Address by Mr Thomas KLESTIL, President of the Republic of Austria

30 January 2003

President,
Members,
Secretary General,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I should like to thank you, President, most warmly for your invitation to put to this high assembly some ideas about the paths to European integration and to set out some thoughts about co-operation and future relations between the Council of Europe and the enlarged European Union.

Commitment to Europe is an old Austrian tradition. This is based on the painful, but also hopeful, experiences of a country located at the point where the major cultures of our continent meet, in a geopolitically sensitive area.

This commitment has also led to a considerable presence of my fellow countrymen in leading positions at European organisations. This is the third time, for example, that the Secretary General of the Council of Europe has been an Austrian, and the second time that Austria has provided the President of the Parliamentary Assembly. Furthermore, it is another fellow countryman who is currently President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe. As Austrian Federal President, I am pleased to have this opportunity here today to greet these fellow citizens, who have rendered outstanding services to the European idea.

Precisely at this time when Europe is on the point of overcoming the splits and dividing lines of the past, it seems to me all the more important to step up dialogue about the common European future. This kind of dialogue must be all-embracing, and should not be restricted to national or international institutions, but must extend right into civil society. For our united Europe will endure only if it has the permanent agreement and confidence of all its citizens. Here lies a central task of the political opinion-forming process. In this necessary, and, I hope, broad discourse, it is precisely at this juncture that the mass media are particularly important and bear great responsibility. It is going to be important in this context for justice to be done to the complexity of European history, precisely with a view to our common future.

For the instigators of the European unification concept, common values were already the basis for a united Europe. It has always been important, and will continue to be so, in the realisation of this vision, to bear these common spiritual and cultural roots in mind, and also to preserve and nurture the variety of our cultures and languages, traditions and religions. It is these in fact which are the source of our wealth, our creativity, and therefore the strength of our continent in this world of globalisation.

This remains the Council of Europe's task: to work for a Europe which is committed to common values, and which will continue to extend beyond the integrated Europe of the EU after the forthcoming enlargement of the European Union has taken place. Where the urgent issues of our day and the manifold dangers which exist are concerned, now is the time for solidarity across national borders and for joint action: terrorism, everyday violence and intolerance are problems with which the Council of Europe, too, is very much occupied today. The Council of Europe was the first international organisation to call for human rights to be respected even in the fight against terrorism. The guidelines produced by the Council of Europe last year have now been recognised by the United Nations as an applicable standard. I mention this fact so as to point to the irreplaceable role of the Council of Europe as the guardian of humanistic, and therefore original European values, which are in fact the bedrock of European unification.

The protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the promotion of democracy and the consolidation of the rule of law are still priorities now that the political map of Europe has been reshaped. The present proposal by the Parliamentary Assembly and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe for the holding of another Summit of heads of state and government of member states enjoys my support, for a forum of that kind might give important political impetus to the process of adapting your organisation's activities to meet the political challenges of our time.

Austria, which lay in the shadow of the Iron Curtain for 40 years, and only joined the EU eight years ago, is aware of its responsibility to Europe as a whole. I myself hosted the first Summit of heads of state and government of the Council of Europe, in Vienna in 1993, and I took part in the second Summit, held in Strasbourg in 1997. A third such summit meeting could give the 800 million citizens of the Council of Europe family a clear signal that the political will exists for pan-European action, when the objective is the protection of human rights and democracy from current threats, such as terrorism, political extremism, organised crime and corruption.

The driving force of the Council of Europe is its Parliamentary Assembly. The Assembly has a special task in the process of European unification, for it is the only parliamentary institution with a pan-European commitment. Austria values the innovation, flexibility and political influence of this Assembly, which:

- is innovative, for many of your ideas are forward-looking and are able to be put into practice;
- is flexible, for it has the capacity rapidly and appropriately to react to the prevailing political conditions in Europe; it is not afraid to grasp the political nettle, if democracy and human rights are at stake;
- uses its political influence to call for the rights enshrined in Council of Europe conventions to be honoured by every member state.

Increasingly, we must acknowledge the fact that the threat to individuals has grown, despite all the progress made by our modern world, and this threat no longer stems only from armed conflict, natural disasters or the situation of the poorest people. The demand for greater security for people requires a larger measure of international solidarity. But it also requires uncompromising compliance with human rights. It is human rights which are actually the basis of, and even the driving force behind, the achievement of human security and dignity. Ensuring this is a matter for the European Court of Human Rights, an institution which is the only one of its kind in the world.

