Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- [The treatment of so-called Gastarbeiter - the precise term the Third Reich used for slave laborers - in Germany is an offense to any genuine world community. That members of the two-million strong ethnic Turkish population in Germany can live for decades in the country without qualifying for citizenship is, according to any humane standards, barbaric. That a precondition for not being arrested and deported is "knowledge of German culture" is a frightening evocation of the Germany of sixty years ago. That the expulsion of millions of foreign-born German residents can only be avoided by "courses in cultural integration" is even more so. Yet the current Schroeder-Fischer regime in Berlin, again emulating their predecessors of more than half a century ago, played a prominent role in the terror bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 over the alleged mistreatment of ethnic Albanians in the Serbian province of Kosovo, where ethnic and religious groups - all ethnic and religious groups, including foreign-born - enjoyed language, cultural and legal rights that members of most NATO nations and their client states would give their lives for - and frequently have.] Tuesday August 7, 9:20 PM Turkish community in Germany criticises immigration proposals BERLIN, Aug 7 (AFP) - Germany's largest foreign community on Tuesday criticised immigration law reforms proposed by Interior Minister Otto Schily as unconstitutional in some details but said the proposals were neverthless a basis for discussion. The organisation representing the Turkish community said in a statement Schily had presented "basically logical proposals". But plans to lower the maximum age limit for children to join parents already in Germany and a threat to expel those who failed to take advantage of courses in cultural integration were "unacceptable", it said. "Interior Minister Schily detracts from his overall discussion-worthy concept through unconstitutional details," said the Turkish community's vice-chairman Safter Cinar, who is also the spokesman for the large Turkish community organisation of the Berlin-Brandenburg region. Numbering over two million, Turks constitute Germany's largest foreign community by far. Cinar told a news conference that Schily, a Social Democrat, had allowed himself to be influenced by the right-wing opposition Christian Union parties, which want to see limits placed on immigration. "One must not yield to their blackmail," he said. "One must not be afraid of making immigration an election campaign theme." Schily presented his reform proposals last Friday in a bid to reach a consensus with the opposition well before the general election of autumn 2002. He hopes parliament will pass new immigration and asylum laws by the end of this year. The proposals would open Germany's doors wide to the highly-qualified techicians the economy needs and establish a points system to evaluate the suitability of other candidates for immigration according to age, education, origin and knowledge of German culture. But they notably provide for a lowering, to 12 from 16, of the age up to which children have the right to join foreign parents already living in Germany. "Although from the point of view of integrating them it is desirable that children be brought to Germany before they start school, this limitation on parental rights is unconstitutional. Should it be maintained, we will complain to the European Court of Human Rights," Cinar said. Under the proposals, immigrants would be helped to integrate into German society through language and cultural courses. However those who did not avail themselves of such facilities would have this count against when their residence permit came up for renewal. The Turkish community statement said this provision was "legally untenable". Cinar called for talks with Schily and representatives of the ruling coalition of Social Democrats and Green, saying the community was "ready to work together constructively" to help bring in new immigration and integration rules in Germany. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [email protected] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
