Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-05-15-Speech-3-037"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20020515.2.3-037"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Commissioner, transatlantic relations are going through a difficult period. I feel we must emphasise how paradoxical this situation is, because, as Commissioner Patten said, the expression of European solidarity following 11 September was indeed absolute and exemplary and Europe expressed this solidarity using the resources at its disposal. We can, of course, always criticise Europe for the disparity between its international ambitions and its defence means or the coherence of its common foreign policy, but the fact remains that Europe did display its solidarity.
There are lessons to be learned from the weakness of our resources and I support Mr Obiols i Germà’s comments on this point. I also believe that we must recognise that the task of the Commission and the Council is made more difficult by the attitude of a US Administration which, whilst continuing to make demands in terms of solidarity, is totally indifferent to the effects of its own policy on its partners, and on developing countries as well, when you consider the consequences that its decisions might have for the agricultural or steel industry.
We all want to strengthen our relationship with the United States, but let us hope that we will not have to sacrifice our European positions to achieve enhanced cooperation. I do not think that we can criticise the Commission for a lack of strategic vision, as the Commission is defending European positions in the transatlantic relationship. Given the intransigence of the US Administration, however, the response is certainly not to sacrifice our values but perhaps to state more generally, at international level, the strategic vision that Europe is adopting to contend with the sizeable problems of collective security and co-development and with the problems of the future of the planet and the environment. This should encourage us to bring an end to the confrontation with the United States.
A further reason for our current difficulty is the fact that the United States is finding it hard to accept that the European Union naturally aspires to be an equal partner and on friendly terms, but also to be treated as equal in return. It is up to us to affirm our European identity, as Mrs Bonino said. I think that this will greatly contribute to more balanced relations with our American partner."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples