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Büchner, Gerold
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3 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Sarkozy escalates Nato dispute
A conflict has broken out in the international coalition against Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi over whether Nato should take charge. Britain backs this step while France opposes it. One reason is that French President Nicolas Sarkozy has taken over the role of hip-shooter from former US president Bush, writes the left-liberal daily Berliner Zeitung: "His desire to take the limelight and the French tendency to found politics in morality have deepened today's controversies. His partners, in turn, let Sarkozy call the shots instead of clearly stating their reservations about military intervention in North Africa from the start. Neither the Europeans nor Nato took the time to weigh up the pros and cons, although Gaddafi's brutal suppression of the uprising has appalled the world since February. ... The multi-polar world - desired by many, accepted by Obama and used by Sarkozy to serve his own interests can be trying indeed."
» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » France, » United Kingdom, » U.S., » Middle East
An EU smoking ban?
"Anyone who travels across Europe in a car and stops off in Germany needs strong lungs," writes Gerold Büchner, pointing out that in no other country are motorway restaurants as smoke-filled as here. Germany's European neighbours Italy and Ireland are much more advanced as far as protecting non-smokers is concerned, Büchner adds, saying that it's no wonder many Germans want Brussels to introduce pan-European non-smoking laws. However, he gives the following warning: "The European Union would be well advised to stay out of the dispute, here and in other countries. Each country has its own bar and restaurant culture, and should be free to decide for itself how to balance the conflicting interests – the freedom to smoke and the right to be in a smoke-free environment. Any interference from Brussels would not only escalate the national debate, but also cause unnecessary damage to Europe's reputation. The example set by others is the most effective incentive."
» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Health Policy, » Europe
Why the EU remains irrelevant in the Middle East conflict
Gerold Büchner fears today's EU special summit on the Middle East conflict will also fail to produce an effective joint european stance. "The problem goes right back to the very beginnings of EU foreign policy. Following the oil price shock more than 30 years ago, the community defined stability in the Middle East as a common goal requiring coordinated action. Closer relations with the Arab world were balanced out by comprehensive support for Israel based on a sense of moral obligation arising from the Holocaust. Considerations of morality and stability are still the mainstays of EU policy in the Middle East – but this doesn't help when firstly, the overall situation has changed and secondly, the role of the EU has changed. The EU knows what it wants, but not what it's prepared to do to achieve its goals. What is needed now is a comprehensive analysis of the region's underlying and overlying conflicts, power struggles, risks and options for action – from a European perspective. However, there's little indication that the EU is prepared to conduct such an analysis."
» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » EU Policy, » Europe
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