The differences between different EU states and an excellent understanding of their own foreign policy interests should not go against the awareness of a common European community policy. This is the point of view of representatives of the largest faction of the European Parliament – “European People’s Party – European Democrats” (EPP-ED) Gunnar Hockmark and Jacek Sariusz-Wolski.
Despite the fact that the current composition of the European Parliament, according to the deputy chairman of the “European People’s Party – European Democrats” G. Hockmark, can be called “home”, the decisions he makes have an impact not only on the internal life of a particular EU country, but and give a chance to participating states to influence the development of a common vector of “Europolitics”.
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One of its leading directions, according to J. Hockmark’s fellow colleague, the head of the European Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee J. Sariusz-Wolski, remains the question of the future enlargement of the EU itself. “There are two“ groups ”within the walls of the parliament building,” he admits. – The first are acting under the motto “enough”, and this group can be divided into those who consider even the adoption of the countries of Eastern Europe to be too hasty a step, while others suggest stopping the expansion of the Western Balkan region. The latter believe that the latest EU enlargement was the largest foreign policy success for the entire period of the existence of a united Europe, and therefore the EU should continue to export democracy and European values to any country on the continent. ”
The direct position of leading EPP-ED politicians is closer, according to G. Hockmark, to the position of the second. “The enlargement of the European Union opens up opportunities for Europe to stability and prosperity, which would not be available to us under a different development of events,” he develops the thought of a party member. – But let’s look into the future. We need not only to rest on our laurels, but to be prepared for the challenges that a constantly developing world challenges us outside the borders of the European space – I mean, first of all, such states as China and India. And I mean not only economic indicators, but also the protection of our own European values in politics, culture, everyday life. ”
“Russia is another challenge facing us,” he considers it appropriate to emphasize especially the deputy chairman of the largest fraction of the European Parliament. – The current Kremlin behaves in Europe in a way that it has never behaved before. The actions of the Putin regime are no longer directed “inside themselves”, but “outside”: the situation on the issue of Kosovo or the situation in Georgia is confirmation of this. Therefore, we should not be “introverts”, but “extroverts”. The victory of pro-European forces in Serbia is one of the options for answering this challenge: Serbian society itself was able to answer the question of whether it connects its future with the East or the West. It is becoming clearer that solving the problems facing us is only necessary through joint efforts – including such a question as, for example, energy security. ”
Politics, Economics, Sports
Another issue, directly, from the point of view of EPP-ED members, related to the demonstration of European unity, is the development of a common position regarding China. “Of course, there are pessimists who say that the scale is incommensurable: if we can’t influence Minsk in any serious way, how can we influence Beijing,” recognizes J. Sariusz-Wolski, head of the European Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee. – But this does not mean that we should give up and come to terms with the existing situations. I believe that after the end of the Olympic Games we will have to reconsider our attitude towards it. ”
According to J. Sariusz-Wolski, the first thing that the European Union has to do first of all is to pay more attention to the coordinated actions of the European structures and the EU member states. “As far as I know, five heads of state and their governments refused to participate in the official opening ceremony of the Olympics: Estonia, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom and, if I am not mistaken, France,” he lists. – After all, China does not organize the Games in the name of the beauty of sports as such. He needs them in order to receive a “political blessing for economic success”. That is why China needs to see as many VIPs in the stands as possible. The only thing we can do for the benefit of those Chinese who are in prison on political charges or are already dead is to clearly say: “No, not at our expense, not at the expense of our names and our presence.”
At the same time, J. Sariusz-Wolski places particular emphasis on the fact that he does not fully understand those who call for talking not about an economic boycott, but only about a political one: it seems to him hardly possible to separate the two components of this issue. “Such a division, in my opinion, is rather irrational,” he states. – In any case, the steps we have taken so far have nevertheless brought a definite result. In particular, it became known about the Chinese side’s readiness to begin negotiations with the Dalai Lama: although, I admit, talking about how serious this intention is is very difficult. ” “Few could believe in their day that the Berlin Wall would fall,” he adds. “Who knows, maybe the time will come, and the Chinese will fall.”
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