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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, MARCH 30, 1984
PAGE 13
because the Europeans mistrust him
(they don't know yet) but
because they cannot fathom how so young and untested a politician
might suddenly have so much potential influence over their lives.
Writing from Rome, the TIMES of London's Peter Nichols (in the March 22
edition)
noted the rather flamboyant Italian reaction to the summit's
failure:
Little charity towards the British stand is shown in the Italian
press.
"Thatcher torpedoes Europe," is the main headline in the
Rome newspaper LA REPUBBLICA.
The Turin LA STAMPA talks of "The
shipwreck of Europe" and reports that all participants place the
blame for the summit's failure on Mrs. Thatcher.
The Milan
newspaper CORRIERE DELLA SERA talks of another European failure
which is marked by "the British estrangement in Europe."
The same paper also reported on the Greek reaction:
What irritates the Greeks most about the failure of the Brussels
summit, for which they put the blame squarely on Britain, is that
Greece's own problems with the Community had been successfully
dealt with
just before the whole package collapsed.
This
explains perhaps why the harshest comments about Britain's atti
tude came from Mr. Andreas Papandreou, the Greek Prime Minister,
who said:
II�
feeling is that the other r artners would be greatly
relieved if Britain lert the Community.'
The French reaction, also reported in the same TIMES edition, ranged from
condemnation of Mrs. Thatcher to caution:
In the minds of the French public and most of the French press
there is no doubt at all about who is to blame for the failure of
the Brussels summit--Britain or La Perfide Albion, as represented
by the intransigent Iron Lady. -
Many are demanding Britain's exclusion . from the Communit x , �
others are more cautious, if not conc1l1atory.
M. Edgar P1san1,
European Comiii'Iss1oner and former Gaullist Minister of Agricul
ture, said, for example, that it was in the interests of everyone
to seek a new solution with Britain. "For Europe without Britain
is� longer really Europe.".•.
"Failure at Brussels: The indomitable Mrs. Thatcher," ran yes
terday's headline in LE FIGARO.
"Thatcher breaks the bank" LE
MATIN proclaimed. There is little attempt in the French press,
radio or television to understand the British posTtion. Only the
left-wTng daily, LIBERATION, suggests that Britain has a fair
case.
In yet another TIMES article (same date, March 22) entitled "Europe's Odd
Woman Out" Mrs. Thatcher, in the view of the continentals, is now the
"bogeywoman of Europe."
Yet the lead editorial in the same issue of the
TIMES predicted with confidence--perhaps a fair dose of cockiness--that a
break between Britain and "the nine" would not occur:
What matters is not this year's rebate but a long-term settle
ment.
The reality of the situation is that, in the long run, the