FRANCE: Paris wants to strengthen the provision of temporary suspension of the Schengen

France is in favor of strengthening the provision of temporary suspension of the free movement of Schengen in case of influx of illegal immigrants at an external border of the European Union, said Friday the French presidency.

This includes learning from the current influx of immigrants Tunisian and Libyan via Italy, which caused serious tensions between Paris and Rome in recent weeks, but the porosity of the Greek-Turkish border .

"We must draw the consequences of the shaky situation in which we are currently strengthening the integration in the management of external borders," says one at the Elysee.

It will be a menu of topics to Franco-Italian summit in Rome next Tuesday.

President Nicolas Sarkozy hopes to France and Italy are all, as they have done in 2009, a joint initiative in Brussels, told the Elysee.

The objective of this initiative will be particular to obtain effective cooperation in the South against illegal immigration but also a strengthening of Europe's Schengen now deemed "deficient" by Paris.

This building includes making modernization of the European asylum, a strengthening of Frontex, which organizes joint patrols with the EU's external borders and the establishment of a sort of safeguard clause, said President French.

"Schengen is subject to difficulties," says one at the Elysee."We believe that we must go up, as a last resort, a suspension clause in case of necessity."

"What we think, is that we consider a mechanism where there is a systemic failure at an external border of the EU to intervene by providing an interim suspension, the time the failure is resolved, "says the same source.

There already exists a clause of suspension, but it is of very limited application in time and geographically and is intended only for events of extraordinary nature.

France has made the call in 2004 for ceremonies of the 60th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy in 2007 after the London bombings.

The turmoil in North Africa, mainly in Tunisia and Libya, have led to the arrival in Italy of many illegal immigrants from these countries, once in the Schengen area, can travel in 24 European countries who are members.

It stresses, however, at the Elysee Palace that the discussions on strengthening the effectiveness of Schengen, which will be conducted at 27, will take time.

FINANCE: Uncertainties on the debt restructuring Greek

Reuters - Greece has once again said Monday that it had no intention to restructure its debt, the governor of the central bank holding such an event catastrophic.

Under pressure from increasing pressure from markets, Athens has denied reports published by the daily Eleftherotypia, which reported Monday that Greece has requested earlier this month the European Union (EU) and Fund
(IMF) to restructure its debt.

German government sources believe however that Greece will not pass the summer without a restructuring of its debt.

These sources say however that this does not imply that Berlin pushes for restructuring.This means that the German government considers a restructuring almost inevitable, they continue.

These remarks have pushed the euro to its lowest level since April 7.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Greece George Provopoulos estimates in a report to shareholders that the restructuring would be detrimental to banks and pension funds.

"The Bank of Greece said clearly since last October that such an option is neither necessary nor desirable," he writes."That would have catastrophic consequences."

Echoing the governor of the Central Bank of Greece, the French Minister of Economy Christine Lagarde said Monday that the same debt restructuring Greek, or Irish or Portuguese would be "catastrophic."

The European Commission for its part said there was no ongoing discussion of restructuring.

The IMF, European Central Bank (ECB) and European Commission review in June if Greece qualifies to receive the next tranche of its bailout package of 110 billion euros.

Consequence of these speculations, the spread of the Greek debt was close to a record, reaching 1,096 basis points over the 10 years.

NIGERIA: Nigerians elect their president, Goodluck Jonathan outgoing favorite

Over 73 million Nigerians are electing their president Saturday in an election whose outgoing Goodluck Jonathan is favored, and show whether the giant nation has finally turned the page of the violent and fraudulent elections.

A week after the parliamentary elections that had been postponed twice but finally took place largely in a calm, voters are eligible to vote from 8:00 local time (0700 GMT).

Goodluck Jonathan, 53, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) training that dominates the political scene and has won every presidential election since the return to civilian rule in 1999, with a share ahead of analysts.

Especially since the opposition has failed this week to form an alliance to face him.

But the incumbent could be challenged by Muhammadu Buhari, former military dictator 69 years old who is seeking the highest office for the third time since 1999.

Muslim from the north, it can count on broad support in this region face Jonathan, a Christian of the Niger Delta, the southern oil-producing countries, the largest producer of crude oil from Africa.

