Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-04-13-Speech-3-252"
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"en.20050413.19.3-252"2
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".
Mr President, I would like to join Minister Schmit in congratulating Parliament on taking the initiative to hold this debate. It is extremely important that you hold this debate at this critical moment to help keep the Western Balkans on the agenda of the European Union and of the international community, both of which have quite a number of other issues to tackle. It is important, therefore, that we discuss the Western Balkans and try to improve our policies in that region.
One of the issues raised by several speakers in this debate was enlargement fatigue and I think this is a very serious challenge. We must bring the peoples of the European Union along with us on our road to enlargement. Our next steps, therefore, must be gradual and carefully and prudently managed. It is also important to underline that enlargement is in itself a security policy. The legal and political reforms, as well as the economic development stimulated by the EU perspective, will reduce instability and conflict, for instance in the Western Balkans. We need to have a dialogue and explain this point to our citizens to ensure that the future of the Western Balkans is not held hostage by unwarranted fears.
I shall try to provide answers to two questions specifically raised here, the first concerning the name of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the second a question regarding the constitutional complexity of Serbia and Montenegro. As regards the name issue, the Commission supports the efforts of the United Nations for a mutually agreeable solution to the name issue between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
We hope that the recent proposals by the UN facilitator, Mr Nimetz, will contribute to this objective. A solution to this bilateral issue would clearly contribute to regional stability in the Western Balkans at a delicate moment.
Concerning Serbia and Montenegro, the Commission has deliberately developed a twin-track approach in response to the complex structure of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. This allows both republics and the State Union to make progress in their respective areas of competence. The State Union is mainly responsible for foreign policy and security issues, while the republics are responsible for most aspects of economic policy and trade relations. Thanks to this twin-track approach we have recently been able to sign the bilateral trade agreement in textiles with Serbia, which is important for investment and employment in that republic.
We will report on the progress of Serbia and Montenegro through this approach in the Commission’s annual report on the stabilisation and association process this autumn. The constitutional framework should be respected but at the same time should not hinder the country’s progress on its European road, if it meets other conditions for pre-accession and later perhaps accession.
Finally, one of the biggest challenges we face in refining our policies on the Western Balkans and bringing the countries closer to the European Union is the weakness of the states in this region. They are chiefly weak states. If the state cannot ensure that the basic daily needs of its population are met, it certainly cannot rise to European standards. It is as simple as that.
We must, therefore, find better ways of building institutions in the region, such as the approach to building Member States rightly advocated by the report of the International Commission on the Balkans, which was published yesterday.
I would like to thank the rapporteur, Mr Samuelsen, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Parliament, and I very much look forward to working with you for stability, progress and prosperity in the Western Balkans."@en1
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