Fifth
European Young Leaders Conference
Istanbul, Turkey
Euro-Med Movement Coordinator, Mr Joe Mifsud has been recently nominated by the
German Embassy in Malta, as the first Maltese representative to participate in
the European Young Leaders Conference, which was held in Istanbul - Turkey.
The Fifth EYL Conference agreed on a common resolution based on current themes
dominating the international agenda such as issues concerning freedom,
democracy, poverty and terrorism. During the conference, Joe Mifsud chaired a
workshop on Freedom vs Stability in
the Wider Middle East.
Resolution
We sixty “European
Young Leaders of Atlantik-Brücke” from twenty-two European nations, met in
Istanbul, Turkey, to discuss the topic “Freedom vs. Stability. Goals and
Priorities for the Future.”
As
a result, we agree that freedom and democracy are in principle
inseparable values and that those states serve best the welfare and the security
of their people
which are able to maximize
on stability as well as on freedom. Agreement was reached that societies are
fighting a permanent struggle in defining priorities and finally achieving the
right balance between freedom and stability. Especially in the event of economic
and security crises, states tend to compromise on the factor freedom, while
freedom without stability can easily become a danger to order and statehood.
Nonetheless, democracies have a moral obligation to promote freedom as an
indispensable good in the world.
As a consequence, Europe and the United States have to unite in their
efforts to stabilize the region of the Wider Middle East. They have to do so,
not by imposing our views and politics on the countries in the region or even by
changing undemocratic regimes with military means, but by helping the respective
societies find their specific way in achieving their maximum level of stability
and freedom. The 2005 European Young Leaders of Atlantik-Brücke share the view
that such a development is essential for the future of the security and the
welfare of Europe. This neighboring region to Europe combines all threats which
according to the European Union Security Strategy are considered as the most
severe to our societies: international terrorism, the proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction, regional conflicts and social and economic instability. We
are convinced that Turkey, after having successfully completed the
accession negotiations with the EU and having thereby created sufficient
economic, political and social conditions to become a member state, will be a
decisive factor in stabilizing the region of the Wider Middle East. At the same
time Turkish membership will have a positive impact on the integration of the
fourteen million Muslims who are already living in the EU. In both respects,
successful Turkish accession would have a vital strategic importance for Europe.
Furthermore, we agree that successful negotiations between the European Union,
represented in the EU-3 format, and Iran, with the aim of preventing Iran from
achieving a capacity to produce nuclear weapons, will be another factor in
creating a more stable region. Close coordination between Europe and the United
States on that matter and the involvement of Russia remain essential to reach
such a solution.
Participants also share the opinion that the creation of a viable Palestinian
State which will exist in good neighborhood to the state of Israel will have
an enormous stabilizing effect on the development of the whole region.
Despite differing interests over the cause and the success of the Iraq war, the
stabilization of Iraq is seen as a common task for the United States and
Europe. Finally, participants believe that main cause of the poor economic
performance and the insufficient development of a number of countries of the
region of the Wider Middle East lie in a lack of freedom within the societies.
The 2005 European Young Leaders of Atlantik-Brücke hold the opinion that free
and fair elections are a prerequisite for economic and social progress for those
states. The US and Europe have agreed on several occasions that the
stabilization and the development of the whole region must be a common endeavor.
We therefore ask them to act in a complementary manner, making use of the
particular strength of each side. Thereby the US and Europe have to seek close
contact with the civil societies in the country and to see that societies gain a
sense of ownership with regard to eventual transition and reform processes.
The 2005 European Young Leaders also discussed the issue of freedom and
stability in the developing countries. We thereby agree that this group of
states is far too diverse for us to provide a brief analysis, not to say
recommendations. Nonetheless there was a general tendency to argue that the
Asian developing states are relatively stable and that they rather lack freedom
while most African states lack stability rather then freedom. We
therefore concluded that Europe and the US should be less tolerant towards a
lack of freedom and the oppression of societies in some Asian countries.
Although short term interests of our countries seem to justify compromises with
regard to freedom, liberty and democracy, the experience of our societies
clearly show that our democratic partners have been the most reliable and also
the most stable partners over time.
With regard to Africa, the group articulated its disappointment that the
traditional concepts to promote progress via development aid have not been
successful. The group criticized that European concepts for development were
often not applicable to the situation in the African countries and met with
neither their needs nor with their demand. At the same time, ruling elites in
these countries showed little interest in the development of their societies,
with the effect that nepotism and corruption consumed the majority of foreign
help. Therefore, the 2005 European Young Leaders ask for a reassessment of
Europe’s development aid and for closer coordination with the US. The provision
of development aid should be based on certain conditions, such as good
governance, and should focus more on regional partnerships and direct aid to
communities and initiatives rather than on mere support for government
activities.
Istanbul, July 2005
DOWNLOAD -
Resolution
Workshop chaired by Mr
Joe Mifsud
Freedom vs
Stability in the Wider Middle East
Topic of Presentation:
After Disengagement: vision of a two-state
solution
DOWNLOAD -
Workshop Themes & Report
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