Debate: Situation in Belarus - Situation in Lebanon - Situation in Russia, the poisoning of Alexei Navalny
Date: TUESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2020
Speaker: Josep Borrell Fontelles
Language: EN

We are using all the tools that we have at our disposal to contribute to the end of the violent repression that has been developing in Belarus after the elections, which we don’t consider to legitimise Lukashenko. We support a peaceful and democratic solution to the crisis through political engagement, restrictive measures, increased support to civil society and an independent media. This is what we can do and that’s what we are doing. Don’t ask for things that are out of the competences of the European institutions. Sometimes you ask for a decision that belongs to the Member States for which, I’m sorry, but I cannot feel responsible.  I try to work within the framework of the European institutions’ treaties and the capacities we have. And, believe me, it’s not always easy. We are still discussing about the sanctions in Belarus, and my main purpose is to try to approve them with an agreement on the technical working groups of the Council, in order to have it approved before European Union Council. But we will continue engaging on the situation in Belarus, with all the tools at our disposal. On Lebanon, we will require Lebanon to implement reforms. Helping to ensure the stability of the country and the stability of the region. We will allocate the resources we have, but you know that we are at the end of the financial perspective, and as long as we don’t have new resources, we cannot do more than we are doing.  Some of you ask about changing the position on Hezbollah. For the time being, the EU position on Hezbollah remains unchanged. The military wing of Hezbollah is on the sanctions regime. The presence of Hezbollah in the government is not new, and we are convinced that engaging in a constructive dialogue with all political parties gives the possibility of strengthening its institutions, including the Lebanese Armed Forces and the state security agencies, and this is key for the stability of Lebanon and the Middle East. But in order to change the position on Hezbollah, it would require, once again, unanimity from all Member States, and this is not the case. Finally, on the situation in Russia, and in particular about Mr Navalny, we continue calling on Russia to investigate this crime through a fully transparent procedure under the auspices of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. For sure, we can expect that the poisoning of Mr Navalny will have an impact on European Union-Russia relations. We are going to discuss that at the next Foreign Affairs Council.  Some of you talk about the possibility of this affecting Nord Stream 2, well this is the once again something that is out of the possibilities of the European institutions. What I can tell you is that the Commission has never shown a lot of enthusiasm for this gas pipeline. The Commission does not consider it a relevant infrastructure priority, but it is something that is up to the Member States that have been pushing for this infrastructure to be built. This is apart from the scepticism from the Commission, which has never shown a strong support for it.  And finally, about the possibility of a sanction in Russia with a kind of Magnitsky-style regime. Since I took office, I immediately launched a global human rights sanctions regime, which has been discussed once again in the last Foreign Affairs Council. Discussion continues in the Council, legal acts are currently being drafted. I hope that what has happened with Mr Navalny will represent encouragement for the Member States to stop discussing and start acting, and approving this human rights sanctions regime. In the same way that the Americans speak of Magnitsky legislation, we could call it our Navalny sanctions regime. This would be a good way of taking stock of what is happening and to keep on the record for the future the fact that Mr Navalny’s name is associated with a sanctions regime for people who have violated human rights.