|
Eu far right Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/020607/1/2zapy.htmlhttp://sg.news.yahoo.com/020607/1/2zapy.html
EU enlargement vital to defeat far-right surge: Britain's Straw
Britain's Foreign Secretary Jack Straw urged the European Union to step up its search for support of enlargement in order to fend off the rise of Europe's far-right.
"We have to redouble our efforts to generate popular support for enlargement," Straw told The Times. "An enlarged EU should be a buttress against extremism."
"The stock in trade of the far-right down the ages has been xenophobia, the generation of fear and hatred of people who are not 'like us'," said Straw.
"This is no different. As usual their analysis and prescriptions are wrong. If they are seriously worried about crime and illegal immigration then the way to deal with that is through enlargement, not opposing it. The way to heighten fears is to block enlargement."
Recent electoral gains by far-right parties across Europe have raised fears that EU member states could stall on ratifying enlargement from 15 to 25 states by 2004.
"If we want to deliver economic prosperity, a cleaner environment and safer streets for our citizens then we should embrace enlargement, not postpone it," advised Straw.
Far-right parties in France and the Netherlands have recently won huge numbers of votes on the back of anti-immigration tickets. This has caused great concern for EU leaders, so much so that the thorny issue of immigration is set to the top the agenda at their forthcoming summit in Spain.
Leaders at the June 21-22 summit in Seville are expected to discuss measures to tighten borders, clamp down against people-traffickers and review aid to non-EU countries failing to take enough action to stem the influx.
"Of course you have to deal with the immediate abuses of the asylum system," said Straw. "But we have to deal with the causes as well, the huge imbalance in the quality of life and the standard of living between countries in the EU and those some way to the east.
"The ten new applicants will add 23 percent to the EU's land area, 20 percent to its population, but just four percent to its GDP," he added.
"The UK view is clear -- we have to have enlargement. I know there are difficulties, but we have to hold our nerve. We made promises to the new democracies in 1990. Now is the time to deliver. It is time to go for it."
The EU hopes to wrap up membership talks later this year to allow entry in 2004 of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Bulgaria and Romania are seen as joining no earlier than 2007, while Turkey has yet to begin membership talks because of EU concerns about political and human rights in the country.
Parliaments in all EU member states must ratify enlargement, except for Ireland, where the question is put to voters in a referendum.
|
|
