European leaders must respond to Trump
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/02/european-leaders-must-respond-to-trump Version 0 of 1. President Trump’s executive order on immigration is an assault on Europe’s interests and values. It condemns entire nations and prevents refugees who have committed no crime from finding safety, making an international response to the refugee crisis all the harder. It also risks setting back co-operation on terrorism while stimulating Isis’s recruitment. We call on the European leaders in Malta to respond in three ways: • The EU should speak with one voice in defence of international agreements and basic human rights, including the right of refuge. Seeking special deals on a country-by-country basis will simply weaken everyone. • The EU should launch a rule-of-law mission to assist EU citizens in US ports and airports. The EEAS and the member states should coordinate efforts in Washington, in order to offer the best consular protection to European citizens possible. Dual citizens should not be discriminated on the basis of their second passport. • The isolationist policies of our transatlantic neighbour should drive European nations closer together in sharing intelligence within the EU in order to enhance protection against terrorist threats. It is high time to think about European security, both internally and externally, in a more consolidated and responsible fashion. Europe’s place in the world is under threat from power politics, closed borders and closing societies. European leaders should not stand by as international agreements aimed at protecting the weak, the vulnerable, and those fleeing war and torture are invalidated by late night executive orders. Mark Leonard Director, European Council on Foreign RelationsCarl Bildt Former prime minister of SwedenAlexander Stubb Former prime minister of FinlandJohn Bruton Former taoiseach of IrelandPascal Lamy Former director-general of the WTO; former EU commissionerJavier Solana Former secretary general of NatoWolfgang Schüssel Former chancellor of AustriaGeorge Papandreou Former prime minister of GreeceGordon Bajnai Former prime minister of HungaryHans Eichel Former finance minister of GermanyLykke Friis Former minister for climate, energy and gender equality, DenmarkAndrzej Olechowski Former foreign minister of PolandConnie Hedegaard Former European commissioner for climate actionMartin Lidegaard Former foreign minister of DenmarkBaroness Janet Royall Former leader of the opposition in the UK House of LordsAdam D Rotfeld Former foreign minister of Poland; Co-chairman of Polish-Russian Group on Difficult Matters; Commissioner of Euro-Atlantic Security InitiativeGunilla Carlsson Former international development cooperation minister of SwedenJoaquín Almunia Former vice-president of the European commissionTibor Dessewffy President, Demos HungaryKarin Forseke Chairman, Alliance Trust PlcCarlos Gaspar Member of the board of directors, Portuguese Institute of International Relations (IPRI)Sylvie Goulard Member of the European parliamentMarietje Schaake Member of the European parliamentTeresa Gouveia Trustee to the board of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation; former foreign minister of PortugalSandra Kalniete Former foreign minister of Latvia; Member of the European parliamentRoderich Kiesewetter CDU special representative for foreign affairsHeather Grabbe Executive director, Open Society Policy InstituteUlrike Guérot Senior associate for Germany, Open Society Initiative for EuropeBassma Kodmani Executive director, Arab Reform InitiativeDavid Koranyi Director, Energy Diplomacy Initiative, Global Energy Center, The Atlantic CouncilBrigid Laffan Director of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies and Global Governance Programme, European University InstituteSonja Licht President, Belgrade Fund for Political ExcellenceIrene Lozano Writer; former member of the Congress of DeputiesMiguel Maduro Professor and director, Global Governance Programme at the European University Institute; former ministerKalypso Nicolaïdis Professor of international relations, University of OxfordChristine Ockrent Commentator and writer; Presenter of Affaires Internationales, France Culture RadioDick Oosting Former CEO, European Council on Foreign RelationsBehlul Ozkan Assistant professor, Marmara UniversityŽaneta Ozoliņa Professor, University of Latvia; former director, Latvian Centre for Human RightsLapo Pistelli Senior vice-president, stakeholder relations for business development support, ENI; former deputy foreign minister of Italy Albert Rohan Austrian ambassador (retired)Daniel Sachs CEO, ProventusAleksander Smolar Chairman of the board, Stefan Batory FoundationIon Sturza Founder and chairman, Fribourg Capital; former prime minister of MoldovaHannes Swoboda Former president, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, European parliamentAnna Terrón Special adviser to the European commissioner for trade; President, InStrategiesNathalie Tocci Deputy director, Istituto Affari InternazionaliJose Ignacio Torreblanca Editorial director, El PaísErkki Tuomioja Former foreign minister of FinlandIvan Vejvoda Director, Europe Project, Institute for Human SciencesAntonio Vitorino Lawyer; former EU commissionerAndré Wilkens Publisher and author • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters |