Gas prices continue to dominate in the Us and cast a serious pall over the administration. Last Thursday, Obama announced an inter-agency task force to investigate speculation. On television yesterday, freshman Democratic Senator Ralph Blumenthal pressed for empaneling a federal grand jury: Blumenthal, Connecticut’s former attorney general, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that federal officials need to play hardball. “I commend and applaud the president for focusing on this issue but I think there really needs to be an investigation involving, for example, subpoenas and compulsory process which I used as attorney general in similar investigations. There needs to be very possibly a grand jury to uncover the potential wrongdoing,” said Blumenthal, who was elected to the Senate last year. “The Justice Department should take the lead, seize this moment and send a message, a very strong deterrent message that this country will not tolerate the kind of illegal speculation and trading and hedge fund activity that may be driving prices up,” he added. To which Republicans have their ready-made answer. Hit F8 and out comes: But House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) office on Friday called the Democratic focus on potential market abuses a distraction from the need to expand U.S. oil-and-gas drilling (although this would not affect prices in the short-term). I think that parenthetical is the handiwork of the reporter, that is, Boehner probably didn’t say it. If he did, good for him, but that’s not the m.o. The m.o. is to chant “drill baby drill” even though that might lower gas prices in about four or five years. On the issue of speculation, I have been reading some things, and it seems clear that the unrest in the Middle East has led to more speculation, which does help hike prices. Here’s some info from a Senator Al Franken press release, touting legislation he’s trying to advance: The senators are pushing for tougher regulation because new data shows oil trades by speculators have jumped 35 percent since the latest round of civil unrest began in late January in North Africa and then the Middle East. During that same period, U.S. gas prices have soared by almost 40 percent. And here’s a little more information for you: Speculators can currently buy $100 worth of oil futures with only $6 down, while investors in stocks put down 50%. The Commission has the authority to call for higher margin requirements from exchanges where oil futures and various other commodities are traded. “New margin requirements could take effect as soon as July, but the CFTC must begin the rulemaking process now,” the lawmakers wrote. “The commission” is the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which oversees this. The House GOP wanted to cut its budget by around $90 million, or basically cut it in half. But under the deal that averted the government shutdown, it actually got a 20% increase, to $203 million. Meanwhile, says Think Progress, citing the Wall Street Journal, Exxon’s profits are expected to rise this year by 50%. Republicans are going to war on gas prices: drill drill drill. The Democrats have a populist response, and the benefit of talking about something (Franken’s idea) that could have impact immediately. Will they seize on it? Don’t answer that question. Obama administration US domestic policy Michael Tomasky guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Gas prices continue to dominate in the Us and cast a serious pall over the administration. Last Thursday, Obama announced an inter-agency task force to investigate speculation. On television yesterday, freshman Democratic Senator Ralph Blumenthal pressed for empaneling a federal grand jury: Blumenthal, Connecticut’s former attorney general, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that federal officials need to play hardball. “I commend and applaud the president for focusing on this issue but I think there really needs to be an investigation involving, for example, subpoenas and compulsory process which I used as attorney general in similar investigations. There needs to be very possibly a grand jury to uncover the potential wrongdoing,” said Blumenthal, who was elected to the Senate last year. “The Justice Department should take the lead, seize this moment and send a message, a very strong deterrent message that this country will not tolerate the kind of illegal speculation and trading and hedge fund activity that may be driving prices up,” he added. To which Republicans have their ready-made answer. Hit F8 and out comes: But House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) office on Friday called the Democratic focus on potential market abuses a distraction from the need to expand U.S. oil-and-gas drilling (although this would not affect prices in the short-term). I think that parenthetical is the handiwork of the reporter, that is, Boehner probably didn’t say it. If he did, good for him, but that’s not the m.o. The m.o. is to chant “drill baby drill” even though that might lower gas prices