Europe takes step towards making Russia pay for Ukraine war

Yahoo – AFP, Marc BURLEIGH, May 16, 2023 

Leaders from the 46-nation Council of Europe including French President
Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasised that Moscow
would be held accountable

A summit of a rights body spanning Europe on Tuesday created a "register of damages" to record Russia's destruction of Ukraine for future compensation, and heard Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky plead for Western fighter jets. 

Leaders from the 46-nation Council of Europe including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasised that Moscow would be held accountable for the harm and destruction it has caused in its 15-month invasion of its neighbour. 

The register of damages, to be lodged in The Hague, aims to record the tangible costs Russia has exacted on Ukraine in that time. 

"There will be no reliable peace without justice" and the register lays the ground for "a full-fledged compensation mechanism," Zelensky said in a video address at the start of the two-day summit. 

Right now, though, Zelensky said, ballistic missile and drone attacks on his country showed "Russia is trying very hard to improve its ability to kill". 

Ukraine consequently needed "additional air defence systems and missiles -- we also need more fighter jets, without which no air defence system will be perfect," he said. 

The call came just after a whirlwind tour by Zelensky of major European capitals to press for Western warplanes ahead of an expected offensive against Russian positions in Ukraine in coming weeks. 

He received pledges of more military deliveries from Germany, France and Britain. The latter two said they would train Ukrainian fighter pilots. 

Jet 'coalition'  

Western countries however are wary about supplying advanced fighter aircraft to Ukraine, fearing their use could escalate the war. 

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte agreed at the summit that they would build an "international coalition to provide Ukraine with combat air capabilities, supporting with everything from training to procuring F-16 jets," according to Sunak's office. 

Other leaders in Iceland emphasised the registry of damages -- and how justified they were in kicking Russia out of the Council of Europe a year ago over its war in Ukraine. 

Scholz said the registry would play "a central role" in "punishing and demanding accountability for the war crimes committed by the Russian occupiers". 

Macron called on other countries to join the initiative and "actively contribute to filling it out". 

The United States -- represented at the summit in an observer role -- said it too supported the creation of the register. 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the register would play a role in deterring further Russian "war crimes" and called it important for the future "because only justice can be the foundation of lasting peace in Ukraine". 

Britain seeks reform 

All of the EU's 27 countries are part of the Council of Europe, and several of them are in favour of setting up a special tribunal to try Russia's leadership. 

That would be deferred until the conclusion of the grinding war. 

Russia could well be preparing its own spring attack on Ukrainian positions to try to break a battlefield stalemate. 

For all the unity projected at the summit, there were fissures in the European community. 

Britain is antagonistic towards the council's European Convention of Human Rights, which is a barrier to its plans to stem the irregular arrival of asylum-seekers by deporting them to Rwanda. 

The convention is backed by a European Court of Human Rights which has made rulings stymying Britain's policies. 

Sunak said as he arrived that he was pressing for a reform of that court as part of a strategy to stop small boats carrying refugees reaching Britain after transiting through France. 

"We're going to do absolutely everything we can to do that... I'm not going to rest until we can stop the boats and that's why I'm here," Sunak said. 

The leaders' gathering was also a key moment for the heads of European heavyweights Germany, France, Italy and Britain to meet before a G7 summit starting Friday in Japan.

Turkey quake tests Erdogan's all-powerful rule

Yahoo – AFP, Fulya Ozerkan with Burcin Gercek in Ankara, February 16, 2023 

When Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan assumed sweeping powers in 2018, he swore the state would deliver more under a centralised system that his critics compare to one-man rule. 

Five years on, an agonisingly slow response to a catastrophic quake has undermined that idea, boosting the opposition's case in  polls planned for May, experts say. 

Erdogan has acknowledged "shortcomings" in the government's handling of Turkey's deadliest disaster of its post-Ottoman history. 

More than 36,000 people have died in Turkey and nearly 3,700 in neighbouring Syria. The toll is expected to keep climbing for days to come. 

Under pressure like at few points in his two-decade rule, Erdogan blamed obstacles such as freezing temperatures and quake-damaged airports and roads. 

