Persson: the EU needs further enlargement
LISBETH KIRK
12.05.2004 @ 18:24 CET
Swedish prime minister Göran Persson has said that Romania, Turkey and other countries need to join the EU to boost growth.
Speaking at a conference in Bucharest yesterday (11 May), Mr Persson said he envisaged a Union of more than 30 member states and that there is no way of saying no to Turkey, if the country fulfills the criteria for membership.
And he added that the EU needs further enlargement with countries like Romania, which can muster growth rates of 6-7 percent per year.
"In trade policies a future power troika of the US, China and India is emerging. If the EU is to play at the same level, growth is needed", he said, according to Svenska Dagbladet.
If it is not able to create this growth, huge problems will lie ahead, Mr Persson warned, saying, "we might manage for one year, perhaps five years, but not for ten".
Diplomacy first
In his speech, Mr Persson also predicted that trade and diplomacy will overtake military muscle as the most important asset for gaining international influence.
Military strength has held the predominant influence in world politics and the situation in Iraq has shown that it is no longer functioning.
Whilst he believes that military alliances such as NATO will lose influence, trade organisations such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will gain.
