Revived Roman Empire News - the E.U.

[Shammu]

Former Cold War borders fall away in new Europe
Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:11am EST

By Lars Rischke and Wojciech Zurawski

ZITTAU, Germany (Reuters) - Frontiers in east Europe once guarded by machineguns and barbed wire in the Cold War fell away on Friday as nine mostly former communist states joined the EU's border-free zone amid fireworks, cheers and music.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, herself from ex-communist East Germany, hailed as historic a move seen by many as a final lifting of the old Iron Curtain.

From midnight, the nine joined 15 existing members to create an area one third the size of the United States, allowing passport-free travel for 4,000 km (2,500 miles) from Estonia to Portugal.

The extension of the European Union's so-called Schengen zone brought in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Malta, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

The move is expected to boost business and tourism, though some worry about a rise in crime or illegal immigration.

Border posts were ceremonially lifted or cut, border guards left their booths and people walked freely across frontiers that once divided the former Soviet bloc from the West.

"We are very pleased to be able to experience this genuinely historic moment," Merkel said at a ceremony in Zittau on the German border with Poland, noting the borders had caused much suffering in the past.

New Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the new measure was heart-warming.

People at border posts the length and breadth of eastern Europe celebrated with fireworks, cheers and music from midnight as the European Union's so-called Schengen zone was expanded.

In the German town of Frankfurt on Oder on the Polish border, one of the most politically significant frontiers in Europe with a past of war, about 2,000 people celebrated with the EU's anthem, Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", and fireworks.

"It is very good. There are no borders, so there is equality. People can communicate now and travel from one place to another without any controls," said Polish student Mikhalina Yszczak, 23, shortly after midnight.

Frontiers also fell away between the Baltic states, including Latvian-Estonian Valga-Valka where a main street had been split by a border. At the Slovak-Austrian Petrzalka/Bergen crossing, people got souvenir stamps in their passports.

"There were soldiers with machineguns here and concrete blocks which even a tank could not run over. Not even a mouse could sneak in," said pensioner Kolomam Prekop.

SOME FEARS REMAIN

The move to expand Schengen, named after a Luxembourg village where a first agreement on passport-free travel was struck in 1985, has aroused fears of increased crime or that the EU will be less secure against illegal immigration.

In Austria, the village of Deutschkreutz near Hungary hired a private security firm to patrol its streets.

Outside the EU, some in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia fear a "Fortress Europe" that will make travel more difficult, though European officials say this will not be the case.

The expansion of the Schengen zone will mean it covers 24 countries or about 400 million people. It initially covers land and sea borders but will be extended to airports next March.

The eastward enlargement of the EU in 2004 has already meant travel across borders has become much simpler.

Thousands of people from countries like Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have gone to work in Britain and Ireland, which opened their markets to workers from the new EU countries. Britain and Ireland themselves have remained outside Schengen.

Cyprus, also in the EU from 2004, has asked for a year's delay before opening its borders. Romania and Bulgaria, which became EU members this year, have yet to meet security criteria.

Former Cold War borders fall away in new Europe

[Shammu]

Early UK vote can help Ireland ratify EU treaty
By Paul Taylor
Reuters
Thursday, December 20, 2007

BRUSSELS: The incoming holder of the European Union's presidency said on Thursday he was counting on Britain to ratify a fiercely-contested EU reform treaty before Ireland holds a referendum next year to ease its passage.

EU leaders signed the Treaty of Lisbon last week to overhaul the bloc's creaking institutions, replacing the defunct draft EU constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005. The new treaty must be ratified by all 27 EU states to take effect.

Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said ratification by the British parliament would make an Irish "Yes" vote easier.

"I ... expect that our British friends will have their ratification let's say sometime in the spring, so this will be a very good sign also for our Irish friends, so that they can have a relaxed kind of referendum," he told a news conference.

Of the 27 EU states, only Ireland is planning a referendum on the text, which would give the bloc a long-term president, a stronger foreign policy chief, more majority decision-making, a fairer voting system and more say for the European and national parliaments.

