Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-12-01-Speech-3-106"
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"en.20041201.12.3-106"2
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".
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I would firstly like to wish Commissioner Benita Ferrero all the best with her important responsibilities. Today is her first appearance at a Brussels plenary session, though I know that this afternoon’s debate is her second one. The truth is that you have taken up your responsibilities at a very delicate time on the international scene; you have been at the International Conference on Iraq; you have met on the sidelines with the Quartet to deal with the relaunch of the Roadmap for the Middle East peace process following the death of Yasser Arafat; you have had to attend this European Union-Russia Summit; we have the political crisis in Ukraine. You will have plenty of work to do over the coming days, Commissioner.
With enlargement, the Union has clearly extended its borders with some new neighbours. You have referred to the new neighbours to the north; Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldavia and it is true that we are currently linked to Russia by means of an Association Agreement which is based on principles and values to which the European Union is fundamentally committed; principles and values, Commissioner, which I believe have not on this occasion been compatible with the Russian authorities’ comments on the European Union’s position on Ukraine, since they have said that the European Union’s position could lead to a bloodbath in that country. I note that President Putin has put that right, accepting the results following his meeting and talks with the German Federal Chancellor.
As you are aware, Commissioner, this Parliament is completely and utterly committed to human rights; they are not just for one country, for one region or for one continent; they are of a truly universal worldwide nature. In our relations with Russia, we cannot stress the good things and forget about the bad. The ratification of the Kyoto Protocol is clearly one of the good things, and the bad things include, as you have mentioned, the human rights cases in Chechnya and the Yukos case, for example.
I believe, Commissioner, that it is important for the Commission to have a defined policy of friendly relations, but on the basis of our values; to this end, we must also closely monitor the measures taken recently by the Russian authorities, in terms of the always difficult balance between security and freedom, following the attacks in North Osetia, in a decentralised manner. It is, therefore, very important, Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, that we enhance those relations. Russia plays an extremely important role in terms of the stability of the new neighbours, and has fundamental influence in the Balkans and also in Central Asia, it has nuclear weapons, it participates with us in the Quartet and we must therefore develop a strategic association and cooperation, not at any price, but based on the values and principles that we as the European Union hold dear."@en1
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