Blair warns Chirac on the future of Europe

The Financial Times ^ | April 28, 2003 | Philip Stephens and Cathy Newman

[MadIvan]

Tony Blair has issued a direct challenge to France's Jacques Chirac over the future of the transatlantic relationship by warning that the French president's vision of Europe as a rival to the US is dangerously destabilising.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Financial Times, the prime minister foreshadows a continuing Anglo-French struggle about Europe's relationship with Washington. Mr Blair seeks to keep alive the prospect of British entry to the euro but he disavows any personal ambition to become president of the European Union.

Though his personal relationship with Mr Chirac has improved since the bitter row over France's veto of a second United Nations resolution, Mr Blair is clear that the strategic divide that opened over Iraq has not been bridged.

Meanwhile a new MORI poll for the FT reveals that 55 per cent of Britons regard France as the UK's least reliable ally, while 73 per cent view the US as the country's most reliable.

The prime minister disassociated himself from those in Washington who have said that France should be "punished" for its opposition to the war with Iraq.

He drew the limits of his own alliance with Washington by rejecting military intervention to halt the development of weapons of mass destruction in countries such as North Korea and Syria.

He was equally determined, though, that Europe has to face up to divisions in the alliance exposed by the US-led invasion.

Spelling out the damage that would be inflicted by Mr Chirac's vision of a "multipolar" world, he said: "I am not really interested in talk about punishing countries, but I think there is an issue that we have to resolve here between America and Europe and within Europe about Europe's attitude towards the transatlantic alliance.

"I don't want Europe setting itself up in opposition to America . . . I think it will be dangerous and destabilising."

France wanted a multipolar world with different centres of power, he said, but "I believe that they will very quickly develop into rival centres of power".

The result would be that "you end up reawakening some of the problems that we had in the cold war with countries playing different centres of power off each other". Rather than seek to gloss over the divide it was better "to have it out in the open".

[MadIvan]

I believe Blair can be convinced on North Korea - however he has a nasty, nasty fight ahead with Old Europe in one corner, and himself as the nominal head of New Europe in the other.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[RobFromGa]

interesting. thanks for finding this one MadIvan/

[grammymoon]

Ivan,
I can not thank you enough for all your fantastic posts...
You do really good work. I read them all.
Thanks again.

[MadIvan]

Most kind. Thank you.

Regards, Ivan

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

I think that this Chirac feller needs a check-up from the neck-up.

Are there any French thinking the same thing?

[maui_hawaii]

France wanted wants a multipolar world with different centres of power

Along with China.

[MadIvan]

The word "syphilis" crossed my mind to explain his behaviour.

Regards, Ivan

[tet68]

Wonder how Tony feels now that the news is out on France
helping Saddam?

[annyokie]

Trial of my slideshow, my apologies if it doesn't work! Click Here

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

"multipolar"

This sounds very series. I've heard of bi-polar disorder but this must be worse. Is Chirac on meds for this?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I would echo what grammymoon just said!

Very little of what has appeared in the London papers has yet to appear in local papers in the US.

Although Rita C. of Foxnews had a very fascinating interview on the 3 pm (PST) news hour with Coughlin(Sp?), an editor of the London Times or Telegraph regarding the document finds in Baghdad!

[LibKill]

Blair has shown true fortitude throughout this Iraq conflict.

Chirac is no match for Blair.

[Eva]

TBLSHOW posted an article about Blair setting out to revive the Thirdway and I responded that The problem is that only an idiot would ignore the fact that the motivation for the obstruction of the removal of Saddam Hussein was centered around the selfish interests of "Old Europe" and a few other countries as well. World socialism cannot exist in such an environment. Tony Blair has got to realize this.

I guess your article verified my thought.

[fightinJAG]

Any article that begins this way---Tony Blair has issued a direct challenge to France's Jacques Chirac---I like it.

Although it made me feel a little sick to learn that Blair was still in contact with the Sinkmeister (according to Sinkmeister's press hogs), I still appreciate Blair's support and am pulling for him in his future fights, especially those with Old Europe.

[microgood]

Blair has shown true fortitude throughout this Iraq conflict. Chirac is no match for Blair.

A couple of things that come to mind are courage and conviction.

[Kay Soze]

Taliban,, Saddam , Osama, North Korea, Syria, Iran, France

[Minty]

You really do a good job finding these articles. Thanks for sharing. I have learn a lot from reading what you have been sharing. Keep them coming.

[TheCrusader]

Nobody should be surprised by France's actions. Since their infamous Revolution when they murdered their own Royalty and massacred Catholic priests and bishops in the streets they have done nothing right. From the Napoleonic Wars to being quasi-partners with Hitler, to harboring the Ayatollah Komeinni, France has been nothing but a pain in the derriere.

[risk]

Yes, many thanks for your excellent finds and analysis, Ivan!

We're on Blair's side -- and always will be, and the rest of the British parliament will think long and hard on Galloway's fate before they fight Blair again.

If it's right to resist France and Germany, then we'll do it side by side, Britain and America. I'm sure Australia will be right there with us, too.

I'll never forget Mr. Straw and Mr. Blair for siding with President Bush. Western civilization won't soon forget them, either.