Debate during the plenary session of December in Strasbourg on the preparation of the European Council meeting of 15 and 16 December 2016 with a focus on the security and defence. Statements on the situation in Syria and the Council discussions on security and defence. Statements by Ivan KORCOK, Slovak State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Gianni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), Syed KAMALL (ECR, UK), ECR Group leader, Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), ALDE Group leader, Ska KELLER (Greens/EFA, DE), and Nigel FARAGE (EFDD, UK).

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

Strasbourg

debate

common security and defence policy (T)

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

PITTELLA, Gianni (S&D, IT)

JUNCKER, Jean-Claude (LU)

FARAGE, Nigel (NI, UK)

KAMALL, Syed (ECR, UK)

KELLER, Ska (Greens/EFA, DE)

European Council meeting 15 December 2016 (T)

KORCOK, Ivan (SK)

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 15 and 16 December 2016: security and defence

SOUNDBITE (English), Ivan KORCOK, Slovak State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, We all follow with grave concern the dramatic developments in Aleppo and the situation is tragic and unfolding very quickly. To allow for humanitarian access, let me stress, an evacuation of those in need is key as well as cessation of hostilities and issue of accountability for violation of International Law.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ivan KORCOK, Slovak State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Talking about security, citizens, of course, need to feel protected and this is true for internal security, just think about external borders or terrorism. And of course, this is very much valid for defence as well. Here a big responsibility lies with national governments but EU can bring added value.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, What we need to do is to strengthen the European defence capabilitiesand build a real Euroepan Union of Defence. And there are a number of things we need to do in order to deliver this. First of all, we need to wotk more closely together with NATO. We already work very closely with NATO, for example in the Mediterranean, and in the area of cuber security.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, We spend 200 billion Euro alone on defence but this means we have only 12 or 15% the efficacy of the Americans, because there is too much duplication of effort and not enough inter-operability. It is in our every interest that we establish a strong industrial defence base here in the EU. And this is why the Commission has put forward a European Defence Plan, in order to invest in defence research, investment in security  and bring together the Member States so that they invest collectively in defence equipment and in aligning standards.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, The situation in Aleppo despite recent events is grave. There are reports of slaughter, of children trapped under collapsed buildings. I call on the parties in war to cease war at least for a moment, at least long enough to recall the humanity and to allow the civilians, the women, the children, to leave that great ruined city in safety.

SOUNDBITE (German), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), EPP Group leader, A third of the dead were children according to a UN estimate, so it is clear to us as the EPP that, appeasement policy to Russia is not an option. Putin has blood on his hands.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Gianni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), S&amp;D Group leader, We would also like to share our thoughts with Aleppo. We have said before and we say this again, with determination and with pain, we need to see humanitarian aid, we want to see dialogue and we strongly condemn Russia.

SOUNDBITE (English), Syed KAMALL (ECR, UK), ECR Group leader, On security, instead of thinking that we have all the solutions in Brussels or in Strasbourg, how about learning from what works in our local communities. Learning from anti- radicalisation projects in London, Aarhus or Mechelen. Learning from local jobs clubs and projects helping our long-term unemployed into work. Learning from local projects that help refugees to integrate into their new surroundings in many towns and cities

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), ALDE Group leader, My request to you and to the Council is: What are you going to do about it? You're going to deplore it like we all deplore it here, but you have the power to do something more. What you could do is say "well, we need to do treating cease-fire, we need to have the free entrance of humanitarian aid to Eastern Aleppo and three, we need to sit around a table to find a political solution and if those who don't want to do it, don't do it, we, the European Union, launch a number of sanctions. Towards Russia, towards the Assad regime, towards Iran, because it is their commandos for the moment who are doing these atrocities inside Aleppo. That you can do!

SOUNDBITE (English), Ska KELLER (Greens/EFA, DE), Greens/EFA Grouep leader, On external security and defence, it seems that you just want to throw out more money and more papers with fancy tittles. And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with fancy titles, money is urgently needed elsewhere. We need it for investment, we need to fight unemployment, we need to have it for social justice, and by the way, we would have also so more money available if the Council would finally get serious about tax evasion.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nigel FARAGE (EFDD, UK), UKIP Group leader, Mr. Juncker used Donald Trump's magnificent victory to say well, that means that NATO won't be here anymore, we have to do this ourselves. Is what you said, and I think this is a huge and dangerous error. Trump is not a threat to NATO. He wants it to be redefined, and he wants the members to pay their way.