France, 2008

I bring

you fraternal greetings from Europe — Europe that is

conscious of its responsibilities and wishes to act;

Europe that is true to its values — democracy and

freedom; Europe that is loyal to its friends, but also

Europe that wishes to speak to the whole world in

service of dialogue and of peace.

At a time when the world is deeply troubled, I

have come to tell you, on behalf of Europe, that in the

midst of so many difficulties the international

community has a political and moral responsibility that

we must shoulder. Let us not forget that if we are

gathered here today, it is because following one of the

most terrible tragedies that humankind has ever known,

there were men and women of good will who were

determined that in the future no one could ever say,

when faced with misfortune: “There is nothing we can

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do.” That is why we are here, because those who went

before us did not renounce their responsibility. Europe

believes that today, our duty is to act and to refuse to

submit.

We can wait no longer. We are beginning to

gauge the tragic consequences of having already

waited too long. We cannot wait to achieve peace, to

end the tragedy in Darfur. We cannot wait to fight

terrorism, to avert the food crisis that condemns so

many human beings to die of hunger. We cannot wait

to prepare for the post-petroleum world, to fight global

warming, to save the oceans, to put an end to monetary,

social and ecological dumping. We cannot wait to bring

ethics to financial capitalism.

For too long we have all been resigned to being

powerless. For too long we have retreated before the

need to give to the globalized world institutions that

will enable it to be regulated.

The world of the twenty-first century cannot be

governed with the institutions of the twentieth century.

We are a century behind. Let today’s major Powers and

the Powers of tomorrow unite to shoulder together the

responsibilities their influence gives them in world

affairs.

To all those who are hesitant, I wish to say that

enlarging the Security Council and the G-8 is not just a

matter of fairness, it is also a question of effectiveness.

We can no longer wait to turn the G-8 into the G14 and

to bring in China, India, South Africa, Mexico and

Brazil. Italy is proposing a major step in that direction

at the next summit, which it will host, and Italy is

right.

Let us act to make our international institutions

more representative, because if they are more

representative they will be stronger, more effective and

more respected. A new world is emerging not only

through all our successes, but also through all the

crises besetting the planet. However, we cannot receive

that new world passively, we must build it.

Let us learn to manage together the most acute

crises that no one, not even the most powerful among

us, can resolve alone. I am convinced that it is the duty

of the heads of State and Government of the countries

most directly concerned to meet before the end of the

year to examine together the lessons of the most

serious financial crisis the world has experienced since

that of the 1930s. Who would understand it if the

world’s major economies should fail to take the time to

meet to discuss what we must do together and the

lessons we must draw from what has happened?

Let us rebuild together a regulated capitalism, in

which entire swathes of financial activity are not left to

the sole judgement of market operators; in which banks

do their job; which is to finance economic development

rather than to fuel speculation; in which rules of

prudence apply to all and serve to avert and soften

shocks instead of exacerbating them; in which the

credit agencies are controlled and punished when

necessary; in which transparency of transactions

replaces such opacity that today it is difficult to

understand what is happening; and in which modes of

remuneration do not drive people to take unreasonable

risks. It is my duty to say that those who jeopardize

people’s savings should be punished and at last face up

to their responsibilities. We will succeed in that on the

condition that we work together.

In our globalized world, the fate of each is linked

to that of all others. The negotiations on climate

change, begun in Bali, will conclude in Copenhagen

next year. Whatever our particular interests, we do not

have the right to fail.

Europe will adopt an unprecedented raft of

measures on energy and climate in December. Europe

does not wish to teach lessons; it wishes to set an

example. Europe also wishes to set the example by

acting to bring about peace. It did so in Georgia. It did

so with the Union for the Mediterranean. Because for

over half a century Europe has undertaken to stop the

endless cycle of war, vengeance and hate that has

periodically taken it to the edge of the precipice, it

does not want war. It does not want a war of

civilizations. It does not want a war of religion. It does

not want a cold war.

Europe wants peace, and because it wants peace

it says to Russia that it wants links of solidarity with

that country, that it wants to build a shared future, and

that it wants to be Russia’s partner. Why not build a

continent-wide common economic space that would

unite Russia and Europe? However, Europe also says

to Russia with the same sincerity that it cannot

compromise on the principle of the sovereignty and

independence of States, their territorial integrity or

respect for international law. Europe’s message to all

States is that it cannot accept the use of force to settle a

dispute.

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Europe says to Iran that it respects that country,

that Iran has the right to civil nuclear energy and that it

will explore all avenues of dialogue. However, it says

to Iran with the same sincerity that it cannot accept a

nuclear-armed Iran that would endanger the peace and

stability of the whole region. Nor can Europe

tolerate — and I say this solemnly — Iran calling for

the destruction of the State of Israel.

Europe says to Israel that it is its friend and that it

will let no one threaten its existence. Europe says to

Israel that it will always be at its side in the fight

against terrorism, but with the same sincerity says to

telling Israel that there will be no peace until there is a

viable Palestinian State with recognized borders.

Europe says to Afghanistan that it will continue

to stand by it and that it will not permit barbarians

allied with Al-Qaida again to take an entire people

hostage and to turn an entire country into a terrorist

base.

Europe says to Somalia that it will help it, with

the support of the United Nations, to combat the

scourge of piracy off its coasts. Until all States join

together to establish a maritime police force, we cannot

allow some hundreds of pirates to threaten the free

passage of ships throughout the world.

Europe says to Africa that it is committed to

co-development, that it wishes to be Africa’s privileged

partner, and that it has a common destiny with Africa

and a profound sense of solidarity. Europe says to

Africa that it has its place among the permanent

members of the Security Council and in the enlarged

G-8. How can one ever hope to settle the great issues

of the world while ignoring Africa, South America or a

large part of Asia? Europe believes in the African

renaissance, which is under way and, first and

foremost, is in the hands of the Africans, particularly

those of African youth, which is the youth of the world.

Essentially, what brings us here together in this

forum, where everyone must listen to the others and

thereby show them a form of respect, is something

more basic even than democracy. What brings us

together is respect for the dignity of all just as they are,

and for diversity of their opinions, cultures and beliefs.

Human dignity is a universal value. What we must

promote everywhere is respect for that diversity, which

is the surest guarantor of peace and human fraternity

and the surest antidote to intolerance, hatred, violence,

obscurantism and fanaticism.

That is what Europe wants: peoples united in

respect, understanding and solidarity; peoples united

throughout the world working together for the great

common cause of safeguarding of humanity. Time is at

a premium; the world cannot wait.