Strasbourg, 15/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - During the debate on the Greek Presidency, at the European Parliament Tuesday afternoon, the priorities of the Presidency receive a broad consensus on the part of Parliament, even though some MEPs regretted certain shortcomings. The President of the EPP-ED Group, Hans-Gert Poettering, expressly called on the Presidency's support for a Mediterranean initiative, among other things, to find an answer to the problem of illegal immigration into the Union. The prospect of enlargement to the Balkans raised in the Presidency's programme can, according to Poeterring, only be a long-term project: answering him, Mr. Simitis said he agreed, while stating that the Balkan countries were also part of Europe and that the prospect of membership would encourage them on the path of reforms. The Greek Presidency's "intelligent" stance on Turkey was praised by Enrique Baron, President of the Socialist Group, also welcoming the "proactive" and non-repressive policy it envisages in the field of immigration. Mr. Baron expects special effort on the part of the Greek Presidency on maritime safety, a subject on which Mr. Simitis was questioned later on several occasions. Addressing Mr. Prodi, Mr. Baron exclaimed: to put an end to the brain-drain, launch a world Socrates! The Commission replied that: in any case, if Europe is not up to launching a vast joint research programme, it will be lost (see yesterday's EUROPE p.10). Using the metaphor of a "midwife Greece" which will have to help the enlarged and reformed Europe come into the world, Graham Watson, President of the Liberal Group, asked Mr. Simitis "to distance the most insistent members of the family from the delivery room": talks taking place at the Elysée this evening (between Chirac and Schroeder) are important, said Watson, but cannot determine the outcome of the European Convention. Regarding immigration, Greece's experience of this phenomenon may enable it to "understand a little more, and condemn a little less", he also thought. There is no democracy without transparency, insisted for his part the President of the Europe of Democracies and Diversities Group, Jens-Peter Bonde, asking for the minutes of Council meetings when acting as legislator be open to the public.
It is the danger of a conflict in Iraq that foremost concerned Sylvia Kaufmann, speaking on behalf of the United Left/Nordic Green Left. Yes, all diplomatic paths must be used, with all the weight of the Union's politics, expressed in a common position, she exclaimed. The President of the Greens/EFA, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, was even more explicit: Europe must have the courage to say what it wants to have decided in the Security Council, he shouted, urging Mr. Simitis to gather together Chirac, Blair, Aznar and Schroeder (the heads of the four EU members currently sitting in the Security Council) to define a common position against war. I said yes to an intervention in Afghanistan and Kosovo, Cohn-Bendit recalled, but I say no to a war in Iraq: France and the United Kingdom have the right of veto in the Security Council, let them use it. Especially, he added, at a time when North Korea can already produce nuclear weapons, and that with her we are rightly prepared to negotiate. The shadow of a conflict in Iraq weighs on all our decisions, Gerard Collins observed, who, speaking on behalf of the Union for a Europe of Nations Group, moreover pleaded in favour of the protection of the Community borders, and effective measures to combat Illegal immigration.
The possibility of a war in Iraq was of concern to many MEPs. The opinions of Europeans are generally against, but not only them, observed Greek Socialist Anna Karamanou: a large part of American public opinion does not ant it either. German Social-Democrat Martin Schulz insisted: Europe must clearly say that its interpretation of the UN resolution is different to that of the United States, and must not allow international law to bow to considerations of political opportunity (difference in treatment between Iraq and North Korea). Does Europe realise, asked Greek Communist Emmanouil Bakopoulos, the changes that would occur in the world if there was a war in Iraq? It cannot close its eyes and pretend that it is living in a closed world. Greek Socialist Giorgios Katiforis then agreed with Poettering when he said that nuclear weapons must not end up in the hands of irresponsible people: they should not be in the hands of responsible people either, he exclaimed, pleading in favour of the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Simitis replied, confirming: "what interests us above all is peace … but a common position too", common position that foreign ministers will try to define at the 27 January Council.
Simitis also replied to the Greek Communist Alexandros Alavanos, concerned at the co-operation between the Greek Presidency and the Italian one, which is to follow (for me, Simitis is one thing, Berlusconi another, said the MEP), stipulating: the two presidencies agree on the issues, on the programme to follow, but that does not mean that, on substance, the stances coincide on everything.