Chirac seeks ways to restore French faith in EU
President Jacques Chirac called on Monday for new ideas to develop the European Union and win back the confidence of a skeptical French electorate. Chirac told a conference of 150 French ambassadors that a strong Europe was vital to French interests and said voters who rejected the EU constitution in a referendum on May 29 must be shown that Europe can respond to their concerns. "We must take account of the worries and expectations that were expressed on May 29 and create a new consensus and new French support for the European project," Chirac said. Chirac, who as president is in charge of foreign policy, said France and Germany would remain the engine driving the EU and would not allow Europe to become a "vast free market diluted in a globalizes economy." The French president called for a "demanding" dialogue with the European Central Bank, which sets interest rates for the 12 countries in the European Monetary Union, to help stimulate growth in the sluggish European economy. Chirac said he had asked British Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, to find ways to involve parliament and local communities more in EU decisions.
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