Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-06-13-Speech-3-011"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20010613.1.3-011"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Madam President, President-in-Office, President of the Commission, Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of the Liberal Democrat Group I should like to begin by acknowledging and congratulating the minister on the considerable number of actual results achieved by the Swedish presidency already, even before it formally concludes its work. In particular, you are to be congratulated on the work and enthusiasm that you have put into the enlargement issue. Your approach has been a breath of fresh air and will, I hope, reassure the candidate countries that we are indeed serious about this issue and have demonstrated as much during the Swedish presidency.
I also acknowledge and salute the defence which you, together with the European Commission, have mounted on the climate-change issue. It is important that, in the transatlantic dialogue, we continue to champion the values and the desire for sustainability that we all share and believe in. Your personal efforts and the work with the High Representative, Commissioner Patten and others, particularly in Macedonia, where the situation remains so explosive and difficult, show impressive commitment towards pressing ahead with a common foreign and security policy. All of these areas and, of course, the work you have undertaken with the European Parliament on enhancing transparency, should be recognised as matters of importance and substance.
I acknowledge, of course, as you have reported, the heightened anxieties of the representatives of the candidate countries following the Irish "no" to Nice. It is very important for me to state here today, particularly as an Irish European, that whatever the complex set of motives and reasons behind it, the "no" to Nice did not signify a "no" to enlargement. Neither the "no" campaign nor the "yes" campaign made an issue of enlargement. Indeed, it could be helpful before Göteborg – if it has not already done so – for the Irish "no" campaign as a whole to issue a single joint statement making it clear that their "no" campaign was not pushing for a "no" to enlargement. I would encourage the minister to continue working towards a reassuring timetable in Göteborg. Perhaps the shock of the Irish result will motivate those who a week or two ago were wondering whether this was necessary. It has become more necessary now to reassure, act and deliver on the enlargement agenda.
With regard to the Irish result, I should like to make one or two detailed comments. Members may be interested to learn that 50 000 fewer people in the Irish electorate voted "no" to Nice than voted "no" to Amsterdam. The number of "no" voters in Ireland has not grown. The critical question in Ireland is this: why did those who would normally have voted "yes" stay at home? That is a serious issue. Yet the number of "no" votes was smaller than before, not larger, and so in this regard we should retain a sense of proportion.
I welcome the fact that the Irish Government is now going to establish a national forum on Europe to encourage everyone to reflect sensibly on the challenge, the message and the means of reconnecting people with the European vision. After that there will eventually be a second referendum. It is important that we have this period of deep reflection.
I take note of what has been said in the General Affairs Council, namely that the Council will continue with the ratification process. Indeed, paradoxically, the Danish instrument of ratification of Nice will be lodged in Rome today; the French, as we have heard, have also ratified the Treaty.
I hope that in Göteborg the Council will find the wisdom lacking in the statement of the General Affairs Council to include the European Commission in the search for a way forward. In Ireland the Commission is regarded as an honest broker – someone who can always help when there are delicate textual and substantial political issues to be considered.
In conclusion, the real message that must emerge from Göteborg before all others – the first among equals of messages – should be clearly addressed to the candidate countries, and say: we are ready to do business. I would ask the President-in-Office to continue to champion this issue and emphasise it consistently in Göteborg, especially with a view to enabling the Irish to say "yes" to enlargement there."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples