Barcelona, 04/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - Back from an official visit to the Caucasus where he headed an EU delegation (see earlier articles), Spain's foreign minister, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, arrived in Barcelona on Thursday 4 March to attend the inauguration the same evening of the secretariat of the new Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). In an interview with EUROPE, Moratinos, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, said greater commitment was needed from the EU towards all the countries in the Caucasus and Union for the Mediterranean should immediately get cracking to introduce its big projects. (A.By. trans fl)
Agence Europe: How can the EU make a bigger commitment to its partnership with countries in the Caucasus?
Miguel Ángel Moratinos: The European Union is playing a more important role in the whole of the Caucasus region. This is a strategic region and at the same time a region that looks to Europe with the aim of associating itself as far as possible with the European Union. From this viewpoint, the European Union, especially after the Lisbon Treaty, must be capable of exercising influence in the region. We have the Eastern Partnership and we have Association Agreements underway with three countries - Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. It is unthinkable for the European Union to fail to develop a more proactive role, a greater role, in all the disputes and disagreements and difficulties that arise in the region. I think we have very strong political, diplomatic, economic and financial capacity and we have to use all that to these countries' benefit.
A. E.: You mentioned the Lisbon Treaty. How are the talks about the foreign service getting on?
M. Á. M.: The High Representative/Vice-President of the Commission Lady Ashton is working on this very intensively (…) She is still planning to launch the service in April. Tomorrow (Friday, Ed.), foreign ministers will have an informal EU27 Gymnich talk in Cordoba. Following this informal discussion, I imagine that various EU bodies (working groups, COREPER, etc.) will take up the issue. We hope that in April the High Representative will be able to brief the Member States, the European Parliament and the Commission, bringing them on board and involving them in setting up the new department that will be so important for the future of the European Union.
A. E.: How do you see the service?
M. Á. M.: It must be a grand diplomatic tool that the High Representative for Foreign Policy will adapt in line with the Commission's experience (...), the Member States' experience and their own worries, along with the new way of working set out in the Lisbon Treaty.
At tomorrow's meeting, ministers will continue to work to strike a balance between the job of representing the EU in the past (carried out by the Commission and the Council Secretariat) and the new job of pooling the effort, experience and capacities of the Member States. Following this, the civil servants' terms and conditions will have to be worked upon, along with financial issues and the organisation, management and planning (...) of foreign affairs. (…) The new structure will have to be set up so that it can lead a new venture and adventure, namely European diplomacy.
A. E.: What are the prospects of the peace process in the Middle East?
M.Á. M.: I believe the situation is tricky. It was hoped that the policies of Israel and the Arab states would coincide on prioritising a resumption of the negotiations, but this has not happened. (…) For years now, there have not been any political negotiations to find a full solution (…) with two counties living side by side in peace and security.
A. E.: Does Union for the Mediterranean have a role to play in this process?
M. Á. M.: Today (Thursday) is a big day in Barcelona because after concerted diplomatic effort, we have to recognise the scale of the problems that have been overcome and the mechanisms used to get Union for the Mediterranean off the ground. Union for the Mediterranean is 43 countries working on a consensus basis and we need to reconcile the possibilities and ambitions of us all. We have finally managed to agree on the role of the secretariat, appointing a secretary general and six deputy secretary generals. They can get to work immediately to develop and encourage implementation of the four big projects decided upon in Paris (…). This will enable us to launch the Union for the Mediterranean and ensure favourable conditions for the future Barcelona Summit of Union for the Mediterranean to be organised by the Spanish Presidency.
A. E.: In the light of current natural disasters, would it be a good idea to revive the idea of setting up an EU civil protection force?
M. Á. M.: The EU's reaction to the earthquake in Haiti showed the need for a new form of EU disaster management. (...) In the Lisbon Treaty, there is a solidarity clause. This solidarity clause enables Member States to provide aid within the EU's borders. The High Representative will be working on this (based essentially on a document by Michel Barnier) and will be submitting a new initiative to the Council for a force, for civil protection capacity, for humanitarian crises. For situations outside the EU, it would be good to have a mixture of civilian capabilities, military capabilities and humanitarian aid capabilities.