EDITORIAL
Schiller Institute Conference: We Pulled Together the Project of the Future
July 4 (EIRNS)—In today’s LaRouche PAC webcast discussion with his LaRouche PAC Policy Committee, Lyndon LaRouche evoked the carefully-crafted, huge intellectual and inspirational success of the June 25-26 Berlin international conference of the Schiller Institutes.
Reflecting on the significance of this historic conference, Lyndon LaRouche said, “We pulled together the past and the future; we pulled together the project of the future and ordered it in the present.” The profound mission orientation generated within participants in that event must continue to grow and envelop the world, including the United States.
An integral part was played by what LaRouche characterized as the “wonderful” concert, which concluded with repeated, joyous singing of Giuseppe Verdi’s song of freedom, “Va, Pensiero,” by the entire assembly of hundreds of people from dozens of countries and every, or nearly every continent. All in all, it did what had to be done: it changed the outlook of the participants, as Lyndon and Helga LaRouche and others had intended.
LaRouche said he’s emphasized that people must understand that there are young children who are creative geniuses. They are conscious of what it is that will make mankind a higher order of existence. It is this creativity which enables us to see the future and understand what we should do. Without that, it will not work.
In Berlin, doubters suddenly changed their way of thinking. We did this by means which were intangible, LaRouche emphasized; intangible, but they are accessible. The human being only achieves discovery himself, by himself,— yet this knowledge is accessible to all human beings. By the concluding session of the conference, there was a clear commitment by a majority of participants to fight for the ideas presented during the two days, including the powerful message of human creativity expressed in the concert.
The immediate days ahead pose a great challenge and test of those principles, as NATO heads of state and government will gather in Warsaw at the end of the week, with plans on the table to escalate the provocations against Russia, at a moment when any further such actions could be the trigger for general war. The Western financial system is crashing down, with dire warnings that the fall of Deutsche Bank alone could be the detonator for a total systemic blowout.
At the same time, the leading nations of Eurasia—China, Russia, India—are proceeding ahead with a new paradigm of relations among nation-states, build on the principle of creating a future that will benefit all of mankind. The China One Belt, One Road program is a cornerstone of this orientation towards the future, as is China’s emerging leading role in space exploration. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made clear that Russia is fully committed to this new approach, which he has labeled the “Great Eurasia Project,” integrating China’s OBOR with the Eurasian Economic Union’s own plans for economic, cultural and scientific integration of Eurasia.
The British system is bankrupt; Barack Obama has destroyed the United States even beyond that which Bush and Cheney could achieve, and the only way out for the U.S.A. and the key nations of Western Europe is to fully embrace the opportunities posed by this new Eurasian paradigm.
It was that message of hope, brought to an even higher level by the clear demonstration of the principles of human creativity throughout the Berlin conference of the Schiller Institute, that poses the alternative to the death and destruction offered by those who would try to defend a dead system.
STRATEGIC WAR DANGER
Ischinger: We Need Defense, But Also Dialogue with Russia
July 4 (EIRNS)—Interviewed by the weekend issue of the Berlin tabloid B.Z., Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the Munich Security Conference in Germany, supported German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s attack on “NATO saber-rattling and battle cries” against Russia, not in terms of the wording, but by saying that indeed, there is a lot of talk about defense, but not about dialogue. Apparently going beyond the NATO-Russia Council which is to convene again on July 13, Ischinger proposes a “NATO-Russia Crisis Center.” He also recommends that a senior NATO official go to Moscow immediately after the Warsaw Alliance summit to brief the Russians, as a step in confidence-building.
Ischinger voices concern over the upward spiral of military exercises and counter-exercises in the Baltic region and in the Baltic Sea, with an enormous massing of troops from either side, always implying the danger of incidents which could ignite a real shooting war. The intention for war may not be there, but the ingredients for it are,—and ultimately, the nuclear arsenals are still in existence, making dialogue with Russia urgent, Ischinger said.
Schäuble Attacks Steinmeier
July 4 (EIRNS)—German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s recent polemics against NATO’s “saber rattling and battle cries” have also exposed that there are (and have been for some time, at least since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis) deeper splits inside the CDU/SPD governing coalition of Germany. Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, who is like Steinmeier a cabinet member, openly attacked Steinmeier yesterday, saying this was not just an “unfortunate wording” on the part of Steinmeier; it is to be taken seriously as calling into question Western defense and deterrence.