No government in the world could have done better, Erdogan said. 

The opposition counters that the February 6 quake underlines why Turkey must switch back to a parliamentary system under which agencies have more freedom to act on their own. 

"You have centralisation in all Turkish institutions, which is reflected in institutions that specifically should not have it," such as the disaster agency, said Hetav Rojan, a disaster management expert who follows Turkey closely. 

'Critical hours' 

Rojan argued that the system, which Erdogan secured through a constitutional referendum in 2017, had hamstrung disaster response agencies that need to make snap decisions on their own. 

Help took days to arrive in many areas, with distressed residents forced to use their bare hands to try and pull relatives from the rubble. 

Others were left without water, food or shelter in freezing temperatures. 

Many volunteers who rushed to the region shared on social media how they were forced to wait for authorisations or how equipment was slow to arrive. 

The government has since dispatched tens of thousands of soldiers to the scene, reinforcing support for millions of people left homeless by a 7.8-magnitude quake. 

But many are still fuming at the initial delay. 

The main opposition leader, who is running neck-and-neck with Erdogan in opinion polls, has spearheaded the criticism. 

"There wasn't any coordination. They were late in the critical hours," Kemal Kilicdaroglu thundered this week. 

"Their incompetence cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of our citizens." 

Unseemly arguments 

For example, it was impossible for crane operators -- who offered critical assistance to rescuers -- to be deployed without the disaster agency's approval. 

This cost crucial time, Erdogan's critics say.

Others point to unseemly arguments between state agencies and independent rescue and relief workers on the ground. 

AFP journalists witnessed disputes between volunteers and AFAD state disaster responders in Elbistan, near the epicentre of a huge aftershock in Turkey's southeast. 

"We started working on this rubble even though the disaster agency discouraged us from it," a volunteer, who did not wish to be named for fear of retribution, told AFP. 

"When we finally heard the voice of a survivor, AFAD teams pulled us away and took over our work," he added. 

Murat, 48, waiting for news of his loved ones under the rubble in Kahramanmaras, witnessed similar scenes. 

"When miners discovered a person alive under the rubble, they were pushed away and people who wanted to appear on camera took their place," he said, also fearing to disclose his last name. 

Controlling the narrative 

Even a non-profit group run by rock star Haluk Levent, as well as opposition-run municipalities that sent in their own rescue teams, have provoked the government's ire. 

"The necessary actions will be taken against anyone that tries to rival the state," threatened Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu. 

"The (ruling party) government and its institutions are really trying to control the narrative of the current rescue management," Rojan said. 

An advertising campaign, called "disaster of the century", had been prepared by an agency close to the government, Turkish media reported. 

The aim, critics say, was to convince Turks that any shortcoming is because of the gigantic size of the disaster -- that no one could handle such a catastrophe. 

In the face of a public outcry, the campaign was withdrawn. 

For Rojan, it's still "too soon" to see if the government's narrative will work. 

"It is definitely a political test for Erdogan with upcoming elections," he said.

Ukraine raids homes, offices in graft clampdown

Digital Journal – AFP, Daria ANDRIIEVSKA with Arman SOLDIN near Vugledar, February 1, 2023 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made tackling corruption a
priority even as the war intensifies in the east

Ukraine expanded a clampdown on corruption on Wednesday launching coordinated searches of residences linked to a divisive oligarch and former interior minister as well as tax offices in the capital. 

The searches came ahead of a key summit with the EU and appeared to be part of a push by Kyiv to reassure key military and financial donors in European capitals and Washington that Ukraine is tackling systemic graft. 

The head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s party, David Arakhamia, said the searches had targeted influential billionaire Igor Kolomoisky and former interior minister Arsen Avakov. 

Law enforcement also raided tax offices in the capital and senior customs officials were fired, Arakhamia said in a post on social media announcing the shake-up. 

“The country will change during the war. If someone is not ready for change, then the state itself will come and help them change,” he added. 

Ukraine for years has suffered endemic graft but efforts to stamp out corruption have been overshadowed by Moscow’s invasion launched last February. 

Last week authorities fired around a dozen senior figures, including defence officials and a top aide to the president’s office, signalling a renewed push to clean up its image to appease Western backers. 

The raids on Wednesday came two days before President Zelensky was expected to host a summit with officials from the European Union, which has urged reforms to facilitate deeper integration. 

Investigators from Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, released images of a search from the home of Kolomoisky who was barred from entering the United States over allegations of corruption and undermining democracy. 

‘All necessary steps’ 

Prior to the invasion, Kolomoisky was one of the country’s richest men with holdings in a slew of industries, including media, aviation and energy. 

The security service said the search had been launched in connection with an investigation into the embezzlement of 40 billion hryvnia (more than a billion dollars) from energy holdings. 

The Ukrainian government seized stakes in the energy companies — oil producer Ukrnafta and refiner Ukrtatnafta — as part of stated efforts to consolidate the war effort. 

The SBU also said it had uncovered a scheme by the head of the Kyiv tax office over “multimillion-dollar” fraud schemes, accusing the official of abusing a position of authority. 

In an address to the nation on Tuesday, Zelensky vowed officials would take further measures to sweep away graft, saying “all the necessary steps have already been taken.” 

“People in the government who do not meet the basic requirements of the state and society should not occupy their seats,” he said. 

Arakhamia added that as part of the measures Wednesday several senior defence ministry officials had been informed that they are formal suspects, without specifying the charges. 

Last week the defence ministry announced the resignation of deputy minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who was involved in logistical support for the army. 

That resignation came after the ministry was accused of signing food contracts at prices two to three times higher that market rates for basics. 

Donetsk battle getting ‘worse’ 

Despite being vocal about fighting corruption, Zelensky himself has been embroiled in corruption scandals in the past, and previously he was seen as harbouring links with Kolomoisky. 

He is now working to drum up political backing for Ukraine at a critical time in the conflict, with Russian forces claiming to have captured fresh ground in the eastern Donetsk region. 

AFP journalists near the small town of Vugledar in the battle-scarred industrial region this week witnessed artillery barrages to keep Russian forces at bay. 

“The more time passes, the worse the situation gets,” Oleksandr, 45, said from a trench just five kilometres (three miles) from Vugledar. 

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Tuesday that a dozen countries had promised more than 100 tanks after Germany and the United States signed off on the deliveries last week. 

Now Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials are calling on the West to supply fighter jets and long-range artillery too. US President Joe Biden said he would discuss the new requests for advanced weaponry with Zelensky. 

The Kremlin said Wednesday that any deliveries of long-range weapons to Ukraine would not change Russia’s military objectives in the pro-Western country or change fighting on the battlefield. 

“It would require greater efforts from us. But again, it won’t change the course of events,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. 

Europe's postcard from Prague: leaders together, one big gap

MSN – AFP, 6 October 2022

Given a rather unclear agenda, the family photo looked set to become a highlight
of the meeting bringing together EU leaders alongside those of Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Britain, Kosovo, Switzerland and Turkey © Ludovic MARIN

Leaders from across Europe, with one big gap, featured in the family photo of the newly-established European Political Community from its inaugural meeting in Prague on Thursday. 

The absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin highlights the deep divide between his country, which launched an invasion of Ukraine in February, and the rest of the continent. 

Belarusian strongman President Alexander Lukashenko, Putin's ally, was also missing in the photo and at the summit organised by the Czech government, which now holds the rotating EU presidency. 

Given a rather unclear agenda, the family photo looked set to become a highlight of the meeting bringing together EU leaders alongside those of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Britain, Kosovo, Switzerland and Turkey. 

French President Emmanuel Macron, the mastermind behind the initiative, said the project was designed to send a message of "unity" and "strategic intimacy". 

But rifts among the 44 leaders surfaced even as they posed at Prague Castle, the seat of the Czech presidency overlooking the city. 

European Council head Charles Michel was on the left Hungarian President Viktor Orban, seen as the bloc's troublemaker over his lax stance on corruption laws and close ties to Putin. 

