European Economic Community Quotes
This English headline about a seemingly temporary weather condition in the English Channel has become an iconic quotation by all who are discussing a united Europe and English attitudes towards Europe and the European continent. Before there was a tunnel between England and the continent a heavy fog interrupted all traffic—sea and air. However the British, who represent a small part of the total population in Europe and the European continent, viewed the temporary problem as unfortunate, not for England, but for the Continent. The implication was that Britain would get along fine without the continent and the rest of Europe, but the continent was in a state of stress if they could not communicate with and travel to England. It is an imperious attitude which aggravates the remainder of the European community, is not supported by Economic reality but is nonetheless perceived and felt by British of all classes.
In 2002, when Prodi made this offer on behalf of the EU, teh Russian economy was close to complete collapse, there was incufficient medicne available, the military was in disarray, and the EU thought that it could take advantage of Russia's weakness to offer them some economic benefits without the complications of even giving Russia the same degree of power and influence as Poland--Russia's former satellite. Russia's pride and dignity were offended. They rejected the arrangement and when Putin became President he began a very aggressive policy of pushback against NATO and EU expansion Eastward. Many political scientists feel that it would have been better had the EU not offered anything at all rather than the highly one-sided proposal that they made.
This was an incredibly prescient and visionary statement regarding the EEC. It would be years after his death that his vision was finally turned into reality.
The Premier was opposing Turkish admission to the EEC common market.
Referring to the European Economic Community:
