Airstrip One

Views on the Future of Europe - 16th December 2002, 22.55

William Walker discusses parallels between Germany's difficulties subsidising the former East Germany and the burden awaiting the European Union in allowing new entrants from the former Soviet bloc. Such a challenge would force Europe to focus upon its internal problems for at least a decade at the expense of global diversions and punctures the current grandiose plans of challenging America's hegemony.

However, as Newsweek points out these new entrants are more liberal and pro-American than their counterparts in the West.

In contrast to most of their neighbors to the West, they are almost unreservedly pro-American. As of May 2004, when the new members formally take their seats, Britain will no longer be isolated in its ties to Washington. Instead, it will be at the center of the single largest voting bloc in Europe.

The renewed German-French alliance is a strong attempt to solidify their influence within Europe at the expense of other powers and the new candidates.

American articles reporting the Copenhagen Summit have tended to be rather anodyne, concentrating upon the question of Turkey or giving a quick descriptive of an Anglo-continental divide.