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen mirrored him on the far right edge in the Gothic Vladislav Hall, making it clear that the EU and the new community initiative were two different things. 

Macron himself took centre stage between Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades in the front row. 

To Fiala's right, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev, slammed by the EU over his country's clashes with Armenia, stood next to his ally Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also seen as problematic by the bloc. 

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who met both Aliyev and Erdogan for talks earlier on Friday, was tucked behind Erdogan in the second row. 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, criticised for hesitating on sending modern weapons to Ukraine, was at the back in the third row. 

Vjosa Osmani, the president of EU hopeful Kosovo, came into the meeting hailing it as an opportunity to meet European peers "on an equal footing". 

But she might have been upset with the photo -- as she was stuck on the back at the edge, largely shaded by the towering Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

Turkey bows to US pressure, cuts Russian bank ties

Yahoo – AFP, Fulya OZERKAN, September 28, 2022

 

Turkey's booming wartime trade with Moscow took a giant step back on Wednesday with confirmation that the last three banks still processing Russian card payments were pulling out under pressure from Washington. 

The decision follows weeks of increasingly blunt warnings from the United States for NATO member Turkey to either limit its economic relations with Russia or face the threat of sanctions itself. 

The US Treasury said last week that Turkish banks working with Russian Mir bank cards "risk supporting Russia's efforts to evade US sanctions". 

Two private Turkish lenders that began processing Mir after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in August suspended the transactions earlier this month. 

But three state lenders -- Halkbank, Vakifbank and Ziraatbank -- still worked with the cards. 

A senior Turkish official did not say when Russians would no longer be able to access their cards in Turkey at all. 

The three banks "are still processing (the outstanding) payments, but they have set a future date" for pulling out, the official said on condition of anonymity because no formal decision by the three bank has been announced. 

The decision follows a meeting headed by Erdogan last Friday that officially focused on looking at "alternatives" to the Russian cards. 

Shift in tone

The explosion of Turkish trade with Russia during the seven-month war in Ukraine has been a source of growing irritation for Washington. 

The value of trade between the two rose by more than 50 percent. Turkey has also agreed to pay for a quarter of its Russian natural gas imports in rubles. 

US Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo paid a rare visit to Ankara and Istanbul in June to express Washington's worries that Russian oligarchs and big businesses were using Turkish entities to evade Western sanctions. 

The Treasury sent a follow up letter to Turkish banks and businesses in August warning that they cannot expect to have "access to the US dollar and other major currencies" if they trade with sanctioned Russians. 

Turkey has tried to stay neutral in the Ukrainian conflict and refused to sign up to Western sanctions against Russia.  

It has used this status to strike a range of economic agreements that have helped prop up the ailing economy in the run-up to June elections in which Erdogan will struggle to extend his two-decade grip on power. 

Mir cards offer millions of Russians that vacation in Turkey each year a way to access their rubles and pay for everything from restaurants to hotels. 

They are also increasingly important to Russians who are fleeing to Turkey as part of a new migration wave of men trying to avoid the draft. 

But analysts note a shift in Turkey's tone away from Russia in the past few weeks. 

Ankara last week strongly condemned the "illegitimate" polls the Kremlin is using as a pretext to annex four Ukrainian regions now under partial Russian control. 

'Fear of secondary sanctions'

Prominent Russian sanctions campaigner Bill Browder -- a businessman who left Moscow after one of his associates died in jail -- said the Turkish bank decision showed that the "fear of secondary sanctions is starting to work". 

"Turkish banks have abandoned Putin's Mir payment system out of fear of being punished by the US," Browder tweeted. 

"We need to roll this out far and wide. Chinese, Indian UAE and many other countries should understand there will be consequences." 

Russia developed Mir in 2015 to circumvent Western sanctions imposed following its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula. 

But Russian central bank chief Elvira Nabiullina conceded earlier this month that Moscow was encountering "difficulties" expanding its payment system around the world. 

Uzbekistan suspended Mir transactions last Friday citing unspecified "technical procedures". 

The card still works in Belarus and a handful of Russia's closest allies. 

