Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, HUMAN RIGHTS,

COMMON SECURITY AND DEFENCE POLICY

JOINT MEETING

WITH

MEMBERS OF THE NATO PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

"European Security and Defence Policy after the Helsinki Summit"

MINUTES

of the meeting of 22 February 2000

BRUSSELS

On Tuesday, {22-02-2000}22 February 2000, the joint meeting was opened at 10.10 a.m. by Mr Elmar BROK, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy, and Mr Javier RUPEREZ, President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

***

1. Chairman's welcome

Mr BROK welcomed the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and its President Mr RUPEREZ, as well as the Commissioner Chris PATTEN, to the European Parliament.

2. Introduction

Introductory statements were made by Mr BROK and Mr RUPEREZ on the development of ESDI and the co-operation EU/NATO.

3. Statement by Commissioner Chris PATTEN

Mr Chris PATTEN, Commissioner responsible for External Relations, spoke on i.a. the relationship between the EU and the USA, the Helsinki summit and the Rapid Reaction Facility.

4. Statement by US Congressman Doug BEREUTER

In his statement, Mr Doug BEREUTER, International Relations Committee, US House of Representatives, spoke on the EU's defence capabilities and underlined that decoupling from NATO, duplication of NATO structures and discrimination of NATO countries which are not EU members must be avoided. Furthermore, he raised the question whether in the future the EU would develop a nuclear doctrine. He stressed that NATO should have the 'right of first refusal' when it came to military operations and that ESDI should be institutionalised within NATO.

5. Statement by Ms Catherine LALUMIÈRE, Vice-Chair of the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs

Ms Catherine LALUMIÈRE, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy and Rapporteur on Common Security and Defence Policy, said in her statement inter alia that the EU must have autonomous decision-making capacity when central values and interests were involved and that the EU was too dependent upon the USA.

6. General debate

In the ensuing debate the following spoke:

Mr Markus MECKEL (NATO PA), Mr Daniel Marc COHN-BENDIT, Mr Wim van EEKELEN (NATO PA), Mr Czeslaw BIELECKI (NATO PA), Mr Elmar BROK, Mr Geoffrey VAN ORDEN, Mr Herbert BATEMAN (NATO PA), Mr Giorgio REBUFFA (NATO PA), Mr Armin LASCHET, Mr Tahir KÖSE (Vice-President of the NATO PA), Mr Jiri PAYNE (NATO PA), Mr Franco MARINI, Mr Peter VIGGERS (NATO PA), Mr David PRATT (NATO PA), Mr Tómas Ingi OLRICH (NATO PA), Mr Chris PATTEN.

7. Final remarks and conclusions

An agreement was reached with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on closer cooperation between the two institutions (see annex).

***

The meeting closed at 12.45 p.m. and was followed by a press conference.

Annex:
Press communique

Record of attendance

List of participants of the NATO PA

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT NATO Parliamentary Assembly

Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights,

Common Security and Defence Policy

22 February 2000 For release 12.30 pm

PRESS COMMUNIQUE PRESS COMMUNIQUE PRESS COMMUNIQUE

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee today reached agreement in principle:

·  that the NATO Assembly (made up of 214 national parliamentarians, including delegations from the US, Canada, and six non-EU countries, including Turkey) will in future be represented at the EP’s quarterly meetings with Javier SOLANA, charged with European Foreign and Security Policy, and Foreign Affairs Commissioner Chris PATTEN.

·  that the European Parliament will be accorded a special status in the NATO Assembly - it currently has only observer status - which will permit MEPs to participate actively in the work of the Assembly.

“This is a timely move towards democratising the defence of Europe, and making a start on dealing with the asymmetry of NATO and the European Union, and indeed the mutual ignorance and neglect of the two institutions, “ said Javier RUPEREZ, President of the NATO Assembly, and chairman of the Spanish Parliament’s foreign affairs committee.

Elmar BROK, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy qualified the meeting as “a historical step in building a parliamentary linkage between the EU and NATO”.

