DIFFERENT VOICES

Date: 07/12/1995

“Building Europe has never been a long, calm river. There are moments of stagnation, of crisis. At the moment, we are in a phase of stagnation ... I sometimes think the northern countries have another mentality and a powerful Europe doesn't interest them at all. We don't speak the same language, even with a good interpreter.”

Former Commission President Jacques Delors speaking to reporters in Rome.

“We can no longer accept having a foreign and security policy that is a clapped-out relic of bygone years ... it is like pigeon communications in the age of the Internet.”

Commission President Jacques Santer on the challenges facing next year's Intergovernmental Conference.

“You can't mess around with Europe ... at the European Council we have a duty to say clearly how things stand.”

Massimo d'Alema, leader of Italy's Democratic Party of the Left, insisting the government had a duty to tell this month's Madrid summit whether it planned to hold early general elections or not.

“Labels are insignificant and unimportant and don't get you where you want to go ... You can call it whatever you wish to call it, but the fact is what we're doing is building jobs, raising wages, raising standards of living, creating capital and creating growth.”

US Trade Representative Mickey Kantor in an interview denying that moves to create a transatlantic free trade area had fallen flat.

“It now seems clear that a consensus can be established around the foreign minister of Spain, Javier Solana ... as the situation developed, it became clear that French opposition to a Danish secretary-general of NATO was so strong that it could not be overcome.”

Statement by Uffe Ellemann-Jensen as he announced the withdrawal of his candidacy for NATO's top job.

“There are things that are extraordinary and things that are ordinary. You can judge as you wish.”

Spanish Foreign Minister Javier Solana's reply when asked whether he now found his own early opposition to NATO extraordinary.

“Spain is a faithful ally, but things have to be taken as they are.”

Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez insisting his country had no plans to join NATO's military command despite Solana's appointment to the post of secretary-general.