Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-02-26-Speech-4-039"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2004-02-26"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:EU policy towards South Caucusus2
dcterms:Language	"el"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20040226.2.4-039"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2004-02-26-Speech-4-0402
lpv:speaker	lp:Ioannis Souladakis2
lpv:spokenAs	vice-chair; Delegation to the EU-Romania Joint Parliamentary Committee (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 substitute; BUDG (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 member; PES (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 unknown; Panellinio Socialistiko Kinima (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, today we are debating the Gahrton report on the South Caucasus. The report is very good; it proposes a policy framework and contains specific, very interesting proposals for this important and sensitive area. Allow me to take this opportunity to make certain comments of a general nature. There have been catalytic developments over recent months in the area, in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The new president of Georgia is currently in the USA for talks with President Bush. There is an acute presence and mobility in the area on the part of Powell, on the part of Ivanof, on the part of the USA and on the part of Russia. And what are we doing? Our representative is in the area, but is that enough? Sometimes the Union, irrespective of individual initiatives by its Member States, appears as an observer, albeit an active observer, but that is not enough. The South Caucasus is our neighbour, with historic, cultural and political ties with Europe which go back hundreds, if not thousands of years. The Commissioner, who is an intellectual as well as a politician, knows about Prometheus Bound, the expedition of the Argonaut and the Golden Fleece, about Jason, who was linked with the area of the Caucasus. It is an area of particular interest to Europe and to its new supplies of hydrocarbons. We must not overlook the fact that you can reach the heart of Europe via the Black Sea and the Danube. The Union's priorities are often defined by the historic and economic relations between its Member States and Africa, Latin America and South-East Asia and we overlook the new state of affairs. We need to support democratic developments, peace and development in the area. There is a need for a more acute presence in the area, by improving our relations as regards regional cooperation with all the countries on the Black Sea at economic, political and cultural level. We need to understand that the area, in essence, is a part of Europe, culturally, politically and historically, and we need to address it as such."@en1

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