“The EU-NATO link is now critical. It is missing at government level. We in the European Parliament and the Assembly are now starting it at the parliamentary level”, said Mr BROK.

“This new relationship with the European Parliament is the logical result of the EU European ambitions to develop our own common security and foreign policy (ESDP), of EU enlargement as envisaged at the Helsinki Council in December, including the eventual membership of Turkey, and of NATO’s own expansion in Eastern and Central Europe,” Mr Ruperez continued.

But no-one – “at least no-one properly informed” – was under any illusion that, for the foreseeable future, such European ambitions would depend on NATO resources and expertise, he said. It was vital that NATO’s effectiveness should not be compromised. One way to secure that was to put in place a mechanism “which ensures that future peacekeeping operations have clear, transparent, democratic, endorsement.”

The agreements reached today, if confirmed by our Standing Committee in April, would begin a new period in EU-NATO relations, said Ruperez. “Astonishingly, these two great Brussels institutions still exist only in parallel, with no institutional relationship at all.”

Further information: Keith WILLIAMS (02) 513 2865 or Edward STEEN 0476 308 722 NAA

Norbert GRESCH (02) 284 3017 European Parliament

PV\405959EN.doc 1/13 PE 285.582

BILAG/ANLAGE/ΠΑΡΑΡΤΗΜΑ/ANNEX/

ANNEXE/ALLEGATO/BIJLAGE/ANEXO/BILAGA

DELTAGERLISTE/ANWESENHEITSLISTE/ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗ ΠΑΡΟΝΤΩΝ/RECORD

OF ATTENDANCE/LISTA DE ASISTENCIA/LISTE DE PRESENCE/ELENCO DEI

PRESENTI/PRESENTIELIJST/LISTA DE PRESENÇAS/LÄSNÄOLOLISTA/DELTAGARLISTA

Til stede
Anwesend
Παρόντες
Present
Presentes
Présents
Presenti
Aanwezig
Lasna
Närvarande / Formandskabet/Vorstand/Προεδρείο/Bureau/Ufficio di Presidenza/Mesa/Puheenjohtajisto/J.L. Presidium: (*)
BROK (P), LALUMIÈRE (VP)
Medlemmer/Mitglieder/Μέλη/Members/Diputados/Dιputιs/Deputati/Leden/Deputados/Jäsenet/
Ledamöter:
BELDER, BRIE, COHN-BENDIT, CUSHNAHAN, DIEZ GONZALEZ, FRIEDRICH, GAHLER, HOFF, KORAKAS, MARINI, NAPOLETANO, OOSTLANDER, SALAFRANCA-SÁNCHEZ NEYRA, SANTER, SCHORI, SOULADAKIS, SPERONI, STENZEL, SWOBODA, TITLEY, VAN HECKE, VAN ORDEN, VÄYRYNEN, WUORI
Stedfortrædere/Stellvertreter/Αναπληρωτές/Substitutes/Suplentes/Supplιants/
Membri supplenti/Plaatsvervangers/Membros suplentes/Varajäsenet/Suppleanter:
AUROI, CARRILHO, CASHMAN, DAUL, ELLES, GEMELLI, McKENNA, LASCHET, PACK
Art. 153.2 / Suppléants remplaçants
Art. 166.3 / BEAZLEY, FATUZZO
Endv. deltog/Weitere Teiln./
Συμμετείχαν επίσης/Also present
Participaron igualmente/
Participaient également/
Hanno partecipato altresi΄/
Andere deelnemers/
Outros participantes/
Muut osallistujat/ Dessutom deltog / Ajouter noms + ev. art. 147.7
(Dagsorden/Tagesordnung Pkt/Ημερήσια Διάταξη Σημεί/Point OJ/Punto OG/Agenda Punt/Ordem do dia-punto/punto orden del dia/
Esityslista Kohta/Föredragningslista punkt):

* (P) = Formand/Vorsitzender/Πρόεδρος/Chairman/Prιsident/Presidente/Voorzitter/Presidente/Puhemies/Ordfφrande

(VP) = Næstform./Stellv. Vorsitz./Αντιπρόεδρος/Vice-Chairman/Vice-Prιsident/Vicepresidente/Varapuhemies

Ondervoorz./Vice-Pres./Vicepres/Vice ordförande.