Rupel said Irish leaders had told him the referendum was "a slightly more complicated process ... but they do not foresee more grave or more serious problems".

The relative timing of the two votes is sensitive because Eurosceptics want Britain to wait until after the Irish vote in the hope that a "No" would kill off the treaty.

On the other hand, supporters of the EU treaty say ratification by Britain would leave Ireland isolated if it voted against the treaty, improving the chances of a "Yes" vote.

In London, a British Foreign Office spokesman said that since the government had introduced a bill to ratify the treaty into parliament last week, it was reasonable to expect a vote between Easter (March 23) and the summer.

But he stressed: "The legislative timetable is not connected to any other state's timetable."

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern has not announced a date for the referendum but Irish officials say it is likely to be in May or June.

Ahern said last week that the leaders of France and Germany would come to Ireland next year to boost the "Yes" campaign.

Ireland voted against the previous Treaty of Nice in a 2001 referendum but approved the same treaty the following year in another popular vote after winning assurances on its neutrality.

Most diplomats believe an Irish "No" this time would kill the treaty stone dead and there could not be a second vote.

Early UK vote can help Ireland ratify EU treaty

[Shammu]

Ireland was never part of the Roman Empire. The Romans had influence there, but never conquered it, thanks to Boudicca. Ireland had ocean to the north and west, and Roman territories to the east and south. Of course, it was therefore in a relatively isolated position as an island on the edge of the Empire, so technically Rome didn't need to conquer it.

[Shammu]

Tony Blair joins Catholic Church
22 December 2007

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has left the Anglican Church to become a Roman Catholic.

His wife and children are already Catholic and there had been speculation he would convert after leaving office.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, who led the service to welcome Mr Blair, said he was "very glad" to do so.

But ex-Tory minister Ann Widdecombe - herself a Catholic convert - said Mr Blair's voting record as an MP had often "gone against church teaching".

Last year, Mr Blair, who is now a Middle East peace envoy, said he had prayed to God when deciding whether or not to send UK troops into Iraq.

And one of Mr Blair's final official trips while prime minister was a visit to the Vatican in June where he met Pope Benedict XVI.

'Regular worshipper'

Mr Blair was received into full communion with the Catholic Church during Mass at Archbishop's House, Westminster, on Friday.

If you look at Tony Blair's voting record in the House of Commons, he's gone against church teaching on more than one occasion

 Cardinal Murphy O'Connor, who is the head of Catholics in England and Wales, said: "I am very glad to welcome Tony Blair into the Catholic Church.

"For a long time he has been a regular worshipper at Mass with his family and in recent months he has been following a programme of formation to prepare for his reception into full communion.

"My prayers are with him, his wife and family at this joyful moment in their journey of faith together."

Chief Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said the Catholic church in Rome shared Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor's "satisfaction".

"The choice of joining the Catholic church made by such an authoritative personality can only arouse joy and respect," Fr Lombardi added.

BBC correspondent David Willey said it had been no secret in Rome that Mr Blair had been taking instruction from a Catholic priest as a prelude to conversion.

He added that the Pope was informed of Mr Blair's intentions prior to his visit to the Vatican in June 2007, shortly before he left office.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, leader of the Anglican church, wished the former prime minister well in his spiritual journey.

He said: "Tony Blair has my prayers and good wishes as he takes this step in his Christian pilgrimage."

Northern Ireland

Downing Street confirmed the former prime minister had converted, but said it was a private matter and it would not comment further.

In the end, there is a judgement that, I think if you have faith about these things, you realise that judgement is made by other people... and if you believe in God, it's made by God as well

 But Miss Widdecombe, who became a Catholic in 1993, told the BBC Mr Blair's move raised some questions.

"If you look at Tony Blair's voting record in the House of Commons, he's gone against Church teaching on more than one occasion. On things, for example, like abortion," she said.

"My question would be, 'has he changed his mind on that?'"

But Mr Blair's biographer, Anthony Seldon, said the former prime minister's faith had always been a major influence on his politics.

Mr Seldon said: "He's a profoundly religious figure. Religion brought him into politics in the first place, not reading Labour Party history.

"Catholicism has been the religion of his wife - Cherie Blair has been incredibly important to him throughout his political life, encouraging him to go into politics and adopting many of his positions, so I think it was the obvious part of the Christian faith for him to come into."

Northern Ireland

There has never been a Roman Catholic prime minister of Britain, although there is no constitutional barrier to such a move.

It's something I suspect he probably felt he couldn't do when he was prime minister and he's done it now

However, it had in the past been suggested that Mr Blair would wait until after leaving office, to avoid possible clashes such as over his role in appointing Church of England bishops.

Catherine Pepinster, editor of Catholic magazine The Tablet, said the news was not quite the same as if Mr Blair had changed Churches while still prime minister.

"I understand that one of the issues he was concerned with, because he was so closely involved in negotiations over peace in Northern Ireland, that perhaps some people there might have been uncomfortable with the prime minister converting to Catholicism at such a time.

"This situation is different. Although he remains a public figure now, and clearly has a role to play in the Middle East, it isn't perhaps quite the same."

'Nutter' fear

Mr Blair's ex-spokesman, Alastair Campbell, once famously told reporters "We don't do God". But reacting to news of Mr Blair's conversion, Mr Campbell said: "I can't say it surprises me at all. His faith does matter an awful lot to him.

"It's something I suspect he probably felt he couldn't do when he was prime minister and he's done it now."

Mr Blair last year told ITV1 chat show host Michael Parkinson he had prayed while deciding whether to send troops into Iraq.

"In the end, there is a judgement that, I think if you have faith about these things, you realise that judgement is made by other people... and if you believe in God, it's made by God as well," he said.

And earlier this year, he told the BBC that he had avoided talking about his religious views while in office for fear of being labelled "a nutter".

The news of his conversion comes as a document showed Mr Blair had raised "concern" over ongoing business negotiations in a letter about an investigation into a Saudi arms deal.

Days later the probe was dropped, and Mr Blair said the decision to stop it was taken because of national security, and was not linked to commercial interests.

Tony Blair joins Catholic Church

[Shammu]

Iran-EU bank branch to open soon
25 Dec 2007

A branch of Iran-Europe commercial bank is to open in two weeks in Tehran, says an official at Iran's Bank of Industry and Mine.

The bank, a joint financial institution run by Iranian and German banks, is registered in Germany, Iran's biggest trading partner in the European Union, and has a major stake in the Iranian Bank of Industry and Mine (San'at va Ma'dan), with other Iranian banks such as Mellat, Tejarat and Refah also holding shares.

The bank has been operating in Iran's Kish Island since early 2005, as the first foreign bank operating in the country after the 1979 revolution, Abbaspour, head of the public relations bureau of Bank of Industry and Mine, was quoted by IRIB as saying.

While foreign owned banks are currently allowed to operate in Iran's free trade zones, but not in the mainland, joint Iranian and foreign banks have been permitted to engage in banking operations in Iran since last May, when a new policy was adopted by the Money and Credit Council of Iran's Central Bank.

Opening foreign bank branches in Iran could sharpen competition among national financial institutions and, more importantly, attract foreign investments as well as facilitating trade transactions with other countries.

Banks applying for establishment of branches in Iran are required to operate within the framework of Iran's banking system, in particular the usury-free banking regulations introduced after the Islamic Revolution.

