European Unity and the Transatlantic Gulf in 1973

Abstract

When on 23 April 1973 Henry Kissinger gave a speech proposing a 'Year of Europe' he intended a renewal of the transatlantic charter. Interestingly this did not materialise; on the contrary, his speech stimulated the search for a European identity distinct from the United States. By the end of 1973, the nine members of the European communities formally declared their identity and ambitiously reaffirmed their unity in the international arena. Initially, the paper on European identity was however not meant to become a public declaration, but was destined to be the foundation for the transatlantic dialogue. It facilitated in fact a common 'European' stance towards the United States which had failed before. The Nine showed openly their unity and independency on several occasions in the autumn of 1973, which lead to large frustration among the Americans, especially Kissinger.