DIFFERENT VOICES

Date: 18/04/1996

“For me, Europe consists of 15 member states. All of the players are supposed to act as a team. We don't want one or two sitting by and watching.”

Economics Commissioner Yves-Thibault de Silguy stressing the need for the EU to act as one as it prepares for the single currency.

“It would be quite absurd to exclude a country which satisfied convergence criteria and achieved exchange rate stability on the basis that it hadn't had a formal two years' membership of an ERM.”

British Chancellor of the Exchequer Kenneth Clarke rejecting suggestions that the UK was effectively ruling itself out of EMU membership in 1999 by refusing to rejoin the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM).

“It says in Article 109j, paragraph four, that a country wishing to join a single European currency must have been two years in the ERM without undue pressure on its exchange rate or a devaluation.”

German Bundesbank President Hans Tietmeyer insisting that the Maastricht Treaty made it clear that countries must be in the ERM to qualify for EMU.

“I would not hesitate to eat beef in England. I see no medical reason not to.”

Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler making it clear that the world-wide ban on UK beef exports imposed by the EU was introduced primarily to prevent the collapse of the whole European beef market and not because of fears over public safety.

“It is ironic that he will eat our beef, but won't allow us to export it so that others can eat and enjoy it.”

A spokesman for the UK Ministry of Agriculture reacting to Fischler's remarks, which sparked calls from British farmers for an immediate lifting of the ban.

“The world opened its door to helping the Serbs of Bosnia and Mr Karadzic slammed it.”

International High Representative Carl Bildt commenting on the Bosnian Serbs' refusal to attend last weekend's donors' conference in Brussels.