Iran-Europe bank branch to open soon
~~~~~~~~~

NOTE: This could also be posted in Ezekiel 38 & 39.

[Shammu]

Britain to adopt the euro - on its bases in Cyprus

11 hours ago

NICOSIA (AFP) — Euro-sceptic Britain may have doubts over the single European currency but its sovereign military bases on this Mediterranean island will still embrace the euro when Cyprus adopts it from January 1.

The British bases are not officially part of the European Union even though Britain itself joined decades ago. But Dhekelia, Episkopi and RAF Akrotiri -- an area of 99 square miles -- will soon become euro-savvy.

"We are absolutely ready. A lot of people here have served in Germany, so using the euro will not come as a shock," British forces Cyprus spokesman Captain Nick Ulvert told AFP on Thursday.

"It's good news for Cyprus so we have to mirror the republic's harmonisation with the EU as far as possible, otherwise it would make life unbelievably impossible," he added.

As around 10,000 Cypriots live on bases territory and many also work there, Britain has tried to stick closely to the country's EU-harmonisation since Cyprus joined the 27-member bloc in 2004.

Locals also use beaches, restaurants, shops and cafes on the British bases, so different currencies would be impractical. Goods and services on the bases are currently priced in both Cyprus pounds and euros to help with the switch.

Along with most Cypriots, the 10,000 British service personnel and their dependents stationed on the island are concerned that prices could be rounded up during the change.

But bases law has been changed to reflect the Cyprus republic's tough stance against profiteering come January 1 -- and with some unlikely beneficiaries.

"We have rounded down fixed traffic fines because that (rounding up) would be profiteering and it wouldn't look good," said Ulvert.

"I'm pretty sure profiteering won't happen on the SBA, because it's small and we have an efficient police force who will stamp it out."

Britain retained the two sovereign base areas under the agreement which granted Cyprus its independence from colonial rule in 1960.

Britain to adopt the euro - on its bases in Cyprus

[Shammu]

An incremental strategy, and another step closer to one world government.

[Shammu]

Turkish and Spanish PMs to co-chair Alliance of Civilizations forum

The New Anatolian / Ankara
19 December 2007

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Spanish counterpart Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero will co-chair the initiative conducted under the auspices of the United Nations (UN).

The First Annual Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations will take place in Spanish capital of Madrid on January 15th-16th, 2008.

"Zapatero and Erdogan will make public their national projects within the scope of the forum," Bernardino Leon, Spanish secretary of state for foreign affairs, told reporters on Tuesday.

Leon said Turkey can have significant contributions to the Alliance of Civilizations Initiative.

According to Leon, two important projects will be made public. They are "rapid response media mechanism" and "information center of Alliance of Civilizations."

The "rapid response media mechanism will consist of experts on international culture and will give advice to media groups during international crises.

The information center will serve as an internet-based education medium that aims to improve mutual understanding among cultures as far as multilateral matters are concerned.

In general, the first forum will focus on media and youth. Participants will present projects and opinions that will further improve understanding among cultures.

Erdogan, Zapatero, Jorge Sampaio, the high representative for the alliance, and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will make opening remarks at the forum in which 67 countries and 11 international organizations will be represented.

Meanwhile, Leon said the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia have been invited but have not yet responded positively.

Turkey will host the second forum in 2009.

Turkish and Spanish PMs to co-chair Alliance of Civilizations forum

[Shammu]

Samardzic sharply criticizes Solana over EU mission
28 December 2007 | 15:00

BELGRADE -- International law does not exist for Javier Solana, Minister for Kosovo Slobodan Samardzic said Friday.

Samardzic told Tanjug that the EU foreign policy chief's stand that the sending of an EU mission to Kosovo would not represent a violation of international law “can only mean that for Solana, international law does not exist at all.”

"Announcements that the EU Council of Ministers might reach a final decision on January 28 on sending the EU mission to Kosovo would not only represent a most brutal violation of international law and Resolution 1244, but such a decision would also annul the initialed Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA)," Samardzic warned in a strongly worded statement for the agency.

