That's ok aristo,

If I controlled the world you'd be happier than you are now.

i was not meaning you but anyway, or what???

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"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exist elsewhere in the Universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin to the Hobbes

That sounds good,

I though you were talking to me since I was quoted.

Have a nice day!

:)

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"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7464879.stm


Sarkozy warning on EU expansion

Nicolas Sarkozy, Paris, 19 June 2008


France holds the EU presidency from July 2008

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said the European Union will not be able to expand further without ratification of the Lisbon Treaty.

An EU summit in Brussels has exposed divisions over how to proceed with the reform treaty - which was rejected by Irish voters in a referendum last week.

A decision on what to do next is expected to be postponed until October.

The leaders are now expected to discuss Zimbabwe. A draft statement threatens increasing EU sanctions on the country.


Wrong signal

Mr Sarkozy's comments about EU expansion came after clear divisions emerged over the future of the treaty and the meeting decided that the Irish should report back in October on possible ways out of the impasse.

"Without the Treaty of Lisbon there won't be any enlargement," he said.

"You can't say no to reforms and yes to enlargement."

The BBC's Mark Mardell looks at the options open to EU leaders after the Irish vote

The BBC's Jonny Dymond says one diplomat described Mr Sarkozy's comments as a threat - and the wrong signal to send to the Irish people - and those of Croatia and Turkey, who hope to join the 27-member bloc.

Mr Sarkozy did add that he would travel to Ireland when France takes over the rotating EU presidency in July to help find a solution.

The treaty must be ratified by all member states to take effect. Nineteen have approved it so far, the latest of which was the UK, where it passed through parliament on Wednesday.


Czech brakes

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso urged respect for the Irish "No" vote but said he was confident all the countries would complete the ratification process. He ruled out renegotiating the reform treaty.


LISBON TREATY PROGRESS

Approved by parliament: Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, UK
Defeated by referendum: Irish Republic
Challenges: Legal objections in Czech Republic
No firm date: Belgium, Cyprus, Netherlands (held up by referendum proposal), Italy (new government), Spain (new government), Sweden

Mardell blog: The meaning of "No"
EU crisis: The same, but different
Cuba awaits sanctions decision

"When a treaty is signed by 27 governments it's not just for fun," he said. "It's inconceivable that a government signs a treaty without the intention of ratifying it. It's a principle of international law."

Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, whose country is the current holder of the EU presidency, said enlargement should not be a victim of the delay in ratifying the treaty.

"I believe we'll find a way out of the situation before any candidate country is ready for a decision on accession to be taken in the EU," he said. "I don't think the commission wants to slow down the process."

Germany rejected the idea of moving ahead on Lisbon without Ireland, which won strong Czech backing at the summit.

Our correspondent says concern is swirling around the intentions of the Czech government.

Pressed on whether he intended to ratify the treaty, Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said that he was not going to put the brakes on to halt ratification.

But he added he would not bet 100 crowns (£3; $6) on a "Yes" from parliament.

Packages

On the second of the two-day summit, the leaders were expected to turn their attention to Zimbabwe's presidential run-off vote.

The draft conclusions say the EU is ready "to take additional measures against those responsible for violence".

Current EU sanctions on Zimbabwe include a travel ban for senior officials, a freeze on financial assets held in the EU, and an arms embargo.

The statement comes amid international concern over rising political violence in Zimbabwe.

On Thursday, the leaders agreed to scrap diplomatic sanctions against Cuba imposed in 2003.

Mr Barroso has also been pressing for the summit to focus on other issues such as fuel and food prices. After the first day of the summit, he announced:

* an emergency package for fisheries, amounting to 30,000 euros (£23,600) per vessel
* An extended programme to distribute food aid inside the EU to the most deprived people, increasing the aid from 300m euros (£236m) a year to 500m euros (£393m) a year
* A new EU fund to help the agricultural sector in developing countries

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"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss

A lot of people, including politicans are forgetting history. One only has to look to the past where Europe is concerned. Feudal Europe gave rise to the reign of the local Burgameister - With them, any dissent & one was jailed, or worse totally disappeared.

Adolf Hitler's father was one (Hence the term little hitler's when one comes up against a "jobsworth" - i.e., a traffic warden being a stickler for the rules)

With this treaty, we have an olden Feudal Europe dressed up in 21st century clothes.

History in 50 years time...
NAU - North American Union
EU - European Union
CIS - Central Islamic States
PAU - Pacific Asian Union

What's the betting, there will be major conflict between 2 or more of these unions that will make WWI & WWII pale into insignificance or Korea/Vietnam just family squabbles?

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A lot of people, including politicans are forgetting history. One only has to look to the past where Europe is concerned. Feudal Europe gave rise to the reign of the local Burgameister - With them, any dissent & one was jailed, or worse totally disappeared.

Adolf Hitler's father was one (Hence the term little hitler's when one comes up against a "jobsworth" - i.e., a traffic warden being a stickler for the rules)

With this treaty, we have an olden Feudal Europe dressed up in 21st century clothes.

History in 50 years time...
NAU - North American Union
EU - European Union
CIS - Central Islamic States
PAU - Pacific Asian Union

What's the betting, there will be major conflict between 2 or more of these unions that will make WWI & WWII pale into insignificance or Korea/Vietnam just family squabbles?

