German Chancellor Angela Merkel met with the English Prime Minister David Cameron to discuss the Eurozone crisis. Both leaders support a two-speed approach to the future of Europe.

Several leaders outside of the Eurozone, such as U.S. President Barack Obama, have urged Germany and the other participating nations to take immediate action on the crisis. Cameron stated, “I’m very clear that urgent action is needed to deal with the market uncertainty… [it] is about building firewalls and recapitalizing the banks.” Although Cameron has urged the Eurozone to solve this crisis, he has made it quite clear that he expects them to solve their own problems.

The United Kingdom and Denmark, although members of the European Union, negotiated agreements in 1992 to be excluded from the euro. Both countries wanted to maintain their own currency, which now appears to have been the best course of action.

Merkel has already admitted that the Eurozone crisis has been building over the last ten years and will not be solved in a day. Merkel stated, “now it will also take a few years to get things right again.”

Many economic experts have claimed that the Eurozone structure is faulty because seventeen nations are connected through a currency but are not coordinated with their budget plans. This lack of budget coordination is not a problem until a crisis such as the 2008 recession arises; now the weaker economies are dragging down the whole system. Merkel agrees that something must be done to integrate these nations better. “We need more Europe, we need not only a monetary union, but we also need a so-called fiscal union, in other words more joint budget policy,” she said.

European Union officials in Brussels want Germany, the strongest economy in the Union, to accept jointly guaranteed European debt and allow the European Central Bank to issue eurobonds. These eurobonds would help to regain some of the debt for the other countries as well as Germany, but Merkel worries that issuing these eurobonds would harm the German people and the German economy more. Before any kind of fiscal union is created in Europe, Merkel is insistent that there needs to be more stability from other European Union countries. Some experts claim that the integration cannot wait.

Another suggestion from the European Commission and European Central Bank is the creation of a central banking authority that would help alleviate concerns of excessive debt. Currently, Spain’s finance minister has claimed that credit markets are “effectively shut” to Spain at this time, making it impossible for them to get the billions in euros to rescue their banks. As of 6 June 2012, the European Commission has announced a plan for a “bank union” in Europe that would make it easier for countries like Spain to get credit.

Although many worry that Spain will need a bailout, Spain insists that they will not. Merkel has stated that Germany will not pressure Spain to take a bailout although the funds will be there if they are necessary.

The European Central Bank cannot provide bailouts due to the ‘no bailout’ clause of the Maastricht Treaty of 1992. However, starting in July there will be a 500 billion euro rescue fund known as the European Stability Mechanism.

Merkel has insisted on austerity measures in bailout countries such as Greece, but these measures have been met with great opposition. Many claim that what governments should be focusing on is growth. Merkel claims, “budget consolidation [aka austerity measures] and growth are two sides of one and the same coin.”

Currently a budget-discipline agreement is being discussed across Europe and has already been ratified in some countries. The Irish referendum vote in the previous week affirmed the agreement. Merkel’s coalition government in the German Parliament is working to get the two-thirds majority necessary to approve the agreement. However, the opposition party – which believes the debt crisis can only be solved by spending for growth – has also requested a financial transaction tax be added to the agreement or at least followed by Germany.

The United Kingdom, with London being the biggest financial center in Europe, is opposed to a Europe-wide financial transaction tax. Cameron stated that the tax would “simply [draw] those transactions offshore and to other places.”

On 7 June 2012 Merkel stated, “we need a political union first and foremost… step by step we must from now on give up more competences to Europe, and allow Europe more powers of control.” Although Cameron agrees that the Eurozone must become more integrated financially, his country is not a member of the Eurozone and would not have to deal with the consequences.

After meeting with Cameron, Merkel announced that she is tolerant of a ‘two-speed’ Europe, meaning that while the current Eurozone countries become more integrated fiscally and politically, other countries such as Denmark and the United Kingdom that use their own currency would still be a part of the Union but relegated to the edges. Merkel claims, “we have to be open. We always have to make it possible for everyone [to join]… but we must not stop because one or the other don’t want to come along just yet.”

Merkel says that one of the greatest aids for the European Union countries is to become more competitive. She claims that the economies will improve when they begin producing more on the global market.

An EU summit is planned for later in June and the leaders will discuss plans for a political union. However, according to Merkel, the decision and the arrangements will not be completed in one summit and more meetings will have to be planned.

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Francois Hollande officially became the president of France in a thundery ceremony at the Arc De Triomphe after his investiture ceremony in Paris on May 15, 2012. The triumph of the Socialists marks the defeat of Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s first single-term president, since Giscard d’Estaing in 1958.

The 57-year-old, Hollande, is regarded as an experienced political organizer with 30 years active involvement in the Socialist party, despite never holding a national government office before.

Former president Sarkozy welcomed him on the red carpet steps of Elysée palace before leading him inside. They had a meeting for 40 minutes and Sarkozy handed over France’s nuclear launch codes.