He underlined that having initialed the SAA, both Serbia and the EU had “strictly obliged” themselves to observe the UN Charter, Resolution 1244 and the Final Helsinki Act.

“All these basic documents fully guarantee the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia within its current internationally recognized borders,” Samardzic pointed out.

“International law has to be observed and because of this the EU is not allowed to reach a decision on January 28 on the illegal deployment of its mission in Kosovo and Metohija,” he added.

Solana said, in an interview for the Belgrade weekly NIN, that the fact the EU had decided to send its mission to Kosovo could not be qualified as a violation of international law, although UN Security Council Resolution 1244 did not mention such a possibility.

"I do not know that anyone wants to violate international law," Solana said in comments published this Friday.

"The EU has only reached a decision to prepare a mission which could assist the police, judiciary, protect the churches and provide economic assistance to Kosovo," he explained.

"I do not believe that this can be qualified as a violation of international law," Solana concluded.

Samardzic sharply criticizes Solana over EU mission

[Shammu]

Sarkozy, in Egypt, offers French nuclear assistance to Cairo
By Reuters
29/12/2007

France stands ready to help Egypt develop civilian nuclear technology, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told an Egyptian newspaper ahead of meetings in Egypt with President Hosni Mubarak.

"Egypt has considerable energy needs and it naturally envisages constructing nuclear reactors," Sarkozy told Egypt's Al-Ahram newspaper, according to a French language transcript provided by his office on Friday.

"France, which probably has the best expertise and the greatest experience in the matter, is ready to cooperate with Egypt, if it wants," he said.

Sarkozy, who has been holidaying in Egypt since Tuesday, is due to begin an official visit on Sunday.

In recent months, France has agreed nuclear cooperation deals with Morocco, Algeria and Libya and in July Sarkozy said the West should trust Arab states to develop such technology for peaceful purposes or risk a war of civilizations.

Egypt said in October that it would build several civilian nuclear power stations to meet its growing energy needs.

It ratified the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1981 but said earlier this month it would not sign on to an additional protocol that would allow the UN nuclear watchdog the right to make intrusive short-notice inspections of nuclear facilities.

It already has nuclear cooperation offers from China, Russia and Kazakhstan.

France generates almost 80 percent of its electricity from nuclear power.

State-controlled Areva is the world's biggest maker of nuclear reactors and its activities cover the full nuclear energy cycle from mining to waste.

Sarkozy, in Egypt, offers French nuclear assistance to Cairo

[Shammu]

Solana praises EUPOL COPPS (policing the Palestinian Territories)

FOR FURTHER DETAILS:
Spokesperson of the Secretary General, High Representative for CFSP

internet: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/solana

Brussels, 28 December 2007
S376/07

Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), today welcomed the completion of the procedures for the accreditation of EUPOL COPPS and made the following statement:

"I welcome the completion of the procedure that paves the way for the accreditation of the European Union police mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS) by the Government of Israel.

Solana praises EUPOL COPPS

For more information on EUPOL COPPS - http://www.consilium.europa.eu/cms3_fo/showPage.asp?id=974&lang=en

Other articles:

EU Support to the PA

EU to the rescue?

SOLANA, EU High Representative for CFSP, welcomes appointment of Head of EU Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories http://217.25.48.35/mbn/en/news/view/line-20/0511167788230242.htm  http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/HMYT-6J7MZW?OpenDocument  http://domino.un.org/unispal.nsf/3d14c9e5cdaa296d85256cbf005aa3eb/24d2201f5298ad7385257258006a8c57!OpenDocument

EU Security teams to region taking shape

Read the Bible to be wise, believe in it to be safe, practice it to become more Christ like........
Bob

[Shammu]

France's Sarkozy Asks Israel To Make Gestures/ Boycots Syria

by Philippe Alfroy Sun Dec 30, 3:08 PM ET

CAIRO (AFP) - France will have no more contact with Syria until Damascus shows willingness to let Lebanon end its long-running political crisis and find a new president, President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Sunday.

France "will have no more contact with Syria... until we have proof of Syrian willingness to let Lebanon appoint a president by consensus," Sarkozy told journalists after talks in Cairo with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak covering thorny regional issues.

