Torn between ‘old Europe’ and America

By Dana Spinant and Andrew Beatty

Date: 21/04/05

When they join the EU, Bulgaria and Romania will have to find a balance between their pro-American stance and the foreign policy interests of 'old Europe', since France has been one of their strongest supporters in their EU integration process.

Both states supported the US-led war in Iraq and sent troops to help the coalition forces stabilise the country in the aftermath of the war.

While the Bulgarian government has announced that it will withdraw its 400 troops (as did Poland, the strongest supporter of Washington in Central and Eastern Europe), the Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu says he is committed to keeping troops in Iraq for as long as necessary. "They will stay as long as needed to establish democracy there and as long as the coalition forces stay," he says.

"Romanians went through dictatorships themselves, so for us it is very important that we make our contribution in Iraq."

President Traian Basescu suggests that his country's support for Washington and London need not be incompatible with being a 'good' European country. The views of the rest of Europe are not irrelevant. "If you go from Washington to Bucharest, you'll find Europe, France, Germany, etc.," he says with a smile. "I extend my warm invitation to them to join us," he adds.

Basescu, who notes that France is Romania's "main supporter in Europe", responds sharply to French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier's comment that Romania lacks a "European reflex". "This is the second time that we have received a kind of public declaration regarding the Bucharest administration which we don't like," he says, adding that Romania respects other country's choices.

Three journalists were kidnapped in Iraq at the beginning of April which has forced Romania to face up to the existence of terrorism.

Tariceanu says that there is an "over-sensibility" over the pro-Atlanticist attitude of some new or future member states in the 'old EU-15'.

He says that even at the level of the old member states there was no unanimity on foreign affairs. "It is complicated to tell us that we are not on the European side."

Bulgaria, with its similarly multi-vectorial policy, has also found itself in the firing line, perhaps more so than Romania.

As a rotating member of the UN Security Council during the acrimonious debate over a second resolution authorising force in Iraq, Bulgaria was highly exposed.

But Sofia's pro-US stance was unwavering. Bulgarian diplomats made it clear that they would back military action in Iraq, even without UN authorisation.

Although it may upset France, Germany and others, Bulgaria and Romania look likely to remain, in the words of the Bulgarian parliament's secretary-general, Ognyan Gergjikov, "in Europe and with the United States".

Analysis feature on international relations of Bulgaria and Romania, the EU candidate countries scheduled to join the Union on 2007. Author suggests that the two countries will have to find a balance between their pro-American stance and the foreign policy interests of 'old Europe', since France has been one of their strongest supporters in their EU integration process.