in about four or five years. On the issue of speculation, I have been reading some things, and it seems clear that the unrest in the Middle East has led to more speculation, which does help hike prices. Here’s some info from a Senator Al Franken press release, touting legislation he’s trying to advance: The senators are pushing for tougher regulation because new data shows oil trades by speculators have jumped 35 percent since the latest round of civil unrest began in late January in North Africa and then the Middle East. During that same period, U.S. gas prices have soared by almost 40 percent. And here’s a little more information for you: Speculators can currently buy $100 worth of oil futures with only $6 down, while investors in stocks put down 50%. The Commission has the authority to call for higher margin requirements from exchanges where oil futures and various other commodities are traded. “New margin requirements could take effect as soon as July, but the CFTC must begin the rulemaking process now,” the lawmakers wrote. “The commission” is the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which oversees this. The House GOP wanted to cut its budget by around $90 million, or basically cut it in half. But under the deal that averted the government shutdown, it actually got a 20% increase, to $203 million. Meanwhile, says Think Progress, citing the Wall Street Journal, Exxon’s profits are expected to rise this year by 50%. Republicans are going to war on gas prices: drill drill drill. The Democrats have a populist response, and the benefit of talking about something (Franken’s idea) that could have impact immediately. Will they seize on it? Don’t answer that question. Obama administration US domestic policy Michael Tomasky guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Gas prices continue to dominate in the Us and cast a serious pall over the administration. Last Thursday, Obama announced an inter-agency task force to investigate speculation. On television yesterday, freshman Democratic Senator Ralph Blumenthal pressed for empaneling a federal grand jury: Blumenthal, Connecticut’s former attorney general, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that federal officials need to play hardball. “I commend and applaud the president for focusing on this issue but I think there really needs to be an investigation involving, for example, subpoenas and compulsory process which I used as attorney general in similar investigations. There needs to be very possibly a grand jury to uncover the potential wrongdoing,” said Blumenthal, who was elected to the Senate last year. “The Justice Department should take the lead, seize this moment and send a message, a very strong deterrent message that this country will not tolerate the kind of illegal speculation and trading and hedge fund activity that may be driving prices up,” he added. To which Republicans have their ready-made answer. Hit F8 and out comes: But House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) office on Friday called the Democratic focus on potential market abuses a distraction from the need to expand U.S. oil-and-gas drilling (although this would not affect prices in the short-term). I think that parenthetical is the handiwork of the reporter, that is, Boehner probably didn’t say it. If he did, good for him, but that’s not the m.o. The m.o. is to chant “drill baby drill” even though that might lower gas prices in about four or five years. On the issue of speculation, I have been reading some things, and it seems clear that the unrest in the Middle East has led to more speculation, which does help hike prices. Here’s some info from a Senator Al Franken press release, touting legislation he’s trying to advance: The senators are pushing for tougher regulation because new data shows oil trades by speculators have jumped 35 percent since the latest round of civil unrest began in late January in North Africa and then the Middle East. During that same period, U.S. gas prices have soared by almost 40 percent. And here’s a little more information for you: Speculators can currently buy $100 worth of oil futures with only $6 down, while investors in stocks put down 50%. The Commission has the authority to call for higher margin requirements from exchanges where oil futures and various other commodities are traded. “New margin requirements could take effect as soon as July, but the CFTC must begin the rulemaking process now,” the lawmakers wrote. “The commission” is the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which oversees this. The House GOP wanted to cut its budget by around $90 million, or basically cut it in half. But under the deal that averted the government shutdown, it actually got a 20% increase, to $203 million. Meanwhile, says Think Progress, citing the Wall Street Journal, Exxon’s profits are expected to rise this year by 50%. Republicans are going to war on gas prices: drill drill drill. The Democrats have a populist response, and the benefit of talking about something (Franken’s idea) that could have impact immediately. Will they seize on it? Don’t answer that question. Obama administration US domestic policy Michael Tomasky guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
