Ghent, 20/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - The informal Summit of Ghent on 19 October reached a series of concrete conclusions, especially regarding the fight against terrorism, said European Council President Guy Verhofstadt, who came to brief the press on two occasions - at 20.00 hrs., and a little after 23.00 hrs., with Council President Louis Michel, the High Representative/Secretary General of the Council, Javier Solana and, only on the first occasion, European Commission President Romano Prodi - on the outcome of this summit essentially devoted to the aftermath of the 11 September attacks and the euro, enlargement and the future of Europe (see other articles).
Regarding the economic situation in Europe and the world following the attacks on the United States, asked in particular whether or not the European Central Bank should bring down interest rates, the Belgian Prime Minister simply read out the Ghent Declaration by which the prospects for a further reduction in inflation and continued wage moderation should provide monetary policy with sufficient margin for manoeuvre (the text finally adopted thus remains fairly vague, whereas a previous draft was more peremptory and referred to initiatives that European monetary authorities could take: see other article on the press conference of Didier Reynders, Pedro Solbes and Wim Duisenberg). "We provided five strong guidelines to have growth higher than that of 2001 in 2002", he said. "Our message is of "cautious optimism", he remarked. As for Romano Prodi, he stressed in particular that the European Investment Bank had co-operated with the Commission in examining how it could develop its activities in favour of investments, notably the trans-European networks and research (the effects, of course, will not be felt in the short term, he remarked).
Combating terrorism: our stance is clearer and firmer than on 21 September, says Verhofstadt
Regarding the Ghent Declaration on Terrorism, Mr. Verhofstadt considered that "we were much clearer and firmer than on 21 September, as we made concrete recommendations", stressing in particular the "breakthrough" that represents the request made of the JHA Council of ridding, in the definition of the European arrest warrant, the principle of double incrimination, which will "disappear for the majority of major crimes", and notably terrorism (this issue was one of the most controversial at the JHA Council: see EUROPE of 18 October, p.7). And, indicating that the EU was envisaging 79 concrete measures to combat terrorism, he stated that the Ghent conclusions had taken on board some suggested by the Americans, out of a list of some forty proposals they had made to the EU. We also provided an "important mandate" to the Presidency and Javier Solana to make contact with Afghanistan's neighbouring countries to secure their support for our policy towards Kabul, stressed Verhostadt. As for humanitarian aid, he referred to the message of the Summit by which the cost of Afghan refugees has to be borne by the international community, and not borne by Afghanistan's neighbouring countries alone.
In that context, Mr. Verhofstadt also announced that he would personally participate in a Union mission that will be going to the Middle East to try to secure an unconditional resumption of the peace process. That goes further than our previous approaches, he said.
As for the Chirac-Blair-Schroeder Summit, in answer to questions, Verhofstadt said that it had been a question of a "technical" meeting, and that what was important was that "it is the Union among fifteen that decides". For his part, Prodi acknowledged that "I was unhappy yesterday" on learning of this initiative, but that there had been "clarifications".
The declaration of the Heads of State and Government on the aftermath of 11 September finally did take up the expressions "total solidarity with the United States" and "full and unconditional support". These expressions were not included in the Presidency's first draft, which thus seemed to provide less strong backing than the Fifteen had hitherto shown, including in the General Affairs Council (see yesterday's EUROPE, p. 3). The Fifteen did not, however, take on board the affirmation of the need to "eliminate" the Taliban regime (certain Heads of Government were not even aware that this expression appeared in the initial text, having solely worked on a revised version in Ghent on Friday), but added the affirmation of their determination to "combat terrorism in all its forms and throughout the world", whereas the first version of the text only referred to combating Taliban terrorism. "It has to be clear that the Union will do all it can to put an end to terror in the world, as a world that tolerated terror would be doomed", Guy Verhofstadt exclaimed before the press.
