Sommaire: 1 September 2008, Brussels - Members of the European Parliament debated the situation in Georgia following Monday's extraordinary European Council meeting.
Most MEPs underlined the need to respect Georgian territorial integrity, said that Russia's reactions were disproportionate and called for a boost to the EU's neighbourhood policy. The need to move away from dependence on Russian energy supplies was also underlined.
Most MEPs condemned Russia's recognition of the South Ossetia and Abkhazia, while others questioned whether Georgia's initial action was appropriate. MEPs will vote on a resolution on Wednesday.
Council - French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner
The EU must take a balanced position on the crisis in Georgia, adopting a firm stance while keeping channels of communication open, MEPs heard today from French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner, speaking on behalf of the Council Presidency immediately after the extraordinary European Council. However, he said EU leaders had decided this afternoon to suspend talks on a new EU-Russia partnership agreement until Russia withdrew its troops.
Mr Kouchner pointed to the six-point agreement mediated by the EU in August, which had been only partly observed by Russia since it had not fully withdrawn its troops. He then turned to the key conclusions of today's EU summit, which included firm condemnation of Russia's unilateral action and support for every country to choose its foreign policy and its alliances.
The EU would also help Georgia rebuild its economy and consider creating a free trade area with the country. By contrast, while not wanting to isolate Russia or move towards a new Cold War, the EU would now suspend talks on the new EU-Russia partnership agreement until Russia withdrew its troops to their pre-August 7th positions. Moreover, institutional cooperation with Ukraine would be stepped up.
Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner spoke first of the practical aid the EU had already provided: €6 million from the Commission plus €9 million from the Member States to cover urgent needs. A further €15 million would probably be needed for reconstruction, plus another €110 million to help the 22,000 displaced persons.
The Commissioner stressed that there could be no "business as usual" with Russia. Like Mr Kouchner, she was keen to maintain "communication" while also "sending a signal". Thus, existing processes should continue but no new initiatives should be started. Above all, she argued, "the EU has a legitimate interest in the region" because of the Neighbourhood Policy. The crisis had also underlined Europe's need for a coherent energy policy.
Political groups
On behalf of the EPP-ED group, Joseph DAUL (FR) described the situation in Georgia as "intolerable" and said Russia had "flouted the fundamental principles of international law". Europe must "use its political and economic clout" to pressure Russia into an immediate and total withdrawal from Georgian territory. Negotiations on a partnership agreement must be reviewed.
He also said the crisis showed the EU's weakness. Its energy supplies were at risk and it must look for alternative supplies. A European defence policy should also be a priority, and the Lisbon Treaty would help on this point. He concluded by saying that "Georgia does have a genuine EU and NATO vocation", and that "relations with Ukraine must be taken forward rapidly".
Hannes SWOBODA (PES, AT) reminded MEPs that mistakes had been made by the West and by Georgian President, Mikheil Saakashvili, but this did not excuse Russia which had exploited the situation for its own ends.
The EU should concentrate on helping its neighbours and helping to strengthen its neighbourhood policy. Russia is strong at the moment because of energy prices, he argued, but this may not last and Russia also has a lot to gain from proper co-operation with Europe. "The conclusions from today's Summit are good," he said, "but we now have to go for what is achievable and I hope the European Parliament will come up with similar conclusions to the Council."
Graham WATSON (ALDE, UK) agreed that it was important to condemn Russia's actions, but argued that "we will not persuade the Russian bear by backing President Medvedev into a corner"
He acknowledged that there are different views among the Member States over the way forward, but said that the six-point plan negotiated with Russia needed now to be fully implemented.
The EU needed now to make both sides listen. He called for the EU to convene a trans-Caucasian peace conference and called for an end to the "anomaly whereby Georgian citizens with Russian passports have freer access to the EU than those who do not".
