WEEKLY SUPPLEMENT / European library

*** Culture nationale et Conscience européenne. L'Harmattan (5-7 rue de l'Ecole-Polytechnique, 75005 Paris. Tel: [phone], fax: [phone], [e-mail]). 1999, 210 pages, FRF 110. ISBN 2-7384-7962-6.

Created at the initiative of French President Georges Pompidou and British Prime Minister Edward Heath at the time of the United Kingdom's accession to the Community, the Franco-British Council celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1997 with a colloquium held in a highly symbolic spot: the Fontevraud Abbey, and more specifically the tomb of the Plantagenets, the princes who, writes Maurice Druon, Perpetual Secretary of the Académie française, "were as much from France as from England". Providing an acount of this meeting, this book confirms with obvious intellectual brilliance that the Franco-British Council has achieved its primary mission, which is to bring the two civil societies closer together, to lead them to better mutual understanding. The work will not leave Europeans indifferent, giving them an opportunity to gain better insight into some of the fundamental impulses steering these two great nations, however irritating or promising these impulses may be in this start of the 21st century.

And irritation sets in early, in the introduction signed by Maurice Druon. It comes from an assertion that is disproved today by leading historians ("In the foundations of European construction, and by the admission of Jean Monnet himself, culture has been forgotten": never did Monnet make the statement that, if he had to start over again, he would begin with culture). But there is more: the statement that "Europe must not consist of a meeting of 15 or 20 nations each attached, like docile dogs, by the collar to a ring, i.e. the same committee of technocrats". The Gaullist is exposed in this statement, demonstrating the inability of some to adapt their combats to passing time. While de Gaulle could have written that "Europe must be a fabric of stitches knitted together two-by-two", i.e. France-Germany, France-Italy, England-Germany, etc., would he ever have asserted, as firmly opposed as he was to the accession of the United Kingdom, that "the two links whose knitting together is essential are Great Britain and France"? Mere circumstantial remarks by Mr Druon? We would like to think so... were there not others illustrating a perception of Europe inherited from the Vienna Congress and a time when national alliances, large and small, were preparing for the worst. What else does Maurice Druon say? That Germany has become preponderant again, that it has eclipsed its military defeat by an economic victory, that it is reunified and that its capital is Berlin, that it is the most heavily populated and most powerful nation on the entire continent, and that it actively influences all of Central and Eastern Europe. Consequently, he states, "it is legitimate to wonder whether its historical vocation of imperialism might not re-emerge tomorrow, or the day after, in forms other than what contemporary history has known"... Conclusion: the English and French should tune their instruments in the European concert "so that there will be a real concert and not a trombone solo". The European "concert", the same year as the 40th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome... We must be dreaming!

There is still more irritation with the contribution by Gabriel de Broglie on "French in Europe", which at times reeks of arrogance. He writes: "development of the Community cannot imply that national languages and cultures will be abandoned" (has anyone ever claimed the contrary?) and, "in particular, this development does not imply linguistic unification, either as a means or an end" (obvious to everyone). Then comes the howler: "This is what distinguishes the European Union from historic models of federalism"... A senior member of the Council of State unfamiliar with the cases of Switzerland or Canada is not exactly something one runs across every day. We will not offend him by suggesting that his remarks are inspired by political considerations. And by the concern to defend his language in the face of all opposition in the international arena, and first and foremost in the Union.

Rest assured, not all the contributions are of that ilk. There are even some about which readers will be enthusiastic. This is the case, for instance, of a delightful text by historian Richard Weight entitled "Divorce Is out of the Question", baring his fellow countrymen's unprecedented existential angst. He explains that: - the recent history of the British monarchy -whose origins are in the House of Hanover- is not unrelated to the loosening of ties between the population of the island and the rest of Europe ("from the 1950s, the naturalisation process begun by George V was so successful in the eyes of the British, it became the principal identification mark differentiating them from the rest of Europe"); - British intellectuals long underwent much more stringent censure than in other democracies due to the "Puritan current that wells up in every pore of British culture since the 17th century"; - the number of persons declaring their confidence in the Westminster institution fell from 54% to 10% between 1983 and 1996. For the better and for the worst, Great Britain and Europe are united, concludes Weight, quoting Albert Camus' comments to the BBC in 1951: "Your country will be even more deserving of the recognition of free men once it stops exercising its qualities in isolation. (...) As legitimate as they may be, the prejudices or indifference often shown by your political leaders towards the continent is still regrettable. Mistrust sometimes proves to be a useful method, but is always an odious principle. Sooner or later, inevitably, the principle is disproved by events".

