Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-11-14-Speech-2-268"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20001114.9.2-268"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Commissioner and the few honourable Members who have found their way here, I must, of course, start by congratulating the rapporteurs on their work and excellent cooperation, especially the rapporteur who is here in the House.
The previous speaker spoke of a sort of Marshall plan for this region and rightly so, I think. It is the prerogative of those handing out money to stipulate the political objectives and the Commissioner has done so on several occasions. Nonetheless, I should like briefly to outline them once again today on behalf of my group.
First, we still have a situation in this region, more's the pity, in which human rights and minority rights are not properly respected. That is now a fact. Our first objective, therefore, must be to help where we can and where we see that there is the will to take better account of minority and human rights in the future.
Secondly, international agreements are being challenged in this region over and over again, including recently the Dayton agreement. If I think back to the election campaign in Bosnia-Herzegovina, one of the saddest side-effects of the election process was that leading politicians distanced themselves from Dayton, not in the sense of saying they wanted to go further and wanted more stability, but in the sense of destabilisation. Here we must say an unequivocal ‘no’. Respect for international agreements – including in connection with Dayton – obviously includes cooperation with the War Crimes Tribunal in the Hague. We must act decisively – albeit with a certain degree of tolerance – both towards Kostunica, whom we shall be receiving here tomorrow, and the new Yugoslav authorities. There are a few positive signs, but certainly not enough.
Thirdly, there must be no unilateral changes to borders. That applies to both Montenegro and Kosovo. Here too, we must be clear and unequivocal. We must give the new Yugoslavia a chance. I hope it will grab that chance. I am not excluding border changes, but I am quite definitely excluding unilateral border changes, whichever side makes them. Any such changes must be set out in an agreement.
Fourthly, and most importantly for us, new borders are being erected but they are no obstacle to the activities of criminal organisations, which know no borders. We must combat illegal cross-border activities, be they in connection with the drug trade, cross-border cooperation or trafficking in human beings.
Borders are there to be dismantled, but not by criminals and, unfortunately, they are more active here than in other regions. These are the objectives we need to achieve with the funds and instruments which we are now creating. I think that the Commission and Council are also keen for us to work consistently with the means at our disposal over coming years to achieve these objectives. But where there is no will, nor should there be money from us."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples