Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-01-12-Speech-3-046"
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"en.20050112.3.3-046"2
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"Mr President, I have noticed two shortcomings in the Luxembourg Presidency’s programme, and I should like to ask two questions with regard to these shortcomings. The document outlining the Luxembourg Presidency’s priorities mentions 27 countries and regions outside the EU by name, yet Eastern Europe and Ukraine are not mentioned once. To put it another way, the programme lacks an eastern dimension. It would be somewhat alarming if this reflected the Luxembourg Presidency’s views and intentions with regard to the new European democracy that has emerged before our very eyes and on our very doorstep. The comments made before this House on Ukraine have been very cautious. They do not imply that measures will be taken that are equal to the responsibility which Europe bears towards Ukraine, and which poses a moral and political imperative.
If we were to content ourselves with the old Action Plan, which was based on the neighbourhood policy, we would be doing far too little, and we would be making a mistake. This plan was drawn up for a Ukraine from a different age, before the ‘Orange Revolution’ took place, offering hope and a model for peaceful political transformation. The events in Ukraine merit a reaction from Europe, not merely words and outdated instruments. Time passes more rapidly, and indeed differently, in Central and Eastern Europe. We must act now to ensure that democracy is not merely victorious, but that it is long-lasting and a source of hope to others.
What should therefore be done? The old Action Plan should be revised and extended beyond the neighbourhood policy, and a fresh offer should be made. The EU’s relations with Ukraine should be advanced to a new level, and the country should be offered an Association Agreement and the prospect of membership. We should not thwart Ukraine’s European hopes or trade in our fundamental values, such as freedom, democracy and solidarity, for oil and gas.
By supporting Ukrainian democracy we will also support the democratic ambitions of the citizens of Belarus, Russia and the other countries of the post-Soviet space. It is an opportunity for political change that will benefit the European Union in every respect. The era of Yalta, of the Brezhnev Doctrine and of the Berlin Wall has ended. We need a courageous policy based on our values, not on our financial interests, and promoting democracy, human rights and the right of nations to self-determination. The forging of more open relations with a democratic Ukraine is both a great challenge and a great responsibility for the Luxembourg Presidency. I wish it every success."@en1
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