DIFFERENT VOICES

Date: 12/06/1997

“Whoever says 3.3&percent; will in the end land at more than 4&percent; in other countries and that is not acceptable.”

German Finance Minister Theo Waigel arguing that allowing one member state to qualify for the single currency with a budget deficit of 3.3&percent; would pave the way for others to qualify with even higher overshoots.

“I would consider it one of the worst mistakes possible to delay the euro because of the question of 3.0&percent; or 3.2&percent;.”

Heiner Geissler, deputy leader of the Christian Democrats in the German parliament, accusing Bonn of setting itself a trap with its “criteria fetishism” over the euro.

“There is only one place where that will be decided and that is Germany.”

Former European Commission President Jacques Delors insisting that France would be ready to join the euro-zone by the 1 January 1999 deadline and if there was a delay, it would be because of Germany. He later warned that even a one-year delay to the start of EMU would be “the end of the project”.

“The clear underlying message tonight was that EMU was on target.”

Outgoing Irish Finance Minister Ruari Quinn speaking after dinner with his EU counterparts in Luxembourg last weekend.

“What is important for us to understand as a country is that people are looking to Britain to give some leadership in what are very difficult times for Europe. People like the idea of a Britain that is constructive and is setting the agenda.”

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair claiming that Europe was heeding his message that economic reform to tackle mass unemployment could be delayed no longer.

“Too much emphasis should not be put on the question of whether the enlargement negotiations will start with all the countries at the same time or whether a differentiation will take place.”

Foreign Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek seeking to reassure central and eastern European countries queueing up to join the Union by stressing that exclusion from the first round of talks should not be taken as rejection.