Meio século depois da constituição do projecto europeu e o 'federador externo' de vez em quando ainda tem que exercer a sua função:
1. "The Obama administration (...) publicly signalled its growing concern about a possible British exit from the EU, just days before David Cameron sets out plans for a referendum on the issue. US diplomats have privately warned for months that Mr Cameron risked setting Britain on a path to exit with his plan to renegotiate Britain's EU membership terms and put the 'new settlement' to a referendum. But Washington has now taken the unusual step of publicly briefing British journalists that it firmly believes the 'special relationship' is best served by the UK remaining at the heart of Europe. Philip Gordon, assistant secretary for European affairs, made it clear that there would be consequences for Britain if it either left the EU or played a lesser role in Brussels. 'We have a growing relationship with the EU as an institution, which has an increasing voice in the world, and we want to see a strong British voice in that EU,' he said. 'That is in America’s interests. We welcome an outward-looking EU with Britain in it.'"
Jim Pickard, George Parker e Richard McGregor, "Stay at heart of Europe, US tells Britain" (Financial Times [online], 10.1.2013).
2. "Barack Obama yesterday warned Britain that it could lose international influence and clout in Washington if it pulled out of the EU, after senior UK cabinet ministers openly discussed a possible exit for the first time. The US president said that Britain's EU membership was 'an expression of its influence and its role in the world' and urged David Cameron, UK prime minister, to work to 'fix what's broken in a very important relationship' before breaking it off."
Jim Pickard e George Packer, "Leaving EU would reduce UK influence, warns Obama" (Financial Times, 14.5.2013: 4).
Isto parece-me tão evidente que até um cego seria capaz de o ver sem grande esforço. Se era já evidente há muito tempo -- uma vez que a 'special relationship' sempre foi um instrumento de influência que o Reino Unido utilizou eficazmente em Washington, Bruxelas, Berlim, Paris, bem como noutras capitais -- com a decisão de se avançar para a constituição de uma Parceria Transatlântica de Comércio e Investimento tornou-se ainda mais óbvio, se é que isso é possível.
A eventual saída do Reino Unido da União Europeia seria um dos maiores tiros nos pés de que tenho memória.
