Blogposts by Tag: multilateralism

  • The future is always beginning now...

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    Rating: 4.3/5 with 4 votes

    Published Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 10:12
    by markus.austria Join PES activists in EU in the world (203 views and 1 comments)

    In my post I would like to adress the following questions as proposed in the discussion paper (available at the top of this page or here):

    2. What sort of UN reform should the EU propose?
    I think that - in the longterm - the UN Security Council should be replaced by the UN General Assembly as the central decision making body within the UN umbrella. To this end, I think it will be necessary to elect UN representatives in direct elections to arrive at a sort of 'world elections' in a manifestation of the supremacy of democracy over other, more exclusive forms of government.
     
    4. How should the EU work efficiently with NATO?
    I think we should think about developing military structures on a European level outside NATO in order to indenpendently carry out missions covered by the Petersberg tasks and the UN. Also, I think the EU member states actively engaged in the NATO should press the US to restrain from engaging private contractors in conflic regions (keyword: Blackwater).
     
    8. What actions should be undertaken by the EU to achieve the UN Millennium Goals?
    I think that the sole establishment of a headline number, such as 0.7 percent of GDP spent on Development Aid, will not be sufficient to face the challenge of economic (and social!) prosperity in... read more

    Tags: activists, Africa, defence, democracy, development, multilateralism, peace, poverty, UN

    File: PES manifesto consultation.pdf

  • Foundations debate 'EU in the world' in sunny Sofia

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    Rating: 4/5 with 4 votes

    Published Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 10:52
    by Editor in EU in the world (455 views and 2 comments)

    Social democratic European foundations are working hard to contribute to a PES manifesto based on progressive values. The first meeting of the European Network of Social-Democratic Foundations (ENSoF) took place on 29 March 2008 in the beautiful city of Sofia, under the coordinating wing of the Institute for Social Integration of Bulgaria, to debate issues related to the manifesto theme ‘EU in the world’.

    There was a general agreement on the need to have a more transparent and more accountable EU foreign policy, in order to ensure that European citizens are aware that, besides the gaps that are always highlighted in the news headlines, the EU is quite successful in its external policies - for instance in its projects and missions in Eastern European countries. Discussions addressed the need to reinforce strategic partnerships with key international actors such as the United States and Russia. A strong and independent European security and defence policy was viewed as a way to ensure the EU can act alone, even militarily, when required, even without the support of the United States and of NATO – but always in full respect of international law. Representatives of the foundations agreed... read more

    Tags: defence, disarmement, Middle East, multilateralism, neighbours, Russia, security, USA

  • A good position on modernizing the UN Security Council?

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    Rating: 4/5 with 2 votes

    Published Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 10:43
    by Editor in EU in the world (661 views and 2 comments)

    It is hardly controversial to point out that the UN Security Council is a post WWII construction that does not reflect today’s realities. But are we really ready for change? Can we accept one EU seat? That would be consistent with a Common Foreign and Security Policy, but it would also mean UK and France losing their own seats in the long run.

    And it is not just a question of who sits on the Council. There is the veto which allows any one permanent member to stop any UN security or peace initiative. More importantly, could the UN play a bigger and more decisive military role in peace keeping – and resolving conflicts before they escalate into violence? The EU recognizes the UN’s primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security – so why not give it some teeth, some real powers?

    Perhaps we should first push the EU to develop a real Foreign and Security policy before being overly ambitious about the UN? On the other hand why not recognize that UK and France, and all other European countries, are no longer world powers, and that the best hope for real European influence would be to press ahead simultaneously with the EU Foreign and Security Policy and a joint role in the UN Security Council?

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    Tags: conflict, crisis, globalization, multilateralism, UN