|  |
 |
|
 |  |
 | Europe and Asia |  |
| EUROPEAN COUNCIL ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS INVITED AT UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 38-th NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS
Between 19 to 24 November 2009 Professor Anton Caragea, president of European Council on International Relations (EUCIR) was invited to participate at the 38 Celebration of National Day of United Arab Emirates. This was the first participation from European Council on International Relations to the National celebration of United Arab Emirates. Professor dr. Anton Caragea and H.E. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan – Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research The invitation was issued by the National Media Council of United Arab Emirates and was destined to support an increase in bilateral relations and mutual knowledge. The program for the visit was very dense and full with high level meeting destined to offer to participants a deep knowledge of the United Arab Emirates prominent place in today`s world. The delegation has meet with His Highness Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President of UAE, Prime-minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, H.E. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan – Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research, H.E. Dr. Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Sheikh Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister for Foreign Trade, Sultan Al Jaber CEO- Masdar etc. Also the delegation received a complimentary tour of the most successful projects of United Arab Emirates as Yas Island- the place for a real estate revolution and Saadiyat Island, a project of the most complex cultural and green city in the region. Without a doubt the most important moment of the visit was the reception hosted by His Highness Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President of UAE, Prime-minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai that expressed his willingness to make all the necessary efforts to assure the brightest future to united Arab Emirates, to increase economic capacity of the country and to foster relations with all the of European Union and with a special emphasis on European markets as a hub for United Arab Emirates products and technologies invested in Europe. The participation of professor Anton Caragea as representative of European Council on International Relations at this important anniversary of 38 years of independence of United Arab Emirates was in itself a symbol of the willingness from both side to create what Professor Anton Caragea, EUCIR president declared a strategic partnership between European Union and United Arab Emirates. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AND EUROPE - A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
     Answer: The final part of 2008 has brought many unexpected reasons for optimism. This year preparations for parliamentary elections that will be held this month have shown that – after some tragic examples- the political class from Romania began to understand the importance of foreign policy factor in the life of Romania. As a result of our efforts, the parties have already entered in a process to outline a National Pact for Romanian foreign policy. We hope that this pact, once agreed by all parties will not be an object of dispute, but – on the contrary – an object for unifying Romania’s efforts . We will no longer have a foreign policy based on interests or abilities of a minister or another, but a real foreign policy of Romania. Another reason for optimism I was given by the trip taken in the Far East, whose main point was the visit to Taiwan. I saw in the Far East an economic vitality, a political energy and a desire to make the XXI century, a century of Asia, that really impressed me. If Asian countries will continue to prepare their development with the same seriousness, we can be optimistic. The future world economy, even shadowed by the current crisis will be a good one. Equally important is the signal that I received during my visit to Taiwan: Romania matters for Taiwan! Could it be so? A: Yes! Everybody is excited to cooperate with Bucharest. It seems that watched from the other side of the world, Romania looks more optimistic: a country with 22 million inhabitants, with a remarkable strategic position, with opening to the Danube and the Black Sea, with an important economic growth, supported by a class of managers energetic and eager to win! Thus, Romania appears from Taipei as a country of opportunities, treated with a lot of confidence… From Taipei, for example, it is much easier to be proud that you are Romanian, than in Bucharest! Could this be a chance for Romania? In theory, this is great! But what is the situation, in practical terms? So, let’s be optimistic? A: We have enormous advantages: 22 million inhabitants, the second country as area and population of the region, with political stability, openness to strategic avenues as Danube and the Black Sea, with developed economy, an increase in the average class numbers, participation in NATO and the European Union and do not forget that we are – in total- 31 million Romanian, relating to Bucharest and waiting out economic and political leadership from here. This is the second major challenge to us in the next decade: to become a cultural and economic unit of 31 million Romanians. Optimistic conclusion: privileged links with the Far East, with Taiwan – in particular – and a strategy for 31 million Romanian, not just for 22 million. Future sounds good! POPE VISIT TO HOLY LAND FORGING A NEW RELATION BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM Pope visit to Holy Land (Jordan, Israel, Syria and Lebanon) marks an important step toward building a new relation between Christianity and Islam. After the last 10 years when the war in Iraq and the tensions between Israel and Palestine had soured relations among Christian and Islamic community the two weeks visit of Pope Benedict XVI promise to transform radically this views of clash of civilizations. The end of clash of civilizations One of the most important