NYT: On an Ancient Sea, Europe Dreams and Schemes - by Ian Fisher
On an Ancient Sea, Europe Dreams and Schemes - by Ian Fisher
It is the original sea of epics, crossed by Ulysses on his journey home and Aeneas on his way to founding what became Rome. So it is natural for European leaders to cast their actions in the Mediterranean in grand terms.If something similar happened on a wider scale, and with more formal structures, it might match the embryonic vision of Mediterranean integration that Prime Minister Romano Prodi of Italy has been talking about for years. “It’s something that is beneficial for them, but also for us,” said Stefano Sannino, Mr. Prodi’s top diplomatic adviser. “More stability, less danger of terrorism, less illegal immigration. Generally speaking, if your neighbor is wealthier, you are wealthier. If your neighbor is more stable, you are more stable.”
Geoff D. Porter, a Middle East and Africa analyst for the Eurasia Group, which advises corporations on political risks, said, “The stick is tough immigration laws, the carrot is development in the countries where the immigrants come from.”
That idea, of a Mediterranean Union, has been circulating around Europe for more than a decade, offered up by various European leaders. Mr. Sarkozy put it front and center again in May, in his victory speech after winning the French presidency. “The time has come,” he said, “to build together a Mediterranean Union that will be the bridge between Europe and Africa.”
Labels: EU, Middle East
