Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-03-29-Speech-4-057"
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"en.20070329.5.4-057"2
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"Mr President, I would like to thank the Members for their contributions. It has been a long debate with many speeches. Not everybody was here for the whole debate, but I think that a lot of important things have been said. I should also like to express my thanks for the constructive attitude of the majority of the Members of this Parliament. I would like to state once again my willingness to continue discussing the important issues that strategically we have started discussing this morning.
I think the cooperation that we are giving Lebanon through the presence of the European UNIFIL forces in the southern part of that country, and the conference that took place in Paris not long ago to help in the reconstruction of Lebanon, is proof of our commitment to that country. It is fundamental. It is also fundamental to keep supporting the government in Lebanon: a government that can produce results, not a blocked government, which is what some people want.
It is important to set up an international tribunal to deal with the assassinations of Lebanonese leaders, starting with Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was killed three years ago. We have to achieve a negotiated solution. We are going to do our utmost to achieve that. At those negotiations there will be representatives from the five Permanent Members of the Security Council plus somebody from the European Union representing all of you – the whole European Union. Never before in our recent history has something like that taken place.
We also have responsibilities in Africa. Those responsibilities will be fundamental between now and the summer. So until then we have an agenda which is very intense, very dense. If the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs so wishes, I will be very happy to continue following up this agenda here in this House.It is an intense agenda. It is fundamental for stability and peace, not only in the world, but also in the neighbourhood of our continent.
Thank you once again, Mr President. This is the first time I have contributed to a debate in this House which has been chaired by you. You can count on me to support this institution which I greatly respect, whenever necessary. Somebody said I was looking for a job but I am not, but in any case maybe you will invite me to come here more often!
I shall be brief in my summing-up, as I know that you have an important vote at 11.30.
We have to condemn in a very clear manner the abduction by Iran of the British sailors, and we must demand that they be freed immediately. I think we are in total agreement after today’s debate and we have made it loud and clear.
I would like to mention the issue of the Middle East, because I think it is going to be one of the most important issues between now and September. I think something may happen during this period of time if there is goodwill, good cooperation with the United States, good cooperation with the Arab countries, and good cooperation amongst ourselves.
A new situation has been created. A few hours ago I was having dinner in Riyadh: I have only just arrived here. I would have liked to have seen some of you there so that you could see the political foreign policy of the European Union in action. Believe me, when we are there, when we are at those meetings, we count and we count seriously. Please believe that. If I could, I would invite you to accompany me.
A few hours ago I was still there debating very important topics which are going to be in the newspapers tomorrow. I hope the results of the negotiations will come to fruition over the coming days.
Secondly, I would like to bring up once again in this House the issue of Lebanon. We have a serious responsibility towards Lebanon. It has not been mentioned sufficiently. I would like to repeat once again that for us the Government of Prime Minister Siniora is the legal government of Lebanon and we have to continue helping that government."@en1
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