After a wave of anger, Borrell apologizes for his statements “Europe is a garden” and “the world is a forest”
After a wave of angry reactions, the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, at dawn on Wednesday, apologized for his statements in which he described “Europe as a “garden” and the world outside it as a “forest”.
In his apology, Borrell said in a statement: “The metaphor has been misinterpreted by some as a European colonial centrality.. I’m sorry if some people feel offended.”
In his statement, he justified his statements by saying that the words “garden” and “forest” were not my invention. Some people really hate it because it was one of the words used by neo-conservatives in the United States, but I am far from this school of political thought,” he said.
This is the fact that this concept has been present in academic and political debates for decades, because it points to a simple question we face every day: Should the international system be based on principles acceptable to all, regardless of the power of its actors, or should it be based on the will of the strongest, which is usually called “the law of the jungle”?”.
Unfortunately, the world in which we live today looks more like a “forest” than a “garden”, where the law of will of the strongest in many parts of the world undermines agreed international standards, he said.
“This trend is worrying everyone, including Europeans, given our common roots. From the outset, the European integration project began with a rejection of power politics. We have succeeded in replacing the calculations of power with legal procedures. That is why I spoke of “The European garden”: we have been able, thanks to our Union, to promote peace and cooperation between the former belligerents, with a common commitment to uphold rules and laws.”
But now the war is back in Europe and we are seeing a shift in geopolitics around the world. We are facing a world of power politics with a large number of states using force, intimidation and blackmail to get their way.
He went on to justify his position saying: “The growth of this lawless and chaotic world is what I meant when I spoke of “the forest.” My reference to “the forest” has no racial, cultural or geographical connotation. Unfortunately, the “forest” is everywhere, including in Ukraine. We must take this trend seriously and that was my message to the students. We must not retreat behind false security of walls and isolationism”
The crisis began, with statements made by Borrell at the opening of the new European Diplomatic Academy, in Belgium last week, which the High Representative described Europe as a “garden” and most of the world as a “forest”.
“Gardeners should take care of the garden, but they will not protect the garden by building walls,” Burrell said.
“A beautiful small garden, surrounded by high walls to prevent the forest from entering, will not be a solution,” he said.
“Because the jungle has a great potential for growth, the wall will never be high enough,” he continued, bypassing all the world’s diplomatic schools.
In retrospect, Borrell said, “The gardeners must go to the forest. And to be more engaged with the rest of the world, otherwise, the forest will invade us.”
Angry reactions
Borrell’s remarks, described as “racist” like wildfire, went viral on the Internet, drawing angry and denounced reactions.
One of the comments was what Azeddine Ben Zgheiba, an Algerian researcher, said: “Borrell, a person is delirious in two cases when he is very fearful of danger, or when crises besiege him from everywhere, all his calculations are lost in water.”
“It seems that the Russian bear has caught you in both cases, until you see Europe as paradise, and other hell, an oasis and other jungles.. I wish you a speedy recovery from the waning.”
Refusing to be there or to visit the countries he described as ‘forest’, another account commented saying: ‘Dear gardener please commit to your own garden.. You are not welcome in the (jungle).”
Another account commented on the invasion case saying: “It is clear that the fear of these organizations of Arabs and Muslims still exists.. And his suggestion of the idea of invading the jungle is there.. They continue to invade us intellectually, morally and culturally.”
Borrell’s remarks also sparked outrage within European institutions themselves. “It remains a mystery how we ended up with a non-diplomat like Borrell as the EU’s top diplomat,” said Svenia Hahn, a member of the European Parliament.
“At such times, we see the need for a real EU foreign minister and a common foreign policy.. We need to reform the European Union and reduce the role of the Commission. The nomination of office holders by Member States is not sufficiently qualified.”
Criticism also came from colleagues; A senior Canadian diplomat, Bob Rae, tweeted: “I’ve been following the lead. What a terrible analogy for Borrell.”
History and our live experience certainly teaches us that no part of the world is free of violence.
Anger and criticism has shifted to questioning Burrell’s eligibility for his job, with Marek Klein, a professor at the London School of Economics, writing; one of the oldest universities in the world, “Burrell was and still is not fit at all for the job of High Representative for Foreign Affairs.”
Colonial tone
Commenting on the statements of the European Union Foreign Minister, Philip Marlier, professor of European studies at the University of London, said on his Twitter account, “Josep Borrell said that Europe is a garden. “Most of the rest of the world is a forest and the forest can invade the garden.”
“This analogy is terribly offensive and has strong colonial and racist overtones,” Marlere said.
Analyst and researcher Maria Dubovikova echoed Borrell’s sentiment, saying that “Europeans are the special people” in this world.
The International Association, an organization active in the Spanish province of Catalonia, said in a brief statement: “This is not the first time that the former Spanish Foreign Minister, Josep Borrell, has made controversial allegations.”
“But it is extremely worrying to see the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs making such racist comments that highlight (theories) of European superiority, with total impunity.”
UAE: First country to act officially
In the first official international action against Borrell’s racist statements, the United Arab Emirates reiterated its strong condemnation of Borrell’s recent statements.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation noted that “any statements of this kind are inappropriate and racist.”
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected these statements, saying they “contribute to the exacerbation of intolerance and discrimination on a global level.”
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation summoned Emile Paulsen, Acting Head of the European Union Mission to the UAE, and asked the Office of the High Representative to provide a written explanation regarding Borrell’s “harmful and racist” statements.
The UAE Foreign Ministry statement described Borrell’s comments as “disappointing, and come at a time when all parties realize the importance of respecting all cultures, religions, ethnicities, in addition to the values of pluralism, coexistence and tolerance.”
