Print

Mail

wiki links

EU rethinks relations with the US

"Acting together, the EU and the US can be a formidable force for good in the world."

Javier Solana, EU foreign policy chief

With transatlantic ties laid low by the Iraq war, EU leaders are rethinking their relations with the US -- and they plan to use an EU-US summit in Washington this week to refocus priorities.

At a weekend summit in northern Greece, Europe's presidents and prime ministers underlined the importance of ties with Washington, but stressed they should work as equal partners.

"The development of the transatlantic relations on an equal footing remains of fundamental importance in every domain not only for the two sides but also for the international community," they said in their summit declaration.

And they hope a new European security strategy, commissioned after the EU's disarray over Iraq, could help to build bridges.

"The EU is determined to continue discussions with the US on proposals for strengthening relations including ideas that could emerge from the elaboration of the European security strategy."

Transatlantic relations were seriously damaged by the Iraq crisis, when heavyweights France and Germany fiercely opposed the war, and the EU has been keen to try to make repairs.

The rethink in diplomatic strategy has become all the more important with the Union expanding from 15 to 25 members next May, many of them former communist states who have much to thank the US for.

"Acting together, the EU and the US can be a formidable force for good in the world," said the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who drew up the strategy document.

The text, to be developed in coming months with input from the US, re-emphasizes the EU's commitment to NATO and should allay Washington's fears about a separate EU defense pole emerging.

"The transatlantic relationship is irreplaceable," Solana says in it.

But he also urges the EU to move off in new strategic directions and to focus on developing relations with Russia, Japan, China, Canada and India.

"None of our relations will be exclusive," the document reads.

The leaders expect this Wednesday's EU-US summit to "set priorities in their relations, aiming at intensifying cooperation to achieve concrete results, building on progress already achieved in many fields and developing new areas of cooperation."

Officials in Brussels say the meeting will be about setting a common agenda for cooperation.
This story has been viewed 1612 times.