Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-09-25-Speech-3-097"
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen.
Moreover, based on the Seville European Council, the EU’s action plan and the Council conclusions of 22 July 2002, the Danish Presidency will aim to move EU policy forward as regards the EU’s international role in the fight against terrorism, including in particular cooperation with third countries and relevant international organisations.
In the Seville declaration, the European Council defined the Common Foreign and Security Policy’s contribution to the fight against terrorism, including the contribution of the security and defence policy. As a follow-up to this, on 22 July the Council approved a number of decisions with a view to implementing the Seville declaration. These included a revision of the dimensions relating to combating terrorism through the links with third countries, including such links in the form of conventions and specific measures that can help third countries to meet their obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 1373.
The Presidency attaches importance to the Council’s conclusions being followed up by practical initiatives. A number of concrete steps have already been taken.
I would also like to say a few words about the non-proliferation and disarmament policy. We have earmarked the non-proliferation and disarmament policy for renewed consideration as part of the global fight against terrorism. We consider it of great importance that this non-proliferation and disarmament policy should be strengthened and we will be bringing the matter up with all the parties involved in Troika cooperation. On 15 April 2002, the Council adopted as many as 42 concrete measures that will help to strengthen multilateral instruments, export controls, cooperation and political dialogue.
The Danish Presidency faces two great challenges here: firstly, continuing efforts to succeed, in The Hague in November, in implementing the international Code of Conduct against the spread of ballistic missiles and secondly strengthening the convention banning biological and chemical weapons.
This logically leads me on to Iraq. In the Middle East, Iraq still is a serious source of concern as far as weapons of mass destruction are concerned. We agree with President Bush on this point, which he emphasised in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly recently.
Iraq has violated various Security Council resolutions in respect of the country’s disarmament obligations. The country must comply with these obligations immediately. The EU is firmly resolved to support the United Nations’ continued efforts in this respect.
Among other things, the Security Council has demanded that Iraq give the UN weapons inspectors unconditional and unfettered access and ensure that the country’s authorities cooperate to the extent required. The EU has fully supported this demand.
On 16 September the Iraqi Government notified the Secretary-General of the UN that it accepted the return of the weapons inspectors. The Security Council is now investigating whether the Iraqi notification complies with the Security Council’s requirements in respect of the weapons inspections.
The Presidency agrees with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan that the Security Council must comply with its responsibilities, should Iraq still refuse to co-operate.
Naturally, it is a pleasure to address the European Parliament on the EU’s progress within the Common Foreign and Security Policy. As pointed out in the committee’s report, the EU faces major global challenges. Both our own populations and third countries expect the EU to be able to help to solve conflicts and calm tensions around the world. In my statement here I will concentrate on the following topics: Afghanistan, the fight against terrorism, the Middle East, Iraq, India, Pakistan, Russia and Africa. As far as the ICC is concerned, I refer to my other statement.
At this juncture, I would like to say something about the Middle East. It is two years now since the violent Israeli-Palestinian conflict broke out again. However, a number of positive signs of progress – particularly in the area of reforms – have given cause for cautious optimism in recent times, that is, since the summer.
The EU’s response is that this progress should be utilised for the resumption of political negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians which are able to give both parties concrete prospects of a peaceful solution to the conflict.
The EU has therefore endeavoured to send a concrete message as to how this aim can be achieved. At the informal meeting of Foreign Ministers in Elsinore on 30-31 August of this year, the EU completed its proposal for a timetable pointing the way towards peace and towards the establishment of a Palestinian state by the summer of 2005. This proposal, which gives practical expression to President Bush’s vision and to the Arab peace proposal for a Palestinian state within three years – and which largely takes the Arab peace initiative as its starting point – anticipates three phases. Firstly, entry this year into an Israeli-Palestinian security agreement that will stop the violence and pave the way for the Palestinian presidential and parliamentary elections that are expected to be held on 20 January 2003. Following these elections, negotiations are to be started on the establishment of a Palestinian state with temporary borders, and this is to take place in the autumn of 2003. We will then enter the third phase, in which a final peace agreement is to be entered into, adopting positions on the difficult issues of Jerusalem, borders, refugees and settlers which must be solved before the final establishment of a Palestinian state in mid-2005.
In parallel with this – if we are to achieve a comprehensive peace – efforts must be made to resume the negotiations with Syria and Lebanon, so that the process can lead to an overall peace solution in the Middle East.
