[fse-esf] Re: [attacsem] Proposal: common press release against 2nd referendum inIreland (fwd)

[Mikael Book]

Dear all,

Wayne Hall from Attac Hellas forwarded me a copy of an email conversation
on a European list of Attac to which I do not subscribe. I think this
glimpse of the current discussion within Attac is needed also on the list
attac-convention, and so I enclose it below. A copy also goes to the
mailing list of the European Social Forum.

Like Wayne, I recommend that we stop repeating "NO" to the European Union.
However, the first condition for our "YES" must be European nuclear
disarmament. Which means that the British and French must give up their
national nuclear forces, and that the NATO bases plus the existing and the
planned "missile defense" installations (which are part of the systems of
weapons of mass destruction) have to go away from Europe. If you like this
plan, now is the time to show it. But if we are not agreed on this point,
Sarkozy and Blair will prevail.

Where is our alternative to the current Lisbon document? We have promised
to produce it; remember the B-part of the ABC-plan we promised to make
after the NO victory in France and Holland 2005!  As our starting point,
let us consider "the Spinelli project"  from the 1980s and, more
precisely, the draft treaty, which was approved with great majority by the
first democratically elected EP in February 1984.

Disarmament is one of the stated goals of Spinelli's draft treaty, whereas
in the Lisbon document that word shines with its absence. To read the
treaty of 1984 (in French or English), you may go to
http://www.spinellisfootsteps.info/

Freely, it is necessary to update the 1984 draft treaty to correspond
to present realities. The description of the institutions of the
European state in the 1984 treaty is already admirably brief (ca 20 pages)
in comparison with the horrible hundreds of pages of legalese of the
Lisbon document.

However, although brief already, the text of the 1984 treaty might be even
further abridged. Therefore, I suggest that outdated sections on various
policy areas be replaced by short paragraphs, which reflect the existence
of the internet and the eurozone, the fact that the USSR is no more, the
enlarged membership, the climate crisis and the need to build,
henceforward, the economic production, consumption and transport systems
on renewable sources of energy.

Concerning defense and foreign relations the 1984 treaty is already very
good in comparison with the Dystopian perspectives of the Lisbon document.
As said, the 1984 treaty puts disarmament and peace on the list of the
goals of the EU, and it does not tie the EU to any military pacts, not
even to NATO. However, a provision or clause about the abolition of the
nuclear weapons from Europe definitely needs to be added now, after the
end of the Cold War.

These are the political essentials of the constitution of the EU. A new
constitution is, almost by definition, an exceptional moment in political
life. Naturally much else, which is not and cannot be covered by a
constitution, is also very important although (and because!) it belongs to
the everyday life of politics.

Further reflections on the necesary re-constitution of Spinelli's
constitution may, hopefully be retrieved from and triggered by the blog
http://blog.spinellisfootsteps.info/

Disarmament and, firstly, European nuclear disarmament (END). Otherwise,
no viable social model, no authentic democracy, no positive solution to
the deepening ecological problems and the climate crisis, and no sound
financial system will be possible in Europe.

An EU based on END is the EU we all need.

Best wishes.

 - Mikael Böök
   member of Attac Finland

Mikael Böök * book at kaapeli.fi * gsm +358(0)-44 5511 324 *
http://www.kaapeli.fi/book/  * http://blogi.kaapeli.fi/book/ *
http://blog.spinellisfootsteps.info/


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2008 09:45:31 +0200
From: Wayne Hall <halva1 at otenet.gr>
To: Jutta Sundermann <jutta.s at jpberlin.de>,
     Attac Europe Seminar List <attacsem at listen.attac.de>
Cc: Mikael Book <book at kaapeli.fi>
Subject: Re: [attacsem] Proposal: common press release against 2nd
    referendum inIreland




----- Original Message -----
From: "Jutta Sundermann" <jutta.s at jpberlin.de>
To: "Attac Europe Seminar List" <attacsem at listen.attac.de>
Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 5:42 PM
Subject: [attacsem] Proposal: common press release against 2nd referendum
inIreland


> Dear friends!
>
> On thursday, 11th, during the EU summit the Irish prime minister
> Cowen ist going to promise a second referendum on the Lisbon treaty.
> I would like to have a common press release on this scandal.
>
> I can send tomorrow or today in the evening a proposal that can be used in
> your
> country and will be also distributed in Germany.
>
> We will need your "yes" or "no" to be listened as one of the involved
> Attac sections on wendesday.

No-one in ATTAC Hellas is going to say that we do not support "yes" to
rejecting a second referendum in Ireland on the Lisbon treaty.

But, honestly and truly, we in ATTAC have to get away from the reactive (No,
no, no, no, no)  approach to what the Europe's rulers - and first and
foremost Sarkozy - are cooking up for us.
This is even more shriekingly evident in the context of the present "riots"
in Greece.

Mikael Book in ATTAC Finland has proposed a resurrection of Spinelli's 1984
Draft Treaty of European Union as a the basis of a positive alternative to
the Treaty of Lisbon.  A conference was held in Aigina, Greece two weeks ago
WITH FUNDING FROM THE GREEK OFFICES OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION AND THE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT where this idea was floated, in conjunction with
promotion of the historic contribution of Ioannis Capodistrias to today's
Europe.

See this video: http://www.enouranois.gr/video/kapo.wmv

When there was first mention, by a member of ATTAC-Hellas,  at the meeting
of the European ATTACs in Paris at the beginning of this year, of the idea
of resurrecting Spinelli's Draft Treaty, NO INTEREST was shown by fellow
ATTAC members.  More interest was subsequently shown by the Greek offices of
the European Parliament and the European Commission. Why?




>
> Since our seminar in Frankfurt I am looking forward to further
> cooperation - good to have a chance now!
>
> greetings, and read more later
>
> Jutta
>
>
>
> ****************************
> Jutta Sundermann
>
> Maurenstr. 9
> 38300 Wolfenbüttel
>
> 05331 / 882 353
> mobil: 0175 / 86 66 76 9
> mail: jutta.s at jpberlin.de
> *****************************
>
>
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