Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-07-21-Speech-3-074"
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"en.19990721.6.3-074"2
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(FI) Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, first of all, I would like to warmly congratulate all the newly elected members of the European Parliament. In addition, I would like to congratulate you once more, Madam President, on being elected. I am glad to have the opportunity to start working together with you. In response to the wishes of Parliament, shall now outline the main points of the programme that has been drawn up in respect of the Finnish presidential term. As requested by yourselves, I shall deal in particular with the situation in the Western Balkans and the death sentence passed on the Kurdish leader Öçalan. Firstly, however, a few words on developments in the Union in general.
MEPs have, in many different connections, stressed the great importance of the Union as a driving force behind, and a guarantor of, peace and stability in our continent. It is precisely this that lies at the heart of the next phase of enlargement. Gradually, the European Union will become a entirely pan-European Union. In one respect at least the next phase of enlargement will differ from all those that went before: co-operation within the Union itself has reached a level that will place very great demands on all applicant countries. Nevertheless, I am convinced that these demands are for the good of both the applicant countries and the Union. Meeting the criteria will strengthen social and economic development in the applicant countries concerned, and this has also been observed in the applicant countries themselves. Enlargement is a process which must move forward constantly and which cannot be allowed to be compromised with empty promises. During the Finnish presidential term, accession negotiations will continue in a spirit of determination. We aim to reach a decision on as many points of negotiation as possible, and initiate new ones. The European Council in Helsinki intends to reach a decision, on the basis of a report by the Commission, to include new applicant countries in accession negotiations. At the same time, we are discussing the development of relations with European countries and long-term aspects of enlargement.
Enlargement will require the countries involved to adapt to the Union"s institutional framework. We have already begun preparations for an Intergovernmental Conference, and we intend to draft a chairmans" report on it for the European Council in Helsinki. The views of Parliament will be vitally important while these reforms are under way, and I realise, with a sense of satisfaction, that our opinions are similar on many issues.
We cannot neglect Turkey in the enlargement process. Turkey is an important partner for the Union. It is involved in the enlargement process, and a separate strategy has been created for it. Opinion on Turkey"s membership of the Union is affected by the progress the country is making in the areas of democratic reform and human rights, and, above all, the rights of minority groups.
In this connection, I would like to stress the fact that the Union opposes the death penalty everywhere and in each and every case. It is a common aim of the European Union to do away with capital punishment. Finland, as holder of the Presidency, will be monitoring the situation. If the sentence passed on the Kurdish leader, Öçalan, were to be carried out, it would be an unfortunate turn of events in Turkish policy. Turkey is a member of the Council of Europe, and thus endorses the aim to abolish the death penalty. The death penalty has not been carried out in the country since 1984. It is to be hoped that Turkey will continue to postpone the implementation of the death penalty until it is abolished entirely. It is hoped that the Turkish parliament will use its powers to reverse the judgment. Turkey has expressed its desire to join the European Union. One of the common values of the Union is to refrain from carrying out the death penalty.
Madam President, I shall not go through the entire Presidency programme with regard to this matter. My committee visit in September will be an opportunity for me to continue the discussion on external relations. Many matters of current interest, including Russia and the northern dimension, are thus certainly on the agenda, but I would still like to raise one question that is of topical interest: the outlook for the peace process in the middle East since Barak"s government came to power is brighter than it has been for years. The European Union is actively promoting the peace process in both political and economic terms. I myself will be travelling to the region in early August to meet key players in the process and to convey the views of the union on how best to promote it.
(SV) Regardless of whether we speak of the proliferation or the prevention of conflict, there is one thing we can be sure of: we can only assist others if our own wealth is assured. Knowledge and ability are fundamental preconditions for our well-being and ability to compete, as they are for the Member States and for the whole Union.
The information society offers new opportunities to citizens, to enterprises and to the administrative sector. During the coming months, we will scrutinise how the information society can be utilised in order to enhance our ability to compete. At the same time we have to ensure that the development does not lead to wider gulfs between different groups within society.
We have not yet completely exploited the opportunities which monetary union and the internal market offer us. We can only create new employment opportunities if our economy is doing well. The increase in the employment level indicates that we are going in the right direction.
We are going to continue our work in the areas of gender equality, socially and ecologically sustainable development, the problems affecting our youth and the well-being of our fellow citizens. I know that all these problems are important to this House, and that the European Parliament has carried out important work in promoting them.
(FI) I was talking before about how the Union can have an impact on strengthening security in Europe and the world in general. People"s security does not only stem from the avoidance of war, but also has to do with economic security, the realisation of human rights, and the protection afforded by a constitution. At the Tampere European Council, there will be an attempt to create a more uniform, more united policy on immigration and asylum-seeking and increased efforts to prevent cross-border criminality. Legislation in the Member States in this area should be harmonised and aligned, judgments should be more effectively carried out, and administrative and legal barriers to co-operation should be removed.
The Commission"s President-elect, Romano Prodi, drew attention in his speech to the fact that the institutions of the European Union have failed to keep up with the changes that are going on in the world around us. I completely agree with him. Not just the Commission, but the whole European Union, must undergo reform. It is not a matter of a one-off dramatic upheaval nor does this concern just one institution in particular, but of an on-going, unremitting process. We have to remember that its ability to grow, enlarge and face up to ever newer challenges has made the Union both unique and long-lasting.
My ideas are based on the principle that the Union can only succeed through close and open co-operation between its various agencies, and with the active support of the citizens of Europe. The European Parliament will play a crucial role in the process. Madam President, may you and all the members find the energy, perseverance and will you need as this session begins, and I would like to assure you that Finland, as holder of the Presidency, expects much from our mutual co-operation.
(Applause)
Today, as we embark on our work together, we have the chance to make a clean sweep of matters, in a manner of speaking. The new Parliament has now started and the appointment of the new Commission is under way. We Finns now hold the Presidency of the Council for the first time. The Treaty of Amsterdam, which recently came into force, will provide us with a good basis for developing closer co-operation than has existed before between Parliament, the Commission and the Council. We now have a splendid opportunity to reform old ways of working. For my own part, I would like to emphasise the fact that the work of the Council also has to be advanced. It is a paradox that, as the Union"s importance grows, co-operation among its governments in the Council is being threatened as powers are fragmented and compartmentalised. The Council, like the Union as a whole, has to focus on the essential. The Council is expected to provide political leadership to give real added value to the lives of our citizens. During its Presidency, Finland intends to embark on new projects to improve the work of the Council. We will attempt to make the work of the Council significantly more transparent and efficient; we consider greater transparency to be a vital precondition of the public"s approval of the Union as a whole. We would also like the General Affairs Council to assume a relevant role in managing the work of the Council. We must do all we can to ensure the Union is one, and is regarded as such: the Union must have a common will, a common policy and a common voice.
President-elect Prodi said the key words in the work of the new Commission will be transparency, accountability and efficiency. I am very happy to see that the new Commission"s policy corresponds word for word with the key aims of the Finnish Presidency.
The Finnish Presidency begins at a time when there is exceptional pressure on the Union"s ability to function in external affairs. The war that has raged in the Western Balkans has caused an inconceivable amount of human suffering and damage to property. The European Union must be ready both politically and financially to invest in developing the Western Balkan region, so that democracy and stability can take root there. During the Finnish presidential term, we will be paying special attention to how efficiently and consistently the Union functions in external matters. Dealing with the situation in Kosovo now that the crisis is over, and ensuring the stability of the Western Balkans, will be, for us, the most crucial acid test.
On Monday, the European Union"s General Affairs Council stressed that the Union furthermore intends to help the Serbian people, who are suffering from the disastrous policies their leaders have pursued. When we finally start to put an end to the sanctions we imposed on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia we will realise that the government in Belgrade and the Yugoslavian people are two different things.
(Applause)
The Yugoslav government must implement Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council, work in co-operation with the International Court of Justice, and progress towards establishing democracy. We agreed on Monday that first we would remove the sanctions that were imposed on the people, such as the flight ban and the avoidance of sporting links. We emphasised the need to remove immediately the sanctions on imports of oil and other sanctions imposed on Kosovo and Montenegro. We also consider it important to provide support for all those players in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia who are committed to the values of democracy. Next, we should be defining the ways and means by which we can make their situation easier. This would include, for example, shipments of raw materials and the supply of electricity. We asked the Commission and the competent bodies to make recommendations on the matter without delay. Furthermore, we confirmed the decision taken by the Heads of Member States and Governments in the General Affairs Council to set up an agency responsible for the rebuilding of the region, and we decided to hold a South-Eastern Europe Stability Pact Summit in Sarajevo.
The crisis in Kosovo may mark a turning point in the Union"s external actions which should now be conducted purposefully and with a common cause. We need to broaden our scope when it comes to the Union"s external relations, we must improve our ability to foresee crises, and we must become more adept at coping with the aftermath of crises. We discussed this at length on Monday in an open sitting of the General Affairs Council. We were all unanimous on the subject of developing this area, and adhering to a tight schedule. The European Union has the perfect opportunity to assist in stabilising the region in a coherent and determined fashion. However, I hope we will remember that the Union is by no means solely responsible for the restructuring programme in Kosovo. We are working in close co-operation with other countries and international organisations. There is a vital need for further development and expansion of co-operation with the United Nations, the CSCE and the Council of Europe."@en1
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