“Europe, an actor of world magnitude”

The turmoil in the European Union regarding the European Constitutional Treaty (ECT) and the future of its funding, has led our partners to wonder the real capacity of Europe to become an actor of world magnitude. They fear the creation of a drawn up Europe. But, the present Summit between Europe and the United States can show the opposite. This concerns the citizens of the Union and our associates for surveys reveal how interested European citizens are on seeing Europe become a global power.
The topics of the meeting indicate Europe is already an actor of world magnitude. This week, the European Union and the United States will hold in Brussels an international conference on Iraq, something unthinkable a couple of years ago. When I visited Baghdad two weeks ago, I saw how enthusiastic the Iraqi people were for our support. Therefore, the Union must take the necessary risks to support their political and economic development.
As part of the Quartet and in collaboration with the United States, the UN and Russia, we helped the Israelis and the Palestinians to find a solution to the conflict they have had for several decades and we supported the imminent withdrawal from Gaza. Our work was aimed at implementing the “route card”. The Union gives its full support to the activities of the special envoy of the Quartet, James Wolfensohn.
Our best success on foreign policy is, perhaps, the impact the expansion of the Union can have on peace and security in the European continent. For the United States, this undoubtedly means the consolidation of our influence. We will respect our commitments so that the European Union can go on with its expansion. Nonetheless, it is obvious that in some member States the rhythm and the range of the process affect the limits of what the public opinion is willing to accept. In times in which we take the necessary time to think, we must recognize the expansion can not be indefinite. This is one of the aspects upon which the European Neighborliness Policy is based on. It is an inspiration for our neighbors of the South and the East who can not hope to join us in the short-term. They must respect the rule of law in their respective countries and in compensation we offer them the chance of participating in the internal market of the Union and a closer cooperation regarding energy and transportation networks and their participation in programs of the Community.
Likewise, we work together to increase the prosperity of our compatriots and that of the rest of the world by increasing economic and commercial exchanges and creating new jobs in the European Union. Our citizens are being benefited.
In the whole world, our foreign policy promotes peace, prosperity and security through diplomacy, development assistance programs, humanitarian aid, economic and commercial policy as well as the security and defense policy of Europe. These tools allow as to react quickly to the crisis that emerge everywhere in the world. Through a common commitment with multilateral institutions and through the UN reform, first of all, as well as the ending of the present negotiations in the WTO we will be able to endure such achievements.