Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-05-14-Speech-3-155"
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"en.20030514.8.3-155"2
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"Mr President, it is obviously not a matter of dispute in this House that we want a really in-depth partnership with Russia, and the EU, or the candidate countries, and Russia did indeed, in the past make a great deal of progress – and face manifest problems – in this regard. Reference has already been made to the issues connected with the Kaliningrad region, which I believe have still not yet been satisfactorily resolved, not to mention the failure of the Russian Government or the European Union to make purposeful, comprehensive or even strategic use of the opportunities that might result from this problem. ‘Strategic’ is, in my mind, the key word in terms of what I am talking about. I believe that we should be evaluating the European Union’s joint strategy from June 1999 – to which Mr Oostlander has already referred – in a much more critical light. To date, I believe, it has been neither joint nor – in the literal sense of the word – a strategy, nor is the far more modest framework for relations between the European Union and Russia that we actually have being adequately realised.
I would like, in the first place, to highlight our responsibility and the chances we have of a strategic partnership in the area of security policy. I believe it to be of great significance that the European Union and Russia are, by means of the strategic development of their relations, contributing to multilateralism, helping to strengthen international law, to advance international cooperation, the UN, international agreements and disarmament. I can also see the present need for the UN to have a role in the reconstruction of Iraq. Secondly, there is a need for our economic relations with Russia to develop further in terms of substance and of quality. I regard the energy alliance as very important indeed, but as not going far enough. It should, I think, be quite consciously about the development of economic ties that would to some degree be mutual and on an equal footing. I believe that to make economic sense, and that it could make a very close relationship between the European Union and Russia irreversible. I believe it to be also utterly unacceptable that Russia’s exports to the EU are arranged similarly to what one would expect from a developing country that is rich in raw materials. I know it will be very difficult to change that. This makes political efforts by both sides particularly important. Thirdly, any strategic partnership demands that both parties be consistent in their commitment to democracy and the implementation of human and minority rights. One has to accept that this will be evaluated in different ways. What is not acceptable is that human rights and their role should be regarded purely in terms of economic cycles, as I believe they are by many EU governments, especially as regards the issue of Chechnya. I see that as also a sign that there is no strategy. Let me conclude by saying that I hope that we, the European public, and also those of us who sit in this House, will, in our dealings with the Commission, the Council, and the Russian Government, have the courage to speak rather more resolutely about the strategic and institutional objective of a strategic relationship between the European Union and Russia, so that the door may be kept open."@en1
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