Strasbourg, 11/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Union is present in the world, but this presence must be strengthened and made more visible. Last week, the Council and the Commission notified the European Parliament of their intentions (see on this subject EUROPE of 4/5 September, pages 4 and 5, on the debate held by EU15 foreign ministers in Evian). Pierre Moscovici, speaking for the French Presidency, said there are four priority goals: - to make the enlargement process advance as far as possible in order to have, in Nice, a global vision of the situation. Mr Moscovici welcomed the Helsinki decision concerning Turkey, but stressed that this country's membership "cannot even be contemplated" until it meets the criteria set; - the development of a Security and Defence Policy. This is an "ambitious construction" that would necessarily take several years; - the development of strategic partnerships with neighbouring countries and the main regional groups, the "very top priority" being closer relations with the Balkans. Other priorities are: relations with Ukraine, with Russia, and with the Mediterranean but also with the rest of the world (details were given by Mr Moscovici); - long term reflection on improving the effectiveness of Union instruments, begun in Evian. The Council will come back to this on 18 September. Article 2 of the Treaty indicates that one of the Union's objectives is to make its identity clear on the international scene, recalled Commissioner Chris Patten, while noting that foreign policy "is and will fundamentally remain a matter for the Member States". Intergovernmental cooperation, however, would be a "recipe for mediocrity", hence the will to move towards a common foreign and security policy ("common" but not "single", insisted Mr Patten). The Commission is not seeking new powers or a new role but wants to play its existing role in the most effective way possible (and, said Mr Patten, he perfectly understands the Parliament's wish to do exacting the same). No-one must ask us to spend more than what is available, said Mr Patten, who noted, with Mr Solana, that reasonable structures are being created for division of tasks.
For now, it is chaos, exclaimed German Christian Democrat Elmar Brok, who wondered what it would be like when there are 27 Foreign Ministers. Mr Patten and Mr Solana cannot help rivalling each other, regrets Mr Brok, for whom it would be preferable to have a Commission Vice-President responsible for foreign policy, with a particularly strong legitimation link with the Council. The leader of the Liberal Group, Pat Cox, above all deplored the decision taken "surreptitiously" by the Council during the summer break to make documents concerning ESDP "top secret" (see EUROPE of 1 September, page 6). This behaviour was also decried by Heidi Hautala, Finnish Green, who admits, however, that it is sometimes indispensable to make some things confidential. In order to guarantee the strong presence announced by Mr Moscovici, adequate political, administrative and financial means are required, said Cathérine Lalumière (French Socialist Group), while General Morillon (EPP, France) evoked relations with Turkey. He mainly said that: - Turkey's need to maintain its identity is particularly strong. Europe has resolved to fulfil this need and, to this end, it is ready to help Ankara find a solution to the Kurd problem. In Europe, said Mr Morillon, it would be hard to understand that Cyprus continues to be "divided by a wall". British Conservative Geoffrey Van Orden, who would like Europe to have a stronger voice, in no way agrees with the idea of a single diplomatic service and a single foreign policy.
The EP has adopted a resolution whereby, by noting the conclusions reached in Evian, it regrets that the intergovernmental dimension has the upper hand. It calls for better coordination and clarification of the Commission and CFSP High Representative's respective roles. For the EP, the fixing of new priorities financed from the EU budget must be accompanied by detailed indications as to estimated costs and financing sources. The EP finally urges sufficient funding to be allocated to the further development of ESDP, mainly as regards its civil dimension and conflict prevention.