Brussels, 27/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor will hand over the presidency of the European Council to the Portuguese prime minister José Socrates on Saturday 30 June. On Wednesday she spoke out sharply against the idea of a two speed Europe as a response to the reticence of certain member states to advance with European integration. Even if the last weekend's European Council and the particularly tense negotiations on the future treaty had demonstrated that the Community sprit is giving ground to nationalist attitudes and calculations, Merkel informed the European Parliament at Wednesday afternoon's plenary session that it was only by acting together that they could attain their objectives of a united Europe, “Let me tell you quite clearly that I do not support this idea of a two speed Europe at all. Our objective cannot be the creation of new divides”. The Chancellor insisted that there always had to be specific areas in which one or other member state would request specific treatment or derogations but that the essential was to ensure that these derogation remained in the general framework of the treaties. She quoted an African proverb, “if you want to advance quickly, advance alone. If you want to go far, advance together”. Merkel said that the summit was a success not only because of the agreement on the future treaty, “which preserves the substance of the European constitution” but also because it had been able, only just, to avoid a split which Merkel things would have led to a loss of confidence and deep divisions in Europe.
Daniel Cohn-Bendit, the co-president of the Greens/EFA group said that the real question was not one of a Europe of several speeds but of knowing whether some countries (especially the United Kingdom) really wanted to remain a member of the club. A Charter of Fundamental Rights that is legally binding in the Union but not in the United Kingdom is “grotesque”. The MEP said that the EU had a charter of didn't have one. He also said that in the next few years member states that are hesitating or reticent should decide whether they want to belong to the EU or whether they want a privileged partnership. The exit clause is now included in the new treaty, which could put an end to the “tyranny of the veto”. Cohn-Bendit sharply criticised Tony Blair who signed the constitutional treaty and then went back on the 2004 agreement to renegotiate a whole series of points notably the Charter of Fundamental Rights, which “proves that he does not take Europe seriously”. The Greens will launch a campaign for the Charter in the United Kingdom, “We Want our Rights Back”, in an allusion to Thatcher's “I want my money back”. The overwhelming majority of MEPs consider that the compromise on the weekend is acceptable, even if they would have liked a text that was closer to the” constitutional treaty. Martin Schulz, the Head of the PES group was satisfied with the result but deplored the unacceptable attitude of Polish leaders in the negotiations, notably with regard to Germany, 'we we not allow the European idea to be destroyed by ancient hatred”. The results of the German presidency, particularly the efforts made by Ms Merkel were praised by all speakers. EPP-ED Head, Joseph Daul said that Europe had a “tiger in its tank” and welcomed the change of atmosphere facilitated by the German presidency and the many successes: “energy/climate package in March, G8 summit where European was united and got the US to shift, he said, and now the agreement on the treaty of the EU. (hb)