Lord Hurd: The power of a united Europe

From a speech by the former Foreign Secretary to Britain in Europe, given in London

By any measurable standard, the distance between the superpower and the rest of us continues to grow. It is most marked in the military sphere. The United States could, without difficulty, destroy within hours any regime in the world of which it disapproved. Yet the moment the US wishes to turn from destroying lives and infrastructure with its bombs and missiles and begins to rebuild, it needs partners.

A partner is not a rival, seeking to outpace and undermine. There is no way in which that old Gaullist concept will prevail in modern Europe. But neither does a true partner simply scurry to Washington to find out the American view and then proclaim this as the only right course for Europe.

There is a real danger after the Iraq war that members of the EU will stay divided between these two concepts, both inadequate. Some in the US administration may be tempted to rely on informal coalitions of willing governments. They may continue to accuse the unwilling governments of immorality and ingratitude, even when that unwillingness is shared by the majority of those whom they represent. A Europe divided year after year on these lines would be a disaster. Such a Europe would not be strong enough to give decisive help to the superpower, but those excluded or self-excluded would be strong enough to disrupt American efforts in Nato and the United Nations. By our divisions, we would edge the US further towards unilateralism.

We need to forget some harsh words which have been spoken, but to remember the lesson which lies behind them. A true partnership between Europe and the US requires a more coherent diplomatic, military and economic effort by the EU. This in turn requires a concentration on political willpower rather than on intricate machinery and speech-making.

Sometimes a crisis such as the present one can produce the necessary willpower. The task is hard but not as difficult as some which we Europeans have already surmounted. Now, before new unwelcome patterns of thought and action are established, is the time to see clearly and concentrate our minds and make the effort.