Examination of Witnesses (Quesitons 20-22)
HE Mr Wolfgang Friedrich Ischinger and Mr Michael
Siebert
30 JANUARY 2007
Q20 Lord Bowness: Ambassador, the
Presidency programme says that you are going to focus on strengthening
and developing the European Neighbourhood Policy extending relations
with Russia and Central Asia. Can you tell us something about
these proposals, particularly in regard to any extension of the
Neighbourhood Policy to the Black Sea region, and how that fits
with your plans regarding Central Asia. When we were in Berlin
we heard a great deal about European Neighbourhood Policy-plus
for the Eastern neighbours. Are these still part of your proposals
or have they fallen to pressure from other Member States with
greater interests in the Mediterranean?
Mr Ischinger: Given the shortness of time, I
will try to offer a reply that is brief but I hope still satisfactory
in substance. It is the German Government's belief that if we
want to work constructively with those countries in our neighbourhood
who do not have today, or maybe will not have in the future, either
an opportunity to become, or an interest to become, members of
the European Union, the best way forward is to enhance existing
arrangements for Neighbourhood Policy. It is true that the German
focus, when we started to think about it, was primarily directed
at the obvious lack of a proactive EU approach in the area of,
say, the Black Sea countries and also, in particular, Central
Asia. I do want to say that we recognise the fact there can be
no meaningful progress in terms of enhanced Neighbourhood Policy
of the European Union, if we started to differentiate between
east and south, we would immediately create two opposed blocs
within the EU and we would block one another. In other words,
we do not only want, but we need to keep an adequate east-south
balance as we look at our resources and our options. That is why,
in terms of objectives, we believe that we should create a specific
focus on the Black Sea region. With regard to the Black Sea region,
that means in particular that we want to offer the Black Sea bilateral
neighbourhood partners additional incentives and opportunities
to create regional co-operation amongst themselves in much the
same way as 10 years ago when we began to create incentives for
countries in the Balkans, some of which, even though they were
neighbours, did not even have bridges across which they could
meet one another or borders that were not open. That is the Black
Sea. I have already mentioned Central Asia and, in particular,
Kazakhstan. It is our hope that we can pursue the enhancement
of the EU's Neighbourhood Policy without linking this offer to
an EU accession perspective at this time for all the reasons which
we discussed a little earlier in our meeting. I do think that
today's meeting in Berlin with the President of Kazakhstan may
turn out to be an important test of how far their interest goes
and how far we may be able to get with some of these countries
because obviously there are not only opportunities to explore
economic co-operation, there are also more complex issues, such
as human rights-related issues, to be considered if we try to
establish a closer dialogue, including political co-operation.
Chairman: Thank you very much. I suppose
it would be fair to say that since some 4 per cent of the world's
entire energy reserves are recorded in the Caspian area and in
Central Asia, it would be rather sensible of you to have a joined-up
policy on that. We now come to, if we may, the final question
and I am afraid it will have to be a very brief question and a
very brief answer.
Q21 Lord Sewel: The CAP health check
is due in 2008 and the budgetary review in 2009. The Finnish Presidency
has already carried out some informal discussions with Member
States on the health check. What plans does the German Presidency
have to take that forward? How radical do you see the health check
as being?
Mr Ischinger: We do not expect the Commission
to present their proposals on the health check before the autumn
of this year. In other words, there will not be, as far as I can
see, anything on our table during our Presidency, that is why,
unfortunately, my answer may not be totally satisfactory. We do
not see much of a concrete opportunity to move the health check
issue forward during our Presidency. I suppose it will have to
happen mostly during the succeeding Portuguese Presidency.
Q22 Chairman: Thank you, Ambassador.
We have reached the end of our meeting. That was a very succinct
answer to a straightforward question. On behalf of the whole Committee,
may I thank you very, very warmly. You answered our questions
in such a detailed fashion and so clearly. This is enormously
helpful to us and we shall watch the progress of the Presidency
with great interest. We wish Germany all the best during their
six-month Presidency. Thank you so much to both you and Mr Siebert.
Thank you.
Mr Ischinger: Thank you for your patience.
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