EU impotent in face of Russian aggression - Allister
02 September 2008
Speaking in a late night debate in the European Parliament on the situation in Georgia, Traditional Unionist MEP Jim Allister, described the EU's response as weak and ineffective. Noting the absence of any sanctions coming out of the EU Council of Minister's meeting, Mr Allister said:-
"Its hard to avoid the conclusion that Europe is impotent in face of Russian aggression.
Whereas condemnation has greeted Russia's annexation of parts of the sovereign state of Georgia, even the tone from within the EU has varied. The message of ambivalence will not be lost on Moscow. It's hardly quaking in its boots over the divided mutterings of Europe.
Without a robust response Russian aggression, I fear, will not end with Georgia. Is Ukraine next? What will it take for those in the EU who willingly have made themselves dependent on Russian energy, to permit any effective response?
The past few weeks have been an object lesson on the unworkability of a common foreign policy for the EU. It merely delivers the paralysis of conflicting vested interests, which has done nothing to make security for Georgia or anywhere in the Caucasus any closer."
