Athens, 17/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Conference which met in Athens on Thursday brought together the Heads of State or Government and/or the Foreign Ministers of 40 European countries (EU Fifteen, the ten acceding countries, the three candidates, five Balkan States, the four members of European Economic Area, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and Russia). It came to an end with the adoption of a joint declaration that stresses their "determination not to tolerate any new dividing lines" in Europe and to promote enhanced cooperation between the future enlarged EU and its future neighbouring countries. The conclusion must be closer political ties and gradual integration of the neighbouring countries in the economic and social structures of the EU, with a view to creating an area of stability, prosperity and social progress, the declaration states.
Speaking to reporters, European Commission President Romano Prodi, whose recent communication on good neighbourly relations after enlargement (see EUROPE of 12 March, p.6, 13 March, p.10, and 15 April, p.6) was the basis of discussions in Athens, used an expression he is keen on for describing the future links with European countries that either do not want or that cannot join the EU: "we must share everything with them, except our institutions". This also implies, in time, the setting in place of a vast European free trade area in which the four freedoms would apply (freedom of movement of persons, capital, services and goods). "We do not have an enlarged European Union to exclude other countries of Europe, quite the contrary. That is our message today, and I hope it will be understood", Mr Prodi said after the meeting.
In a shorter term outlook, it is important to ensure that the neighbouring countries are able, in concrete terms, to "take advantage" of EU enlargement and the new opportunities that it will provide for them. In this respect, the leaders of the 40 countries decided, in Athens, that priority should be given to actions that have a direct effect on the life of all citizens, such as: - promotion of common values, mainly respect of human rights, fundamental freedoms and rule of law; - preventing and fighting common threats on security, including organised crime, the trade in human beings, terrorism and transmissible diseases; - promoting mutual investment and trade, the opening of markets and gradual integration into economic structures; - supporting integration into the world trade system; - promoting sustainable development through environmental projects to combat crossborder phenomena such as climate change or water pollution; - ensuring interconnection of transport, energy and telecommunications networks (trans-European networks); - strengthening cultural cooperation, the free movement of ideas and individual contacts; - and promoting transnational and crossborder cooperation in a maximum number of different areas.
European Council President Costas Simitis told reporters that the implementation of these priorities requires "flexible instruments" without new agreements having to be signed with the countries concerned. The current contractual context between the EU and its neighbouring countries is, he believes, sufficient at this stage (the potential of agreements being far from exhausted), but "value added" is sometimes necessary. Each of the cooperation measures should also take the individual specific features of each of the countries into account as they often have very different points of departure and ambitions, Mr Simitis stressed.
Among the many speeches made at the European Conference, also attended by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan (see below), we essentially note that by Turkey's Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül, who felt Turkey could have a key role in the neighbourliness policy of an enlarged EU. On one hand because Turkey is itself a candidate country and, on the other, because it has "special relations" with many of the EU' neighbours, especially in the Balkans. "Turkey is determined to play an active part in the promotion of democracy, stability, prosperity and security in an enlarged Europe", Mr Gül assured. President of the Swiss Confederation Pascal Couchepin took advantage of his participation at the European Conference to underline the fact that the enlarged EU will have at its side "Switzerland, which is not an island but a reliable friend and partner, open to ever closer cooperation", which also actively supports closer ties between the EU and its neighbours to the East. "Switzerland's EU membership is not a realistic short term option, but could be so in the longer term", Mr Couchepin said, adding that Bern is seeking to pursue closer cooperation in the "largest number of fields possible". The Head of the Government of Liechtenstein, Otmar Hasler, felt the European Economic Area (EEA), including Liechtenstein (together with Iceland and Norway) which has been a member for seven years, could serve as an interesting model for future relations between the enlarged EU and its neighbours in Eastern Europe, including as an "antechamber" with a view to membership at a later date.
. The President of Serbia and Montenegro, Svetozar Marovic, reiterated the will of his people to one day join the EU. He declared that "We are determined to succeed on our road to the large and powerful European family. The signature of the Accession Treaty on Wednesday has further strengthened our determination to attain in its entirety, our European integration". Koffi Annan considered that the enlarged European Union could make an "even more decision contribution to the progress and stability in the world". He stated that this contribution would be "more than necessary, as in this new century most of the threats weighing on peace and security are global". The UN Secretary General stressed that for the good of the whole planet, the European Union and UN had to work together. Kofi Annan said that he was disappointed to see at the moment of this unprecedented European enlargement, that "a Cyprus that still remained divide was entering the Union", but he also said that the was convinced that his plan for a settlement in the island was "fair and balanced" and should in the end serve as a basis for settling the conflict (see below). He repeated that, "An exceptional occasion has been missed but I do not doubt that a settlement will be found. The only thing that is missing is the necessary political will". He also said that he understood the EU's aspiration for a "peaceful and stable" environment and referred to the, "bitter conflict at your doors, pitting Arabs against Israelis" and which is a "very worrying subject for your and your Russian neighbours, your US partners and, in fact, the whole world". he explained that that was why the UN was working so hard with them at the Quartet. Mr Annan declared that h was convinced that "We currently have a road map that will lead us to the right place" and insisted that it was urgent t to persuade the two parties that it was in their interest to apply this "road map" and not pose preliminary conditions for the other side but by advancing together to peace.