« Zapatero refuerza la apuesta por el eje París-Berlín con una alianza en defensa y armamento | Entrada | Britain under pressure to stay with EU’s policy on migrants »
novembro 09, 2004
Axis regroups to curb Bush in second term
Fonte: The Times
Axis regroups to curb Bush in second term
By Greg Hurst Political Correspondent in Brussels
FRANCE, Germany and Spain signalled a new alliance yesterday to strengthen the European Union’s political project as a counterbalance to the United States after the re-election of President Bush.
The triple axis formed by “old Europe” powers, whose leaders were the most vociferous in opposing the Iraq war, was a rebuff to Tony Blair’s accusation that they were in a “state of denial” over the outcome of America’s presidential election.
Jacques Chirac, the French President, declared that the result left the world “more multi-polar than ever” and said that Europe must react by strengthening its political unity and press ahead with its new constitution. “The confirmation of strong American politics leads naturally to the necessity to reinforce Europe politically and economically,” M Chirac said at an EU summit in Brussels.
“Europe today has more than ever the need and necessity to reinforce its unity. That is the goal of the constitution. It will help this reinforcement of European unity in the face of global powers in a world which is more multi-polar than ever.”
The warning from Mr Blair, in an interview with The Times, was aimed chiefly at M Chirac and José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the Spanish Prime Minister, who withdrew Spanish troops from Iraq and privately predicted a John Kerry victory to other European centre-left politicians. M Chirac and Señor Zapatero met in Brussels yesterday with Gerhard Schröder, the German Chancellor, and agreed to work more closely together to build a stronger Europe in response to the renewed mandate won by President Bush.
One outcome is that the three leaders are to attend rallies in support of the European constitution in France and Spain, where referendums are to be held to endorse it; a referendum is unlikely to be held in Germany, whose constitution forbids it.
Mr Blair has been trying to cement his political links with Herr Schröder and to build new economic ties with Spain, although he retains pro-war allies such as Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister.
Several European leaders called for better relations with Washington, although there was a sense among some that President Bush must curb the unilateralism that marked his first term.
Señor Zapatero referred to the differences that remained between Europe and America, saying: “We are disposed to collaborate and to increase the transatlantic dialogue and to respect each other’s positions.”
Mr Blair and Iyad Allawi, the interim Iraqi Prime Minister who addressed EU leaders over lunch, made a concerted attempt to bury the controversy over Dr Allawi’s description of some countries who have not sent troops to Iraq as “spectators”, and M Chirac’s departure before they discussed Iraq.
Dr Allawi said: “What I said really is history. We need to start afreshand develop our relations with countries in the world. We want to forge a positive alliance with Europe.”
M Chirac, who left before the lunch to fly to the United Arab Emirates, insisted this was not a snub and disclosed he had invited Ghazi Yawar, the Iraqi President, to Paris.
EU leaders approved a modest €31.5 million (£22 million) package of support and training for Iraq’s elections. France and Germany offered Iraq bilateral debt relief, but there was lingering anger at Dr Allawi over his reference to “spectators”, which soured his visit to the summit.
Jean-Claude Juncker, the Prime Minister of Luxembourg and a critic of the war, said: “I don’t like the expression ‘spectator states’ at all. I don’t understand it, and if I do understand it right, I don’t like it at all.”
Publicado por esta às novembro 9, 2004 02:25 PM