It was covered here: http://ift.tt/1w0n0yt but not the whole text. So here is the open letter from 60 German prominents. And yes Gerhard Schroeder works for Gazprom, but Roman Herzog and all the others do not. And yes the politicans are not in charge anymore, it would be bad style for a politican in charge to critizise the gouvernment in an open letter. But all the artists and scientists and Journalists are not off duty. Letter published first in the german newspaper DIE ZEIT on December 5th, 2014 http://ift.tt/1w6Bs88 Nobody wants war. But North America, the European Union and Russia are inevitably drifting towards war if they do not finally halt the disastrous spiral of threat and counter-threat. All Europeans, Russia included, jointly hold responsibility for peace and security. Only those who do not lose sight of this goal are avoiding irrational turns. The Ukraine-conflict shows that the addiction to power and domination has not been overcome. 1990 at the end of the Cold War, we were all hoping for that. But the successes of the policy of detente and the peaceful revolutions have made us sleepy and careless, in the East and the West alike. For US-Americans, Europeans and Russians the guiding principle to banish war permanently from their relations has been lost. Otherwise, the for Russia threatening expansion of the West to the East, without simultaneously deepening cooperation with Moscow, as well as the illegal annexation of the Crimea by Putin, can not be explained. In this moment of great danger for the continent, Germany has a special responsibility for the maintenance of peace. Without the will for reconciliation from the Russia people, without the foresight of Mikhail Gorbachev, without the support of our Western allies and without the prudent action by the then Federal Government, the division of Europe would not have been overcome. To allow German unification to peacefully evolve was a great gesture, shaped by reason from the victorious powers. It was a decision of historic proportions. From overcoming the division in Europe a solid European peace and security order from Vancouver to Vladivostok should have developed, as it had been agreed to by all 35 Heads of State and Government of the CSCE Member States in November 1990 in the "Charter of Paris for a New Europe". On the basis of agreed established principles and through first concrete measures a "Common European Home" was supposed to be established, in which all the States concerned should have equal security. This post-war policy goal has to this day not been redeemed. The people of Europe have to live again in fear. We, the undersigned, appeal to the federal government of Germany to assume their responsibility for peace in Europe. We need a new policy of d'etente in Europe. This is only possible on the basis of equal security for all with equal and mutually respected partners. The German government is not following a "unique German path", if they continue to call, in this stalemated situation, for calm and dialogue with Russia. The Russians' security requirements are as legitimate and just as important as those of the Germans, the Poles, the Baltic States and Ukraine.. We should not look to push Russia out of Europe. That would be unhistorical, unreasonable and dangerous for peace. Ever since the Congress of Vienna in 1814 Russia has been recognized as one of the global players in Europe. All who have tried to violently change that have failed bloody - the last time it was the megalomaniac Hitler's Germany that set about a murderous campaign to conquer Russia in 1941. We call upon the Members of the German Bundestag , delegated by the people to deal appropriately with the seriousness of the situation, to attentively preside over the peace obligation of their government. He, who props up a bogeyman ascribing blame to one side alone, exacerbates tensions at a time when the signals should call for de-escalation. Inclusion instead of exclusion should be the leitmotif for German politicians. We appeal to the media to comply with their obligations for nonbiased reporting, more convincingly, than they have thus done. Editorialists and commentators demonize whole nations, without crediting their history. Every able foreign policy journalist will understand the fear of the Russians, since NATO members in 2008, invited Georgia and Ukraine to become members of the alliance. It's not about Putin. State leaders come and go. What is at stake is Europe. It's about taking away the people's fear of war. Towards this purpose, a responsible media coverage based on solid research can help a lot. On October 3, 1990, on the Day to Commemorate German Reunification, German President Richard von Weizs"acker said: "The Cold War is overcome; freedom and democracy will soon be put in place in all countries ... Now they can conduct their relationships within a compact and secure institutional framework, from which a common life and peace order can arise. For the people of Europe a completely new chapter in their history begins. The goal is a Pan-European project. This is a huge challenge. We can archive it, but we can also fail. We face the clear alternative to unite Europe, or in line with painful historical examples, to fall back again into nationalist conflicts in Europe. " Until the Ukraine conflict we thought we here in Europe were on the right track. Today, a quarter of a century later, Richard von Weizs"acker's words are more relevant than ever. Signatories Mario Adorf, Actor Robert Antretter (Former Member of German Parliament) Prof. Dr. Wilfried Bergmann (Vice-President Alma Mater Europaea) Luitpold Prinz von Bayern (K"onigliche Holding und Lizenz KG) Achim von Borries (Regisseur und Drehbuchautor) Klaus Maria Brandauer (Schauspieler, Regisseur) Dr. Eckhard Cordes (Chair of Ost-Ausschuss der Deutschen Wirtschaft) Prof. Dr. Herta D"aubler-Gmelin (Former Federal Minister of Justice) Eberhard Diepgen (Former Mayor of Berlin) Dr. Klaus von Dohnanyi (First Mayor der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg) Alexander van D"ulmen (Vorstand A-Company Filmed Entertainment AG) Stefan Du



from Liveleak.com Rss Feed - Search results for 'fail' http://ift.tt/1AkFbzv

v

Prominent German Signatories - Open Letter: Another war in Europe? Not in our name!

Uploaded by: jironde

Views:

Category: Liveleak.com Rss Feed - Search results for fail

Share

Tweet