'New Europe' shows resolve' - "or are they just plain wrong like they were on Iraq?" - by Peter Goodspeed
The Five Day War has revealed deep new divisions between Old and New Europe.
There is an obvious rift within the EU's 27 member states and between former Soviet satellite states who want to take tough action against Moscow and the Western European powers who cautiously warn against antagonizing a resurgent Russia.Ironically, the divisions almost mirror the splits that surfaced in Europe over the 2003 invasion of Iraq, when Donald Rumsfeld, then the defense secretary, dismissed invasion critics, saying, "You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe." His comments raised a furor, with Europeans accusing him of being both wrong and undiplomatic. Today, European tensions between the ageing West and the impatient, still insecure newcomers from the East are increasingly evident.
More immediately, New Europe's fears of being the next potential target of Russian aggression spurred Poland to conclude an agreement with Washington yesterday, establishing a controversial anti-missile defense shield on Polish soil. After 18 months of inconclusive bargaining, they signed a deal in which Washington will set up its new anti-missile shield in exchange for a promise to base 10 Patriot anti-missile batteries permanently in Poland. Washington also agreed to a mutual defense pact that commits each country to come to the others aid in a crisis.
Note EU-Digest "Some of the former European east block countries which are now members of the EU and who have enormously benefited from the economic aid provided to them by the EU seem to be unwilling to be part of a common European policy. They rather prefer to be part of the US sphere of influence. This should not be acceptable and they must be made to understand by the majority of the EU members that this behaviour is not conducive to the unity of the European Union.".
2 comments:
Why are you assuming that Poland, Czeck, the Baltics, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia and Romania's views are not the "common European policy". Or Britain's for that matter. Clearly the policy you support is neither common nor is it European.
These countries did not obtain their freedom from Russian domination in order to be dominated by France and Germany as members of a Franco German "near abroad". They joined the EU as executive members with a co-equal right to determine policy.
There is no common EU policy on Georgia/ Russia and the Franco German proposals will not become the basis of such a policy in the future.
A EU Common policy is one which has to be agreed on by all 27 members. It can not be one dictated by former Soviet member states who still carry an emotional grudge against Russia, whereby they lose all sense of reality.
The 6 point proposal by the EU Presidency, which has been accepted by both Georgia and Russia certainly is a mature response and a first step in solving a sensitive issue.
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