The French president was on his first official trip to the Middle East since taking office in May and his Cairo talks followed a private Egyptian holiday with his new girlfriend ex-model Carla Bruni and a swarm of paparazzi.

Former colonial power France "wants a president for Lebanon," Sarkozy said. "It's time to provide proof (of goodwill), it's time for Syria to show it."

Keen to stress a continuation of his predecessor Jacques Chirac's Arab-friendly policies, Sarkozy called on Israel to make gestures to show its commitment to peace with the Palestinians.

"I've said several times... that it's time for Israel to make gestures which would show that peace is possible, including ending settlements," in the occupied West Bank, Sarkozy said.

"Our position (toward Israel) is unchanging, being a friend doesn't mean being complacent," Sarkozy said,

Sarkozy has ruffled Arab feathers by showing friendship for Israel and rejecting anti-Americanism, with sections of the Egyptian press deriding him as President George W. Bush's new poodle, replacing British ex-premier Tony Blair.

While the US remains Israel's key ally, France is seen by many as the Western power most able to end Lebanon's political impasse.

"It's time for Syria to prove with facts what it has not stopped saying in speeches," Sarkozy said. "We are now waiting for acts on Syria's part and not speeches."

Only last month, Sarkozy called Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, reopening top-level contacts after a three-year break in a bid to end Lebanon's political crisis, Syrian media reported at the time.

Mubarak described the political deadlock in Lebanon as "dangerous" and appealed to Syria to "use its influence in Lebanon to work towards reconciliation so that the parliament elects a president".

Syria pulled its troops out of Lebanon in 2005 after a nearly 30-year presence in the face of strong international and domestic pressure but continues to be accused of meddling in Lebanese affairs.

Lebanon has been without a president since November 23 when Syrian-backed incumbent Emile Lahoud ended his term with rival parties unable to agree on a successor.

A parliamentary vote to elect a president has been postponed 11 times amid sharp divisions between the Western-backed government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora and the opposition, backed by Syria and Iran.

A Lebanese pro-government MP hailed the new tougher line from Paris.

"These comments express the disillusionment of the Arab world and the international community about the chances of agreeing anything positive with the Syrian regime," said Wael Bou Faour.

Earlier this month, US President George W. Bush also ruled out direct talks with the Syrian leader, saying: "My patience ran out on President Assad a long time ago."

On Sunday, Sarkozy also said France would free up funds for a planned international tribunal intended to try those behind a series of assassinations in Lebanon that began with the murder of former premier Rafiq Hariri in 2005.

UN investigators probing Hariri's murder have identified several people who they say may have been involved in the slaying, but no one has been charged.

Many in Lebanon blame Syria for the attacks, charges denied by Damascus.

The French president refused to take any questions about the political furore at home about his use of a billionaire businessman friend's private jet for his Christmas holiday with his new girlfriend.

French opposition parties have accused the president of compromising his office and asked what plastics-to-media magnate Vincent Bollore can expect in return for his generosity.

But Sarkozy insisted that he had "nothing" to say on the controversy before his return to Paris.

France's Sarkozy Asks Israel To Make Gestures/ Boycots Syria

[Shammu]

Did you not take notice that Sarkozy also asks Israel, to make STILL more gestures with the Palestinians?? Even Sarkozy can't be trusted either to be a friend of Israel........... 

[nChrist]

Did you not take notice that Sarkozy also asks Israel, to make STILL more gestures with the Palestinians?? Even Sarkozy can't be trusted either to be a friend of Israel...........  :'(

YES Brother! I've noticed this and many more events recently that all appear to point to end of this Age of Grace events. Brother, we should know that things are going to get much worse! Israel is going to face isolation and persecution like nothing in human history, but the end result will be GOD'S Will. Israel will be restored! However, we both know that things will be very ugly and deadly for at least 7 years prior to GOD setting things right! The MESSIAH HIMSELF will be Israel's only trusted friend before the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, but HE will be more than enough!

This might be a good object lesson for Christians to consider right now. Persecution of Christians is increasing around the world, and the Bible tells us this will get much worse. HOWEVER, we are never alone and GOD will not forsake us. This doesn't mean that we won't face hard times. I think that all Christians will face hard times, even in this part of the world. This reminds me of the old and beautiful hymn, "What A Friend We Have In Jesus". When it comes right down to it, JESUS CHRIST is our ALL IN ALL!

