Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-11-14-Speech-3-194"
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"en.20011114.8.3-194"2
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"Madam President, I will reply or, at least, try to give some kind of reply to the comments made during this debate, which is all the more interesting because it is being held at a moment when we have very high hopes while at the same time having little idea of what the outcome will be.
Let me first take you back to the famous meeting in London that several of you mentioned and remind you that this meeting was certainly not arranged at the presidency's initiative. The presidency is responsible for inviting and chairing the meetings of the Fifteen. The Ghent meeting, by contrast, was convened for military reasons or, in other words, those who wished to meet in Ghent cited military reasons. In regard to the London meeting, let me also point out that the presidency was invited to that meeting but as I said, the meeting was not held at its initiative. Once he had been invited, Mr Verhofstadt, the President of the European Council, naturally contacted his various colleagues immediately to ascertain their individual positions. He was strongly encouraged to go to London and at the COREPER meeting the following day, he immediately undertook to report back on everything that would be said in London and chose to be accompanied by Mr Solana, since he felt that these issues were indeed most important and related to security.
So these are a few facts about the context of this meeting in London. Allow me to repeat that the European Union obviously plays a diplomatic and political role but also a humanitarian one – and I am saying this not just by the way but as a definite statement. I declared in my introductory statement, as Mr Busquin also declared on behalf of the Commission, that we attach great importance to humanitarian questions, not only at the level of words or financial resources, but also and above all at the level of deeds. We are making sure that we take action here. You may be certain that the presidency of the Council and the Commission are determined to make very concrete, specific and urgent progress in terms of responding to the situation and endeavouring to do so very visibly. It is indeed important, over and above the action to be taken, for people to know and see that the European Union wants to play and will play a role in this respect.
I agree with Mr Poettering that Europe must speak with one voice. I can assure you that the Presidency of the Council has done its utmost to ensure this, in particular at the London meeting. It was a meeting we did not convene but prior to which the presidency was asked to consult the other Member States and to attend together with Mr Solana.
That is what I have to say on London, Ghent and these matters.
In reply to Mr Lagendijk's question about, amongst other things, the United Nations force and the post-Taliban regime, the Council has not yet discussed the participation of the European Union as such in a United Nations force and has not, therefore, determined its position at this stage. Therefore I cannot give it. Conversely, regarding the stabilisation of the post-Taliban regime, I think that will necessarily require consultation with the countries of the region under the aegis of the United Nations and therefore of the Security Council.
Since we are discussing this post-Taliban regime, which we all hope will be stable, multi-ethnic and democratic, while also knowing that the road will be a difficult one, let me put particular emphasis on a question which I and the Presidency of the Council feel very strongly about, namely the gender question. We must indeed aim at a representation and a government that are more democratic, stable, etc. But we must also take the gender question into consideration. Neither I nor the Presidency of the Council would find it comprehensible if Afghan women, who were the first victims of the Taliban regime and who suffered a great many deprivations, especially of their rights, while taking on huge responsibilities, were excluded from the formation of this government and its future activities.
Lastly, I think nearly all the speakers pointed out that we very much need to adopt a more integrated European stance on common security. We need to act as a community. The Belgian Presidency is convinced of this and I really hope this question will be on the agenda of the Laeken Summit. Recent events have made it abundantly clear that we have to move forward together, in a more harmonious manner and as a community.
These are the replies I wanted to make to this debate, which, I believe, has highlighted some extremely useful and important principles for the days, weeks and months ahead."@en1
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