Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-12-01-Speech-3-107"
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"en.20041201.12.3-107"2
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".
Mr President, Commissioner, at the end of your speech you referred to the need to extend and build good neighbourly and cooperative relations with Russia. I should like to lend my full support to this and to all the other points you mentioned.
The fact that we have not yet achieved such relations is perhaps due to the fact that the basis of trust between Russia and the European Union is perhaps not yet quite as it should be. In turn, this is due to the fact that Russia feels almost hemmed in by an enlarging European Union, and now, faced with developments in Ukraine and the South Caucasus, is, so to speak, worried for its own existence and field of influence. I am not saying this in order to justify Russia’s position, but this position must also be viewed from a psychological viewpoint.
The European Union – and I am therefore also grateful for what you and the President of the Council said – must explain to Russia that democracy in countries neighbouring Russia, combined with the rule of law, will ultimately result in stable economic conditions in Russia as well.
It was therefore vital not to say, with regard to Ukraine, that there is a Russian candidate and an EU candidate, but to say that there can only be candidates elected by the Ukrainian people to be their president. What is at stake, as you have already mentioned a few times today, is that Ukrainian interests should prevail.
With regard to the issue of dialogue on energy as well, it is vital that the Russian partners also understand the psychological situation on our side. The fact is that we will have a major interest in Russian energy supplies only when we are sure that energy will never be used as a political weapon and that the supply will not be cut off on political grounds, in other words, only when there is an open investment climate in Russia. Cooperation with Russia in the field of energy will then be much improved, as I have just stressed.
With regard to the fight against terrorism, we do indeed have common interests, but – while I will not deny that the armed forces or the police need to be deployed – our methods differ. As we have always stressed in connection with Chechnya, however, it is also important to fight the causes of terrorism, and in many cases these are poverty and poor economic development.
With regard to the issue of human rights, I am fully in favour of dialogue. We have nothing to hide. We also have nothing to hide with regard to the treatment of Russian-speaking minorities in the European Union and with regard to the situation of such minorities, as we have done a lot for them, and it is to be hoped that we will continue to do so. Yet we must find Russia prepared to engage in this dialogue.
Finally, there is something else of great importance that we must communicate. In recent discussions with Russian journalists in Berlin, I was asked why it was necessary for Russia to justify itself to the European Union. No, Russia does not need to justify itself to the European Union! Russia must justify itself to its own people, and, in common with the European Union, Russia must also justify itself to the world at large. We are all committed to the goals of democracy and the rule of law. When Russia feels itself to be just as committed to them as is the European Union, its situation will improve. It is therefore important for us to build relations, in the interest of Russia and not only in the interest of the European Union."@en1
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