Hr. formand, hr. formand for Rådet, hr. kommissær, jeg vil gerne starte med at rose Kommissionen for dens hensigtsmæssige og rettidige udarbejdelse af meddelelsen om det udvidede Europa og forbindelserne med de nye nabolande i øst og syd, ikke mindst fordi den giver mulighed for at strukturere debatten, så vi undgår improvisationer, som blot vækker uindfrielige forventninger eller skaber frustration i en yderst kompleks situation, der ændrer sig hele tiden.
Mr President, President-in-Office of the Council, Commissioner, I would like to start by telling the Commission how timely and appropriate the communication on the Wider Europe and on relations with its new neighbours to the east and south is, not least in that it makes it possible to structure the debate to exclude improvisation or extemporisation, which have the effect of raising easily-raised or vain hopes in a situation which is extremely complex and in a state of constant flux.