Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-01-29-Speech-3-045"
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"en.20030129.2.3-045"2
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"Mr President, I belong to that generation of Europeans which has always, not least because of the period of history we have lived through, seen the United States as our champion of democracy and freedom, the country which freed Italy and Europe from Nazi tyranny, the country which, for decades, led the Western democracies in the fight against the threats posed by the Soviet Union. I am sad and concerned to see the United States now taking a path which is likely to lose it the moral leadership of the world, although it will, of course, still have political and military leadership. Indeed, we have shifted from a firm, rational position in the face of the dangers of Arab and Islamic terrorism and the terrorism of Iraq itself to a situation of unilateral decisions, and we must realise that we cannot accept this situation without undoing decades of progress made in international law. What will we do if, in the future, a country such as China or Russia decides it has the right to invade one of its neighbours? Is Iraq really the most dangerous threat or is Korea not evidence of the existence of greater threats? That is why, while confirming our great affection and esteem for the United States, we must now tell it, as its true allies and friends, that it has taken the wrong road and must stop and listen to the international community.
Furthermore, my regret is increased by the state of Europe, at the sight of a Europe divided as never before, in which the genuine problems – the lack of a political, strategic vision of the world – are starkly revealed and in which the legitimate, rightful diversities of the European countries are made worthless by their inability to agree on joint measures. I welcome the Franco-German cooperation, although I do not support all the positions. I welcome it because it has always been the driving force of Europe and can continue to be so in the future, but, if we do not want it to be restricted to what is quite simply irrelevant rhetoric, as has been the case thus far, it must be channelled into a position which will result in the creation of a European defence policy in the future, for only when Europe speaks with one voice will it become as influential as the United States."@en1
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