By Kristen Silverberg - 8th December 2008
“The rest of the world depends on the resolve of the United States and Europe to work together to confront global threats. That is why the first trip of President Bush’s second term was to Brussels, and why President-elect Obama has emphasised his co
US ambassador to the EU Kristen Silverberg
With the change in the US administration around the corner, it is appropriate to reflect, on both sides of the Atlantic, on ways we can strengthen the transatlantic community’s ability to face shared challenges together.
Despite our occasional (and inevitable) differences, the US and Europe are natural partners. We form a strong democratic, transatlantic community, not only because of our historical ties, but because we share common values and common purposes.
On the Middle East peace process, for example, the US and the EU share a commitment to achieving a two-state solution in which Israel and Palestine live side-by-side in peace and security.
With our support, Israelis and Palestinians have pursued historic, direct negotiations. We have made progress in building the institutions of a Palestinian state, improving conditions on the ground and ensuring support in the region for the process.
We have worked together, as well, to confront Iran’s nuclear ambitions, its support for terrorist groups in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories, and its dismal human rights record.
With regard to Iran’s nuclear programme, the US and the EU should continue to work together to increase the costs to the regime of its activities through financial sanctions. At the same time, we will make clear to Iran that, if its leaders take a different course, we are prepared to work with them to address their long-term economic needs and to re-establish constructive relations with the international community.
The US will continue to support steps that strengthen Europe’s ability to respond to crises around the world. As Secretary Gates has pointed out, only six of the 26 allies meet the Nato standard of spending two percent of GDP on defence.
This has led to critical shortages of helicopters, transport aircraft and communications equipment, not only for Nato missions, but for ESDP missions in places like Chad.
We will encourage, in particular, stronger European support in Afghanistan. As President-elect Obama made clear in Berlin, “America cannot do this alone. The Afghan people need our troops and your troops, our support and your support to defeat the Taliban and Al Qaeda, to develop their economy and to help them rebuild their nation.
We have too much at stake to turn back now.” Greater contributions for Afghanistan will be important, not only for Nato’s operations, but for the EU as well. The EUPOL mission in Afghanistan, which is a welcome and necessary contribution to the reform of Afghan security, currently has only 200 police mentors on the ground. To succeed, police mentors will need to move outside of Kabul, where virtually all of the key work needs to be done.
As the two largest economies and largest financial markets, we will need to continue to work together to address economic and financial turmoil. At the G20 meeting in Washington, our leaders discussed the complex causes underlying the crisis and began to coordinate steps to restore confidence in the transparency and reliability of our markets. We need to continue to work together to identify appropriate regulatory responses that can support economic recovery and growth.
And we will need to ensure that, even in a time of economic stress, we continue to support development work overseas. President Bush recently announced that the US HIV/Aids programme, PEPFAR, is now providing treatment to over two million people around the world. A continued US and EU commitment to fighting poverty and disease is essential.
American and European cooperation will help to determine whether we secure a global climate change agreement in Copenhagen next year. The US and EU are cooperating on the development of new technologies to combat climate change, and we are each pursuing significant domestic programmes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our efforts will be unsuccessful, though, without a final agreement that includes commitments from all the major economies.
Our continued cooperation can also help to promote Europe’s long-term energy security. Over-reliance on a single supplier of energy has never been in Europe’s interest, and events in Georgia underscore the dangers of Europe’s lack of diversification. This is, of course, a strategic issue not only for the EU, but for the entire global economy.
Close cooperation, combined with concrete action, advances US interests, EU interests and the interests of the international community. The rest of the world depends on the resolve of the United States and Europe to work together to confront global threats.
That is why the first trip of President Bush’s second term was to Brussels, and why President-elect Obama has emphasised his commitment to working with Europe. Both parties in the United States support a strong and united Europe, one ready and willing to work with us to defend our common security and advance our shared values.
Our collective challenge will be to put the US-EU relationship to work for the benefit of the global community.
