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Historic Expansion of the European Union

Date: May 4, 2004
Location: Washington DC
Issues: Foreign Affairs

HISTORIC EXPANSION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

Mr. MCCAIN. Mr. President, on May 1, 2004, in a truly historic move, the European Union welcomed 10 new member states. On this momentous occasion, I offer my congratulations and best wishes to the people of the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. These countries have made great achievements, and America benefits from our close ties to these nations.

EU expansion represents yet another victory for freedom in Central and Eastern Europe, together with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the Soviet Union's last gasp in 1991, and the two NATO expansions. Europe is divided no longer, and the United States enjoys an unprecedented relationship with the 10 new EU members.

I hope that our excellent relations with these countries will continue, and that we will continue to pursue our common goals of freedom, democracy, and prosperity throughout the world.

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