Schäuble also attacked Steinmeier for his post Brexit-vote crisis meeting last week with the foreign ministers of the six original European Community member states—France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg—as “alienating the new members of the EU.” Ironically, Schäuble himself has spoken repeatedly about a “Europe of two speeds,” with some marching forward while others would stay out of the next integration steps and maybe follow later on. Apparently, the two ministers have different intentions on certain issues for what to do now, after the Brexit vote.
Chilcot Report To Appear July 6
July 4 (EIRNS)—The British government’s Chilcot report on the Iraq war will finally be released on July 6, and already there’s talk of impeaching former Prime Minister Tony Blair (that is, the British version of impeachment, not the American) and maybe even trying him for war crimes, for his leading role in starting the Iraq war of 2003 based on false information that he promoted.
A number of MPs led by Alex Salmond of the Scottish National Party, are expected to use an ancient law to try to impeach the former prime minister when the report comes out on Wednesday, reported theGuardian on July 3. The last time impeachment was invoked in Britain was in 1806, and it’s seen in Westminster as an alternative form of punishment to ensure that the impeached never holds office again. A simple majority is required to convict, at which point a sentence can be passed which could, in theory, involve Blair being sent to prison. However, MPs have said the attempt will be symbolic and is unlikely to result in imprisonment.
Salmond said there “has to be a judicial or political reckoning” for Blair’s role in the Iraq conflict.
“He [Blair] seemed puzzled as to why Jeremy Corbyn thinks he is a war criminal, why people don’t like him,” Salmond told Sky News. “The reason is 179 British war dead, 150,000 immediate dead from the Iraq conflict, the Middle East in flames, the world faced with an existential crisis on terrorism—these are just some of the reasons perhaps he should understand why people don’t hold him in the highest regard.”
If Blair is not tried for war crimes in the British system, we can’t count on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to do it. In a statement to Britain’s Telegraph covered on July 2, the ICC said it would comb through the report for evidence of war crimes committed by British soldiers in Iraq, but that the decision to go to war is outside of the scope it decided on. “As already indicated by the Office in 2006, the ‘decision by the U.K. to go to war in Iraq falls outside the Court’s jurisdiction.’ ”
The idea that British soldiers could be prosecuted for crimes, while the man who ordered them into combat gets off scot free, has really angered families of British soldiers who were killed in Iraq. Reg Keys, whose son Tom was one of six Royal Military Police slaughtered at Majar al-Kabir in 2003, and who famously ran against Blair in the 2005 election, said, “It makes me very angry. They don’t call him ‘Teflon Tony’ for nothing.”
NEW STRATEGIC PARADIGM
Steps to Rapprochement Between Turkey and Russia, Could Herald Change in Russo-European Relations
July 4 (EIRNS)—More steps are being taken for a rapprochement between Russia and Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may hold a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in late July or early August, according to a statement by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to the Turkish NTV news channel.
“We’ll make the preparation for this meeting with our ministers. There will be decisions taken on the economy. Our ministers [of energy] will also come together to discuss issues concerning energy,” the minister said.
Cavusoglu said he had invited Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Antalya for a meeting to discuss political ties before important summits, including the Turkey-Russia High-Level Strategic Cooperation meeting slated to be held in Turkey later this year.
Pointing to cooperation on terrorism, Cavusoglu said, “We’ll make cooperation with everybody against Daesh [Islamic State/ISIS]…. This terrorist organization is the enemy of all of us, and we should fight against it. Therefore, reviving these [security and intelligence] mechanisms [between Turkey and Russia] is very important for both fighting against terror and avoiding any kind of negative incident. We have agreed on this point as Sergey Lavrov said,” Cavusoglu said.
Lavrov and Cavusoglu met in Sochi last week to create a road map for the normalization of bilateral relations, including re-launching military-to-military mechanisms on Syria.
Russian Economic Development Minister Alexey Ulyukayev said in an interview with Gazeta.ru that “Trade and investment relations with Turkey will be restored,” reported TASS on July 1.
He also said that, in his opinion, before the end of this year relations between Russia and European countries will also change: “The European sanctions are the ultimate story. I think there is a high degree of probability that a decision about their serious modification will be made by the end of this year.”
