Mr President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Mr President of the Commission, ladies and gentlemen, during this six-month period, the Council is going to deal with five historic challenges which the President-in-Office of the Council has mentioned. Firstly, enlargement. It is a fortunate coincidence that enlargement to ten is going to be signed in Athens, the cradle of democracy; and in a country such as Greece, which will hold the next Olympic games. Two inventions dating back 2 500 years which are foundation stones of the current Europe. And the Olympics were the first organised system of peace. All they need is access to the airport, but work is being done on that. During this six months, we must finish the first phase of enlargement: the ten countries. And you have also mentioned some other important challenges. Firstly, a reunified Cyprus. We entirely support any action you may take with a view to supporting the policy of Kofi Annan and we believe this is a very decisive step. Furthermore, and you have mentioned this, for the first time, you have in your hands –and I welcome Greece’s intelligent and courageous policy in relation to Turkey – the opportunity to play an historic role in terms of bringing us closer to Turkey. We are counting on your intelligence and flexibility. Secondly, the Lisbon Strategy. In this regard, we have seen that you insist on full employment, on technological development, on training and on social cohesion, which is an essential prerequisite for economic growth and not an obstacle. You have also held the Presidency of the monetary union since the middle of last year. In this regard, I would like to say that it is important that we increase our economic coordination. I am not going to ask you to employ such an interventionist and brutal policy as the United States, but it is important and necessary that Europe can be an economic driving force and end this stagnation. This is one of the Greek Presidency’s responsibilities. I would also address the President of the Commission. Mr Prodi, why do you not propose a world-wide Socrates in order to attract brains? This falls within the competence of the Commission and of course we in Parliament would support a proposal of this nature. In the economic chapter, the Greek Presidency has dedicated a section to maritime security, and following the drama we are witnessing of globalised shipwrecks, which are desolating our coasts – the Prestige being just one more, not the only one – I believe that the Greek Presidency must play an important role. You have more than half the Community’s gross tonnage and plenty of experience. You have spoken of sustainable development and the protection of the environment. All of this must be integrated into a European maritime area, which could be one of the Greek Presidency’s great pieces of work. In terms of the policy on the third pillar, especially on immigration, the Greek Presidency is the first, since Tampere, to propose a proactive policy and not just a repressive one. In this regard, you can rely on Parliament in terms of the proposals you are going to make and I believe that, in this field, the Greek Presidency is showing the right way. With regard to the future of Europe, the Convention has passed its half-way point – as President Giscard d’Estaing reminded us in an article which has appeared today in the press. Under the Greek Presidency, we want the Convention to prepare a draft Constitution. In this regard, both the work of our colleague, Mr Giorgos Katiforis, in completing the social dimension, and of Georgios Papandreu, as an addition to the Presidium of the Convention, are important. Mr President-in-Office of the Council, you must defend the Community method, which has allowed us to come this far, and which can inspire and organise our future. We would also ask you to carefully study the timetable for the inauguration of the European Parliament, so that we can carry out our investiture of the Commission correctly and in a manner which is agreed amongst all of us. Finally, Mr President, with regard to external relations, I would like to say that a war with Iraq can be prevented, that the European Union must speak with one voice and that we await with interest the result of the meeting you are going to hold in Brussels with Hans Blix, the head of the inspectors. You have a very important job: to coordinate four members of the Security Council, plus one candidate, and everything possible must be done so that, within the multilateral and civilised framework of the UN, we can make progress and prevent a war which is not only unnecessary, but also extremely dangerous, and so that we can impose the principles of international law. In this regard, Mr President-in-Office, and I will end here, please also continue an active policy in the Middle East. It is very important, everything is related, and you are our border with that region. It is essential that we are able to re-launch the Middle East peace process. On behalf of the Socialist Group, I would like to offer you our support and I thank you for mentioning the Statute for Members of Parliament and parties, which is a sign of Greek capacity and wisdom. I wish you lots of luck. (Applause)

Political group: PSE