Unfortunately, Sirius, I think you may be right, and it will be over resources (land, oil, water, food, overcrowding, etc).

This will put an end to 2 generations of peace in Europe. But, at least I will not be around to see another episode of madness in humans.

I wonder if the war, when it is fought, will be carbon neutral and take account of man being the sole cause of Global Warming?

A Curmudgeon or wot?

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It's good to be back amongst friends and colleagues

A lot of people, including politicans are forgetting history. One only has to look to the past where Europe is concerned. Feudal Europe gave rise to the reign of the local Burgameister - With them, any dissent & one was jailed, or worse totally disappeared.

Adolf Hitler's father was one (Hence the term little hitler's when one comes up against a "jobsworth" - i.e., a traffic warden being a stickler for the rules)

With this treaty, we have an olden Feudal Europe dressed up in 21st century clothes.

History in 50 years time...
NAU - North American Union
EU - European Union
CIS - Central Islamic States
PAU - Pacific Asian Union

What's the betting, there will be major conflict between 2 or more of these unions that will make WWI & WWII pale into insignificance or Korea/Vietnam just family squabbles?

Unfortunately, Sirius, I think you may be right, and it will be over resources (land, oil, water, food, overcrowding, etc).

This will put an end to 2 generations of peace in Europe. But, at least I will not be around to see another episode of madness in humans.

I wonder if the war, when it is fought, will be carbon neutral and take account of man being the sole cause of Global Warming?

A Curmudgeon or wot?

I truly hope that I'm wrong, but the attitude of the individual & also the "Collective" says otherwise. Medical associations say that we are living longer, hopefully, I'm praying that it dosen't apply to me. As far as I'm concerned, the days of fighting for "King, Country or Flag" are well & truly over. Now it's over resources!

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Summer 2060.......State of the Unions...

(Think, Mad Max 3 - total devastation)..........

Summer 2065.....

ET travels to Earth as signals ceased suddenly......

Summer 2075..........

ET lands, steps out & shakes his head with sadness..........

Science Fiction?

The way the world is heading, no - could be Science Fact!

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Summer 2060.......State of the Unions...

(Think, Mad Max 3 - total devastation)..........

Summer 2065.....

ET travels to Earth as signals ceased suddenly......

Summer 2075..........

ET lands, steps out & shakes his head with sadness..........

Science Fiction?

The way the world is heading, no - could be Science Fact!

Mind you, during the McCarthy period of the late 1950s and early 1960s this nearly was fact as Nato and the Warsaw Pacts faced each other.

"Where Have All The Flowers Gone?" - Peter, Paul and Mary expresses the stupidity and futility of this form of human behaviour

Another reminder of our collective folly in these circumstances

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It's good to be back amongst friends and colleagues

Great links, thanks.

Mind you, if it wasn't for JFK standing his ground during the Cuban Crisis, we probably would just be recovering from a nuclear winter - those that survived anyway.

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Mind you, the Suez crisis of 1956 was a bit of a worry at the time, that conflict could have spread beyond the Middle east.

mind you, people are still as stupid.
( war, what is it good for, absolutely nothing)

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"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exist elsewhere in the Universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin to the Hobbes

Mind you, the Suez crisis of 1956 was a bit of a worry at the time, that conflict could have spread beyond the Middle east.

mind you, people are still as stupid.
( war, what is it good for, absolutely nothing)

Oh, I don't know.......Man is fond of culling animals to keep their population down. Maybe war is good for culling Man. As you've stated, we are stupid!

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Mind you, the Suez crisis of 1956 was a bit of a worry at the time, that conflict could have spread beyond the Middle east.

I've no personal experience of that one Chris, as I was born that year. From what I learned at school, it could have boiled over into Europe & possibly erupted into Nuclear disaster.

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There was that possibility as the French and British went in to protect their interests in the Suez Canal as they were at that time.

Still very imperial in our collective outlooks. But post war time finance was not there, and our friends did not support us for historical reasons.

One of the many decisions that have lead to the present Middle Eastern position and problems.

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It's good to be back amongst friends and colleagues

What other European countries voted on bills simular to the Lisbon Treaty?

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LETS BEGIN IN 2010

None

The individual country politicians/parliaments did not allow the populous to hold a referendum. Ireland did because it is part of their constitution. The UK did not, even though the Government promised one as part of their election manifesto ... the Ba****ds

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It's good to be back amongst friends and colleagues

They'll keep going........1st the Masstrict Treaty, then Lisbon, Probably Madrid next followed by Paris, Bonn,London,Rome, etc until they get an unanimous "YES" vote.........

"Then God help us"

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Ssssshtttt. Germany´s new capital city is Berlin.

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Ssssshtttt. Germany´s new capital city is Berlin.

Sorry, Champ. I wasn't sure so put Bonn - Thought by putting Berlin, I might cause some upset.

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What I do find scary about this whole referendum business is the Irish vote.

I don't think or have seen anyone touch base on this matter.

Most of the countries concerned did not give their citizens the right to vote on this.

The Irish vote was instigated by "Sinn Fein" & the rest of the country voted on it.

FYI "Sinn Fein" is the Political wing of the IRA.

Makes one think....................

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Ssssshtttt. Germany´s new capital city is Berlin.

Sorry, Champ. I wasn't sure so put Bonn - Thought by putting Berlin, I might cause some upset.

I don´t worry about it Sirius.

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