Why Europe?

Michael Tappin

pp. 35-40

in: Joe Andrew, Malcolm Crook, Michael Waller (eds), Why Europe? problems of culture and identity I, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2000

Abstract

Eighteen months ago I was privileged to be in the European Parliament in Strasbourg when François Mitterand came to address the Parliament at the start of the French Presidency of the Council of Europe. He did not have much longer to live: always a small man, he was now showing all the signs of his illness, seeming frail, grey and withered.