Ambassador Bruton:

I think so, yes. I would like to give a slightly serious answer to that question. The training one gets in politics is apt to the diplomatic world. The ability one must acquire to simplify complicated issues and to sit in on long meetings where one may be not entirely enthralled by the proceedings but at which one needs to be attentive and make a useful contribution are skills that are vital in diplomacy. Another skill is the ability to get on with people. Everyone in this House has been selected to be here because they have these skills. Used sparingly, that is a facility of which the Irish State perhaps ought to make use. That suggestion would not be welcomed in certain quarters but it is a valid enough point.

Ambassador Bruton:

If Senator Dardis does not mind, I do not consider I should deal with the issue of defence. It is an issue on which I know the parties in this House have different opinions. Members probably know my opinion from my previous pronouncements on the subject, therefore, I will leave it at that if I may.

Ambassador Bruton:

I will, however, deal with the other issue raised regarding enlargement. We should not be neurotic in Europe about the fact that we have some difficulties with the rapid pace of enlargement that has occurred. As I said in my speech, it is as if Mexico and the United States had been merged in terms of what we have done in the past ten years in Europe. It is bound to have resulted in the creation of some internal friction. We should bear in mind that the United States tore itself apart in the period from 1861 to 1865 in part because of arguments about enlargement, about states being brought in, on what terms they might be brought in and which state should be preferred, whether it should be a free-soil state or a state that allowed servitude.

Ambassador Bruton:

Enlargement is not easy for anybody. It was not easy for the United States in the 19th century and it will not necessarily be easy for the European Union in the 21st century. People should recognise the difficulty of it and the huge achievement that has been made. However, I accept that it is not possible at the end of the negotiation process to be in a position where an acceding country does not recognise an existing member. I believe it is accepted on all sides that this is an issue that will have to be resolved before the negotiation with Turkey is concluded, but I understand it is not an obstacle to the negotiation at this stage. What is an obstacle, however, are issues related to internal human rights in Turkey.

Ambassador Bruton:

It is important that people should understand that one of the reasons so many countries from Moldova to Georgia to Kazakhstan want to be considered as possibly eligible to join the European Union is because the Union has such exacting standards on human rights and democracy. If we did not have those standards and could not give that seal of approval to a country by accepting it as a candidate, the European Union would not be what it is. It is important that we stand by those standards. We should not have given accession dates to countries separate from adherence to those criteria. Mistakes were made in saying to countries X and Y that they will join by this year or that year regardless. That took the pressure off those countries, but we must keep the pressure on all the time.

Ambassador Bruton:

That said, it is vital that the Balkans and Turkey have the prospect of joining the European Union. It is vital for the stability of the Balkans, as the states in the region have a very difficult task, particularly in Kosovo, in building a state from nothing and similarly in Montenegro in building a new state. The European Union has shown that it has a capacity as a contributor to state building. We must find a way of continuing to keep those accession processes moving forward, perhaps not all at the same pace or as fast as they may be some of the time but moving forward just the same.

Ambassador Bruton:

I hope that a solution to the difficulties to which Senator Dardis made reference in regard to Turkey, which are real, will be found by the Turkish leadership and by the leadership of EU member states. Commissioner Olli Rehn who is dealing with this subject is a determined man. He comes from Finland, which has not been a member state of the European Union for long. Finland borders Russia and the Commissioner understands the importance of enlargement. The House ought to have and can have great confidence in the way he will handle this issue, as will the member state Governments.