Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-12-18-Speech-4-165"
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"en.20031218.7.4-165"2
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"Mr President, our document calls on the European Union to give a commitment to making the Southern Caucasus at the forefront of promoting peace, stability and economic development.
Nevertheless, without constructive cooperation from both Russia and the United States, it will be difficult to find a solution that is not merely abstract. The word ‘abstract’ seems appropriate for our document, which is indeed full of principles and high hopes, but does not give any indication as to whether these will one day be realised.
In today’s resolution we hope, for example, that the elections of 4 January – that is, in a few days time – will include the peoples of the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia: two breakaway regions. We are calling for this even though we know that it is a pipe dream, that it is a matter of principle, even though we do not know if this is something that can be called for or if it is – so to speak – merely an extremely abstract statement.
Europe should, for example, call for a move towards authorising Russian identity documents for citizens of Abkhazia and now also for the third dissident region because, after the forced resignation of Mr Shevardnadze, a third dissident region is emerging, Ajaria.
After the fall of Shevardnadze, the Moscow meeting of the three regions – I repeat, no longer two but three – which to varying extents want to break away from Georgia, also increases the uncertainty. Can the European Union use its instruments and diplomatic relations to discover the political intentions of the great powers, of the major players in the region?
The entire issue of the presence of foreign troops in the Southern Caucasus should find a forum in which it can be discussed. We want to understand whether the control and presence of foreign troops serves to bring stability or if it spreads further uncertainties. Calling on the Council and the Commission to organise, with the United Nations, the OSCE and the other actors, sending a mission to maintain peace in the region and to re-launch the peace process, is part of our desire for stability. The process of break-up has, however, reached the point where it is difficult to envisage what type of coexistence could be established, especially – and I repeat – if there is no collaboration between the major powers. Every effort must, however, be made, including those which seem somewhat abstract, in the hope of creating a starting point for the new governing group that has inherited a situation that is difficult from all points of view."@en1
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