Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-10-21-Speech-2-346"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20081021.39.2-346"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, this was a very interesting debate but a debate that has shown that the reflections are quite different – there are different points of view and different aspects, and in a similar way we see some different aspects prevailing in the debate in the Council. I absolutely agree with our Council President and our friend that the most important thing is that we speak with one voice, and with a strong voice. This should be done at the next European Summit meeting with Russia.
Concerning the European security architecture, I just wanted to clarify that President Medvedev already mentioned this at the June EU-Russia Summit at Khanty-Mansiysk – not after the Georgia crisis but before. I was there and know that very well, so I just wanted to mention it for the purpose of clarification. This is an old Russian idea that has come to the fore again, and I think it interesting that President Sarkozy has proposed to maybe speak about it at an OSCE summit in 2009. We are not yet there, but let me say that it is most important that the question of a security partnership be discussed, but always with regard to all existing security relationships. That is also a clear line that we have to draw.
As a final remark, let me say that it is so important that we advance the question of frozen conflicts – that is clear – and I will propose a Communication on the Eastern Partnership very soon, at the end of November/beginning of December. We have already discussed this in the Council, and it will also have a very strong security component, but we also have other institutional mechanisms like the Minsk Group that should not, therefore, be excluded.
My last words concern cluster bombs, because this was also mentioned. Let me say that we also deeply regret that cluster bombs have been used on both sides, thus creating great obstacles for IDPs to return home. Therefore, we want to engage with the international organisations working in that field in order to clear the affected areas, but also to see that these cluster bombs no longer exist in the future.
What are our interests? I think I made this quite clear in my first intervention. Since we are so interdependent, there are all the important interests on the economic side and the energy side, but there are also interests on the world scene. These were mentioned – climate change, energy security, the question of how we can get a future agreement in Copenhagen. What do we do on Iran, on the Middle East? There is a clear interest in all the different issues, and this is what I wanted to stress and reiterate.
We will have a very important discussion at the next General Affairs and External Relations Council on 10 November, and I hope that we will find the right understanding on pursuing negotiations for the new EU-Russia agreement, because these have only been postponed. I think what our President said was very clear. I say this because I think this is the best possible way forward, but at the same time we also have to be firm. We have to treat Russia as it is and not Russia as we wish it to be. That is also clear. That means human rights dialogue as described today and speaking about all the differences. This is what we did at the last summits at which I personally was present.
As regards all the questions that have been asked about the 8 000 troops, the European Council has given a clear answer to that and has noted with satisfaction that Russian troops have withdrawn from the zones adjacent to South Ossetia and Abkhazia as an essential additional step in the implementation of the agreements of 12 August and 8 September, as well as the launch of the Geneva international discussions provided for by those agreements. I think Geneva is the place to continue talks about the political solution. These started with a difficult moment, but the process is launched and now we want to go forward. That is my first point.
Secondly, Russia will not be at the donors’ conference, to give you a clear answer, but I think the time will come when the question of damages might have to be brought to the fore, and an international investigation then held. This has already been discussed in the Council, and the Council was in favour of such an international discussion.
Let me now say a word on human rights. As I said before, there are a number of developments inside Russia that give us cause for concern, notably the violent deaths of journalists, restrictions on NGOs, the situation in the Northern Caucasus in general and in Ingushetia in particular. We have also called for full investigations into cases such as the death of Anna Politkovskaya and the recent killing after police arrest of Magomed Yevloyev. The latest round of human rights consultations, as I said, takes place today and will certainly also provide an opportunity to clearly mention those concerns.
We have also made clear to Russia that it needs to cooperate fully with the Council of Europe and to ratify Protocol 14 on the Court of Human Rights and Protocol 6 on the death penalty.
Concerning WTO accession: we, the European Union, remain a strong supporter of WTO accession because we think this will create a level playing field, which is necessary for our Economic Community, and we believe it is in our interests as a major trading partner for Russia to join a rules-based system. But it is also important from the perspective of further development of our bilateral relations. It is most important therefore that we continue to support this issue. We have to continue to engage openly with the Russian side on this important process, but it is clear that we have to find timely solutions with them and for them.
The question of energy security and clear energy was mentioned. Let me just say that we also have an energy dialogue and an environmental dialogue and, therefore, the questions of energy efficiency, clear energy etc. have already been tackled at different G8 meetings and at our EU summits, and will certainly be one of the important themes in the run-up to Copenhagen, where we also need Russia’s cooperation. The Commission has supported joint implementation projects under the Kyoto Protocol and is ready to do more, because we think this is a most important issue."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata | |
| lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples