NEWS FROM EUROPE

It is a conflict that has killed thousands, has centuries-old roots in religion and politics and made fear and hatred a part of many people's daily lives. It is not terrorism as we know it in 2007, but the Northern Ireland conflict, which has all but disappeared from international news bulletins and the public radar.

Today sees the end of the British Army's longest continuous campaign, its 38-year support for the Northern Ireland police. As the curtain falls on Operation Banner, Northern Ireland continues towards peaceful normality and self-governance.

Two seminal events brought the province to this point. A power-sharing executive was established between Catholics and Protestants in Belfast in May, enabling "devolution" -- the hand-over of power from Westminster. This followed the January announcement by Sinn Fein, the political arm of the militant Irish Republican Army, that it would support the police service. It marked the beginning of the end of the often troubled relationship between British forces and the Catholic Nationalists who have been fighting British rule since the 12th century.

The head of the army in Northern Ireland, General Nick Parker, said the operation, in which 300,000 British soldiers participated, had contributed to change. "What I believe the military have done here is make a significant contribution to the security in Northern Ireland that has allowed other people to make the difference through politics, social programs and economics," he said.

But others disagree. A Sinn Fein junior minister, Gerry Kelly, a former IRA member, told the Irish Times that British soldiers were an "oppressive presence" and had used intelligence and covert operations against Catholics. During the operation the British Army personnel killed 300 people, half of them civilians. It suffered 763 casualties, mostly due to IRA bomb and gun attacks up to the early 1990s. More than 3500 civilians died during the Troubles.

A German historian is campaigning to get Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf published in Germany for the first time since World War II, warning that a delay could turn the controversial book into a sensation. But his drive has been criticised by Jewish groups, who say publishing the book too early would offend Holocaust survivors and send the wrong signal about Germany.

Hitler dictated the tome while in prison in Bavaria following the failed Munich “Beer Hall” putsch of 1923. It outlines a doctrine of German racial supremacy and ambitions to annex vast areas of the Soviet Union. First published in 1925, it was a standard text in German schools after Hitler won power in 1933. Now only purchasers who can prove an academic purpose may secure a copy of Mein Kampf.

Otherwise, it is not available in Germany, as the copyright holder, the state of Bavaria, refuses to authorise the printing of new copies. Bavaria's copyright, assigned to it by the Allies after World War II, expires in 2015, after which time anyone will be able to publish the book. Professor Horst Moeller, director of the Munich Insitute of Contemporary History, says waiting until that date is risky.

“You can be sure it will be sold as a sensation,” Prof Moeller told Reuters. He argues that the existing publishing ban gives the book a dangerous mystique and advocates the printing of a new annotated edition as soon as possible which would include critical commentary on the text itself. This, he says, would prevent the book from creating a sensation when the ban is lifted in 2015. “You could prevent that happening, if an academic edition of the book was already available,” he said.

But professor Salomon Korn, the vice president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, told Reuters he was opposed to the historian's plan. “I believe it is the wrong decision to reprint this book,” he said. “The danger I see is that there could be a misunderstanding if this book, which is highly symbolic, comes into publication with German help.” He is also worried that World War Two survivors might be offended by a decision to reprint a book promoting Hitler's hatred of Jews.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy's centre-right party won a comfortable majority in parliamentary elections. But his UMP party (Union for a Popular Movement) fell far short of the landslide win predicted for it in the second-round vote, with the Socialist opposition faring better than expected. The UMP won 314 seats in the 577-member assembly, while the Socialists won 185. Voter turnout was low, at about 60%. The results will be seen as a minor setback for Mr Sarkozy's party, says the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Paris.

However, a major blow for the UMP was the defeat of former Prime Minister Alain Juppe, who was made energy and environment minister in the new government after Mr Sarkozy's election. Mr Juppe said he would offer his resignation. Mr Sarkozy has insisted that any minister would have to leave the government if they failed to be elected. But the victory gives Mr Sarkozy enough room to start pushing his reforms through parliament, our correspondent says. Mr Sarkozy has promised to give universities more autonomy, impose tougher sentences on repeat offenders, tighten immigration, make labour laws more flexible and reduce taxation.

The UMP and its allies' 314-seat majority is smaller than the 359 seats they held in the previous parliament, when Jacques Chirac was president. The Socialists and their allies won 185 seats, up from 149 in the previous assembly. The centrist Democratic Movement, founded by presidential candidate Francois Bayrou, won three seats. The far-right National Front party did not win any seats.

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said the result gave Mr Sarkozy a strong mandate to introduce his reforms. "Your participation has resulted in a clear and coherent choice, which will allow the president of the Republic to implement his project," he said.

The leader of the Socialists, Francois Hollande, said the result was "good for the country". "The blue wave that had been predicted ... has not taken place. In the new assembly, there will be diversity and pluralism," he said. He also described the result as an indictment of "unfair measures" set to be introduced by the UMP such as raising sales taxes from 19.5% to 24.5% to finance healthcare costs. The Socialists' results are a relief to the party, which has been riven by infighting since its candidate, Segolene Royal, lost the presidential elections in May.

French President Jacques Chirac has bid farewell to the nation he has led for more than a decade, in a televised address to the country. Mr Chirac, whose political career spanned four decades, said he was "proud of a duty well accomplished." Mr Chirac has been president of France since 1995.

He expressed "great confidence in the future of France" and wished his successor -- his rival Nicolas Sarkozy -- best wishes for his new role. The 74-year-old will formally hand over power to Mr Sarkozy on Wednesday. Mr Chirac urged his compatriots to "always stand united" in what analysts said recalled one of the low points of his tenure -- the 2005 race riots that spread from Paris to other major cities.

"A nation is a family. This link that unites us is our most precious asset," he said. The outgoing president said he was convinced France would remain at the forefront of European affairs. "France will show itself to be an exemplary nation, a nation which drives the building of Europe, a generous nation," he said in his final address from the Elysee Palace.

Mr Chirac said the three key challenges faced by the world were peace, development and the environment and pledged to use his influence to ensure these remain at the top of the political agenda. "I will continue in my struggles," he said, "I will contribute my experience to make specific projects progress -- both in France and beyond." The President plans to establish a foundation devoted to saving the environment and promoting cross-cultural dialogue. The foundation, which is to bear his name, will be launched this autumn as part of Mr Chirac's pledge to serve France "in a different manner." Run on private funds, it will resemble that set up by former US President Bill Clinton.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Chirac accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, a move which clears the way for Nicolas Sarkozy to nominate a new government later this week. The next French prime minister is widely expected to be moderate conservative Francois Fillon, who could take office as early as Thursday morning.

Mr Chirac will leave the Elysee for good on Wednesday after a ceremony transferring power to Mr Sarkozy at 1100 (0900 GMT). He will also hand over the launch codes of France's nuclear arsenal. After stepping down, Mr Chirac will be given an office paid for by the state and a pension of 19,000 euros ($US 26,000) per month. As a former head of state, he will also become a member of France's highest constitutional authority, the Constitutional Council.