Franco-German alliance is superseded in new Europe: Sarkozy

EUBUSINESS ^ | 06/23/04 | AFP

[Pikamax]

Franco-German alliance is superseded in new Europe: Sarkozy

23 June 2004

France's powerful finance minister Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday called into question the central role of the Franco-German alliance at the heart of an enlarged European Union, saying that all the big countries would now have to work together.

Asked in an interview with the French and British newspapers Les Echos and the Financial Times if the expansion of the EU to 25 member states changed his vision of Europe, he replied: "Without the slightest doubt."

"I believe in the Franco-German axis, in its importance and in the essential role it performs -- if only to prevent the tragedies and wars of the last century repeating themselves. It is in any case not absurd that the two primary powers have a special dialogue," he said.

"But I do not think this dialogue should be exclusive. Living together as 25 is very different from when it was a European community of six or nine. In reality there are six countries -- France, Germany, Britain, Spain, Italy and Poland -- each with between 40 and 80 million inhabitants.

"These have now and will continue to have similar problems to manage. So I think that in the future these six will have to work together more, without excluding any other," he said.

Sarkozy, 49, appeared to be once again setting himself at odds with President Jacques Chirac, who has made the revitalisation of the Franco-German axis a central part of his foreign policy.

The ambitious finance minister has made no secret of his desire to replace Chirac after 2007 elections.

[Lukasz]

"I believe in the Franco-German axis, in its importance and in the essential role it performs -- if only to prevent the tragedies and wars of the last century repeating themselves. It is in any case not absurd that the two primary powers have a special dialogue," he said.

He should say that France ambition is become second (first?) power in Europe, it is BIG difference. French and Germans will keep peace, sounds ironical.

[RonF]

If I were running one of the smaller EU countries, I'd insist that the new EU constitution copy the American Constitution and set up two houses, with a House apportioned by population and a Senate apportioned by country. That way they are much less likely to get something rammed up their asses by the French and Germans.