EU-Russia - SPIEF2016 - Speech by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker
EN - EU-Russia -
SPIEF St. Petersburg International Economic
Forum 2016 -
Opening ceremony speech by
Jean-Claude Juncker,
President of the European Commission - 16.06.2016 -
Saint Petersburg, Russia.
"
President,
Prime Ministers, Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
INTRODUCTION: THE REASONS FOR PRESIDENT JUNCKER'S VISIT
I would like to thank the Forum for its invitation, and to thank also all the people you never see who have organised this event. This year marks your
20th anniversary, and I offer you my congratulations and best wishes for the future.
Over the last two decades, this Forum has become a meeting
point for business and politics. This year is no different. You have brought together more than 800 politicians and business leaders from every corner of the globe.
First, I would like to say a few words about why
I am here today.
We have those who like the idea I am here and those who do not like the idea that I am here. But I like the idea that I am here
.
In the coming weeks, the
European Union and its
Member States will hold a number of important meetings. We will spend many hours talking about our relations with
Russia. I take the view that we must also talk with Russia – its leadership, its people.
For some this may be a radical idea, for me it is common sense.
From the start of my life in politics, I have always worked to build bridges and for dialogue.
I believe that the
peace and prosperity of humankind lie in openness and exchange. They are not declared in a treaty but built by ordinary men and woman in daily life.
People who live, work and trade together have little desire for war.
INTERDEPENDENCE AND THE NEED FOR DIALOGUE
The programme of this year's Forum tells a story.
Migration, climate change, inequality, cybercrime… These are the great challenges of our
21st century. They demand cooperation between all nations who aspire to peace, prosperity and social justice.
This is true not only because we cannot solve these problems alone. It is true because – in the world of 2016 – our economies and our societies are more intertwined than ever before.
The European Union and Russia are no exception.
Millions of people communicate and trade each day.
Russian citizens receive more Schengen visas than anyone else: over 3 million in
2015. And even in 2015 we exchanged goods and services worth 210 billion euros.
And this is far more than a question of trade.
Today, and in spite of our differences, the European Union works with Russia to tackle a number of global issues and regional conflicts, ranging from the fight against terrorism to the nuclear programme in
Iran, and the conflict in
Syria.
And so, this is our starting point: we are interdependent.
The question is what we want to make of it. We could simply accept it as our fate – the fate of geography. Or – like me – we can see it is a shared responsibility, which calls on us to work together and use our power wisely.
But first we need to have a frank conversation about where we stand today.
The illegal annexation of
Crimea and
Sevastopol, and the conflict in and around eastern
Ukraine put the relations between the European Union and Russia to a severe test.Russia's actions have shaken the very principles of the
European security order.
Sovereign equality, the non-use of force and territorial integrity matter. They cannot be ignored.
But even before these dramatic events, our ties were strained.
The EU's efforts to engage and explain were not always welcomed or accepted
. (...)
COMMON VISION FOR THE FUTURE; HOW WE GET
THERE
Ladies and
Gentlemen,
I believe we have a choice to make. It is true that history has often divided our peoples. Even as the twentieth century recedes into the past, its shadow lies across us still. And yet, in spite of our heavy burden, we are free to choose our path into the future. (...)
But our path must begin with Ukraine. The
Ukrainian people have decided which kind of future they want for their children, and everyone must respect that.
Russia is party to the
Minsk agreements. It has made commitments and put them on paper, as have the other signatories. Therefore, the next step is clear: full implementation of the agreements. No more, no less.This is the only way to begin our conversation, and the only way to lift the economic sanctions that have been imposed.
And let me be clear. On Minsk, the European Union is united. And so is the G7.
A stable and democratic Ukraine that continues its economic transition can only be good for Russia: good for the
Russian economy, good for
Russian businesses and good for Russian citizens.
But a stable Ukraine, at peace with its neighbours, offers a greater prize still. It offers a vision of how the entire region might develop for the good of all. (...)"
Full speech here: europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-16-2234_en
.htm
© Frédérick Moulin 2016 - EU2016 -
European Commission -
All rights reserved.