For Immediate Release
June 20, 2005
Joint Statement by the European Union and the United States Working Together to Promote Democracy and Support Freedom, the Rule of Law and Human Rights Worldwide
The European Union and the United States believe that the spread of
accountable and representative government, the rule of law, and respect
for human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, are a strategic priority as well as a moral necessity. We will
continue to work together to advance these priorities around the
world.
The work of the United Nations is central both to democracy and
human rights. We welcome the proposals put forward by Kofi Annan to
renew the UN's commitment and enhance its effectiveness in these
areas. Specifically, we value the UN Secretary General's initiatives
for reforming the UN human rights mechanisms and for creating a
Peacebuilding Commission. We pledge to support the establishment of
the UN Democracy Fund to assist countries in strengthening civil
society and democratic institutions.
We express our admiration and pledge our support for all those
engaged in the defense of freedom, democracy and human rights, in many
cases at great personal risk.
We are encouraged by the efforts of many governments to open their
societies and political systems. Recognizing that democratic reform is
a process that deserves our support, we promise our solidarity and
support to those promoting democracy around the world, be it in
Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, or
elsewhere. We will continue to support pluralism and the development
of civil society, and will encourage the political participation of
women and minorities.
Free and fair elections are central to democracy. We congratulate
the many thousands of citizens who have participated in organizing and
observing elections in their own countries and abroad. We pledge to
support the work of the United Nations in assisting in the organization
of elections and will work together in multilateral fora to further
strengthen international election standards and to spread the
implementation of objective and fair election assessment mechanisms.
We support the principles of impartially-conducted and transparent
election administration and observation and commend the efforts
undertaken by various regional organizations such as the OSCE or civil
society in this context. We will continue to support the holding of
free and fair elections in countries undergoing or desiring democratic
transitions, including in Afghanistan, Haiti, DRC, Iraq, and in the
Palestinian territories.
Democracy is not just a matter of elections; it must be anchored in
democratic institutions, separation of powers, human rights, the rule
of law, tolerance, good governance, and justice. Our assistance to
third countries increasingly takes into account the need to sustain
democracy in all these dimensions.
We have worked closely to create a Europe whole, free, and at
peace; both the EU and NATO have played an important part in this, and
continue to do so. We are confident that the reform process in the
Balkans will further the region's successful integration into Europe.
The European Neighborhood Policy and U.S. support for democratic and
economic transitions will contribute further to stability, prosperity
and partnership. We will in particular continue to coordinate our
efforts to promote democracy, the rule of law and respect for human
rights in Belarus.
We are witnessing a growing desire for reform in the Middle East
and welcome recent democratic developments. Democratic elections in
the Palestinian territories, Iraq, and Lebanon have successfully taken
place. We recognize the importance of transparent and fair elections
and the need to expand freedom and opportunity across the region. We
reaffirm our commitments made at Dromoland and Sea Island, and our
support for the Forum for the Future and other elements of the G-8
BMENA Initiative. Recognizing that the threat of conflict can
undermine democratic reforms, we commit ourselves to support those who
are working for the resolution of conflicts, in the Middle East and
elsewhere.
We have both encouraged the growth of democratic institutions in
many countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. We acknowledge the
important contributions by regional and multilateral organizations, as
well as initiatives such as the Community of Democracies, to promote
democracy and respect for fundamental human rights.
We recognize that differences in history, culture and society mean
that the paths taken towards democracy and the rule of law will be
different and that the systems of government that result will be
varied, reflecting local traditions and preferences. Democracy, while
it is based on universal values, will not be uniform. However, the
desire for justice, freedom, human rights, and accountable and
representative government is universal. In the long term, only systems
responsive to the wishes of the people they govern can achieve
political stability.
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