By Daisy Ayliffe - 12th October 2005
EU flags and symbols heighten citizens’ fears, British minister for Europe Douglas Alexander told a Brussels conference on Thursday.
In an examination of European identity at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), Alexander blamed “the trappings of a state” for the French and Dutch constitutional “no” votes.
“I am not convinced that it helps to overplay the importance of these symbols,” he said.
“Eurobarometer research showed that 19 per cent of those who voted no in the French referendum did so because the EU threatened their national identity.”
The UK representative said national identities must be allowed to prevail over a European ideal.
“Europe’s future lies not in replacing national identities but by letting them flourish,” he insisted.
“Are we now seeing the creation of a European political identity? No.”
Alexander’s European ambitions came under attack for being “obsessively nationalistic.”
CEPS described Alexander’s vision as “controversial” and EU officials called on the UK to recognise the wider global challenges.
Claims that Turkish entry talks were to blame for constitutional rejection in France and the Netherlands were dismissed, as Alexander reiterated the UK’s pro-Ankara stand point.
“Turkey was not a particularly salient issue in the failure of the constitution,” he stressed.
“The EU is not a Christian club. I believe it would be wrong to arbitrarily close the door on Turkey."
"We need to send out a message that our doors are open.”
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