Dear Readers,
I recently attended the conference entitled, “The West in the 21st Century: Doomed to Marginalisation? Why and How to Strengthen the Transatlantic Partnership”, organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the European Values Association. The aim was to discuss the future of the partnership between the European Union and the United States of America. One of the main speakers was the Czech Minister of European Affairs Štefan Füle as well as many experts from Germany, France and the United States.
Here you can read and listen more about the conference.
Today in the 21st century the West is no longer setting the direction of political, economic and security developments in the world. Compared to other parts of the planet, Europe is declining and the United States may soon remain just one of several great powers next to China, India, Brazil, Russia or the rising Islamic nations.
The Western way of life characterised by freedom and prosperity, based on liberal democracy, individual rights, rule of law and a market economy, might not be preserved in the upcoming world order, in which powers upholding different or even contradictory values could prevail. Despite various differences between Europe and North America, both share one civilization founded on common historical traditions and values which are embodied in our political institutions. To cope with the challenges and the threats of tomorrow, our close partnership is not only natural but absolutely indispensable.
The conference take look at the two most important and dynamic fields of cooperation: defence and economy. Well established, thought not perfectly sound, cooperation with specific institutional and procedural frameworks functions within both areas. While NATO at the moment is discussing its new strategic concept, the EU-US economic and business cooperation is still in the process of defining its agenda. Among the many actors involved, the European Parliament has been promoting the idea of a common transatlantic market.
Listen the speech of Mr. Štefan Füle, Minister for European Affairs of the Czech Republic
Listen the speech of Jeffrey Gedmin, President of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Download the program of the conference
Hi there, interesting the second speech, about the 20th anniversary… The minister was also good. Is still RFE broadcasting from Prague? It was my understanding that the Americans wanted to close the radio station.
Rick