BRUSSELS — Neither discretion nor diplomacy comes naturally to Chris Patten, the European Commission’s foreign policy chief who steps down to become chancellor of Oxford University at the end of the month.
Before an interview with a handful of Brussels-based reporters, the former British minister’s press aide asks him whether the conversation is off- or on-the-record.
The latter, Mr. Patten replies, adding, “I tend to say the same thing on as off.”
His age, 60, and his lengthy experience in Parliament and as Britain’s last governor of Hong Kong, starting in 1992, have done little to mellow Mr. Patten.
He describes Iraq as “that famous non-WMD-possessing state” and the war in Iraq as an “ill-judged and ill-starred adventure.” Though the former Conservative Party chairman clearly views the gung-ho stance of the Bush administration with distaste, he has no truck for the delight displayed by certain European war opponents at America’s postwar problems.
“Whatever one thinks about the war and the mess made so far of the peace, … we all have a shared interest in working to try and stop Iraq [from] falling apart,” he said. “If Iraq implodes and the present violence turns into civil war and continues to be a recruiting ground for terrorists, then we all suffer.”
Like British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Mr. Patten believes it is possible to be pro-European and pro-American — indeed, his next book, “Western Front,” is about trans-Atlantic ties. But unlike the Labor leader, he is not afraid to confront Washington with uncomfortable truths on topics such as Israel, Iran and the future of the European Union.
Welcoming America’s support for Turkish membership in the European Union, he said, “I hope the United States is still of the same mind when Turkey actually becomes a member of the EU, because it will inevitably make Europe — whether they like it or not — into an incommensurably more significant player in the Middle East and the region.”
For the past five years, Mr. Patten has tramped the globe wagging his finger at recalcitrant regimes, prodding EU states to convert their lofty rhetoric into action and making erudite speeches on foreign relations. It is a performance that has won him both admirers and enemies.
Once regarded as former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s “golden boy,” Mr. Patten is now considered something of a traitor by Britain’s increasingly right-wing and Euro-skeptic Conservative Party. The politician-turned-bureaucrat-turned-academic plans to support energetically Britain’s upcoming referendum on the EU Constitution, a move that will delight London’s dwindling band of pro-Europeans but infuriate die-hard Conservatives.
Although he described the EU as a “remarkable creation,” Mr. Patten harbors few illusions after five years spent trying to get 25 states to speak with one voice on the world stage.
“A lot of our ambition to play a more significant role internationally is thus far rhetorical,” he said. “American public opinion is actually more serious about the EU playing a bigger global role than Europeans.
“America would like Europe to share some of its global leadership — even when Europe doesn’t agree with America. That seems to be a wholly rational reaction of Americans who don’t want the republic to turn into an empire or the world’s sole policeman. On the other hand, we in Europe say we want Europe to play a bigger role and work more with America, but we are not happy about paying the price.”
The price, said Mr. Patten, is to beef up Europe’s military clout and pool sovereignty over such sensitive issues as foreign policy.
“On any multilateral issue where security is involved, what’s the first question we ask: Where’s America?” he said.
“So, I feel very strongly that the biggest question we have to face in the next few years — if we are to be taken seriously by the United States — is, are we prepared to put our actions and our money where our mouth is?”
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