Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-10-25-Speech-3-072"
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"en.20061025.4.3-072"2
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"Mr President, first of all, thank you for this debate, which has shown that Parliament also seems very united in its main policies and that it is fully in accord with European Council and Commission views. In this respect, I believe that it will be easier for the Union to find a basic approach in its foreign energy policy.
It is actually worth remembering that we did not begin the debate on foreign energy relations at European Council level until March this year, at a summit dinner during the Austrian Presidency. At the time we reached the conclusion that the Union also needed a foreign energy policy. During the subsequent presidency, Finland assumed the task of shaping a foreign energy policy in collaboration with the Commission, and that is what we are doing.
The Commission drafted an excellent paper for the Lahti Summit, and over lunch there we spent around three hours discussing the approach so thoroughly that President Barroso and I were able to speak for the group as a whole in the evening when we met President Putin. Over the months to come we also will be defining this foreign energy policy in terms of a Union approach, not just in respect of Russia, but all our partners and all third countries.
Quite a number of speeches here pointed out that the Lahti Summit was a step or a first step in the right direction. That is how I also feel. I also sympathise with the comments that we must in practice show that we are also taking action. The next important stage will be in the next few weeks when the Council must reach agreement on the negotiations mandate, on the basis of which the Union is to commence talks with Russia on the future Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, or whatever name this new agreement should be given. At the EU-Russia Summit in November consensus will have to be reached and a decision taken on the commencement of talks. In this respect, the Lahti Summit was a practice run. The Lahti Summit, however, also let it be known to Mr Putin that at the meeting in November, at which President Barroso, High Representative Javier Solana and I will represent the Union, we will be speaking on behalf of the entire Union. This debate we have now had in Parliament will provide firm support for that. We might say that all the Union’s institutions are in the front line on this.
We are dependent on one another. This dependence must be made to benefit both parties through reciprocity. Dependence also needs to be based on common values, as has already been said so many times in the Chamber. This is a clear Union aim and policy. When we talk of cooperation with Russia, however, we should not make Russia or the Russians out to be monsters. They want cooperation, they want to improve their standard of living and prosperity, and they want to cooperate with us. This was also the strong message that President Putin was sending. He stressed that Russia and the Russians are in fact more dependent on Europe than Europe is on Russia. They particularly need cooperation in very many areas of technology to make progress in their own development work, and we must also be prepared for this.
With regard to investment, I would like to remind everyone that European companies have already made investments in the Russian energy sector to the tune of many billions of euros. Some major investment projects are unfinished, some companies are having difficulties with the Russian administration, and some have seen their projects through to completion more smoothly. For that reason we need common rules to play by, rules which are the same for everyone. Similarly, the rules for Russian companies on Europe also need to be the same.
I wish to thank you for this debate and the feedback. In December we will return to many of these subject areas, with some firm conclusions, and then we will also definitely be returning to the questions raised in several speeches here relating to immigration. On matters of immigration, whether it be legal or illegal immigration, we need solidarity amongst us and a common policy, and we will also definitely be returning to that."@en1
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