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Middle East puzzle

• Mark Mardell
• 15 Nov 07, 04:10 PM

Should the European Union extend into the Middle East?

The Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, seems to think so. He's where, of course, that the EU should be less about concentrating power at the centre and more about nation states doing more together.

In some ways, re-reading it, it's striking how uncontroversial a lot of her arguments sound today. But she might not approve of Mr Miliband's enthusiasm for the organisation. He will say that the European Union is not a superpower but a model power, because global institutions such as the UN are too big and nation states too small to cope with today's problems.

Intriguingly, he'll hint at the possibility of extending the European Union across the Mediterranean. He will say that, by 2030, the EU's single market should be extended to the Middle East and North Africa. He'll also say that membership of the European Union should not be based on geography but accepting the EU's rules. Is he really suggesting that Iraq could one day be in the EU? I don't know and I haven't seen the full speech but I hope to ask him. Watch this space.

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