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Europe, world react to Blair victory
May 2, 1997
Web posted at: 12:49 p.m. EDT (1649 GMT)In this story:
(CNN) -- A collective sigh of relief across the European Union greeted the Labour Party landslide into power. The victory of Tony Blair -- now Britain's prime minister -- could, it's hoped, signal an end to a series of bitter confrontations between Britain and the rest of Europe.
What comes next is cautious optimism in Brussels, where the 15-nation body is headquartered, that the new Labour-led government will have a more constructive approach to European integration than its Conservative Party predecessors led by John Major.
Britain's new government clearly has a mandate, says Giles Merrit of the Philip Morris Institute, a Brussels-based public policy research organization that provides a forum for European decision makers to express their opinions.
"At the same time," Merrit said, "there is a certain amount of cautious wait-and-see on the part of the other European governments because the idea of a cooperative and enthusiastic British government coming to Brussels is something that takes a little getting used to."
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Robin Cook, likely to become foreign secretary when Blair announces his cabinet, has said that Britain probably won't go along with Europe's plans for a single currency during the five-year lifetime of the new parliament.
But at the European Voice, a weekly newspaper devoted to the intricacies of the EU, editor Jacki Davis believes Britain will opt for European monetary union "within a year or so."
Under Labour, Britain will finally sign up to what is called the "Social Chapter," a section of EU law affecting workers rights, giving them more protection, including a guaranteed minimum wage.
Labour is also likely to give up Britain's veto rights to EU-proposed legislation and move towards majority voting in some areas, a form of decision-making favored by the rest of Europe.
But Blair is likely to hold firm against moves to shift responsibility for European defense away from NATO and the influence of the United States.
He will also insist on keeping Britain's borders intact and firmly under British control.
Blair's first test in Europe comes in just a few weeks at an emergency summit aimed at getting political agreement on a new European treaty.
Without the treaty, the EU cannot go ahead with plans to expand and take in more countries.
But the outcome of the French election later this month could result in delays which, for once, can't be blamed on the British government.
Italy
Prime Minister Romano Prodi congratulated Blair and said he was convinced Britain would play its part in building a more integrated European Union.
But the hard-left Communist Refoundation party said the British people would be deluded by the center-left policies of Labour, which has shed its socialist trappings since Blair took over the leadership in 1994.Germany Chancellor Helmut Kohl said the election showed Britons did not like anti-European polemics. Hong Kong Leaders said Britain's political scene is now largely irrelevant to the British colony, which will be handed over to Chinese rule in 60 days. India Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral said relations between India and Britain were "very good" and hoped to further their close ties. United States President Clinton called Blair late Thursday night "to congratulate him on his victory," a White House spokesman said. Some of Clinton's former political advisers had served discreetly as campaign advisers to Blair. Brussels Bureau Chief Patricia Kelly and Reuters contributed to this report.
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