In his inaugural speech to 400 attending guests at the Elysée palace, Hollande pledged to run a “simple, dignified, and sober” presidency. He also fully acknowledged the challenges both France and he will face: “a massive debt, weak growth, high unemployment, degraded competitiveness, and a Europe that is struggling to come out of crisis.”

With the economy in depth of crisis he said, “My mandate is to bring France back to justice, open up a new path in Europe, contribute to world peace and preserve the planet.” He promised to temper German-inspired austerity and ensure measures to boost economic growth. “We have to find solutions together so that austerity does not become our only fate, so that growth returns and so that we can find solidarity over the concerns we have over Greece.”

On May 16, Mr. Hollande had the first meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss eurozone dominated issues and the political situation in Greece. The president’s first trip was delayed by a minor incident: his plane was hit by lightning and he had to turn back, forcing him to use another plane and arrived about an hour later than scheduled.

Both parties were aware of their responsibility for Europe and the two nations had to cooperate effectively. They did not hide their differences but they said they would try to overcome the problem. While the conservative Merkel advocated austerity by reducing debt and government spending, the socialist French leader said he would submit his proposals to stimulate economic growth in Europe in the upcoming European summit.

“I am serious about the budget, but also for growth,” said Hollande. He believes economic growth is a more effective way to reduce debt and deficit reduction.

The two leaders also expressed their desire to keep Greece in the EU. “I believe we agree that Greece belongs in the EU and in the eurozone, and we want to promote this,” Merkel said. Both were willing to consider some measures to support the country in the tense political situation and in upcoming new elections.

Athens must hold new parliamentary elections in June amidst unstable political conditions as the result of heightened fears surrounding Greece’s possible removal from the EU. “I hope we can say to the Greeks that Europe is ready to add measures to help growth and support economic activity so that Greece can return to growth,” added Hollande. 

After the meeting, Merkel and Hollande were determined to show their harmony on Greece’s maintenance in Europe but still acknowledged some differences on economic growth.

In the early evening, president Hollande was greeted with great military honor. Then he and Merkel had an interview where they exchanged handshakes in front of a crowd of journalists and photographers. Before he was elected, Merkel refused to meet with the socialist candidate and strongly supported his rival, conservative Nicolas Sarkozy.

At the moment, the German leader recognizes the need of “working together” for Europe and maintaining the longstanding stable relationship between France and Germany.

Image Courtesy of   Francois Hollande

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WASHINGTON and BERLIN – After over 20 years the USA (along with Somalia) is the only country in the world (193) where children human rights are NOT legally and internationally recognized through the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). All children who are on U.S. soil loose their basic human rights that they have in 193 other countries. Now is the time to change this silent violation of children’s human rights before the 2012 Presidential elections.

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” Obama, February 2008

The Little Peace Ambassador, Ariana-Leilani, 9 years old, was destined to promote peace and children’s human rights worldwide. She was born a dual German – USA citizen with two nationalities, cultures, races, religions, and three languages.

“We lose ourselves when we compromise the very ideals that we fight to defend. And we honor those ideals by upholding them not when it’s easy, but when it is hard.” Obama, Nobel Lecture,December 2009

Before 5 years she had traveled to ten countries and volunteered to help orphaned children she called “friends.” The Little Peace Ambassador, met President George W. Bush, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Queen Noor at the United Nations in NY, and was named after the “Ariana” museum at the United Nations – Palais de Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, where she once ran the halls at the World Health Assembly. Yet, for such an unusual start in life, since the age of 5, the Little Peace Ambassador has been trapped in Washington, DC, USA now fighting for her life.

As a direct result of no UNCRC, Ariana-Leilani has suffered silently for 4 years in the USA with untreated life-threatening Severe Chronic Neutropenia only minutes from The White House, in the most powerful and internationally involved foreign policy and human rights defender governments in the world.

In Germany she would have the basic human right to live. In the USA, she is denied life-saving medicine (nupogen), free since she is on the Severe Chronic Neutropenia International Registry (SCNIR); a full toxicology and expert medical care. A ”gopetition” to President Obama and Chancellor Merkel to “Save Ariana-Leilani” currently has signatures from 117 countries.

“All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time. The question is whether we spend that time focused on what pushes us apart or whether we commit ourselves to an effort, a sustained effort to find common ground, to focus on the future we seek for our children and to respect the dignity of all human beings.” Obama, speech, June 2009

Little Peace Ambassador, Ariana-Leilani, “Happy 9th Birthday.” May you live a long life and continue to educate and advocate for Children’s Human Rights in the USA and worldwide.

Links
Children’s Human Rights; www.Ariana-LeilaniFoundation.org
Petition: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-ariana-leilani.html
Save Ariana-Leilani: www.Ariana-Leilani.org

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