Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-02-15-Speech-3-134"
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".
I shall now speak on the Council’s behalf to conclude this debate.
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to start by making it quite plain – since this point was raised during the debate – that any state is entitled to raise concerns about human rights anywhere in the world, and that criticism of human rights abuses is not the same thing as interference in a country’s internal affairs. That truth was established at the Vienna Conference on Human Rights, which was held as recently as 1993. It follows that the European Union is perfectly entitled – as is any other state – to make human rights in another state its business. That is what the European Union is doing, and I am grateful to your House for its commitment to this and for the clear affirmations that have emerged from this debate. In making them, you are making the work of the Council and the Commission easier, for it is vital, where such matters are concerned, that the European institutions should speak with one voice.
Perhaps I might be permitted to say, in response to Mrs Schroedter’s intervention, that it certainly is arguable that the instruments available have not, to date, been used in an effective way. This is something we are endeavouring to improve, and with that in mind, I would like to say that the creation of the European Neighbourhood Policy as a new foreign aid instrument will improve matters; that is what we want to work towards, so that the more efficient use of resources may be guaranteed.
Something else I would like to highlight, since several speakers in this debate referred to it, is the fact that it is today that the troika meeting of foreign ministers with the Russian foreign minister is being held in Vienna – this was announced by Commissioner Borg, since Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner is also a participant in it. It goes without saying that the order of business for this important meeting includes Belarus, for it is indeed important that Russia should spell out where it stands on this matter, and we all know that Russia does, of course, have a certain influence on what goes on there.
Something else that has been mentioned in this debate and that we want to take very seriously is the very real need, when promoting links between academics, between young people, and between members of civil society, for such persons to be given the opportunity to travel abroad, and this is indeed something at which we will have to take a closer look. These people are staking their freedom on the campaign for democracy, and it would not be right if we were not to enable them to work together with our institutions for the democratisation of Belarus.
Reference has been made to the presidential elections, which would in themselves present Belarus with an opportunity to take the right road forward. As most speakers have said, its chances of doing that are not very considerable, and the Commission and the Council will have to give some thought to how they will respond in the event of irregularities in the elections. While we are, of course, prepared to consider taking action in that event, we must, whatever happens, ensure that we do not hit the wrong target – as sanctions so often do. We do not want whatever we do to affect civil society – on the contrary, we want to promote its wellbeing, and we want to do everything possible to bring about change in Belarus, in the long term, and from the ground up. That is what we want to do, that is what the Council is working towards."@en1
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