Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-10-11-Speech-3-077"
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"en.20061011.14.3-077"2
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".
Madam President, I too would like to join with my colleagues in thanking the President-in-Office and President Barroso for their presentations here today. I will deal with the easy questions first of all and then go on to the more difficult ones facing the summit.
We have a right to tell the Russians that we demand standards of them with regard to freedom of expression, freedom of accountability and the freedom and the security of human life when people question and challenge authority. As Mr Watson rightly said, 40 journalists have been killed in Russia in the last two and a half years. Interestingly enough, not one person has been arrested in connection with those 40 deaths; not one person has been convicted in connection with those 40 deaths. If we are to expect that suddenly action will be taken because of the horrific gunning-down of Anna Politkovskaya in recent days, I think we are like ostriches sticking our heads in the sand. Only when real engagement and dialogue takes place with Russia can we guarantee a relationship of equality between the EU and Russia, despite our dependence on Russia for energy, despite Russia’s dependence on us for markets, and despite the interaction that there is in geopolitical terms between eastern Europe and Russia.
I think that what we really have to do is show courage now in laying down clear standards and guidelines of what we expect from our partners with regard to their relationships. This is not just about the death of the journalist, horrific as that is; it is not just about Chechnya; it is also about Russian treatment of Georgia in the recent past and what they have done. While the Russian authorities condemn Chechen resistance fighters on the one hand, on the other hand they support ‘resistance fighters’ in parts of Georgia. They have put the economy of Georgia under tremendous strain, not just in economic terms but also in human terms, deporting hundreds of thousands of Georgians from Russia back to their home country, denying them access to education and to businesses which they legitimately own and control within Russia. All for the sake of ‘clarification’.
My next point touches upon the European institute for technology, research and development and what is required for that. I am a great supporter of President Barroso’s plan with regard to the necessity for Europe to take the lead and take the leap from the 20th century into the 22nd century with regard to what we need to do for research and development and investment in technology.
But first, before that can happen, we must ensure that the intellectual property rights and patenting rights are protected to allow for innovation to take place, to allow for investments to be made. It is easy to build the structure of a building to house an institute of technology. It is more difficult to put in place the legislative framework to allow for this to happen.
Finally, Madam President – if I may be allowed the same latitude as the other group chairmen were allowed – when we speak about energy and common energy policy and energy needs, one of the biggest opportunities that we are denying ourselves is the renewable energy that we can create and grow on our land. When farmers are suffering because of bad deals made by Peter Mandelson at the WTO talks, or when agriculture is under threat, then we need to invest in renewable energy."@en1
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