DIFFERENT VOICES

Date: 22/05/1997

“For countries which will not be part of the monetary union right at the beginning, ERM II represents a carrot. It is through it that they can actually join the monetary union.”

European Monetary Institute President Alexandre Lamfalussy arguing that a revamped European Exchange Rate Mechanism could be used to influence the monetary policies of member states outside the euro-zone.

“It makes no sense to seek a new future for the Union at the expense of smaller countries.”

Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen warning fellow EU leaders against trying to force anything through at the Intergovernmental Conference which would not win widespread approval.

“I would be very surprised if the German government were to have recourse to accounting gimmicks such as the use of asset sales or revaluation to meet a revenue shortfall for 1997.”

Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini, whose government has been attacked by Germany for using one-off measures to meet the targets for EMU, criticising Bonn's plan to bolster its sagging public finances by revaluing the Bundesbank's gold reserves.

“The agreement between Russia and NATO is a historic document. It is the birth certificate of a new NATO.”

Austrian Foreign Minister Wolfgang Schüssel applauding the deal struck between the transatlantic alliance and Moscow which paves the way for NATO expansion and hinting that he favoured Austrian membership of the alliance.

“This lack of unity takes the wind out of our sails when it comes to human rights.”

Foreign Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek speaking at the European Parliament and taking a sideswipe at France for blocking formal United Nations condemnation of China's human rights record.

“This first European summit of regions and cities is truly an historic event. It is living proof that a Europe of the regions is not just a catchword, but a European movement which has become a reality.”

Regional Policy Commissioner Monika Wulf-Mathies speaking at last week's Committee of the Regions summit in Amsterdam.