[A-List] EU integration struggles: foreign policy

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

In line with Mark's earlier "wilderness of mirrors" hypothesis, there does
seem to be a lot of evidence of behind-the-scenes reinvigoration of British
EU participation -- if indeed there ever was a levelling off. Perhaps that
perception has been managed for us too, but the flurry of initiatives coming
out in recent weeks suggests that a tier of the UK state apparatus is
devoting considerable resource to seeing through Tony's vision of "our
destiny". The last sentence of this article is particularly revealing, if
true.

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Giscard lambasts European divisions over Iraq
By George Parker and Daniel Dombey in Brussels
Financial Times: February 8 2003

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, the former French president who is drafting a new
EU constitution, yesterday criticised European leaders over their divided
response to the Iraq crisis, and told them to get serious about a common
foreign policy.

He said the split over a possible war both defied the wishes of most EU
citizens and broke treaty commitments. "I feel the need to act," he said.
"This situation is not acceptable."

Mr Giscard d'Estaing, who heads the convention drawing up a new EU
constitution, believes Europe must bury its differences and rally behind a
single foreign policy, pushed forward by a new EU foreign secretary, and
determined largely by majority voting.

In an implicit criticism of those backing the tough US stance on Iraq,
including the UK's Tony Blair and José Mara Aznar of Spain, he said:
"Whatever the stance taken by their leaders, the people seem to want peace."

He cited opinion polls showing an overwhelming desire among EU citizens for
a common response to Iraq, which he said contrasted with the divergent
positions of their governments.

The 1991 Maastricht treaty also binds EU member states to "refrain from any
action which is contrary to the interest of the union or likely to impair
its effectiveness as a cohesive force in international relations".

In addition, it instructs governments to "inform and consult one another. .
. to ensure that the union's influence is exerted as effectively as
possible" - an injunction Mr Giscard d'Estaing believes was broken by a
pro-US letter by eight European leaders.

Mr Giscard d'Estaing is conscious of the irony that his convention is trying
to construct the machinery for a common EU foreign policy at a time when
Iraq has revealed that no such policy exists.

He warned that it was impossible to create an EU foreign policy out of 15 or
more separate national policies. "The first reaction of European leaders
should be to think in European terms, although they have legitimate national
concerns as well," he said.

"At the moment, unfortunately, the opposite is the case." His convention has
yet to draft detailed texts on how a common policy might be developed, but
it is almost certain to recommend the creation of a new EU foreign secretary
to spearhead the initiative.

It is also likely to propose the creation of a new EU president, heading the
European Council of national leaders, who could also become a figure on the
world stage.

Mr Giscard d'Estaing's colleagues say he also favours the creation of an EU
diplomatic service, to assist the foreign secretary.

Underpinning the exercise would be the extension of majority voting - and
the reduction in the use of the national veto - in determining a common
foreign policy.

France and Germany recently proposed such a move, and it has also been
privately endorsed by Britain, in spite of earlier reservations.