EP debatteert met Hoge Vertegenwoordiger over lopende zaken Europees buitenlands beleid (en)

A range of issues, from EU visa liberalisation for the western Balkans and Kosovo to relations with Cuba, Afghanistan and the EU's strategic partners around the world were discussed on Wednesday by the Foreign Affairs Committee with EU foreign policy representative Catherine Ashton i.

In her opening statement, Ms Ashton highlighted her three priorities: the launch of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European neighbourhood policy, including relations with the western Balkans, and the strategic partnerships.

Kosovo

During Wednesday's debate, MEPs raised the question of visa liberalisation for Kosovo. Ulrike Lunacek (Greens/EFA, AT) emphasised that Kosovars will soon be the only citizens in the western Balkans who will not have "freedom of movement" to travel to the EU. Pointing to the collapse of Kosovo's government, Kristian Vigenin (S&D, BG) asked Ms Ashton "How do you see the dialogue after the collapse?". Charles Tannock (ECR, UK) warned that Kosovo could be "a kind of Taiwan in Europe".

"We are looking towards Kosovo visa liberalisation", said Ms Ashton, and to other "practical issues that are going to make changes in the life of citizens". Kosovo "met some of the conditions" but more still needed to be done before negotiations could be opened, she added.

Cuba

Turning to countries outside Europe, José Ignacio Salafranca (EPP, ES) asked "Do you agree with your predecessor Solana that the Cuban government has to do more than free some prisoners?". "Please bear in mind the Parliament's resolutions" on the issue, he emphasised.

"Council said we should have a period of reflexion" and "we will be talking very quietly about the issue", said Ms Ashton. "The position [on Cuba] has not changed", she stressed, referring to the Council's decision not to change the EU common position. "The message is that we should reflect. It is not more than that", she added.

Afghanistan

On Afghanistan, Anneli Jäätteenmäki (ALDE, FI) asked for an update on civil operations. "What would we like to achieve before an exit from Afghanistan?", she asked. The High Representative stressed the importance of non-military operations in Afghanistan, such as empowering women, institutional building, police training, education and microfinance.

EU-US relations and data protection

Ernst Strasser (EPP, AT) wanted to know if data protection would be a priority in the negotiations with the United States, ahead of the EU-US Summit that takes place in Lisbon on 20 November. Ms Ashton promised that data protection was "part of the ongoing discussions" with the US and that they were "very interested in this dialogue and in the best way to provide information".

When asked whether Wikileaks would also be discussed at the summit, Ms Ashton preferred not to comment "at the present time" on the allegations made by Wikileaks.  

EU ambassadors

Regarding the appointments of EU ambassadors, Alexander Mirsky (S&D, LT) wondered why Latvia and Estonia were not represented.

"I have only done the first round of EU ambassadors (...) I cannot do it in one go", she said, and referred to the need for geographical balance. "You just have to be patient a bit longer", she added.

In the chair: Gabriele ALBERTINI (EPP, IT)

27.10.2010