Jul. 02
It wasn’t that long ago the UK called for creating a team presidency within the EU Council. But soon after, British Prime Minister Tony Blair surprised everyone by dropping the team idea and called for a new EU Super president within the Council. Now it looks like the new Danish presidency will sink Blair’s plan for an EU Super president, but will supports the UK’s old idea for a team presidency.
Jul. 04
The shadow of a great dragon is rising in Europe in the form of the European Union. And, according to Bible prophecy, this dragon will spread its shadow across the Mediterranean and someday cover Israel.
Jul. 05
In 70 AD Roman soldiers besieged Jerusalem. In the course of the battle over one million Jews lost their lives. When the battle was over, the destruction done to the Jewish temple was so complete not one stone was left standing on top of another — just like Jesus said (Matt. 24:2).
Jul. 10
Pardon me, but I really love this report about the EU backing Spain in sending Spanish warships to reclaim a tiny Island off the coast of Morocco.
Jul. 11
I first became aware of the battle raging in the EU last May while reading a bulletin written by Charles Grant. Grant is the director of a think-tank, the Centr for European Reform.
Jul. 13
If you’ve been following my commentaries, you know I believe there is power struggle going on for control of the new, super European Union. This struggle is mainly between the people who want the Commission to be the seat of power, and certain governments who want Council to be the seat of power.
Jul. 19
Every child knows how to play the game. When one parent says no, just go ask the other.
Jul. 20
Recently I tried to answer a question asked in a commentary by Bennett M. Epstein titled, “What part don’t they understand?”
Jul. 24
The Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) has officially expired. The ECSC Treaty was signed on April 18, 1951 and entered into force on July 23, 1952. Now, 50 years later, on July 23, 2002, the Treaty that began it all has expired.
Jul. 29
I was quite shocked when I learned that a fellow American by the name of John Walker Lindh was found among the Taliban prisoners our soldiers captured in Afghanistan.
Jul. 01
France took over the EU’s six-month rotating presidency, Tuesday. The country’s agendas for the bloc — including boosting EU military capabilities — have been overshadowed by the Irish No vote on the Lisbon Treaty.
Jul. 03
At the European Socialist Party Conference on the Middle East, EU high representative Javier Solana said “time is short” for making peace.
Jul. 03
Jul. 04
Jul. 06
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas met with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, Syria, Sunday to discuss the Middle East peace process.
Jul. 08
France will push ahead with its plans to build an EU military, despite the Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty, said France’s foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, at an EU-NATO conference held in Paris on Monday. The conference addressed strengthening the relationship between the EU and NATO.
Jul. 08
Jul. 09
Syrian president Bashar Assad left open the possibility of meeting with Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert on the sidelines of a conference next Sunday in Paris that will launch the Mediterranean Union — a new organization of EU and Mediterranean nations.
Jul. 10
France plans to deliver a solution for the EU impasse by the end of the year, said French president Nicholas Sarkozy, Thursday, at a meeting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.
Jul. 11
Jul. 13
Leaders from 44 European and Mediterranean states will gather in Paris, Sunday, to launch the ‘Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean.’ The new union ‘underlines the EU’s continued commitment and political will to realise the ambitions of the Barcelona Declaration,’ said EU commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.
Jul. 14
The Union of the Mediterranean, launched Sunday, is designed to bring peace to the Middle East. EU high representative Javier Solana said the union could bring “new impetus” to the peace process, but won’t play a role in negotiations.
Jul. 14
U.S. presidential hopeful Barak Obama will visit the Middle East next week, meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Obama said, if elected president, he will work for peace in the region by supporting the creation of a Palestinian state.
Jul. 15
Syria must make progress in its relations with Israel before it can sign an Association Agreement with the European Union and reap the benefits of participation in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), according to EU high representative Javier Solana.
Jul. 15
Jul. 16
The World Conference on Dialogue kicked off in Spain on Wednesday — a three-day interfaith event sponsored by Saudi Arabia. About 250 religious and social leaders are attending the conference, including Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Middle East Quartet envoy Tony Blair and U.S. civil rights figure the Reverend Jesse Jackson.
Jul. 16
Jul. 20
Barack Obama’s nuclear policy advisor, Joseph Cirincione, told an Iranian news agency, on June 30, that the reason nuclear negotiations with Iran are failing is because the United States is not cooperating with EU high representative Javier Solana, who is leading the talks.
Jul. 21
Alliance of Civilizations high representative Jorge Sampaio said the Union for the Mediterranean, launched July 13, and Alliance of Civilizations share the same goal: raising “a barrier against intolerance, religious fundamentalism and extremism.” He said the two entities should be “developed in close collaboration.”
Jul. 22
“Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama vowed Tuesday to work for a breakthrough in Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations ‘starting from the minute I’m sworn into office.’”