Through the individual right of petition against alleged human rights violations, 800 million people have direct access to this court. Where issues relating to the freedom and dignity of the individual are concerned, citizens are increasingly aware of this human rights protection machinery. Consequently, the number of applications to the Court of Human Rights is ever growing. I take this to be an important and encouraging signal from Europe, one which I hope will serve as an example worldwide. In order to ensure that the Court can continue to cope with its workload in future, the requisite material conditions for this must exist. I also support the efforts being made to tighten up the application procedure. But the right of individual petition, as a key element of human rights protection, must not be subject to any restrictions.

The Council of Europe and European Union both stem from a single vision, from a plan for peace and freedom in a united Europe, based on common values. Although they differ in their structures and methods of operation, they also complement one another. In the practical political sphere, the European Union and the Council of Europe are natural partners, especially in their advocacy of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights and freedoms, including the rights of minorities. There seems to be an important need, particularly now that the decision has been taken to enlarge the EU considerably, to review the relations between both partners and, where it seems sensible, to reshape these.

It is to be hoped that, in the not too distant future, all European states will belong to the Council of Europe. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Monaco are waiting on the doorstep. If, one day, Belarus is also accepted as a member - Belarus is a country where there are still some fundamental reforms to be carried out - this pan-European institution will surely have reached its maximum size, with 47 member states.

Then the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will be the parliamentary mouthpiece of all the people in Europe, from Iceland to Azerbaijan, from Russia to Portugal.

Therefore, as the European Union effects its enlargement, the Council of Europe, with its Parliamentary Assembly, has to be regarded as a reliable partner. If the relationship between the Council of Europe and the EU is to be reviewed and reoriented, the same needs to be done in respect of the relations between the Parliamentary Assembly and the European Parliament. Both institutions comprise directly elected members, are close to their citizens, are aware of realities and have a shared responsibility to create a Europe of freedom, security and law. The forthcoming accession of ten states to the European Union, and the co-operation with the numerous states which will in future lie on the other side of the new borders of the enlarged Europe, will help to bring the two institutions closer together.

A good indication of this was given by the new dialogue between the two institutions which took place on 24 September last year in this plenary chamber. This dialogue, based among other things on the Treaty establishing the European Community and on the rules of procedure of the European Parliament, is a necessary one, and should be continued at this high level through existing working contacts. It is inconceivable to me that, in a place like Strasbourg, which has been such a privileged witness to the European integration process, the potential for political dialogue should not be used to the full.

Thus the time at which both organisations, the European Union and the Council of Europe, are expanding provides good reason for consolidating both institutions and further increasing the co-ordination and exchange of information between them - in a Europe of the 15, the 25 and the 44. On the eve of a new, extended European Parliament, the members from Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, who will soon be meeting in Strasbourg, can count in this respect on significant assistance from the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly.

Once the planned enlargement of the European Union has taken place, more than half of the Council of Europe member states will also be members of the Union. As the EU states have passed sovereignty rights to the Union, and as a violation of human rights even by supranational institutions cannot be excluded, it seems to me to be vital for a uniform European system to be created to protect human rights. Accession by the European Union to the European Convention on Human Rights ought to guarantee coherence between the legal systems of the European Union and the Council of Europe in the field of fundamental rights and freedoms. I call on the member states of the European Union to resolve to take this step.

Another aspect which ought to be taken into consideration in the new structure of relations between the European Union and the Council of Europe is the question of the "new neighbours", those countries which will remain outside the Union even after EU enlargement - either because they have themselves opted to do so or because they do not meet the membership conditions. The European Union might nevertheless use the Council of Europe as a platform for co-operation with these "new neighbours". The dream of a united Europe must not end at the borders of the Schengen area!

The common legal area, which is increasingly taking shape for all Europeans within the borders of the Council of Europe, forms a sound starting point for the realisation of a vision which binds the European Union and the Council of Europe together, namely that of the creation of a peaceful, democratic, stable and prosperous area without dividing lines. This, like no other plan, is intended to dispel the fears of the European peoples, concentrate their forces and strengthen their cohesion. With this objective before us, I should like to issue a warning against creating new dividing lines in Europe. Various models for co-operation and lasting involvement will need to be developed, so as to integrate in the European unification process on a long-term basis countries which have a European orientation, such as Ukraine. Where, other than in the Council of Europe, which I view as a forum for discussion for our continent's future, may such models be studied and discussed on a broad basis?

