Paet: European Union Expects Afghan President Karzai to Fulfil Campaign Promises
17.11.2009
On Monday, 16 November, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet participated in
the meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels, where they
discussed developments in Afghanistan. At a joint meeting of the
European Union foreign and defence ministers with NATO Secretary
General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, opportunities for intensifying EU-NATO
co-operation were discussed. The foreign ministers also spoke about the
future of the Lisbon Strategy.
The European Union foreign policy leaders discussed developments in
Afghanistan with the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for
Afghanistan Kai Eide, and they agreed that new president Hamid Karzai
must begin to fulfil his campaign promises immediately following his
inauguration on 19 November. “After the long, drawn-out election
marathon, it’s essential that an effective, far-reaching and
trustworthy government is formed which will be willing and capable
enough to face the problems standing before it in the nation,” noted
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet. The European Union foreign ministers agree
that the new government must take on considerably more responsibility
in resolving problems that have already gone on for years, including
fighting against corruption, and to quickly begin working out a plan to
address the existing challenges. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated
that while preparing for the parliamentary elections that will
presumably take place in 2010, it is important to analyse the elections
that took place in August of this year in order to avoid the same
mistakes and to better co-ordinate military and civilian co-operation.
In the meeting with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen,
the topic of discussion was how to make European Union-NATO
co-operation more effective, particularly in crisis management. Foreign
Minister Urmas Paet said that NATO-EU co-operation at the moment is
modest compared to the potential of the two institutions together. “In
order to ensure Euro-Atlantic security and the general enlargement of
the secure zone, we must use our existing resources and opportunities
more rationally,” asserted Foreign Minister Paet. The European Union
foreign policy leaders emphasised the vital importance of European
Union and NATO co-operation in achieving stability in Afghanistan,
keeping in mind the need for co-operation in both civilian and military
reconstruction work. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet believes that an
appropriate form and common ground for co-operation must be found
between two missions with very different roles, the European Union
Police Mission (EUPOL Afghanistan) and the NATO Training Mission
(NTM-A), on both the regional and local levels.
The European Union foreign ministers discussed the future and
direction of the Lisbon Strategy—the so-named “continuation strategy”.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said that the European Commission is
currently working out the new strategic draft legislation “European
Union 2020”. “In the current economic situation, in addition to
continuing to work out strategies for exiting the crisis in the member
states, it is also essential to continue re-organising economic
structures and making reforms, as is stated by the Lisbon Strategy,”
acknowledged Foreign Minister Paet. “The new strategy should focus on
economic growth and employment and address the effect of climate change
on competitiveness,” Paet elaborated.
More information:
Marika Post, press spokesperson, Estonia’s Permanent Representation to the EU
+32 474 98 16 57
