Madam President, following the collapse of socialism and the break up of the Soviet Union, a race is on to divide up the new markets and wealth of the former countries and to redistribute the markets already divided up. So there is acute competition both between the Member States of the European Union and with the USA. At the same time, an all-out attack has been launched within the European Union on the rights acquired by the workers. In order to achieve these objectives, the European defence and security policy, which the Morillon report deals with, is being promoted. Naturally there are pretexts: conflict prevention, crisis management and so on. The truth is that a European army is being created, with mercenaries with modern training and weapons, whose mission is to defend the interests of big business wherever it has put down roots and wherever ΝΑΤΟ orders it to intervene. Of course, as the Morillon report clarifies, there is no question of cutting off relations between the European Union and ΝΑΤΟ and the USA. On the contrary, it talks of mutual reinforcement and close cooperation with ΝΑΤΟ, which is considered to be the indispensable bond that links the USA to European security interests. It also says that this could not be otherwise because, among other things, the majority of the Member States of the European Union accounts for the majority of the members of ΝΑΤΟ which, however, is ruled and guided by the USA. These bonds alone would be enough to prove the real nature and mission of the famous ESDP. The people, we can be sure, harbour no illusions. They have bitter experience of ΝΑΤΟ and have already experienced the policy of the European Union on security and defence issues. The proclamations made after September 11 – ‘we are all Americans’ – are still ringing in their ears. The people recently watched the Member States of the European Union sign the new aggressive NATO policy in Prague on preventive attack, which is precisely what the American and British imperialists are doing in Iraq today and will do anywhere else, if the people let them. Besides, they know that, although the proposals to step up armaments by increasing military forces may guarantee the future profitability of the European arms industry, it bodes no good whatsoever for their security, for people's incomes or for peace. It is shameful that these proposals have been and are being made by the Greek Government, which shamelessly prides itself on the fact that the war machine will be ready before the end of the Greek Presidency. This is not a defence and security policy, it is a policy of aggression and insecurity, which is precisely why this policy is contrary to the vision of our people, who are fighting against it. The crime being perpetrated in Iraq as we speak again gives us a picture, after Yugoslavia and Afghanistan, of the purpose of these policies. Our people are demanding a diametrically opposed policy, a policy of peace, of peaceful coexistence of nations, of differences resolved without resorting to violence and war, a policy of disarmament and peace. It is certain that they will impose this policy, however much their opponents react.

Political group: GUE-NGL