Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-02-23-Speech-3-077"
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"en.20050223.8.3-077"2
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"President Yushchenko, ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure, on behalf of the House, to give a warm welcome to Mr Yushchenko and to offer him our most sincere congratulations on his election to this high office.
This was the European Parliament’s standpoint. I am simply repeating what the House adopted, putting the seal on a process in which we have all been very much involved. We believe that the 12 days of the Orange Revolution served to do more than demonstrate the strength of the longing for democracy in your country, Mr Yushchenko. They also demonstrated the European Union’s ability to take political action in its immediate vicinity.
There are therefore two reasons for us to rejoice. We can celebrate what you have achieved in Ukraine, and we can congratulate ourselves for the part that, as a political entity, we played in bringing it about. This all constitutes a further reason to welcome you in our midst, albeit for a short time. I wish you a pleasant stay in Strasbourg, Mr Yushchenko, and give you the floor.
We had hoped to welcome Mr Yushchenko to the House on 27 January. As you will recall, however, it snowed heavily on that day, disrupting transport across much of Europe. Mr Yushchenko was therefore unable to reach Strasbourg.
Today also happens to be your birthday Mr Yushchenko, and on behalf of the House I would like to wish you many happy returns of the day.
We all have birthdays from time to time, but we are not all called upon to play a leading role in events such as those your country has just experienced.
I should also like to welcome the large delegation from Ukraine seated in the official gallery.
Mr President, the recent election in your country confirmed that the people of Ukraine have embraced democracy. They gave ample proof of their maturity and showed their determination to work for peace and progress in the future. I am sure that the images of the mobilisation of your fellow citizens at the end of last year are still fresh in our minds and will remain so for a long time. We are impressed too by the ambitious democratic and economic reforms you plan to undertake. The task ahead of you will not be easy, but you can be assured that the European Union will support you.
I would remind you that on 13 January this year, the House adopted a resolution calling, and I quote, ‘on the Council, the Commission and the Member States to consider, besides the measures of the Action Plan, within the framework of the European neighbourhood policy, other forms of association with Ukraine giving a clear European perspective for the country and responding to the demonstrated aspirations of the vast majority of the Ukrainian people, possibly leading ultimately to the country’s accession to the EU.’"@en1
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