Thursday, December 6, 2012
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
EU Official Commends Croatia As Accession Nears
Following a meeting with Croatian President Ivo Josipović, Fuele said that the talks focused on two things: ensuring that Croatia continues its success story after July next year, and examining Croatia's specific role in the region as a future EU member state.
"I am sure of Croatia's resolve to settle the remaining issues from the monitoring report by the European Commission, and I am confident that the ratification process in the EU member states will be completed so July 1, 2013 will be a happy event," Fuele said.
Josipović said that he and Fuele discussed joint interests and the situation in the region, together with the tasks that Croatia would have to fulfill before joining the EU.
The EU commissioner underlined that Croatia is almost in line with the European legal guidelines, adding that its EU accession is important for the entire region as proof that reforms pay off.
Speaking at the opening of the 4th Western Balkans Civil Society Forum, which discussed the region and the EU accession process, Fuele said that Croatia has a few more tasks before the accession, but that Brussels is certain that it will fulfill them on time.
Balkan States Cool on Palestine's UN Bid
The General Assembly appeared likely to endorse Palestine’s request on Thursday, despite threats by the United States and Israel to punish the Palestinian Authority by withholding much-needed funds for the West Bank government.
Montenegro says it was abstaining, as siding with the request risked “causing new divisions and differences. Own historical experience made us we believe in the supremacy of negotiations and agreements”.
Podgorica said it supported “the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for achieving statehood, as well as Israeli aspirations for the security of their own country”.
Neighbouring Croatia was also abstaining from the vote.
Serbia's decision was unclear. Vuk Jeremic, the Serbian President of the United Nations General Assembly, said only that "the Palestinian initiative to improve its status is historical and it is the honour of Serbia to preside [at the session]."
Macedonia did not indicate whether it would support Palestine's bid. But it abstained in last year’s vote on Palestine’s membership of UNESCO and Macedonia and Palestine do not have diplomatic ties.
Bosnia and Herzegovina was unlikely to support the Palestinian request because the three members of the State Presidency failed to reach consensus on the issue.
The resolution changing the Palestinian Authority’s UN observer status from “entity” to that of “non-member state,” like the Vatican, was expected to pass easily in the 193-nation General Assembly.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been leading the campaign to win support for the resolution.
Success will not mean full membership for Palestine at the UN, but will ease the path to membership of a number of international bodies as well as embarrassing the Israeli government, which campaigned vigorously against the vote.
The change in status will, for example, allow Palestine to join the International Criminal Court, ICC, at The Hague and obtain membership of about 30 other UN agencies.
Ahead of the vote, a number of EU states said they would vote "yes" to the request, including France, Spain, Norway, Denmark and Switzerland.
Those opposed or abstaining include the US, Israel, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands and Australia.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Penelope Cruz Checks In with “Che Tempo Che Fa
The Italian press efforts come as the 38-year-old wife of Javier Bardem joined forces with her younger sister Monica to develop a line of luxury lingerie.
Agent Provocateur CEO Garry Hogarth plans to launch the Cruz collaboration in the Fall/Winter 2013 season with initial distribution limited to a few major department stores.
