MEPs exchange views with Catherine ASHTON, EU High Representative and EC Vice-President, on the development-related aspects of the European External Action Service, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Brussels

exchange of views

interinstitutional relations (T)

GOERENS, Charles (Renew, LU)

European External Action Service

DE KEYSER, Véronique (S&D, BE)

STRIFFLER, Michèle (EPP, FR)

ASHTON, Catherine (UK, EC)

Development-related aspects of the European External Action Service: extracts from the exchange of views with Catherine ASHTON, EU High Representative and EC Vice-President

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/18955826/ebs73609Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (English), Catherine ASHTON, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, What I think it's significant about post Lisbon is that we are able to operate and to have development to the core of what we do. In that context we have to be able to do more than what we did before. An example of that is in the past we weren't able to join up the different aspects of our work as effectively as I believe the post Lisbon world will allow us to.

SOUNDBITE (French), Mich&#232;le STRIFFLER (EPP, FR), The crises in Haititi and in Pakistan demonstrated that the military capacities are useful to support the civil protection and the humanitarian aid. The RDR slow directives and their own guidelines stipulating that the military resources have to be used as a last resort, when there is no other civil possibility to meet humanitarian aims. What do you plan to table to outline how that going to be this coordination between the EEAS and the European commission when dealing with a large-scale crises.

SOUNDBITE (French), V&#233;ronique DE KEYSER (S&amp;D, BE), Concerning the Sudan question in particular, when we were in the election observation mission in Sudan in April at the beginning we have had some difficulties in the relations with the UN. It was specifically the fact that UN refused for our observers to go in the UN hospitals, to be hosts of component camps of UN and to be part of an evacuation plan in case of emergency. That has been solved out with an agreement, a mutual understanding but at the end of the mission. Do you think that for the referendum in January - if the referendum will take place - the relations with the UN will be cleared out and we will have, as observation mission, the full collaboration of the UN. This is highly important for the security arrangements for the next January mission in Sudan.

SOUNDBITE (French), Charles GOERENS (ALDE, LU), The cooperation for development have specific and noble finalities. we are serving a goal, not only using assets. There might be within the EU conflict situations when the demarche of the development pool is constraint by the demarches of a different department of the same organisation . How will you set out this kind of conflict case?

SOUNDBITE (English), Catherine ASHTON, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, The question will always be, when there will be very difficult disasters , and certainly there will be some if not many. And certainly we have to make shore that we use all of the assets we have to the best effect.

SOUNDBITE (English), Catherine ASHTON, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, Critical is to have this right with the UN . it's vital. You cannot do this without the security. You would not take a team, I would not let you! We absolutely have to get that right. I've spoke with president Mbeki yesterday, incidentally about engaging with him and his corp of activities and perhaps we can agree with him to make sure that this will work extremely well.

SOUNDBITE (English), Catherine ASHTON, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, I don't want there to be a conflict between EEAS and development, because development is on the heart and the core of that service. I have difficulties imagining the circumstances in which we will find ourselves in conflict. That not because I'm naive, it's simply that is not in any way for me to have achieved the objectives of the Lisbon treaty if we find ourselves with a conflict.