Madam, - On May 1st we will welcome 10 new states into the EU. The citizens of most of these new arrivals have been compelled for some 50 years to learn Russian. Do we expect them now to switch to English? There is not much sign of the rest of us studying Latvian.
Perhaps we could meet them half-way and spend a few hours getting acquainted with an easily mastered neutral language, first spoken in Poland, belonging to no one country, but spoken to various extents in every part to Europe: Esperanto. - Yours, etc.,
MÁIRE MULLARNEY, Main Street, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14.
Madam, - What a difference 20 years makes.
Twenty years ago thousands of troops, hundreds of tanks and tens of SS-20s passed the sick old men of the Politburo on the podium outside the Kremlin, displaying the threat to Western democracies. Now many of the former members of that military alliance are joining us in the West in a celebration of freedom. It gives May Day a wonderful new meaning.
In the midst of all this celebration, we should spare a thought for the man who made this possible. He, sadly, will not realise that his dream of a free Europe is coming to fruition.
Ronald Reagan, from the bottom of our European hearts, thank you for your steadfast defence of our freedom and your wonderful vision of what could be. God's speed on the rest of your mortal journey. - Yours, etc.,
PETER M. BUCHANAN, Annamoe, Co Wicklow.
Madam, - Now that Cyprus is joining the EU, the Union has the dubious distinction of having two partitioned islands as members. - Yours, etc.,
KEITH NOLAN, Aldragh, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.
Madam, - Congratulations to all involved in the production of your supplement to mark the accession of new members to EU.
It provides a stark reminder of a century of wars and turmoil in Europe. - Yours, etc.,
TONY MANNION, Mountdown Road, Dublin 12.