The Obama administration has condemned ‘the brutal violence used by the government of Syria’, describing it as deplorable The White House is preparing to introduce new sanctions against the Syrian regime in response to a military crackdown that saw tanks and armoured cars deployed against protesters on Monday. The Obama administration condemned “the brutal violence used by the government of Syria”, describing it as deplorable, and adding: “The United States is pursuing a range of possible policy options, including targeted sanctions, to respond to the crackdown and make clear that this behaviour is unacceptable.” Human rights groups estimate that about 350 people have died so far in Syria, 100 of them on Friday. Troops mounted a major assault Monday on Deraa, the city where the uprising began a month ago, and Douma, a suburb of Damascus. It was apparently the first time that tanks have been used. Ammar Qurabi, head of the National Organisation for Human Rights in Syria, who is in exile in Egypt, was quoted by Reuters as saying at least 18 people died in Deraa alone. The US, having announced sanctions unilaterally, is putting pressure on the UK and other European countries to impose sanctions against the Syrian regime. The US treasury department and other American agencies are discussing freezing the assets of senior officials accused of human rights abuses and banning them from travelling to the US or doing business there. Such sanctions are mainly symbolic, as the US has long had stringent measures in place against Syria and has little trade with the country. Sanctions by European countries, with whom Syria has extensive trade, would have more impact and several members of the Syrian government have assets in Europe. In another sign of increasing diplomatic pressure, the UN security council is considering a draft statement condemning the violence and calling for restraint. Such a statement, introduced on Monday by four European members of the security council – Britain, France, Germany and Portugal – is a necessary first step towards any eventual imposition of UN sanctions. The draft backs a call by UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon for an investigation into the killings. A UN diplomat said: “We hope there will be a vote on adopting it within the next 24 to 48 hours.” The western response towards Syria falls between the military intervention in Libya and the hands-off approach to Bahrain. The government in Bahrain is engaged in a violent crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrators, but it is close to Saudi Arabia – America and Britain’s closest Arab ally. The US and its European allies, after a few expressions of disquiet about the suppression of dissent in Bahrain, have been relatively quiet. The initial response to Syria was equally slow, with Barack Obama making his first statement condemning the violence only on Friday. This reflects fear in the US, Europe and Israel that a new Syrian government could turn out to be more difficult to deal with than the current president, Bashar al-Assad, and could pose more of a threat to Israel. Over the last decade, both US and European governments have engaged in fruitless talks with Assad that they hoped would lead to a rapprochement and would woo it away from its alliance with Iran. The UN high commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, added her voice to the international calls for restraint and an investigation into the killings. She said Assad’s response so far had been erratic. “Just a few days after the announcement of sweeping and important reforms, we are seeing such disregard for human life by Syrian security forces. The killings must stop immediately,” she said. Syria Bashar Al-Assad Arab and Middle East unrest Middle East Barack Obama US foreign policy United States United Nations Ewen MacAskill guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …The Obama administration has condemned ‘the brutal violence used by the government of Syria’, describing it as deplorable The White House is preparing to introduce new sanctions against the Syrian regime in response to a military crackdown that saw tanks and armoured cars deployed against protesters on Monday. The Obama administration condemned “the brutal violence used by the government of Syria”, describing it as deplorable, and adding: “The United States is pursuing a range of possible policy options, including targeted sanctions, to respond to the crackdown and make clear that this behaviour is unacceptable.” Human rights groups estimate that about 350 people have died so far in Syria, 100 of them on Friday. Troops mounted a major assault Monday on Deraa, the city where the uprising began a month ago, and Douma, a suburb of Damascus. It was apparently the first time that tanks have been used. Ammar Qurabi, head of the National Organisation for Human Rights in Syria, who