Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-10-13-Speech-3-086"
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"en.20041013.5.3-086"2
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"Madam President, let me briefly address three questions. How far has Georgia come since the 'rose revolution' eleven months ago? How have we tried to assist Georgia in this process? What are the challenges ahead in EU–Georgia relations?
It is essential – if we are to solve conflicts and secure Georgia’s long-term stability – to see a serious improvement in the relations between Georgia and Russia. We hope that the presidents and governments of those countries can work to find solutions to the bilateral differences in full respect of each country’s sovereignty. From our perspective, the South Caucasus is an extremely important part of the common neighbourhood of the European Union and Russia. We will continue to place this region high on our bilateral dialogue with Russia. Our view, as you know, is that strong, stable and prosperous neighbours make the best neighbours. That is what we mean by working for a better common neighbourhood. I hope that is also the view of the government of the Russian Federation. That is the most sensible way of looking at methods of securing a peaceful Europe and European neighbourhood for the years that lie ahead.
Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to my friend, the High Representative, for what he said which – to borrow a remark – my father would have greatly enjoyed and my mother would have believed. It has been a great pleasure working with Javier Solana over the last five years. It is true to say that even the most scholarly pedagogues and PhD students would have some difficulty in finding any issue on which it was possible to slip a piece of tissue paper between what the High Representative has said in the last five years and what I have said. It has been a pleasure to work with him. There is a lot of cynicism about politics, but I just want to underline that he has been a friend through these five years, he will remain a friend for the future, and I wish him the very best of luck as the Constitutional Treaty comes into place and he takes up the responsibilities of Foreign Minister. I wish my successors as European Commissioners responsible for the portfolio which I have enjoyed the best of good fortune as well.
Finally, I wish to apologise to honourable Members for the fact that I cannot stay for the whole of this debate. I have a medical appointment which involves manipulation of my neck – though not in as permanent a way as some Members of the House might have wanted from time to time!
First of all, Georgia's achievements. Most importantly of course, all observers judged Georgia's presidential and parliamentary elections in January and March of this year to be the freest and fairest in Georgia's post-Soviet history. Georgia now has a president and government with a very strong popular mandate to carry out the profound political and economic reforms which we all know are so necessary.
A good start has been made in addressing the structural problems facing Georgia, tackling for example endemic corruption, which has harmed every facet of life in Georgia. Georgia's state finances have been put on a more stable path to recovery. Revenue collection has increased, allowing the Georgian Government to pay salaries on time. Reform of the law enforcement agencies has begun and a new tax code has been presented to the parliament. It is only a start, but Georgia has done well in the last eleven months.
How have we helped since November last year? Firstly, we have offered consistent political support to the new leadership and we have encouraged it along the path of reform. We have been in close touch with it and with the special representative, who has done such an excellent job. Only recently President Prodi visited Georgia as well as Armenia and Azerbaijan. It was the first visit to the South Caucasus by a Commission President and it visibly demonstrated earlier this month the Commission's support to Georgia.
We have also helped to mobilise significant international financial support for the reform agenda of the Georgian Government. Colleagues will be aware of the very successful conference that we co-hosted with the World Bank in June. It went very well. In June we doubled to EUR 137 million our commitment to Georgia over the years 2004 to 2006. So we have made a substantially increased contribution to supporting reform in Georgia.
The third way in which we have assisted Georgia is the inclusion of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in the European neighbourhood policy. That has been widely supported throughout the House.
What are the challenges that lie ahead? Firstly, Georgia has got to keep up the pace of reform. Turning reform commitments into realities on the ground is, of course, the hardest job, particularly for a country such as Georgia whose state institutions have been so hollowed out, so weakened over recent years.
Secondly, we have to work to exploit the possibilities opened up by the inclusion of the South Caucasus countries in the neighbourhood policy that I referred to. As far as Georgia is concerned, the onus will be on that country to demonstrate genuine commitment to achieving political and economic reform, which is the only way of guaranteeing Georgia’s long-term stability. That will be at the heart of the action plan which we hope in due course to negotiate with the Georgian authorities.
The other challenge is the conflicts on Georgia’s territory. We welcome – and this point was made by the High Representative – President Saakashvili’s statement at the UN General Assembly confirming Georgia’s commitment to solve the conflicts through solely peaceful means. Our position in the EU is clear: we support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia; we call on all parties to work for solutions to the conflicts through negotiation, confidence-building and exclusively peaceful means. Our rehabilitation programmes in South Ossetia and Abkhazia can help to build confidence between the communities."@en1
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