During my trip to the Middle East in early September, the proposal was generally well received by the parties in the region. The Arab countries gave the proposal a positive reception. The proposal was also welcomed by the Israeli side, although Israel expressed a number of reservations as regards certain elements of the proposal.
At the meeting of the Middle East Quartet on 17 September this year, agreement was reached that, in the weeks ahead, the Quartet – partly following the EU’s lead – will seek to reach agreement on a final joint timetable for the three phases of establishing a Palestinian state by August 2005. There was also support for the EU’s suggestion of holding an international donor conference on support for the Palestinian reform process by the end of the year. The Danish EU Presidency has offered to host the conference and thus also the meeting of the Quartet that is expected to be held in connection with the donor conference.
The EU and the Presidency are working in accordance with the declaration made by the Seville European Council on the holding of an early peace conference which will be able to discuss and reach agreement on a timetable for the road ahead towards lasting peace in the Middle East. I have noted that, in its recent report on developments in the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy also shares this approach. The members of the Middle East Quartet have agreed to continue discussions on the date and modalities of such an international peace conference.
My clear impression is that the members of the Quartet take a fairly similar view of the situation and that we will therefore be able to achieve a common timetable relatively quickly. The Danish Presidency intends to continue this policy and to work actively towards a detailed timetable which can pave the way for a peaceful solution to one of the most enduring conflicts in recent history. I also note that yesterday’s security resolution specifically mentions the necessity of the EU’s and the Quartet’s peace plan, or timetable, moving forward despite what happened last week.
What happened – as all of you here know – is that there were two suicide attacks in Israel. That bodes ill as regards achieving the progress that was otherwise on the way following the summer’s task forces and working groups, following endorsement by the Quartet and the expansion of the EU’s plan for peace. Now we have had these serious setbacks. Otherwise we would have had reason for optimism, because partly thanks to the EU’s intervention Fatah and Tanzim had declared a moratorium on attacks on Israeli civilians. However, last week’s actions show that militant groups such as Islamic Jihad have no intention of complying with Fatah and Tanzim’s moratorium. The Presidency has expressed to both parties its great regret about both the Palestinian suicide bombings and the Israeli retaliation. Israel has the right to fight terrorism, but the fierce Israeli retaliation – including the siege and bombardment of President Arafat’s headquarters in Ramallah – will not bring peace and security to the Israeli and Palestinian people. In recent days, the Presidency has been in close contact with the parties about the situation as well as with Russia, the USA and Egypt, and we have sent representatives to the region.
It is crucial that the heralded American/Jordanian/Egyptian support of Palestinian police and security forces is put into effect very quickly so that there is a unified security system on the Palestinian side with which Israel feels reasonably secure. We must not let the radical groups derail the political initiatives yet again.
My Greek colleague, Mr Tassos Yiannitsis, Minister for Europe, will give an account of aspects of the work in the area of the common security and defence policy, or ESDP.
Radical groups also threaten peace in the relationship between India and Pakistan, which remains tense. The EU is still prepared to contribute to the international efforts to reduce the current crisis, to promote measures to create confidence and to create the conditions for dialogue between the parties on a lasting solution to the conflict.
Local elections are currently being held in Jammu and Kashmir. The run-up to the elections has been violent and has given cause for concern. However, it is our hope that the elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be able to pave the way for a resumption of the dialogue between India and Pakistan on a long-term solution. India has opposed international election observers, but representatives of a number of EU countries’ embassies in New Delhi will be present during the elections.
I now turn to Europe and to our nearest neighbour, Russia. It goes without saying that how the EU gets on with Russia and how Russia gets on with us plays a crucial role in the peaceful development of Europe. The lead-up to the summit between the EU and Russia, which will take place in Copenhagen on 11 November 2002, will provide us with an opportunity to take stock of five years of partnership and cooperation. We will face new challenges in connection with enlargement. We all know that. In the first instance, the Presidency attaches particular importance to finding a rapid solution to the issue of the Kaliningrad enclave. On 30 September the Council will discuss the investigation of this issue carried out by the Commission in order, in consultation with Poland and Lithuania, to find a solution complying with current Community law. Russia is included in our strategy for the Northern Dimension, but we also intend to present a strategy for our new neighbours, since with the forthcoming enlargement there will naturally be a need to consider a new overall strategy in respect of the European Union’s neighbouring states to the east following enlargement, that is, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. The purpose of such a strategy will be to encourage democratic and economic reforms in the neighbouring countries and to strengthen cross-border cooperation with these countries. On 30 September 2002 the Council will go through the contributions that have already been received concerning the European Union’s links with its new neighbours. A communication that the Commission will present in the course of the autumn will naturally supplement these deliberations and hopefully lead to a decision in December.
