EU 'should expand beyond Europe'

Foreign Secretary David Miliband
Mr Miliband urged the EU to use "soft and hard power"

Miliband on the EU
Foreign Secretary David Miliband has suggested the European Union should work towards including Russia, Middle Eastern and North African countries.

He said enlargement was "our most powerful tool" for extending stability.

In his first major speech on the UK's relationship with Europe, he said the EU would not become a "superpower" but should be a "role model" for the world.

It could be a "model power of regional co-operation" dedicated to free trade, the environment and tackling extremism.

He said the EU must "keep our promises to Turkey", adding: "If we fail.... it will signal a deep and dangerous divide between east and west.

"Beyond that we must keep the door open, retaining the incentive for change and the prospect of membership provides."

Mr Miliband made his address at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, where Baroness Thatcher delivered her famous warning against "some sort of identikit European personality" almost exactly two decades ago in September 1988.

US 'only superpower'

Mr Miliband said that speech had been "haunted by demons - a European superstate bringing in socialism by the back door".

But he said: "The truth is that the EU has enlarged, remodelled and opened up. It is not and is not going to become a superstate. But neither is it destined to become a superpower."


In the way it dispenses its responsibilities around the world, it can be a role model that others follow
David Miliband
British foreign secretary

In full: Miliband speech
Send us your Bruges speeches

Instead he said the EU had the chance to be a "model power" which could develop shared values between countries.

"As a club that countries want to join, it can persuade countries to play by the rules, and set global standards. In the way it dispenses its responsibilities around the world, it can be a role model that others follow."

Extremism and insecurity

Mr Miliband said new threats, like protectionism, religious extremism, energy insecurity, rogue and failing states and climate change provided a new "raison d'etre" for the EU.

He outlined four principles for the "next generation" of Europe, for it to remain open to "trade, ideas and investment", to develop shared institutions to overcome religious and cultural divides, to prevent conflict by championing international law and human rights in and outside Europe, and to become a "low carbon power".

He said a successful EU must be prepared to "deploy soft and hard power to promote democracy and tackle conflict beyond its borders".


The fact is that if the renamed constitution goes through we will have a more inward-looking Europe
William Hague
Shadow foreign secretary

He said the goal "must be a multilateral free-trade zone around our periphery".

This would be a "version of the European Free Trade Association that could gradually bring the countries of the Mahgreb, the Middle East and Eastern Europe in line with the single market, not as an alternative to membership, but potentially as a step towards it".

And the EU should extend military support to places like Darfur, he argued, to help solve problems of unwanted migration.

'Embarrassing'

He also said European nations had to "improve their capabilities".

"It's frankly embarrassing that when European nations - with almost two million men and women under arms - are only able, at a stretch, to deploy around 100,000 at any one time," he said.

"European countries have around 1,200 transport helicopters, yet only 35 are deployed in Afghanistan. And EU member states haven't provided any helicopters in Darfur despite the desperate need there."

Long-term regulations were needed to phase out carbon emissions in key areas - by reducing vehicle emissions and work towards "a zero-emission vehicle standard across Europe".

He said that by 2020, all new coal-fired power stations must be fitted with "carbon capture and storage".

In a reference to the failed EU Constitution, he said: "The constitutional debate shows that people don't want major institutional upheaval. Unanimity is slow but it respects national identities."

But his Conservative counterpart William Hague said Mr Miliband and his colleagues were "ramming that constitution through under a new name and refusing to give voters a say at an election or a referendum" - a reference to the EU Reform treaty.

"The fact is that if the renamed constitution goes through we will have a more inward-looking Europe," said Mr Hague.

"The treaty's clauses will make the EU more protectionist and less competitive and give the EU more power to interfere with crucial areas like our criminal justice system."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7095657.stm

Guess it won't be the EUROPEAN Union anymore then?

What does Russia, North Africa and the Middle East got to do with Europe, please?

What do the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia or Egypt got to do with countries such as Belgium, Denmark, Italy or Spain?

The EU is growing much too fast, anyway!

It still has problems to digest its recent Eastern Eurpean enlargement!!!!!

Europe is increasingly getting uneasy about China rising...they also fear the Chinese influence in Africa!

europe needs africa to survive, hence the desperation. africa shoul resist any overtures

How mean. lol

europe needs africa to survive, hence the desperation.

Although I am criticizing Europe a lot, everybody knows it by now, your comment gave me a good laugh.

Europe needs Africa to survive, what do you mean by it? Culturally, diplomatically, economically??? Culturally and dimplomatically, yes!

Have you checked statistics if it comes to economic hard facts, there is a lot and I am talking really about A LOT room for improvement and more trade between Africa and Europe, fair trade as equal partners!!! Europe certainly doesn´t need Africa any more, we are no longer living in the 18th century but in 2007!!!

After 50 years of independence Africa still needs Europe more than it is the other way round because when it comes to technology, knowledge or know-how, development and research, it is still Europe Africa looks to and not China!!!

And let´s be honest once more, Africa is looking to China because European countries have more or less said "good-bye" to Africa in the past two to three decades. (a process that began in the mid 70´s or early 80´s depending on the countries you are refering to) China is taking up the space that is left by Europeans retreat from Africa....but in recent years Europe has begun to get uneasy about China´s involvement and it is more likely that their economic interest will increase in the years and decades ahead which will be beneficial for both sides. ....because this time African countries have grown more self-confident, they have more partners to choose from and therefore can excersise more pressure on each of its partners to the benefit of their own countries.

europe needs africa to survive, hence the desperation. africa shoul resist any overtures

Actually its more of the other way around, many African nations (particularly former french colonies) have a neo colonial economic relationship with their former European power. Also check the proportion of the E.U trade and investment into Africa compared to North America or Asia and its alot smaller. One possitive aspect of China's increased role in the continent is a diversification in its business partners away from being pegged to particular nations.

Oh and if anybody thinks the E.U will expand into Africa he/she needs to stop smoking weed. The Euros seem unlikely to admit Turkey what makes anyone think they allow Africa into the fold?

Mathias I disagree, all of Africas natural resource wealth goes to europe while we get peanuts for it. What natural resources exist in tiny europe. Giant africa has it all while our people relatively have nothing. with europes protectionism and bad trade policies africa would be best of if it had no relations with europe.

It could actually become a reality that some Northern African countries become a part of Europe, afterall countries like Morocco and Algeria have Cultural aswell as economic ties with Europe. Some Northern Africans look more European than anything and Vice Versa. I mean some Northern African coutries have a greater cultural tie with Europe than they do with Black Africa. The same goes for the Middle East, if you go to Spain you will see a lot of Arabic architecture, and a lot of Spanish related languages have a lot Arabic in them.

then again if Turkey cannot secure a place in the EU, then it is very much unlikely that any African/Middle Eastern countries will be intergrated into the EU.

. What natural resources exist in tiny europe. Giant africa has it all while our people relatively have nothing. with europes protectionism and bad trade policies africa would be best of if it had no relations with europe.

Agree on the aspect of bad trade policies especially weird protecinism measures but i am sure that they will be dismatled in the years ahead
...but Africa doing away with Europe, are you kidding?:lol:
We do need realtions with Europe but on an equal basis, we do need relations with Asia but on an equal basis (although I am much in favour with Africa-China trade, China is there for business and nothing else and some of their tactics can be pretty harsh, saw some videos on youtube recently, was shocked), we do need realtions with South America and North America...but we do have to stop dreaming or destroying countries and fight cunningly, peacefully and strategically for fair and equal trade!!!

Mathias I disagree, all of Africas natural resource wealth goes to europe while we get peanuts for it

Most of the oil flows to the US and Asia nowadays (especially Sub-Saharan Africa) and not to Europe, please update your knowledge. Moreover, it is not the fault of Europe that there is so little value added to our commodities. Moreover, our world has become more information-based and less commoditiy-based.
Check Europe- USA or Europe - Asia or Europe- South America trade and compare the stats to Africa which consists of more than 50 countries, trade figures are ridiculously marginal!

AFRICA WAKE UP; PLEASE!!!