Nuhu Ribadu, who led the anti-corruption agency in Nigeria, and Ibrahim Shekarau, outgoing governor of Kano State (North), two other candidates are considered important in this election.

Nigeria is currently engaged in a series of ballots.April 26 will be the elections of governors of the federation of 150 million people as well as regional assembled.

The 2007 general elections were marred by fraud in the view of most observers, and efforts have been made to ensure that things go differently this year, thanks to the work of a new electoral commission headed by a respected teacher .

The local and international observers have praised the good performance of legislative Saturday, raising hopes of a peaceful presidential election.

However, at least 35 people were killed in bombings and other election-related violence since late last week, according to election commission

The borders were closed Thursday night and had to reopen Monday. Restrictions on vehicular traffic have been imposed for Saturday.

Egypt: The Egyptian army reintroduced the crime of opinion in respect of a blogger

Egypt seems to have trouble settle his accounts with the Mubarak era. A blogger has just made the bitter experience. Maikel Nabil was sentenced Monday to three years in prison for criticizing the military line. This is the first time since the fall of former President Hosni Mubarak, January 18, an Egyptian is sent to prison for expressing his opinions.

"This is a trial worthy of the time of Hosni Mubarak," complains FRANCE 24 Ezzat Ahmed, Egyptian jurist and member of the Association for freedom of expression and thought.Arrested March 28, Maikel Nabil was brought before a military tribunal, which is "totally illegal since it is the trial of a civilian," said FRANCE 24 Morayef Heba, a specialist in Egypt and Libya for the association of human rights Human Rights Watch. Egyptian military authorities accused him of calling on his blog at the end of conscription, which would call a "negative effect on Egyptian youth."

The military court has also allowed some liberties with the rights of defense. The blogger has thus been condemned in the absence of his lawyers Monday."The head of the court we were told that the decision would be made Tuesday, April 12," says FRANCE 24 Ali Atef, one of the lawyers Maikel Nabil, still under the purview of the surprised.

The new taboo

The verdict for comments made online has even more importance as the Internet has largely contributed to the Egyptian revolution. However, this is not the first time that the military authorities succumb to past practices by organizations defending human rights."Several people who attended events of March 9, Tahrir Square [to judge who called President Hosni Mubarak and criticizing some military officials, Ed] were arrested, tried by a military court and sentenced to prison," recalled Ahmed Ezzat.

He says that as long as certain laws, such as those on political parties and freedom of the press, were not repealed, "beautiful minds of the Egyptians will have changed, the system may still succumb to the same excesses."

"The army has become the new dirty word in Egypt," laments Atef Ali for his part, counsel for Maikel Nabil.A person who is, according to him, even more pronounced at the time of Hosni Mubarak. "Traditional media avoid talking about the military and the only ones who dare to mention the army are now bloggers," says he.

"We should not kid ourselves, the democratic transition does not happen in a few months it will take years to get there," said Ahmed Ezzat. Meanwhile, Maikel Nabil was transferred from his brother at the Tora prison. His lawyers intend to appeal against his conviction ... always before a military tribunal.

SYRIA: Security forces shoot live ammunition to disperse the crowd

AFP - Seven persons have been killed and dozens wounded Friday by gunfire from security forces in the Syrian city of Dera, where several thousand protesters marched after the prayer, told AFP activist of Human Rights.

A previous report from the same source reported the deaths of three people in this city, the epicenter of protest against the regime, located 100 km south of Damascus.

"Members of the security services in civilian clothes opened fire to disperse the protesters after the prayer," said the activist reached by telephone.

He said the first news reports, more than ten dead, but for now, "seven of them were identified.He added that "dozens have been injured" by the firing by security forces.

The official media have mentioned two deaths, a member of the security services and an ambulance, and dozens of wounded civilians, police and security services in this city by shooting attributed to "armed men opened fire the crowd. "

Syria was the scene since mid-March of a protest movement unprecedented regime of Bashar al-Assad.

SYRIA: The current uprising restructures opposition to the Baath Party

The Syrian opposition began its "martyrs' week", which opens Tuesday with a day of protest: a new initiative synonymous with defiance to President Bashar al-Assad. This mobilization, relayed on the Internet - including via Facebook Page "The Syrian Revolution 2011" - is both unprecedented challenges is severely repressed. The scheme, contested for almost three weeks despite a strong presence of its security services, could not imagine delivering such a showdown.