Til stede den/Anwesend am/Παρών στις/Present on/Prιsent le/Presente il/Aanwezig op/Presente em/Presente el/Lδsnδ/Nδrvarande den.

(1)

(2)

(3)

Efter indbydelse fra formanden/Auf Einladung d. Vorsitzenden/Με πρόσκληση του Προέδρου/At the invitation of the Chairman/Por invitación del presidente/Sur l'invitation du président/Su invito del presidente/Op uitnodiging van de voorzitter/A convite do presidente/Puhemiehen kutsusta/
På ordförandens inbjudan:
MEMBERS OF THE NATO PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY
Radet/Rat/Συμβούλιο/Council/Consejo/Conseil/Consiglio/Raad/Conselho/Neuvosto/Rεdet: (*)
KARAGHEORGOUN (F), SALMI (F)
Kommissionen/Kommission/Επιτροπή/Commission/Comisión/Commissione/Commissie/Commissão/Komissio/Kommissionen: (*)
PATTEN (M), CHEVELLARD (F), HACK (F), LEFFLER (F), LLEWELYN (F), TEBBE (F)
Cour des comptes:
C.E.S.:
Andre deltagere/Andere Teilnehmer
Επίσης Παρόντες/Also present
Otros participantes/Autres participants/Altri partecipanti
Andere aanwezigen/Outros participantes
Muut osallistujat/Övriga deltagare / Ajouter noms autres participants
Gruppernes sekretariat
Sekretariat der Fraktionen
Γραμματεία των Πολ. Ομάδων
Secretariat political groups
Secr. de los grupos politicos
Secr. Groupes politiques
Segr. dei gruppi politici
Secr. van de fracties
Secr. dos grupos politicos
Puolueryhmien sihteeristö
Gruppernas sekretariat / PPE
PSE
ELDR
V/ALE
GUE/NGL
UEN
EDD
NI / secr. Groupe PPE.CALDEIRA DA SILVA, HARTMANN
secr. Groupe Soc.MARASÀ, MOLERES
secr. Groupe ELDR.LECARTE, LEFÈVRE
secr. Groupe V.BERGAMASCHI
secr. Groupe GUE/NGL.
BORGES DE FREITAS, LOCATI
secr. Groupe NI
Cab. du Président / secrétariat Cab. Prés.
Cab. du Secrétaire Général / secrétariat SG
Generaldirektorat
Generaldirektion
Γενική Διεύθυνση
Directorate-General
Dirección general
Direction générale
Direzione generale
Directoraat-generaal
Direcção general
Contrôle financier
Service juridique
Pääosasto
Generaldirektorat / I
II
Unité DH
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII / DG1
LIBERATO, LOWE DG2
NOONAN
DG3BODEN, DEREGNAUCOURT, ESPEJO
FERNANDEZDG4
DG5
DG6
DG7
Contrôle financier
Service Juridique
Udvalgssekretariatet
Ausschubsekretariat
Γραμματεία επιτροπής
Committee secretariat
Secretaria de la comisión
Secrétariat de la commission
Segretariato della commissione
Commissiesecretariaat
Secretaria de comissão
Valiokunnan sihteeristö
Utskottssekretariatet / HUBER, GRESCH, SOURANDER, TELL CREMADESsecrétariat de la commission
Assist./Βοηθός / ALIMONAKI, BRAIDassistante

* (P) = Formand/Pres./Πρόεδρος/Chairman/Prιsident/Voorzitter/Puhemies/Ordfφrande

(VP) = Næstform./Vize-Pres./Αντιπρόεδρος/Vice-Chairman/Vice-Prιsident/Ondervoorz./Vice-pres/Varapuhemies/Vice ordfφrande.

(M) = Medlem./Mitglied/Μέλος/Member/Miembro/Membre/Membro/Lid/Membro/Jδsen/Ledamot

(F) = Tjenestemand/Beamter/Υπάλληλος/Official/Funcionario/Fonctionnaire/Funzionario/Ambtenaar/ Functionαrio/Virkamies/Tjδnsteman

AT 20

GEN (00) 9

JOINT MEETING / REUNION CONJOINTE

DEFENCE AND SECURITY, ECONOMIC,

AND POLITICAL COMMITTEES

COMMISSIONS DE LA DEFENSE ET DE LA SECURITE,

ECONOMIQUE, ET POLITIQUE

Brussels / Bruxelles

Palais d’Egmont, 20 - 21 February 2000

Palais d’Egmont, 20 - 21 février 2000

European Parliament, European Commission, 22 February 2000

Parlement européen, Commission européenne, 22 février 2000

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

LISTE DES PARTICIPANTS

International Secretariat February 2000

Secrétariat international février 2000
Belgium / Belgique

Senate / Sénat

M. Jacques DEVOLDER (Libéral)

M. Theo KELCHTERMANS (Social-chrétien)

House of Representatives / Chambre des Représentants

M. Hubert BROUNS (Social-chrétien)

M. Yvon HARMEGNIES (Socialiste)

Secretary of the Delegation / Secrétaire de la délégation

M. Frans VAN MELKEBEKE

Canada

House of Commons / Chambre des Communes

Mr. Leon BENOIT (Reform)

Mr. David PRATT (Liberal)

Czech Republic / République tchèque

Chamber of Deputies / Chambre des députés

Mr. Vladimir DOLEZAL (Civic Democratic Party)

Mr. Miroslav MACE (Social Democratic Party)

Mr. Petr MARES (Freedom Union)

Mr. Jiri PAYNE (Civic Democratic Party)

Mr. Pavel SVOBODA (Freedom Union)

Senate / Sénat

Mr. Peter MORÁVEK (Social Democratic Party)

Mr. Richard SALZMANN (Civic Democratic Party)

Secretary of the Delegation / Secrétaire de la délégation

Mrs Olga BENDIKOVA

Denmark / Danemark

Folketinget

Mr. Hans ENGELL (Conservative)

Mrs Ingrid RASMUSSEN (Social Democrat)

Secretary of the Delegation / Secrétaire de la délégation

Ms. Lone WISBORG

France

National Assembly / Assemblée Nationale

M. Loïc BOUVARD (UDFC)

M. Arthur PAECHT (UDFC) Chairman of the Civilian Affairs Committee / Président de la Commission des affaires civiles

Germany / Allemagne

Bundestag

Mr. Karl LAMERS (CDU/CSU)

Ms. Heidi LIPPMANN (PDS)

Mr. Markus MECKEL (SPD)

Secretaries of the Delegation / Secrétaires de la délégation

Mrs. Annemarie BÜRSCH (Bundesrat)

Mr. Andreas NOTHELLE (Bundestag)

Accompanying the Delegation / Accompagnant la délégation

Mr. Charles D'ARAILH

Graf Sebastian von EINSIEDEL

Greece / Grèce

Chamber of Deputies / Chambres des Députés

Mr. Theodoros PANGALOS (Socialist)

Mr. Alexandros PAPADOGONAS (New Democracy)

Hungary / Hongrie

National Assembly / Assemblée Nationale

Mr. Mihály BALLA (League of Young Democrats - Civic Party)

Ms. Erzsébet GIDAI (Justice and Life Party)

Mr. István SIMICSKÓ (League of Young Democrats - Civic Party)

Mr. István SZENT-IVÁNYI (Alliance of Free Democrats)

Secretary of the Delegation / Secrétaire de la délégation

Mr. Károly TÜZES

Iceland / Islande

Althing

Mr. Jón KRISTJÁNSSON (Progressive Party)

Mr. Tómas Ingi OLRICH (Independence Party)