In this context I should like to mention in particular the global dialogue of cultures and religions which is going on at many levels. Europe specifically, with its religious, cultural and ethnic diversity, is an understanding partner in this respect. I therefore welcome the fact that the Council of Europe, as the largest European institution, is making use of these opportunities and forging links with the Arab League and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.

Austria, as a country with close historical and geographical ties with south-eastern Europe, values the great commitment shown by the Council of Europe in this area and supports all the relevant activities aimed at removing the last few white areas from the geographical map of the Council of Europe. Because of the bloody conflicts in the area of former Yugoslavia, the political turning point of 1989 did not affect the western Balkans for a very long time. Now we must consistently and steadily support the countries of this region as they strive to draw closer to the European Union, thus opening up for them the path to a prosperous future. The integration of Europe would be incomplete without the inclusion of these states, such important and deeply European ones.

Austria emphatically urges that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia be admitted to membership of the Council of Europe soon. This would make a significant contribution to the promotion of political stability and democratic reforms in that country. Membership would enable Yugoslavia to take its traditional place in the European family.

There is no doubt that one of the most important partners for a peaceful and stable Europe is the Russian Federation. I therefore welcome the contribution made by the Council of Europe's experts in the Office of President Putin's Special Representative for Chechnya to the search for a solution to this bloody conflict. As it proved impossible to extend the mandate of the OSCE Assistance Group to Chechnya, the Council of Europe experts are now the only permanent international representatives in this region. It remains to be hoped that the great expertise of these Council of Europe representatives will continue to be used in the interests of the preservation of human rights and of the restoration of democracy and the rule of law in Chechnya.

Seldom are the consequences of a globalised policy and the interlinking of the world so dramatic as in the matter of war and peace, of conflicts which, in spite of great geographical distance, directly affect the living conditions of every individual. Where peace and security issues are concerned, the threatening developments centring on Iraq must be mentioned, even in the context of Europe. There is an acute danger of war in Iraq, with unpredictable consequences. Iraq must be persuaded to comply with all the obligations imposed on it by UN Security Council resolutions. The decision about any other measures against Iraq, however, must be taken by the United Nations Security Council, which bears the main responsibility for peace and security in the world.

Europe has learned from its painful history that war ultimately solves no problems, bringing instead human suffering, destruction and misery, but also seriously jeopardising the stability of the world economy. We have, since the end of World War II, stuck to a policy based on dialogue and understanding, and on peaceful means rather than military confrontations. And Europe supports a world view in which states and peoples co-exist on the basis of the rules of international law and binding treaty commitments, with the global problems of our age being solved by multilateral co-operation within the United Nations and other international organisations. Our vision is that of a multipolar world and an international system which is binding for all, and within the framework of which states, cultures and religions can live in harmony with each other.

Numerous efforts by friendly governments to persuade Iraq unreservedly to co-operate with the UN inspectors deserve our full support. Europe has many links with the Middle East, so it would be particularly appropriate for it to help to achieve a peaceful settlement of the crisis. I therefore welcome the readiness of the Greek EU Presidency to undertake a peace mission in the region.

The enlargement of the European Union decided in Copenhagen signifies that the devastating - in every respect - consequences of two world wars and the subsequent division of the continent and oppression of millions of people have finally been left behind us. But we have not yet reached the end of the path charted by the founding fathers of the European Union.

So that we can better meet the present pan-European challenges, some overlapping between the various European organisations is necessary. That applies to the combating of international terrorism while simultaneously preserving human rights, and to the management of migratory movements in our continent; it also applies to measures against intolerance, racism and xenophobia, and, finally, also to the setting of human rights standards in the fields of bioethics, data protection and Internet crime. Much credit has been given to the Council of Europe for the agreements it has created. I therefore also attached particular importance to my signing here today, in person, of the Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime, concerning the criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature, committed through the use of computer systems, which was opened for signature this week, for the sooner a large number of member states accedes to this important legal instrument, the sooner it will be able to come into force.

As far as we are concerned, the Council of Europe is, and remains, the guardian of European civilisation.

In this new era which has now begun, the Council of Europe and the enlarged European Union should, in their efforts to strengthen pluralist democracy and the effective defence of human rights, in the solving of current political, social and economic problems and in the promotion of the cultural identity of Europe, work together in partnership even more than previously. This is the only way in which the dream of a unified Europe, a Europe of peace and freedom, can, step by step, be turned into reality.