Eastern Europe to France: Drop Dead, Chirac - Page 2

PLATO · February 20, 2003, 13:06

Quote:

The thing is, France is one of the natural allies of so many of these states when it comes to the big money EU issue, farm subsidies. All the E.European states would like to get good farm subsidies from the EU and France is the big champion of them among the very large states, with Poland also among them

Seems I remember French Farmers violently protesting when they could not get their annual increse in Welfare from the gov't a few years back. Doesn't look like the model system to me. If I were the Eastern Europeans I would just whip the French on the capitalist free market system. Something the French know less and less about.

Chirac is , afterall, nothing more than a closet communist. We have all seen how well that system works.

WILL A REAL LEADER IN EUROPE PLEASE STEP FORWARD!!

Gatekeeper · February 20, 2003, 14:32

Wouldn't it be ironic if Eastern Europe — in a pique over Chirac's comments — began to gravitate towards, say, Moscow?

Yeah, not likely to happen, but still ...

Gatekeeper

Bereta_Eder · February 20, 2003, 14:34

If there's one thing hat unites almost all eastern europeans (Yugos, Ukranians and some others excluded) is their common hatred for Russia!

Gatekeeper · February 20, 2003, 14:37

I suppose Communism and Josef Stalin would do that ... hey, maybe they'll gravitate towards the Athens-Belgrade Axis!

Gatekeeper

DinoDoc · February 20, 2003, 14:40

Quote:

Originally posted by Gatekeeper
I suppose Communism and Josef Stalin would do that ... hey, maybe they'll gravitate towards the Athens-Belgrade Axis!

Athens already kisses Paris's arse, so that's out.

Bereta_Eder · February 20, 2003, 14:41

A little bit of a joke:

when abroad one of my friends was Slovakian and he really, really hated the Russians. (although nothing was done to him per se)

So there was a conference and there were a couple of russian girls there who were HOT!

I mentioned that fact to him and his reply was (of course): Russian girls? BAH! They're sluts

(and the reply: great! what we're waiting for then?

)

Gatekeeper · February 20, 2003, 14:44

Stupid Russian jokes ... heh, kind of like our stupid Polish jokes around my part of the US, at least from the older generations.

Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper · February 20, 2003, 14:45

DD ... well, there's better parts of Paris to kiss, but we'll leave that final decision up to those Hellenes.

Gatekeeper

Bereta_Eder · February 20, 2003, 14:47

We ain't kissing noone's arse really.

Isn't sound, hygiene wise.

I agree with the better parts of Paris comment though.

GePap · February 20, 2003, 14:48

Quote:

Originally posted by PLATO1003
Chirac is , afterall, nothing more than a closet communist. We have all seen how well that system works.

WILL A REAL LEADER IN EUROPE PLEASE STEP FORWARD!!

Can a french poster please show up and comment on this notion? Bush just raised farm subsiides. Is he a closet communist?

As for farm subsidies: the Poles and the french worked hand in hand to keep them high. If the Germans and UK don't want to pay more, then that's just one mopre obsticle for the E.Europeans to join the EU. Their economies would benefit far more form farm subsidies than those of France.

I have confidence that the EU will continue to gather together. I do think France will be the most recalcitrant when it comes to further federalization of the Union, since then they would loose more power. At the same itme, tiny states already have too much power in the EU. As the EU stands, Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, and Poland make up soemthing like 75% or more of the people in the EU. Of the E.European states wanting to join, only Romania has a significan population of over 20 million. The Baltic states are tiny.

Bereta_Eder · February 20, 2003, 14:52

Besides, we're da president!

The whole of Europe was ecstatic at our success to reunite them in the European summit

Then Chirac took courage and started opening his mouth...

Well what are you gonna do

It's quite funny actually. Bush and Chirac= best thing for Europe, in a twisted way

Japher · February 20, 2003, 14:53

Yeah Chirac

He finally showed me that I was right all along, he is a MoFo.

French Imperialism is on the rise, and they are calling it the EU.