According to the organizations of human rights, about 130 people have been killed since the beginning of the movement - particularly Deraa, epicenter of the revolt at 100 km south of Damascus.Far from being intimidated by the violence of the regime, the youth can she provided lead the uprising to an end - like his distant cousins ​​Tunisian and Egyptian?

The Baath Party, the undisputed master of the political scene

Nothing is less certain. Since the 1963 coup that brought him to power, the Baath Party, a sort of combination between socialism and Arab nationalism, reigns supreme in the political arena. His supremacy is enshrined in the Constitution of 1973, which was consecrated as the ruling party of the state and society.An established order maintained since through the law on state of emergency which will suppress "legally" attempts at protests and political opposition. Responding to a claim, President Al-Assad has recently formed a commission to study the repeal of this draconian law.

"Syria has been frozen and sterilized to intellectual and politics since coming to power of the Baath and the establishment of the emergency law," said Syrian academic Bourhane Ghalioun, director of the Center for Arab Studies and the Orient contemporary at the Sorbonne. Parliamentary and officially secular, Syrian Republic is supposed to be open to the multiparty system.Are tolerated but only parties that comprise the "National Progressive Front," a coalition of several groups allowed by the Baath Party. "This coalition is expected to play the role of opposition is a sham, since it obeys the finger and the eye of the regime. The true pro-democracy opposition is silenced," says Ahmad, between exile in Paris.

An opposition gagged

Leaders exiled or jailed, activists routinely hounded by the intelligence services of the plan, the parties divided on objectives: opposition struggles to be heard."The opposition parties have never managed to unify their positions or to propose a joint project, mainly because of repression," said Bourhane Ghalioun.

In 2005, however, the secular opposition parties and the Muslim Brotherhood, based in London, had signed a founding text entitled "Damascus Declaration" calling for "democratic and radical change." In December 2007, a national council (governing body) of the "Damascus Declaration" was created in Syria, but many of its members were quickly arrested.Muslim Brotherhood, officially dismantled by the regime, the extreme left (Marxists, communists ...) through the Kurdish parties, the opposition continues to work illegally, with a margin of maneuver. "Prevented by force to speak, meet, develop relationships with people and to recruit young supporters, these parties are isolated from the rest of society," said the professor.

A phenomenon which explains the profusion of NGOs, intellectuals and protesters engaged in the country. The latter, mostly intellectuals or organized and supervised, "represent 90% of the opposition," according Bourhane Ghalioun."This is a direct consequence of repression against opposition parties," he developed. But this exposes the individual commitment equally to intimidation, arbitrary arrests and lengthy prison sentences.

The youth, who spearheaded the uprising

But a new factor has come to seize the effectiveness of the repressive machine of the regime, early this year. Inspired by the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, the country's youth gathered at the forefront of the current uprising. Despite the continuous monitoring on the Internet and the low penetration of the medium nationally (16.8% of the population only had access to the Web, in 2008). "Youth is the spearhead of the movement.Like the regime, opposition parties have been overwhelmed by this spontaneous movement and were content to support them, "says Bourhane Ghalioun. The Syrian population is young (77% under 35 years) and it is n has been that the Assad regime and the state of emergency. "We thought these kids were depoliticized by the Baathist propaganda, but it is not: they are the lifeblood of the opposition. They thirst for democracy and modernity and they will take over from our generation, who was on the verge of resignation, "concluded Ahmed.

NIGERIA: The legislative postponed to Monday for "organizational problems"

AFP - Nigeria has decided to postpone its elections lésiglatives to Monday because of organizational problems that marred the vote scheduled for Saturday, said the head of the electoral commission.

"To preserve the integrity of elections and retain overall control process effective, the commission has taken the difficult but necessary to repel Monday, April 4, 2011 elections to the National Assembly," saidAttahiru Jega the press.

The election of 360 members of the House of Representatives and 109 Senators would be Saturday the first of a planned series in the month, a test for democracy in the country's most populous country.

The most important presidential has been set for Saturday, April 9. It must be followed on 16 regional elections.