Visa and Mastercard no longer issue new cards in Russia or process foreign payments on the cards acquired before the war.

Solemn Dutch royals attend funeral for Britain’s queen Elizabeth

DutchNews, September 19, 2022 

Princess Beatrix (L), king Willem-Alexander and queen Maxima leave after
the service. Photo: Ben Stansall / POOL / AFP

Dutch king Willem-Alexander, queen Maxima and princess Beatrix had front row seats at the funeral ceremony held for British queen Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday. 

The Dutch royals were among a host of kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers to attend the event, ten days after Elizabeth died at the age of 96. 

Oranjes op prominente plek bij uitvaart Queen https://t.co/G7wk0Jj5wg pic.twitter.com/tod7c0wIOx

— RTL Nieuws (@RTLnieuws) September 19, 2022

Royalty expert Pieter Klein Beernink told the Telegraaf that the Dutch family had been given such a prominent position in front of the flag-draped coffin because of the close ties between the two families. 

Princess Beatrix, the former Dutch queen who abdicated in favour of her son in 2013 at the age of 75, would often cross the channel incognito to have lunch or dinner with Elizabeth, Klein Beernink said. 

A black mourning pennant was hoisted above the Noordeinde palace in The Hague as a mark of respect for the British queen, who visited the Netherlands several times during her 70-year reign. 

Vandaag vindt de uitvaart van Koningin Elizabeth II plaats. Op Paleis Noordeinde is de rouwwimpel gehesen. De Koning, Koningin Máxima en Prinses Beatrix zijn bij de uitvaartplechtigheid aanwezig. pic.twitter.com/rvnULpWKwa

— Koninklijk Huis (@koninklijkhuis) September 19, 2022

The Dutch royals will also attend a much smaller ceremony at Windsor Castle later on Monday, broadcaster NOS said. 

Embassy 

The British embassy in The Hague and the consulate were both closed on Monday, which was a bank holiday in Britain, but dozens of well-wishers have left flowers outside the building.

Photo: Dutch News

Over 2,000 people, including prime minister Mark Rutte, signed the condolence book at the embassy and there are also books available for signing at Anglican churches dotted throughout the country. 

The book at the Anglican church on the Kinderhuissingel in Haarlem, for example, will be open for a few more weeks. 

Monday’s ceremony has dominated the Dutch as well as the British media, with live blogs on most news websites and coverage from the funeral procession and ceremony on television.

Worshippers drove break with Russian Orthodoxy: Ukrainian church

France25 – AFP, 28 May 2022

'The commandment 'thou shall not kill' has no other interpretations,' said
Archbishop Kliment Aleksey Filippov AFP

Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ordinary members of the branch of Ukraine's Orthodox church, until now loyal to Moscow, drove the decision to break ranks with the Russian leadership, its spokesman told AFP Saturday. 

Archbishop Kliment said the church's congregation felt it could no longer remain silent. 

He was speaking inside Kyiv's Pechersk Lavra monastery -- one of the most ancient and holy sites in Ukraine -- a day after the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow patriarchy declared "full independence". 

The clerics condemned Russian Patriarch Kirill's vocal support for the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine, in a historic move against Moscow's spiritual authorities. 

Bearded and black-robed, Kliment said his church "does not accept, condemns and completely dissociates itself from those statements about Russian aggression in Ukraine that came from the lips of Patriarch Kirill". 

Kirill is a staunch supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has spoken out in support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine several times. 

For Kliment, the situation was clear. "The commandment 'thou shall not kill' has no other interpretations," he said. 

"It is difficult for me to (understand) the explanation or silence of the representatives of the Moscow patriarchate on the tragedy that is happening today," he added, as tens of thousands are killed and millions displaced. 

Priests' mediating role

His wing of Ukraine's church is one of the last links to Russia. it remained loyal despite a 2019 schism that saw the creation of a rival Kyiv patriarchy -- a huge blow to Moscow. 

Kliment acknowledged that his church had "always felt pressure from the state" to break from Moscow -- and the authorities here have welcomed the decision of the Kyiv patriarchy. 