European integration needs strengthening, says Schroeder, criticising the JHA Council
Speaking to the press, German Chancellor Gerhard Schoeder justified the short German-Franco-British Summit in Ghent, recalling, like others, that meetings of that type often took place before European Councils (like the Benelux Summits, which , he remarked, are certainly not levelled against the Union). He pleaded precisely in favour of greater European integration, so that the Union should be truly capable of acting at international level: the Union has not yet reached a sufficient level of integration to act autonomously on the international stage. Furthermore, he placed emphasis on a rapid EU decision on the European arrest warrant, despite, he said, the "finicky minds" of some - obvious and critical reference to the prevarication of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers. Finally, questioned about the ECB policy on interest rates, he replied that the European Central Bank was adopting a "reasonable" policy, but that "reason can always be improved".
Tony Blair welcomes fact that Fifteen remain united during military strikes
The British Prime Minister welcomed the fact that the Fifteen should have firmly reaffirmed their total support for the United States "even when the strikes began". "Now is the most difficult moment, the strikes have begun, humanitarian concerns are surfacing, and yet no doubt was expressed around the table" concerning the military actions, declared Tony Blair. Regarding the strikes, he stressed that the Allies had "already done great harm to the Taliban, but that they had to continue: "we shall undertake all necessary actions, continue the strikes, give close consideration to the next moves, and back the Northern Alliance, always bearing in mind the need to succeed as quickly as possible". Asked about the fact that the statement demanding the elimination of the Taliban regime, present in the first version of the declaration, had finally not been retained, he declare that it was clear for the Fifteen that the objectives that all had set for Afghanistan demanded the end to the Taliban regime. Would not the other countries feel humiliated at not being invited to the mini-Summit that preceded the European Council? "It was important that those providing a military contribution should be able to speak together,, but it is not a question of a lack of respect for the other countries" replied the leader of Labour party, adding that he "paid tribute to Spain and Italy for their efforts in Afghanistan" (in full knowledge that these two countries, which had offered their services, were the most vexed by this three-way summit). Regarding measures to be taken within the EU, Tony Blair stressed that legal co-operation needed strengthening to put an end to "bureaucratic obstacles". He also affirmed the need to "strengthen the economic reform process", stressing the importance of the Barcelona Summit, which, in March of next year, will be devoted to the aftermath of Lisbon.
Jacques Chirac regrets that the JHA Council should "dither" on the European arrest warrant - According to Jospin, monetary margins of manoeuvre must limit the use of the budgetary weapon
Setting out the Summit's conclusions on measures against terrorism, French President, Jacques Chirac defended the military action in Afghanistan, stressing that "its goal is simple and clear: bring down the Al Qaida network, and the regime where it has prospered, i.e., the Taliban system that today is the main artisan of terrorist actions in the world". "France is contributing to this action", he added.
The question of greater involvement of French troops is "premature", but, "France has let it be known that should the question arise, it would do so, taking account of the goals and modalities". I'd add that a minimum of discretion is required in this field".
"France resolutely supports" the idea of adopting a European arrest warrant, regretting that "unfortunately, as the last Council of Justice Ministers demonstrated, things are dithering". "I call for the necessary political will", he added, considering that the date of 7 December set for the adoption of a political agreement on the mandate "has to be respected". Prime Minister Lionel Jospin added that "France is prepared to go a long way in the creation of a European legal area. Some countries still have problems, but we are counting of achieving a consensus". Jospin also said that the economic declaration of the Summit "sets out paths of collective actions" to react to the risk of shock following the 11 September attacks. "there is consensus to say that all means of economic policy need using to limit the scale and duration of the slowdown in Europe. Monetary policy is the main weapon of this collective response. It was already activated on 17 September and we welcomed that". According to him, "the margins for manoeuvre" that could be used while keeping inflation down, should allow them to "avoid any excessive use of the budgetary weapon". He said that the Summit had opted for the "principle of letting the automatic stabilisers play" so as "not to amplify the economic confidence shock". Asked about the need for a replacement for Wim Duisenburg at the ECB, Chirac answered: "the question is not topical for 2001".
