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West must not let a new 'iron curtain' descend on Europe



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Published Date: 05 March 2008
By KRZYSZTOF BOBINSKI
If the likes of Ukraine and Belarus are not admitted to the EU, they could end up aligned with an authoritarian Russia, warns KRZYSZTOF BOBINSKI
ONE merit of the Berlin Wall was that it made obvious where Europe ended. But now the question of Europe's borders has become a staple of debate in the European Union. The outgoing Russian president Vladimir Putin's recent threat to aim missiles at ...



The full article contains 979 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 04 March 2008 8:34 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: European Union
 
1

Dr. James Wilkie,

Vienna 05/03/2008 06:31:43
Ukraine is a member of the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. Belarus would be too, only the Council of Europe, the senior European organisation, is holding it at arms length until its democratic system is brought up to the Council's standards. Russia is also a member of these major European organisations. Nobody is excluding them from "Europe"; they are just not members of one particular organisation, the EU, which is already geographically over-stretched.

2

gus1940,

Edinburgh 05/03/2008 09:29:57
If a new Iron Curtain descends over Europe it will not be Russia's fault.

It will be the fault of the arrogance and provocation of US foreign policy.
3

Neil,

Glasgow 05/03/2008 17:33:38
"ONE merit of the Berlin Wall was that it made obvious where Europe ended"

No it made obvious where Europe divided. Europe is a geographical unit, which includes most of the population of Russia. I am really tired of hearing supporters of the EU saying that we must decide whether we "want to be in Europe or not".

Equally the idea that Ukraine & Belarus are European by some definition that says Russia isn't is clearly serving an anti-Russian agenda rather than a pro-European one. The reason we lateraly became so pro-enlargement was that the attempt to create an EU superstate by economic means was failing - the EU is a smaller % of the global economy now than when we joined it.

It seems unlikely the Russians would want to join anyway since they are doing very well without the benefits of Brussels jurisdiction. Indeed it seems unlikely the British would either, particularly if it was widely known that its "Enterprise" commissioner had publicly said Brussles regulations cost the continent £405 billion annually.

The European conquest of the world happened because Europe was a place of small but stable states where overbearing governments were unable to stifle innovation beyond their borders. The EU exists to stifle.
4

Trade-wind,

USA 06/03/2008 07:37:03
#2 Gus
Why is it some of you people hate the US so much. We fought and died to keep your ass free. I lost three members of my American Scotish family fighting over there where you live. They didn't die here fighting to keep German and later Russian troops off our homelands soil. They in fact died over there to allow you the freedom to write your hateful crap. We are more your friend than your enemy. I can't say the same for some of the Europeans your country is in bed with today. I have listened to your uncalled for remarks for to long.
Now on behalf of two uncle's and a cousin, I'm telling you, your a pig!

 

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