DIFFERENT VOICES

Date: 12/09/1996

“We cannot protract the Intergovernmental Conference forever in the effort to find perfect agreement.”

IGC negotiating group chairman Noel Dorr commenting on the lack of progress in the talks on EU reform so far.

“Summits should be held when you have a clear idea of the purpose of the meeting ... I start with a tinge of uncertainty as to whether this meeting will have been entirely necessary.”

UK Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind commenting on the decision by foreign ministers meeting in Tralee last weekend to hold an EU summit on 5 October, just days before the UK's ruling Conservative Party holds its annual conference.

“We prefer cooperation before decisions are taken, rather than after.”

French Foreign Minister Hervé de Charette commenting on the furore over the US Helms-Burton Act, which targets companies with business dealings in Cuba.

“Working together against state sponsors of terrorism is an imperative, not an option.”

US Secretary of State Warren Christopher defending the imposition of sanctions on European firms doing business with Iran and Libya.

“Everybody will have to lose something, but Bosnia will gain.”

International High Representative Carl Bildt stressing that a lot of give and take would be needed if Bosnia was to meet the goals of the Dayton peace accord.

“Things will not change with theatrics. We are not here to impress voters, but to lay out our plans for a stronger Greece with an equal place in the EU.”

Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis, whose flat and unflamboyant style has been criticised by commentators in his country, insisting in an election campaign speech that Greece could no longer afford to hand out favours to special interest groups and must concentrate on meeting EU economic targets.

“A nation has no future when those who do their duty are considered dumb ... The almightly god for Germans cannot be leisure time.”

German Chancellor Helmut Kohl warning that complacency was undermining his country's future and urging Germans to work harder, finish their education earlier and retire later.