Blair Gets Bush Vote To Be EU's 1st "Super President"

HeXp£Øi±

HeXp£Øi±

Well-Known Member
Apr 17 2003

From Paul Gilfeather Whitehall Editor, In Athens


GEORGE Bush has thrown his weight behind Tony Blair's bid to become Europe's first "super president".

He believes the PM can take on the role and help him demolish the "old Europe" alliance that tried to block the war against Iraq.

And Mr Blair risked angering other EU nations yesterday by insisting the new job must be created - because the US President wants it that way.

The row threatened to overshadow yesterday's historic summit in Athens, which saw the signing of a treaty to admit 10 new member states.

Irish President of the European Parliament Pat Cox said: "A new super president may risk raising expectations that cannot be realised and raise fears that cannot be allayed."

But Britain is determined to end the current system which sees the EU presidency change hands every six months.

Mr Blair wants more stability and a main man in Brussels to do business directly with America.Downing Street admitted yesterday that the PM had raised the idea, although they deny that he wants the job.

-TONY Blair is to become the first non-American to receive the Ellis Island Medal of Honour in recognition of his role in the war on terror and support for the US.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnew...dline=BLAIR GETS BUSH VOTE TO BE EU PRESIDENT
 
EU Accession Treaty signed in Athens

EUOBSERVER / ATHENS - The ceremony of the signature of the Accession Treaty for the ten new member states took place today, Wednesday 16 April at the historical site of the Acropolis in Athens. The site is the symbol of the birth of democracy in ancient Greece and will now also be the reference point of a re-unified Europe.

The ten acceding countries (the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia) now have an 'observer status' with regards to the EU but they will only become full members on 1 May 2004.

The signature of the Treaty puts an end to the disunity of Europe in geographical and political terms, as several heads of state and government underlined today; but disunity inside Europe remains.

The event was over shadowed by the constant divergence of opinions emerging between member states on various issues like the administration of post-Saddam Iraq and the future of the EU.

"Solidarity" was therefore the word present in almost all the speeches evoked by representative of the member states and acceding countries during the ceremony. In the same spirit, unity, security and prosperity were the key words of the joint Athens Declaration adopted today by the Europe of 25, promoting shared European values and the commitment to greater co-operation.

Coherence and reform needed
French president Jacques Chirac welcomed enlargement but said this could only succeed if Europe takes the opportunity to reform the European project - meaning institutional reform. He added that Europe will become richer through diversity but has to guarantee cohesion.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair considered this a good opportunity for Europe to give a positive example of unity to the world. He also welcomed Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey, which are not part of this enlargement but were invited to the ceremony.

José María Aznar, Spanish premier, also spoke about future enlargements but said that Europe needs a new framework for the future accession of Bulgaria and Romania.

Finally the enlargement of the EU will not stop once the current acceding and candidate countries will join. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi left the door open for other countries who have the same Christian roots and share the same values with the EU.

He said these countries are Russia and the Balkan states. He also brought a Mediterranean perspective to the enlargement while speaking of the Middle East where Europe "planted roots of democracy that will hopefully flourish".

Turkish foreign minister not present
Turkey was the only country not represented at ministerial level at the event. Although the Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gül was invited, he was not present for the ceremony in Athens.

The Turkish ambassador in Greece Mehmet Yigit Alpogan was the only official representing the country during this historical event that also implied the accession of Cyprus to the EU. Mr Gül is expected in Athens on Wednesday night.

http://www.euobserver.com/index.phtml?sid=9&aid=10948
 
HeXp£Øi± said:
GEORGE Bush has thrown his weight behind Tony Blair's bid to become Europe's first "super president".
Click to expand...

With that endorsement, who will get the job since Tony certainly won't.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top