[A-List] Competing and collaborating imperialisms

["Keaney Michael" <Michael.Keaney@xxxxxx>]

Should anyone wonder why Blair's credibility within the EU should be so
low...


Blair seeks steel tariff deal from Bush
By Rosemary Bennett and Dan Roberts
Financial Times: April 9 2002

Tony Blair is using his close relationship with President George W. Bush
to fight for a special deal to exclude British steel from punitive
tariffs imposed by the US.

The prime minister has argued that the highly refined engineering-grade
steel produced in the UK is not a threat to the US market and a special
exemption should be granted.

He used his weekend talks with the president in Texas to push for
special treatment for the British industry. Although no agreement was
reached, British embassy staff have now taken up the baton.

Whitehall officials denied that by seeking a bilateral deal, Britain was
breaking ranks with its fellow EU members, who are considering concerted
action against the US.

The European Commission has fired a warning shot at Washington by
publishing a list of US exports on which it plans sanctions in
retaliation.

The list is designed to "hit the White House where it hurts" by
targeting $2.2bn (£1.5bn) of exports from states critical to Mr Bush's
re-election prospects. They include fruit from Florida, steel from the
Midwest and textiles from North and South Carolina.

Brussels hopes its threat will prompt threatened US industries to urge
Washington to drop the tariffs, which Mr Bush imposed in a bid to curry
favour with voters in steel-producing swing states, such as West
Virginia and Ohio.

British officials said on Monday night that Britain would honour its
agreement to support the EU. "Our position with regards to the EU is
unchanged. We think the tariffs are wrong in principle and any sanctions
would reflect that," said one official.

However, the bilateral talks between the US and UK may undermine the
EU-wide campaign. The European negotiations are seen as more important
by many continental producers, because they believe the biggest threat
is that cheap Asian steel will be diverted to European markets if it is
shut out of the US.

However, Corus, the UK's largest steel producer, is well placed to
benefit from any exemptions, since most of its British-produced exports
to the US are of highly-refined engineering grade steel.

Any deal with the US would allow Mr Blair to claim the close
relationship with President Bush is reaping dividends. His own MPs have
repeatedly criticised him for getting nothing in return for the blanket
support he has offered the White House

Full article at:
http://news.ft.com/ft/gx.cgi/ftc?pagename=View&c=Article&cid=FT3JATKRSZC&live=true&tagid=IXLI0L9Z1BC

Michael Keaney
Mercuria Business School
Martinlaaksontie 36
01620 Vantaa
Finland

michael.keaney@xxxxxx