Monarch Urges Mending Ties Between Europe and Us
The Queen yesterday pursued her rare foray into international politics, urging France on the second day of her state visit to Paris not to allow its focus on Europe to harm its relationship with the US. She told the French senate: "We have both made the choice of Europe and the European...
The Queen yesterday pursued her rare foray into international politics, urging France on the second day of her state visit to Paris not to allow its focus on Europe to harm its relationship with the US.
She told the French senate: "We have both made the choice of Europe and the European Union as a principal vehicle for our economic and political aspirations. This ... should not in any way weaken our strong ties of friendship to the US."
The Queen had already raised eyebrows by explicitly warning that France and Britain could not afford to allow "immediate political pressures" to divide them while both face threats to their security.
Her comments, which observers said will have been approved in advance by the Foreign Office and probably by the prime minister's staff, marked a rare departure from the usual platitudes and pleasantries of official visits and follow a period of tension between the two countries, particularly over the Iraq war.
The Queen stressed the importance of cooperation, particularly in defence. "In a dangerous world our two nations have so much to offer when we use our strengths together ... Let us move on from our recent differences as our forebears did a hundred years ago."
She told the French senate: "We have both made the choice of Europe and the European Union as a principal vehicle for our economic and political aspirations. This ... should not in any way weaken our strong ties of friendship to the US."
The Queen had already raised eyebrows by explicitly warning that France and Britain could not afford to allow "immediate political pressures" to divide them while both face threats to their security.
Her comments, which observers said will have been approved in advance by the Foreign Office and probably by the prime minister's staff, marked a rare departure from the usual platitudes and pleasantries of official visits and follow a period of tension between the two countries, particularly over the Iraq war.
The Queen stressed the importance of cooperation, particularly in defence. "In a dangerous world our two nations have so much to offer when we use our strengths together ... Let us move on from our recent differences as our forebears did a hundred years ago."
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