EU's new Danish president backs Arafat's ouster

Jerusalem Post ^ | 6/30/02

[areafiftyone]

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, whose country today takes the rotating presidency of the European Union from Spain, said yesterday he agrees with the US call that Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat needs to be replaced.

Rasmussen, in an interview with a Danish newspaper, said that since Arafat either can't or won't put an end to suicide bombings, there is a need for a Palestinian leadership that will.

Rasmussen's comments were welcomed in Jerusalem, with diplomatic officials saying they hope it heralds the beginning of a presidency sympathetic to Israel.

One diplomatic official said there has been a significant change in Danish policy since elections there in November and the ousting of foreign minister Mogen Lykketoft, considered among the most anti-Israel ministers in Europe.

Since the elections, the official said, "we see a much more sympathetic and balanced approach." This is not to say, however, that the Danes are not critical, he said, but the overall tone is different.

The official said that on the whole the Danish people, as opposed to the government, are neither more or less sympathetic than any of the other European countries. He added, however, that the boycott of Israeli goods that has taken hold in Norway has not been successful in Denmark.

The official summed up the Spanish presidency, which ended last night, as "not as bad as Belgium [which held the presidency prior to Spain], but nothing to write home about."

Another official said that while the Spanish presidency started out "promising," Israel's relations with it were hurt in the spring when the government refused to let Prime Minister Jose Aznar, accompanied by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, visit Arafat, but allowed US envoy Anthony Zinni to do so a few days later.

This official said that the Danes would be content if the Middle East did not appear much on the radar screen during their presidency, since the main issue they will be dealing with will be the expansion of the EU.

During its six-month presidency, Denmark hopes to finalize talks with 10 mostly former communist countries bidding to join the European Union.

Cyprus, Malta, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania are expected to join the bloc in 2004, if all goes as planned. The 15-member EU is slated to give final approval for expansion at a December summit in Copenhagen.

[McGavin999]

Good, now if they can just stuff a sock in Chris Patten's mouth, maybe some progress can be made.

[jae471]

I think the next six months of the Ew might be interesting if this type of dialogue continues: The official summed up the Spanish presidency, which ended last night, as "not as bad as Belgium [which held the presidency prior to Spain], but nothing to write home about."

[Miss Marple]

Ha! The Danes come through! (I am half Danish.)

[Jhoffa_]

Rasmussen, in an interview with a Danish newspaper, said that since Arafat either can't or won't put an end to suicide bombings, there is a need for a Palestinian leadership that will.

HEY! Logic and reason coming from the EU.

It's not even carefully couched and parsed into something almost meaningless.

I could get used to this! (but something tells me I won't have to..)

[areafiftyone]

The Danes have common sense. Its nice to see the Italians (who also agree with Bush) and the Danes are in our corner. Don't be surprised if more join in. Bush has the very subtle way of making people see things his way. He doesn't push it. He makes his statement and lets people mull it over. He doesn't need to charm people. He's an honest person.

[areafiftyone]

I could get used to this! (but something tells me I won't have to..)

You are right. We can't forget they are Euroweenies who are in denial.

[cinFLA]

Bush has the very subtle way of making people see things his way.

If they don't, he just ignores them till they realize that they want to be on OUR side. When he went to Europe (pre-9/11) he went to Spain, Italy and Russia, bypassing France, Germany, etc. The media entirely missed the significance of this action.

[Jhoffa_]

Agreed.

Weenie is as weenie does..

[Miss Marple]

The media misses a lot, don't they? Those little hints fly right over their heads.

[cake_crumb]

"During its six-month presidency, Denmark hopes to finalize talks with 10 mostly former communist countries bidding to join the European Union."

Six MONTHS?