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Ajouter un commentaireAt the beginning of February, European leaders were shocked after finding out in the wall street journal that US President Obama would not be attending the annual EU-US summit scheduled in Madrid for May this year. This sudden break with tradition in this uncommunicative way as fueled fears that Obama’s priorities are shifting away from bilateral cooperation with the EU. As the absence of Obama’s presence at the summit renders the event with something to be desired to say the least, the summit in May has been cancelled, with rumored plans to reschedule in November.
Waiting for unification after the Lisbon Treaty
Working through the kinks of the new structure of the EU after Lisbon has perhaps complicated the organization of this new summit. PJ Crowley, the US assistant secretary of state, suggested that there was confusion in Washington over who was in charge in Europe and where should the summit really be held to reflect the new leadership.
It has also been stated that US officials are frustrated by the fact that the Lisbon treaty has yet to give the EU a single voice, which would provide more continuity in the relationship. Given the rotating presidency changes every six months and the EU-US summit is held annually, President Obama has been meeting with a different leader in his or her respective countries each time he attended the summit. It is understandable that the US anxiously looks forward to the streamlining of political issues.
These two issues combined has served as a basis for confusion, some US officials say, as to if the summit was even going to take place this year ; hence why officials from the Obama administration have failed to officially inform the EU of Obama’s absence to the summit this year.
Obama’s domestic woes
In addition, many press reports and members of the Obama administration have illustrated Obama’s renewed commitment to the EU-US relationship after G. W. Bush and alluded to the fact that perhaps he has committed too much time to this relationship that is not necessarily sour, such as the US relationship with China after the arms deal with Taiwan. US newspapers state his frequent trips abroad (10 trips in 21 nations), particularly to Europe (about six), more than any other US president in his first year, as examples for his strong commitment to the relationship and reasons for scaling back travel.
US conservatives proposed that these diplomatic travels are examples of Obama’s lack of concern with domestic problems, and going to places as seemingly glamorous as Europe without any hard results after he returns have made it difficult for Obama’s domestic agenda.
Needless to say, the foreign trips do take up a large of amount of time while the senate is struggling to get a new health care bill passed and unemployment rates have not improved in the past months. Politically, Democrats lost their filibuster proof ‘supermajority’ in the senate last month when elections placed a Republican in the Massachusetts seat, which makes Obama’s attempts to pass key legislation that much more difficult ; and therefore making midterm elections scheduled for November that much more imperative to focus on.
Too much talk at the summit talks ?
Others have contended that perhaps Obama’s priorities have changed because of the EU’s lack of assertion that it should be a priority. The EU already has a good relationship with the US, while China’s newfound assertion illustrated by its reaction to Obama’s arms deal with Taiwan have turned Obama’s energy to smoothing this relationship given China’s economic prowess. Afghanistan’s situation doesn’t seem to be letting up and the EU has not done much to contribute to development strategies as to how this situation should be handled.
There have also been some feelings that Obama finds the summits light in substance and lacking in priorities. For example, at the EU-US summit in Prague last year, Obama was quoted as saying he was ‘fairly unimpressed’ with the summit.
For whatever reason, the summit would not have much substance without the US head of state, and the event has been postponed until a later unannounced date.
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EU-USA : Transatlantische Beziehungen unter Obama
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