Paris, 30/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - At the opening of the Annual Conference of the Institute for Security Studies of the European Union in Paris on Thursday 30 October, High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana highlighted the complexity of the world which “requires complex responses”. Speaking about the simplistic “clash of civilisations”, “end of history” and “global village” theories, Solana noted that “no dogma, no slogan has stood the test of the complexity of this new century and its challenges”. The world, he said, has entered a new transition phase which needs lucidity, flexibility and the ability to adapt.
Solana highlighted the role played by the EU in the response to both the Georgian crisis and the financial crisis. He stressed the need to adapt international institutions and to involve the emerging powers in this work. However, these crises must not provide the excuse to abandon the challenges of climate change, energy and combating poverty. In answer to a question, he said that the technological innovations needed to respond to climate change could also help take us out of the economic crisis. He noted that Illinois Senator Barrack Obama had also referred to this in a speech, and that the EU had to beware not to allow itself to be outdistanced by the United States if it were to choose to go down that road. There remained regional crises in the Middle East, in the Caucasus and in Afghanistan, and the EU had to contribute to their political resolution. It must, above all, give greater commitment to Afghanistan, he said, stressing that the solution was “political, not military” and that it must involve the countries of the region and especially Pakistan. Solana spoke at length about transatlantic relations, and also the strategic partnership the EU must develop with Russia and China.
Solana said that next weeks US elections offered “a unique opportunity to relaunch the transatlantic partnership”. Europe, he said, should be “ready to assume greater responsibilities, … bring more assets to the table”. The high representative wants Europe to be able to “shape the agenda”, rather than be happy simply to react. He highlighted once again the importance of the Lisbon Treaty for settling institutional issues.
He concluded, “Share and shape. These two simple words could he used to shape European Union policy. Europe … can contribute to greater stability in a complex world of which it is both the origin and the result. Also and above all, it has a desire to protect the most vulnerable and to act against injustices. That is our role as Europeans, to be proactive and responsible players”. (O.J./transl.rt)