07-28-2017, 10:37 PM
*** 29-Jul-17 World View -- France's Emmanuel Macron nationalizes shipyard to keep Italy out
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** France's Emmanuel Macron nationalizes shipyard to keep Italy out
****
![[Image: g170728b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g170728b.jpg)
Emmanuel Macron visits STX shipyard in May during election campaign (Reuters)
France's nationalization of the STX shipyard to prevent Italy from
taking ownership, when combined with sharp disagreement between the
two governments over refugees and Libya, seems to indicate a rising
hostility by Frances new president Emmanuel Macron towards Italy's
prime minister Paolo Gentiloni.
The South Korean company STX, who owned 66% of Les Chantiers de
l'Atlantique shipyard site in Saint-Nazaire, France, has collapsed,
and the assets are up for sale. The shipyard is famous for having
built giant ocean liners like the Queen Mary 2, but also can build
warships.
Only one bidder came forward to buy the 66% share: Italian shipbuilder
Fincantieri, for $92.6 million. The deal was accepted by France's
previous president François Hollande, but with a modification that
gave Fincantieri only a 51% share of the shipyard.
Macron took office in June after winning the presidential election on
a pro-business platform, promising to liberalize much of the economy.
However, over 7,000 jobs depend on the shipyard, and French
politicians and labor unions have been complaining that if Italy has
majority control, then French jobs would be the first to go, and
Italian jobs would be protected. French politicians are also
concerned about a shipyard site of such strategic and defense
importance coming under the control of Italy’s state-owned
Fincantieri.
Some politicians even complained that Fincantieri would transfer
French technology and know-how to its partner in China. France's
economy minister Bruno Le Maire said "We want to have all the
guarantees that this know-how will not one day go to another big
global economic power, a non-European one, to be precise."
Thus, pro-business and pro-EU Macron has now taken an anti-business
and anti-EU position by demanding a further modification of the
acquisition deal so that France and Italy would each have half
ownership, and threatening nationalization otherwise. This demand
infuriated the Italians, who don't see why a Korean company was
allowed to own 66% of the shipyard, but Italy cannot even own 51%.
So Macron has decided that France will nationalize the shipyard, with
the French government taking 100% control. According to Italy's
media:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"It remains to be understood how the nationalization
> of STX to block Fincantieri will merge with the common framework
> of effort to favor greater European integration. The ministers are
> insisting on two points: agreements already taken with President
> Francois Hollande are being cancelled retroactively and it was
> France itself which asked Fincantieri to show interest. Rules
> should be respected, not changed along the way.
>
> Then there is the question of political dignity, which the
> government does not intend to to sell off to close the industrial
> deal at any price, which without shareholder control and control
> in the board could have more pitfalls than advantages, considering
> the high level of union conflict in the French shipyards. The à la
> carte protectionism of Macron, who speaks of Europe when it is
> necessary to protect oneself from unfaithful Chinese investments,
> does not convince."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
Macron claims that this nationalization is "temporary," but no one
really believes that the labor unions will permit the shipyard to go
private once the nationalization is completed. France 24 and Guardian (London) and Italy 24 and EU Observer
****
**** France-Italy tensions grow over Libya and refugees
****
One analysis claims that relations between France and Italy haven't
been this bad since the 2006 World Cup final, when France's soccer
captain Zinedine Zidane headbutted an opponent on Italy's team in the
last minutes of the game.
Most of the tension is related to the flood of refugees from Libya
that are pouring into Italy. Almost 100,000 refugees have crossed the
Mediterranean and reached Italy so far this year. The way it works
now is that human traffickers launch rubber dinghies filled with
dozens of refugees from the Libyan coast, charging each of the
refugees thousands of dollars. The dinghies are flimsy, and usually
have just enough fuel to leave Libyan waters. The human traffickers
tell the refugees that once they're out of Libyan waters, they should
call a specific phone number in Italy, and Italy will dispatch a boat
to save them from the rubber dinghy.
After saving the refugees from the rubber dinghies and collecting
them, the government and NGO boats always then sail to an Italian port
to deliver the refugees. Italy has been begging France and other
countries to take some of the refugees and they've all taken refused,
taking a kind of "screw you" attitude toward Italy.
Furthermore, there's an Italian border town of Ventimiglia where
refugees go in the hope of crossing the border into France. those
from Francophone countries like Mali and Chad often seek asylum and
France. Others, like those from Eritrea, try to reach Britain.
