date: Tue, 20 Apr 2004 17:02:39 +0100 from: "Tony Blair" subject: Winning the argument on Europe to: "m.hulme@uea.ac.uk" Dear colleague It is time to resolve, once and for all, whether Britain wants to be at the centre and heart of European decision-making or not. That is why this afternoon I told the House of Commons that the Labour Government would give the British people the final say on the European Constitutional Treaty. There are plenty of myths about Europe. Let me give you some facts. On 1 May the EU will enlarge from 15 to 25 members. It will be the biggest ever increase in Europe's size. It will reunify Europe after the travails of Communist dictatorship in Eastern and Central Europe. It is an historic event, one this British Government and the one before us have championed. Whatever the problems it poses, and we see that in the anxiety over prospective immigration, let us be in no doubt: the prospect of EU membership, together with the courage of the Governments concerned, is the primary reason why those countries have been able to reform their economies and politics so radically and so beneficially. Such change has been in the interests of all of Europe. Enlargement is right for Europe and for Britain and we should support it. Within the space of a few years Europe will be transformed. It will be easily the strongest political union and greatest economic market in the world. Britain should be at the heart of it. That is its right and its destiny. Because of enlargement, Europe is sensibly seeking to change the way it works. In a Europe of 25 or 27 or 28, a rotating 6-month Presidency makes no sense; the use of the veto should be confined to the areas where it is truly necessary, otherwise decision-making becomes paralysed, and in certain areas, terrorism, security, economic reform, the environment, Europe must do more and do it better. Britain will co-operate fully in helping Europe work better; but work better as a Europe of sovereign nation states. There are certain key areas where maintenance of full control of our affairs is essential. In those areas like taxation, foreign policy, defence, pensions, how the essentials of our common law, criminal justice system work, Treaty change, we believe the national veto must remain. We will insist on the necessary amendments to the present draft Treaty to ensure that they do. Likewise we will insist that the right to control on our borders, secured by this Government, at Amsterdam in 1997 will remain. On this basis the Treaty does not and will not alter the fundamental nature of the relationship between Member States and the EU. If the new Treaty contains these essentials, we believe it will be in Britain's interest to sign it. Once agreed, let Parliament debate it. Then let the people have the final say. I am attaching a full copy of the statement to the House of Commons I made this afternoon. I am also including the statement I made yesterday on my recent visit to the United States of America. My discussions with Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, and President Bush covered Iraq, Cyprus and Israel/Palestine. I believe passionately that all these issues need to be seen in their wider context, for they are all linked. We are firm in response to terrorism and WMD. But we must also be firm in tackling the breeding grounds of terrorism. That means broadening out the international agenda and confronting the issues upon which the terrorists pray: poverty, conflict, religious and ethnic strife. That is why I have welcomed the Israeli proposal to withdraw from Gaza and parts of the West Bank. The Road Map remains the best way to peace, and disengagement from occupied territory can be an opportunity to return to it. Disengagement is not the final step, but an important first step on the road to a final settlement. There was criticism that last week's announcements prejudged the issues of Palestine's final status. It should not and does not. It is a statement of fact that those final status negotiations, when they come, cannot ignore the reality on the ground, but all issues are to be decided in that negotiation. Israeli withdrawal also provides a chance for full engagement by the international community. We should seize this opportunity to help the Palestinian Authority take the necessary economic, political and security measures so that a viable Palestinian state becomes not just a concept but a real possibility. I hope you find both statements helpful in arguing Labour's case locally. There has been an unrelenting but, I have to accept, partially at least, successful campaign to persuade Britain that Europe is a conspiracy aimed at us rather than a partnership designed for us and others to pursue our national interest properly in a modern, interdependent world. It is right to confront this campaign head-on. It is time to resolve once and for all whether this country wants to be at the centre and heart of European decision-making or not; time to decide whether our destiny lies as a leading partner and ally of Europe or on its margins. Let the Eurosceptics whose true agenda we will expose, make their case. Let those of us who believe in Britain in Europe not because we believe in Europe alone but because, above all we believe in Britain, make ours. Let the issue be put. Let the battle be joined. [cid:blairsig$ekqknafxok] Tony Blair Privacy: we won't pass on your email address to anyone else. See [1]www.labour.org.uk/privacy =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- To unsubscribe, please click [2]here and send the email Promoted by Matt Carter, General Secretary, the Labour Party, on behalf of the Labour Party, both at 16 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP Embedded Content: BlairSig2.gif: 00000001,71f88f2e,00000000,00000000 Attachment Converted: "c:\eudora\attach\Statement on US visit 0404.doc" Attachment Converted: "c:\eudora\attach\statement on Europe 20 April.doc"