EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS were assisting Ireland to overcome the economic crisis and the Lisbon Treaty would allow those institutions to work better, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on a visit to Dublin yesterday.
Reluctant to comment when interviewed by The Irish Timeson the prospect of a second referendum here on the treaty ("These are personal decisions"), Mr Solana confined himself to general remarks on the subject.
“I supported the Lisbon Treaty because I think it would be good for the EU and also for the world. It would allow the union to work in a more efficient and coherent manner. It will change many things but fundamentally it will change the way the EU works.”
He believes the EU sets a good example of how different states can work together and how a regional structure provides “a capacity to tackle and solve problems together”.
On the implications of a second Irish rejection of Lisbon, he says he would hope “very much” for a positive result in the event of a second referendum.
“One consequence [of rejection] will be that there will be no Treaty of Lisbon. We will go back to the Treaty of Nice,” he says.
Ratification of the treaty would mean changes in his own role as EU high representative for the common foreign and security policy, as well as the establishment of a European diplomatic service.
Mr Solana has been involved in major international issues for many years but now, as he points out himself: “The economic crisis is the most important problem that we have; it’s a global crisis.” Although the economic crisis is centre stage, Mr Solana notes: “The problems of the world continue, there is still tremendous activity in international affairs.” Indeed, some international issues have a strong economic dimension and are inevitably affected by the crisis.”
He cites the example of development aid, stressing that “solidarity has to continue”.
When asked about the Irish Government cutting its aid budget, he replies: “Everybody is cutting, everybody is saving everywhere.”
Asked how the EU could help Ireland through the economic crisis, he responds: “It does help already.”
Citing the euro zone and the European Central Bank, he says: “All these things contribute to make the crisis less difficult. Everybody would be in a much more difficult position without these institutions.”
On the debacle of the recent United Nations conference on racism in Geneva, Mr Solana says that, although he was not in attendance, he followed its proceedings very closely. He is “very worried” that such a conference, “organised in good faith”, should end up having “no real meaning or substance but to quarrel”.
He adds: “This is not the purpose of the United Nations.”
Asked for his reaction to the walkout by representatives of EU member states, including Ireland, he says: “I don’t think they had any other option.” He adds: “It was not a conference to promote hatred.” Although critical of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s speech, he continues to promote dialogue with Iran on the nuclear issue. He spoke with Tehran on the phone last week and hopes there will be a meeting involving the Iranians and the Americans. “We are still in the very preliminary contacts,” he says. “We agreed to talk again this week.”
On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict he says that, although the EU has no direct contact with Hamas, which is still on the union’s list of terrorist organisations, “there is still a channel of communications to the Palestinians through Egypt”.
Mr Solana said: “The two-state solution is not only workable but it is the only solution.” Reluctant to be drawn about his views on the Israeli attack on Gaza, he expresses concern that strict border controls put in place by the Israelis are delaying the reconstruction of Gaza and the provision of aid to its residents.
Mr Solana held a meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin yesterday and received an honorary degree as Doctor of Laws from University College Dublin, where he gave a lecture on EU foreign policy, Together We Are Stronger.