Secretary of the Delegation / Secrétaire de la délégation

Mr. Gustaf Adolf SKULASON

Italy / Italie

Chamber of Deputies / Chambre des Députés

On. Cristina MATRANGA (Forza Italia)

On. Giorgio REBUFFA (Groupe mixte)

On. Paolo RICCIOTTI (Forza Italia)

On. Enzo SAVARESE (Alliance nationale)

Senate of the Republic / Sénat de la République

Sen. Giovanni FORCIERI (Parti démocratique de la gauche - l'Olivier)

Sen. Rocco Vito LORETO (Parti démocratique de la gauche - l'Olivier)

Sen. Gian Giacomo MIGONE (Parti démocratique de la gauche - l'Olivier)

Sen. Giulio Mario TERRACINI (Forza Italia) Vice-President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly / Viceprésident de l’Assemblée parlementaire de l’OTAN

Secretaries of the Delegation / Secrétaires de la délégation

Mr. Raffaele MARESCA

Mme Alessandra LAI

Accompanying the Delegation / Accompagnant la délégation

Mme Stefania PEROZZI

Mme Maria PALLAMOLLA

Mme Paola TALEVI

Luxembourg

Chamber of Deputies / Chambre des Députés

M. Nicolas BETTENDORF (Parti démocratique)

M. Willy BOURG (Parti chrétien social)

Secretary of the Delegation / Secrétaire de la délégation

Mme Marianne WEYER

Netherlands / Pays-Bas

First Chamber of the States General / Première Chambre des Etats-Généraux

Mr. Wim van EEKELEN (Liberal)

Mr. Jos van GENNIP (Christian Democrat) Chairman of the Economic Committee / Président de la Commission économique

Mr. Ernst HIRSCH BALLIN (Christian Democrat)

Second Chamber of the States General / Deuxième Chambre des Etats-Généraux

Mr. Jan HOEKEMA (Democrats '66)

Mr. Bert KOENDERS (Social Democrat)

Norway / Norvège

Storting

Mr. John DALE (Centre Party)

Mr. Jan PETERSEN (Conservative) Chairman of the Political Committee / Président de la Commission politique

Mr. Hans ROESJORDE (Party of Progress)

Mr. Gunnar SKAUG (Labour)

Poland / Pologne

Sejm

Mr. Czeslaw BIELECKI ( Election Action Solidarity)

Mr. Longin PASTUSIAK (Democratic Left Alliance)

Mr. Andrzej POTOCKI (Freedom Union)

Mr. Kazimierz POZNANSKI (Election Action Solidarity)

Mr. Miroslaw STYCZEN (Election Action Solidarity)

Senate / Sénat

Sen. Stanislaw JAROSZ (Election Action Solidarity)

Sen. Krzysztof KOZLOWSKI (Freedom Union)

Acting Secretary of the Delegation / Secrétaire de la délégation f.f.

Ms. Anna LABEDZKA

Portugal

Assembly of the Republic / Assemblée de la République

M. Alberto COSTA (Socialiste)

M. Henrique DE FREITAS (Social démocrate)

M. Carlos ENCARNAÇAO (Social démocrate)

M. José LAMEGO (Socialiste)

M. Eduardo PEREIRA (Socialiste)

Spain / Espagne

Congress of Deputies / Congrès des Députés

M. Rafael ESTRELLA (Socialiste) Chairman of the Defence and Security Committee / Président de la Commission de la défense et de la sécurité

M. Manuel MILIÁN (Parti populaire)

M. Javier RUPÉREZ (Parti populaire) President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly / Président de l’Assemblée parlementaire de l’OTAN

Senate / Sénat

M. Mariano ALIERTA (Parti populaire)

M. Ignacio DÍEZ (Socialiste)

M. Andrés LUIS (Socialiste)

M. Manuel VARELA (Socialiste)

Accompanying the Delegation / Accompagnant la délégation

M. Gustavo PALLARES

Turkey / Turquie

Grand National Assembly / Grande Assemblée Nationale

Mr. Oguzhan ASILTÜRK (Virtue Party)