Rebuilding the Belgian- American Partnership

In Belgium this year, the United States will not celebrate its national holiday but the “Belgian–American partnership,” a slight difference. There will be a day of public rejoicing this Thursday at the Parc Royal, accompanied by the unexpected opening of Zinner Street, which has served for some time as a buffer zone between an ultra-secure embassy and passersby. Since Obama, the tone has changed.

Scoop: the American national holiday will be celebrated on July 1 and not July 4 this year in Brussels. We don’t hope really to celebrate the United States; it’s important to celebrate the Belgian-American relationship. The other idea is that national holidays often concentrate on diplomats and government officials. Our objective is to broker reconciliation between the masses: we wanted an event where people can participate. That being said, a Sunday in July is difficult timing, and there was also the beginning of the Belgian presidency of the Union. We have chosen July 1.

Following the U.S. format, there will be concerts in Brussels Park from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., and the holiday will start with a cycling demonstration between Greg Lemond and Eddy Merck. Strange idea, no?

I hope that the idea is “different,” not strange. The idea is to have a communal activity that the two sides can appreciate.

It is remarkable that, since your appointment, you spoke to the Belgian population (specifically the non-Christian population) and visited some disadvantaged schools and towns. What would be your message to the people who hold resentment toward the past?

It is not surprising that in the eight years preceding President Obama, the Belgian–American partnership weakened, in large part due to us. It must be that Belgium needs a partner who hopes to listen and learn more, who engages, shares ideas, works together. My first public visit was to Charleroi, then Malines on the same day. These are buildings even an American ambassador had never visited, but where you meet real people, not the Chamber of Commerce or the think tanks.

Now, I have taken some French and Dutch courses, and I have visited more than one hundred places and towns where I met people and rebuilt a partnership. You can talk about “partnership” with the ministries, but you build it with people.

To favorably represent your country, is it any less difficult today than it was a year ago? I don’t think so. In the years before Obama, the popularity of the United States was at its lowest. A singular individual, Obama is and remains a person in the highest regard and very popular. The country is situated partway between the two: more popular today than in the past — when we committed some mistakes in the partnership — but less popular than the president. In addition, I think that people know that we work hard on this partnership. We are serious in Copenhagen, serious in our wish to leave Iraq, on progress to close Guantanamo, serious on progress in the Middle East, on financial reforms.

The key is to remain focused on the correct ladder: think about the position of our country and the level of Belgian–American cooperation the day Obama was elected. Then, think of the levels reached today. On the day he was elected, Americans were wondering if they mustn’t transfer their money from one bank to another, for fear that their bank would collapse. Today, we no longer talk about that but about the rate at which the banks must be taxed.

In matters of peace and security, we think of our relationship with Russia, the signing of the START treaty, the shared work on the issue of the Iranian threat. In the Middle East, when he was elected, we spoke of bombs in the bus, of clashes on the borders. Now they bring up the pace of peace negotiations, not the pace of attacks. In each instance, the partnership developed. It is true that there is still a ways to go: climate, financial regulation, nuclear Iran and Korea, Afghanistan.

In the coming two years, what are the remaining tensions between the United States and Belgium?

Belgium is a marvelous partner, and this partnership is for the moment spectacular. We want to know how to help Belgium, and I pose the question at each meeting. I often hear that Belgium is a little country, not rich, etc., but Belgium is the most credible one that I know. Belgium doesn’t speak loudly on the international scene, except when there is something to say. When that happens, on all of those stakes in which we are confronted, Belgian credibility can help the partnership direct certain policies: help closing Guantanamo, setting up sanctions against Iran, resolving the problem in Afghanistan, uniting other counties around the climate issue. Belgium has this role because it has true credibility.