Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-10-25-Speech-3-043"
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"en.20061025.4.3-043"2
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"Mr President, listening to Mr Bloom from the United Kingdom Independence Party earlier, I was somewhat surprised, as I thought dinosaurs had died out millions of years ago.
I should like to focus my thoughts on the central issue at the Lahti summit: the issue of energy security in Europe and our continuing relationship with Russia.
The recent dispute between Ukraine and Russia on gas supplies gave us all cause for concern. Let us be in no doubt that the relationship between the EU and Russia is of vital significance and ways must be found to strengthen it. We will need Russia’s energy resources in the decades ahead and Russia, by the same token, will need access to EU markets if it is to develop its economic potential. The stakes on both sides are too high for diplomatic grandstanding.
I was pleased to note that President Putin has said he wants to build a relationship based on common values. Those values must include an unshakeable commitment by Russia to pluralism and democratic process. If that great nation is to be embraced as a strategic partner in the years ahead, then we in Europe need to be assured that it will pursue the same kind of values and standards on democracy and human rights as we do. At this time perhaps we should take Mr Putin at his word and encourage him to ensure that democracy flourishes in Russia. However, there are some who believe the democratic process in Russia has actually stalled recently. I hope that more movement will take place in the right direction.
I congratulate President Barroso on saying that the relationship with Russia requires transparency, the rule of law and reciprocity. I hope Mr Putin was listening.
I was a little disappointed on human rights issues. I was disappointed that my own British Prime Minister, who had claimed that he was to raise those matters with Mr Putin, seems to have failed to do so. He must now find a suitable moment to do that.
There is nothing to fear from frank debate on those issues. It is very necessary for a productive relationship in the future between Europe and Russia."@en1
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