Washington, 19/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - At the end of their summit in Washington on 18 December (the last in which President Clinton will participate), the European Union and the United States underpinned the results secured during the six months of the French Presidency of the Union in pursuing the objective of the New Transatlantic Agenda, placing special emphasis on their cooperation in South-East Europe and in the Middle East (where they will continue to back the work of the Information Committee on the violence that has brought the peace process to a gridlock), their support for the reforms in Russia and the search for a peaceful solution in Chechnya, and their assistance to Ukraine in shutting down the nuclear power plant of Chernobyl (for other aspects of the Transatlantic Agenda, see other article).
In addition, the United States welcomed the outcome of the European Council of Nice, which "marked a very important step in the development of the European Security and Defence Policy", stating that "the commitments made by the EU Member States concerning military capabilities will, as they are implemented, strengthen both the EU and the European pillar of the Atlantic Alliance". The United States "also welcomes the proposed arrangements for consultation and cooperation with NATO adopted in Nice, which received a positive response at last week's North Atlantic Council", and the EU and United States "commitment themselves to work together and all Alliance members to implement and complete these arrangements, and thereby forge a strategic partnership between the two organisations in management of crisis". In this regard, the United States "notes with appreciation the arrangements offered by the EU for its relationship with NATO European allies", and looks forward to "working with a European Union playing its full role and assuming its full responsibilities on the international scene". (See yesterday's EUROPE, p.3, for Turkey's opposition to these arrangements).
On the occasion of their Summit, the EU and United States also adopted a Statement on South East Europe in which they stress that, "at a time when democracy is and when it should be consolidated for the benefit of all", their cooperation "must continue to be close and sustained". The Statement observes the "democratic change" that marked the year 2000 in the region, beginning with Croatia and continuing with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and reaffirms the support of the EU and United States for the Stability Pact for South East Europe, "as a means to accelerate the integration of the region into the Euro-Atlantic mainstream". In this context, the Statement welcomes the call to organise a second Regional Funding Conference, as soon as possible in 2001, in the framework of the Stability Pact. Furthermore, the EU and the United States note that the European Commission and World Bank should ensure that efforts being made by Europe, the United States and all the other donors in the Fry are coordinated and contribute to consolidating democracy and economic development in that country, and, here too, welcome the intention of organising a funding conference as early as possible in 2001. As for Kosovo, the EU and United States confirm their support for the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1244, and undertake to support Hans Haekkerupp, recently appointed successor to Bernard Kouchner as Special Representative of the UN Secretary General. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the EU and United States welcome the constructive contributions of he High Representative and of Sfor to the building of a functional State, and place emphasis on the respect of the Dayton Agreements. Finally, they express their concern at increased political violence in Albania, and call upon all States in the region to cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal.
In a declaration, on the transparency of arms exports, the EU and the United States stress their "common vision" on the question of arms export controls. The EU recalls that implementation of its Code of Conduct, since June 1998, had helped to increase significantly the level of transparency in arms exports, and welcomes that fact that 17 other countries should have declared that they would apply these principles to their own export decisions, whereas the United States observes that these principles are in compliance with its own criteria regarding arms exports. In Washington, the EU and the United States decided to act together to encourage all arms exporting countries to apply rigorous criteria in this matter.
President Chirac (who also met Bush) pays tribute to President Clinton
At the end of talks with Bill Clinton (which preceded his summit with the latter and with …/..
Romano Prodi), President Chirac said that the American President "will have left a deep mark (..) in the history of transatlantic relations". "Without him, I do not believe that European construction would have been exactly the same", he said. As for Bill Clinton, he said that "the relationship between the United States and Europe will also be positive" with the new American administration.
Jacques Chirac also had over three-quarters of an hour of talks at the French embassy in Washington with George W. Bush, after which the future American President told the French President: "I hope that, when I come to France, you will greet me as you used to greet my father".