Brussels, 10/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - The EU-United States summit came to an end on Tuesday 10 June in Brdo, Slovenia, with the adoption of a joint declaration in which Europeans and Americans restate their readiness to strengthen their “strategic partnership” anchored on “common values” in order to meet the most serious global challenges together. “We seek a world based on international law, democracy, the rule of law and human rights, strengthened by broad and sustainable market-based economic growth”, the declaration stipulates. It was signed by US President George W. Bush (for whom it was the 8th and last summit), the president-in-office of the European Council, Janez Jansa (Slovenian Prime Minister), EU High Representative Javier Solana and President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso. Although, in the past, transatlantic relations have gone through “times of difficulty” - this being an allusion to the war in Iraq - both parties remain convinced that “transatlantic unity” is essential if the major problems of the planet are to be resolved. “We stand stronger when we stand together especially in meeting new global challenges”, the leaders say in their joint declaration.
“It is really important for the United States to stay close to the EU. It is in our interest to have a strong partnership with Europe (…). I hope my successor will understand that”, Mr Bush said during the final press conference. Mr Jansa thanked the United States for the determining role it played in post-war development of Europe and, in particular, during the fall of the Berlin Wall, allowing the Central and Eastern European countries - including Slovenia - to find their rightful place in the EU. “Today, the views of Americans and Europeans sometimes differ, for example over the death penalty or climate change, but our partnership allows us to discuss the matter and seek solutions to our problems”, the president-in-office to the European Council said.
As envisaged (EUROPE 9677), the summit has not really allowed progress on the controversial themes of the moment, such as climate change or extension of the visa waiver programme (VWP) to all EU member nations. On climate change, “we, within the European Union, consider that compulsory restrictions (on CO2 emissions) are important” to achieve a global agreement, Mr Jansa told reporters. The United States is against quantitative targets if emergent countries, like India and China, do not have to follow suit. Despite it all, Mr Bush considered an international agreement on reduction of CO2 emissions possible by the end of his term of office in January 2009. “I think we can actually get an agreement on global climate change during my presidency”, he told the press. In their joint declaration, both parties express the hope of reaching an agreement under the aegis of the UN by the end of 2009 (Copenhagen conference).
The joint declaration adopted during the Brdo summit is made up of three main chapters:
1) Transatlantic partnership. At the economic and commercial level, the creation in 2007 of the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC) allowed considerable progress to be made in work with a view to doing away with non-tariff barriers to trade and investment between the United States and the EU, which enjoy the most significant bilateral economic relationship in the world, the leaders welcome in their declaration. Both parties undertake to combat any form of protectionism and to promote an “open” trade environment for fostering mutual investment. To this end, bilateral dialogue on investment (EU-US Investment Dialogue) will be strengthened further. With regard to the visa waiver programme (VWP), the joint declaration simply stresses that “all EU and US citizens should benefit from secure visa-free travel between our two continents”. “Significant effort” has been made to this end, with a view to extending the VWP to all EU member states. The United States remains committed to extending it as soon as possible. A number of new member states may join the VWP by the end of this year, the declaration states.
2) Global challenges. In this chapter, the declaration takes stock of the Doha development agenda (WTO), climate change, energy security, Millennium Development Goals, Africa, education and the fight against HIV/AIDS and other diseases. As far as the Doha Round is concerned, Europeans and Americans reaffirm their willingness to reach a “prompt, ambitious and balanced” agreement allowing the creation of new access to markets, while promoting development and reducing poverty. All WTO member nations called for significant contributions to be made to take negotiations in Geneva forward towards a breakthrough on modalities “in the next few weeks”, and a global agreement sealed “as a matter of urgency”. On climate change, both parties say they are “conscious of the need for all countries, including major economies, to take responsibility for addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, energy security and efficiency”.
Both parties say, too, that they will continue to seek a global agreement on tackling climate change through the Major Economies Meetings and the G8. They also undertake to work through the UN to find an agreement by the end of 2009 (Copenhagen Conference).
3) Global security, peace, human rights and democracy. Under this heading, the two parties take stock of the major international issues, including: - Western Balkans. There is a welcome for the “commitment” given by the EU to extend membership to all of the countries of the Western Balkans “as soon as the necessary conditions are met”, as there is for the recent NATO decision to offer membership to all the Balkan countries; - Kosovo. Both sides want to contribute to the security, stability and regional integration of Kosovo, which must develop into a democratic and multi-ethnic society. The US is ready to cooperate with the EU to ensure a “smooth transition” from UNMIK to the EU police and rule of law mission EULEX; - Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are encouraged to continue their reforms to meet European standards. The three countries' European and Atlantic “aspirations” are welcomed. The US and EU reiterate their commitment to the territorial integrity of Georgia (this is a reference to the tension in Abkhazia and South Ossetia) and call on all sides, and “in particular on Russia”, to support these principles; - Russia. The United States and the EU acknowledge the “important and constructive role” that Russia should have on the international stage. At the same time, Moscow is called on to “meet its international commitments” (Council of Europe, OSCE) on human rights, democracy and privacy; - China. Both Europeans and Americans acknowledge the “growing role” of China on the international stage and encourage Beijing to “assume a greater role” in helping tackle global problems, such as climate change, the instability of the international financial system, sustainable development and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. China is also called on to seek greater regional integration, to allow its citizens to enjoy human rights and to find a diplomatic and peaceful solution to the recent unrest in Tibet; - Middle East peace process. The United States and the EU support the efforts of all parties involved in the peace process to find a political agreement before the end of the year, as provided for in the Annapolis Conference; - Iranian nuclear programme. Tehran has to comply with international obligations, including the full and verifiable suspension of enrichment, and full cooperation with the IAEA. The international community's “dual track approach” is re-affirmed: on the one hand, there is the offer of cooperation with Tehran if it complies with its commitments, and, on the other, there is the threat of further UN Security Council sanctions. “We are ready to supplement the sanctions with additional measures,” including against Iranian banks, the summit declaration states and it condemns, too, the deterioration in the human rights situation in Iran; - reform of the United Nations. The UN has to be stronger and more effective, say the Americans and Europeans, and they undertake to support “effective multilateralism”; - international terrorism. Both the US and European sides want to make sure that their efforts to tackle terrorism are compatible with their obligations under international law. Both sides also agree that tackling international terrorism “raises important legal questions”. The transatlantic dialogue on these questions has brought increased “mutual understanding” and helped them work together “more effectively”, says the joint declaration, which also refers to the delicate issue of the protection of personal data (see related article). (H.B./transl. jl/rt)