different from the first ones.  He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law.  Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time."   (Daniel 7: 23-25)


"The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition.  And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

"And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.

"And the ten kings which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast.

"These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast."

"For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled."

Rev. Chp 17


In summary, an invisible kingdom has been ruling the world and gobbling up it's wealth since the time of the French Revolution.  These are the descendants of the original money changers which Christ chased out of the temple.  They have no allegiance to any particular country.  They finance both sides during wars and make money on interest, manufacture of munitions, etc.   They inflate economies and then bring them down.  They own the Federal Reserve and the current crisis was done by intention to destroy the USA, the nations, and usher in a one world government with themselves as visible oligarchs.  They will turn over their power and authority to the man of evil when he comes to facilitate their intentions.