is in exile in Egypt, was quoted by Reuters as saying at least 18 people died in Deraa alone. The US, having announced sanctions unilaterally, is putting pressure on the UK and other European countries to impose sanctions against the Syrian regime. The US treasury department and other American agencies are discussing freezing the assets of senior officials accused of human rights abuses and banning them from travelling to the US or doing business there. Such sanctions are mainly symbolic, as the US has long had stringent measures in place against Syria and has little trade with the country. Sanctions by European countries, with whom Syria has extensive trade, would have more impact and several members of the Syrian government have assets in Europe. In another sign of increasing diplomatic pressure, the UN security council is considering a draft statement condemning the violence and calling for restraint. Such a statement, introduced on Monday by four European members of the security council – Britain, France, Germany and Portugal – is a necessary first step towards any eventual imposition of UN sanctions. The draft backs a call by UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon for an investigation into the killings. A UN diplomat said: “We hope there will be a vote on adopting it within the next 24 to 48 hours.” The western response towards Syria falls between the military intervention in Libya and the hands-off approach to Bahrain. The government in Bahrain is engaged in a violent crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrators, but it is close to Saudi Arabia – America and Britain’s closest Arab ally. The US and its European allies, after a few expressions of disquiet about the suppression of dissent in Bahrain, have been relatively quiet. The initial response to Syria was equally slow, with Barack Obama making his first statement condemning the violence only on Friday. This reflects fear in the US, Europe and Israel that a new Syrian government could turn out to be more difficult to deal with than the current president, Bashar al-Assad, and could pose more of a threat to Israel. Over the last decade, both US and European governments have engaged in fruitless talks with Assad that they hoped would lead to a rapprochement and would woo it away from its alliance with Iran. The UN high commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, added her voice to the international calls for restraint and an investigation into the killings. She said Assad’s response so far had been erratic. “Just a few days after the announcement of sweeping and important reforms, we are seeing such disregard for human life by Syrian security forces. The killings must stop immediately,” she said. Syria Bashar Al-Assad Arab and Middle East unrest Middle East Barack Obama US foreign policy United States United Nations Ewen MacAskill guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
The Obama administration has condemned ‘the brutal violence used by the government of Syria’, describing it as deplorable The White House is preparing to introduce new sanctions against the Syrian regime in response to a military crackdown that saw tanks and armoured cars deployed against protesters on Monday. The Obama administration condemned “the brutal violence used by the government of Syria”, describing it as deplorable, and adding: “The United States is pursuing a range of possible policy options, including targeted sanctions, to respond to the crackdown and make clear that this behaviour is unacceptable.” Human rights groups estimate that about 350 people have died so far in Syria, 100 of them on Friday. Troops mounted a major assault Monday on Deraa, the city where the uprising began a month ago, and Douma, a suburb of Damascus. It was apparently the first time that tanks have been used. Ammar Qurabi, head of the National Organisation for Human Rights in Syria, who is in exile in Egypt, was quoted by Reuters as saying at least 18 people died in Deraa alone. The US, having announced sanctions unilaterally, is putting pressure on the UK and other European countries to impose sanctions against the Syrian regime. The US treasury department and other American agencies are discussing freezing the assets of senior officials accused of human rights abuses and banning them from travelling to the US or doing business there. Such sanctions are mainly symbolic, as the US has long had stringent measures in place against Syria and has little trade with the country. Sanctions by European countries, with whom Syria has extensive trade, would have more impact and several members of the Syrian government have assets in Europe. In another sign of increasing diplomatic pressure, the UN security council is considering a draft statement condemning the violence and calling for restraint. Such a statement, introduced on Monday by four European members of the security council – Britain, France, Germany and Portugal – is a necessary first step towards any eventual imposition of UN sanctions. The draft backs a call by UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon for an investigation into the killings. A UN diplomat said: “We hope there will be a vote on adopting it within the next 24 to 48 hours.” The western response towards Syria falls between the military intervention in Libya and the hands-off approach to Bahrain. The government in Bahrain is engaged in a violent crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrators, but it is close to Saudi Arabia – America and Britain’s closest Arab ally. The US and its European allies, after a few expressions of disquiet about the suppression of dissent in Bahrain, have been relatively quiet. The initial response to Syria was equally slow, with Barack Obama making his first statement condemning the violence only on Friday. This reflects fear in the US, Europe and Israel that a new Syrian government could turn out to be more difficult to deal with than the current president, Bashar al-Assad, and could pose more of a threat to Israel. Over the last decade, both US and European governments have engaged in fruitless talks with Assad that they hoped would lead to a rapprochement and would woo it away from its alliance with Iran. The UN high commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, added her voice to the international calls for restraint and an investigation into the killings. She said Assad’s response so far had been erratic. “Just a few days after the announcement of sweeping and important reforms, we are seeing such disregard for human life by Syrian security forces. The killings must stop immediately,” she said. Syria Bashar Al-Assad Arab and Middle East unrest Middle East Barack Obama US foreign policy United States United Nations Ewen MacAskill guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …On 9/11, the bulk of al-Qaeda’s leadership was gathered in a single place: Karachi, Pakistan. One key figure was in a hospital following a tonsillectomy; another was preparing for a biological weapons program; and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was with other leaders in a safe house, watching the attacks on TV,…
Continue reading …
• Girl died apparently after finding drugs in house • Owner, a respected academic, bailed by police Friends of a schoolgirl who died after apparently finding drugs during a party at the home of respected academic gathered in a park to hold a vigil in memory of the popular teenager. Fifteen-year-old Isobel Reilly died following the party at the house of Brian Dodgeon, who works at the University of London’s Institute of Education. Dodgeon, 60, who was allegedly not present at the time of the party on Friday night and Saturday morning, has been arrested on suspicion of possession of drugs and child abandonment. Isobel was at the party with Dodgeon’s daughter and other friends. A postmortem has not yet taken place, but one theory police are looking at is that Isobel and others found drugs including ecstasy at the house and tried them. One of Isobel’s friends called 999 at around 4am on Saturday when she stopped breathing. The London Ambulance Service took Isobel from the house in North Kensington, west London, to hospital, but she died later that morning. Dodgeon’s 14-year-old daughter and two teenage boys were detained in hospital for observation before being discharged. The youngsters are believed to have spent the evening partying after Dodgeon and his partner went out for the night. Neighbours, who had been warned that a party would be taking place, reported that the event got out of hand and fighting broke out. On Monday friends of Isobel gathered at Chiswick Common, west London, to pay their respects to the popular teenager. Dozens laid flowers and left tributes. One from Denisha Forde read: “RIP Issy. You didn’t deserve to die. You was a lovely girl who’s in a better place. You’ll be missed by everyone, you know even though you’re gone I still feel you’re here. It brings tears to my eyes just writing this.” Another from Daisy Onipede said: “Them jokes, memories on the bus to Chiswick literally almost every day … Gonna miss you so much! Heaven’s lucky to have a beautiful angel like you.” Parents of Isobel’s friends expressed shock at what happened. One father said: “My boy was at the party that night but he shouldn’t have even been there. When I found out I went to pick him up at 11.30pm. “He didn’t take anything. They hadn’t gone looking for stuff by then. It was about 2am that they found them and by 4am Issy was dead. He added: “I can’t imagine how the dad is feeling. It’s such a waste of life.” Isobel’s English teacher, Jaye Williamson, said she was a “larger than life, lovely character” who will be sadly missed. She said the whole school was devastated over what had happened and warned of the dangers of drugs, adding: “We all know the kind of things teenagers get into. She [Issy] got caught out. Everyone is just racked with grief.” One of Isobel’s friends sang the Mariah Carey song Hero, Adele’s Make You Feel My Love and Ave Maria. In a statement, Isobel’s family, who live in nearby Acton, said: “Isobel’s