Now I will move away from Europe and move down to Africa. As you all know, critical conditions prevail in southern Africa, where the EU is concerned at the worsening of the situation in Zimbabwe – including the latest attacks on the media, the continuing spiteful actions against farmers and President Mugabe’s appointment of a new hard-line government which is being called a ‘war cabinet’.
On 22 July the EU tightened up its restrictions against Zimbabwe by adding a number of names to the list of people covered by the travel ban. At the same time, the EU decided to continue cooperating with other international parties with a view to finding a solution in Zimbabwe.
The restrictions introduced by the EU are aimed at people whom we regard as responsible for the crisis in the country. The EU will, however, continue to support Zimbabwe’s population – which is suffering from the consequences of Mugabe’s policies – by sending massive quantities of food aid which will ease the famine in the country and by offering social and medical assistance.
The EU notes with increasing concern that a food crisis is rapidly developing in southern Africa and that the humanitarian situation is deteriorating. The Community and its Member States have already responded by offering the region food and humanitarian aid to a value of EUR 490 million. This aid initiative is being targeted at those countries hardest hit – namely Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia.
A number of political decisions and measures taken by the governments in the region, particularly that of Zimbabwe, have further contributed to worsening the already alarming humanitarian situation. We have therefore made it clear that under no circumstances must food aid be used as a political tool and that the recipient countries must ensure that it is distributed fairly and entirely without political considerations.
Finally, allow me to express the Presidency’s satisfaction with the course of the summit that we have just had in Copenhagen – the ASEM Summit. It is my impression that everyone from the Asian countries and the European countries were pleased with the summit. In addition to informal talks, concrete initiatives were put on the table which we will now work on further, including youth games staged in Asia. We also want to strengthen links between Europe and Asia; there are great opportunities for cooperation not only in the economic sphere, but also in the political and cultural spheres.
Before I hand over now to Mr Tassos Yiannitsis I would like to say that I agree with the report’s remarks on the EU’s successful work in the Balkans. The EU has succeeded in bringing a region characterised by dissolution and instability back into the general development of Europe. With the takeover of the UN police mission in Bosnia on 1 January 2003 the EU will make another substantial contribution to promoting stability further in the Balkans.
As mentioned, I will start with Afghanistan. The situation there remains frail, but the Loya Jirga process still provides a good basis on which to build. Far more refugees and internally displaced persons than expected have returned home, and that shows that there is hope for the future of their country.
Unfortunately, Afghanistan still faces very difficult challenges. The recent assassination attempt on President Karzai and other terrorist attacks are evidence of the serious security problems. Without internal security, neither stable government nor sustainable development can be achieved. The role of the central government must therefore be strengthened and the influence of the warlords reduced. Civil society and the role and rights of women must similarly be strengthened. The Afghan institutions and basic infrastructure must be built up again. Reforms must be implemented within the judicial system and police, and a national army under civil control must be established. The remaining refugees and displaced persons must be allowed to return, and we must support their reintegration.
We urgently call upon the international community, including in particular Afghanistan’s neighbours, to continue to support a further stabilisation of Afghanistan. The UN will play a very central role here through the UN special representative Mr Brahimi.
The EU will continue to do what is in its power to rebuild the country and to implement the Bonn Agreement fully. We promised to do so last week during a special debate at the UN. We will maintain our strong commitment to humanitarian and restructuring aid, and the EU will follow the work of the new Afghan human rights commission closely. We expect the EU Member States involved to continue contributing to the ISAF troops.
The Danish Presidency further gives the highest priority to combating terrorism. We are implementing the European action plan to combat terrorism as planned. We will continue our efforts to incorporate the combating of terrorism into all aspects of EU foreign policy.
Follow-up by the EU to date has focused on the EU’s internal measures, in which considerable progress has been made towards implementation. Implementation within the EU of UN Security Council Resolution 1373 on freezing the financial resources of terrorist groups may be mentioned here in particular. This work will naturally be continued under the Danish Presidency."@en1
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