Bruges, 19/10/2005 (Agence Europe) - Making the opening speech at the College of Europe in Bruges (Belgium) on 19 October for the new academic yare (which has Beethoven as its patron), EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, said he could hardly conceal his pride 'at the thought it was Salvador de Madariaga who took the initiative in 1948 to establish this College.' Solana commented 'it is said that Beethoven originally dedicated his third symphony, 'Eroica', to Napoleon, in recognition of his role in the French Revolution. Yet when Napoleon crowned himself emperor, thus going against the liberating spirit of the Revolution, Beethoven angrily crossed out his dedication. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was played on Tiananmen Square in defiance of the tanks that came rolling in. It was also played after the fall of the Berlin Wall.'
Solana said he was 'struck by the extent of self-doubt haunting Europe…I find the current mood surprising. For we have rarely been more successful… Enlargement has been a historic success for all… The new Member States are among the most dynamic economically and the most enthusiastic politically. But we should be honest and acknowledge that enlargement does have a cost. The main cost is that we have to adjust. Adjust to a more diverse Union where interests and perspectives sometimes diverge,' but 'I believe there is a European identity. And there are, by now, enough elements of a European model… My firm view is that it is worth articulating this identity and defending this European model.' On Europe's international role, Solana said: 'this is what our citizens demand… And it is logical too… Now is not the time to give in to self-doubt and restrain our own development. Quite the opposite: we must be more ambitious and step up our engagement… We need to equip Europe with the people, resources and structures to perform the tasks that we want it to do.' Solana said he regretted the impasse on the Constitution, stressing his 'conviction that the reasons why we drafted a Constitution are still valid today, especially in the area of external action.' 'There is a compelling case for Europe to really speak with one voice… How many more years of this debate can we afford? In my view it is frivolous to act as if we had oceans of time to reflect on how we organise ourselves to become engaged in the world. Europe needs the ideas contained in the Constitution… It also needs the rules, set out in the Constitution, to enable different groups of countries to agree on deeper integration. Our journey should continue. We have many new tasks to perform. So let us equip ourselves to do it.'