Finally, he argued, Russia must face the consequences of its actions even if this means questioning the decision to hold the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Konrad SZYMAŃSKI (UEN, PL) said that three out of six points in the plan agreed with the French Presidency had not been implemented by Russia, making it "not fit to be a partner of Europe."
"Political and economic isolation leading up to presidential elections in 2012 is the only way to divide leaders in Moscow", he argued.
Daniel COHN-BENDIT (Greens/EFA, DE) suggested Europe should look at its fundamental relationship with Russia and at the whole approach to dealing with problems in the Caucasus. He argued that it will be impossible to move forward politically if we discuss the idea of Georgia and Ukraine joining NATO.
He also asked how we should control the actions of Georgian leader Saakashvili. "What the Russians did is unacceptable. But it is also unacceptable to bomb a city."
He suggested a privileged partnership with both Georgia and the Ukraine as a first step towards future participation, but argued that "we have to get rid of nationalism from the region" otherwise there would be no end to the violence. He recalled the words of former French President Mitterrand: "Nationalism is war".
Francis WURTZ (GUE/NGL, FR) said that adopting either a pro-Georgian or pro-Russian position was to take Europe up a blind alley. He criticised Saakashvili who, since his election in 2004, has talked about revenge against secessionist regions and taken his alliance with George Bush to extremes: "This strategy has been disastrous for Georgia and for Europe".
On the other hand, Russia has everything to lose if it heads isolation, he argued.
He agreed that observers should be sent in the context of the OSCE, but pleaded for a new pan-European treaty for security and co-operation dealing with non-rearmament, respect for borders and security of energy supply. Finally, he reminded members that 1 September is the International Day of Peace.
Bernard WOJCIECHOWSKI (IND/DEM, PL) said that he came from a country (Poland) which had suffered war and was in favour of peace everywhere. The East European states including the Baltic States wanted Russia to pay for its actions. The EU needs Georgia, he said, but it may need Russia even more. "The EU should not be party to this conflict and take sides. The EU needs an independent policy in relation to the US." Russia, he recalled, was the EU's third largest trading partner, and could we let
this relationship suffer. He said the European Parliament was not a co-legislator on foreign affairs and question whether the voice was really being heard when "everything had already been done."
Sylwester CHRUSZCZ (NI, PL) said that the situation in Georgia was linked to the situation in Serbia and Kosovo. Breaking up Serbia was opening Pandora's box. Abkhazia and South Ossetia, he said, have their own cultural identities and were denied independence by Stalin. He said that Georgia's action depended on its friends. The international community should revisit its decisions on Kosovo. If the US can act in the Balkans, then Russia has the right to act in the Caucuses.
UK speakers
Jim ALLISTER (Northern Ireland, UK) said that the EU had shown ambivalence towards Georgia. Russia was "hardly shaking in its boots over the EU's divided reaction to Russian aggression". Mr Allister feared that Georgia would not be the end to this crisis, is Ukraine next in line he asked. The EU must move away from dependence on Russian energy.
Christopher BEAZLEY (EPP-ED, UK) said (in French) congratulated the French Presidency on its firm stance and united EU policy which was not the case in 2003. (In English) The crisis was not only about Georgia, it is about values and whether Russia shared them, he said. If Russia does not withdraw its troops from Georgian territory it would not be possible to have an open dialogue. The EU can not surrender its values; investors were now withdrawing their finances from Russia due to Russia's
instability. It was necessary, he said, to re-examine the Olympic Games in Sochi and the Nord and South stream pipelines.
Charles TANNOCK (EPP-ED, UK) said that Russia's actions were disproportionate, the EU needed to offer aid for the reconstruction of Georgia, and increase efforts on visa facilitation. NATO membership for Georgia should be supported and the EU must break Russia's stranglehold on energy supplies to Europe. The EU should support the White Stream pipeline that passes through the Caspian via Georgia and the Ukraine.
| Haut |
Etats Membres de l'Union Européenne
Alertes par e-mail
Envoyer par e-mail
Imprimer cette page