But this time, he said, the appeals had come from their own worshippers. 

"There was a need for this, a demand in church society." 

Ukrainian priests had tried to "reach the patriarch and those directly responsible for the Russian aggression" in Moscow before their decision, he said, but had received no response. 

Kliment stressed that clerics from all over Ukraine -- including territories controlled by separatists -- took part in the council, priests from the war zone in the east joining online. 

"The council was attended by representatives of almost all the dioceses, including those of the East", he said. Their decision, he said, "will be relayed in (Moscow-annexed) Crimea and in the Donbas". 

Moscow patriarchy clerics play an important role in territories not under Kyiv's control, he said, often acting as a "bridge" with Ukrainian authorities. 

They have been involved in negotiating "the return of prisoners or their exchange and the delivery of humanitarian aid", he said. 

But this week's decision will be testing for priests working in rebel areas, he added. 

"This requires from these priests a certain courage and wisdom in order to preserve unity in the church and at the same time not to lose the flock in these areas." 

2019 schism remains

Archbishop Kliment played down hopes for broader unity inside Ukraine's Orthodox circles, which was divided by the 2019 schism. 

"This largely depends on them, because the position held by the representatives of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine is not constructive," he said. 

He accused them of "choosing the path of confrontation, seizing churches and discrediting our believers". 

This newly created Kyiv branch of the church now pledges allegiance to Istanbul-based Patriarch Bartholomew -- something the Moscow branch had no intention of doing, said Kliment. 

Nonetheless, the rival churches do share the view that Patriarch Kirill can no longer rule Ukraine because of his support for the Russian invasion. 

After Saturday worship, many, but not all, believers appeared to share his view. 

"I support this decision because the Bible says 'you shall not kill'," said one man, Serhii. 

Ludmila, 65, added she hoped that the priests would stop mentioning Kirill in prayers during services, which she said was "really awful and offensive". 

But another woman, Olena, 40, expressed concern about the schism. "I am afraid that it will weaken the Orthodox Church." 

She hoped Kyiv would not renounce Russian-language worship as "this old church language is very important in spiritual terms -- it reconciles body and soul and has been giving people strength for centuries". 

Asked her view on Kirill, she paused, sighed and said: "It's better to talk about who started the war."

Macron names first French female PM in three decades

Yahoo – AFP, Ingrid BAZINET, Stuart WILLIAMS, 16 May 2022 

Borne is seen as an able technocrat who is also able to negotiate prudently with
unions (AFP/Ludovic MARIN) (Ludovic MARIN)

President Emmanuel Macron on Monday named Labour Minister Elisabeth Borne as prime minister to lead his ambitious reform plans, the first woman to head the French government in over 30 years. 

Outgoing French Prime Minister Jean Castex earlier handed his resignation to the president, part of a widely expected reshuffle to make way for a new government following Macron's re-election in April and ahead of legislative elections in June. 

The centrist Macron will need a legislative majority to push through his domestic agenda following his re-election, with a new left-wing alliance and the far-right threatening to block his programme. 

The last woman premier, Edith Cresson, briefly headed the cabinet from May 1991 to April 1992 under president Francois Mitterrand. 

Ending weeks of speculation, the Elysee confirmed Borne's nomination in a statement and she then headed to the Matignon residence of the premier in Paris for the handover with Castex. 

"Nothing can stop the fight for the place of women in our society," she said at the handover, dedicating her appointment to "all the little girls" who should "realise their dreams". 

A former environment minister, Borne also notably urged a "quicker and stronger" reaction to the "climatic and ecological challenge". 

In a tweet addressed to "Madam Prime Minister", Macron set out their priorities. 

"Ecology, health, education, full employment, democratic revival, Europe and security. Together, with the new government, we will continue to act tirelessly for French people," he said. 

'High time' 

Borne, 61, is seen as an able technocrat who can negotiate prudently with unions, as the president embarks on a new package of social reforms that notably include a rise in the retirement age which risks sparking protests. 

