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Wednesday Plenary: Washington relations, security, defence debate

Institutions - 05-06-2008 - 11:25
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4 June: Europe's foreign policy chief Javier Solana makes his point

4 June: Europe's foreign policy chief Javier Solana makes his point

Europe's relations with Washington ahead were the subject of a debate in parliament on Wednesday of an EU-US summit next week. Security and the need for parliament and Congress to have closer links were stressed. The day also saw MEPs debate two reports on Europe's emerging security, defence and foreign policy with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, including the effect of climate change on international stability. Measures against illegal fishing and forced prostitution were also debated.

EP President Hans-Gert Pöttering opened the session drawing the attention to "Green week" which is taking place at the European Parliament in Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg.
 
EP-Congress links stressed ahead of EU-US summit
 
Transatlantic partnership, global challenges and security measures are some of the items on the agenda for the annual EU-US summit in Slovenia on 9-10 June. In the debate several speakers emphasised the importance of closer links between parliamentarians on both sides of the Atlantic.
 
British Conservative James Elles said that "we need to build some forms of common approach to the security dimension and begin to match that (European Security Strategy) up with US security strategy". He added: "We now need to plan for a transatlantic assembly where you can get the main legislators on both sides of the Atlantic to talk to each other and come to common initiatives together."
 
For the Greens, German MEP Cem Özdemir stressed the "need to strengthen the parliamentary dimension, which means involving the US Congress and the European Parliament".
 
EU foreign policy: new era of Lisbon and emerging threats debates
 
Debating two reports on the EU's foreign, security and defence policy with the Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Javier Solana, many speakers emphasised the importance of the Lisbon Treaty. Mr Solana said the main point of the Treaty is to make EU work efficient and visible, especially in foreign and security policy. "The first priority for all of us is to get the treaty ratified".
 
The report on the Common Foreign and Security Policy was drafted for the foreign affairs committee by Chair, Polish MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (EPP-ED),while  German Socialist Helmut Kuhne drew up the report on the implementation of the European Security Strategy.
 
There was agreement by the rapporteurs and Mr Solana that "new" and emerging security threats needed to be weighed up - namely effects of the climate change on international security, energy security, illegal migration, information security.
 
Many MEPs took to the floor to stress the importance of stability in the Western Balkans and the need to strengthen Europe's Neighbourhood policy, which deals with relations with non EU states.
 
Wednesday also saw debates on the need to combat illegal fishing and forced prostitution (see separate stories). Retail financial services also featured.
 
 
REF.: 20080530STO30467

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