family and friends are devastated and heartbroken by her untimely death. We hope that if anything positive comes from this dreadful event, it is that others will make the right decisions to be safe and well in the future. “We would very much appreciate time to grieve for our beloved Issy in private. If anyone has any information concerning Issy’s death could they please contact the police.” Tony Ryan, head of Chiswick Community School, said: “Isobel was an extremely popular girl at our school and counted many of her fellow pupils as friends. “Her tragically early death is devastating news to everyone associated with the school and all our thoughts are with her family at this time.” Dodgeon, who has written papers on subjects ranging from alcohol consumption to social housing and rural population rates, has been bailed until June. Professor Chris Husbands, the director of the Institute of Education, said: “The institute was deeply sorry to hear of the tragic events and extends its sympathy to Isobel Reilly’s family and friends. “We understand that a police inquiry has begun into those events. My senior team and I will be meeting tomorrow morning to make appropriate decisions on the way we will proceed.” Crime Drugs Steven Morris guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
French president and Italian prime minister want to curb passport-free EU travel after row over north African immigrants Nicolas Sarkozy and Silvio Berlusconi are expected to call on Tuesday for a partial reintroduction of national border controls across Europe, a move that would put the brakes on European integration and curb passport-free travel for more than 400 million people in 25 countries. The French president and the Italian prime minister are meeting in Rome after weeks of tension between their two countries over how to cope with an influx of more than 25,000 immigrants fleeing revolutions in north Africa. The migrants, mostly Tunisian, reached the EU by way of Italian islands such as Lampedusa, but many hoped to get work in France where they have relatives and friends. Earlier this month, Berlusconi’s government outraged several EU governments, including France, by offering the migrants temporary residence permits which, in principle, allowed them to travel to other member states under the Schengen agreement. An Italian junior minister said on Sunday that Rome had so far issued some 8,000 permits and expected the number would rise to 11,000. Launched in 1995, Schengen allows passport-free travel in most of the EU, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. But the documents issued by the Italian authorities are only valid if the holders can show they have the means to support themselves, and French police have rounded up or turned back an unknown number of migrants in recent days. On 17 April, Paris blocked trains crossing the frontier at Ventimiglia in protest at the Italian initiative. “Rarely have the two countries seemed so far apart,” said Le Monde in an editorial on Monday. Yet, with both leaders under pressure from the far right, French and Italian officials appear to have agreed a common position on amending Schengen so that national border checks can be reintroduced in “special circumstances”. According to a report from Paris in the Italian daily La Repubblica, the two countries would also press for an increase in EU assistance to those countries that have to cope with immigrant influxes – a key Italian demand. On Saturday, Berlusconi’s spokesman said: “Agreement has been reached.” Indications of a deal have prompted outrage from the French opposition. Harlem Désir of the Socialist party said: “Sarkozy and Berlusconi are disgracing Europe.” A joint initiative would certainly be an historic departure for two countries that have long been regarded as among the most fervently “European”. Schengen is seen as the EU’s most significant integration project after the euro. Now both are under pressure, a sign of the tensions eating away at the union. Sarkozy, low in the polls and hoping for re-election next year, is threatened by the Front National and its leader, Marine Le Pen, who calls for the total scrapping of Schengen. Berlusconi, whose poll ratings have also been sliding, is dependent for his majority in parliament on the xenophobic Northern League, one of whose leaders, Roberto Maroni, is Italy’s interior minister. Even before the exodus from Tunisia, gains by far-right, anti-immigrant parties in north Europe had put Schengen under strain. Centrist parties in Germany, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands have all tried to appease the far right by threatening to re-erect national border controls. EU interior ministers are to meet on 12 May to try to resolve the issue. A joint Franco-Italian demand would need to be endorsed at the EU level. It has been framed against a background of mutual exasperation with Greece over its difficulties in policing its frontier with Turkey, an EU external border thought to be the main crossing point into the union for clandestine migrants. Seaborne