Different Voices

Date: 16/03/2000

• “Today is an historic moment for the country. A new era of security, stability, development and well-being is beginning.” Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis speaking after his government lodged its formal application to become the 12th member of the euro zone.
• “We have a very difficult, increasingly difficult economic relationship and it threatens to spill over into our political and even our security relationship.” US Under-Secretary of Commerce David Aaaron delivering a blunt warning to the Union as the dispute over the EU's plans to ban hush-kitted aircraft deepened.
• “If long transition periods are to be justified, we need proof.” Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström warning Poland that it had to work harder to bring its ecological standards up to EU levels and lamenting its failure to provide data to support its calls for delays before it would have to implement Union laws.