Big three dominate EU summit.

LAST EDITED ON 19-10-01 AT 08:13 PM (GMT)[p]Normally I don’t like discussing politics on this forum, but today I was so disappointed, I had to say something.
Since Belgium now holds the EU-presidency, and today there was an important EU-summit in Ghent, I can watch the whole scene from very close.

The Big Three in Europe (as they call theirselves) : France, the UK and the Bundesrepubliek Deutschland, held their own private summit today. France insisted on this, especially for political reasons (presidential elections between Chiraq, now president and conservatist and Jospin, prime minister and socialist). They wanted to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, and how to support the US military. These B3 (Big three) are the only european nations who have a military which could come close to what the US should need. But the date of their appointement is a slap in the face for the other 12 political leaders and the 18 candidates for the EU. The summit in Ghent was already fully devoted to the situation in Afghanistan, but especially France wanted to show off to those inferior members of the EU. It’s very sad to see the political leaders of France and Germany being so frustrated because their country can not play such an important role. There has always been some trouble between the Brits and the French, but this is nor the right time, nor the right place to argue about.

It’s obvious that it’s impossible for the EU to form a coalition against terror together with the US if its members can not even cooperate with eachother.

Sad, very sad.

Benjamin
Absurdistan

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‘Big three’ talks irks EU summit
October 19, 2001 Posted: 1352 GMT

GHENT, Belgium — Senior European Union politicians are said to be irritated over a decision by fellow members Britain, France and Germany to hold private talks about the military strikes on Afghanistan.

The “big three” faced accusations of undermining EU solidarity by staging their own “mini-summit.”

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Lionel Jospin and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder were expected to meet before a full summit of EU leaders on Friday.

But the private talks are reported to be being held to the chagrin of other EU colleagues, most of whom have offered their support to the U.S.-led coalition against terrorism.

“I think it’s a shame that some countries are going to be attending and some not,” Romano Prodi, president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive, told The Associated Press.

In Italy, officials told AP that Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had been annoyed, while Italian newspapers called the exclusion a “slap in the face.”

Chirac called the meeting, but Blair’s officials readily agreed that the three should hold their own talks, because they represent the only three EU states directly involved in providing military support for the U.S. campaign.

Blair, Chirac, Jospin and Schroeder were expected to discuss military cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

A senior German official told Reuters earlier that they would also discuss possible military contributions and efforts to revive Middle East peace talks.

To date, Britain is the only EU country actively involved with the United States in the air strikes in Afghanistan, where Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect behind the terrorist attacks, is believed to be.

Eleven of the 15 EU nations belong to NATO, and through the 19-nation alliance they have opened their ports and airspace to American military forces.

Many are providing logistical support.

Blair’s pre-summit meeting with Chirac and Schroeder has ruffled feathers
“We demonstrated and will continue to demonstrate our complete solidarity with the government and people of the United States. I would not like there to be any doubt about that,” said Prodi.

To combat terrorism, the EU is widening efforts to crack down on money laundering and beef up security at airports.

It also has frozen about $100 million in assets of individuals and organisations suspected of terrorist connections.

The summit of EU leaders is expected to draw protests by anti-war demonstrators and anti-globalisation groups.

It is the climax of a week of meetings of ministers of EU states.

On Wednesday, EU foreign ministers met in Luxembourg to draw up a blueprint for a “significant” U.N. role in building a post-Taliban Afghanistan.

The foreign ministers were building on measures agreed by a joint meeting of home affairs and interior ministers — also in Luxembourg — on Tuesday.

On Monday, the EU finance, justice and transport ministers endorsed measures to combat global terrorism, including a move to apply money-laundering rules to various serious crimes, not just the illegal drugs trade.

They pledged to freeze assets of terrorists and their organisations and boost airport and airplane security.

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