December 21, 2007 (the date of publication in Russian)
Ruslan Kostyuk
ANGELA MERKEL'S RANCOUR TOWARDS FRANCE
"Napoleon" Sarkozy wishes to establish the Mediterranean Union under the auspices of Paris
EU BORDERS ARE TOO NARROW FOR FRANCE
The recent skirmish between the leaders of France and Germany is arousing public interest towards the yet unshaped Mediterranean Union that was the subject of the Berlin-Paris tensions.
The idea of the Mediterranean Union was articulated by Nicolas Sarkozy yet before he triumphantly entered the Palais Elysees.
During the election campaign, Sarkozy and his supporters repeatedly raised concerns of the fact that French foreign policy has become less active and dynamic in the early XXI century; that the opinion of Paris is being increasingly neglected by Brussels, as well as by Washington; that France is losing its assertiveness in the South, especially in the Mediterranean region. In his election program, the leader of the Union for a Popular Movement promised a break-off with the earlier rule of Jacques Chirac in various spheres, including foreign policy. As we see today, Paris has significantly activated its diplomacy. Sarkozy became one of the "motors" of the recently signed Lisbon Agreement. He also intends to intensify relations with the EU and NATO. However, the most innovative initiative of the new President is the project of the Mediterranean Union that is supposed to unify the whole multitude of states that have access to the Mediterranean Sea.
"It is France, both a European and a Mediterranean power, which is to take charge of the Mediterranean Union, along with partners from Southern Europe. This Mediterranean Union would take responsibility for combating terrorism, for regulating migration, for economic and trade development, for rule of law. The Union would also deal with issues of energy security, environmental issues, as well as cultural cooperation.
The relations of the EU and Mediterranean states have got their own history. Many non-European states of the Mediterranean basin have got a status of EU's associate members. As far back as in 1995, Brussels initiated the program of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, enabling the EU to regularly finance various spheres of activity of developing countries, primarily the states of Maghrib. In the EU framework, responsibility for the Euro-Mediterranean partnership is born primarily by France, Italy, and Spain. Brussels pours billions of euros into the South not just for the good of its health: in accordance with the EU's concept of Common Foreign and Security policy, the Mediterranean basin is essential for Europe as a zone of peace and stability. Besides, the EU is interested in establishing a free trade zone with the non-EU states of the Mediterranean.
WHAT IS ALLOWED TO PARIS, IS UNAVAILABLE FOR BERLIN
Why is Germany's General Chancellor Angela Merkel so critical towards Sarkozy's initiative? What are her warnings of a possible disintegration of the EU based upon?
Every time Sarkozy mentions the Mediterranean Union, and the necessary involvement of the EU and its institutions (such as the Council of Prime Ministers and the European Commission) in its foundation, and moreover, the possibility of establishing common bodies of the EU and the Mediterranean Union, he insists that the new organization can be joined only by those states which are geographically related to the region. In her talk with Sarkozy, Chancellor Angela Merkel sarcastically pointed out that Germany, in its turn, could establish a similar alliance of countries in Eastern Europe, including, for instance, Ukraine and Moldova. Why not?
Angela Merkel is convinced that the foundation of an entity like the Mediterranean Union would impede the EU as such, its unity, and solidarity in foreign policy issues. She believes that today's EU that has just managed to make is way out of the constitutional crisis, can hardly allow itself to establish common bodies with another alliance of states – especially if this alliance except Germany's membership by definition.
Actually, Nicolas Sarkozy has never elaborated on the institutional architecture of the proposed alliance. It remains unclear what bodies Paris can propose to establish except the council of heads of states, and the council of heads of governments. Still, Sarkozy has already invited the leaders of states of the whole Mediterranean region to Paris, in order to declare foundation of the Mediterranean Union in June 2008. Sarkozy has already visited Morocco and Algeria, conveying his dream to the leaders of North Africa. He also invited Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi, who agreed to arrive. It is noteworthy that this diplomacy coincides with the geography of French economic cooperation. In this year, France struck billions-worth economic deals agreements with Algeria, Morocco, and later with Libya – in areas like delivery of energy resources, military trade, as well as innovation projects. France is obviously pursuing a far-reaching strategy.
In his public speeches, Sarkozy declares that the Mediterranean Union is going to become an association of states, playing a decisive role for the future relations on the planet. Simultaneously, France promises to boost assistance to North African states in scientific research, health, and socioeconomic modernization. Speaking at the recent meeting in Tanger, the head of France emphasized that "Europe is going to achieve prosperity and its security precisely in the Mediterranean Region, implementing its identity and it destination in the framework of a civilizational project".
THE UNION OF THREE CONTINENTS
The political elites of various states split in the assessment of Sarkozy's proposal. In France, definitely, the ruling party's establishment cheers the President's idea. At the same time, French Socialists are very skeptical about Sarkozy's plans, believing that the Mediterranean Union is going to become just a tool for a neoliberal-type free trade agreement. Rightists raise their own objections: Jean-Marie le Pen has already declared that "fraternization" with North African countries is fraught with new inflows of immigrants from Maghrib to France.
Sarkozy's initiative has achieved positive response from the state authorities of Morocco and Tunisia, as well as – with certain reservations – Algeria and Libya. In the Mediterranean Europe, a lukewarm approval was received from the governments of Italy and Spain. In its turn, the government of Turkey expresses a rather negative reaction, suspecting with some justice that Sarkozy is offering Ankara a surrogate of EU membership. Syria, pressured by Paris for years over the standoff in Lebanon, is equally skeptical.
Sarkozy's dream is really too ambitious. Actually, his project suggests unification of states of three continents. Meanwhile, the nations of Southern Europe, Maghrib and Eastern Mediterranean zone differ not only in language, religion and mentality, but also in political traditions and socioeconomic development. It is even more important that some of the nations within particular groups – Israel and Lebanon, Serbia and Albania, Morocco and Algeria – have got unresolved problems with a high probability of warfare.
WILL THE UTOPIA COME TRUE?
Is Sarkozy's project based on any solid foundations? He is trying to substantiate his master plan with a stereotypic list of values like collective security, prevention of terrorism, and legal state. Meanwhile, many potential members of the super-alliance have got serious problems of integrity and unresolved border conflicts. Cyprus, an EU member, is actually divided into two cultural, ethnic and administrative communities hostile to one another; Turkey is shaken by a rebellious Kurdish ferment; Palestine is divided into territories, controlled by rivaling movements of Hamas and Fatah. Methods, used by Turkey and Israel for resolving security problems, are very distant from European democratic standards. Islamic radicalism fuels political instability not only in North Africa (especially in Algeria) and the Middle East but also in Southern Europe, where the dream of a greater Albania instigates ethnic unrest within several nations.
Like the main character of a popular Russian movie, Sarkozy is going to assemble "a curious company" of allies. What political means is he going to use to resolve numerous tensions, expressed frequently in bitter ethnic and religious hatred? Is he going to select "rogue" members and crack upon them in the same way as he cracked upon the French trade union movement?
An efficient alliance of states, involving Algeria and Morocco, Libya and Egypt, Syria and Israel, Greece and Turkey, could exemplify a qualitatively new global architecture. Still, this harmony is too distant from today's reality, and needs dozens of years and miracles of diplomatic skills to be implemented.
Number of shows: 1211
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