,,The Leadership Claims of a European Power"

WARSAW The eastern and south eastern European client states of Germany are using the German-American disagreement as support against the blatant German attempt to assert hegemony. Many European countries ,,would defend themselves energetically if a European power laid claims to leadership", warned a prominent Polish foreign policy expert. These states are hoping for public support from the USA. It is said that they have no problem in accepting the leading role of America.

The declaration by eight European heads of state and government, who placed themselves alongside the United States, was signed by the Prime Ministers of Poland and Hungary as well as by the Czech State President. A similar declaration in support of the USA was drawn up by a further ten eastern and south eastern European states (Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Rumania, Slovakia and Slovenia).

,,Europe"as ,,a vehicle for national ambition"

The rapprochement with the United States is a public indication that these countries are covering their backs against Germany's expansionsist ambitions towards eastern and south eastern Europe. The former Polish ambassador to Germany and current president of the Warsaw Centre for International Relations, Janusz Reiter, warned against the all-too-obvious German bid for hegemony. ,,Whoever tries to make Europe into a vehicle for its own national ambitions must reckon with the fact that neighbouring states will refuse their support". Thus Reiter, a highly influential policy expert, wrote in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. In the meantime, the Polish press is already speculating on plans to remove US military bases from Germany and to resite them in Poland. For some time Poland has been aiming to have a NATO headquarters based on its territory.

,,Anti-German threat"

Up to now the German Federal Government has appeared unworried and has tried to play down these dissensions. The Frankfurter Rundschau, which is close to the government in matters of foreign policy, spoke slightingly of an ,,anti German threat"and said that ,,loyal addresses"would not count ,,as soon as the first gunsmoke appeared over Iraq": ,,Then only economic strength and political weight within the EU will count. For without Europe the USA cannot successfully sustain the post war era in Arabia. Berlin will play a key role in that and Washington will be compelled to come to an accommodation."

Sources:
Troop transfers to Poland?; Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 01.02.2003
Janusz Reiter: Anti Americanism is unsuitable building material for Europe; Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 05.02.2003
The Vilnius Group supports America; Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 07.02.2003
Threat of anti German Cabal; Frankfurter Rundschau 08.02.2003


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