Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-06-18-Speech-3-145"
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"en.20030618.10.3-145"2
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".
Mr President, I should like to thank Mr Wikjman again, and to respond very briefly. I have to say that we do not seem to have read the same document. The two speakers appear to have read a different Commission document from the one I am familiar with. I find this surprising, because nowhere in the Commission’s document does it state that the Commission advocates the privatisation of energy services in developing countries. That is another kettle of fish altogether. Please remember that, ladies and gentlemen.
True, we have proposed privatisation. Actually, it was liberalisation, not privatisation, and the two are quite different. Further, the proposal was made in the context of energy systems in the integrated European market. None of this has anything to do, however, with what you attributed to a text but does not actually appear in that text. Ladies and gentlemen, I challenge you to tell me on which page we advocated privatising energy systems in developing countries. Give me the page reference please, ladies and gentlemen. When you come up with the number of the page where we allegedly made that statement, I might be moved to recognise it does not make sense. I can however assure you here and now that it makes no sense whatsoever.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are today concerned with the millions upon millions of human beings the world over who do not have electricity and are therefore deprived of a whole range of opportunities for their personal development, training and access to technology. These people cannot take advantage of all the opportunities modern society has to offer. I put it to you that there is no time to waste discussing what does not appear in the document presented to the House. We should focus instead on genuine issues of substance. Please do not confuse a debate concerning regulation of energy markets within the European Union with support for development and the role of energy in promoting development in developing countries. These are two quite different issues.
Money may be private or public. What is actually needed however are funds and resources. I should point out to the House that in the majority of those countries, the most serious problem is the corruption rife amongst the ruling elite, that is, in the public sector. Such then is the nature of the public sector in those countries. So, we would do well to deal sensibly with the issues in hand. I urge you to refrain from commenting on what does not appear in the text, and not to confuse documents."@en1
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