STRASBOURG - French President Nicolas Sarkozy was warned Wednesday against dividing the European Union by pushing too far with his plans to establish a Mediterranean Union, which have angered Germany.
"If the EU is divided by the Mediterranean Union, that would be a very bad message on the eve of the French presidency," of the European Union, said Martin Schulz, German Socialist bloc leader at the European Parliament.
"That would lead to France's isolation, which we certainly do not want."
France takes over the EU's rotating presidency from Slovenia on July 1.
Sarkozy is set to officially unveil his vaguely outlined plan for a strengthened partnership between countries around the Mediterranean rim to EU leaders over dinner at a summit in Brussels on Thursday.
After a meeting last week with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he appeared to water down the project to address Berlin's concerns but analysts believe he will still try to rally other European partners behind it.
Germany had feared that northern EU countries would be left out of the new union, which Sarkozy has suggested might be a better club for Turkey to join than the European Union, much to Ankara's anger.
Berlin is also concerned that France could be trying to use the project to counter the influence Germany has gained since the EU expanded to encompass 10 mainly central European neighbours in 2004.
"If the Mediterranean Union is a reinforcement of the Barcelona Process, then we completely agree, but this enterprise must remain within the framework of the European Union," Schulz said.
The Barcelona Process, launched in 1995 as a way to boost political, economic and social ties, has regularly been thwarted in its aims by confrontations between Israel and the Arab countries taking part.
But a number of EU countries doubt the usefulness of creating a new structure for policies that already exist and are concerned about how it would be financed. A unanimous vote would be required for EU funds to be used.
Even if EU leaders do finally agree to this Mediterranean Union, it will still have to be sold to partner countries themselves, many of whom have only expressed polite interest up until now.
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03/12/2008 10:51 GMT