I will comfortably sleep with all of my eyes close if I am dealing with an Asian, but with a European, No way...he has got his own selfish agenda..."nothing goes for nothing"

I will comfortably sleep with all of my eyes close if I am dealing with an Asian, but with a European, No way...he has got his own selfish agenda..."nothing goes for nothing"

Then hopefully your dream won´t turn out to be a nightmare:lol:

Everybody looks for PROFIT n´nothing else!

AFRICA WAKE UP!!!!

The color of money isn't black,white,brown or yellow its green the sooner you realize that the smarter your business decision will be.

Africa can also become an union like the EU. I don't agree often wit Kadhaffi but sometimes he is right. His plan for a federale Africa is good plan. It can give Africa more power, more economic benefit etc.

Don't forget that Europe was more then 60 years al war and poverty. More then half of Europe was a dictator and a lot of countries like Spain, Portugal, Greece, Ireland etc etc were very poor countries.
The EU gave Europe countries stability and economic boom.

Africa must work together that will give Africa more power...

It could actually become a reality that some Northern African countries become a part of Europe, afterall countries like Morocco and Algeria have Cultural aswell as economic ties with Europe. Some Northern Africans look more European than anything and Vice Versa. I mean some Northern African coutries have a greater cultural tie with Europe than they do with Black Africa. The same goes for the Middle East, if you go to Spain you will see a lot of Arabic architecture, and a lot of Spanish related languages have a lot Arabic in them.

then again if Turkey cannot secure a place in the EU, then it is very much unlikely that any African/Middle Eastern countries will be intergrated into the EU.

I don't agree. Countries like Morocco, Algeria etc are more African then you think. They are more a mix of Europe culture and African culture.
If you go to the south of this countries you see only African culture.

The architecture in Spain is not Arab, but Berber Moorisch.

Africa can also become an union like the EU. I don't agree often wit Kadhaffi but sometimes he is right. His plan for a federale Africa is good plan. It can give Africa more power, more economic benefit etc.

Don't forget that Europe was more then 60 years al war and poverty. More then half of Europe was a dictator and a lot of countries like Spain, Portugal, Greece, Ireland etc etc were very poor countries.
The EU gave Europe countries stability and economic boom.

Africa must work together that will give Africa more power...

As long as Africa is not ruled by one of Africa´s bloodiest dictators, Khadaffi...do you know how much havoc he caused in so many places in Africa? Do you know how many rebel chiefs he trained in Africa? He who is running around and lavishly splashing around his petro-dollars by telling the people "Khaddafi is the saviour and all of Africa´s problems are due to colonialism". At the same time, it is him who is signing big big contracts with Italian companies in Lybia, Italy was the former colonial power of his country....the very same colonialist he is bashing throughout his trips in Africa.

He is a hypocrit, a pevert, a fool and a devil in disguise!

His panafricanism dreams is just a direct result of his Panarabian dreams that miserably failed! Panafricanism is just an instrument for him to "eternalize" power and make his own country and persoanlity shine above the rest.

It is a pity that so many African fall victim to his words!

As long as Africa is not ruled by one of Africa´s bloodiest dictators, Khadaffi...do you know how much havoc he caused in so many places in Africa? Do you know how many rebel chiefs he trained in Africa? He who is running around and lavishly splashing around his petro-dollars by telling the people "Khaddafi is the saviour and all of Africa´s problems are due to colonialism". At the same time, it is him who is signing big big contracts with Italian companies in Lybia, Italy was the former colonial power of his country....the very same colonialist he is bashing throughout his trips in Africa.

He is a hypocrit, a pevert, a fool and a devil in disguise!

His panafricanism dreams is just a direct result of his Panarabian dreams that miserably failed! Panafricanism is just an instrument for him to "eternalize" power and make his own country and persoanlity shine above the rest.

It is a pity that so many African fall victim to his words!


I said that I am not a fan of Kadhaffi. Kadhafffi is en dictator who supported almost every terrorist group in the world and supported a lot of rebels in Africa..

I am talking about the idea of a federal democratic Africa without Kadhaffi as leader. That is not a bad idea.

If Africa becomes an union with one centrale goverment, this goverment gets tax money from the African countries and that money is then invested in infrastructure, health care, companies etc.
And the goverment can then set a minimum price that the foreigner companies must pay to the farmers of cacao, wheat etc.
Now is it so that every foreign country does what he wants in Africa. The have lack of the rules.

