
Promoting a coherent European strategy in the World
The development of a coherent European foreign policy is essential if the Union is to play a role in the world. The Union must focus on its traditional strengths and put a very strong and special emphasis on human rights and democracy promotion. Foreign policy must always promote and defend European values and in a way that reflects the uniqueness of the European Union.
The development of the External Action Service will be a key element in providing the Union with the tools for greater coherence and efficiency. The Union must develop its foreign policy potential enabling it to act in a way commensurate with its weight in financing development and peace building policies.
The Union must also have a clear agenda of human rights and bring its experience in conflict resolution and crisis management to bear. The Union must also be involved in humanitarian relief missions where either human conflict or nature have caused devastation.
Finally, the Union must develop its defence procurement thereby enabling the emergence of a truly common defence market, strengthening European defence and its technological and industrial base through the exploitation of economies of scale and ensuring European forces benefit from the best equipment when sent on ESDP missions.
Libya's National Forces Alliance - a model for democratic transition for the entire region
Guy Verhofstadt is in Tripoli, Libya this weekend with two members of the ALDE group bureau on the invitation of Mahmud Gebril to commemorate the first anniversary of the National Forces Alliance party.
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Nobody poses a greater threat to North Korean than Kim Jong-un himself
Following North Korea's recent nuclear test and evidence of their expanding nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, the European Parliament in Strasbourg held a debate with EU High Representative to discuss this issue. Jelko...
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EU cannot stand by and watch Syria implode
Addressing the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg today, Guy Verhofstadt pleaded for a more activist EU approach to Syria which, if allowed to rumble on, will destroy the country its people and have a...
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