Seanad debates
Thursday, 10 October 2002
Address by President of the European Parliament.
Senator Ross asked about relationships. I am sorry he had to leave. As I said, I am not interested in spurious arguments about Boston or Berlin, as we can have the best of both. We must creatively make the best use of our position between the United States and Europe, pulled in each way by history and moment. I am a strong believer in the transatlantic relationship. When I visited Capitol Hill this year, I was the first President of the European Parliament to do so for ten years. The trade and investment relationship between the European Union and the United States is the only one in the world worth more than $1 billion. There is too much worth preserving in the relationship to place it in jeopardy. Although I have problems with the US Administration's current drift towards unilateralism, I am determined to keep the link strong.
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