“The French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which began two weeks ago, aspires not to be another managing European Presidency,” Deputy Foreign Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis said in an interview with Ta Nea newspaper.
And he notes that, as it became clear already during yesterday’s presentation of its priorities, despite its limited duration due to the upcoming French elections, it aims to leave a strong political imprint.
“With the slogan ‘Recovery, Power, Sense of Belonging’, it is not limited to a negotiating agenda, but seeks to become a high-profile Presidency and to touch on critical issues to which Europe has been reluctant to respond in recent months.”
Mr Barvitsiotis said that President Macron’s initiative for the Union’s Strategic Autonomy was rightly at the top of the French priorities, adding: “Indeed, Europe must be sovereign, determined, confident and with an internationally respected voice. “The” Strategic Compass “, to acquire integrated defense and security policies and to be equipped with its own means for their implementation. To become, finally, a force to be reckoned with internationally”.
“In order for Europe to acquire this strong global identity, France must dare to ‘open’ all the major geopolitical issues. Issues that are also at the core of Greek interests and directly affect us,” he stressed.
In particular, he notes, in an environment of global instability, it is called upon to ensure the effective control of European borders and the adoption of a functioning Pact on Migration, which will not allow the instrumentalization of refugees.
It is also called upon to substantially support the expansion of the Union’s geopolitical influence in the Western Balkans, in order to thwart the efforts of third parties to penetrate there – after all, its inspiration was the new Enlargement Methodology, which facilitates their accession process.
“A big bet for the French Presidency will be to manage the regional challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean,” he said. “Respect for international law and good neighborly relations is an inalienable condition for anyone who wants to talk to the European family – causing Turkey to be irritated.”
“Geopolitical power without economic recovery, however, is not conceivable in Europe, neither according to the French vision nor according to the Greek positions”, he emphasizes characteristically. “In the aftermath of the pandemic, the Union needs a bold fiscal policy to continue the ‘legacy’ of the Recovery Fund and put into practice a Europe of Green Growth, Digital Transformation and a Social Agenda. The revised Stability Pact will be the key. for this”.
“Greece will be on the side of the French Presidency, not only because its priorities go hand in hand with our geopolitical aspirations, but also because they reflect our vision for our European home,” said Mr. Varvitsiotis. “We are therefore optimistic that France will be bold enough in the post-Merkel era to make it stronger, with the help of other member states in its political initiatives.”
SOURCE: AMPE
Source From: Capital
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