Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-11-19-Speech-2-125"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2002-11-19"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Progress report on enlargement2
dcterms:Language	"it"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20021119.2.2-125"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2002-11-19-Speech-2-1262
lpv:speaker	lp:Antonio Tajani2
lpv:spokenAs	unknown; Forza Italia (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Delegation for relations with Israel (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 member; AFCO (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 member_of_the_bureau; EPP-ED (1999-10-12--2003-10-14)3 substitute; PETI (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, this is the eve of another remarkable event: the birth of the new Europe. The institutional reforms that it is the task of the Convention and the IGC to achieve, not least in order to reduce the risks and increase the opportunities for the citizens, are only the final, essential step before the reunification of our continent. Ladies and gentlemen, we citizens of the Union must not underestimate the historic importance of this event. At last, after 70 years, the countries of Eastern Europe are being invited to become part of a major new leading force in international politics. In actual fact, this is not enlargement. Rather, we prefer to talk about unification, for the peoples of the Union are being reunited with the peoples of the former Soviet empire, who were isolated from the area of freedom, peace and progress by the Stalinist superstate. I hope that, in the Europe of the future, they will be able to continue to speak their languages, just as we want to continue to speak ours. They are just as European as we are. Prague, Warsaw and Budapest, and Sofia and Bucharest too are just as much European cities as Rome, Athens, Paris, Madrid or London. I would point out, if I may, Mr President, as a citizen of Rome, that Europe has roots in Istanbul too, in the ancient city of Constantinople, the capital of the Roman empire in the East. That brings us to the subject of Turkey. I am firmly of the opinion that we must set a date before the end of 2003 for the start of Turkey’s accession process. If we were to close the doors to this country, which did a great deal to protect Europe during the Cold War, that would be an error that would ultimately encourage the growth of Islamic fundamentalism. Turkish democracy has made a great deal of progress – with the abolition of the death penalty, for instance – although a great deal certainly still remains to be done. We Europeans have a duty to help this country. We have a duty to facilitate this journey towards the new Europe of the future. Let us hope that Copenhagen sends out a positive signal to this effect."@en1

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