EUROPEAN FORUM
S E P T E M B E R , 1 9 TH 2 0 0 8
Prof. Jonathan Gosnell (French Studies) welcomes
everyone, and introduces Prof. Mary Ellen Birkett
(chair of the French Studies Department) who then
introduces the three distinctive speakers:
Manuela Bairos, Consul General of Portugal in Boston,
Dr. Bernd Rinnert, Deputy Consul of Germany in
Boston, and Alexis Berthier, Press and Public Affairs
Attaché of the French Consulate in Boston.
Alexis Berthier, Manuela Bairos, and Dr. Bernd Rinnert
European Union Rep resentatives Discuss New Challenges
New Presidential Term Brings Change s to the European Union
Smith College Welcomes European Union Deputies
By Christiana Solano
Consuls from the European Union (EU) arrived on the Smith campus last
week to hold an open forum, at which they discussed issues affecting the EU,
presented its current goals and welcomed questions from the audience on a wide
range of topics. The forum, held Sept. 19, featured a panel of Press and Public
Affairs Attaché at the Consulate General of France in Boston Alexis Berthier, Consul
General of Portugal in Boston Manuela Bairos and Deputy Consul General for
Germany in New England Bernd Rinnert.
Berthier opened the evening by stating, “I hear that Julia Child went here, so
this is a good place.”
He continued by commenting on the status of the EU among American
media and citizens, saying, “In the U.S., Europe is well-known throughout as
individual countries. When you speak about the European Union in blogs and media,
the EU is at best misunderstood, and at worst, totally unknown. It’s seen as a
bureaucratic organization with archaic procedures.”
After outlining the term goals of the French presidency, one of which is to
eliminate the rotating presidency system, the conversation turned to the Lisbon
Treaty, an agreement that would streamline the EU’s infrastructure, extending the
presidency to two and a half years and eliminating the current pillar system. Berthier
noted the importance of the Treaty’s proposal for a more permanent presidential
system, stating, “People cannot put a face on the EU, and it’s important to have a
figure who can embody it for foreign relations and interior reasons as well. It’s hard to
find someone to take into consideration.” By current EU standards, the treaty cannot
go though without unanimous support, which it does not have due to the Irish
referendum.
After mentioning personal support for the EU, an audience member of Irish
nationality noted that in Ireland, where the Lisbon Treaty was rejected by voters on
July 12, the European Union is “seen as a very godless organization,” and mentioned
that the secular nature has made Irish citizens refer to it as “the antichrist.”
Bairos referred to the reasons behind the secular nature of the Union, stating,
“They were thinking of mentioning Judeo-Christian values, but this was rejected
because it’s a secular organization. This is an open organization, not a Christian club
like people say.”
The process of Turkey’s inclusion has proven both controversial and a
testament to the inclusive nature of the EU.
“Bringing Turkey along, a country with a different religious background than
ours, will be a defining moment. Even our history books are different, theirs
beginning with the conquest of Constantinople, ours beginning with the fall. Maybe
the textbooks have to change, and some people are uneasy with this.” To which the
same audience member responded with a smile: “You’re right, but you’ve got a long
way to go with the Irish.”
In light of the recent conflicts in Georgia, the Union sits uncomfortably
between a desire for political stability and a dependence on Russia’s natural resources.
An official EU statement confirmed that the Georgian crisis is placing relations
between Russia and the EU at a “crossroad,” and although EU leaders have agreed to
suspend trade developments with Russia, they remain locked in an economic alliance.
Rinnert responded to the Russian question with candor. “The honest answer?
As long as we depend to such an extent on the energy coming from that huge
country... Look, they are a difficult partner. We don’t have any choice but to negotiate
with them, to convince them that it is in their best interest to be a good partner.” He
paused, continuing, “But this doesn’t mean that we would sacrifice our values to get
cheap natural gas.”
He then joked, “On a night like this in Moscow they would be drinking vodka
by the glass.”
But concerning the future of the otherwise relatively stable EU, Rinnert
remained positive, saying, “For me the EU is the biggest success story in Europe in
the last 50 years. France and Germany have fought two terrible wars, and here we
are. The closest of friends.”
http://media.www.smithsophian.com/media/storage/paper587/news/2008/09/25/News/S
mith.College.Welcomes.Three.European.Union.Representitives-3453161.shtml