Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-01-31-Speech-3-116"
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"en.20010131.5.3-116"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I should like just briefly to comment following this very interesting debate on the important and difficult issue of the situation in the Middle East.
The recurrent theme of the contributions from the majority of the honourable Members is that the European Union must play a greater political role. The major role we already play in terms of economic cooperation with this conflict-stricken region must be supplemented by a greater political role.
In all humility, I should like to state that, right now, the European Union is playing a greater political role than it has ever done before. Why do I say this? Partly in response to Mr Morillon. I believe there is today a greater desire than in the past for what Mr Morillon calls a harmonisation of policy
the Middle East. True enough, there may still be differences of degree in the way this is felt. Nonetheless, there is a very strong common desire, noted by the presidency in its contacts with all the other Member States, to work together for a peaceful solution.
I should like to say that, during the first 30 days of the Swedish Presidency of the European Union’s Council, no issue has occupied the Swedish prime minister, as President of the Council, more than that of the situation in the Middle East. Nor has there been any issue that has occupied the Swedish Foreign Minister, as President of the General Affairs Council, more than the situation in the Middle East. I believe the same applies to the High Representative, who can certainly answer that question for himself. The European Union is, then, also engaged in the political process in the most intimate way possible, but we are still awaiting the practical results.
I share the High Representative’s, Mr Solana’s, cautious optimism, but we have to remember, of course, that what we are dealing with in the Middle East is a basically very difficult political conflict. If we are to be able to achieve any kind of progress, it is genuinely necessary for the European Union to be closely coordinated internally, to cooperate closely with the United Nations and its General Secretary and to cooperate closely with the United States, which has been indefatigable in its attempts to solve this conflict. If this happens, then I believe our optimism may also be rewarded with practical results."@en1
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