Michel Theys

*** JERÔME DIGUET, ROBERT HENRY, CHRISTIAN LEVESQUE? CHRISTOPHE POIRE: Dictionnaires des institutions françaises. De Boeck Université (distribution: Accès+, 4 Fonds Jean-Pâques, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve. Tel: [phone], fax: [phone], [e-mail]). 1999, 536 pp., FEB 1,535, FRF 250. ISBN 2-8041-3292-7.

This volume by four university professors lets readers discover the mysteries of contemporary French society through its thousand and one political, economic, social, educational, legal, cultural, religious, media, sport, and other institutions. A very readable tool that will prove useful to French and non-French readers.

(MT)

*** PASCAL DELWIT, JEAN-MICHEL DE WAELE, PAUL MAGNETTE, Eds.: Gouverner la Belgique. Clivages et compromis dans une société complexe. Presses Universitaires de France (108 bld Saint-Germain, F-75006 Paris). 1999, 308 pages, FRF 148. ISBN 2-13-050200-8.

Is Belgium undergoing a profound crisis that could lead to its implosion? This is the question that serves as the theme of this collective work. In their different contributions, Belgian academics describe "A State between Import and Implosion", a "Federalism of Confrontation", the evolution of the parliamentary system ("From Orleanism to Federalism") and of political parties, the relationship between politics and justice ("Between Conviviality and Suspicion"), the Belgian model of capitalism (Professor Nagels concludes that introduction of the euro and the disappearance of the Belgian franc will result in the "disappearance of an element that forges national sentiment, a strong unitary system", which could favour the break-up of the country), the Belgian social model, foreign policy and the way this Union Member State is evolving "Between European Realities and Idealism".

(MT)

*** ANDRE LETON, ANDRE MIROIR: Les conflits communautaires en Belgique. Presses Universitaires de France (see above). "Perspectives internationales" series. 1999, 367 pages, FRF 149. ISBN 2-13-049900-7.

André Leton teaches today at the Institut d'Etudes politiques in Lille (Université de Lille II) and André Miroir at the Université libre de Bruxelles (Miroir works -at the crossroads of history and political science- principally on the Belgian political system). Together, they offer readers a detailed analysis of the evolution of this country since its creation in 1830 and even beyond. They highlight the roots of the "community" -read "linguistic"- problems that over the years have evolved into the image of Belgium abroad. With finesse and discipline, they demonstrate that this confrontation between Dutch and French speakers "is first and foremost a complex phenomenon of ancient origin that has progressively generated community and regional identities that are competitive, if not destructive of the Belgian nation". They depict a "sprawling phenomenon" whose evolution is "uncertain", but do not go as far as to maintain that conflicts between the communities will necessarily lead to the "implosion of the state structures" of Belgium. Highlighting the main factors of tension and appeasement -which interact-, they also demonstrate the extent to which Belgium is "an example of democracy of agreement".

(MT)

*** JEROME MONOD, ALI MAGOUDI: Manifeste pour une Europe souveraine ou comment les nations européennes retrouveront ensemble leur liberté. Editions Odile Jacob (15 rue Soufflot, F-75006 Paris. Internet: http: //http://www.odilejacob ). 1999, 158 pages, FRF 75. ISBN 2-7381-0754-0.

