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Statement by Commissioner Benita Waldner on the Sharm El
Sheikh conference
Sometimes chance delivers a coincidence of events, which
evokes a fortuitous symbolism. Today is one of those
occasions. On the day I take up my duties as European
Commissioner for External Relations and the European
Neighbourhood Policy, I will find myself first in the
monthly meeting of Europe’s foreign ministers: a fitting
reminder of the absolute necessity for Commission and
Council to work hand in hand in the burgeoning area of
External Relations. Then in the evening, I fly to Sharm
el-Sheikh for an international conference on Iraq that will,
as not quite ever before, bring together the international
community in the interests of a better future for this new
partner.
An auspicious start for a new Commissioner: flying south to
seek a fresh start for Iraq, together with High
Representative Javier Solana and a number of Europe’s
foreign ministers, all joined in a common endeavour: to
support Iraq in its political transition towards a stable,
democratic future.
Getting everyone on board for any policy is not a simple
undertaking in our vast Union of 25, but there are no longer
passengers who hesitate about the direction of this
particular plane. Individual Member States have taken
different decisions about how to contribute to the
reconstruction of Iraq, but I don’t know of a single one who
does not think that Europe should be involved. It is a
question of matching ambitions and resources and of creating
an appropriate framework for co operation.
The European Commission is already a major contributor to
Iraq’s rehabilitation, and I intend to carry on that work.
With an allocation of €320 million over 2003-4 we have made
a start in the areas that make a real difference to the
people of Iraq: restoring services, jobs, paving the way for
democracy. My first pledge as Commissioner is to build on
that foundation with a further €200 million next year, if
the budgetary authorities agree.
My first priority is to support the preparation of the
elections that are due to be held in January 2005. Through
the Commission, European taxpayers are supporting the work
of Iraq’s independent Electoral Commission, helping to reach
out to voters, especially women, with information about this
unfamiliar process of democracy, providing technical
expertise, equipping polling stations, training Iraqi
election observers, supporting the free media and many other
activities without which a credible election cannot take
place.
To my mind, the €30 million support for the preparation of
elections is well spent. People ask me if we can hold
elections with the security situation as it now stands. I
ask how we can change the security situation without the
prospect of a government truly chosen by the Iraqi people.
That is why I believe it is essential that polling take
place in January, without postponement, and above all that
voting must take place in all parts of the country.
And let my first message as Commissioner to a partner
country be: I hope all Iraqis, regardless of religion or
ethnicity, will participate in these elections. A fair deal
for Iraq, true freedom for Iraq, will require truly
competitive elections with leaders and voters from every
quarter.
In Sharm el Sheik, the whole international community,
including all Iraq’s neighbours, will join in showing their
backing for a sovereign and stable Iraq. I hope the meeting
can be a step towards broader participation in the political
transition, and the success of the political process. The
United Nations must play a leading role in that process, and
the EU will continue to support the UN in its efforts to
rebuild the State institutions.
Of all the challenges before us, one of the most important
is to encourage and support Iraq’s neighbours in taking
shared responsibilities of stabilising the region. Their
early agreement to respect Iraq’s territorial integrity was
an important first step. Now the EU should seek to support
the next steps. Helping build greater co operation in the
fields of border and customs co operation would be an
excellent an example of what the EU can offer.
The EU is offering Iraq more than money. In this initial
period, cash matters, of course. But we are holding out the
prospect of a relationship that will be important long after
Iraq has regained the capacity to pay its own way. It is an
offer of partnership: in reconstruction, in trade, in
democratisation, in welcoming Iraq back into the family of
nations, as a full and valued member.
My ambition is to see our relations with this turbulent
state normalised, and expressed, eventually, in a Political
and Trade Co operation agreement such as we have with other
partners around the world.
I know very well there is a long road to travel to the Iraq
I would like to see, but trust me for this: I will ensure
that the European Commission takes all the steps in its
power to bring us closer to that goal.
(Benita Ferrero-Waldner)
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