Τhe EU engagement and support for a solution to the Cyprus issue is a sine qua non for easing tensions in the region, the Ambassador of Belgium to Cyprus, based in Athens, Mark Calcoen, has told CNA, noting that the EU is ready to support a negotiating process under the UN.
Moreover, he expressed certainty that if the appointment of an EU Envoy on the Cyprus issue is helpful and acceptable to both sides, the High Representative and the President of the EU Council will move in that direction to support the UN-led talks.
In an interview with CNA, Calcoen also underlined that unity is essential for the EU credibility, stressing the need for the Union to have a clear and unanimous position with regard to the ongoing conflicts.
Calcoen, whose country will be holding the EU rotating Presidency during the first half of 2024, said that “while the EU was able to maintain a united response in the Russia-Ukraine conflict until now, such an univocal response is currently impossible in the Israeli-Palestinian question,” adding that as regards the Middle East the EU “could now play an even more expanded role in bringing the parties involved to the table for real negotiations and for flanking measures in case a political process could be successfully started.”
Asked about Nicosia’s initiative for a humanitarian maritime corridor towards Gaza, the ambassador stressed that “we encourage all relevant parties to work as quickly and as closely together to make this corridor, which would be able to bring adequate numbers of needed short-term and long-term help and assistance to Gaza, possible.”
The ambassador said that the Belgian EU Presidency is built around the themes of security, prosperity and preparing our future and its motto is ‘Protect, Strengthen, Prepare’, stressing that his country “will work hard as a facilitator and as an honest broker with all member states and with the EU institutions, trying to find the necessary compromises to obtain results and to deliver a strong and capable EU that is deserving of its citizens’ hopes and expectations.”
Asked about efforts for resuming the negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem, he noted that they welcome all efforts to restart the talks for a Cyprus settlement, which are under the auspices of and led by the UN, adding that “we would applaud the nomination of a new UN Envoy by the UN Secretary General and hope that the appointment will be made public as soon as possible.”
“This UN Envoy should work towards establishing a roadmap for further topics to be discussed between the relevant parties. As always, the EU is ready to help to further this process, but I repeat that this process is UN-led,” he added.
Priorities – “Protect, Strengthen, Prepare” the motto
Asked about the priorities of the Belgian EU Presidency, the ambassador said that “as a founding member of the EU, Belgium will hold for the 13th time the EU Presidency. Throughout all these years, we have built up a large experience in EU matters, which form part of our DNA now.”
“As such, Belgium will work hard as a facilitator and as an honest broker with all member states and with the EU institutions, trying to find the necessary compromises to obtain results and to deliver a strong and capable EU that is deserving of its citizens’ hopes and expectations,” he added.
According to Calcoen, the main priorities of the Belgian Presidency can be divided in two. As he noted, in the first months, before the EU Parliament goes into recess to prepare for the European elections, they will concentrate on passing as many legislative texts as possible that will be handed down from the Spanish Presidency.
“Since that number is expected to exceed 150, there will be a need to prioritize. We can say therefore that this is ‘finishing the past programme of the EU’, before we turn our attention in the second part of the Belgian Presidency to the future,” he added.
He went on to say that “we will work, with all partners, on the Strategic Agenda 2024-2029, which needs to be adopted in June 2024 and which will set out the priorities and actions of the EU for those years to come. We also need to start the process of further enlarging the EU and of internally reforming the EU to be prepared to be a decisive player in world affairs and to allow agile decision-making.”
As the ambassador noted, the Belgian Presidency “is built around the themes of security – protecting our people-, prosperity – strengthening our economy and implementing the green deal -, and preparing our future- follow up of the enlargement decisions of the December 2023 European Council and setting into motion the process for internal EU reforms and the reflection of what we need to do, how to do it and lastly how to institutionally prepare for these new challenges.”
Calcoen said that security “is first and foremost linked to strengthening the rule of law and the compliance with our commitments to democracy and fundamental values.” “It also means an EU better equipped to deal with migration, through partnerships with third countries and implementation of the Asylum and Migration Pact, and with organized crime,” he noted.
“Our common defence capabilities and industries must be strengthened. And first and foremost, we must continue our strong support for Ukraine and not accept unprovoked attacks on its sovereignty.” “EU citizens also want further action in the field of the social and health agenda and Belgium will host a few summits in these fields,” he added.
To boost prosperity, he went on, “we must increase EU competitiveness, consolidate our internal market, create an EU industrial policy. We must continue to ensure security of energy supply and accelerate the energy transition. We will also have to further implement the European Green Deal with the targets for 2030, 2040 and 2050.”
