Brussels / Paris, 22/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - In two speeches delivered before the foreign affairs committees of the European Parliament, on Wednesday, and the French Senate, on Thursday, the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, took stock of the latest developments concerning:
- The Western Balkans. Mr Solana recalled the efforts made over the past three months to ensure better coordination and better visibility of EU action in this region. The single main obstacle to achieving that objective remains the resistance to political change in Belgrade, he said, insisting on the measures taken by the EU to support independent media, non-governmental organisations and opposition-led municipalities in Serbia. He considered it essential to prepare a detailed programme for economic transition in order to "convince Serbians that the EU is ready to support them fully and to bring them into mainstream Europe, but that for the moment the Milosevic regime is the obstacle to that objective". "We do not need to be neutral in such a process" during the next municipal elections in Kosovo, in the autumn, then in Albania, Bosnia and Serbia, he said, insisting on the need to support those parties which subscribe to the values of ethnic tolerance, respect for human rights and the rule of law. As far as Kosovo is concerned, Mr Solana notes that the situation has become stabilised in Mitrovica and that respect of the rights of minorities, mainly the Roms, has improved. It is now a matter of improving and guaranteeing in a sustainable manner the security of the Serbian minority. Mr Solana recalled that the European Council in Feira entrusted him to consider the means to be implemented to strengthen cooperation in home affairs and justice between countries of the region. He also gave his support to the organisation, in the autumn, of an EU summit involving the political officials of the Western Balkan countries. This idea, floated by President Chirac, was approved by the European Council in Feira.
- The EU's military dimension. The use of force is of course the last resort for defending the Union's vital interests, but the military instrument is essential for a credible and effective foreign policy. It could also be used for humanitarian sanctions and conflict prevention, mainly to the service of the United Nations, Mr Solana told the Senate. The day before, he had reminded the EP of the rapid development of ESDP (European Security and Defence Policy) over the past six months as well as the decision taken in Feira with a view to forming, by 2003, a civilian police force of 5000. The upcoming French EU Presidency will, in November this year, host a ministerial conference on the commitment of capabilities. This inventory exercise of operational capabilities should allow the European Council of Nice to take adequate measures so that the military instrument may be operational in 2003. Speaking before the Senate committee, Mr Solana also said that "the announcement by British, French and German authorities of their intention to acquire 150 transport A400 Airbus planes is not only a strong sign of their support to the defence Europe but also of their attachment to the existence of an industrial European defence base". He went on to add: "In order to be perfectly credible, the Union's security and defence policy must be able to take support under every circumstance from an autonomous capacity for arms supplies.
- Relations with Russia. In Feira, the European Council stressed the need to build a strong partnership with Russia, which also involves open dialogue, recalled Mr Solana before going on to say: "Frank-speaking - we say - is made for friends: and as friends of Russia, we continue to call on Russia to meet all its commitments and obligations with regard to the conflicts in Chechnya. Those obligations, as you well know, include unimpeded humanitarian access to the victims, but also avoiding the excessive use of force. On both these issues, more efforts are needed from Moscow".
