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http://www.budapestsun.com/full_story.asp?ArticleId={864731677B0C40E19AD61E82476E378F}&From=News The Budapest Sun March 28, 2002 Irish peace holds hope for Eastern Europe By Robin Marshall [If this doesn't send chills down your spine....] -"Instead of being governed by old notions of sovereignty and dated nationalisms, the whole approach in Ireland is now more people centered and less pre-occupied with territory - it is about people, not land - not least because all Irish people are able to look forward to a brighter, common European future in which intense nationalist feeling has simply become increasingly out of place." The continued expansion of the European Union and closer integration are the way forward for "jobs, prosperity and justice" across the Continent, according to British MP Peter Mandelson. The man, who is widely credited with overseeing the "Blair Revolution" which completed modernization of the Labour Party in the UK and swept it into power in 1997, was giving the fourth annual Sz�chenyi Lecture - jointly hosted by the British Embassy and the English Speaking Union of Hungary - at the embassy�s Old Banking Hall on Friday (March 22). Mandelson, pictured, who has held several ministerial posts including Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, took as his theme A Progressive Vision of Europe: The Experience of Britain in Northern Ireland. In an often humorous speech, he said closer European integration had been a major factor in helping to find a more peaceful solution to the problems of Northern Ireland. An integral part of that had been making more, not less, of cultural differences, but in order to celebrate it, not to use it as an excuse for violence. "Instead of being governed by old notions of sovereignty and dated nationalisms, the whole approach in Ireland is now more people centered and less pre-occupied with territory - it is about people, not land - not least because all Irish people are able to look forward to a brighter, common European future in which intense nationalist feeling has simply become increasingly out of place," he said. That held an important message for the EU and those countries, such as Hungary, which wished to join, Mandelson continued. "If European membership has the potential to help solve such an intractable conflict as the Irish one, it holds out similar possibilities of success in the complex web of relationships in divided communities in Eastern Europe." Mandelson was making his first visit to Hungary, and said the country had achieved remarkable things in a little over 10 years. He had earlier remarked on the "lively and forceful nature" of the general election, but felt there was a danger the media and politicians might lose sight of what it was all about. "There is too much debate of procedure by media and politicians, rather than policy and that is what matters most for the public," he said. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Movies - coverage of the 74th Academy Awards� http://movies.yahoo.com/ --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9617B Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
