Maia Sandu's Surprising Presidential Election
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EUR PE Diplomatic magazine ISLAND OF DREAMS China’s lust for Taiwan in a continuing East- West power struggle IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL ON THE BRINK The ongoing European dilemma THE GOLDEN FISH 2020 SURFACES IN MOLDOVA December Maia Sandu’s surprising presidential election win E 3 BRUSSELS - PARIS - GENEVA - MONACO EUROPEDIPLOMATIC IN THIS ISSUE n Aprés moi, la Déliquescence? Where is Emmanuel Macron heading (and what follows after)? ..............................p.5 n European Space Agency Swiss start-up ClearSpace to launch 5 the first active debris removal mission ......................................................................................................................p.12 n The Golden Fish surfaces in Moldova Maia Sandu’s surprising election win ............................................................................................................................. p.16 n Island of Dreams 16 China’s lust for Taiwan in a continuing East-West power struggle .....................p.23 n Iran nuclear deal on the brink The ongoing European dilemma ........................................................................................................................................p. 30 n News in brief ............................................................................................................................................................................................................p. 36 30 n Into the unknown, alone Labour migration and the children left on their own ..................................................................p.40 n Yachting Looking to the future with Hynova ............................................................................................p.46 40 n Altimetry technology New Copernicus satellite to monitor sea-level rise launched .......................................p.49 n Timeless Chic Standout fashion and beauty trends ............................................................................................................................p. 52 46 n Book s Our selection ......................................................................................................................................................................................p. 54 EUR PE “EUROPE DIPLOMATIC MAGAZINE” is characterized by a very open editorial line that allows it to capture all the themes Diplomatic that affect directly or indirectly the European political, economic, social and security issues. Whether piracy in the Gulf of Aden and its threats to the global economy, articles about political leaders, geostrategic situations or technological developments affecting our civilization, Europe Diplomatic Magazine strives to work in comparing opinions and providing an objective magazine analysis based on extensive research. For a wide audience composed of both members of the diplomatic corps, lobbyists, international officials or academics, the magazine gives everyone the necessary and useful information about all topics that make up our daily lives. Covering sensitive issues such as nuclear, the rise of Islamism and energy dependence, the magazine opens its pages to recognized specialists who would like to express first order and exclusive information. But Europe Diplomatic Magazine is not only a source of information on recent topics. It is also addressing older facts with deep thought fur further analysis. Whether it’s news, security, diplomacy, technology, energy, terrorism, European affairs, no subject is treated superficially. Europe Diplomatic Magazine is an independent media, conveying balanced ideas of openness and analysis based on almost 30 years of experience in the journalistic world. Visit our site and please give us your comments: https://europe-diplomatic.eu/ [email protected] 3 EUROPEDIPLOMATIC Nikola Hendrickx 4 EUROPEDIPLOMATIC © Nato NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and French President Emmanuel Macron APRÉS MOI, LA DÉLIQUESCENCE? Where is Emmanuel Macron heading (and what follows after)? Some commentators are likening France’s current president, Emmanuel Macron, to one of his predecessors, Charles de Gaulle, largely because some of his comments have cast vague doubt on his commitment to NATO. De Gaulle had been elected in 1958 at the height of the Cold War, but it became clear that the United States was unlikely to weigh into a real European war in defence of its NATO allies using nuclear weapons. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger had stated openly that no US president would ever risk the safety of the housewife in Kansas to protect the housewife in Hamburg. Or, of course, Lyon, Limoges or Lille. Furthermore, European nations believed in dialogue with the Communist states while the Americans wanted nothing to do with them. e Gaulle concluded that if Vietnam, whereas several European America wouldn’t come to nations had helped them during the Europe’s aid in a crisis there Korean War. Dwas not much point in staying fully engaged in NATO. This view had In 1959, de Gaulle, speaking at France’s École Militaire, announced been hardened by the US decision to his determination that France would pull the plug on France and the UK have its own force de frappe: a nuclear over their seizure of the Suez Canal weapon not dependent upon the US. from Gamal Abdel Nasser, who had Robert McNamara, US Secretary of nationalised it for Egypt. Washington Defence from 1961 to 68, wanted all feared it would drive the Arab nations the west’s nuclear weapons under that they were courting into the arms American control and described © ČTK/ZUMA of the Soviets. They were also annoyed the idea that France would have Charles de Gaulle at the lack of European support in its own as “dangerous, expensive, 5 EUROPEDIPLOMATIC prone to obsolescence and lacking in In fact, France withdrew from the Some other European forces have credibility.” McNamara also increased Integrated Military Command assisted in French-led operations, America’s involvement in Vietnam, so structure, but it never left NATO but the main burden is born by his political record is hardly blemish- altogether. Under Nicolas Sarkozy, France. It’s a long-term commitment, free in the eyes of many. As explained after 43 years, France returned fully to made more difficult by the relative in a lecture by Dr. Jamie Shea, former the fold. Some US observers, though, political instability in the area, but NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary are now saying that Macron wants to persuading France’s allies that it’s a General for Emerging Security restore France’s ‘military sovereignty’, war worth winning has been hard. Challenges, “In 1966, at a very famous ending a reliance of any kind on French forces have also been heavily press conference, de Gaulle announced Washington. In an on-line version of involved in the Middle East and in the that he was pulling out of NATO's The Atlantic, columnist Kori Schake, Balkans. No-one can accuse Macron military structure and ordered SHAPE Director of Foreign and Defense Policy of shirking France’s global military (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers at the American Enterprise Institute, responsibilities. Europe) out of France.” He did not described Macron as “a throwback order the civilian offices of NATO out to his predecessor Charles de Gaulle, of France but they chose to go anyway, who resuscitated France’s self- out of solidarity with their colleagues, esteem after the grief of occupation to the severe disappointment of many in World War II. Like de Gaulle, of the staff, who had liked being based Macron would unify Europe under in France. They moved to Brussels France’s conception, with Germany instead. It may not have been the big footing the bill.” Perhaps, unlike the deal it seemed at the time. As Shea apparently rather Francophobe Ms. said, “First of all, the French were Schake, Macron simply doesn’t trust very careful to stay in NATO military Washington. France under Macron, programmes where they saw an however, remains a player on the advantage. The NADGE air defence world’s military stage. system, they kept the nuclear tasks in It is France that is almost single- Germany. They kept a lot of personnel handedly fighting the jihadists in in NATO.” the Sahel region. French forces, © Wikicommons French Presdident Emmanuel Macron and First Lady headquartered at N’Djamena, the Brigitte Macron during a official visit to Ukraine capital of Chad, have a base in Gao, central Mali, where jihadist forces slaughtered almost 5,000 people in MISREADING THE 2019. France’s Defence Minister, SCIENCE Florence Parly, has visited the base and been briefed by the soldiers No-one is quite sure who first said doing the fighting. The enemy there “après moi, le déluge”, but it seems is a group calling itself Islamic State in to have been either King Louis XV the Greater Sahara (ISGS) and it was or his chief mistress, Madame de soldiers from France, Niger and Mali, Pompadour. It was most probably said helped by French Special Forces and as “après nous, le déluge”, and the most using intelligence supplied by the US, commonly held belief is that it meant who tracked the jihadists. © Nato “after us comes chaos” (that’s how my Dr. Jamie Shea, former NATO’s Deputy Harrap Shorter French Dictionary Assistant Secretary General for Emerging They killed a large number of them and Security Challenges seized weapons, motorcycles, fuel and explains it), but it could also have been food supplies in what one French officer a prediction of the coming French described as an “intense” encounter. Revolution or