| |
|
|
|
|
|
||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
By Wolfgang Ischinger and Jean-David Levitte Published in the International Herald Tribune on January 21, 2003 WASHINGTON In Paris this Wednesday, the governments and parliaments of France and Germany meet in joint sessions to discuss their vision for the future of a Europe whole and free. With Berlin and Paris as driving forces, the effort by the current European convention to create a constitution for the European Union represents as bold and revolutionary a concept as the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. Then and now, the issues are democracy, civil liberties, prosperity and human rights - values today equally cherished on both sides of the Atlantic. The occasion of this week's Paris summit, the 40th anniversary of the French-German Elysée Treaty, marks a milestone in the historic journey of creating a united Europe. The 1963 treaty set the seal on reconciliation between France and Germany, and thus became a key catalyst in creating the European Union. "It is good for our children," Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and President Charles de Gaulle agreed in assessing the Elysée Treaty. It represented a sharp break with long decades of rivalry and war and ushered in an era of unprecedented cooperation between France and Germany in areas as diverse as education and training, culture, research and technology, foreign affairs, defense and security. The Treaty established a French-German Youth Office, whose exchange programs have benefited 6 million young French and Germans since 1963. It led to 3,000 school exchange agreements, 900 academic cooperation agreements and 2,200 "twinning associations" between French and German towns and regions. A Youth Parliament that will convene in Berlin on Thursday, involving 500 French and German high school students, is a vivid expression of the vitality of this exchange. With the end of the Cold War and German unification, France and Germany, along with 10 of their EU partners, gave a further boost to European integration by adopting a single currency - a first in Europe since the Roman Empire. The euro is a major watershed, energizing our economies and increasing the volume of trade. It is also a tangible sign of the European Union's steady and determined progress toward political integration and shared sovereignty. Convinced that French-German cooperation remains the key to EU progress, President Jacques Chirac and Chancellor Gerhard Schröder worked together to help bring about the enlargement of the EU to Eastern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean. This historic enlargement, which will create a European Union of more than 500 million citizens, will be accompanied by far-reaching reforms in European institutions. There will be joint initiatives in the areas of foreign policy and defense to complete these enormous undertakings, because we believe that we must have the means, including military resources, to match our international ambitions and responsibilities, starting with the fight against terrorism. France and Germany have provided strong leadership in Europe in organizing for the fight against international terrorism. Trans-Atlantic cooperation in law enforcement, intelligence and police has never been stronger than today. The fight against terrorism, the emergence of new threats to our ideals and interests and the need to distribute wealth more equitably across the globe require Europeans and Americans to be ever more determined and united. Occasional trans-Atlantic differences and disputes notwithstanding, the strength of our ties and the effectiveness of our common action have been amply demonstrated. In the Balkans, where Europeans are today providing roughly 85 percent of the NATO troops, we work together to stabilize the region. In Afghanistan, Germany, together with the Netherlands, will lead a peacekeeping force composed of more than 5,000 European soldiers providing security in Kabul, in close coordination with the United States. In all, France has deployed 12,000 troops and Germany some 10,000 troops on peace missions in foreign theaters. French-German friendship is neither exclusive nor inward-looking. On the contrary, it signals a noble and ambitious project to promote peace, freedom, democracy and economic progress in Europe and beyond. These are values which we share with the United States and which we will defend together. In the present challenging times, a functioning trans-Atlantic relationship is more important than ever. Germany and France share the ambition to help bring about a stronger, more united Europe as America's most important and trusted partner in the world. The writers are the German and French ambassadors to the United States. Links
|
|
 Newsletters
 Printer-Friendly
Page
Email This Article |
||
|
|||||
|
|||||
