The daily has published an appeal in support of Robert Redeker signed by a score of public figures. "A handful of fanatics is currently brandishing so-called religious laws in order to call into question our country's most fundamental freedoms. This threat comes in addition to the mutterings here and there in Europe that provocation should be avoided to spare supposed foreign sensibilities ... Times are once again hard in Europe. This is no time for cowardice. We therefore solemnly appeal to the authorities not only to continue to protect, as they already are doing, Robert Redeker and his family, but, in a strong political gesture, to pledge to meet his material needs as long as he is danger, just as the British authorities did throughout the duration of the Rushdie affair." (04/10/2006)

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The French philosopher Bernard-Henry Lévy looks at the Robert Redeker affair. "One does not argue with a man on the ground, one helps him to his feet. One does not start a controversy against someone who, because he has written an article, finds himself threatened, hounded, and stigmatized. One lends him a hand and, if one is a government, then one protects him and his family and provides him with shelter. In a word, I am not interested in whether Redeker's statements are stupid or intelligent ... Does not freedom of opinion finish where respect for others begins? No. It finishes, and this is quite different, where racist hate begins or, even worse, where appeals to kill in the name of that hate begin." (04/10/2006)

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Paul Valley examines "the accusations of prejudice or bigotry" that Westerners and Muslims so often trade every time there is a flashpoint between freedom of expression and Islam. "The trouble with debate carried out in this adolescent fashion is that it obscures rather than enlightens. Though it purports to open a dialogue with Muslims about the values of a pluralist society, in reality it is simply gratuitously offensive. And it merely reinforces the prejudices of the fundamentalists on both sides. ... This is not so much a clash of civilisations as one between religious and secular fundamentalists. For our world is very different from even that of our fathers, let alone that of Voltaire, in his day, religion was the dominant oppressive culture against which emerging rationalism struggled. Today, by contrast, Islam embodies the identity of one of the most vulnerable, and alienated, minorities in Europe." (04/10/2006)

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In an analysis of the close ties that have always bound the West and Muslim countries, the French-Moroccan writer Tahar Ben Jelloun rails against the current spate of misunderstanding. "How can it be that the Muslim world should have become the prisoner of fanatics who, though indeed a minority, now threaten free thought, doubt, and dialogue? Why have these rich, fruitful ties been broken, and what has happened for freedom to be smothered by words of hate and distrust? ... A mere speech from the Pope containing a negative opinion of Islam is all it takes today to unleash unprecedented, brutal expressions of anger. Nothing remains between these two partners whose relations were harmonious for centuries, despite different instances of antagonism and the many ups-and-downs of history." (04/10/2006)

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Spanish writer Suso de Toro pays tribute to German writer Günter Grass in the wake of the latter's admission that he belonged to the Waffen-SS. Suso de Toro believes that Grass faced up to his errors. "We [the Spanish] need to be very self-critical about our past, particularly with regard to what both founds and explains our thorny present, I mean July 1936 [outbreak of the Spanish War]. There is no doubt that those who see themselves as the heirs of the people who sparked the civil war have more reason for self-criticism and regret. But those who consider themselves the heirs of those on the losing side must also examine the mistakes and irresponsibility that contributed to the annihilation of the Republic and the extermination of liberals and working class left ... Nobody is obliged to blindly inherit the errors of his father or grandfather..." (04/10/2006)

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Former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer puts his name to a plea for Turkey's membership of the EU. He believes Turkey is the cornerstone of regional security. "Successful modernisation and democratization in Turkey - thanks to an influential civil society, the rule of law and a modern economy - will not only benefit the country but will help export stability and act as a model for the transformation of the Islamic world. ... Turkey indeed has a long way to go, but constantly hampering the EU integration process while being fully aware of the possible repercussions is mindless behaviour from the Europeans which could have serious consequences. What is worse in politics than acting mindlessly? Relations between Europe and Turkey look set to crash. Yet neither can afford a collision that appears all too predictable." (04/10/2006)

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All available articles from » Joschka Fischer

"I am aware that economy is not the most powerful tool for changing society. But now that the single currency is a fact of life, I want to stop Europeans from believing that Europe has reached the end of the road. The euro is primarily political," states Jean-Claude Juncker, the prime minister of Luxembourg, in an interview to Ingrid van Daele. "The real crisis stems from people's sense of doubt. Currently 50% of Europeans think they no longer need Europe. And the other 50% think there is already too much Europe. The true crisis also lies in the fact that politicians no longer know what the people want. ... Many Europeans are still convinced that only crooks and gangsters benefit from the great single market." (04/10/2006)

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Radek Honzak notes that the new EU member states of central and eastern Europe have recently been increasingly voicing their disapproval of EU decisions with one voice. "There are several reasons for their dissatisfaction. Frequently voiced complaints are the delayed access to the Schengen Agreement, the EU's failure to step up pressure on the US to exempt them from visa obligations, the continued restrictions on free movement of their workers and the unequal conditions for the introduction of the euro. … At least as far as the Schengen Agreement is concerned, it seems their demands may now bear fruit. Apparently the older EU states are now willing to support the idea of simply extending the current Schengen Information System to cover the new member states rather than waiting for the new version of the data system to be available. This would mean that restrictions on freedom of movement within the EU for citizens of the new member states would come to an end in October 2007, as planned. And Western Europe would no longer be suspected of deliberately trying to delay the extension of the Schengen Agreement." (04/10/2006)

