On the 10th of April 2003 and in view of the signing of the EU accession Treaty in Athens by 10 new members, a relevant Symposium was successfully organized by the Greek EU Presidency and the UN University at the U-Thant International Conference Hall, UN House.

The topic of the Symposium was: "The European Union fifth Enlargement: the new challenge of the unification process".

The Rector of the UN University Mr. Hans Van Ginkel, the Ambassador of Greece, currently holding the EU Presidency, Mr. Kyriakos Rodoussakis, the Head of the Delegation of the European Commission Ambassador Bernhard Zepter and the Charge d' Affaires of Italy, which is to hold the incoming EU Presidency, Mr. Claudio Glaentzer initially addressed the audience of about 250 participants in the Symposium. All four speakers welcomed the 10 new EU members and highlighted the significance of this historic event in the ongoing course of the European integration process, launched half a century ago. An animated panel discussion followed with the Ambassadors of the EU acceding countries based in Tokyo, replying to numerous questions put by the audience. As it turned out, the discussion focused on the implications and aftereffects of the EU enlargement to 25 countries on the new member states, the EU itself and the relations of the EU with third countries, including Japan. The Ambassadors of the 7 acceding countries in the panel were:
H.E. the Ambassador of Hungary Mr. Istvan Szerdhahelyi, H.E. the Ambassador of the Czech Republic Mr. Karel Zebrakovsky, H.E. the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic Mr. Julius Hauser, H. E. the Ambassador of Lithuania Dr. Algirdas Kudzys, H.E. the Ambassador of Slovenia Mr. Robert Basej, Charge d' Affaires of Estonia Mr. Argo Kangro and the Charge d' Affaires of Poland Dr. Jadwiga Rodowicz.

Following the panel discussion drinks and snacks were offered at the Reception Hall of the UN University. The reception was attended by all the participants in the Symposium, who wished well to the representatives of the new EU members.

It should be noted that in specially arranged stands, materials and publications on the life, history and landscape of the new members were available for the participants.

Address by the Greek Ambassador Kyriakos Rodoussakis
on EU enlargement

It is with great pleasure that the Greek Embassy in Tokyo, representing the current EU Presidency, took the initiative along with the UN University to organize today's Symposium on the 5th EU Enlargement in view of the signing of the accession Treaty in Athens, in the coming week.

Greece is indeed more than happy, to welcome 40 European leaders in Athens, after a few days (on April 16, 2003 ) invited on the occasion of the ceremony of the signing of the EU accession Treaty by the 10 new members. Namely the Cyprus Republic, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia. It was exactly 10 years ago (in 1993), that the European Council in Copenhagen launched an ambitious process to overcome the legacy of conflict and division in Europe.

It was in Copenhagen again, that the European Council of the 12th and 13th of December 2002, marked the unprecedented and historic milestone in completing this process with the conclusion of accession negotiations with the 10 acceding countries. Following the subsequent preparations of all the documents and texts of the accession Treaty under the current EU Presidency and the signing of the Treaty in Athens, the holding of a respective referendum will take place in each of the 10 countries (Malta and Slovenia have already held very recently their respective referenda with very positive results as their citizens were pronounced in favor of the EU accession with absolute majority).
Following also the ratification of the accession Treaty by the 15 member states and the EU Parliament, the 10 countries will become fully fledged members in one year's time as from the 1st of May 2004.They will also be entitled to their own commissioners and Europarliamentarians, since they are going to participate for the first time in the European elections of 2004.

It should be noted on the other hand, that the EU Council of Copenhagen set as an objective to welcome Bulgaria and Romania as full fledged members of the EU in 2007. It decided also that, if in December 2004 Turkey fulfills the political criteria of Copenhagen, the EU will open accession negotiations with the Turkish government without delay. Furthermore, the Copenhagen EU Council recognized the new dynamics that the enlargement will bring about in European integration. It expressed thus its determination to avoid new dividing lines in Europe and promote stability and prosperity within and beyond the new borders of the Union.

