Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-09-25-Speech-3-102"
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"en.20020925.5.3-102"2
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"Mr President, Mr Møller, Commissioner Patten, Mr Yiannitsis, ladies and gentlemen, a debate such as today's is an occasion on which to take stock of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, highlighting its positive aspects, whilst not omitting those that merit criticism. I would like first to extend my very warm thanks to the two rapporteurs, Mr Brok and Mr Titley, for the excellent reports that they have produced.
Mr Swoboda, we can talk about that some other time. I would have had no objections to the two rapporteurs presenting their reports, but that was not my decision, nor do I have any reason to question the President's rulings, so that is not a question for me, and I am therefore not going to comment on it.
The positive elements of European foreign policy include a topic that we have not yet mentioned at all, that is, the accession of the central European countries to the European Union. That is, indeed, at present still a foreign policy matter, and when these countries join the European Union, it will be a matter for internal affairs. That we will soon – we hope, by the end of year – be concluding negotiations with what are obviously ten European countries, is in fact a great success story. It is one of the great European political successes. Reference has been made to the Balkans, and that is also a positive development. There, the European Union is playing a positive part in the interests of stability, security and democracy.
Afghanistan has been mentioned, and here too Europeans have been active; 13 of the 15 EU States are involved in Afghanistan, whether militarily or in other ways. What is actually astonishing is that, although we – by which I mean the European Union and its Member States – are the greatest donors of funds, this actually goes almost without being noticed. When the Americans donate a million dollars somewhere or other, then the whole world gets to know about it. When we donate a billion euro, I sometimes get the impression that it is the best kept of Europe's state secrets. We have to give some thought to how we can make our public relations work even better.
Turning to Iraq, we very much support the American President's efforts to involve the United Nations in this issue, and we call on all Member States of the European Union to take up a common position as Europeans together. We see it as irresponsible for one or more Member States to go their own way. Not only does it do damage to that country's relationship with the United States of America, but it also shows a lack of solidarity with Europeans in the European Union, for we can influence American policy and global politics only if we Europeans act together. We now have to require the Iraqi dictator to open up his country to inspections – the British Government produced an important document on the subject yesterday – and, if these inspections on the ground are not feasible, then it is the Iraqi dictator who, at the end of the day, bears the responsibility if military action has to be taken.
I can endorse everything that Commissioner Patten said on the subject of the Middle East. Whilst we remain convinced that the escalation of violence must be halted, and that terrorism by suicide commando must come to an end, Israel's responses are quite disproportionate; the Palestinians, too, have their own dignity. I can, then, only encourage the Council and the Commission to stick to their policy of talking to both sides in reasonable terms. There are others who do not do it in this way, and we have an important part to play, as both sides trust us – one perhaps rather more than the other. We Europeans must cooperate with those whose dignity is being violated. What we are saying, with the utmost clarity, is that Israel has the right to live within secure borders, but the Palestinian people also have the right to live in peace and within secure borders. The representatives of the Palestinian people must also be given opportunities to express their views and suggest sensible ways ahead for the future.
Mr Yiannitsis, the deputy defence minister of Greece, was right to point out that there is as yet no agreement between the European Union and NATO on access to the North Atlantic Alliance's planning facilities and military capabilities. We hope that we will soon be able to come to an arrangement, and also call upon our Turkish partners to contribute towards finding a solution.
I will conclude by observing that Commissioner Patten referred to the need to improve Europe's foreign, security and defence policy instruments. We hope that the Convention will make important proposals on this, and if the European Union is to be able to act and commit itself as it is in Afghanistan, then effective institutions must be the outward expression of this. Our group will therefore do all in its power to make the Convention a success, for on this will depend to a great extent the European Union's success with its Common Foreign, Security and Defence Policy."@en1
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