migration to islands such as Lampedusa, though highly visible, accounts for only a fraction of the total number of illegal entries. Italy, however, is concerned that an end to the hostilities in Libya could prompt a renewed surge in attempted crossings by people who would not necessarily want to move to other EU states. Alfredo Mantovano, the junior interior minister responsible for immigration, said “the number of people involved could be 50,000″. Europe Nicolas Sarkozy Silvio Berlusconi France Italy European Union Immigration and asylum Arab and Middle East unrest John Hooper Ian Traynor guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …French president and Italian prime minister want to curb passport-free EU travel after row over north African immigrants Nicolas Sarkozy and Silvio Berlusconi are expected to call on Tuesday for a partial reintroduction of national border controls across Europe, a move that would put the brakes on European integration and curb passport-free travel for more than 400 million people in 25 countries. The French president and the Italian prime minister are meeting in Rome after weeks of tension between their two countries over how to cope with an influx of more than 25,000 immigrants fleeing revolutions in north Africa. The migrants, mostly Tunisian, reached the EU by way of Italian islands such as Lampedusa, but many hoped to get work in France where they have relatives and friends. Earlier this month, Berlusconi’s government outraged several EU governments, including France, by offering the migrants temporary residence permits which, in principle, allowed them to travel to other member states under the Schengen agreement. An Italian junior minister said on Sunday that Rome had so far issued some 8,000 permits and expected the number would rise to 11,000. Launched in 1995, Schengen allows passport-free travel in most of the EU, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. But the documents issued by the Italian authorities are only valid if the holders can show they have the means to support themselves, and French police have rounded up or turned back an unknown number of migrants in recent days. On 17 April, Paris blocked trains crossing the frontier at Ventimiglia in protest at the Italian initiative. “Rarely have the two countries seemed so far apart,” said Le Monde in an editorial on Monday. Yet, with both leaders under pressure from the far right, French and Italian officials appear to have agreed a common position on amending Schengen so that national border checks can be reintroduced in “special circumstances”. According to a report from Paris in the Italian daily La Repubblica, the two countries would also press for an increase in EU assistance to those countries that have to cope with immigrant influxes – a key Italian demand. On Saturday, Berlusconi’s spokesman said: “Agreement has been reached.” Indications of a deal have prompted outrage from the French opposition. Harlem Désir of the Socialist party said: “Sarkozy and Berlusconi are disgracing Europe.” A joint initiative would certainly be an historic departure for two countries that have long been regarded as among the most fervently “European”. Schengen is seen as the EU’s most significant integration project after the euro. Now both are under pressure, a sign of the tensions eating away at the union. Sarkozy, low in the polls and hoping for re-election next year, is threatened by the Front National and its leader, Marine Le Pen, who calls for the total scrapping of Schengen. Berlusconi, whose poll ratings have also been sliding, is dependent for his majority in parliament on the xenophobic Northern League, one of whose leaders, Roberto Maroni, is Italy’s interior minister. Even before the exodus from Tunisia, gains by far-right, anti-immigrant parties in north Europe had put Schengen under strain. Centrist parties in Germany, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands have all tried to appease the far right by threatening to re-erect national border controls. EU interior ministers are to meet on 12 May to try to resolve the issue. A joint Franco-Italian demand would need to be endorsed at the EU level. It has been framed against a background of mutual exasperation with Greece over its difficulties in policing its frontier with Turkey, an EU external border thought to be the main crossing point into the union for clandestine migrants. Seaborne migration to islands such as Lampedusa, though highly visible, accounts for only a fraction of the total number of illegal entries. Italy, however, is concerned that an end to the hostilities in Libya could prompt a renewed surge in attempted crossings by people who would not necessarily want to move to other EU states. Alfredo Mantovano, the junior interior minister responsible for immigration, said “the number of people involved could be 50,000″. Europe Nicolas Sarkozy Silvio Berlusconi France Italy European Union Immigration and asylum Arab and Middle East unrest John Hooper Ian Traynor guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …