Brussels, 02/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - For the first time the EU has called publicly and unambiguously for the departure of Mouammar Gaddafi. The message came not from High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton or from European Council President Herman Van Rompuy but from European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. “The completely unacceptable actions of the Libyan regime over the last weeks have made it painfully clear that Colonel Gaddafi is part of the problem, not part of the solution. It is time for him to go and give the country back to the people of Libya, allowing democratic forces to chart out a future course”, Barroso told press on Wednesday 2 March, following the weekly meeting of the college of commissioners which had just debated the situation in Libya and the other countries of north Africa at length. Thus far, as in her statement on 27 February, Ashton has always called on Gaddafi to stop the violence against his opponents, to listen to the people and to work for “a peaceful resolution of the situation which is acceptable to the people of Libya”. Now it is clear that the EU no longer expects the Colonel and his entourage to open negotiations with the opposition or manage the transition process.
“Arabs are fit for democracy”. The peoples of Libya and the other countries in the EU's southern neighbourhood have “a rendezvous with history”, Barroso said. Europe has chosen whose side it is on: it “will be up to the challenge” and will support these peoples on their “transformational journey towards freedom, democracy and a better life”. It is the “duty” of the EU to stand side by side with the Arab peoples. “I believe Arabs are 'fit' for democracy, and we are on their side”, he stated. The Commission will use all the instruments and tools at its disposal in support of the democratic movements currently being seen. It is even ready to further strengthen them in the run-up to the extraordinary European Council convened by Herman Van Rompuy in Brussels on Friday 11 March (see EUROPE 10326). The Commission president also announced the immediate release of €7 million in additional humanitarian aid, over and above the €3 million already available (see related article). He announced, too, additional extraordinary aid to help meet the problem of immigration (see related article).
Pact for Democracy and Shared Prosperity. The EU not only has to manage the current crisis, it also has to deal with the issues that underlie current developments, Barroso went on. “We need a new political paradigm in the relations with our southern neighbourhood. We need a new Pact for Democracy and Shared Prosperity” he argued. In concrete terms, the Commission will focus its aid on three specific areas: (a) democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights; (b) inclusive social development; (c) strengthening civil society. Priority should be given to democratic and constitutional reform, legal reform, aid to non-public players, such as NGOs, trade unions, women's rights organisations and the media, Barroso said. In general, aid schemes for the countries of the southern neighbourhood will, in future, come with more political conditions attached, depending on the political and democratic reform that beneficiary countries are prepared to make, he stated. Greater emphasis will be laid on the socio-economic development of these countries, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises. In this context, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) “can do more”, in Barroso's view. He suggested that the EU should offer “mobility partnerships” to those southern neighbours which meet certain criteria, before moving to visa facilitation for certain categories of people, such as students, researchers and bone fide business people.
The Commission president refused to comment on setting up a no-fly zone over Libya, taking the view that this was not an issue that fell within the Commission's area of responsibility. He added, however: “We have to do all in our power to make sure the current regime leaves the country and stops the systematic killing of its own citizens”. (H.B./transl.rt)