Strasbourg, 25/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - Speaking before the European Parliament on Wednesday, Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller turned to the situation in different parts of the world. While underpinning the progress made in Afghanistan over the past few months, he noted that many challenges remained to be taken up and placed special emphasis on the need to strengthen the government, support the reforms and reconstruction and improve the lot of women. Having spoken of the EU's co-operation in combating terrorism, he considered that they should see whether the recent offers of the Iraqi Government met the demands of the United Nations. Regarding the Middle East, the recalled the EU's efforts at reaching a peace plan and deplored the recent Palestinian attacks. He also hoped for a rapid solution to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Due to the Danish opt-out, it was then Greece's Deputy Foreign Minister, Tassos Yannitsis who took over to raise aspects linked to security and defence policy. He recalled the great progress achieved under the Belgian and Spanish presidencies, but did, however, note that the conclusion of an agreement between the EU and NATO remained in deadlock (due to the Greek-Turkish problem: Ed).
Having indicated that he shared the analysis and proposals contained on the Brok report on CFSP and Titley on arms exports (he notably cited the measures concerning brokerage, production under licence and the control of the end-use), Chris Patten returned to the situation in the Middle East, once again placing emphasis on the need not to destroy the Palestinian authority. The Commissioner for external relations deplored the policy of the Sharon Government that only served to "inflame terrorism".
The German President of the EPP-ED group, Hans-Gert Pöttering aksed whether it was really necessary to "wait for the Iraqui dictator to open his doors to UN inspectors" but strongly insisted on the need of a common EU position. "No Member State should go it alone", he declared before mentioning the Middle East case and the need to end the spiral of violence by continuing to talk with the two sides. While criticising the terrorist attacks and recognising the right of Israelis to live in security, the Spanish President of the Socialist group, Enrique Barron said that Israel had to respect UN resolutions, particularly resolution 1435, which imposed an end to military operations in Ramallah. Dutch Liberal, Bob van den Bos criticised "Blair's opportunism", which reinforces US unilateralism, whereas the US needed to be brought into a framework of multi-lateralism, even if an intervention in Iraq cannot be included in this principle. He also insisted on the necessity for a genuine common foreign policy. The French President of the GUE/NGL group, Francis Wurtz, declared his concern about the intervention made by the President of the Council. "You haven't even demanded the lifting of the siege of President Arafat nor the withdrawal of Israeli forces. Aren't you worried by that you are well behind the Patten Commission?" Mr Wutz also sated that they should be up to what the world expected of Europe. The Co-President of the German Greens/EFA group, Daniel Cohn Bendit also called for a common European response but that both Sharon and the Arafat blockade, as well as the Palestinians when they hide terrorists should be criticised. Mr Cohn Bendit told Mr Wurtz that they would never gain anything in the Middle East unless their hearts beat as strongly for the Israelis as they did for the Palestinians.