by Samantha Pergadia '11

John Bruton, the European Commission's ambassador to the United States, spoke in Dodds Auditorium at the Woodrow Wilson School on Oct. 1 about the challenges facing U.S. and European relations, in a speech titled "The Transatlantic Relationship: A Thing of the Past or of the Future?"

Bruton outlined the key challenges straining U.S. and E.U. relations, including tensions with the Muslim world, relations with Russia, protectionism, climate change and sustaining democratic legitimacy through globalization.  He said that climate change is the most time-sensitive issue, given that the U.N. Climate Change Conference will be held this December in Copenhagen. 

“If the U.S. does not go to the conference with legislation that shows them putting absolute limits on greenhouse gases, it will be impossible to get the Chinese and Indians to put limits on their emissions,” Bruton said. He added that the U.S. must lead “not by prescription, but by example.”

Bruton noted that while there is no “international deadline” for healthcare—an issue with recent political focus—the deadline for climate change is this December.

“Here, I think we are a bit impatient in Europe at the pace at which U.S. legislators are dealing with things,” Bruton said. “It is really important that you get your act together before December.”

When asked if the future of Turkey’s membership to the E.U. was key to transatlantic relations, Bruton replied that this type of question—which  “does not respect the decision of the E.U. of whom to take”—was part of the problem with U.S. and E.U. relations.

“We wouldn’t make our relationship with the U.S. conditional upon the U.S. marching with Mexico,” Bruton said. “This is our problem, not yours.”

Bruton added that the E.U.’s success is dependent on the members feeling united.

“Do the Turks feel European?” Bruton asked. “The E.U. will not have viability unless it has that cohesion.”

During the Q&A session with audience members, Nevzat Uyanik, a graduate student in the Near Eastern Studies department and a former member of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, questioned Bruton’s characterization of Turkey and his analysis of Turkey’s exclusion from the E.U.

“I have never heard ex-council members asked whether they feel European or not,” Uyanik said. “Membership should be based on some objective criteria, not feelings.”

Bruton replied that the Copenhagen criteria do create a set of objective standards for membership, though it also lists concerns about the impact an incoming applicant will have on the internal cohesion of the E.U.  He added that the E.U. is not yet stable enough to have a “country as big as Turkey come in and change the balance.”

Bruton also listed the America’s relationship with Israel as another challenge facing U.S. and E.U. relations.

“The concern is whether the U.S. is serious about a two-state solution to the Israeli and Palestinian problem,” Bruton said. “If so, what democratic rights will Palestinians have if there is a Palestinian state?”

“If the two-state solution becomes impossible and the issue becomes Palestinian Arabs living in Israel, that will change everything as far as the Jewish character of Israel,” Bruton said.

Bruton also defined six key differences between U.S. and European politics, including the abundance of land in America and the religiosity of Americans. He outlined Europe’s longer relationship with terrorism as another difference from America.

“I think the fact that we’ve had a longer experience with terrorism makes us a little less confident that we know the one cause of it,” Bruton said. “Terrorism is something we’ve had to get used to.”

Uyanik was pleased with Bruton’s response to the issue of Turkey’s inclusion in the E.U.

“He was very frank and realistic,” Uyanik said. “I don’t share his views, but it was refreshing to hear his honesty.”

Camille Francois ’12, an exchange student from France, said she was moved to hear the ambassador speak with a sense of European nationalism.

“As a French European, I was very glad to see that our interests were defended,” Francois said. “It was great to hear someone say ‘we’ when referring to Europeans. He had the guts to defend Europeans against the U.S.”

“He was not rude, but pragmatic when he defended the E.U.’s right to act against U.S. opposition,” said Pierre Gendronnea ’12, another exchange student from France.

Michael Skiles ’12 said he appreciated Bruton’s candid discussion of controversial issues.

“I was, however, surprised to see him criticize America for supporting Israel without making more demands,” Skiles said adding that the U.S. has pressured Israel into making “imprudent concessions to Palestinian radicals.”