Leader

Embassy Row
By James Morrison
Published November 23, 2004

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Healing U.S.-EU ties
The ambassador of Bulgaria is worried about the division between the United States and certain European nations, such as France and Germany, that opposed U.S. policy in Iraq.
Ambassador Elena Poptodorova says the re-election of President Bush presents an opportunity for reconciliation between the United States and Europe, where anti-American feelings run high in many Western nations.
Bulgaria, one of the most pro-American nations in Central Europe, is prepared to help repair the strained relations, she told the Western Policy Center in a recent speech.
Mrs. Poptodorova said a confident Europe that "is stronger within its own parameters, matching its own profiles" will also be a "benefit to the United States."
"What I am trying to argue here is that there is a share of vested interest on both sides in healing. This is the message of the election," she said.
"These two entities can and should proceed to healing the harm that occurred last year and this year."
The ties became especially strained after France began to campaign actively against U.S. efforts to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and continued to oppose the U.S.-led coalition. Bulgaria has about 470 troops in Iraq.
Mrs. Poptodorova criticized Europe for failing to agree on a common position concerning relations with the United States. Bulgaria is preparing to join the European Union.
"I think that if Europe arrived at a common position and speaks in one voice, any American administration would listen, but it's much more difficult to listen to different voices at the same time," she said.
Mrs. Poptodorova said the defeat of terrorists in the Iraqi city of Fallujah and the death of Yasser Arafat present new opportunities to advance international security.
"A measure of success would be a peaceful transition in [the Palestinian territories] and a credible election in Iraq," she said, referring to the planned elections in January.
Mrs. Poptodorova called on the United States to "reach out" to its European partners to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace, to deal with the nuclear weapons' threat posed by Iran and to secure Iraq.
She also said the European Union will be taking on additional responsibilities as it expands its borders, particularly if it admits Turkey.
Europe will have to "assume a joint responsibility regarding threats like international terrorism and weapons of mass destruction," she said.

Lesson for France
French Ambassador Jean-David Levitte clearly got the message from the re-election of President Bush, as he opened a campaign in New York to promote U.S. investment in France.
Mr. Levitte said he believed Washington and Paris are mending their relations, however he spoke before French President Jacques Chirac expressed more criticism of the United States last week.
Mr. Levitte, beginning an investment campaign, said, "We have been through difficult moments, but this is mostly behind us. The election is behind us."
Clara Gaymard, president of the government's Invest in France Agency, helped Mr. Levitte opened the drive to attract more U.S. business by pointing out that Americans are already France's largest foreign investors, supporting nearly 550,000 French jobs.
U.S.-French business ties "have never been stronger," she said.
Before he left on a visit to London last week, Mr. Chirac criticized the United States and chided Britain for failing to get any special favors from Washington for supporting the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.
"Well," he told reporters in Paris, "Britain gave its support, but I did not see much in return. I am not sure that it is in the nature of our American friends at the moment to return favors systematically." Of course, you do the right thing only when you can get something in return.
•Call Embassy Row at 202/636-3297, fax 202/832-7278 or e-mail jmorrison @washingtontimes.com.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/funct...2-095745-8753r

__________________

Julie

Chirac.....he would literally screw up a two-car funeral, wouldn't he? He is such a bonehead.

Confed999

It surely seems that way...

__________________
No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry

dieseltaylor

Julie

"Chirac.....he would literally screw up a two-car funeral, wouldn't he? He is such a bonehead."

I am curious why you say that. Most politicians work for the best interest of their country. What makes Chirac sufficiently different from other leaders to be a bonehead?

smilingassassin

Because Chirac works towards the best interests his country, at the expence of others. France literally tried to make the U.S. look like chumps in Iraq by screaming holy hell that they didn't get UN approval, all in an attempt to paint France as the rosey democracy. Later we find out why, Chirac was on Saddams payroll via the UN oil for food program..... how quaint.

Lucien LaCroix

France's stated desire to mend fences with the United States are motivated purely by their selfish interests, not by any altruistic desire to form coalitions.

France genuinely wants U.N. leadership--provided France is its chief spokesperson. France wants alliances with other nations--provided France is allowed to set policies and agendas. It harkens to the days when France ruled the seas (along with Britain) and subjugated other nations based merely upon its appraisal of innate French superiority. Little has changed in their attitude. Only their capabilities have altered.