“Finally, we will have to start the discussion on the future of the cohesion and agricultural policies after 2027,” he added.
For all of the reasons above, the motto of our Presidency is ‘Protect, Strengthen, Prepare’, he noted.
Two wars in Europe’s neighbourhood
Asked about the two wars in Europe’s immediate neighbourhood, the one between Israel and Hamas and the other between Russia and Ukraine, and the EU’s position on these conflicts, the ambassador highlighted the difference between them: “Russia invaded its neighbour, Ukraine, without being provoked and this is a pure war of aggression. Israel, on the other hand, was confronted with the brutal attack on its territory by the terrorist organisation Hamas and retaliated in an act of self-defence.”
He noted that the position of Belgium in both wars is very clear “and we cannot be accused of maintaining any double standards.”
“Belgium condemns Russia’s unprovoked and unnecessary attack on the sovereignty of Ukraine. It stands with Ukraine in defence of its legitimate rights to exist within its borders, to organise its society according to the wishes of its people and in defence of democracy. It is important for Belgium that the EU continue its military, financial, humanitarian and political support to Ukraine. European unity is essential for our credibility. Belgium will continue supporting Ukraine in all areas, such as by making available in 2024 €1.7 billion – the interest on the Russian frozen assets in Belgium- for military material, humanitarian aid or reconstruction of Ukraine’s most stricken areas,” he said.
As far as the conflict between Israel and Hamas is concerned, he noted that “Belgium has unequivocally condemned the terrorist acts committed by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad on 7 October and has consistently called for the liberation, without delay, of the hostages.”
“Belgium recognises Israel’s right to self-defence, but this has to be exercised in respect of international humanitarian law. Belgium stresses indeed the particular importance for all parties in the conflict to respect international law and international humanitarian law. For Belgium, it is paramount for humanitarian aid to be delivered to the civilian refugees in the Gaza-strip via as many points of entry as needed and through the appropriate channels,” he noted.
He recalled that Belgium had from the start co-sponsored the UN resolution for a durable humanitarian cessation of hostilities, first introduced by the UAE and voted on 22 December 2023.
Moreover, Calcoen expressed his country’s position in favour of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, on the basis of the boundaries of June 1967, with Jerusalem as capital of the two states.
He also stressed that “there is a clear difference between terrorist movements such as Hamas and entities that make the choice of a political and legal way. As such, Belgium recognizes the Palestinian Authority as the legitimate authority of the Palestinian people.” “Belgium thus maintains a clear equilibrium between the rightful aspirations of Israel, in view of recent events, and the rightful aspirations of the Palestinian people and the Arab world since many decades,” he added.
He went on to say that “the EU should strive to have a clear and unanimous position with regard to the ongoing conflicts. If it wants to play an increased geopolitical role, the EU should be more of a player and not only a payer. It was with this intention that Prime Ministers Sanchez of Spain and De Croo of Belgium made a common trip to the Middle East recently. “While the EU was able to maintain a united response in the Russia-Ukraine conflict until now, such an univocal response is currently impossible in the Israelo-Palestinian question,” he said.
As he noted, “the EU has been part of the Middle East Quartet but could now play an even more expanded role in bringing the parties involved to the table for real negotiations and for flanking measures, in case a political process could be successfully started.”
EU role in global politics
Replying to a question about the EU’s role in global politics, Calcoen recalled that “from the start, the European integration was aimed at safeguarding stability in creating shared interests and welfare across Europe. This is still the driving force and the Russian aggression against Ukraine has reminded us that this motivation remains valid.” “The strategic choice to stabilise the continent through enlargement has been confirmed at the European Council,” he noted.
At the same time, he added, “the EU will need to make sure it will be ready to include new members and to play a bigger role on the global level, for the sake of its integrity and capacity to act, through internal reforms – where questions such as unanimity in policy making vs. qualified majority can be taken up.”
According to the ambassador, the 2024 Strategic Agenda offers a possibility to more prominently feature the EU’s assertiveness in a changing world, dominated by power politics. “A sovereign, autonomous EU, confident to have the capacity to make its own choices and to act accordingly, is what we need. At the same time, we must reduce dependencies and remain open to the world. We must complement support to multilateralism and global cooperation with an engagement with a diverse group of trusted partner countries. In the end, it all comes down to the political will to act together in a trusted and cooperative manner,” he noted.
Cyprus problem
Asked about efforts for the resumption of talks for a Cyprus settlement and how they assess Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides’ proposal for the appointment of an EU envoy on the Cyprus question, the Belgian ambassador said that they welcome all efforts to restart the talks for a Cyprus settlement, which are under the auspices of and led by the UN.
Noting that “we have seen the many initiatives and declarations of the President of the Republic of Cyprus to give a new impetus to these negotiations and talks,” Calcoen said that “we would applaud the nomination of a new UN Envoy by the UN Secretary General and hope that the appointment will be made public as soon as possible.”
“This UN Envoy should work towards establishing a roadmap for further topics to be discussed between the relevant parties. As always, the EU is ready to help to further this process, but I repeat that this process is UN-led. If the appointment of an EU Envoy is helpful and acceptable to both sides, I am sure the High Representative and the President of the EU Council will certainly move in that direction to support the UN-led talks,” he added.
He stressed that “the EU remains fully committed to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, within the UN framework and in line with the EU acquis and the principles on which the EU is founded. The EU has called, most recently in the European Council conclusions of June 2023, for the speedy resumption of negotiations and expressed readiness to play an active role in supporting all stages of the UN-led process and step up its practical support to facilitate a comprehensive settlement, with all appropriate means at its disposal,” the ambassador added.
He noted that the EU’s engagement and support for a solution to the Cyprus issue is a sine qua non for easing tensions in the region. “The EU also continuously expressed its support to the UN leadership regarding a renewed effort to bring the sides to the negotiating table and, in this regard to the call for the nomination of an UN Envoy. The EU stands ready to support the UN process,” the ambassador underlined.
Invited to comment on the provocations carried out in 2023 by the Turkish military forces in the UN-controlled buffer zone in Cyprus, Calcoen said that “we urge all parties to refrain from any action that will endanger the difficult and delicate balance and status quo that exists along the buffer zone.”
He congratulated the Head of UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and UNSG’s Special Representative to the island Colin Stewart for brokering an agreement on Pyla, and urged all parties to respect and implement this agreement. “All parties are aware of the special interest that the EU has in a peaceful and respectful solution to the Cypriot question. The EU urges all parties concerned to do their utmost to bring along this solution,” he stressed.
Turkey’s EU course
Asked about the Presidency’s position vis-à-vis Turkey’s EU accession course taking into consideration the commitments the country has to fulfil in order for its accession negotiations to move on, Calcoen said that the Presidency as such does not have a specific position vis-à-vis Turkey’s EU course, which is being discussed within the EU institutions through the most recent documents : the 2023 Communication on Enlargement Policy by the Commission, the regular country report on Turkey of 8 November by the Commission and the Joint Communication of the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 29 November.
“These documents outline the state of play of all aspects of EU-Turkey relations, in the accession process on the one hand, and in key areas to develop the relationship in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and a broader, fast-changing geopolitical and security environment on the other hand,” he noted.
He went on to say that the European Council noted in June 2018 that Turkey had been moving away from the European Union and therefore its accession negotiations had “effectively come to a standstill and no further chapters can be considered for opening or closing”. The Council has been reconfirming this position since, most recently in December 2022. The facts leading to this assessment still hold as it was set out in the recent Enlargement report of the Commission, he said.
He also said that the European Council of December 2023 decided that the EU-Turkey’s relations will be the subject of a discussion at an upcoming European Council meeting.
Migration
Asked about the Presidency’s approach towards the migration issue, he noted that the Spanish EU Presidency reached a political agreement on the Asylum and Migration Pact between the EU member states and the European Parliament, adding that therefore, the final adoption and implementation of this new Pact is a very high priority of the Belgian EU Presidency.
“This new pact will manage migration for the long term. It will provide more certainty, clarity and decent conditions for people arriving in the EU. It will allow Europeans to trust that migration is managed in an effective and humane way, in line with our values and international laws, through building confidence between member states, with clear responsibilities and full solidarity,” he noted.
He said that “we will need to manage our external borders more efficiently and therefore agreements with third countries will be needed,” assuring that “the Belgian Presidency will work hard to realise all of this.”
Calcoen further noted that it is not only the frontline states that are faced with a great burden, but also other countries in the EU. He said that in Belgium, for instance although they have created more than 35,000 places to welcome asylum seekers, more than ever, this is never enough.
“Moreover, it is estimated that between 150,000-200,000 non-recognised asylum seekers remain illegally in Brussels alone. All these factors put a high pressure on public finances and retain the interest of public opinion. Also, for the Western European countries, it is of utmost importance to deliver an efficient and workable new migration policy, evenly dividing the efforts needed to humanely welcome people truly deserving of asylum,” he added.
