PRESS RELEASE 17.03.2007
JOSCHKA FISCHER ADDRESSES EGP COUNCIL AND CALLS FOR COMMON EU FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY
The EGP Council in Berlin got off to a very lively start on Friday evening when Former German Foreign Minister, JOSCHKA FISCHER spoke to a large audience about the direction the EU should take as it tries to recover from the crisis arising from the failure to agree on a Constitutional Treaty.
Mr FISCHER was speaking at Humboldt University , the same venue where he gave a speech in 2000 which started the debate on the need for a Constitutional Treaty.
In a passionate speech, JOSCHKA FISCHER said that if the EU is to recover its self- confidence and be taken seriously by Global powers, namely the US , then the only solution is to establish a Common Foreign and Security Policy .
He went on to say that it is imperative that the current controversy surrounding US plans for anti-missile bases in the Czech Republic and Poland be discussed at EU level.
Responding to the Speech, EGP Co- SPOKESPERSON ULRIKE LUNACEK said,“We in the EGP would agree that there is an urgent need for a Common EU Foreign and Social Policy. However, we argue strongly that such a policy should not give too much emphasis to military spending and much more emphasis should be given to Civil Conflict Prevention programmes and crucial social issues such as Human Rights and Women´s issues, „
EGP Co-SPOKESPERSON PHILIPPE LAMBERTS went on to say ,“ Of course the EU must not attempt to be a Global Superpower like the US but it is perfectly possible , and indeed necessary, for us to be a Global player. We as Europeans need to mobilize ourselves , and the Global Climate Change challenge can be the catalyst that mobilization requires.„