EU Presidency Statement - 55th Session of UNGA [1/3]

Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary-General,
Heads of State and Government,
Ministers,
Delegates,

I have the honor of speaking this year on behalf of the European Union, which France is presiding until the end of December.

In this capacity, Mr. President, it is a great pleasure for me to congratulate you on your election. It symbolizes the respect that the international community has both for your country and for you.

I would also like to thank your predecessor, Mr. Theo-Ben Gurirab, for his skill in guiding the proceedings of the 54th session of the General Assembly, Mr. Sam Nujoma and Ms. Tarja Halonen for their action, at your side, Mr. President, as co-presidents of the Millennium Summit. I would like to commend the Secretary-General of the Organization, Mr. Kofi Annan. His international action, his independence and his vision have made a decisive contribution to asserting the key role that the UN plays and must continue to play. The European Union wishes to assure him of its support for his work as well as for the Organization and its representatives.

(Millennium Summit)

The Millennium Summit, the unprecedented gathering of heads of State and Government, has allowed us to address the main challenges facing the world community and the role of the United Nations in the 21st century which will begin on January 1, 2001.

The Union notes with great satisfaction that the Summit has resulted in a political document which sets forth a road map for the Organization for the years to come. These guidelines are based on ideas outlined in the report of the Secretary-General. It is now up to the General Assembly to implement them. The Union will contribute actively to this.

(The European Union, the UN and Peacekeeping)

Mr. President,

Peacekeeping, strengthening international security and defending human rights are the central principles underpinning the European Union's foreign policy. Recent crises on Europe's very doorstep have convinced us that we cannot not remain idle when these fundamental principles are being violated. In this regard, the European Union approves of the priority given to peacekeeping during last week's meetings. Mr. Brahimi's report offers an in-depth analysis on this subject.. It presents useful recommendations for the mandates of peacekeeping operations, operational planning in New York and deployment. It presents a unique opportunity to strengthen the UN's capacity for peace operations. The European Union will actively participate in the examination of these recommendations.

The European Union has decided to equip itself to be a major political actor and to play its full role on the international stage. To this end, and within a very short time-frame, it has undertaken decisive measures. New decision-making, action-oriented political and military bodies have been set up: a political and security committee, a military committee, an EU military staff, a situation center and a committee for civilian crisis management. These bodies will enable the EU to intervene quickly and credibly in the management of international crises. The European Union has also announced its intention to establish by 2003 a force of 60,000 troops for international missions involving the whole range of conflict-prevention and crisis-management operations, with the requisite air and naval support for deployment in a theater of conflict within 60 days for a period of at least one year. This autumn shall see the first concrete example of this policy during a conference for the commitment of capability at which each Member State shall pledge its contribution to this joint endeavor. The Union has also set ambitious and realistic targets for developing collective capabilities. In addition to its military resources, it will develop civilian intervention capabilities, including a corps of civilian police, whose contribution to peacekeeping is invaluable. In this connection the Member States have set themselves the goal of being able, by 2003, to provide up to 5,000 police officers, 1,000 of whom will be deployment-ready within 30 days.

These decisions now enable the European Union to complement its already sizable economic and humanitarian programs with the full range of resources required for crisis management. Of course, these activities are designed in full respect of the principles of the UN Charter. Now more than ever, it is vital to establish working ties with the UN. In order to initiate this cooperation, the EU troika shall discuss this issue for the first time with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. On behalf of the EU, I hereby invite Mr. Kofi Annan to go to Brussels for a working meeting with the organs of the Union.

(Regional Matters)
( Middle East)

Mr. President,

The European Union hails the considerable efforts and determination shown by the President of the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli Prime Minister during the latest negotiations with a view to reaching a final agreement between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples. It is particularly pleased at the renewed vigor with which the most sensitive issues have been addressed at this time.

It commends President Clinton and the Secretary of State for their unflagging efforts to facilitate these negotiations. The circumstances favorable to reconciling positions continue to exist. We urge the parties to seize this historic opportunity, to show courage in the decisive choices, to take fully into account the human realities and recognized rights of all, and thereby to achieve a final agreement.

The European Union welcomes Israel's withdrawal from the zone it occupied in southern Lebanon. It welcomes the redeployment of UNIFIL as well as the presence of a joint security force sent to the area by the Lebanese government. It calls on all parties to shoulder their responsibilities in order to quell any tension. All this notwithstanding, the European Union feels that only a comprehensive settlement encompassing every track of the peace process, including the Israeli-Syrian track, is likely to guarantee lasting stability in the region. It shall continue to support the efforts of the parties to this end and contribute to the implementation of any agreements that may be reached.

( Europe)

The situation in the Western Balkans remains a subject of very great concern for the entire international community. The ten years of conflict which have ravaged the region have led to severe human suffering and politically unstable, and therefore dangerous, situations. But beyond the accumulated hardships and lagging economic and social development of many of these countries, all the peoples and nearly all the leaders of the region have realized that it does have a future and that future is called Europe. Today, all Europeans now share the belief that these countries are bound one day to join the European Union.

This is why the European Council has reiterated, in this connection, that its goal is to firmly attach the countries of the region to Europe. This means the greatest possible integration into the political, economic and social current of Europe through the stabilization and association process, political dialogue, trade liberalization, bringing their laws into line with those of the EU and cooperation in justice and home affairs.

The assistance that the EU has provided to the countries of the region over the last ten years- nearly 8 billion euros - is considerable. The EU will continue to sustain this stabilization and association process by giving the Western Balkan countries massive technical, economic and financial assistance as well as by granting them asymmetrical trade advantages in farming and industry very soon, which shall pave the way for the creation of a free trade zone with the European Union. At the same time, in the context of elections concerning almost the entire region, it shall encourage them to develop regional cooperation and to continue to make determined efforts for political, economic and social reform in order to consolidate democracy and human rights, to build the rule of law and lay the groundwork for sustainable development. In this context the European Union has reaffirmed its determination to continue to be the driving force in the Stability Pact which represents a new vision of cooperation between the countries of the region and the international community.

The summit that the European Union and the Western Balkan countries have decided, on the basis of a French proposal, to hold this autumn in Croatia will signal our common resolve to overcome the divisions of the past.

The FRY will not be able to participate in this conference. The nature of its present regime does not allow it. But the Serbs know that they have their place in the European family and that the EU is looking forward to the day when the FRY is in a position to participate fully in the stabilization and association process and recover its rightful place in Europe. The elections on September 24 could be decisive in this respect.

In Kosovo the international community, acting on the basis of Security Council Resolution 1244, has delivered praiseworthy results. Thanks must be given to all those who have made this possible in spite of enormous difficulties, especially the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, the staff of the UN and the soldiers of KFOR, the many international organizations present on the ground and the NGOs. The first democratic elections for municipal authorities in Kosovo, to be held in a few weeks' time, constitute a major step in the implementation of Resolution 1244. I forcefully reiterate that the international community will not allow unacceptable acts of violence, whatever their motivations, to cause the democratic electoral process underway to fail. We will not let extremists from whichever faction sabotage the work accomplished over the past year under the aegis of the United Nations.

(Cyprus)

The European Union considers that the status quo in Cyprus is unacceptable and supports the efforts of the Secretary-General to reach a negotiated, comprehensive, fair and lasting settlement consistent with the relevant Security Council resolutions. It reiterates its commitment to stability and prosperity throughout the Mediterranean region. With talks beginning right here under the auspices of the Secretary-General, it invites the parties concerned to enter into substantive talks.

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