Mr President, in the shadow of the debate about a looming war in Iraq and in the light of the growing scepticism about the prospect of any kind of common European foreign policy at all, there is a danger that many people are going to lose sight of what the European Union has actually managed to achieve in Macedonia. I mention the traditional means: diplomacy, the prevention of conflicts and, when that succeeded, investment in the reconstruction of both infrastructure and institutions. From today or from very soon the European Union, is going, at last, I would say, to be able to add a third means to this and that is the sending of servicemen under the EU flag. In the whole debate about the possibility and desirability of a European foreign policy the mission in Macedonia is often dismissed as insignificant, a mission that means nothing and from which we must not draw undue conclusions. I do not agree with this viewpoint or with this dismissive gesture. I think that the Macedonian model, where the European Union has been able to deploy all its diplomatic, financial and military capabilities, can be an example worthy of imitation in many countries of the world. Of course it was only a small-scale conflict. Of course it is only a limited military presence, but the fact that the EU is now able to use the whole range of options is a symbolic big step forward which – once again, in the shadow of the present debates about Iraq – we are in danger of forfeiting at our peril. In addition to the fine words about what can be done, two warnings. These have already been referred to by my fellow Members. We in the European Union cannot continue in future to send servicemen without any parliamentary control whatever being exercised. All of us present here know that it is impossible either for national parliaments or for this Parliament to influence the mandate and the progress of this mission, or of future missions. We cannot go on this way. Let us be honest, it is and it will be a hugely difficult point. I would therefore in any event like to ask Mr Papandreou, on behalf of the Council, to pursue the widely shared view here in Parliament that this is certainly a good start, but will only be a good start if it is followed by greater parliamentary control, preferably by the European Parliament. If that succeeds, if a start is made on that and if that is accompanied by a better financial policy and better control of the means for such operations, then that really will be a breakthrough, my fellow Members, without parallel. Then the European Union will finally be able to intervene with a wide range of options, preferably to prevent conflicts and if necessary to manage crises. Allow me to conclude with a few words about the dreadful murder of Prime Minister Djindjic in Serbia. This murder clearly shows that the problems there are still far from being resolved and also makes clear that the efforts of the European Union are still needed on Serbia’s tortuous, oh so tortuous, path to democracy. I therefore fervently hope that the Commissioner will be able to go to Serbia to put to the Serbian Parliament his message of solidarity with the democratic forces in Serbia. Let us actually hope that in Serbia the traditional means, that is diplomacy and reconstruction, will suffice and that we do not need to move to the use of this new means the EU has at its disposal.

Political group: Verts-ALE