Javier Solana quizzed on Iran, Russia and relations with US
Speaking to a seminar at the Finnish Institute for International Affairs, Helsinki, 25 February, Mr Solana said that in the short term the EU is active mainly in Bosnia and the Middle East. It is also strongly involved in the war against terrorism and in advancing the Union’s multilateral relations.
“The Union’s common foreign and security policy is under constant development,” said Mr Solana. “The security strategy is one stage in this process.”
Speaking to journalists at a press conference following the seminar, Mr Solana dealt with relations between the EU and Iran, Russia and the US. He said that the Union had reached a common agreement with Iran about winding down the country’s nuclear programme.
“However, we cannot accept the way that Iran’s elections were arranged, with reform-minded candidates being prevented from participating.”
Mr Solana said that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to sack the entire government had come as a complete surprise. “Let’s hope that the new government will want actively to develop Russian-EU relations. Our strategic partnership with Russia is important, but to make it active requires work because there are still unresolved problems.”
Mr Solana said that relations with the United States over the Iraq war had not just been a mere difference of opinion. “The Union’s members had different policies. Now the situation is altered and we can together promote reconstruction, democracy and the transition of power in Iraq.” He added that such activity in Afghanistan was proceeding excellently.
Mr Solana thanked Finland for its input to the development of the EU’s foreign and security policy. He said that he did not regard Finland’s policy of non-alignment as an obstacle.
He also said that he was not concerned at the meeting of the three ‘big’ EU countries, Germany, France and the UK. “There’s no question of a directorate. Three, four, five – any number of countries is free to meet together. It’s the 25 countries together that take the decisions.”
During his visit to Finland, Mr Solana met Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja.