Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-02-16-Speech-3-148"
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"en.20000216.9.3-148"2
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"Mr President, this is one of the few occasions when, from what the speakers have said in this Parliament, from all sides of the House, there is clearly the greatest convergence of views on the Cyprus issue and, of course, on the pre-accession process for Cyprus and Malta. This means that we are all aware of the political dimension of the Cyprus problem. At the same time, however, it means that both the Council and the Commission have a very strong mandate, so that the strength of opinion expressed by all the European parties, and all the peoples, can empower their political ability to address the problem.
Helsinki was an historic event, an historic turning-point and an historic new reference point. If, for any reason, the balance achieved there should be considered by some to be a point of departure for new negotiations anywhere else, if some people destabilise this totality of facts and equilibrium by their attitude, they will be making a tragic mistake. Conditions are ripe. What is needed from the European Commission, the Council and everyone else, is a quiet determination, a quiet determination to continue the accession negotiations on both Cyprus and Malta without guile, granted that in the last analysis they are the most mature of all the countries seeking accession, so that this determination can act as a signal to anyone whose view may differ from the view we all agree about. To this end, the Brok report is a good instrument and it is really a bit distressing that, because this is a joint debate, it is politically overshadowed by the political position of the Council and the Commission and we cannot therefore say more about this good report.
In any event, the outcome is in your hands. The outcome is in our hands to the extent that we are providing you with decisions, to the extent that we are providing you with options. Now, as regards the Brok report, Cyprus and Malta are the last of the Mediterranean islands, and, unless I am mistaken, the last islands anywhere in Europe which have not acceded to the European Union. This has a certain semiological value because the Mediterranean and its islands – and I too come from an island – are the area which most of those who come from northern Europe for their summer holidays get to see, as well as the people who live there. From that standpoint, Aphrodite’s island, as Cyprus is known, and the pirates’ island, as we islanders say of Malta with great affection, are two jewels which should be welcomed into the European Union without delay. They have healthy economies, high-level economic relations, and in the final analysis they constitute a testing ground for the European Union’s political will.
In conclusion, since I do not think I need to say much, given the unanimity that exists here, I just want to make one brief remark to the President-in-Office. I think that there are some peculiarities in his position. I hope there has been an interpretation error, and that he will clarify the matter in his follow-up speech."@en1
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