I said that I am not a fan of Kadhaffi. Kadhafffi is en dictator who supported almost every terrorist group in the world and supported a lot of rebels in Africa..

I am talking about the idea of a federal democratic Africa without Kadhaffi as leader. That is not a bad idea.

If Africa becomes an union with one centrale goverment, this goverment gets tax money from the African countries and that money is then invested in infrastructure, health care, companies etc.
And the goverment can then set a minimum price that the foreigner companies must pay to the farmers of cacao, wheat etc.
Now is it so that every foreign country does what he wants in Africa. The have lack of the rules

Sorry, to dash your fairy tale hopes and dreams and even if some people hate me for saying this: "PANAFRICANIMS WON´T WORK!"

I am a fan of regional partnerships within the African sub-regions but even this will be a herculian task to achieve, it will require a lot of covergence policies and harmonisation of variuos systems. Even within Europe which is a thousand times richer and yes, more organized, structured, disciplined and coordinated than Africa, cracks begin to emerge more and more.

I believe in cross-border exchange a lot, however. Africans making business with Africans but forget about the political aspect!

Sorry, to dash your fairy tale hopes and dreams and even if some people hate me for saying this: "PANAFRICANIMS WON´T WORK!"

I am a fan of regional partnerships within the African sub-regions but even this will be a herculian task to achieve, it will require a lot of covergence policies and harmonisation of variuos systems. Even within Europe which is a thousand times richer and yes, more organized, structured, disciplined and coordinated than Africa, cracks begin to emerge more and more.

I believe in cross-border exchange a lot, however. Africans making business with Africans but forget about the political aspect!

More then 50 years ago nobody believed in a European Union. A lot of people and countries thought that it was impossible to unite Europe countries. Now 50 years later they are wrong. You can seperate politic and economy look to the EU. There are a lot of countries like French, Germany, England who are political very different but the still can work together economically...

More then 50 years ago nobody believed in a European Union. A lot of people and countries thought that it was impossible to unite Europe countries. Now 50 years later they are wrong. You can seperate politic and economy look to the EU. There are a lot of countries like French, Germany, England who are political very different but the still can work together economically...

Where did I deny this? I even said: "I believe in cross-border exchange a lot, however. Africans making business with Africans but forget about the political aspect!"

Pan Arabism was a dismal failure how will Pan Africanism work?

Pan Africanism will work if the EU and the CIA stay out of it. but will they? This was Kwame Nkrumah's vision in the 1960s. The CIA made sure that Nkrumah's government was ousted.

Pan Africanism will work if the EU and the CIA stay out of it. but will they? This was Kwame Nkrumah's vision in the 1960s. The CIA made sure that Nkrumah's government was ousted.

How can it work when even cities can´t be kept neat and proper, not to speak of countries!:dunno:

You know that I am not a pessimist but a "one Africa" in a political sense will never ever work not in our lifetime!

Mister79 are you serious about joining a African Federation (or whatever that might be?) and losing our sovereignty. I am sorry but I would strongly be opposed to losing our sovereignty to anyone. Fact is, there is huge cultural/economic/political differences in Africa. An African Free Trade Zone could be a better alternative since it will improve the flow of goods between the different african countries.

However, I am definitly a proponent of a North African(and no, that doesnt include mauritania)/Mediterannean Union which I think has far better chances of success given the economic growth that the region is experiencing

Like Mattias said, the best solution is probably a network of regional unions that work closely together. Trying to group all of africa into one organization would be difficult. Thats 50+ countries all with different histories, cultures etc... In many respects, eu countries (and there were only a few of them until recently) are more culturally homogenous and the geographical distance between them is not too great.

Let us not forget that the coloniale powers create most of the countries in Africa. If you look to the old maps you see a more united Africa .

Let us not forget that the coloniale powers create most of the countries in Africa. If you look to the old maps you see a more united Africa .

Yeah, you probably see a borderless africa that was simply led by monarchies. Big difference there. Today we are living in a "democratic" dispensation with boundaries, cultural, religious and ethnic differences that have even become defined by the ethnicity of our former colonial masters. So we can not over simplify things.