The three priorities” “

Ukraine, Turkey, Aids: these were the three issues that dominated the parliamentary session in early December in the parliament building in Brussels. The Assembly wished to add further voice to the EU’s refusal to recognise the results of the recent presidential elections in Ukraine, and to call for a new ballot. MEPs also insisted on the need to defend democracy in the country, respect the will of the people and find a peaceful solution to the institutional crisis. THE EU A PROTAGONIST IN SOLVING THE UKRAINIAN CRISIS. The debate in the chamber was rather heated and many MEPs presented themselves with orange scarves and ribbons as a sign of solidarity with the Ukrainian people. Atzo Nicolai, on behalf of the European Council, opened the discussion, declaring that the Twenty-Five do not intend to “sit on their hands”. The current Dutch Presidency of the Council – he said – “had been in close contact with the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the USA and Russia”, inviting “all sides to show moderation and to express themselves in a non-violent way”. An essential role is being played in this delicate political phase by Javier Solana, EU foreign policy chief; the parliament has also decided to send an 11-man delegation to Kiev. “Respecting the unity of Ukraine is essential for a peaceful solution of the conflict – added Nicolai -. The situation requires a political response and respect for the rule of law”. In the Council’s view too, “a re-run of the second round of the elections is needed”. NegoTIATIONS WITH TURKEY: UNCERTAIN SITUATION. Discussions among the EU institutions on the possible opening of negotiations on Turkey’s membership meanwhile remain heated. A draft document ruling on the matter, drafted by the current Dutch Presidency, had been circulated in recent days, and will be submitted to the examination of the summit on 16-17 December, in which the heads of state and of government of the Twenty-five will take a decision. Various positions are being canvassed in this rather “fluid” phase. Negotiations with Turkey could be effectively begun, albeit prospecting a lengthy negotiating phase (at least ten years) and underlining the need for a series of legal, economic and social reforms needed to respect the “Copenhagen criteria”, to which each state wishing to become a member of the EU must conform. They include, of course, respect for the rule of law, human rights and minorities. Ankara would also be obliged to impose restrictions on the circulation of its own workers within EU frontiers. The draft document, on which Dutch premier Jan Peter Balkenende has worked, praises, however, the “decisive steps forward made by Turkey in its process of reforms”. Another hypothesis that is circulating would be aimed at not giving a go-ahead to negotiations, presupposing instead a reinforcement of the partnership Ankara has already enjoyed with the Community since 1963. The Foreign Affairs Commission immediately rejected this hypothesis. But every decision on the matter is being deferred to the forthcoming summit. Aids, A CONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION IS PASSED. The EP approved a Resolution, intended to coincide with the celebration of the International Day for the campaign against Aids. It places the emphasis on the need to intensify the efforts against the spread of the disease, especially in the poor countries and among women. But the Resolution also proposes some solutions that are more than debatable. According to the Parliament, effective responses need to be given to a virus that has caused, ever since it was discovered in 1981, 20 million deaths and each day claims more than 8000 victims. At the present time almost 40 million people are living with problems linked to HIV or Aids, of whom 25 million in sub-Saharan Africa. This is also an illness that causes various other tragedies (it is enough to think of the 12 million orphans). It is also drawing the attention of many pharmaceutical companies, given that it requires very expensive drugs. The EP appeals to the EU on various fronts. First it wants greater allocations for the treatment of Aids sufferers and for research. But two controversial passages of the Resolution did not escape notice. First, the Resolution “deplores the fact that for many years the prejudices prevalent in some circles on the use of prophylactics have prevented the necessary attention being paid to the problem of Hiv/Aids”. Second, the Resolution invites the EU “to continue to privilege the questions relating to sexual and reproductive health through the financing of family planning programmes” and to “encourage the use of condoms in combination with other methods of contraception”. These words aroused doubts in many MEPs and will undoubtedly prompt counter-positions.