Transatlantic relations: Time for a new Chapter

Commenting on today's plenary debate on transatlantic relations, Cem Özdemir, Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said:

"It is high time to open a positive new chapter in the transatlantic relationship, casting the previous one, marred by discord and stalwart conflict, aside. The re-election of George W. Bush does not make our cooperation any easier; however, we as Europeans or Americans cannot afford four more cold years of discord. The world's agenda is simply too pressing.

Therefore, both sides must make advances toward the other. The recent wanton ignorance Washington exhibited towards Brussels appears to be giving way to a notion that the EU is an important actor. On the other side, Europeans cannot retract in disappointment at the re-election of George W. Bush and shirk their world responsibility. The EU and United States can simply achieve more by working together rather than alone, and have more commonalities than differences between them. We should, however, not keep our differences about international cooperation a secret - reaching from issues surrounding the Kyoto Protocol to the International Criminal Court. Still such undertakings as the reconstruction in Afghanistan and Iraq, productive engagement towards Middle East peace, combating hunger, epidemic, weapons of mass destruction, and international terrorism on top of the immense aid operation for victims of the Tsunami in South Asia show crystal clear that for today's global challenges, we need transatlantic cooperation to reach our common goals."

Source: www.greens-efa.org/cms/pressreleases/dok/101/101294.transatlantic_relations@en.htm