Love In Christ,
Tom

 

[Soldier4Christ]

 Extremism flourished as UK lost Christianity

In fewer than 50 years, Britain has changed from being a society with an acknowledged Christian basis to one which is increasingly described by politicians and the media as "multifaith".

One reason for this is the arrival of large numbers of people of other faiths to these shores. Their arrival has coincided with the end of the Empire which brought about a widespread questioning of Britain's role.

On the one hand, the British were losing confidence in the Christian vision which underlay most of the achievements and values of the culture and, on the other, they sought to accommodate the newer arrivals on the basis of a novel philosophy of "multiculturalism".

This required that people should be facilitated in living as separate communities, continuing to communicate in their own languages and having minimum need for building healthy relationships with the majority.

Alongside these developments, there has been a worldwide resurgence of the ideology of Islamic extremism. One of the results of this has been to further alienate the young from the nation in which they were growing up and also to turn already separate communities into "no-go" areas where adherence to this ideology has become a mark of acceptability.

Those of a different faith or race may find it difficult to live or work there because of hostility to them. In many ways, this is but the other side of the coin to far-Right intimidation. Attempts have been made to impose an "Islamic" character on certain areas, for example, by insisting on artificial amplification for the Adhan, the call to prayer.

Such amplification was, of course, unknown throughout most of history and its use raises all sorts of questions about noise levels and whether non-Muslims wish to be told the creed of a particular faith five times a day on the loudspeaker.

This is happening here even though some Muslim-majority communities are trying to reduce noise levels from multiple mosques announcing this call, one after the other, over quite a small geographical area.

There is pressure already to relate aspects of the sharia to civil law in Britain. To some extent this is already true of arrangements for sharia-compliant banking but have the far-reaching implications of this been fully considered?

It is now less possible for Christianity to be the public faith in Britain.

The existence of chapels and chaplaincies in places such as hospitals, prisons and institutions of further and higher education is in jeopardy either because of financial cuts or because the authorities want "multifaith" provision, without regard to the distinctively Christian character of the nation's laws, values, customs and culture.

Not only locally, but at the national level also the establishment of the Church of England is being eroded. My fear is, in the end, nothing will be left but the smile of the Cheshire Cat.

In the past, I have supported the establishment of the Church, but now I have to ask if it is only the forms that are left and the substance rapidly disappearing. If such is the case, is it worth persevering with the trappings of establishment?

Much of this has come about because of a "neutral" secularist approach which refuses to privilege any faith. In fact, secularism has its own agenda and it is certainly not neutral. It is perfectly possible for Britain to welcome people on the basis of its Christian heritage.

Christian chaplains can arrange for people of other faiths to have access to their own spiritual leaders without compromising the Christian basis of their own ministry.

Instead of this, the multifaith "mish mash" is producing a new, de facto, establishment as the Government attempts to bring particular communities on to its agenda for integration and cohesion, an agenda which still lacks the underpinning of a moral and spiritual vision.

If it had not been for the black majority churches and the recent arrival of people from central and eastern Europe, the Christian cause in many of our cities would have looked a lost one.

At last it seems the Government may be waking up to the situation; to the importance of English as a means of communication, to greater integration in housing, schools, and leisure pursuits and in citizenship education.

But none of this will be of any avail if Britain does not recover that vision of its destiny which made it great. That has to do with the Bible's teaching that we have equal dignity and freedom because we are all made in God's image.

It has to do with a prophetic passion for justice and compassion and it has to do with the teaching and example of Jesus Christ regarding humility, service and sacrifice. Let us pledge in this New Year to restore this noble vision to the centre of our national life.