Santer welcomes chance to preserve good relationship

THE President of the European Commission, Mr Jacques Santer, yesterday sent President Clinton a telegram of congratulations on his re election. Mr Santer said that his "resounding vote of confidence" would help to consolidate the work being done on the global issues that benefit so much from a common approach between the EU and US.

There is some relief here at the ease with which Mr Clinton was re elected, tempered by fears that his hands will still be tied on issues like Helms Burton by a Republican Congress. But the broad continuity of policy and, probably, of personnel is welcome - with a heavy workload in the "New Transatlantic Agenda" (NTA) no one wants to put the process on ice for three months.

Seen as distinctly less isolationist than Mr Dole, Mr Clinton has shown considerable personal support for EU integration. And Mr Clinton has been willing to see the US play an international role in both Bosnia and Haiti and to begin to pay off its debts to the UN.

But on trade issues Mr Clinton is perceived as not a wholehearted free trader. In part it's his debt to the American unions, in part a general sense that the US is suffering in the wake of the last GATT round from trade fatigue.

He has personally distanced himself from the anti Cuban Helms Burton legislation which allows the seizure of assets of companies trading there which also trade in the US. Although he has suspended some of the legislation's effects, the EU has challenged its extra territoriality at a WTO disputes panel and is preparing counter measures.

An anti US decision there would certainly provide Republican ammunition against a free hand for Mr Clinton at the important ministerial WTO meeting in Singapore next month.

Most importantly, however, talks can now begin in earnest on the replacement of IFOR in Bosnia when its mandate runs out in December.

On the Middle East, on the other hand, the EU might have preferred a Republican firmer hand with the Israelis.

The leader of the largest group in the European Parliament, Ms Pauline Green, welcomed the re election and said that the EU and the US should jointly build a bridge to the 21st century.