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Winkler: “We can only meet the challenges of the 21st century together”

State Secretary Hans Winkler at the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament in Brussels

“The last six months of our Council Presidency have clearly shown what a potential the European Union has to meet the great foreign-policy challenges of the 21st century. To do this, however, we must all pull together and subordinate our national states to a European perspective. European foreign and security policy is in a better state today than it was a while ago. After countless storms, we have once again been able to create the spirit of community necessary to solve the great questions and problems. Foreign Minister Plassnik has been able, during these six months as Council President, to strengthen the unity of the EU Member States in the Council, in difficult questions such as the problems of Iran and the Middle East”, said State Secretary Hans Winkler summing up the Austrian Council Presidency at the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament.

“Numerous opinion surveys have shown that there is great support among citizens for an active and competent EU foreign policy. The citizens want the EU to take a more significant role on the international stage that protects and helps the EU”, the State Secretary said.

In his speech, Winkler referred, among other things, to the gas crisis between the Russian Federation and the Ukraine, the question of energy security within the EU, the cartoon dispute, and the importance of dialogue among cultures in the 21st century, the strengthening of the European perspective in the Western Balkans, a peaceful path to independence for Montenegro, the elections in Belarus and the Palestinian territories, the nuclear conflict with Iran, support for the rebuilding of Iraq, development in Africa and the topic of migration.

“Peace, security and stability may have become the norm in Europe. But a glance beyond our borders makes it clear how difficult democratic processes can be for some States. Our expertise is important and increasingly sought after, throughout the world, for the building and reinforcing of democracy”, said Winkler. “We must make it quite clear to those who prefer opposition to collaboration that the European Union and our world can only function in the spirit of cooperation and community”, Winkler said with conviction.