Jérôme Monod was Chef de cabinet to Jacques Chirac (when the latter was Prime Minister, from 1975 to 1976) and first Secretary General of the RPR, and is now President of the Board of Supervisors of Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux. Ali Magoudi is a psychoanalyst and filmmaker. Together, they argue incisively and resolutely for a return of "priority to politics", observing that, "by dint of moving forward with blinkers, avoiding subjects of disagreement, numerous statesmen have forgotten the reality of Europe". "How mediocre public declarations have been in accompanying the European adventure, while the world was changing at an unprecedented pace! How many steps backwards or sidewards!" they exclaim. And they place blame on both the "powerlessness in the circle of Eurocrats" and "spineless federal ideology", asserting their ambition, which they say is "unequivocal: to oppose the clarity of a constitution to the opacity created by the piling up of European Treaties". Denouncing "the anonymous Europe that no one dares define with a name, for lack of addressing the issue of its sovereignty", they suggest the election by direct universal suffrage of a President responsible to a bicameral Parliament and propose "setting with precision the frontiers of the Europe we want, to put a halt to the vagueness of present limits", suggesting what they themselves call an "arbitrary decision, even if it means upsetting the Community's usual negotiating habits" (including Turkey in these frontiers, "yes, Turkey"). One of their criticisms of the weak "capacity for invention" of those leading Europe is that these leaders tried "to take the currency out of its political context, to dissociate the European Central Bank from any relationship with a soveriegn power", whereas it is "urgent for the euro to find its legitimacy in a political sovereignty". And here, their demands are more traditional and more largely shared than certain other of the manifesto's ambitions.

(MG)

*** The Federalist Debate. Papers for Federalists in Europe and in the World. The Federalist Debate (26 via Schina, I-10144 Torino. Tel/fax: [phone], [e-mail]). November 1999, Nos 1-3, 76 pages. Annual subscription: 30 euros.

The Federalist Debate, new series, which will be published every four months, is meant to develop dialogue between federalists and representatives of the political, social and cultural spheres and NGOs. In his editorial, Lucio Levi, discussing "New Political Commitments for Federalists", highlights the potential of relations between non-governmental organisations and "organised federalism". The objectives of NGOs, he continues, are "the expression of an active engagement similar to that of federalists", and the "most genuine manifestation of the world unification movement and of the necessity, largely felt by young people, to deal with the great dramas of mankind".

In an essay, Anna Montani discusses the "Increasing Demand for International Justice", and William R. Pace examines, in relation to the process of ratification of the statutes of the International Criminal Court, the "globalisation of justice". In the Book Reviews, Antonio Mosconi critiques, in an article entitled "World Federalism and Strategic Squint", the work by Archibugi, Held and Koeler, "Re-imagining Political Community", and "Governare il mondo" by Achille Occhetto.

(MG)

*** Le Comité des régions et ses priorités politiques. Comité des régions (79 rue Belliard, B-1040 Bruxelles. Tel: [phone], fax: [phone], http: //http://www.cor.eu.int ). 1999, 22 pages.

This brochure presents the political programme of the Committee of the Regions, its mission and its political priorities for the period 1998-2002.

(MT)

*** LOUIS DUBOUIS, CLAUDE GUEYDAN: Grands textes de droit de l'Union européenne. Traités - Droit dérivé - Jurisprudence. Dalloz (31-35 rue Froidevaux, F-75685 Paris Cedex 14) Distribution in Benelux: Patrimoine, 168 rue du Noyer, B-1030 Brussels. Tel./fax: [phone]). "Grands textes" series. 1999, 1,149 pages, FRF 260, FEB 1,768. ISBN 2-24-703383-0.

Meant primarily for students and candidates taking competitive examinations, this series -now in its fifth edition- presents a range of texts illustrating the richness and diversity of European Union law as it stands in the wake of the Treaty of Amsterdam. The authors draw from the Treaties (EU and Community) as well as regulations, directives, decisions and resolutions adopted by the institutions (European Council, Council, Council and Parliament, and Commission), with the latter classified by category and chronological order. The work also includes a selection of Court of Justice decisions and opinions, with notes on the facts and procedures of the case. Precise indexing makes for easy consultation.

(LD)

*** Economía exterior. Estudios de Política Exterior, Padilla 6, E-28006 Madrid, tel: [phone], fax: [phone], [e-mail], http: //http://www./politicaexterior.com ). 1999/2000, No 11, ESP 2000.

Enlargement of the European Union is the theme of this issue. Protection of Spain's interests, notably in agriculture, as well as the opportunities offered by enlargement, are discussed in detail by the different contributors. Specific aspects studied include the change of priorities in European policy in the wake of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the EBRD's activities in the applicant countries, Poland's contribution to the Union, economic opportunities in the CEECs for Spain -in particular in the agri-foods sector-, the specific case of Latvia, radical transformations in Hungary, and so on.

*** Política exterior. Estudios de Política exterior (see above). No 73, ebnero/febrero 2000, 176 pages, ESP 1,500.

The war in Chechnya and the failure of the Seattle Summit open the first issue of this year. Felix Valdès studies the political factors and economic stakes on which the Russian intervention in Chechnya is based, and Francesc Granell analyses the reasons for the failure of the launch of the Millenium Round and highlights the attention that will now be paid to small countries and NGOs in multilateral negotiations. Juan Roldán reviews the conclusions of the Helsinki European Council; Gerald Segal notes the exaggerated importance attached by the West to China, which he considers an average commercial, diplomatic and military power; Carlos Castilla Peraza outlines the contradictions in Mexico's political transition; Maria Angels Roque discusses political developments in Maghreb, particularly Morocco; and Luis Joyanes Aguilar studies Europe and the information society.

*** La détention et l'utilisation des armes à feu. Le Sénat français, Service des Affaires européennes, Division des Etudes de législation comparée (Available from: l'Espace Librairie du Sénat (tel: [phone]) and on Internet: http: //http://www.senat.fr ). "Législation comparée" collection, No LC 57, June 1999, 29 pages, FRF 15.

The French National Assembly adopted, on 29 May 1998, a bill prohibiting the acquisition and ownership of firearms and munitions. To measure the scope of this ban and its exceptions, the Assembly has put out this study on similar legislation in six European countries, namely Germany, Denmark, Spain, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

*** Humanitarian Affairs Review. Forum Europe (88 rue des Patriotes, B-1000 Brussels, tel: [phone], fax: [phone], [e-mail], http: //http://www.humanitarian-review.org ). No 8, Winter 2000, 64 pages. Annual subscription (4 issues): EUR 48. Also available in French.

In this issue: the civil war and the need for assistance in Angola; the business of humanitarian aid; unsolicited drug donations to NGOs; the right to intervene; the objectives and priorities of Poul Nielson, European Commissioner responsible for humanitarian and development issues.

*** The United Nations regularly publishes documents and studies, of which the following:

- Global Illicit Drug Trends, 1999. ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime. UN ODCCP (United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention). 1999, 302 pages. This two-part report provides estimates on drug-supply countries and evaluates the quantity and type of drugs consumed.

- Directory of Non-governmental Organizations Working on Drug Demand Reduction. UN IDCP (United Nations International Drug Control Program). June 1999, 314 pages. This directory lists NGOs specialised in substance abuse, along with other organisations concerned with the health and welfare of young people or which incorporate drug abuse prevention in their mainstream activities. The organisations are listed by continent.

- Update. UN ODCCP. October 99, 16 pages. Opium production in Afghanistan is one of the issues addressed in this issue.

- Brasil, 10 anos de compromisso. UN IDCP. 1999, 36 pages. This publication, in Portuguese, reviews the activities and objectives of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, particularly its action in Brazil for the past 10 years.

- El Portavoz. Noticiero del Pnufid (Programa de las Naciones Unidas para la Fiscalización Internacional de Drogas). August 1999, 24 pages. In this issue of this trilingual (Spanish, English and French) journal: drug consumption in Peru and interviews with D. Jette, US Ambassador to Peru, and H. Beyer, German Ambassador to Peru, on the effort to combat illegal drug trafficking.