Australia Should Know its Place
The Prince of Darkness is upset.
European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson criticised Australia on Monday for taking the U.S. side in stalled World Trade Organization talks on global trade liberalization.You see, Mr Mandelson thinks that Australia should know its place, and bow down to its former Colonial Master. But instead the upstart colonials are completely disrespectful:
"At the moment we hear from some quarters, from the Australian government, a lot of bashing of Europe,"Has it never occured to Mr Mandelson that Australia, as a sovereign country, has the right to side with who it likes in international trade talks?
Stupid me, of course not, how could we expect an EU commisioner to understand the concept sovereign country?
1 comment:
As an Australian, I laugh and I cry at the European rhetoric.
Imagine France and Russia taking the "high moral ground" on any issue after doing backroom deals with Saddam Hussein all these years ... no wonder they opposed the war.
As to trade, I wonder when the EU will adopt Australia's "level playing field" approach. Our farmers are the most efficient in the world, but cannot compete in markets where the US or EU dominate because of the restrictive practices (dumping, embargoes, subsidies, etc). Little wonder that we'd side with the US against the EU juggernaut when it suits our national interest (rather than the EU's) to do so.
Seems to me that as the provider of soldiers to liberate Europe (more than once, I note) we were provided with certain promises of friendship from Britain, France and Greece in particular. And when we provided under-cost-price produce as Europe rebuilt after the war there were handshakes all round. That all went out the window in the 1970s with the changing loyalties the EU brought about. So now that we've found a better friend in the US there should be no crocodile tears from anyone in Europe.
Australia is a sovereign nation and we have consistently acted in good faith ... it's a pity that the EU (and to a lesser extent the US) won't do the same!
Post a Comment