Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-04-09-Speech-3-271"
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"en.20030409.5.3-271"2
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"Madam President, I would like to congratulate my respected colleague General Morillon on his report. As previous speakers have already said, it is being considered at an opportune time. I am a strong supporter of the establishment of an EU defence policy because I believe it is as much a fundamental part of European integration as the single currency. Additionally, if we are to learn any lessons from the current debacle and disarray in which the European Union finds itself, then the European Convention and the subsequent IGC have to consider the arguments advanced at the heart of this report.
I strongly support the EU-US transatlantic alliance, but not in its present form, where we are simply expected to endorse US foreign policy objectives, even when we disagree with them. A new equilibrium must be established on the basis of a true partnership in which both parties shape the agreed policy objectives.
However, we have to accept that there is absolutely no chance of influencing the United States when we are so dependent on them. We have, as General Morrillon suggests, to 'share the burden' also.
We must also acknowledge that an EU defence policy must be underpinned by a coherent common foreign and security policy. I do not believe that our current difficulties over our divided response to the Iraq crisis should give rise to pessimism and paralysis. If anything, it should provide the political imperative to ensure that it never happens again.
If we really want to exercise influence on the world stage, then EU leaders must agree on merging the functions of the High Representative and the Commissioner for External Relations, served by a single administration, adequately resourced, and using all our instruments in the policy areas – such as trade, development, environment, justice and home affairs – to support clear political objectives at the heart of our foreign policy.
It is to be hoped that as we move towards the creation of defence structures, we will not forget the importance of conflict prevention, and also of continued investment in our policy on democratisation and human rights, because it is abuses in those areas that give rise to conflict in many parts of the world."@en1
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