Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-09-28-Speech-3-381"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20050928.27.3-381"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, I wish to begin by congratulating Mr Menéndez del Valle on his excellent work. As chairman of Parliament's delegation covering India, I believe his report is balanced and demonstrates the complex and valuable relationship between the EU and India. It also marks a real turning point in our long-shared history.
The EU and India are natural partners and, as we have heard several times today, two of the largest democracies in the world. In a few decades India will be one of the largest economies in the world. It possesses immense geopolitical strength and it is timely for us to shift our relationship to a higher and a more intensive level. Both the partners are well placed to be significant players in the global, knowledge-based economy. In the words of Tony Blair, it is crucial for the EU and India to create an equal partnership for mutual benefit, especially with our own declining demographic trends and with half of India's population being under 25.
However, while we often hear about India's highly-developed technical sector, it is important not to forget that there are still huge challenges in India where we could play a pivotal role: poverty and deprivation and over 600 million people reliant on farming. That is why our response needs to be more than just rhetoric. I support what Mr Menéndez del Valle said about needing more resources. The Commission and the Council need to seriously address the request for India for EUR 1 billion each for health and education, recognising that one of our main priorities is the Millennium Development Goals and India makes up 40% of the MDGs. At the same time, the Commission needs to have progressive aid policies that stimulate the entire country and not just certain regions.
Beyond all the warm words, how do we make a difference? Our partnership needs to reach beyond economics, to be more political. We cannot talk about an increasing political dialogue but then set up only a high-level trade group. There is an urgent need to create and upgrade our contacts between parliaments. I really welcome the forum of parliamentarians set up by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, but both sides need to adopt a roadmap for enhanced political dialogue, including parliamentary support."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples