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ELDR: A Caucus In The Caucusus...

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  • ELDR: A Caucus In The Caucusus...

    ELDR: A CAUCUS IN THE CAUCUSUS...
    By Mark Valladares

    Liberal Democrat Voice
    http://www.libdemvoice.org/eldr-a-caucus-in-the-caucusus-28322.html
    May 1 2012

    When I was elected to the Liberal Democrat delegation to the Council of
    the European Liberal Democrats (ELDR), adventure was not necessarily
    high amongst my expectations, and trips to Dresden and Palermo
    last year were, whilst very nice, not particularly off the beaten
    path. And so, when it was announced that the Spring Council meeting
    would take place in Yerevan, I have to admit to an awakening of my
    passion for obscure routes and means of transport. So, why Yerevan,
    and what will be happening at the end of next week?

    Sunday sees Parliamentary elections in Armenia, and this, combined with
    the recent moves towards an Association Agreement between Armenia and
    the European Union, makes it an excellent time to fly in about one
    hundred liberals from across Europe. The host member, the Armenian
    National Movement, lead by Aram Manukyan, is part of the Armenian
    National Congress, a coalition of thirteen Parties, led by Levon
    Ter-Petrossian, the country's first President in the post-Soviet era.

    So, what's on the agenda? Only two policy issues, both deferred from
    the Congress in Palermo;

    Cyprus, with a revised resolution calling for further progress towards
    reunification, as well as granting the Turkish Cypriot community
    those rights envisaged at the time of Cypriot accession to the EU.

    a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base for Europe, which would
    lead to increased competitiveness between EU companies and make the
    EU a more attractive market for investment by taking advantage of its
    economy of scale (I'm not entirely convinced by this, I must confess)
    Otherwise, there will be talk of budgets, of potential members new or
    to be lost, a breakfast meeting on energy security and a political
    debate, topic unknown at the time of writing. I'll be reporting on
    events in a fortnight's time, when we hope to have details of the
    2012 ELDR Congress, expected to take place in Dublin.

    * Mark Valladares is a member of the Liberal Democrat delegation to
    ELDR's Council, and a member of the ELDR Financial Advisory Committee.

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