Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-12-14-Speech-2-043"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"1999-12-14"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:European Council/Finnish Presidency, Chechnya, OSCE2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.19991214.3.2-043"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:1999-12-14-Speech-2-0442
lpv:speaker	lp:Bas Belder2
lpv:spokenAs	member; EDD (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 unknown; Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij - Gereformeerd Politiek Verbond - Reformatorisch Politieke Federatie (1999-07-20--2002-03-17)3 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 vice-chair; Delegation for relations with the United States (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 substitute; Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, who actually persuaded whom to extend candidate status for membership of the EU to Turkey, at the end of last week? The Council together with the Commission or the applicant themselves? The diplomatic urgent mission undertaken by Messrs Solana and Verheugen points towards an interesting answer to this question. It is a state of affairs that indicates very clearly how strained mutual relations between Athens and Ankara still are. Indeed it was above all Greek pre-conditions in respect of Turkey’s candidacy – think of the Cyprus question and border disputes in the Aegean Sea in particular – that prompted Messrs Solana and Verheugen to hurriedly take to the air in the direction of Prime Minister Ecevit. And rumour has it that it was only because of American intervention that the Turkish coalition government eventually accepted the European promotion. Who in Europe actually has cause to be pleased at this odd approach? Particularly now that Prime Minister Ecevit is going to stick to his guns regarding the political division of Cyprus, not to mention one of the most crucial, implicit accession requirements for Turkey: voluntary renunciation on the part of the country’s formidable military apparatus of its considerable political power. Anyhow, it is characteristic of the situation that Prime Minister Ecevit rightly pointed to the great geo-strategic importance of his fatherland vis-à-vis the West. An argument that certainly gains force in the light of Russia’s barbaric, imperial pacification tactics in Chechnya. However, it is for NATO alone, not the European Union, to secure military balance and counterbalance in the turbulent Caucasus region. We count amongst the positive results of the Summit the fact that candidate status for membership of the EU was accepted for five more Eastern European States and the Council’s statement, or rather its clear exhortation to Russia’s political leaders. Sadly enough, ten years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, ten years after the spectacular revolution in Central and Eastern Europe, fear of Moscow continues to cause the nations of this region to seek security economic prosperity in the West. This state of affairs is every bit as deserving of Mr Solana and a European Commissioner undertaking an urgent mission to the Kremlin."@en1
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"and"1

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