Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-09-05-Speech-2-035"
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"en.20000905.2.2-035"2
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".
Mr President
I should like to thank the various speakers for their interventions and I should also like to welcome Avraham Burg and Ahmed Qurie, whom I have already had occasion to meet in Israel and Palestine. You have all naturally focused in your interventions on the peace process and the negotiations, which are without doubt the key to progress in this region of the Middle East. Allow me to repeat our point of view: Camp David created new momentum which clearly broke down the barriers. We are, in fact, facing an historic watershed, an unprecedented opportunity, because the present climate, this combination of circumstances, is exceptional. Each of the parties – and the American mediator, who is playing his part to the full – has an interest in reaching an agreement and is determined, I have no doubt, to do everything to bring one about. And so, I repeat, we have an historic opportunity to put an end to this conflict which has lasted so very long.
Having said which, every historic opportunity has its historic risk. Clearly, nothing is a foregone conclusion and additional efforts, imagination and courage are still vital. Equally clearly, time is running out. President Mubarak was in Paris at the end of last week and I think he used an excellent phrase which sums up the situation perfectly: ‘peace is now or never’. What role, therefore, can the European Union play? What does this role involve? Several speakers welcomed the role of the European Union; at the same time, I rather had the impression from their interventions that they regretted that it was not a more active role, which is perfectly logical.
We can always wish for a more active Europe. I too wish for a more active Europe. The French Presidency has vowed to have a highly active Europe. It is in keeping with our historical approach and the way in which we intend to conduct the mission incumbent upon us today. At the same time, however, you cannot rewrite history. Nor can you act against the wishes of the players themselves. In this respect, I note that it is the two sides themselves who have come to see us, who are requesting our help, our advice, our intervention and our assistance, and not just and not predominantly financial assistance. Obviously they feel that we are playing a useful part although I am also aware of the extent to which they are sometimes able to show us the limits of our role. So find ourselves between these two sides.
What does this role involve? It is exercised at three levels, as I have said. The European Union intervenes in support of the negotiations. It is in contact with both sides, through our intermediary, Mr Moratinos. It constantly encourages negotiation. It reiterates the principles of international law, which all of us, especially we Europeans, live by. Secondly, the European Union makes a contribution to the debate on issues connected with the negotiations. But here too, and this brings me back to the same point, both sides must want and ask for our contribution and sometimes we witness the sort of role-playing here with which we are all familiar. And thirdly, we help to implement the agreements that have been concluded, as and when this occurs.
I think that we should already start to think about the Middle East which will emerge once there is peace, peace which we hope for and believe possible for tomorrow. Whether or not this peace will last will also depend on how we go about strengthening ties between the countries in the region and developing their ties with us. What can the European Union do in this context? There is all the action which Commissioner Patten summarised. There is also the Barcelona process, which offers us a particularly suitable framework, provided that we make full use of its potential. It is this Barcelona process – and this brings me to the end of what I have to say – which the presidency wishes to leave its mark on and to start on at the forthcoming Barcelona IV meeting.
I heard a call for a summit meeting here. What we are planning at the moment is a ministerial-level meeting. We sincerely hope, however, that developments in the peace process will make it possible to hold a meeting not just at ministerial level, but also at Head of State and Government level in order to set the seal, as it were, on the emergence of a new era in the Middle East. This is where the presidency, with the Commission and, I am sure, with Parliament’s support, will be concentrating its efforts in the weeks and months to come."@en1
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