Ulyukayev is expected to meet with Turkish Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci as part of the Group of 20 meeting of trade ministers in Shanghai.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras Begins Official Visit to China
July 4 (EIRNS)—Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras began the official side of his five-day visit in China on July 4, heading up a large delegation of cabinet ministers and businessmen. Prior to a welcoming ceremony earlier in the day in front of the National People’s Congress, at Tiananmen Square, Tsipras met with the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC, Zhang Dejiang. Both stressed the strategic importance of the Greek-Chinese relationship, which is based on economic cooperation, and cooperation in culture and education.
China has set a strategic goal of the revitalization and Greece aims at its national renaissance by 2021, Tsipras said. On his part, Zhang underlined that China is the cradle of Eastern civilization and Greece the cradle of Western civilization.
Tsipras will also be meeting with Prime Minister Li Keqiang, while the countries’ delegations will hold broad deliberations. Tsipras will also meet with President Xi Jinping.
In an interview with Xinhua, Tsipras said cooperation with China will bring extensive opportunities for Greece and many other countries. “Greece serves as the portal into Europe both by land and by sea,” Tsipras told Xinhua, saying that Greece would like to have practical cooperation with China in various areas, building from the impetus of the “dragon head” project of the Piraeus Port; his current China trip aims to “build the body of the dragon” for future cooperation in the fields of tourism, transport, culture, and high technology with the Chinese side, he said.
At every opportunity Tsipras spoke of the Chinese company COSCO’s purchase of a majority share in the Greek port of Piraeus as a mutually beneficial agreement for both parties, paving the way for a strategic partnership between Greece and China. After Piraeus, Tsipras spoke of possible Chinese interest in the port of Thessaloniki, which can become a major gateway into the Balkans.
Tsipras also said that Greece had decided to become member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to support the financing of Greek investments in Asian countries, and Asian investments in Greece. He also referred to the prospect of Greece’s cooperation with BRICS New Development Bank. “Greece is a tree that has its roots in the west but spreads its branches to the north, the south, and the east, he said.”
On July 3, Tsipras visited the technology park of Huawei, China’s largest manufacturer of telecommunications equipment, where he proposed the creation of a technology park in Athens in collaboration with Huawei. He also suggested that Huawei invest in the Greek technology city of Thessaloniki. Huawei’s rotating chief executive Guo Ping announced a three-year training program in new technologies for Greek students.
On July 6 Tsipras will meet with the CEOs of COSCO and Alibaba, two of the largest companies in China. The latter is a Hong Kong-based global online sales operation, which is launching an integrated plan to develop electronic trade between Greece and China. The company intends to offer its users in China and around the world the ability to buy Greek products and services through its platform, an Alibaba official explained at an Athens event last week.
COSCO’s interest is in the shipment of Greek goods to Asia that will be conducted via Piraeus and scheduled container shipment routes to China. This trade may concern anything from single items to significant bulk cargoes such as wine or olive oil, for which Alibaba is developing distribution centers based in Piraeus. Senior Alibaba officials are expected in Athens in September for meetings with government officials and business representatives.
India’s Prime Minister Modi Will Begin Four-Nation African Tour on July 7
July 4 (EIRNS)—Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, and Kenya on July 7-11,Firstpost reported today. He will be in South Africa, which is, with India, one of the five nation members of BRICS, on July 8-9, where he will have extensive deliberations with President Jacob Zuma and other senior leaders across the political spectrum. The visit will include stops in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban.
Part of Modi’s trip will be to retrace part of Indian Independence leader Mahatma Gandhi’s 1893 trip to Pietermaritzburg, where Gandhi was forced off a train because “coolies” were not permitted in first-class cabins.
In each of the four countries, Modi will address the Indian community living there; the meetings in Johannesburg and Nairobi are expected to be very large.
Modi’s trip was prepared for by visits by India’s Vice President Hamid Ansari, and by President Pranab Mukherjee just weeks earlier. Modi’s visit to Kenya will be the first in 35 years by an Indian Prime Minister, and his trip to Mozambique the first in 34 years. It has been 10 years since an Indian Prime Minister visited BRICS partner South Africa.
Firstpost says the major foci of discussion will be deepening cooperation in the areas of hydrocarbons, maritime security, trade and investment, agriculture and food.
