Dutch prime minister calls for trans-Atlantic unity in war on terror

by Eric Quiñones
The United States and Europe must rise above tensions over the war in Iraq and present a unified front in the global battle against terrorism, Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said in a speech at Princeton University on Monday, March 15.

Balkenende, whose country will assume the presidency of the European Union in July, expressed sorrow for the victims of the recent deadly train bombings in Spain and stressed that the tragedy lent greater urgency to his call for trans-Atlantic cooperation in combating terrorism and proliferation weapons of mass destruction.

"Together we can be a mighty force for good in the world," he said.

Leaders of the United States and Europe must recognize that they have more common goals than differences and focus on their shared agenda of promoting liberty and freedom, fostering international economic cooperation and striving for global peace, Balkenende noted.

"Arguing among ourselves is the worst way to promote peace and security around the world," he said.

Following his visit to the University, Balkenende was scheduled to meet with President Bush at the White House to discuss a range of issues, including the war in Iraq. The Netherlands currently has 1,300 troops stationed in Iraq. Balkenende also was scheduled to meet with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

While in Princeton, Balkenende, a member of the Christian Democratic Party, was honored by the neighboring Princeton Theological Seminary with the Abraham Kuyper Prize for Excellence in Reformed Theology and Public Life, named for the Dutch Christian theologian and statesman.

Although his visit took place during spring break, Balkenende's lecture in Robertson Hall was well attended by students, as well as visitors from the seminary and the local community. Senior Katherine Linder, a history major who is pursuing a certificate in contemporary European politics and society, said it was "heartening to hear the future president of the EU share his firm belief that the United States and Europe have a shared responsibility to promote peace and security around the world."

Junior Andrew Bruck, who last fall participated in a Woodrow Wilson School policy task force on the post-Iraq war relationship between the European Union and United States, said he "enjoyed hearing from someone so closely involved in preserving the trans-Atlantic alliance."

"Our task force came to the same conclusion as Mr. Balkenende -- that there's much more uniting the two continents than dividing them. His main point, that the cultural, economic and political ties between the United States and Europe are too strong to be dismissed because of recent conflicts, is certainly valid," Bruck said.

Balkenende's address was sponsored by the Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination and the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies. The full text of his address is available online.