by Elena Visens

"Segodnia", No 209, Tuesday, November 1, 1994

Last Saturday, in two months before his official appointment to the post of Chairman of EC Commission, Jacques Santer has distributed portfolios of EC Commissars. No great surprises appeared, except the case of Englishman Leon Britain, who was Commissar on exterior economic connections and trade policy, and actually a deputy of acting Chairman Jacques Delors. He has got that he didn't expect: the portfolio of Commissar on connections with countries of Central and Eastern Europe was given to Dutchman Hans van den Bruk, who was dealing with exterior political activity of EC Commission before (he will be now responsible also for EC exterior policy and security). Sir Britain was charged to continue his work with exterior economic connections, including EC relations with Organization of Economic Collaboration and Development (OECD) and World Trade Organization (WTO), and relations with developed countries (USA, Australia, Japan, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Macao, and Taiwan). Such a geographical d

ivision was suggested by Santer instead of "topical" one, that is division into exterior economy and exterior policy. Spaniard Manuel Marin was charged with EC connections with countries of Latin America, Near and Middle East, Mediterranean countries, and developing Asia countries. Portuguese Johao de Deus Pinehro will be responsible for relations with African countries and countries of Caribbean and Pacific regions.

According to representative of UK government, Santer could not "properly appreciate advantages" of sir Britain, who is fully acquainted with situation in East European countries, and fairly expected this post. From the other hand, such a decision testifies for trust that Santer renders to sir Britain, who has played a decisive role during the most complicated negotiations on GATT, and who is considered a brilliant specialist on questions of economy. The Commissar himself has declared, that he intends to send in his resignation (the unprecedented case in Commission practice) if his authorities will be essentially cut down. However, after the Sunday telephone conversation with Major, he promised "to think a couple of days" about it. British Prime Minister John Major is put in a hard situation by such a threat, because in case of resignation of his compatriot, he will have to appoint urgently another candidate to EC Commission, so that appears a very difficult problem in a country where "Euro-skeptical" spirits

are strong.

The other 19 Commissar's portfolios were distributed approximately like it was expected. Great Britain got yet another post -- the post of Commissar on questions of transport was possessed by laborist *Nail Kinnock*. France, Italy, Spain, and Germany have received two portfolios each (the appointment of Emma Bonino in Italy was done at the last moment and nearly caused another government crisis in the country). Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands, Greece, Belgium, and Eire have got one portfolio each. Ex-Prime Minister of France *Edit Cresson* has become Commissar on questions of science, education, and competition capability (only five women were elected to EC Commission). Several portfolios were given to Commissars from countries that will join European Union since January 1, 1995: Austrian Franz Fischler will become Commissar on questions of agriculture, Finn Erkki Liikanen -- Commissar on questions of administration, Swede Anita Gradin -- on questions of immigration, and Norwegian Thorwald Stoltenberg --

on questions of fishery (many estimate this as an additional stimulus or indirect pressure on Norwegians, who have to vote for joining Norway to EC at the referendum on November 27-28).

A meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of six ex-socialist countries with their colleagues from countries-members of EC took place yesterday in Luxembourg. There was a discussion of a question of probable joining of Poland, Chekia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary to EC. Although there was no question of concrete terms (according to EC Commission officials, that process is desirable, but it can be possible only at the beginning of next millennium), Germany seems being trying to make that process irreversible before year 1995, not the best year for integration of countries of East Europe to EC, because France and Spain, who will preside over EC in next year, are not eager to expand EC towards East.

Those pretenders are interested in turning the discussion of the whole question to concrete results and terms. Last week Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs noted, that the country does not intend to begin trans-orientation of its economy to united European market without having defined term of joining EC. According to Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodoru Melescanu, the yesterday meeting in Luxembourg has become "the first step towards integration. It is a very significant day". His German colleague Klaus Kinkel expressed essence of the meeting in one phrase: "We must build Europe together".

Strasbourg - Moscow

Translated into English by A.Prishchenko, 2/11/94