Deense Ministers Søvndal en Wammen zijn deze week aanwezig in het Europees Parlement (en)
Minister for Foreign Affairs Villy Søvndal will participate in three debates in the European Parliament on Wednesday 14 March on behalf of High Representative, Vice-President of the Commission Catherine Ashton i. The debates concern the recent presidential elections in Russia and the situation in and EUs relations to Kazakhstan and Nigeria respectively. During the presidency, Minister for Foreign Affairs Søvndal plays a crucial role in support of the High Representative, not least because of her vast agenda and responsibilities.
”Recently, I went to Nigeria on behalf of Catherine Ashton to negotiate our relations with Nigeria and to talk about the worrying security developments in the country. We reached a good understanding with the government in Abuja on reinforcing our cooperation on security and in particular on counter-terrorism efforts. There was a great interest from the Nigerian side in benefitting from the EU's experiences. We also had a good dialogue on the plans of the Nigerian government for economic reform and combatting corruption. There is no doubt that the future of Nigeria depends on the ability of the Government to combat poverty and ensure a more equal distribution of resources. Now I am finishing that task by taking stock with the European Parliament of the situation in Nigeria - Africa’s most populous nation,” says Villy Søvndal.
Minister for European Affairs Nicolai Wammen will participate no less than six times during the plenary session Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday he will participate in two debates on discriminatory internet sites and government reactions and on addressing the EU diabetes epidemic. He will also answer an oral question from Parliament on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF). On Wednesday he will participate in three debates on enlargement with Iceland, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina respectively.
”I see the enlargement processes in the Balkans as crucial elements in fostering stability in a region of Europe previously so affected by war. I am therefore very happy that we in December could sign the Accession Treaty with Croatia and just two weeks ago could grant candidate status to Serbia. I am also satisfied that The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are making progress on their files. Both these countries need to continue work on several points, and we are talking to them about that. But I do expect that this will happen,” says Nicolai Wammen.
The plenary assembly of the European Parliament starts on Monday 12 March and ends on Thursday 15 March.