Brushing aside criticisms by the Italian Prime Minister over the organisation of the Summit between France, Britain and Germany, Jacques Chirac considered that "Silvio Berlusconi has created a problem that does not exist". "We met among three as is usually the case to speak of military issues of concern to us. We are accused of wanting to form a board. It's an idea that has emerged each time there has been an initiative for thirty years now. When France and Germany present a joint letter to a Summit, they speak of a board and when the two don't, they say that Europe has broken down. It's an idea without foundation, nor of any interest."
Aznar places emphasis on combating terrorism in Europe
When speaking to the press, the Spanish Prime Minister placed special emphasis on the fight against terrorism. "Today, the Fifteen have made great progress in harmonising the area of justice and security", declared Jose Maria Aznar, stressing the importance for the EU of adopting a list of Euopean terrorist groups by the end of the year. This list, he said, should include both terrorists and those people supporting terrorism and those providing their ideological backing. Regarding the three-way summit, he considered that the meeting had not to be exaggerated, "it's neither the first nor the last time that Heads of State and/or Government meet".
Schussel places emphasis on link between Internal and external security
Austrian Chancellor, Wolfgang Schussel confirmed at his press conference that the Franco-British-German Summit posed no problems for Austria, as it related to military questions that did not concern the European Council. Noting that European integration often developed following crises, he placed emphasis on the link between internal and external security, and said that Austria had secured that the Ghent declaration on combating terrorism stipulate that this fight would be undertaken in the respect of the constitutional provisions of each Member state. Other results secured by Austria, according to Schussel, the requirement to take the fingerprints of all immigrants, and not only asylm-seekers.
Berlusconi hopes that next IGC will end under Italian Presidency
Italian Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who managed to speak to the press without answering any questions, repeated what he had said the day before, by which he would not have been able to take part in the Franco-German-British summit anyway as he had been at the EPP Summit in Ghent, and stressed that the three-way summit had in fact been purely technical consultations, that has had nothing to do with the European Council. Regarding the fight against terrorism, Berlusconi said that Italy had a leading role in implementing the UN resolution on financing terrorist networks. As for the debate on the future of Europe, he repeated that Italy hoped to have the "honour" of holding the Presidency of the EU Council, at the end of the second half of 2003, under which the next IGC would end.
Reactions to Chirac-Blair-Schroeder Summit: most Heads of Government found it quite normal
The heads of several "small" or neutral countries especially answered press questions over the summit between Jacques Chirac, Tony Blair and Gerhard Schroeder, without waxing indignant. Thus, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres considered such meetings to be wholly admissible, and that, what counted, was what was decided among the Fifteen, and Greece's Costas Simitis spoke along the same lines, noting that, at the European Council of Ghent, the three countries concerned had expressed views that were not identical, which proved that there was no question of a new Board. As for Finnish Prime minister Paavo Lipponen, who spoke of "media hysteria", he said: "We were not informed, nor did we have to be". Regarding the debate on the economic situation following the 11 September attacks, Lipponen placed special emphasis on the importance of determinedly pursuing the Lisbon strategy, and insisted on a paln concerning bio-technology to be developed before the European Council of Barcelona in March 2002. As for the President of the Finnish Republic, Tarja Halonen (the French and the Finns are the only ones to participate in European Councils with their Heads of State and Government: Ed), she especially raised the future of Afghanistan, stressing the need for the country to live in peace and democracy, as well as for the Afghan people themselves to choose their regime". "We fully back the operations in Afghanistan", declared Irish Prime minister Bertie Ahern, speaking along the same lines, and placing emphasis on the humanitarian aspects of the operations and backing not only for the refugees but also for the population in Afghanistan itself. The Taoiseach also considered it normal that certain Member states should get together over certain issues, especially when it concerned military matters that are not within the powers of the EU, and Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok also spoke of a "technical" meeting.