I don't know if I want those E. European nations to join the EU anymore or not. They should either join and bully the French (that would be fun), or the should make their own union, that would eventually swallow the EU, due to the French/German biggotry that exists in it.

One thing is for sure France is really hurting themselves in the eyes of the world by trying to bribe the E. Europeans for their silence and devotions. I just love it!

This is why the EU will not work. Foreign policy is to closely related to domestic economics to have so many countries participating.

I guess as long as he's around the French will continue to be the butt of my jokes.

Long Live Chirac! Long Live France!

Bereta_Eder · February 20, 2003, 14:55

I say it was worth it just for watching you twist your shorts over it though

The Viceroy · February 20, 2003, 15:01

Ozz, its devoid of character because there's nobody putting forward as a credible option. I think if there was some movement on this, and it was muted as a credible alternative, it would take root.

I agree though, it needs senior support in all nations, not just a few people like me spouting

oliverfa .. Yes, you are right, there's a lot of us who feel betrayed over the last few weeks, and you may well be right that the French have done perminant damage, after all I was a pro European only a month or so ago, now Im openly advocating an alternative union .. one I know would be more acceptable to the vast majority of British.

Bereta_Eder · February 20, 2003, 15:05

"The UK in the European Community will be like a warm eating an apple from the inside"

Charles De Gaule.

That... prophetic man....

Bereta_Eder · February 20, 2003, 15:08

Quote:

Future European Union members endorse joint position on Iraq
Tue Feb 18,10:43 AM ET

By CONSTANT BRAND, Associated Press Writer

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Future European Union (news - web sites) members endorsed a hard-won EU declaration Tuesday warning Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) he has one last chance to disarm, grasping for unity despite signs of a new continental rift.

The endorsement ignored the damaging impact of French President Jacques Chirac's biting attack on eastern European nations that have backed Washington's hard-line drive to disarm Iraq.

"Let's forget the past, and look to the future," Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis said, downplaying the impact of Chirac's remarks as he announced the endorsement.

"The agreement shows a feeling of unity that is much greater than the differences," Simitis said.

The 13 future members endorsed the hard-fought statement by European leaders warning Saddam Hussein he faces a "last chance" to disarm. The declaration gave no deadline and said U.N. weapons inspectors must have more time to finish their work.

The document was meant to end a bitter dispute within the European Union on Iraq.

However, Chirac's withering attack Monday night on eastern European nations who signed letters last month backing the U.S. position on Iraq created a new European faultline between a pro-American and staunchly European camps.

"It is not really responsible behavior," Chirac told reporters Monday just after the EU issued its declaration on Iraq. "It is not well brought up behavior. They missed a good opportunity to keep quiet."

He warned the candidates their position could be "dangerous" because the parliaments of the 15 EU nations still have to ratify last December's decision for 10 new members to join the bloc on May 1, 2004. He singled out Romania and Bulgaria, which are still negotiating to enter the bloc in 2007.

Britain, the United States' staunchest ally, and Germany, which with France has tried to slow the drive toward war in Iraq, criticized the attempt to silence eastern European nations.

"They have as much right to speak up as Great Britain or France or any other member of the European Union today," Blair told reporters in London. "They know the value of Europe and America sticking together."

In an unusual move, Blair also sent a letter to the candidate countries reporting his views on the summit declaration — a role usually reserved for the EU presidency. Blair's office in London confirmed the letter but said it had no plans to release it publicly.

Eastern European leaders reacted defiantly to the tirade, reminiscent to some of the former Soviet Union's overbearing manner toward its satellites.

"Jacques Chirac should regret such expressions, which are not in the spirit of friendship and democratic relationships," Romanian President Ion Iliescu said.

"The French position shows certain anxiety," Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Lyubomir Ivanov told state radio.

"It is not the first time that pressure is being exerted upon us in one or another form but in my opinion this is not the productive way to reach unity and consensus in the Security Council."

At the same time, a joint document issued by the future members and the EU, however, stated a determination to "avoid new dividing lines" by focusing on the common ground achieved during the emergency summit.

The Bulgarian prime minister welcomed the endorsement as a "positive show of unity for the union."

