"No more issues should be decided in one country" - French Foreign Minister

[CookieMonster]

In a speech in Poland this week to Polish Ambassadors, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said "Without the Lisbon Treaty... we cannot speak about the future of Europe, about European defence, about the enlargement of Europe, about perfecting Europe. With 27 countries, it's not possible." He continues: "With this we will be the most politically significant entity in the world with a responsibility for our destiny, which goes well beyond our borders." He says, "There are no more issues anymore which can be decided in one country, they must all be considered in the Europe of 27."

He said, "We must bear in mind, the necessity of supporting our diplomatic efforts with a common defence, a European defence, as we showed in Georgia and Kosovo. Without this European defence, our diplomacy lacks strength. One way of strengthening this, making it less fragmented - and which will be one of the tasks of your Presidency - is to build a European diplomacy, through the European external action service, provided for in the Lisbon Treaty. The external action will be a European diplomacy which will not only be a diplomacy of bureaucrats. It is absolutely necessary that our diplomacies meet each other, unite and take their rightful place in this external action service, alongside the Commission." He concludes saying, "In Europe, I have learned something - I should say that with President Sarkozy it is quite easy to see - you have to be determined, solid, a little bit demanding, so as not to get lost in the complexities of sometimes interminable meetings."

https://pastel.diplomatie.gouv.fr/ed...=9&submit.y=10

[He3]

Can't say plainer than that.

The right to say No is at stake.

We use it or we lose it.

Not just for ourselves alone either, but for the benefit of every other community within the EC member States' borders.

[Clanrickard]

. "In Europe, I have learned something - I should say that with President Sarkozy it is quite easy to see - you have to be determined, solid, a little bit demanding, so as not to get lost in the complexities of sometimes interminable meetings."

Translation: We along with the Germans and a few other will decide what is best for all the EU and we won't get involved in pesky discussions because the rest don't count. That's grand so. At least we know where we stand.

[Boggle]

I thought the self amending treaty thing had been debunked? How then does this make the EU a singular diplomatic entity?? How does it stop out VETO - unless, maybe, it allows provision for a two tier Europe or something.

[SamVimesBoots]

In other words Lisbon really is mostly about militarisation and the move towards an EU Empire.

If it has its own flag, anthem, diplomatic corps, army, if individual nations no longer have the power to shout Stop!, and if the political class in charge have the vision and will to project that economic, diplomatic and military power globally....

If Lisbon goes through it will be a complete disaster for the ordinary people of Europe, who will just be used as economic and military fodder to fuel the self-aggrandizing dreams of the Euro political class.

[sauntersplash]

"Without this European defence, our diplomacy lacks strength."

Irony?

[Boggle]

Anyway, I think I just decided to vote no. I'm not risking getting involved with a juggernaut over which we have no control.

[Galmor]

These statements are sure to influence certain sectors of Irish society into voting no to the second treaty- so in one sense this could be a good move, or to put it in a more appropriate context- a blunder. And it’s not just us who will benefit- but the silenced 550 million Europeans deprived of so much as a vote on Lisbon.

[He3]

"In Europe, I have learned something - I should say that with President Sarkozy it is quite easy to see - you have to be determined, solid, a little bit demanding, so as not to get lost in the complexities of sometimes interminable meetings."

Someone should have pinned that up in Government Buildings a long time ago.

[The Caped Cod]

Kouchner is a douche. He was hailed as a great man for Medicin sans frontiers until he defected to Sarkozys government from the socialist party and showed his lack of integrity. He's also had alot of publicity in France lately when his ties to "consultantcy" agancies who deal with "French Africa".