Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-02-01-Speech-3-026"
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"en.20060201.11.3-026"2
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"Mr President, a common foreign and security policy that promotes Europe’s values in the world and brings peace and security to our neighbours is what Liberals and Democrats strive for. But it is what Europe’s leaders are manifestly failing to provide.
Most pressing is the question of Iran. The IAEA board of governors meets tomorrow to decide whether to report Iran to the Security Council. Stopping Iran building nuclear weapons must be our aim. That is why Europe must commit to respect the IAEA’s findings due in March. But making progress towards the disarmament of the current nuclear powers, in line with the commitments we have made, is the strongest and most convincing message we could possibly send. A Europe which learns to use its muscle as a force for good is truly a force to be reckoned with.
Acting together, our Union could have used its leverage to promote democracy and stability. Instead, its policies have given tacit support to tyrannies like Tunisia, Egypt and Syria. We never demanded that diplomacy depend on releasing democrats like Egypt’s Ayman Nour; or, in Asia, on the right to a free return to his country for opposition leader Sam Rainsy, now in exile while we fund the dictatorship of Hun Sen.
Mrs Ferrero-Waldner, Mr Solana, why are you surprised at the Palestinian poll? The European Union has peddled promises of democracy, peace and human rights in Palestine while our development aid has fed Al-Fatah, whose members now burn images of one of our prime ministers and peace negotiations have got nowhere. Far from being a key player, Mr Solana, the consequences of Europe’s failure are plain for all to see.
Israel, undeterred, builds a wall around East Jerusalem in violation of its roadmap obligations and international law. The Palestinians, tired of slow progress and shameful social services, turn to Hamas at the ballot box. And now the prognosis is worse than ever. After demanding democracy, some EU leaders talk of shunning one of the only democratically elected governments in the Arab world! Of course, Hamas must renounce violence and commit to a two-state solution. But so must Israel. As Leila Shahid, the General Delegate for the Palestinian Authority said today: ‘It takes two to tango’.
The Commissioner has spoken of policies based on human rights, the rule of law and democratic principles, but where is the emphasis on those fine things when pragmatism devoid of principles is so often the order of the day?
A global drive for peaceful conflict resolution would be a major counterweight to the heavy-handed US approach; it would assure Europe’s security, prosperity and global repute; and it would also give us far greater leverage over micro-states like the Maldives or the Seychelles, whose governments abuse human rights despite being almost totally dependent on our aid and trade. That is why Liberals and Democrats believe that the time has come for an accountable, properly funded and values-driven European foreign policy. According to Eurobarometer, it is a desire shared by 70% of our citizens.
Mr Solana, Liberals and Democrats object to Parliament’s views being ignored or disregarded on matters of global importance. We want to see less of you on television and more of you here in this Chamber. And we are tired of Council secrecy and its disregard for Parliament’s right to prior consultation on policy priorities. Those rights are enshrined in Article 21 of the Treaty and in the 1999 Interinstitutional Agreement.
We are facing many grave challenges: to democratise our Near Neighbourhood, especially former Soviet republics currently at the mercy of Russia’s energy politics; to ensure that the elections in Belarus are free and fair; and to ensure that the referendums in Kosovo and Montenegro do not end in violence.
The role of foreign policy must not end there. I understand that selling arms to China is back on the Council’s agenda, yet China has still not recanted the Tiananmen Square killings, nor released, after 16 years, all those jailed. So we demand an assurance from you, Mr Winkler, that the Austrian Presidency will not lift the Union’s arms embargo."@en1
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