A transatlantic war over visas threatens to derail a summit attended by President George Bush tomorrow, after the EU threatened to impose new restrictions on US diplomats and soldiers. The escalating dispute arises from visa requirements imposed by the US on travellers from countries that recently joined the EU. Though travellers from almost all the "old" EU member states are allowed into the US on a visa waiver, those from almost all of the new, mainly ex-Communist nations need a full visa. The issue is on the agenda for the annual EU-US summit in Vienna. Along with other issues such as the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, the spat could sour a summit designed to debate issues such as Iran and the global challenge on energy. The EU's threat of retaliation was made explicitly by the European Commission in a letter to Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, and Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
The escalating dispute arises from visa requirements imposed by the US on travellers from countries that recently joined the EU.
Though travellers from almost all the "old" EU member states are allowed into the US on a visa waiver, those from almost all of the new, mainly ex-Communist nations need a full visa.
The issue is on the agenda for the annual EU-US summit in Vienna. Along with other issues such as the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, the spat could sour a summit designed to debate issues such as Iran and the global challenge on energy.
The EU's threat of retaliation was made explicitly by the European Commission in a letter to Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, and Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
Letting governments believe that cancelling the visa requirement would be a reward was in the bribe (as well as the dupe) category among the methods to get "New Europe" into the Coalition of the Bribed, Blackmailed & Duped that now pretends to upkeep peace while in truth standing aside and arming/training sides in an escalating civil war in Iraq.
It seems the visa row now really comes home to weaken the Empire -- it is a quite interesting novel thing that the new EU members discover the EU as a vehicle to pursue their own interests in opposition to the US. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
But then why the evasive reactions to Mr. Marty's CoE report?
Or is this just horse-trading on behalf of the new member states? tens of millions of people stand to see their lives ruined because the bureaucrats at the ECB don't understand introductory economics -- Dean Baker
