One voice for Europe?
Is that even possible? According to their web address, www.onevoiceforeurope.eu, the newly founded European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) intends to provide that voice. Is it yet another attempt to save Europe from irrelevancy? And what exactly will that voice be?
With prominent members such as Marti Ahtisaari, Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Joschka Fischer (and a bunch of other people that you’ve probably never heard of), the ECFR is based quite apparently, and not just in name, on the American Council on Foreign Relations. And since it is funded primarily by the liberal American billionaire George Soros, you can bet that transatlantic relations will be on the top of its agenda.
That wasn’t quite apparent Friday night, when German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier officially launched the Council’s opening conference. Oh, why pick the ninth of November you ask? ECFR staff member Ulrike Guerot knows the answer: On that day the Berlin wall fell, so it is the birthday of the “new, great, free and open Europe”. Yes, there was also some rather bad stuff on that day, the Kristallnacht for one, but according to Guerot, “Europe garantuees that they will never be a Kristallnacht again”, so everything is good. But back to the speech. Steinmeier only mentioned the U.S. in passing, stating unremarkably that “Europe needs America and America needs Europe.”
While his predecessor had just earlier this week painted a rather bleak picture of Europe, Steinmeier was much more hopeful. Thanks, of course, to the German (read: his) presidency of Europe, “we’re on the finishing line,” he said, referring to the latest European treaties, and asserting that Europe is one the forefront when it comes to solving the problems in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iran and the Middle East in general. So that’s why those regions are doing so well!
The ECFR now aspires to take this excellent policy to the next level. Their no-nonsense Statement of Principles is quite assertive: “The European Union’s foreign policy should be backed up with all of Europe’s economic, political, cultural and, as a last resort, military power.” European citizens are urged to “TAKE ACTION”, specifically by making the bold move of signing that statement online. Doing so turns you into an “Associate” of the ECFR. Wow, that’s certainly something you’d want in your CV!
But still, the Council is wasting no time getting down to some serious business. For example, it is apparently tired of being screwed over by Russia, suggesting that the “EU must be much more determined about agreeing rules of engagement with Russia, and then defending them.” At least they have some balls. Maybe that’s what the next generation of Europeans need.
And since their Berlin office is on Oranienburger Straße, the staff will see the future potential of Europe first hand each and every night, when the binge-drinking English students pass by.
3 Comments, Comment or Ping
Jessica
Very witty article- great analysis!
Nov 13th, 2007
Jessica
PS: The problem here, of course, is that of legitimacy. Who has entitled the ECFR to speak for “Europe” or “Europeans” as a whole? Especially if you take a close look at their funding, which Dirk has pointed out, you wonder if they provide a voice for wealthy men and former politicians rather than Europeans….
Nov 13th, 2007
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