Solana urges for reunification of Europe, for Turkey's European identity and for an "avant-garde"

Agence europe, January 28, 2000

In a speech delivered on 14 January at the "Seminar Fernandez Ordonez" (after the name of the former Spanish Foreign Minister), the Secretary General of the EU Council/High CFSP Representative Javier Solana spoke of several aspects of EU external action. We give below a few of the key passages from his speech.

"Defence of human rights is our common interest, not only for moral reasons but also political and economic reasons. One of these rights, and probably the most fundamental, is the right to life. As a European and a citizen of the world, I shall continue to work for the abolition of the death penalty. I am pleased that the Union is at the head of this campaign. I trust it will present a draft Resolution along these lines at the next United Nations General Assembly".

"Some may doubt the capacity or the interest of the Union to successfully face up to the challenge of reunification of Europe. I believe that, like the Cecchini Report on the "cost of the non-Europe" which had mobilised our public opinion two decades ago in favour of the single market, it is urgent and necessary to open, today, a debate on the "cost of non-enlargement" (...) The inclusion of Turkey as an applicant country presented specific difficulties (...) Its accession will contribute to enriching the Union and consecrate the European identity of this country. Once we have accepted it, we must help it on its way (...) Turkey has always chosen to play a responsible and committed regional role in favour of security of Europe. The acceptance of its European identity is essential for ensuring that Turkey continues to choose this option, which is vital for the security and stability of our continent".

"Consolidation and extension of Community policies to new fields will be more difficult in an enlarged Europe. For this reason we must open the possibility for an avant-garde of Member States to advance more rapidly. The experience of the Economic and Monetary Union or of Schengen shows that this is possible (...) no Member State must be excluded from later participation in the avant-garde group".