"The document the 13 agreed upon is proof that this meeting here ... has had a positive effect," said Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxcoburggotski, the country's former king.

The French prime minister was angered when leaders of EU candidates Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic joined Britain, Spain and Italy in signing a letter last month supporting Washington's hard stance on Iraq.

Later, 10 former communist countries, seven of them EU candidates, reiterated their support for the Bush administration's position.

The two statements revealed a deep divide within Europe over Iraq, one of the factors prompting Greece, to call Monday's emergency summit to mend the rift.

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy defended the letter — underlining the importance of respecting independent views.

"I think the letter was the right thing to do, and was not done in error," he said. "To be frank, we consider that current European foreign policy is lacking."

Despite Chirac's veiled threat, the candidates said they did not believe their entry into the EU was at risk.

"I believe Chirac said what he did in a moment of irritation," Romanian Foreign Ministry State Secretary Cristian Coltianu said. "We consider the process of enlargement to be irreversible."

The EU declaration was endorsed by representatives of the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia and Malta.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp..._summit_iraq_7

The Viceroy · February 20, 2003, 15:12

Ha ha ha .. trouble is, its got so sick of the sour apple being forced into its mouth, even those partial to apple have gone off it.

Let them have their rotten pie..

Bereta_Eder · February 20, 2003, 15:13

Fine.

There's the door

The Viceroy · February 20, 2003, 15:18

for once Paiktis, im in complete agreement with you

ha ha .. I hope we take it.

Bereta_Eder · February 20, 2003, 15:20

Believe me, you won't

The Viceroy · February 20, 2003, 15:23

I know.. unless there's a credible alternative, your absolutly correct, we won't, and as a result, we won't join the Euro, cos nobody will vote for it.

Certainly will make the governments job a whole lot harder.

Bereta_Eder · February 20, 2003, 15:24

I think you'll join the euro eventually too

Which will be good for you and the rest of Europe

OliverFA · February 20, 2003, 15:25

I don't know what are you going to do. But I won't let the French take control of my country and pretend this is an united Europe. The EU was a really good idea, but they have spoiled it, and now it is in almost terminal state. I can stand Peugeot cars

but won't stand French Imperialism.

Shi Huangdi · February 20, 2003, 15:25

It figurest the Eastern Europeans would take this position. After decades of being dominated by Russia, and many of those countries having histories of being dominated going even further back, no suprise they don't want France telling them what to do.

Bereta_Eder · February 20, 2003, 15:30

Quote:

Originally posted by oliverfa
I don't know what are you going to do. But I won't let the French take control of my country and pretend this is an united Europe. The EU was a really good idea, but they have spoiled it, and now it is in almost terminal state. I can stand Peugeot cars

but won't stand French Imperialism.

Just a temporary "crisis" really. Fully justified by the circumstances

Such "crisis" have traditionally given a push forward to the common EU foreign policy. (Arab-Israeli war just an example of that)

I fail to see how the French are ruling your country though.

I can see about the British, their national interests (as they see it) are in opposite direction in the Iraq matter but about Spain?

Velociryx · February 20, 2003, 15:34

::Borg Voice::

"....resistance is futile...Britain (or insert other European nation name here) will be assimilated into the collective welfare state of Europe...."

-=Vel=-

(god I hope not, but....)

The Vagabond · February 20, 2003, 15:40

The East Europeans should have shown more tact towards their prospective donors within the EU. So Chirac is right in this: they missed a great opportunity to shut up. Once again they have shown themselves as petty lackeys: no principles, just blind asskissing to the master.

Arrian · February 20, 2003, 15:51

Quote:

"The UK in the European Community will be like a warm eating an apple from the inside"

Charles De Gaule.

That... prophetic man....

As I said before, in another thread: INGRATE. The gall of De Gaule!

-Arrian

Bereta_Eder · February 20, 2003, 15:53

Funny. Without them, you'd still be a colony

Arrian · February 20, 2003, 16:03

I am well aware of the debt of honor to General Lafayette, Pattycakes.

Without the Brits, De Gaule would have been nothing.

-Arrian