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On October 3 Russia issued a warning to Poland not to allow the US to set up part of its missile defence system on its territory. The Russian foreign ministry announced that if it did Moscow would take "appropriate measures". Grzegorz Sadowski comments: "It's interesting to note the difference between the tone adopted by the foreign minister and that adopted by the spokesman for the ministry. This strategy ois typical of the Russians. One of them is the good guy who talks about cooperation, respect and friendly relations while the other is the bad guy who threatens with punitive measures. … To which one should one talk and make concessions? With the good one, of course; in this case Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. … However, it's strange that Lavrov, who is well aware how strained relations between Poland and Russia are and who talks about improving them, is at the same time allowing such sharp words to be used in the press." (03/10/2006)

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Following the arrest and deportation of three Russian military officers by authorities in Georgia, Russia has imposed a blockade on the country that will have severe consequences for its economy. "Russia is teaching Southern Caucasia a lesson at the moment. Although Georgia is the direct target, the Europeans can learn a few things about President Vladimir Putin's neo-imperial foreign policy as well. It's as if Moscow had been waiting for something just like this 'spying affair' to give it the opportunity to show the independent and sometimes outspoken Georgian president, Mikhail Saakashvili, who's really in charge. … Russia is punishing Georgia for its Western orientation. Ukraine has had similar experiences. Woe betide anyone else who wants to gain membership to the EU and in particular to NATO against Russia's will. That's what it's really all about: the revived geo-political rivalry with America." (04/10/2006)

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Georgia took an unusual step when they arrested Russian military officers and Moscow has clearly overreacted, writes Sven Mikser. "Relations between Russia and Georgia have been tense ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union and Tbilisi has quite rightly repeatedly accused Moscow of backing separatists in Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia. … Now it is particularly important to ensure that Russia's desire to see Georgia's reform policies and integration efforts discredited is not fulfilled. Moscow has made no bones about its opposition to the Rose Revolution and Georgia's integration into the West. The way the Kremlin sees it is: the more chaotic the situation is in the region, the further away Georgia will be from NATO membership." (04/10/2006)

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The Hungarian writer, Rudolf Ungvary, comments on the current crisis and the victory of the national Conservatives in the local elections in Hungary: "In the days leading up to the local elections protestors demonstrating in front of the parliament read a list of 40 names of people holding public office who are said to have a Jewish background. This was supposed to 'prove' that Poland is not an anti-Semitic country. The great majority of these protestors support Viktor Orban [opposition leader]. Anyone who claims there's nothing unusual about such a list being read out and who doesn't think it's necessary to distance oneself from those who compile such lists must be either crazy or lying. If you know anything about European history you can see that such a list poses a deadly threat. … It makes you feel like your own country isn't your home." (04/10/2006)

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The daily salutes reform plans from the European Commission to ease cross-border mergers in the financial services sector. "Regulation should forward the public interest but different regulatory bodies sometimes clash in its defence. This is happening in the European Union over cross-border mergers in the financial services sector. The European Commission is looking out for consumers by making sure competition is enhanced; national banking regulators are trying to ensure financial stability. ... The proposals still need to be approved by member states. In expressing concerns about them, the national regulators have initiated a debate that ought to continue on the basis of common sense and good faith." (04/10/2006)

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Slawomir Fabicki's film 'Z odzysku' ('Retrieval') about the bleak life of an unemployed man in Silesia has been nominated for an Oscar. Wieslaw Stanowski takes the opportunity to point out that only pessimistic films have been made in Poland since the fall of communism in 1989. "It's of little importance for our film industry whether we win an Oscar for yet another sad film about human suffering. What's important is that we stop making this kind of film and leave this narrow-minded view of things behind us. … Filmmakers are sending out the message that Poles should be unhappy, that it suits them to be unhappy, that we should live and die in poverty and oppression. This kind of attitude is totally alien to the country which awards the Oscars. There, each day begins with the words 'stand up and fight!' … We Poles think if we keep on telling sad stories, the world will revere us. But it won't." (02/10/2006)

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Harald Jähner reports on the debate about the withdrawal of 'Idomeneo' from the Deutsche Oper's programme, in which, among others, Ehrhart Körting, Berlin's minister for internal affairs, Thomas Flierl, Berlin's minister for cultural affairs, and the director of the Deutsche Oper Kirsten Harms participated. "Despite their differences, the people grouped on the stage, chosen to represent the whole of society, are intensely aware of the importance of the values of freedom. Regardless of the question of who's to blame, everyone here now knows that it was wrong to withdraw the opera. And naturally one learns from one's mistakes. Kirsten Harms is willing to put 'Idomeneo' back on the programme. Her face beaming, because now she's the winner of the event, she announces: 'If this is done I will put in a sincere plea for a comprehensive security plan.'" (04/10/2006)

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On October 3rd the world's biggest book fair opened in Frankfurt on Main. Joachim Güntner doesn't agree with the director of the Frankfurt Book Fair, Jürgen Boos, who claims the fair has become "even more glamorous". "I beg to disagree with the director's self-satisfied interpretation. Neither his florid opening speech, full of empty phrases, nor the amateurish organisation of the event had anything glamorous about it… This mish-mash of old and new, nostalgia and futurism, makes it difficult to discern a single trend at the Frankfurt Book Fair. If you want to grow you have to be greedy. The fair has a great appetite for products and themes… And incidentally, we think financial motivation is entirely legitimate. But this legitimacy can't quite banish the melancholy we feel when we watch the desperate retail book trade trying to broaden its appeal to the public by expanding its product range and seeking salvation in supplementary products like stationary, key rings and candles." (04/10/2006)

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