Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-05-23-Speech-3-293"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2007-05-23"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Situation in Nigeria (debate)2
dcterms:Language	"en"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20070523.21.3-293"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2007-05-23-Speech-3-2942
lpv:speaker	lp:Edward Mcmillan-scott2
lpv:spoken text	"Madam President, it was my first visit to Nigeria and my first African election, and I was disappointed: I had expected to see a free and fair election, and it was anything but that. I will not bore the House with my conclusions, because they are the same as those of the leader of the Commission’s delegation and of the leader of the delegation I belong to, and they can be seen on in a short video I made, under the headline ‘Nigeria’s rigged elections’. I should just like to address some lessons for the European Union from this election in the largest country in Africa. It seems to me that the Chinese influence, referred to by Mr Belder, might be a little deeper than we perceive. We know that China is involved in the democracy backlash around the world: working with Russia as a dirty duet, all over Africa, with Belarus, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and Egypt. There is a process under way that the European Union has to respond to, and I believe that the Commissioner is committed to making the most use of the instrument that she and I are very committed to – the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights. Let me just make some specific points. I was one of three Members of the European Parliament on this delegation, and that was not enough. I believe we have to reconsider as a House the use of former Members of the European Parliament in such delegations. For example, we will send a delegation to Sierra Leone in August; I will not be surprised if there are very few takers. Secondly, concerning the independence of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights, we heard that the EU mission in Nigeria is involved with the Government in approving projects. This must not happen: this instrument is supposed to be independent of host-country control. Then there is the question of follow-up for this election. I know that the final report has not yet been published, but I believe that the European Union has a commitment to the pursuit of democracy in those countries and the follow-up to the process of a bad election. Finally, the use of the United Nations as an agent for organising these very effective missions is an expensive luxury and needs to be reconsidered."@en1
lpv:spokenAs	unknown; Conservative and Unionist Party (2004-07-20--2009-07-13)3 substitute; Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia (2007-03-15--2009-07-13)3 vice-president; Parliament's Bureau (2007-01-16--2009-07-13)3 vice-president; European Parliament (2007-01-16--2009-07-13)3 member; DROI (2007-02-12--2009-07-13)3 substitute; Delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries and the Arab Maghreb Union (including Libya) (2007-03-14--2009-07-13)3 vice-chair; Delegation to the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (2004-09-20--2008-06-11)3 substitute; Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (2004-09-15--2009-07-13)3 substitute; AFET (2007-01-31--2009-07-13)3 member_of_the_bureau; EPP-ED (2004-08-31--2009-07-13)3
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"Edward McMillan-Scott (PPE-DE ). –"1 "YouTube"1

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