| "I
am delighted to mark the 30th year of the Europe
Union by attending my former school, Strathallan,
on Europe Day (March 21st). Europe has opened up
many opportunities for Scotland to grow and part
of that growth has provided young Scots with the
chance to travel and work in any of the fifteen
member states. When I was a student it was illegal
for a UK citizen to work in what was then the EEC,
without applying for complicated work permits.
"But today is tinged with sorrow that, against
the backdrop of war, we in Europe are facing our
biggest division since the Union began. The rift
between France and Germany and the rest of Europe
over the merits of going into battle has almost
torn the European Community apart. It will take
a great deal of soul searching and tough negotiations
to get the Union back onto a collaborative footing.
However this delicate work can't even being until
we see an end to the war against Saddam Hussein.
For all those involved or touched by this bloody
conflict, lets hope this is sooner rather than
later."
Struan Stevenson is a Scottish Conservative MEP.
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