USIA - Albright Concludes First Ministerial Meeting with EU, 97-01-28

United States Information Agency: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at <gopher://gopher.usia.gov>

ALBRIGHT CONCLUDES FIRST MINISTERIAL MEETING WITH EU

(Trilateral explores greater cooperation on foreign policy) (740)

By Jane A. Morse
USIA Diplomatic Correspondent

During a press briefing following her meeting with Mierlo and Brittan, Albright emphasized that "the relationship between the United States and the European Union is vital not only to the European Union not only to the parties involved but to the overall health and potency of the international system. When we act together with shared purpose and common principal we help to raise standards and encourage progress around the globe."

The U.S.-EU relationship, she said, "is a vital component of a broader new Atlantic Community that includes NATO, the OSCE and other trans-Atlantic organizations. A prosperous, democratic and united Europe is a vital United States interest contributing to our security and the strength of our economy."

She noted that commemoration events will be held this spring for the 50th anniversary of the Marshall Plan, which helped Europe rebuild and grow after the devastation of World War II. The anniversary celebrations come at a time, she said, when "far-reaching decisions will be made about overcoming lingering Cold War divisions."

The talks of January 28 focused, Albright said, "on how we can further deepen our already successful cooperation on a wide range of foreign policy concerns." These included: how the United States and EU can build a truly global partnership to build peace, stability, democracy and development around the world; how to combat international crime, drug trafficking, communicable disease, and environmental degradation; and, the building of a trans-Atlantic marketplace.

In his remarks, Mierlo noted that it is important, now that a year has passed since the signing of the Trans-Atlantic Agenda, "to show that the intensified cooperation is yielding results. We especially want to focus on areas where a coordinated approach for the U.S. and European Union can be essential. I am thinking of areas such as organized international crime, but also political issues of Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and former Yugoslavia."

Mierlo cautioned that "what we should avoid in the transatlantic dialogue is that we limit it to only business and economics. We should try, really, to combine our efforts on points which we experience as common values of the Western society. And I only refer to human rights to let you know how much can be done if we combine our common forces."

Brittan said a great deal of progress has been made on the economic side. "We are now close to achieving real first fruits in terms of the information technology agreement; the mutual recognition agreements work in the wider international area in favor of a telecommunications agreement," he said.

In addition, Bittan said, agreement was reached in the trilateral talks to further discuss political issues such as the question of bringing China into the world economic community while at the same time "stressing the importance of world partners accepting world obligations and sharing our common concerns about human rights where ever they may be in question."

Brittan said it was also agreed to discuss and find resolutions to "the difficulties, too, that divide us still: The question of the Helms-Burton, D'Amato legislation.... We are working on that; we have not got there. Our concerns remain; I hope our concerns can be met. We are ready to take action in a new and vigorous way working with you (the United States) to resolve that and all other issues because of the importance of working together in the wider world to advance the values as well as the economic interests that we have in common."

After the briefing, State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns told reporters that other areas that were discussed during the trilateral included: the need to synchronize actions on Bosnia and extend economic assistance; the importance of continuing pressure on Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic to recognize opposition victories in the November 17 municipal elections; the need to protect Albanians in Kosovo; how better to support the War Crimes Tribunal; the importance of keeping Turkey "Westward oriented"; the problems of Cyprus; and, NATO expansion.

From the United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at gopher://gopher.usia.gov

United States Information Agency: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article