Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-09-04-Speech-2-119"
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"en.20010904.7.2-119"2
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".
Mr President, in debating the twelve reports on the twelve candidate countries today, we are making a positive contribution to a development without, as yet, any understanding of what the results of that development will be. I hope and pray that Parliament and the Commission, the term of office of which expires at the start of 2005, will have the joy and honour of making these twelve countries members of the European Union in a new European configuration, the aim of which is obviously not to create new borders, but to create a community of states and nations working towards common objectives of peace, social prosperity and global collaboration. I think that, as a political objective, this is the major objective for all of us and we must all serve it faithfully.
I am the third rapporteur for the Baltic states. All three states have more or less the same problems, as do most of the candidate countries, given that they all have a history of the same socio-economic and political system and are now in a process of reform. What is special about these countries is that, until recently, the enlargement of the European Union only involved countries with similar social and economic systems. Now we are moving towards countries moving from centralised economies and state control to market economies and democratic procedures. In this sense, this move, which unites Europe ideologically and politically without forming borders which divide something between us which we should not divide, is most positive.
Lithuania, on which I am reporting, has the same general problems and two specific problems. One specific problem is the Ignalina nuclear power station and the second is Kaliningrad. I believe that every effort will be made at Ignalina to secure Lithuania's energy supply and deal with the secondary and primary repercussions on both society and the economy and I trust that things will go smoothly. As far as Kaliningrad is concerned, it is indeed here in this Russian enclave that the policies which give us the opportunity to create a new Europe will be judged and, even if it is not integrated into the same economic and political system, it will work with us, exist alongside us and share a common future with us rather than clashing with us.
In this sense, I believe that Commissioner Verheugen, who has demonstrated sophisticated political skills, will help move things along here. He has proven as much in other difficult cases because – let us not deceive ourselves – the real political problems will be numerous. I should like to refer to Cyprus, given that it has already been mentioned and even though it is not the subject of my report, merely to say that it is because of Commissioner Verheugen's correct political handling of the case that he says, yes, there is the issue of Turkey's occupation of northern Cyprus; however, at the same time, he says that Helsinki expects the accession of Cyprus to proceed irrespective of whether or not the question of northern Cyprus is resolved. Put simply, this is a message to all quarters that it is political Europe's intention to proceed on the basis of its own principles and perceptions and without allowing anyone to dictate how issues relating to human rights, democracy, international standing and international law are to be handled. From this point of view, I hope and trust that Commissioner Verheugen will do his very best.
As far as tomorrow is concerned, the crucial question is: what do we as Europeans hope for? A united Europe which integrates as it goes along or a microcosm of economic transience and short-termism? If Europe and its people truly want to achieve some sort of ideal, some sort of vision – and I believe that they do – then it must be a social and political vision, not a small-term or short-term economic vision. In this sense, I think that we should move towards this vision of an integrated Europe of peace, collaboration, cohesion and development and impart visions of this sort of Europe to our people, leaving aside petty confrontations on transient issues which have no future."@en1
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