Fresh start needed in Turkey’s EU access bid. -- It is important for the EU to treat Turkey fairly.

A group of European opinion makers has urged an immediate change in Turkish-European Union relations, calling for 2014 to be the year that the sides begin traveling in a new direction.

The Independent Commission on Turkey, headed by 2008 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, yesterday released its third report in Istanbul. 

“In the turbulent times we are living in a stable, democratic and prosperous Turkey is ever more in the vital interest of the EU and Turkey,” stated the report from the commission, which also includes former Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino and former Dutch Foreign Minister Hans van der Broek.

Φόβοι για μέλη της Αλ Κάιντα μεταξύ των μεταναστών από Αφρική

Η Ιταλίδα ΥΠΕΞ Emma Bonino είπε τη Δευτέρα (18 Νοεμβρίου) ότι μεταξύ των χιλιάδων μεταναστών που διασχίζουν τη Μεσόγειο με βάρκες από την Αφρική στην Ευρώπη, πιθανώς υπάρχουν και μέλη της Αλ Κάιντα, θέτοντας απειλή για την ασφάλεια της ΕΕ.

Η Ιταλία επιδιώκει μεγαλύτερη βοήθεια από τους Ευρωπαίους εταίρους προκειμένου να αντιμετωπίσει την κρίση που προκλήθηκε από τους χιλιάδες Αφρικανούς μετανάστες που κατέφθασαν στη Σικελία φέτος και εκατοντάδες έχουν χάσει τη ζωή τους στην αναζήτηση μιας νέας αρχής.

Italy Warns Syria Strikes Could Turn Conflict Global. Earlier this week she warned: "Even the option of a limited intervention risks becoming unlimited."

Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino said on Friday that military strikes being planned against Syria risked escalating into "a global conflagration." 

"From a dramatic and terrible conflict, we run the risk of even a global conflagration," she said in an interview with news channel SkyTG24.

"This is how it always begins. Limited strikes without a UN mandate. Syria will obviously react," said Bonino, a former European aid commissioner.

"Even though it seems slower, tougher and sometimes looks like it won't succeed, keeping up diplomatic and political pressure is the only solution," she said.