Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-11-17-Speech-3-053"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"1999-11-17"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Statement by Mr Solana2
dcterms:Language	"en"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.19991117.2.3-053"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:1999-11-17-Speech-3-0542
lpv:speaker	lp:Gary Titley2
lpv:spoken text	"Kosovo showed us four things above all else. Firstly, that the European Union is capable of maintaining a common front during a crisis. Secondly, the excellent work of President Artisari shows that the EU can take decisive diplomatic action. Thirdly, it also shows us that NATO works well, and indeed works best, when the United States is focused and gives clear leadership. But also it shows that when that leadership is absent Europe has to be able to have the capacity to act to preserve the security of its own continent. And, fourthly, it showed us that, despite the fact that we spend 70% of what the Americans spend on defence, we are almost entirely dependent on American equipment because we have something like 10% of their capacity. And part of that reason of course is that much of our military is based on the cold war principles of static defence and not the modern principles of rapid reaction. Unless we address that question then the whole issue of a Common Foreign and Security Policy and a European defence identity is no more than a day-dream. So, I welcome what has been said today, but I do have some questions and, unusually for these sorts of debates, I would actually like some answers. Does Mr Solana agree with me that what we need primarily is a European defence review to assess our capacities? Does he agree with me that conscription is incompatible with a modern mobile force? Does he agree with me that we need to have a Council of Defence Ministers if we are to address these questions? And does he agree with me that we need to have convergence of defence expenditure by Member States? He also addressed the question of non-EU NATO members. Is he saying, as I think he is, that Turkey is vital to the success of the European defence initiative and we should take that into account? And to Mr Patten may I say I welcome what he said about armaments but will the Commission be following up its previous communications with decisive action in this field and does he agree with me that the Meteor Missile project is crucial to the future of a European defence industry?"@en1
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; Committee on Development and Cooperation (1999-07-22--2000-02-15)3 substitute; Delegation to the EU-Slovenia Joint Parliamentary Committee (1999-10-08--2002-01-14)3 unknown; Labour Party (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 member; Conference of Delegation Chairs (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 chair; Delegation to the EU-Lithuania Joint Parliamentary Committee (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 member; PES (1999-07-20--2003-05-20)3
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"Titley (PSE )."1

Named graphs describing this resource:

The resource appears as object in 2 triples

Context graph