DIFFERENT VOICES

Date: 02/11/1995

“France continues to seriously damage its international reputation by its actions in the face of world opinion.”

Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, speaking after France conducted its third nuclear test in the South Pacific.

“We will not always agree on every point. Our nations are too independent, too proud, perhaps too individual to do that - but our interests are inextricably linked.”

UK Prime Minister John Major speaking on his country's relationship with France at a formal dinner welcoming French President Jacques Chirac to London.

“There is such a deep sense among all the member states of the kind of historical vocation we are trying to fulfil here. And of course there are barriers that must be overcome, but they are there to be overcome.”

Foreign Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek on the prospect of enlargement to Central and Eastern Europe.

“Bearing in mind the forthcoming decision of the European Parliament on the creation of a customs union between the EU and Turkey, everything must be done on the Turkish side to create the appropriate conditions. Yesterday's verdict certainly did little to help in this respect.”

German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel reacting to a decision by the Turkish appeals court to uphold jail sentences imposed on four Kurdish deputies for separatism.

“The political visionary may dismiss such questions as technical currency policy trivia. But in doing so, he would overlook the importance of these issues for the functionality and credibility of a joint monetary policy.”

Bundesbank President Hans Tietmeyer in a speech setting out his ideas for the strategies and policy instruments needed to form the basis of the future European Central Bank.

“I expect lengthy and difficult negotiations which will probably result in peace because there has been enough war.”

Croatian President Franjo Tudjman speaking on the prospects for peace in the former Yugoslavia as voters in Croatia went to the polls to elect a new parliament.

“When even the United States feels the need for a wider union, the notion that somehow Britain could do better all alone in the world is bizarre.”

Extract from a report by the UK-based Independent Policy Studies Institute.