Brussels, 07/12/2010 (Agence Europe) - Daniel Cohn-Bendit, who co-presides the Greens Group at the European Parliament, and representatives of several NGOs - International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), International Campaign for Tibet, Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) - are asking Catherine Ashton to represent the EU during the ceremony for awarding the Nobel Peace Prize 2010 to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo on Friday 10 December in Oslo. In future, the EU should always be represented by its high representative for foreign affairs as a sign of the importance that the 27 EU member states attach to peace, democracy and human rights, they say. It is particularly important to show European unity when facing China “which will not give way (on human rights) unless faced by someone with clout not afraid to raise his/her voice”, Cohn-Bendit said during a joint press conference on 7 December in Brussels.
The appeal to Catherine Ashton will be in vain as the head of European diplomacy does not intend to go to the Norwegian capital where the EU is to be represented by only its head of mission there, Janos Herman, and by ambassadors of member states. “It has never been a question of Ms Ashton going as it was agreed that the EU will be represented at the same level as last year - that is, at ambassadorial level”, Ashton's spokeswoman explains. Out of the 27 member states, 23 have ambassadors on the spot. All are expected to attend the awarding ceremony, the spokeswoman said.
Reactions within EU differ considerably. The NGO, International Campaign for Tibet, presented a study on Tuesday showing that member states and EU institutions reacted very differently to the announcement of the Peace Prize going to Liu Xiaobo. Only 13 of the 27 member states issued statements welcoming the decision. Some (Germany, France, Czech Republic) even published these statements in Chinese on the website of their embassy in China. The EU representation in Beijing also published statements by José Manuel Barroso and Catherine Ashton in the Chinese language. France is, however, to take a qualified stance, signed by Bernard Kouchner (Foreign Minister at the time), but President Nicolas Sarkozy has not expressed how he feels on the matter. In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel and all of her government called for the prizewinner's immediate release from detention. On the other hand, 14 member states have not made any official statement. These are: Belgium (currently holding the EU presidency of the Council of Ministers), Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia. At the European Parliament, only three political groups reacted: the Liberal Group (ALDE) and the EPP and Greens/EFA Groups. Neither the Socialist Group (S&D), the second largest force in the EP, or the other groups gave an official response, results of the study show. There is also total silence from the permanent president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, whom Daniel Cohn-Bendit reproaches for “a lack of political lucidity”. “It was the least they could do to say something. If he is waiting for his shareholders (at the European Council) to say something, then he is not in the right place”, the Greens MEP said outright. (H.B./transl.jl)