During debate within NATO prior to the current Iraq conflict, France openly threatened some of the Eastern Europe nations that supported the U.S.'s position with blackballing from admission to the EU if those nations didn't toe the line with France's announced position.

France is a country that is now trying to live off of its centuries-old reputation, not upon any recent stellar achievements. They desire for everyone outside their borders to see them as equals to the United States, but they are unable to achieve such an elevation of status based upon merit. So their efforts are centered around "bringing the United States into the international fold." In doing so, the lessen America's influence around the world. In effect, they increase their apparent stature by diminishing the stature of those who would compete with them.

__________________
"If I see further than other men, it is because I stand upon the shoulders of giants."

dieseltaylor

Smiling Assassin

Just for the record do you think that the US has offered, and given money to countries/ or their leaders for favours? Turkey is one that immediately springs to my mind. This link gives a fuller picture of inducements that were offered pre-war.

http://www.cdi.org/iraq/aid-pr.cfm

This of course lists the above the table inducements. : )

Are there any other reasons that you may have for agreeing with the moderator that Chirac is a bonehead?

dieseltaylor

Lucien said
"It harkens to the days when France ruled the seas.."

Which weekend was that then? : )

I can understand the desire of France to have an EU talking with one voice . The fact that it failed [the EU] just confirms that you should not confuse an Economic Union with an over-arching political union. It is a recipe for disaster.

Incidntally I did not understand the link of having a large GDP and military to quality of analysis of world problems and solutions. Is there a link?

Lucien LaCroix

Well, since you're the one who suggested such a specific link, then you're the one who should try to either validate or discredit the notion instead of implying that I should do it for you.

Or, better still, you should try asking a Frenchman for a similar link for his country.

PaulG

I love to read the crud written about France by Yanks. Entertaining stuff, you are both too much like each other, its a national personality clash im sure.

And whats all this talk of 'Chirac works towards the best interests his country, at the expence of others'.

KNOCK KNOCK! HELLO, WAKE UP CALL, POLITICS HAPPENING OVER HERE!

Surely i don't need to explain this any further, America is a big player in zero sum politics, everyone does it. Not that i agree with it, but i aint going to use it as an excuse to bash some nations leader with it while i don't complain about my own.

Lucien LaCroix

Well, I'd be happy to complain about your leader.

...if I knew who he was.



Seriously, as a true conservative (NOT a neocon), I have absolutely no problem criticizing my country's leaders--including G.W. Bush.

PaulG

Little Johny Howard, and please be my guest. Let me know if you need any help, ive been practicing for a few years on him.

dieseltaylor

Lucien -

"France is a country that is now trying to live off of its centuries-old reputation, not upon any recent stellar achievements. They desire for everyone outside their borders to see them as equals to the United States, but they are unable to achieve such an elevation of status based upon merit."

Your implication is that sovereign states are not equal. The polite fiction for the UN is that they are. Western Europe and the US agreed this stae of affairs when the UN was created. When you talk about the US being of elevated status we are talking GDP and military power not how popular the US is.

If reigning in wilder US fancies means

"So their efforts are centered around "bringing the United States into the international fold."

You then say

"In doing so, the lessen America's influence around the world. In effect, they increase their apparent stature by diminishing the stature of those who would compete with them."

I think the US needs no help in lessening its influence around the world in its present course of action. The French may actually have helped the US in avoiding its current semi- isolated state in Iraq.

Ray

US can't be lessoned.

However, to believe that the US is stupid is equally wrong.

It does require to tone down.

If I go by the right wing folks on WAB, they are against govt control over their lives and money.

Now taking this allegory, others (countries) too don't like the hectoring, moralising and Bible thumping of what's good for them. The Moslem countries have their own codes and govt. They have no probelms. So why go and try to impose your ways?

The Moslems like their women as serfs. If the Moslems like it that way, whats the big deal? If they want circumision (and it must hurt since it is done wiothout anesthesia), how does it affect the US? If they bend five times to oward Mecca, how does it affect anyone?

Let them live their lives without the US dictating.

Clean up your house first. The cobwebs are everywhere.

Confed999

I agree he was a "bonehead" in this situation, he knoced down any fences that had been mended by his Ambassador.