Jack Straw Europe Quotations

This is a truly historic day for Europe and for the whole of the international community.

Every enlargement that has taken place within the European Union has made both the existing and the new member states stronger and more prosperous, ... I'm in absolutely no doubt that the benefits will follow from this enlargement and bring a strong secular state which happens to have a Muslim majority into the European Union.

But members of the public are bound to be concerned and their concerns can be allayed if they are shown that every effort is being made by the European Union and by member states effectively to coordinate action.

What we are discussing is what we have to do, the very clear undertakings given by the European Council at a summit last December and again this June, to lead to an opening of negotiations on October 3rd. I will say that I am reasonably hopeful that this deadline can be met.

There is great concern in the European Union about the need for Syria to take much more action to control terrorism in its territory and from its territory,

What we need is action. The problem for the European Union is that we can only go at the pace of the slowest. Therefore, there is a special responsibility on the countries which have failed so far implementing measures to get moving,

When Western Europe needed defense, along with the United States, it looked to Turkey for that defense on its eastern flank against the then-Soviet Union, ... No issues were then raised that it had an Islamic majority.

We continue to argue with our European colleagues about the importance of fairness when it comes to compensation and transitional regimes for sugar and for bananas and for other commodities . . . .

I'm in absolutely no doubt that the benefits will follow from this enlargement and bring a strong secular state which happens to have a Muslim majority into the European Union,

Everyone knows that the Arab peoples want prosperity, freedom and democracy every bit as much as anyone in Europe or America,

This is a crucial meeting for the future of the European Union.

Now more than 40 years since the prospect of membership of the European Union was first held out to Turkey,

a disgusting assault on the very principle of European democracy.

The EU and the European people have always seen Turkey as a European state, ... The heavy responsibility rests on all member states. ... I don't want to contemplate the possibility of a veto.

We have just made history, ... an EU based on values, not just history. Turkey has always been a European country.

I'm very pleased to announce that agreement has now been reached that negotiations on Turkey's accession into the European Union can and will begin in the very near future,

Agreement has now been reached that negotiations on Turkey's accession to the European Union can and will begin in the very near future.

If we go the right way we reach the sunny uplands. If we go the wrong way, it could be catastrophic for the European Union.