Mr President, if we had to choose between US democracy and Iraqi dictatorship, the choice would be easy. If we had to choose between the transatlantic alliance and the dictators, the choice would be easy. As it is, we have to choose between Kofi Annan and George Bush, we have to choose between Prime Minister Simitis and President Prodi, who are the leaders of the Union, and Tony Blair and José Maria Aznar. Kofi Annan represents the law, Bush does not. Prime Minister Simitis and President Prodi represent the Union, the others do not. In whose name did George Bush deliver the ultimatum to Saddam Hussein? In whose name did Tony Blair and José Maria Aznar disregard the document signed at the European Council on 17 February? (Applause) We had scheduled the Euro-Mediterranean Forum for next week in Greece, Mr President, as you know, to discuss peace, social progress and peaceful coexistence. Many members of the parliaments of Arab and European Union countries are asking how they can discuss the forthcoming Euro-Mediterranean parliamentary assembly when bombs are falling on Baghdad, when Kofi Annan, the law and the UN have been brutally sidelined by George Bush’s arrogance, when we are at the start of a war that is unilateral, pre-emptive, unjust, illegal and, as has been said, immoral and criminal. Even if the dictator falls soon, the arrogant nature of this action will remain. In 1991, there was the UN. In 1995 and 1998, the UN, NATO and the European Union were unanimous. In 2001 the entire world supported George Bush and the United States in the fight against terrorism. The President of the United States has wasted a huge amount of political and moral capital, he has dealt a blow to the UN, he has divided the European Union, he has widened the Atlantic and he has made relations with the Arab world more difficult. A great deal of damage has been done. In effect, Mr President, war broke out on 17 September 2002, when the new strategy of the Bush approach was announced to the world. There was a country, the United States, which had great power, which grew out of the war to free Europe, Africa and Asia from fascism, out of the fight against communism during the Cold War, and now this power is in danger of becoming domination based on the use of force. The United States has thus discarded its historical role and, this being the case, it could be the start of a serious crisis, a crisis which, as Norman Mailer said, could affect democracy within the United States, and if it affects democracy within the United States it could also affect democracy in Europe too, and our freedom could be under threat as well. Therefore, President Cox, Mr Papandreou, tell the Council clearly, make it quite clear to the Council today and tomorrow that Europe has lost with George Bush’s war. We have lost. Even if the dictator falls, I must stress, we have lost. The Europeans who are true friends of the Americans, of the citizens of the United States, cannot support George Bush. After the Second World War, we decided that never again would there be an Auschwitz, never again would there be a war. We must build this new Europe and give it a new Constitution which retains these two pillars: never again an Auschwitz, never again war. (Applause)

Political group: PSE