Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-02-18-Speech-3-218"
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"en.20090218.23.3-218"2
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"Mr President, I would very much like to address myself to a representative of the Council as well, but the Council did not decide to send anyone to this debate. I think that this is a pity, and that it is a bad habit. And I think that the President should react to this situation.
Returning to the subject of neighbourhood, we must admit, we must be aware, that the countries which surround the European Union are changing very dynamically. Therefore, we need changes in neighbourhood policy. The Union for the Mediterranean is our answer to the needs of the south, and the Black Sea Synergy answers the challenge which intensified with the last enlargement of the European Union. The Eastern Partnership is a timely answer to the expectations of our European neighbours to the east.
In order to achieve the objectives which we have set in recent years for neighbourhood policy, citizens of neighbouring countries must feel a real political and economic rapprochement with the EU. This is why such importance is attached to establishing a deep free trade area and to rapid action to reduce visa fees, with the proposal of visa liberalisation for a significant part of these countries as the ultimate goal. Inclusion of energy in the most important objectives of neighbourhood policy should be our common goal, our mutual interest, and this includes engagement of our money in the modernisation of independent energy transfer networks, especially in the east and the south. Only in this way will we achieve political rapprochement with Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia and, ultimately, with Azerbaijan, and in the future – also maintaining appropriate balance – with the five republics of Central Asia.
When we talk about the eastern aspect of neighbourhood, we inevitably come to the problem of Russia and our partnership with this country. Today, as we stand at the threshold of negotiations over a new agreement, we can, however, say only one thing – Russia is a challenge for security in our common neighbourhood. It is very difficult to see Russia as a partner in this area. Here, we come to the fundamental political problem of expansion of the EU to the east. The neighbourhood process does not, of course, replace accession, but it cannot be separated from the perspective of membership in the case of European countries. Without that perspective, our efforts will be significantly impaired.
Taking this opportunity, I would like to give many thanks to all the coordinators of foreign affairs of the political groups, the co-rapporteurs, and also the Secretariat of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, without whose help it would not have been possible to prepare a report which today enjoys broad support, as can be seen by the very small number of amendments submitted in the plenary session. This will significantly facilitate voting tomorrow."@en1
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