Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-04-13-Speech-3-251"
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"en.20050413.19.3-251"2
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".
First of all I should like to congratulate Parliament for having taken the initiative in holding this debate. In actual fact, as the Commissioner and I have both emphasised, the situation in the Western Balkans is of vital interest to the European Union. I note that we do not, in fact, have any major alternative to the European perspective.
The European perspective is the only tool that we have in order to convince these countries to change, to undertake reforms, to find the way to Europe – which means, first of all, the way to European values – and to find the way to reconciliation. It is not absurd to tell these countries to find the way to reconciliation, because we ourselves set an example of such reconciliation sixty years ago.
I believe, therefore, that so-called ‘enlargement fatigue’ is a fact, and that people are questioning these constant movements towards enlargement, towards new accessions. However, we must explain to them that it is in the interests of every one of us to achieve peace, stability and economic development in this region.
Someone referred to the record rates of endemic unemployment in Kosovo and Bosnia. We are confronted by a situation which at first glance seems impossible to resolve. Why is there unemployment? There is unemployment because there is no economic development. There is no economic development because there is no private investment and there is no private investment because there is neither confidence nor security: no one wants to invest in regions where the future and development are uncertain.
We therefore have a fundamental mission: to consolidate security, to provide security and to convince the people that their future lies in security, in reconciliation, and in respect for minority rights. I believe that this is how we can release a positive dynamic, which is first of all an economic dynamic. In fact, as long as there is no economic recovery in this region we shall not really have a stable peace. This is an important mission for the European Union. Once again I should like to thank Parliament for having realised and pointed out the fact that there is a need for urgent action in this region, by means of all the avenues which have been mentioned and described.
Finally, I agree that there is a risk of extremism. Here in Europe we have a possible focus of radical extremism, in particular Islamic extremism. In this respect too, we must ensure prevention, and the only way of ensuring prevention is via dialogue. We must demonstrate that this part of Europe belongs to Europe, that it shares European values, even if it also includes people of the Muslim faith. I believe, therefore, that what we are doing today is sending an important signal, and we must continue to send that signal throughout the years to come."@en1
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