In this context particular reference was made to the strengthening of the relations of the EU with the Western Balkan countries (for the promotion of which the Greek Presidency will organize the Thessaloniki Summit with Western Balkan countries and EU members in June 2003) (we should not forget also that Croatia's candidacy to the EU was submitted recently in Athens). It is also looking forward to the relations with Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and Southern Mediterranean countries (which are cooperating with the EU under the Barcelona procedure). The neighboring countries constitute the so called "broader neighborhood of the EU", or "The ring of friends", as it was put by the Commission's President PRODI. Leaders from all the above neighboring countries, including the countries of Free Zone Trade, will be present in Athens on the 16th of April, in order to welcome the 10 new members in the European family.

We want in our turn, to welcome also them and wish well to the Ambassadors of the here present 7 (out of 10) countries based in Tokyo.

The 10 new members' accession and ensuing EU enlargement heals the rift caused by the Second World War, which left the Continent split into two opposing blocks.

It is now the moment, as we expand to 25 members, to join forces and face the EU challenges which are lying ahead.

The matter of the new EU structure and governance, the issue of the consensus or extension of the majority rule in the decisions, adoption of new institutions or not, the much sought common foreign and defense policy are some examples of the most urgent challenges we have to address. The Iraqi war, despite the assiduous efforts of the Presidency, has shown how the EU is lagging behind in this chapter. We have to admit, in any way, that however flagrant and striking the EU deficit in foreign and defense policy, the Iraqi war case acted as a "catalyst". Notwithstanding the diverging views on the matter, the common will of all the EU members is to go ahead and address in a firm way the most challenging chapters. This common stand of all the EU members was clear on the occasion of the recent Spring European Council in Brussels, where a common voice was adopted as to the post-war Iraqi options The EU more particularly, unanimously expressed herself in favor of the active involvement of the UN on the post-war reconstruction of Iraq. The same is the case with all the leaders who are going to meet in Athens next week, where a European, and not only symbolic, common front will be presented.

The process of the European Unification is drawing, on the other hand, the attention and attracts the interest of the non European observers too, who can see in this European experiment a useful challenge and suitable pattern for other parts of the world too.
This is definitely the case of the Japanese friends. The collective presence of so many Japanese friends in this hall tonight gives ample evidence to that. We have heard with great pleasure the relevant more than positive statement on the EU Enlargement by Minister Ms. Yoriko KAWAGUCHI the day after the Copenhagen Summit. The Enlargement, obviously along with a number of other political and economic issues will be addressed by P. M. KOIZUMI and SIMITIS and President PRODI on the occasion as well of the upcoming EU - Japan Summit to be held in Athens on the 2nd of May 2003.

The Chairman of the Convention - the representative body which examines the proposals for the future structure of the EU - former French President Mr. Jiscard D' Estaing, is going to present on the other hand his first ideas on the shape that the new EU Constitution might take, in Athens next week, on the occasion of the Summit. President Jiscard D' Estaing is expected also to present officially the first formal proposals of the Convention during the EU Summit of Thessaloniki (the last one under the Greek Presidency) on the 21st of June, 2003.

An EU Intergovernmental Conference is to be followed to endorse the final European Constitution. We hope that this Conference will be held during the incoming Italian EU Presidency (the second semester of 2003), so that the new European Constitution could be endorsed by the 25 members in Rome, in the city in which the first founding Treaty (the Treaty of Rome) was signed 46 years ago (in 1957).

It is true, that the EU is running out of time, since it is imperative to have the new EU institutions in motion and function as from the 1st of May 2004. It is our intention therefore to work very hard in order to accomplish this aim.

The successful conclusion of President Jiscard D' Estaing's task, with a new European Constitution with new institutions and mechanisms, answers not only to the strictly EU interest.

A fully integrated EU from every aspect, is to the interest of the international and regional stability, to world economic and social progress and in favor of a badly needed peaceful international environment.

What it has started 50 years ago as a response to the needs of the post-war Europe, with so many difficult successive steps and landmarks (such as 5 enlargements, economic and monetary mechanisms, sound institutions and tested procedures) it seems that it has taken the shape and course of an irreversible nature, however adverse the overall circumstances might be.

We will spare no effort, as a EU Presidency and as a single EU member state to live up to our commitment for a fully integrated EU, enriched and reinforced by the vigor and determination of the 10 new members, we, so happily welcome in the EU family today.

Texts and photos: Embassy of Greece in Japan