Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-12-14-Speech-2-071"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"1999-12-14"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Annex: Inauguration ceremony for the Louise Weiss Building2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.19991214.4.2-071"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:1999-12-14-Speech-2-0722
lpv:speaker	lp:Jan Marinus Wiersma2
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 chair; Delegations to the parliamentary cooperation committees and delegations for relations with Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 member; PES (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; PETI (1999-09-16--2002-01-14)3 member; Conference of Delegation Chairs (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 unknown; Partij van de Arbeid (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, the President-in-Office of the Council has given scant attention to the OSCE Summit Conference that was held recently, this morning. Other Helsinki matters took precedence. The OSCE has to operate in the shadow of the EU and NATO, which have a much higher public profile. The most important person to take the floor – in inverted commas – during the Istanbul Summit was President Yeltsin, who came to explain his policy towards Chechnya. This explanation was unsatisfactory, it is true, but the Russians appear to regard the OSCE as the only organisation in Europe that they should give account to and which should be given access to the region. In point of fact, the President of the OSCE has gone to Chechnya today. The Russians obviously feel that they have equal standing there. NATO is unpopular in Russia, which means that the Partnership for Peace Programme is too. Opinion polls would suggest that the majority of Russians do have respect for the EU though. That will probably change after Helsinki. The OSCE is based on certain principles that were expanded on in Istanbul. In some internal conflicts and where there are grave violations of human rights, the OSCE can and may take action before actual violence breaks out. On this basis the OSCE can start playing a more wide-ranging role as a non-exclusive and civil pan-European organisation, also as a forum for open dialogue with Russia. The OSCE affords a preventative instrument that can be employed where there is the potential for crisis. The High Commissioner has carried out a great deal of good work for minorities, the OSCE is mediating between government and opposition in Belarus and is helping to find a solution to the problems in Moldavia. The OSCE is also encouraging further reductions in conventional weapons. The EU ought to pay more attention to OSCE values. Together we can achieve a great deal. Chechnya is an example of a conflict that could spread to the whole Caucasus region. I believe we are failing to give this enough attention. The European Union’s policy with respect to the countries in this region is fragmented. Why does the EU not use the OSCE in order to achieve a stability pact for the Caucasus with these countries, the Russian Federation, the United States and Turkey? If another war breaks out there we must not be able to reproach ourselves for yet again having been too late."@en1

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