Main focus of Tuesday, September 2, 2008

A European answer

The EU heads of state and government yesterday agreed on a joint response to the Caucasus crisis at a special summit in Brussels. Europe's press discusses the result.

El Mundo - Spain

The Spanish daily El Mundo comments that the crisis summit in Brussels has demonstrated that the principle of consensus is blocking a plausible EU foreign policy: "Once again the members of the Union have shown that to reach a consensus they seek a common denominator which is then reduced to pleasing rhetoric that lacks any substance. ... They confine themselves to demanding 'responsible action' from Moscow and overlook the fact that the Russians have ignored the compromise negotiated by [current EU President Nicolas] Sarkozy without suffering any consequences. The crisis in Georgia has once again shown the inability of the EU to present a coherent and plausible foreign and security policy. ... Although it is a worthy goal for the European Union to honour its name and act in consensus, the crisis in Georgia has yet again shown that the main task of the EU is establishing a foreign policy. We must not allow our ability to act jointly to constantly get in the way of our determination to achieve results." (02/09/2008)

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Gazeta Wyborcza - Poland

According to the Gazeta Wyborcza, the summit meeting demonstrated a swing of opinion: "The Old Europe has begun to view Russia with its second, eastern eye. ... The large countries used to see Russia as a trading partner, an energy supplier and a world power that can (and does) help Europe in Africa, Afghanistan and in the struggle with Iran. We, the nations from behind the former Iron Curtain, saw things differently. For us Russia is a threat - capable of extortion through missiles and trade embargoes. With the invasion in Georgia, Russia has shown the West its darkest side, in which hardly anyone in Berlin or Paris believed. The Germans and the French had heard of such an aggressive Russia from the Poles, Latvians and Lithuanians, but they had explained these accounts away with a reference to our troubled past. Now they believe them. Nicolas Sarkozy said after the summit that a return to the policy of zones of influence is unacceptable, and that Yalta is a thing of the past. These words will resound in the Kremlin for a long time to come." (02/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » EU Policy, » Europe, » Eastern Europe
All available articles from » Jacek Pawlicki

Tribune de Genève - Switzerland

The Tribune de Genève welcomes the diplomatic path for dealing with Russia adopted by the EU at the summit meeting: "There was little room for manoeuvre. The 27 [member states] ... decided to use the sole weapon available to them in countering Russia's military strength: diplomacy. ... Even if the decision by the EU Council of Ministers may seem laughable at first sight, on second glance it seems as unexpected as it is subtle. Unexpected because it was agreed on without much difficulty by the 27, who many had considered at odds. Subtle because it is less dramatic than the sanctions demanded by some, since it leaves room for dialogue and puts the ball in Russia's court. ... But this affair confirms that the Cold War is over, and that Russia and Europe have entered a mutually dependent partnership." (02/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » EU Policy, » Russia, » Europe
All available articles from » Bernard Bridel

La Repubblica - Italy

For La Repubblica, yesterday's crisis summit introduces a new foreign policy era in the EU. "The summit was a touchstone, and a debut for Europe, which must now stand on its own two feet with neither tutor nor protector. ... Europe is no longer just one element in the balance between two powers, it now regulates the balance itself. ... The new Europe came into the world with the forceps of crisis, and the birth is also a return to the past and the international relations that had seemingly been made obsolete by galloping globalism. ... As regards the classical concept of the balance of forces, admitting Georgia and Ukraine into NATO would have considerably disrupted the balance of the Old Continent." (02/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » EU Policy, » Russia, » Europe
All available articles from » Bernardo Valli

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