GUE/NGL – Peace Conference on The EU Neighbourhood Policy: State of play, alternative visions and approach for a fair, peaceful and solidarity policy in the Southern and Eastern Neighbourhood 

Peace in the southern and eastern neighbourhood

Venue: European Parliament, Rue Wiertz 60, 1047 Brussels Room: ASP 1 G2

Thursday Session

Friday Session

GUE/NGL Conference: Peace in Southern and Eastern Neighbourhood

The crisis in Ukraine, the counter-revolutions and civil wars in the Middle East, as well as the current policy of the European Union (EU) at its external borders are alarming evidence for the need for an alternative EU neighbourhood policy (ENP), which needs to be orientated towards the self-claimed purpose of being a policy of peace and understanding.

On the initiative of Sabine Lösing (MEP, DIE LINKE. im Europaparlament), the GUE/NGL group organised a two-day peace conference, which focused on the EU's Southern and Eastern Neighbourhood Policy. The conference was held as a networking meeting of left parties, extra-parliamentary, social and peace movements from the various Southern and Eastern Neighbourhood countries. The aim of the conference was to discuss the fatal EU neighbourhood policy and to formulate alternative proposals for the ENP from a leftist perspective. One of the main questions that arose was: What can and what should left politics in Europe and the EU deliver to find a peaceful way out of these unclear conflict situations, which are dominated by geopolitical interests?

The first day was devoted to a discussion about the state of play: the current political, economic and social situation and EU’s role in the countries of the Southern neighbourhood. The participants of the conference had a broad and deep discussion about the still non-negotiated status of Kurdistan, the undecided starting position of Lebanon, the violent disintegration of Syria, the installation of the old regime in Egypt, the risks arising from the developments in Algeria or Libya for the local populations, the unexplained and internationally unjust situation in Western Sahara, as well as the historical mistakes of the West since the invasion of Iraq and its military intervention in Afghanistan, Libya and Syria.

The second day of the conference addressed the EU neighbourhood policy, the NATO doctrine and the consequences in the East, particularly in Ukraine. Like the first day, various experts from the respective regions as well as neighbouring countries such as Scandinavia were involved. Further, the role of the EU association agreements and enlargement processes were clarified. Participants also spoke about the relationship between the European Union and Russia.

The conference offered lively debates which did not pull away from clear statements and demands, but named goals and mistakes clearly and clearly rejected the usual rhetoric of phrases on these issues. The various participants in the conference made it clear that their efforts needed additional support from EU member states, from European civil society, and not at least from the European left to guide their struggle for freedom, self-determination and integrity in a peaceful and cooperative way.

The Group of the GUE/NGL in the European Parliament will consequently continue to work using all its possibilities for a shift towards a peaceful and emancipatory EU Neighbourhood Policy.

Programme
 

Thursday, 10.12.2015 – 15:00h – 15:15h: Welcome and Introduction (MEPs GUE/NGL)
 

European Expansion and the Neighbourhood Policy

Thursday, 10.12.2015 – 15:15h – 18:30h
Southern Neighbourhood
Guests from Algeria, Egypt,Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, Western Sahara

State of Play: Current political, economic and social situation and EU’s role in the countries of the Southern Neighbourhood – Exchange of experiences and analysis with participants

Speakers:

Hafdala Brahim – Member of the Sahrawi National. Commission on Human Rights and of the Sahrawi Lawyers' Union
Mamdouh Habashi – Head of the International Office of the Socialist Party of Egypt 2
Amal Khreishe – General Director of PWWSD, Member of the Board of EuroMed Feminist Initiative
Nikolaos Kosmatopoulos – Professor of International Affairs at American University of Beirut
Ismat Sampri – Palestinian Authority Charge d'Affaires in Athens
Abderrazak Bendjoudi – Euro-Maghreb Committee against Shale gas

Western geo-and power politics in the Southern Neighbourhood – “stabilisation”, destabilisation and regime change – Aims and Strategies

Speakers:

Michel Collon – Journalist, founder of Investig’Action
Prof. PhDr. Eduard Gombár – Charles University, Prague institute of Near Eastern and African Studies
Adem Uzun – Representative of the Kurdistan National Congress

EU- Migration policy: The militarisation of the EU migration policy and Fortress Europe

Speakers:

Anitta Kynsilehto – Member of the Executive Committee of EuroMed Rights
Tobias Pflüger – Information Centre on Militarisation e.V.

Alternative approaches from the Left, women and peace movements – Stop the wars, End Fortress Europe, Refugees welcome! (debate with all participants)

Thursday, 10.12.2015 18:30h –19:00h Cocktail (Yehudi Menuhin)
Thursday, 10.12.2015 19:00h – 20:00h Cultural Programme (Yehudine Menuhin) Concert – Brussels Brecht-Eislerkoor and singer Julie Jaroszewski
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Friday, 11.12.2015 9:30h – 12:30h
Eastern Neighbourhood

Guests from Belarus, Eastern EU- member states, Russia and Ukraine
 

State of play: Current political, economic and social situation and EU’s role in the countries of the Eastern Neighbourhood – Exchange of experiences and analysis with participants

Speakers:
Eduard Chmelar – President of the SEN (social – ecological movement), Slovakia
Alena Douhan – Dr. hab. Prof., Head of International Law Dep., International University “MITSO”, Belarus
Victoria Shylova – President of Anti Vojna, Ukraine 3

Consequences of the European Neighbourhood Policy – political, social and economic dimension

Speakers:
Maria Socorro Gomes – President of the World Peace Council
Andrej Hunko – Vice-Chair of the Unified European Left in the Parl. Ass. Council of Europe
Laura Lodenius – Executive Director, Peace Union of Finland
Igor Kapyrin – Dep. Director Dep. of European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Russian Federation
Heikki Patomäki – Professor World Politics Department, University of Helsinki

Ukraine: NATO doctrine and policy – trigger for a new cold war?

Speakers:
Stina Oscarsson – theatre director and social debater
Petros Papaconstantinou – Foreign Affairs editor at the Greek daily newspaper “Kathimerini”

An alternative Neighbourhood Policy: Alternative approaches from the Left, women and peace movements (Plenary/ final debate with all participants)

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The Conference will be webstreamed
Interpretation into the following languages will be provided: FR, DE, IT, EN, EL, ES, PT, FI, SV, CS, RU, AR

For more information contact: Press: Gianfranco Battistini: [email protected]