Stubb meets British Foreign Secretary

“Preaching about human rights erodes EU credibility”

Alexander Stubb & William Hague

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The global significance of Europe is in danger of eroding in the intensifying competition over foreign policy influence is the warning that both Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb (Nat. Coalition Party) and British Foreign Secretary William Hague, commenting in Helsinki on Monday.
      The two ministers, who spoke at an annual meeting of Finnish heads of diplomatic missions, were largely in agreement, even though Stubb is known to be an EU enthusiast, while former Conservative Party leader Hague is something of a Euro-sceptic.
      “There is no natural space for the EU in a multipolar world”, Stubb said in an answer to a question put to him after his speech.
     
Stubb said that the EU needs new types of action in its foreign policy. At the same time, the importance of bilateral diplomacy is emphasised for Finland as well, as more space can be found for individual EU member states.
      In his speech, Stubb called for “dignified foreign policy”, in which the EU countries maintain a good level of democracy and human rights, while showing more “flexibility” in value questions concerning other countries.
      Stubb says that nowadays powerful stands are taken on human rights through the EU, but they are bypassed when issues are discussed bilaterally.
     
“A gradual waning of human rights policy and a reduction of our influence are in sight as others grow tired of preaching by the EU”, he said.
      Stubb is not perturbed by seeing “dignified foreign policy” combined with opportunism. “If we mean that we achieve our own goals in a dignified manner.”
      When asked about assessments made last week by ministers of the National Coalition Party on the great power status of Russia, Stubb said that the assessment contained nothing exceptional. He noted that controversy arises “whenever a minister of the National Coalition Party mentions Russia three times, or if three ministers mention it once”.
     
Speaking as a guest at the meeting, Hague emphasised the support of the current British Conservative and Liberal Democratic coalition to the EU in the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty and other current endeavours.
      Hague, a Conservative stalwart who has voiced views that have been considered very Euro-sceptical, said that the British government wants to act enthusiastically, but it does not want new transfers of power from states to the EU.
      He said that the aim of the new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government has been to fight “strategic atrophy” in a changing division of foreign policy power by strengthening British presence where such a presence offers opportunities and benefits.


See also:
  Katainen: Finns jumpy about debate on Russia (20.8.2010)

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