EU/ANALYSIS: The EU's new mood of harmony on Iraq lasted about 10 minutes, writes Denis Staunton in Brussels.
When EU leaders agreed to lay aside their differences on Iraq on Monday night and to issue a tough warning to Saddam Hussein, the new mood of harmony seemed too good to last. In fact, it lasted about 10 minutes.
In a press conference after the emergency summit in Brussels, the French President, Mr Jacques Chirac, shattered the EU's hard-won unity by rounding on candidate countries that had signed letters backing US policy on Iraq. Describing them as "infantile" and "badly brought up", he warned the governments of central and eastern Europe that their entry into the EU could be delayed.
To make matters worse, the Commission President, Mr Romano Prodi, appeared to endorse Mr Chirac's comments, adding that the candidates should understand that the EU is a political as well as an economic union.
"I have been very, very sad, but I am also patient by nature, so I hope they will understand that sharing the future means sharing the future," he said.
The candidates' governments were, not surprisingly, outraged by Mr Chirac's remarks, warning the implied threat to block enlargement could encourage anti-EU movements in their countries.
The candidates' leaders were in Brussels yesterday to hear a report on Monday's summit from the Greek Prime Minister, Mr Costas Simitis, whose country holds the EU Presidency.
But it emerged yesterday afternoon that the candidates had already received an account of the meeting, in the form of a letter from the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair.
In the letter, Mr Blair conveyed his own impressions of the meeting, emphasising those elements of its final declaration that contain the toughest language towards Iraq.
He also stressed the importance of co-operation between Europe and the US and, in contrast to Mr Chirac, he praised "the leadership you have shown on these issues".
EU diplomats who had been shocked by Mr Chirac's outburst on Monday night were flabbergasted by the news of Mr Blair's letter.
"That's incredible," spluttered one senior diplomat.
By yesterday evening, Mr Chirac and Mr Blair had succeeded in shattering the goodwill that had been created within the EU by Monday's agreement.
After a few moments when Europe was speaking with one voice on the most important issue of the day, the debate had descended once again into sordid squabbling.
Yesterday's events represent a particular disappointment to the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, both of whom played an important role in achieving Monday's agreement. The joint declaration told Baghdad to "disarm and co-operate immediately and fully" and although it reaffirmed the EU's desire to achieve this goal peacefully, it raised for the first time the possibility that force could be used "as a last resort".
At the Government's suggestion, the declaration also stated that the military build-up in the Persian Gulf had been "essential" in obtaining the return of the weapons inspectors to Iraq.
Monday's meeting gave the Taoiseach an opportunity to clarify the Government's approach to the Iraqi crisis and to react to Saturday's anti-war demonstrations. Mr Ahern defended the use of Shannon Airport by US troops on the basis that, by supporting the military build-up, Ireland was helping to put pressure on Iraq to disarm peacefully.
He stressed the Government's commitment to resolving the crisis within the framework of the United Nations but declined to rule out supporting a US-led attack on Iraq that was not supported by the UN Security Council.
With characteristic candour, the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, acknowledged yesterday that economic factors, such as the high level of US investment in Ireland, were among the elements that informed the approach of "all countries" to foreign policy issues.
As outlined on Monday, the Government's policy on Iraq appears to be moderate, subtle and close to the centre of the debate in Europe. It is also calculated to avoid causing offence to the US.
As for the EU, after a fleeting moment of common purpose, its foreign policy was last night looking weak and confused and its countries' leaders were back where they have been for the past month - at each other's throats.