In WW II Ventimiglia was the starting point for Jews escaping the
Fascists to cross the mountains into France along the "Pass of Death."
In WW II, if a Jew survived the hazardous trip along the Pass of Death
and reached France, then he was safe. Today, if a refugee survives
the trip along the Pass of Death, he's captured by the French
border police and deported back to Italy.
All of these things infuriate the Italians, who believe that the
French and other Europeans do not respect the Italians. Bloomberg and Guardian (London, 22-July) and Al Jazeera
Related Articles
****
**** France bypasses Italy in a deal with Libya
****
The latest insult occurred in the last couple of weeks, when Macron
concluded a deal with Libya's two governments to set up "hot spots" in
Libya where refugees can go rather than crossing the Mediterranean.
Once again, Italy is furious, since they were not part of the deal.
Libya was once an Italian colony, and Italian businesses and families
still have many close connections in Libya. So for France to bypass
Italy in Libya is just one more in a series of insults that Italy has
had to deal with. VOA and AP and Human Rights Watch
Related Articles
****
**** North Korea launches another ballistic missile
****
![[Image: g170728c.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g170728c.jpg)
Child dictator Kim Jong-un beams with delight over Saturdays ballistic missile test
During the night on Saturday morning, North Korea launched a new
ballistic missile test. Data from the test is still be analyzed, but
initial estimates are that the missile may have a range of 10,400 km,
which puts New York City in range of a path over the North Pole.
Leaders from South Korea, Japan, and the United States made the usual
statements expressing outrage and calling the test "unacceptable." US
and South Korean forces immediately conducted live fire exercises in
response. BBC and 38 North
Related Articles
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, France, Emmanuel Macron,
Italy, Paolo Gentiloni, Fincantieri, South Korea, STX,
Les Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard, Saint-Nazaire,
Bruno Le Maire, 2006 World Cup final, Zinedine Zidane,
Ventimiglia, Pass of Death, Libya, North Korea
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- France's Emmanuel Macron nationalizes shipyard to keep Italy out
- France-Italy tensions grow over Libya and refugees
- France bypasses Italy in a deal with Libya
- North Korea launches another ballistic missile
****
**** France's Emmanuel Macron nationalizes shipyard to keep Italy out
****
Emmanuel Macron visits STX shipyard in May during election campaign (Reuters)
France's nationalization of the STX shipyard to prevent Italy from
taking ownership, when combined with sharp disagreement between the
two governments over refugees and Libya, seems to indicate a rising
hostility by Frances new president Emmanuel Macron towards Italy's
prime minister Paolo Gentiloni.
The South Korean company STX, who owned 66% of Les Chantiers de
l'Atlantique shipyard site in Saint-Nazaire, France, has collapsed,
and the assets are up for sale. The shipyard is famous for having
built giant ocean liners like the Queen Mary 2, but also can build
warships.
Only one bidder came forward to buy the 66% share: Italian shipbuilder
Fincantieri, for $92.6 million. The deal was accepted by France's
previous president François Hollande, but with a modification that
gave Fincantieri only a 51% share of the shipyard.
Macron took office in June after winning the presidential election on
a pro-business platform, promising to liberalize much of the economy.
However, over 7,000 jobs depend on the shipyard, and French
politicians and labor unions have been complaining that if Italy has
majority control, then French jobs would be the first to go, and
Italian jobs would be protected. French politicians are also
concerned about a shipyard site of such strategic and defense
importance coming under the control of Italy’s state-owned
Fincantieri.
Some politicians even complained that Fincantieri would transfer
French technology and know-how to its partner in China. France's
economy minister Bruno Le Maire said "We want to have all the
guarantees that this know-how will not one day go to another big
global economic power, a non-European one, to be precise."
Thus, pro-business and pro-EU Macron has now taken an anti-business
and anti-EU position by demanding a further modification of the
acquisition deal so that France and Italy would each have half
ownership, and threatening nationalization otherwise. This demand
infuriated the Italians, who don't see why a Korean company was
allowed to own 66% of the shipyard, but Italy cannot even own 51%.
So Macron has decided that France will nationalize the shipyard, with
the French government taking 100% control. According to Italy's
media:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"It remains to be understood how the nationalization
> of STX to block Fincantieri will merge with the common framework
> of effort to favor greater European integration. The ministers are
> insisting on two points: agreements already taken with President
> Francois Hollande are being cancelled retroactively and it was
> France itself which asked Fincantieri to show interest. Rules
> should be respected, not changed along the way.
>
> Then there is the question of political dignity, which the
> government does not intend to to sell off to close the industrial
> deal at any price, which without shareholder control and control
> in the board could have more pitfalls than advantages, considering
> the high level of union conflict in the French shipyards. The à la
> carte protectionism of Macron, who speaks of Europe when it is
> necessary to protect oneself from unfaithful Chinese investments,
> does not convince."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
Macron claims that this nationalization is "temporary," but no one
really believes that the labor unions will permit the shipyard to go
private once the nationalization is completed. France 24 and Guardian (London) and Italy 24 and EU Observer
****
**** France-Italy tensions grow over Libya and refugees
****
One analysis claims that relations between France and Italy haven't
been this bad since the 2006 World Cup final, when France's soccer
captain Zinedine Zidane headbutted an opponent on Italy's team in the
last minutes of the game.
Most of the tension is related to the flood of refugees from Libya
that are pouring into Italy. Almost 100,000 refugees have crossed the
Mediterranean and reached Italy so far this year. The way it works
now is that human traffickers launch rubber dinghies filled with
dozens of refugees from the Libyan coast, charging each of the
refugees thousands of dollars. The dinghies are flimsy, and usually
have just enough fuel to leave Libyan waters. The human traffickers
tell the refugees that once they're out of Libyan waters, they should
call a specific phone number in Italy, and Italy will dispatch a boat
to save them from the rubber dinghy.
After saving the refugees from the rubber dinghies and collecting
them, the government and NGO boats always then sail to an Italian port
to deliver the refugees. Italy has been begging France and other
countries to take some of the refugees and they've all taken refused,
taking a kind of "screw you" attitude toward Italy.
Furthermore, there's an Italian border town of Ventimiglia where
refugees go in the hope of crossing the border into France. those
from Francophone countries like Mali and Chad often seek asylum and
France. Others, like those from Eritrea, try to reach Britain.
In WW II Ventimiglia was the starting point for Jews escaping the
Fascists to cross the mountains into France along the "Pass of Death."
In WW II, if a Jew survived the hazardous trip along the Pass of Death
and reached France, then he was safe. Today, if a refugee survives
the trip along the Pass of Death, he's captured by the French
border police and deported back to Italy.
All of these things infuriate the Italians, who believe that the
French and other Europeans do not respect the Italians. Bloomberg and Guardian (London, 22-July) and Al Jazeera
Related Articles
- EU countries refuse to help Italy deal with massive refugee crisis (16-Jul-2017)
- Italy begs for help after 12,000 migrants arrive in four days (30-Jun-2017)
- Italy struggles with the 'mini-Calais' refugee camp in Ventimiglia (22-Oct-2016)
- Austria votes to close border with Italy to slow refugees (28-Apr-2016)
- France, Italy have bitter feud over migrants as quota system collapses (16-Jun-2015)
****
**** France bypasses Italy in a deal with Libya
****
The latest insult occurred in the last couple of weeks, when Macron
concluded a deal with Libya's two governments to set up "hot spots" in
Libya where refugees can go rather than crossing the Mediterranean.
Once again, Italy is furious, since they were not part of the deal.
Libya was once an Italian colony, and Italian businesses and families
still have many close connections in Libya. So for France to bypass
Italy in Libya is just one more in a series of insults that Italy has
had to deal with. VOA and AP and Human Rights Watch
Related Articles
****
**** North Korea launches another ballistic missile
****
Child dictator Kim Jong-un beams with delight over Saturdays ballistic missile test
During the night on Saturday morning, North Korea launched a new
ballistic missile test. Data from the test is still be analyzed, but
initial estimates are that the missile may have a range of 10,400 km,
which puts New York City in range of a path over the North Pole.
Leaders from South Korea, Japan, and the United States made the usual
statements expressing outrage and calling the test "unacceptable." US
and South Korean forces immediately conducted live fire exercises in
response. BBC and 38 North
Related Articles
- North Korea launches another ballistic missile (04-Jul-2017)
- North Korea sends a message with a medium range ballistic missile test (15-May-2017)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, France, Emmanuel Macron,
Italy, Paolo Gentiloni, Fincantieri, South Korea, STX,
Les Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard, Saint-Nazaire,
Bruno Le Maire, 2006 World Cup final, Zinedine Zidane,
Ventimiglia, Pass of Death, Libya, North Korea
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
