Monday 4 September 2006, 9.30h - 11.30h, Congress Hall, 2 ½ floor
Plenary speakers: Heidi Hautala (Finland), Achin Vanaik (India), Ramon Fernandez Duran (Spain) Chair: Laura Lodenius (Finland)

The constitution of the European Union didn’t get people’s support behind it and its future is still open. The suggestion included several aspects which would have had an impact on the structures of handling EU:s Foreign and Security policy, and the defence policy. Even though the constitution is not in place many issues from that table have been put forward in a rapid timetable.

The developing of The European Defence Agency, the urge to compete on the arms trade and arms development market with US and Asian countries and the outspoken goal that the EU member states “should increase their military spending”. Also developing of the new military crisis management tools is moving forward in very fast timetable, which many have seen as steps towards a common defence and army.

The Terrorism and the US-led “war against terrorism” has been used as a pretext for military intervention in many parts of the world. In Asia it has meant that in the interests of “war on terrorism” the “western” governments have in many cases turned the blind eye on issues as severe curtailment of civil liberties and human rights, and also on the development and further build up of new military capacity by repressive governments in countries where all resources should be directed to development, schooling and feeding people. Attacks on innocent civilians have increased in various corners of the world. The humanitarian law is not respected.

There is much to do for the the peace movements in Asia and Europe. The task for peoples movements is to resist this rising security-based and militarist Europe and Asia. Work for civilian - peoples Europe and peoples Asia, for visions including peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue, mutual knowledge, and elimination of the root causes of conflicts. A Europe and a Asia more as supporters of UN and disarmament, as developers of civilian crisis management and conflict prevention tools, a Europe and a Asia as regions doing cooperation and being partners, not competitors, where everything is seen from the view of economical and power political competition.

These themes are discussed in the plenary and in the workshops after. Follow in workshops on: Environmental Security, Humanitarian Weapons: Militarisation of aid and its Implications for Global Peace, Conflict Resolution from Below, Peace Activists Discuss Strategies and Campaigns.