the european UNION must translate its “size and importance in the world to promote their own interests”, says Jeppe Kofod.
There is still a truth in the old description of the EU as “economic giant and political dwarf”, as regards the common foreign policy. But it must be over.
the EU’s newly appointed foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, will have the EU to speak “the language of power” in the world. The political influence in the world must mirror the fact that the EU, for example, for trade policy and development policy are the greatest.
In a letter to EU foreign ministers before its first ministerial meeting as a new foreign policy chief on Monday in Brussels, the spaniard presented his vision.
– the language of Power means that you learn to use all the tools that are available – and there are many – so you get a stronger position in the world, says Borrell on the way to the meeting.
the Goal is “not a conquer”. The aim is to contribute to a “more peaceful, prosperous and just world”.
The setting resonate with a very large group of EU countries with Denmark calls for precisely this in a new joint holdningspapir.
Federica Mogherini, who passed the baton as the foreign policy chief for Borrell 1. december, has been criticized for not lifting the EU’s potential enough.
foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod (S) welcomes the new toner from Borrell welcome.
– There is no doubt that Mogherini has made a big and good job. But one must also just say that it has been difficult for the EU has also in recent years – to play the role that the EU can and must, says Kofod.
He points to Africa, which is a clear priority for the new Commission, whose president last week visited the continent on his first official trip.
– Look at China and the UNITED states, which not take up just as much as we do in Africa, but still fills their influence may some times more than we do.
– to get us to speak with one voice in the world, that we focus on in this paper, says Kofod on holdningspapiret, as Denmark has written a total of 22 EUROPEAN countries.
Question: But when the EU does not play a major role, is it not, then, just because you are 28 or 27 countries, who can not agree?
– It is true that we are 27 or 28 different countries. It is one of our major strengths in Europe. But once we agree on something, and we are very often – also in the council of ministers of foreign affairs – then we should also implement and exercise our influence, ” says Kofod.
He refers to the example of Turkey’s military offensive in northeastern Syria in the autumn.
– We adopt a very strict policy in relation to våbenpolitik, and so we must also implement it in practice, says Jeppe Kofod.
/ritzau/
