Paris, 28/08/2001 (Agence Europe) - In his traditional speech on the occasion of the annual conference of French ambassadors posted abroad, President Jacques Chirac deplored the fact that the European Union should "still portray the image of an economic giant whose political weight does not reflect its place in the world". To remedy this, he proposes extending the field of the EU's external actions to issues with a "strong international dimension", like immigration, refugees, combating crime, drugs and prostitution. The French President also called for the adaptation of European institutions to encourage the search for common positions and to ensure that the "voice of Europe" is carried with "force and consistency" by ensuring a complementary nature between the different actors: Presidency, High Representative for external policy and the European Commission. He also suggested the setting up of a "pioneering group" on foreign and security policy after enlargement.
"The feeling of European identity has to be strengthened" ensuring that the "common references" of Europeans is better affirmed, said the Head of the French State, again pleading in favour of a European Constitution that "would bring together Europeans enabling them, through an act of formal approval, to identify themselves with a project". "Let's have it see the light of day in 2004", he added before confirming that he would have the opportunity, "in the coming weeks, to speak of Europe again to the French".