reasons of Pope visit to Holy Land is to symbolic mark the end of the clash of civilization theory that prophecies’ an imminent clash between Christianity and Islam. By itself the program of Pope visit gives a new definition of Holy land that is no longer just Israel but Jordan, Syria and Lebanon as well, all marked by Christianity and Islam become now the new and correct frontier of the Holy Land. The greater Holy Land of Pope Benedict is speaking by itself about the dialog of civilization and shared faith and community between Christian and Islam in the Middle East. Geopolitics and faith in Pope visit Not only history is going in this direction, today geopolitics realities are lighting the same way. Today Christianity and Islam are sharing the energy reserves and the energy market of Europe and Middle East and are involved in controlling the strategic vital area of Mediterranean Sea and Middle East. Also in Europe is getting birth a community of more the 40 million Muslims which must adapt to their presence in a predominant Christian society an also in Middle East is a strong and historically viable community of more the 18 millions Christians that must have a life in a majority Muslim countries. So regarding at this realities Christianity and Islam are condemned to work together for creating a new life for Islamic community in Europe and for Christians in the Middle East. The end of confrontational vision At the speech in Al Hussein Mosque in Amman Pope Benedict XVI announce the end of the vision of a confrontation between Islam and Christianity. Pope Benedict stress on the long connection between Islam and Christianity and the fact that Islam is the only religion that recommends to his followers to have friendship relations with Christians. In Quran, the word of Allah, Muslims are recommended to have Christian friends because the will be more sympathetic with Muslims because they have monks and are humble. Also Quran have a sura dedicated to Holy Virgin Mary and to Jesus (Sura of family of Imran) and Jesus, John the Baptist are regarded as prophets and models for Islamic community and in Hadith (Words and action of Prophet Mohammed) Jesus will marked the coming of the end of days and Prophet Mohammed confess that Jesus is among the prophets the most closes to him. In the light of all this Quranic and Islamic testimony to create the image of a confrontation between Islamic and Christianity is false. Also the Pope declared in his trip to Christians that is having a profound respect for Islam.
Voices of discontent The new message of Pope Benedict XVI is making a lot of persons that took advantage of the confrontational vision of two major religions unsatisfied. Radical Islamic organization tried to play on the fear of crusades and Christian offensive and they wanted to poison the atmosphere of papal visit spreading rumors about Christian’s missions in Afghanistan trying to convert Muslims. But the radicals have no success in this spread of lies and the Afghanistan controversy did not match the cartoon controversy. In Israel also fearing closer ties between Christianity and Islam the far right extremist menace to protest violently and disrupt Papal visit .Until now all this attempts have failed a prove that on both shores of Mediterranean sea the vision of clash o civilization has collapsed and a new dialog between Christianity and Islam will resolved many of the frozen conflicts of the region promising a new era of downfall of radicals in the Middle East. The time of cooperation has begun. Professor Anton Caragea MA, FINS, PhD |  | ||||||||||||||
Taiwan is ready to waive the visa system for Romania, if and Romania will be ready to facilitate visas for Taiwanese businessmen. For now, the situation is serious: Romanian business people should take visa from Athens or Budapest, which means additional difficulties and expenses absolutely meaningless. Similarly, Taiwanese businessmen, that have invested one billion U.S. dollars in the Romanian economy, need to go to Bangkok – In Thailand – or Tokyo, Japan, to obtain a Romanian visa! Disappointing and humiliating. This situation must cease immediately … Diplomatic relations, civilized relations on visa issues and consular relations should be established as soon as possible in order to facilitate economic ties!
We must understand that Taiwan is a political and economic opportunity for Romania, which should not be lost!
The rest of the Far East is a new destination, but also extremely important for our diplomacy: from now on, Bucharest is opened to a new direction! On his visits in South Korea and Japan, the President of Romania, gave a clear signal: the Far East has ceased to be too distant for Romania. For now, economic and political relations will be developed within this space.
For example, Singapore has to be next to Taiwan, another outpost of our foreign policy. Key point economically developed and with powerful interests in Romania, we have in Singapore as well in Taiwan a destination for political and economic ties. Taiwan and Singapore must be the priority of Romania in the next decade in the Far East region.
I also enjoyed that, after two years of discussions regarding the need for Romania’s involvement in the Middle East, we have already done the first concrete step. In just two months after we asked that Syria be included in the tour of Romanian diplomacy, we are registering a new success: President Traian Băsescu understand our reasons to visit Damascus and made the visit. It’s a beautiful victory of Romania!
For now, we must continue to deepen relations in this area and to go to the Far East. ‘Ex Oriente lux – light comes from the East – said the chronicles of the middle Ages and now we rediscover the wisdom of this old word!
The major goals of our economic and political interests on the direction of the West have already been achieved, and now we must move on in achieving national interest in other quarters of the world.
Next decade we must focus on the Far East. We are living in a world of rapid transportation and, communication, mobility of capital and Romania should be a ‘hub’ for the investment of the Asian tiger and a privileged zone in Eastern Europe.
 |  |
 |  |
|