COLLAPSING WESTERN FINANCIAL SYSTEM
German Government Source Tells London’s Times: No ‘More Europe’ and Juncker Out
July 4 (EIRNS)—The European Union is in disarray over Brexit as it continues on the track to destruction. Even within the same national government, different policies seem to be being pushed.
On the one hand, a German government minister said that European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will be ousted. The source is quoted by the Sunday Times and is covered by many media. “Angela Merkel could move to oust Europe’s federalist chief Jean-Claude Juncker ‘within the next year,’ a German government minister has said, in a sign of deepening European divisions over how to respond to Britain’s Brexit vote.”
France, Belgium, and Italy want “more Europe” in response to Brexit, but Germany “is quietly forming an alliance with Poland and other eastern and Baltic states” to put on the brakes.
“Since the June 23 vote, both the Czech and Polish foreign ministers have called publicly for Mr. Juncker to resign—moves that one senior EU official dismissed last week as ‘predictable.’ However, the rumblings from Berlin now represent a much more serious threat to Mr. Juncker’s tenure.”
“Everyone is determined that this negotiation is handled in the European Council—i.e., between the 27 heads of government—and not by the Commission, the Eurocrats, and the EU ‘theologians’ in Brussels,” a senior U.K. source told the Telegraph.
On the other hand, Juncker himself, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, European Parliament President Martin Schulz, the foreign ministers of France and Germany, and other senior politicians are said to be pushing for even “more Europe.” Defense, interior security, and border controls are at the center of proposals, for instance, in a joint memo by the foreign ministers of France and Germany, but also by Schäuble. More coordination and standardization in military matters—although staying short of a real “EU Army”—are being called for.
And, no less threatening and insane, is a widely covered proposal by European Parliament President Schulz to replace the powers of national parliaments by an EU Parliament, to become bicameral with an EU Senate; and an EU government which would also replace vital functions of today’s EU Commission. The EU Parliament would then also elect an EU government. Juncker is already having a test run for that, trying to push through the trans-Atlantic free trade agreements without consulting the national parliaments, but instead consulting the Euro Parliament.
An EU government would include an EU finance minister, naturally, working with an EU banking union and the ECB, and potentially also an all-EU finance center, taking over vital functions that London had heretofore had relevant to the continent. These are plans for continental Europe, but there are many supporters for some kind of special arrangements with the U.K., to keep the Brits in even after a Brexit.
OTHER
Argentina’s Macri May Not Finish His Term in Office—Country Set To Explode
July 4 (EIRNS)—A politically active source in Buenos Aires close to Kirchnerism, told this news service that President Mauricio Macri “will not finish his term in office,” which ends in 2019. Society “is extremely mobilized,” he reported, with a density of strikes, protests, and rallies taking place around the country, directed against the brutal austerity imposed as of Dec. 10, 2015, when Macri took office. Since then, according to the latest statistics, the number of “new poor” in the country has increased by 4.5 million people.
This source also reported that on weekends, at various locations around the country, opposition leaders go out to the public plazas to give educationals to citizens, and these events are often packed. There is a “state of permanent debate” taking place which will only increase with time, he emphasized.
It is this growing volatility that explains Macri’s ever more desperate witch-hunt against former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, using judges and media he controls to convince society that she and her late husband and predecessor, Nestor Kirchner, were “the most corrupt” Presidents in Argentina’s history. As Fernández has repeatedly said, Macri can do whatever he wants with her, even jail her, but he’ll never succeed in silencing her or in covering up the devastating effects on the population of his brutal economic policies. On July 2, Fernández returned to Buenos Aires, where she was warmly greeted by supporters who waited at the airport for hours in the pouring rain. The former President’s popularity is a real problem for Macri, whose approval rating has plummeted by almost 14 points since taking office.
Thus on June 30, the Macri-owned judge Claudio Bonadio staged a spectacular, widely televised raid on 10 Kirchner properties in Santa Cruz province to find “proof” of Fernández’s alleged corruption; but his was just a media show, as he had previously raided the same 10 properties! Using classic “Mani Pulite” (“Clean Hands”) tactics like those used in Brazil, dirty prosecutors and intelligence networks are trying to force jailed former Kirchner business associate Lazaro Baez to turn state’s evidence against Fernández. Jailed for three months, but only indicted last week on money-laundering charges, Baez has not cooperated; so a federal court threatened to jail Baez’s four adult children on some bogus charge to increase the pressure.
