Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-03-12-Speech-3-245"
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"en.20030312.6.3-245"2
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".
Thank you for your question, because I think this issue needs to be clarified. By definition, enlargement changes the borders of the European Union, and what we want to emphasise is that these borders will operate not as new Berlin walls, but as bridges for cooperation. Bridges for cooperation, of course, based on our common values, our objectives for democracy, freedom, respect for human rights, economic and cultural relations, security, our approach to organised crime and joint cooperation with this region as a whole, our common region which extends from Russia to the Mediterranean. The Commission, therefore, has a role to play and we have asked the Commission in repeated debates in the Council to come forward with a proposal for this new common region and how these bridges for cooperation with our neighbours can be strengthened; however, this has not been linked with candidates’ prospects. As I said to the previous speaker, this is a serious problem and a broad dialogue has been opened on the issue; I think you also mentioned it and it has been discussed at the Convention, but we have not taken any decisions. So yes, the Commission has prepared a text and it will be discussed at the European Conference in Athens the day after the signing ceremony with the ten new countries. This conference will be attended by some 40 countries, but not as prospective candidates. That is a separate issue."@en1
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