-Caveat Lector-
From
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/02/28/weu28.xml&sSh
eet=/news/2002/02/28/ixworld.html
}}}>Begin
Britain heads for clash with France on Europe
By Benedict Brogan, Political Correspondent
(Filed: 28/02/2002)
BRITAIN was on a collision course with France over the future of the European
Union last night after the French government called for the creation of a "profoundly
federal" United States of Europe.
Paris dismissed Tony Blair's call for the EU to be led by national governments and
insisted on a federal structure "more ambitious" in scope.
Pierre Moscovici, the French Europe minister, set out his government's ambitions for
the one-year convention on the future of Europe opening in Brussels today.
He said that, with the introduction of the single currency and plans for a European
arrest warrant, a common army and a unified legal system, "we are building
something which is profoundly federal or a true union of states".
His uncompromising language was seen as an implicit rebuke to the Prime Minister,
who says Europe should be based on nation states, not a "super-state" led from
Brussels.
The row came as the Treasury prepared to publish today its White Paper on
European economic reform, which will set out a 10-year plan for liberating markets in
the EU before enlargement, which could result in up to 13 nations joining from 2004.
The Conservatives seized on the plan, saying the Government was ignoring the
threat from the federalist ambitions of the EU's biggest members, and risked being
outflanked by France and Germany.
The convention, made up of 105 delegates from the EU's members, has been asked
to produce a plan to reform the way the EU is run. France and Germany are
expected to take a lead role.
Edward Heathcoat-Amory, the sole Tory on the three-strong British delegation, said:
"Moscovici is speaking the truth. This is the view of the French government and I
wish the British government would be as open and honest about what's actually
happening in Europe."
In an interview in the French establishment daily newspaper Le Monde, M Moscovici
confirmed that France would ask the convention to put a federal identity for Europe
before national identities.
"To build a vision of the future of Europe, one must be ambitious, and that ambition
cannot be solely an ambition for the nation states or the governments. I do not
believe that the future of Europe should be purely inter-governmental," he said.
"We must instead re-establish the institutional triangle - Commission, Council,
Parliament - preserving the brilliant institutions that were built by the founding
fathers
and, at the same time, renew them in depth, adapt them to this new century and go
towards a United States of Europe."
He spoke of "federating ourselves" while "respecting the nation states". A United
States of Europe would not be the same as the United States of America, because of
differences in language and political systems.
Michael Ancram, the shadow foreign secretary, said: "Mr Blair's hidden agenda on
the future of Europe is an open agenda for other Europeans. It also shows that the
euro is not merely about economics, but is a highly political move.
"It is a single currency for a planned single United States of Europe with a single
constitution and a single foreign and defence policy. This makes it more important
than ever that we argue for the flexible EU which alone can defend the interest of
Britain."
M Moscovici's comments can be seen to some extent as an attempt to reassure the
smaller, arch- federalists, including Belgium and Holland, that Europe is not turning
away from their interests and that France remains an ally.
His comments are much stronger than would usually be expected from Paris.
President Jacques Chirac is the main spokesman on foreign policy matters and the
views expressed by M Moscovici are at odds with his. Mr Chirac is more
integrationist than federalist.
15 February 2002: EU arrest warrant put on fast track
1 January 2002: Europe's leap into unknown
24 November 2001: France and Germany seek EU constitution
14 November 2001: EU prepares for 'big bang' entry of 10 countries
11 December 1999: Euro force to be formed for crisis missions
Next story: US asks for bin Laden DNA samples
External links
Composition of the Convention on the future of Europe - European Union
EU news - Europa
France in Europe - French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Le Monde
© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2002.
End<{{{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe
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believe in anything merely on the authority of Teachers, elders or wise men.
Believe only after careful observation and analysis, when you find that it
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A merely fallen enemy may rise again, but the reconciled
one is truly vanquished. -Johann Christoph Schiller,
German Writer (1759-1805)
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It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that
prevents us from living freely and nobly. -Bertrand Russell
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"Everyone has the right...to seek, receive and impart
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of frontiers."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
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teach you to keep your mouth shut."
--- Ernest Hemingway
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