Ana Gomes, rapporteur. − Mr President, I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate my colleague, Ms Giannakou, on her report. Her philosophy and her approach to the matters dealt with there very much coincide with those of my own report – which has been adopted by the Committee on Foreign Affairs and on which we will vote tomorrow – on the maritime dimension of the CSDP. The thinking is similar, as are the concerns: with the resources needed for pooling and sharing these capabilities and the need to plan for the future. These things are essential, as it is essential to actually understand the major threats and challenges.

I also want to thank my colleagues for all their contributions. I very much agree with what Mr Danjean said about financing for the CSDP and all the effort in terms of equipment and the capabilities that will have to be acquired. I strongly share – and this is in the report – Ms Meissner’s view about the need for a European coastguard. I very much welcome the kind words by the Presidency, highlighting the contribution of this report.

I also welcome most of the criticisms because they stem from a point of view which is anti-CSDP and against a Europe for defence and security. I believe that this Europe for defence and security is essential, not just for European citizens but actually for the world. I see, and I believe in, Europe as a global provider of security and of respect for international law. Obviously, everything advocated in our reports must be conducted with due regard for international law and, in the case of the maritime dimension, for the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

I take issue with one of the criticisms by my colleague Mr Bütikofer – who is no longer here – who accused me of imperial nostalgia. I am sorry that he does not know this, but I fought against colonialism in the old days of the dictatorship and the colonial time, and I do not accept this kind of criticism. I hope he does not have to eat his words if, one of these days, a cruise ship of vacationing German citizens is the target of a terrorist attack somewhere in the middle of the ocean, maybe in an area under the control of my country which, despite being the third country of the EU as a maritime economic zone and the tenth in the world, does not actually have the capability to deal with a major terrorist attack if it occurs in our waters. That is exactly why we need Europe. I hope he does not need to take back what he said and regret the alliance that he has apparently formed with Mr Van Orden and Ms Lösing, who are normally against the CSDP. Pardon my French:

les grands esprits se rencontrent.