Globa l disorder is a lso engender ing secur ity imba la nces.T he agg ravation of cr ises nur tures ter ror ism.T he attacks of September 11marked the advent of a new era of hyperterrorism.The resolution of regional crises is crucial to our security.We know they directly or indirectly fuel the terrorist threat,as is the case both in Iraq and with the Israeli-palestinian conflict.
Fina l ly,g loba l disorder is causing power im ba la nces t hat a re challenging the nonproliferation regime.
Today,nuclear proliferation is threatening to reach a new threshold.The temptations are legion:they are strategic,with States seeking to turn their territories into sanctuaries;they are political,for acquiring the bomb is still perceived as an element of status on the international scene;and they are economic,with networks making large profits from trafficking.
Faced with this situation,international instruments are now insufficient.They rema in essentia l pil la r s of peace a ndcollective security in the world.But they are also colliding with the difficulty of control and the insufficiency of nor ms t h e m s e l v e s .We m u s t p r e s e r v e a n d st r en g t hen t hem .T he su r v iva l of t he international system of non-proliferation and security is based on its credibility:
this presumes the ability to constantly adapt to the challenges we are faced with.
Faced with this global disorder,we have a choice:either we maintain the competition among our States,or we resolutely embark on the path of cooperation.Competition among our States is in no one"s interest.The only possible road is that of cooperation.
2.In this path toward a new world order,the United States,France and Europe have more duties than others do.
W hy?B e cause we a r e demo cr a cie s i m bue d w it h t he idea l of universalism.Because we are wealthy countries.But also because we have common interests:fostering international society,sharing our commitment with more and more countries.
First,it is our duty to work together.
Because our destinies are linked,our friendship is profound.Our histories are inter twined ,from York town to Omah a Beach,from Rochambeau and Lafayette defending American independence to the Marshall plan enabling a liberated Europe to regain prosperity and democracy.Today we again stand united to defend our values and our way of life,particularly as we confront the threat of terrorism.
Eu rope is t he United St ates"on ly global ally.
This is true on the political level.The things that draw us together are stronger than the ones that divide us.We share fundamental values:democracy,human rights,the same concept of the role of the individual in society.
It"s t r ue on t he e c on o m ic level.Europe is the leading destination of Americaninvestments and the leading investor in the United States.
And it"s true with respect to security:our cooperation in the field of intelligence is exemplary.
It is up to us to build a partnership of equals.It is in Europe"s interest for the United States to be powerful yet open.It is in the US"s interest to have a Europe that isn"t submissive but strong and responsible.Europe is America"s partner,not America"s rival.It"s when we act together that we are most effective.This can be seen in the case of Lebanon:from the adoption of resolution 1559to the resolution of last summer"s crisis,it was our joint action that was key to the solution of the situation.
To achieve this,we both have to make an effort.
Europe is not assuming all of its political responsibility.I see today two crucial needs for Europe:
The first is to re-establish a true common project and to adopt a new founding text.
The second is for Europe to assume its role as a military power.As disastrous as force is when used alone,it is equally disastrous to have a policy with no force behind it.A European Defense is no substitute for NATO.By strengthening it,we are strengthening Europe"s abilities to contribute to the world"s security andto bear its share of the burden.We saw this last year in the Democratic Republicof Congo when Europe g uaranteed the security of elections and thus contributed to the stability of a country that"s so key to the continent.Inversely,the adjustment of NATO"s role,essential since the collapse of the Soviet Union,must leave room for the affirmation of European Defense.
America,for its part,must better take into account the world"s realities.We"ve seen this in the latest major crises:in a world of asymmetrical conflicts,a military campaign of a few months may be followed by endless years of crisis.The military should more than ever be part of a peace strategy that is essentially political.We don"t believe that democracy can be imposed by force.
The United States"true strength isn"t its army.It is its ability to embody progress and modernity;it is its mastery of cutting-edge technologies;it is the attractiveness of its land and its culture to the rest of the world.On the diplomatic level,it should be its ability to exert renewed influence,to share its demands for democracy with more and more countries.It is by building a consensus through dialogue that the greatest possible number of states will come to accept our political choices and that they will have the best chance of success.Yes,the modern form of power is both influence and the ability to act together.Let"s bring others along in our wake.Let"s show that we have strong proposals and strong convictions.There is no power in standing alone.There is only organized,shared power.
In order to be effective,our cooperation must serve a system of world governance that has room for everyone.
We are two nations that share humanist va lues and the same aspiration to the universal.We must set an example.Letus be the pioneers of a new international ethic;let us defend strong principles: