Court in landmark genocide ruling

The UN's highest court is set to make a landmark ruling in the first case of a state charged with genocide.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague will decide whether Serbia is accountable for atrocities in Bosnia during the war of the early 1990s.

If the Bosnian suit is successful, it will be the first time a state, rather than an individual or group, has been held responsible for genocide.

Bosnia could then seek billions of dollars in compensation from Serbia.

At least 100,000 people died in the 1992-1995 war, triggered by the break-up of the former Yugoslavia. Bosnia's Muslims and Croats wanted to cut ties with Belgrade, a move opposed by Bosnian Serbs.

Binding ruling

Bosnia says Belgrade incited ethnic hatred, armed Bosnian Serbs and was an active participant in the killings.

Belgrade says the conflict was an internal war between Bosnia's ethnic groups and denies any state role in genocide.

The case, Bosnia and Herzegovina versus Serbia and Montenegro, began a year ago and a panel of judges has been deliberating since hearings ended in May 2006. Their ruling is binding.

Relatives of people killed in the 1995 massacre of 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men at Srebrenica are expected to protest outside the court as the ruling is read.

The war crimes tribunal in The Hague has already found individuals guilty of genocide in Bosnia and established the Srebrenica massacre as genocide.

The ruling comes with Serbia still facing challenges linked to the break-up of the former Yugoslavia.

Its passage into the European Union has stalled over its failure to hand over war crimes suspects for trial.

It also faces final talks with the United Nations on the future of Kosovo, with the province heading towards near-statehood despite Serbian opposition.

Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6395791.stm

EU Commission proposes migrants' green card

The European Commission will propose a green card this year giving highly skilled migrants easier access to the European Union, officials said on Tuesday.

The U.S. so-called green card is a coveted identification card that allows immigrants to live and work in the United States and eventually apply for U.S. citizenship.

The EU proposal touches on one of the hottest political issues in Europe - immigration - and could face strong resistance from several EU states, all of which have to agree for it to come into effect.

"We are going to make a specific proposal for the admission of high skilled workers. We foresee a green card," an EU Commission official told Reuters news agency.

"The green card would be valid in the 27 EU states, to be attractive," the official said. The EU executive plans to present the proposal early in the second half of 2007.

Under the EU plan, which is still being drafted, access might be subject to certain limits, a second official said. But the overall aim would be to make it easier for migrants with a green card to work in a number of EU states, he said.

Germany, which took over the rotating six-month EU presidency on Jan. 1, has led opposition to any pan-EU policy on legal migration, rejecting interference in its labour market.

Germany's then ruling Social Democrats introduced a Green Card programme in 2000 to try to lure foreign from India and other countries.

Restrictions

EU officials argue a pan-EU programme, allowing skilled migrants to move around the bloc, would be more attractive.

Marriage to a U.S. citizen is one of the easiest ways for a foreigner to obtain a U.S. green card, but it is also based on employment criteria with priority for highly skilled candidates.

Australia and Canada have a points-based system favouring those with high education and language skills.

In the EU, the approach to legal immigration differs from country to country. Most allow only limited new immigration except for family reunification, and work permits for people with specific skills and a job contract.

The EU is also struggling to sort out its own citizens' right to work within the bloc. Citizens of some older member states fear floods of cheap workers from the bloc's newcomers.

Many old EU members still impose restrictions on workers from the 10 mostly ex-communist member states which joined in 2004, and from Romania and Bulgaria which joined on Jan. 1.

While they have done little on legal migration, EU states have in the past few years beefed up their cooperation on illegal migration, including joint patrols to prevent African migrants reaching the wealthy bloc by boat.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=427651&in_page_id=1811

Moldovans rush for Romanian visas

The Romanian consulate in the Moldovan capital Chisinau is overwhelmed with visa requests from Moldovans.

Romania introduced visa requirements on 1 January, the date it joined the European Union along with Bulgaria.

Moldovans who study in Romania or work abroad have paralysed the consulate's internet site - and it will be unable to clear the backlog before 15 January.

The Romanian foreign ministry says it will boost staff in Chisinau to deal with the applications.

More than 70% of Moldovans speak Romanian and many have family ties across the border in Romania.

Romania has asked the Moldovan authorities for permission to open two new consulates, in the towns of Balti and Cahul.

Moldovans working in EU countries with no embassy in Moldova need to get to Bucharest to renew work permits. Officials say students will get priority.

Correspondents say many Moldovan families rely on money sent back by relatives working abroad.

They say Moldovans resent the restrictions demanded by the EU, as Moldova was part of Romania until the end of World War II, when it was absorbed into the Soviet Union.

Before 2001, Moldovans did not need passports to enter Romania.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6231465.stm