By declaring their joint support of George W Bush eight states of the "New Europe" have read the riot act to the Franco-German couple who have long driven policy in the European Union. Drafted by Spain's Jose Maria Aznar, the text of their collective article was a pointed rebuke to Germany's Gerhard Schröder and France's Jacques Chirac - labelled "Old Europe" by US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld - for thinking they alone represent Europe's collective will. It is the latest example of the shifting centre of gravity in Europe, which would be reinforced if France and Germany were not part...