A French presidential official, who asked not to be named, described Borne as a woman of "conviction, action and realisation", noting her "capacity to carry out reforms". 

"It was high time there was another woman," Cresson, who knows Borne personally, told BFMTV. 

"She is a remarkable person, with great experience in the public and private sectors... She's a very good choice because she's a remarkable person, not because she's a woman," she added. 

She expressed amazement that it had taken France -- which has never had a female head of state -- so long to have another woman prime minister. 

"France is very behind -- not the French population but the political class," added Cresson, who was the target of numerous sexist attacks during her time in office. 

'Inability to unite' 

Macron, 44, registered a solid victory in April 24 presidential polls against far-right leader Marine Le Pen, winning by 59 to 41 percent. 

Le Pen and defeated hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon are both eyeing comebacks in the parliamentary elections on June 12 and 19 that would give them the ability to thwart Macron. 

Melenchon recently persuaded the Socialist, Communist and Greens parties to enter an alliance under his leadership that unites the left around a common platform for the first time in decades. 

Macron's rivals were less complimentary about Borne, whose appointment Le Pen said showed the president's "inability to unite and his desire to pursue his policy of contempt". 

Melenchon scoffed at the idea that Borne had come from the left, describing her as "among the harshest figures of social abuse" in France's ruling elite. 

Castex had intended to resign immediately after the presidential election in line with French tradition, but was persuaded by Macron to stay on while he lined up a replacement. 

The bespectacled 56-year-old from rural southwest France has a no-frills style and a strong regional accent which has endeared him to many French people. 

He will mostly be remembered for his management of the latter stages of the Covid-19 pandemic but also windmill arm gestures and a habit of forgetting where he had placed his glasses. 

"For nearly two years, he worked with passion and commitment in the service of France," said Macron in a farewell tweet to Castex, who has made clear he has no plans for higher office.

Kalush Orchestra - Stefania (Official Video Eurovision 2022)

Britain, Cyprus hail 'new era' on military land

Yahoo – AFP, 9 May 2022 

An aerial view of the United Kingdom's Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area east of
Larnaca -- it is one of two such areas on the island of Cyprus (AFP/Amir MAKAR)
(Amir MAKAR)

Thousands of Cypriots living on British military land will have the right to develop their properties under a deal to take effect next week, ending decades of unequal treatment, officials said Monday. 

Under the 1960 treaty granting Cyprus independence from Britain, the United Kingdom retained control of two Sovereign Base Areas covering three percent of the island's land area. 

These include not only the bases themselves but Cypriot communities home to around 12,000 people -- more than the number of British military personnel and their families. 

Non-military development on base land has until now been generally restricted. 

Cypriot property owners on base land were subject to "62 years of distortions and imbalances" which the deal to be implemented from May 16 will remove, Cyprus's President Nicos Anastasiades said at a ceremony. 

Residential, commercial and other developments will be possible under the arrangement. 

"It is a truly historic agreement", Anastasiades told the ceremony attended by base officials. 

British High Commissioner Stephen Lillie told the gathering that "a new era of non-military development" begins next week. 

"From that day, landowners in the bases will be able to submit planning applications and develop their land much like they can anywhere else in Cyprus," he said, describing it as a "levelling up." 

In a statement, British Forces Cyprus said that, for the first time, third-country nationals in addition to Cypriots will be able to own property, live, and run a business in the base areas -- subject to environmental, security and zoning considerations. 

Anastasiades reached an agreement in 2014 with then-British Prime Minister David Cameron paving the way for the changes being implemented from next week. 

In an interview with AFP, Anastasiades said the agreement did not mean an alteration to the 1960 treaty and did not require discussions with Greece and Turkey, the other 1960 signatories. 

He said it is simply changing the status of the residents in the base areas, "giving a chance for development which is a great thing. We are talking about a huge extent of land." 

The base areas cover 254 square kilometres (98 square miles). 

Cyprus, an eastern Mediterranean island, has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded following a Greek-sponsored coup. The Republic of Cyprus, whose overwhelming majority are Greek Cypriots, has effective control over the southern two-thirds of the island.